Incredible Provision

Thank you to those who responded to our request about Mxolisi and Eric. Your generous donations were enough to cover both of the two boys school fees so that they can return to school this week. It's amazing to see God work through His people to meet specific needs.
 
We are so thankful to God that He provides for us through our faithful suppporters. There might be some confusion about the finances and why it is that we often make requests for additional support. The financial support given to us has two different purposes. First of all, our personal monthly support which enables us to be here in Swaziland and to be used to minister to those around us. Our needs are faithfully being met every month by you and we are so grateful for that.
 
Secondly, in order to help meet immediate needs of the Swazis, we have established a general fund. These financial gifts are above and beyond our monthly support needs and are used to help a variety of people, including Mxolisi, as the needs arise. We continue to pray for direction on what the best use of these funds would be and that they would make a difference and bring blessing into people's lives. If a desperate need arises and there isn't enough money in the general fund there are times where we have dipped into our personal account to help provide a solution.

Ncomsile and her son Thabiso

Recently, monies in the General Fund have been used to help Ncomsile, our househelp and Section 19 Rural Health motivator, to start a candle business. It is time to cut the sugar cane and there are a lot of seasonal workers who come to Section 19. She is planning to use the funds to pay for her children's school fees.
 

Newman harvesting maize to distrubute in the communities

Newman has also been the receipiant of gifts from the General fund. We were able to give enough money to buy him a bicycle so that he won't have to walk 40 minutes to work one way and so he can visit his son who lives in a different village without having to pay the bus fare. In the near future, we hope to outfit the small quarters on our land with furnature and dishes so that we can offer Newman a place to live. It's our hopes to surround Newman with positive role models, Sifiso, Nchlachla(Lucky) and Ian, to help Newman overcome his alcohol addiction.

These are a few examples of how your gifts to the general fund are spent, but our primary focus is to take care of medicine and food needs for children and the elderly. As you can imagine, the requests for assistance are never ending. Please pray that God would give us wisdom on how to handle these needs and to make the most of the generous gifts in our general fund. Also please pray that God would continue to meet all these needs as they come up.  If you would like to be a part of meeting these needs, you can donate by following the information in the PS section of this post.

We do greatly appreciate your generous monthly support and the additional gifts desginated for helping the Swazi people. May God get all the glory!
P.S. - If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via http://www.WorldOutreach.org
Go to "Donate" and select our name, Stephens, Ian and Jenn SWAZILAND. The system can process USA and International cards.

Or simply mail your gift to World Outreach Ministries, PO Box B, Marietta, GA 30061 and designate for Ian and Jenn, Fund Code #97.