Back into the swing of things

Just a couple of updates as we get back into the swing of things here in Vulvulane.

We were encouraged at the TEAM conference and were able to renew friendships. One of our goals for the conference was for wisdom and discernment as to our role for the next year and we did receive clear direction through a lot of wise counsel. 

On the way home, we stopped by the ocean for two days and enjoyed the time of rest (also we were able to finally warm up as it was really cold in South Africa). It is good to get back and we plan to start the public health meetings in Maphiveni again on January 21st.  Our garden was under several inches of water, looking like wetlands, when we returned and looks like we've lost the tomato crop. The 2nd maize crop is doing well as well as several other vegetables.

Bonginkosi and Sifiso have been employed by the new security company but they will find out if they can stay in this village or will be transfered elsewhere. We hope they are able to stay. Mira and Luke have left the hospital and disappeared. Please pray for them wherever they are at.

The micro-industries are both doing very well. We will be visiting the mushroom houses on January 26 as one of the final steps of training before we can get that micro-industry going. The floor polish production in Section 19 has taken off very well. The people in the area around Tambankulu, where the Chips office is, often stop in and buy the floor polish. The participants in the Maphiveni jam making project started with paw-paw jam and have now increased production to include mango and lemon jam.

We are still praying and weighing how to bring Chips into Mafucula. This settlement is very spread out and there are a lot of needs to be addressed. Central points of contact would have to be established and home visits would take a lot longer. There is a lot of distances between homesteads and the main road is a steep winding dirt road that is used by smugglers since it is on the border of Mozambique and Swaziland.

Another thing that we will be focusing on now that we are back is meeting with the Chief of Maphiveni to continue our discussion of the community center that we (Chips) would like to build in Maphiveni.

Please continue to remember us in your prayers as you can see that there is a lot going on and many decisions to be made.  We greatly appreciate all of you!

Mary is holding Standiwe, whom we affectionally call Rav-4. Remember he was born in the back of the 

Rav-4 on the way to the hospital? He is doing very well!