God's hand is on the micro-industry projects

The chicken project is going well and the ladies are taking responsibility for the ongoing work of taking care of the chickens and planning to expand the project. They have made a profit of several hundred dollars since  Jan 10th. Now the women are talking about bank accounts, micro-loans  and building their own chicken house when they have saved the money. The original chicken house which was on Gogo Doreen’s property, but Gogo Doreen refused to have the other ladies on her land.  but as a group they found another place to keep the chickens and paid the first month’s rent. Progress is happening but these are great times to share the Word as we talked about forgiveness after what happened with Gogo Doreen. The Lord has really worked through this and has amazed all of us with how well that the project has gone.

Ian has received enough money to provide tire gardens to five families in Macetuca. The tires were delivered in the last couple of weeks and we'll be taking pictures to show you as the gardens grow. 

We were able to visit Gogo Mandatshane's homestead and assess her house and needs. Her homestead is up a rough mountain road and then about a mile down a bumpy cart trail. There's no water on site and her house, made of wood, is in bad shape. There will be a challenge to get the supplies and crew up there, but we're looking forward to helping her out with this need. Gogo Mandatshane was very excited to show us her homestead and land.

There have been some meetings with Lloyd Dlamani, who is the area coordinator for the Sebenta program. This program is government run with an emphasis on literacy and has been going well for ten years. We really liked this program because it focuses on Swazi ownership and responsibility. Lloyd also has all the participants pay a nominal fee to be a part of the program. If there isn't enough money for the fees, that's where Chips would step in and help cover the remaining amount. There is a one time fee of $1.25/person fpr books and $1.50/month. The program is 6 hours a week and continues for 9 months. We are still looking to find a coordinator in our area.

The floor polish ladies group has done extremely well. They keep making and selling batches of floor polish and vaseline, even with a couple different scents.

We're so blessed to see God's hand in all these projects and how He's given the participants success. We continue to pray that they would see God as the one who has provided for them the work and ability to sell their goods.
Thank you for your help with all of these projects and impacting so many lives.

P.S. - If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via 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.

Praises due to God

Sometimes we do not celebrate the Lord's miracles enough. This picture is of Jabu's recent wedding.  Two years ago she was so sick; her one year old son  had died from malnutrition, liife was very grim and the future very uncertain. Now Jabu lives in Macetuka and is fit, healthy and running a successful business that employs 13 people. This is how the Lord has worked  in her life over the past two years and we continue to pray that she will one day except Christ as Lord and Savior. 

Another praise is that Eric came 3rd in his class of 53 students last term and he had an excellent report. Eric is doing so well in school and we know God has great plans for this young man. 

In the last couple of days, Eric's mother has taken ill  with TB/HIV and had to be taken to Good Shepherd Hospital. Please lift her up in prayer, that the Lord would work amazing healing, both physically and spiritually, in her life just as He has worked miracles in Eric's life. 

  

Prayer need Andile Mbebe is 18 months old and is new to the Chips program. This little guy was sick and malnuourished last month when we got him started on ART. Praise the Lord that we had food to give to his family thanks to wonderful ministry partners who have provided food parcels. 

Mpopoli is doing well since he has returned from the TB clinic. He still not put any weight on, but feels well. His home will be next in line. 

Gogo Doris' home was finished last month and she was so thankful to have a good roof over her head. 

 
Chips was given 300 pairs of children's shoes and we were able to pass them out among several communities. Often the pair of shoes was the first shoes these children have received in their life. 

  
The floor polish and vaseline groups are doing well and have made several batches which have all sold. The ladies who are participating in the Chicken project have been doing a lot of research and getting ready for the launch of their project. They just got chickens and we are praying that this opportunity is a viable one just as the floor polish and vaseline projects have been.  

All these are examples of God's great provision through wonderful supporters like yourself and the work that we have the pleasure of doing here in Swaziland. Your donations and gifts really do make a difference in so many lives, from necessary life-saving treatments of ART's, food, clothing, scholarships, housing repairs, and micro-industry projects. We can't thank you enough for allowing God to use you in this way.


P.S. - If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via 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.

Needs and Projects

We continue to be amazed at God's faithfulness and provision, as well as your outpouring of generosity!  In the last couple of months we have received several requests from our supporters asking if there is a project that they can help with and donations towards the reagent supplies, school costs for the children, houses for the elderly, and bibles in SiSwati among others. 

Here is a list of ongoing needs to choose from if you have it in your heart to give a gift that makes a difference in someone's life. 

• Reagent Supply-$1,000/month. The government is still not supplying the reagents needed to test CD4 levels. This is such an essential ongoing need that often means the difference between life and death as we find, through testing, people who are HIV+ who need to be initiated onto Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment immediately in order to survive. 
•  SiSwati bibles for distribution--$10 each. A bible in their own language is something many Swazi's would love to own and simply can't afford to get. Also, we pass out bibles to those who come to know the Lord and it would be great to have a supply on hand!
  
• Home Care Kits--$30 each. Each kit includes personal hygiene items, laundry powder and bleach that we pass out to the many home bound clients (often elderly and very ill) we continue to meet. A supply of Home Care Kits on hand is a definite need. 
• Housing for the Elderly: New Roof--$150ea or Complete Home Refurbishing--$300ea. There are a lot of homes belonging to the elderly that are in a sad state of neglect and disrepair in all the settlements. The elderly people are often abandoned and neglected by their family and neighbors and have no strength or resources to fix up their homes. 
• Food Parcels--$30ea. The price of maize and other food continues to rise making it more difficult for people who are either out of work or earning very little to afford basic food staples. 
• New Baby Parcel--$30ea.  This package of clothes, diapers and other supplies is given to a new mom for her baby, often the only gift of new clothing the baby will receive. 
• School Sponsorship: Primary School--$200/student for a year or High School--$300/student for a year. Families don't always have the money for school fees and uniforms for their children to attend school. A school sponsorship will cover all the fees and will provide a uniform. Educated children will grow up to be the country's future leaders. 
• Micro-Industries: Start-up costs and ongoing supplies. These micro-industries provide opportunities for women, especially, to learn a marketable skill and to earn an honest income, which gives a sense of hope and the ability to provide basic necessities for their families. 
  
• The Sewing Project at Section 19 is ready to expand. The cost of a basic sewing machine is $150 and there is always a need for other supplies and material. Each lady who participates in the project will receive a sewing machine to use with a portion of her monthly profits being deducted to pay for the machine, which can take up to 2 years. These payments are used to purchase more machines and supplies, giving other women an opportunity to join the project. We are hoping to start a second Sewing Project in another settlement in the near future with 10 additional women. 
• The Vaseline Project at Maphiveni--initial setup $200. Ladies from Maphiveni have come up with the idea of making Vaseline with Aloe as there is a market already available for this item. 
• The Floor Polish Project at Maphiveni--initial setup $200. The support group at Maphiveni is very excited about this opportunity to earn income by producing floor polish which has an immediate market available. 
• The Garden Project at Maphiveni--$100 to fence one garden.  If the garden is fenced so chickens and other critters can't destroy the crops, that will allow for an individual to grow vegetables providing food for their own family and generating income as they sell the surplus.
• The Chicken Project at Maphiveni--initial start-up $1,000. There is always a market around here for chicken and this will be a community operated project. The start-up will consist of building chicken houses and buying day old chicks. 

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity and kindness to people that you have never met. Each gift greatly impacts one or more people and allows us to share God's love in a very practical way. It is such a blessing to us to see the many requests to come along side and help this ministry that God has given us to do, without even having to ask you to help. It is our prayer to plant seeds with each donation and trust God to do the watering and bring the increase.


Any gift that is earmarked is used for that specific thing or held until that need once again presents itself (ex. all school fees are due in January, but any scholarship money collected prior is kept for when the school fees are due).

The fastest way to make a donation is to go online at www.WorldOutreach.org Go to 'Donate' and select our name, Stephens, Ian and Jenn SWAZILAND or you can mail your gift to World Outreach Ministries, PO Box B, Marietta, GA 30061 and designate for Ian and Jenn, Fund Code #97. Once you have donated, please email us at piggwr4647@aol.com and tell us of your designation of your gift.

P.S. - If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via 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.