Fanzile needs a new home

(Fanzile is in the second row on the left in  yellow shirt)

Fanzile, happens to be one of our favorite kiddos. We have mentioned him quite a few times here on the blog (you can catch up here). Over the last couple of months since Fanzile's Gogo passed away, Fanzile has been living with his uncle. There has been several times where the aunt has beat Fanzile and not given him food. Fanzile would disappear after school as to not to be at home. It came to the point where we knew we needed to do something about the situation. At first we talked to Fanzile’s teacher, but she did not have any real answers except suggesting he start from grade 1 again.

Fanzile said he was always hungry and only got fed at school. He also said that his aunt would beat him at home. We know that there has been food in the house because we have been giving a monthly supply of food.

The uncle, who is Fanzile's only living blood relative, said that Fanzile lived like a vagabond and was never sure where Fanzile was. The uncle did not really want to take Fanzile and asked us to find a compassionate person to take Fanzile. As we left the uncle's house, a neighbor told us that she thought Fanzile needed refuge.

We had several meetings with Principal Aero and the social welfare department before relocating Fanzile to a temporary home with caring Christian woman. We will be looking for a permanent home for Fanzile, either in a Christian orphanage or if a caring family wanted to take him. The problem we run into is Fanzile's age. He is 10 years old, long past the time most orphanages are willing to take children.

While Fanzile is staying in this temporary home, he has been going to New Hope Children's Ministry.

New Hope Children’s Ministry is Christian home for orphaned and vulnerable children. Part of their curriculum takes the students to visit schools to evangelize the good news of Jesus.

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  The students do this through drama, memory verses and songs. Shortly after we placed Fanzile in his temporary safe home. The children of New Hope came to do a performance at the Vuvulane Primary School. The kids all did a great job in their teaching and we were blessed to be invited to the performance. 

The students at Vuvulane school all enjoyed the performance as well. 

It was great to see Fanzile (Second row in the yellow shirt with the shaved head) and how well he was doing with regular meals and living in a safe place. Fanzile had lots of smiles and jokes again just like the Fanzile we fell in love with several years ago. We are thankful that at the moment Fanzile is no longer in an abusive situation.  However, w are still in the process of looking for a permanent home for Fanzile, would you pray with us about that? 

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.

Visiting evangelism team from Kentucky

We are so thankful for the Team from Kentucky who came on the 22^nd of July and spent four days visiting the communities served by Chips.  Rodney, Miles, Peggy, Alvin and Michelle were a real blessing and encouragement to us and we really appreciated their prayers over our ministry and lives.

The gospel was shared with many people hungry to know God in Mgldzangcunu. 

We were refreshed and renewed personally and so glad to see that the "embers were stirred" among the people that we serve.

The team was wonderful to work alongside of as we prayed with adults and children for healing. Some people prayed for Salvation and others for release from abusive situations.

We ask for continued prayer for the Swazi people that they will  receive discipleship and encouragement as they continue to grow spiritually through the different churches and our Bible studies that are in the communities. 

Peggy and Jenn praying for healing at section 19

Michelle and Bonginkhosi praying for children at section 19

So many wonderful things happened when God shows up! Healing miracles take place, people are set free from the bondage of  spiritual darkness and oppression, and lives changed when redemption and salvation come into their lives. Amen to God be the Glory!

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.

Salt of the World

As you know we have been doing bible studies in several of the communities that we serve. The response has been great, with more people in attendance each week. The people are so hungry for the Word to be planted and watered in their hearts, and keep asking for Bibles that they can have in their own language. (Providing Bibles is an on-going request. If you would like to contribute towards this need, you can follow the instructions at the bottom of the post to donate towards providing Bibles.) We spend a lot of time each week teaching in these various Bible Studies.

Here are the Bible Studies that Ian has been teaching.

Section 19 has just started their Bible Study and meet every two weeks on Wednesday afternoons. They have been covering Acts 1, Acts 2, the early church and Peter's Sermon. About 30 people have come and this group loves to sing! 

Macetuka meet every week on  Tuesday afternoons. The past studies here have included Joseph, the Exodus, Holy week etc. They are currently in a 4 week series of Ruth and will study Acts next. 

Chips devotionals  Ian teaches the devotional Monday and Friday mornings every week and teaches what ever the Lord shows puts on his heart to share. 

Jenn has been teaching at these locations

Khomba is a fairly new Bible study and they meet Thursday afternoons every other week. They have covered Simeon and Anna, and Hannah. Bonginkosi has shared his testimony from a man's point of view about supporting one's wife when she is going through difficult circumstances. There are several people willing to share their testimonies. 

 Chips devotionals on Wednesday mornings every week and teaches what the Lord puts on my heart  such as faith, or walking with God. 

Mgldzangcunu meet Monday afternoons every other week. They have covered Esther, Lot's wife, Hannah, Ruth, and Rahab. One Bible Study at Mgldzangcunu was  titled “Salt of the world" based on Matthew 5:13. We had 22 people who attended the Bible study and they all received an amazing prize of a bag of salt for  having the correct answer! It was a fun afternoon and lots of interaction. 

Attendees with their salt. 

Please continue to pray for us that God will give us wisdom on what to teach about and that He would speak through our words and impact the hearts of those we serve. We have come to see ourselves, not as pastors, but as teachers or shepherds and we know that only God can implant His Word into people's hearts. Pray for the people that they would come to know God in a very personal way and that their lives would be changed.  

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.

Dedication Ceremony

Last week we held the Dedication Ceremony of the new Chips office and minibus. The event was attended by Rotary club of Swaziland, Vuvulane Inner Council, directors of Chips and Chips staff. Pastor Ken did the dedication prayers, blessing and a short speech on the beginnings of Chips. He prayed for the future growth that the services offered will reach many more people in this area and he gave thanks to the Lord for his provision in all things.

Daran as president of Rotary Club in Mbabane handing the keys over for the minibus to Jabulani the Project Manager for Chips.

Members of the Rotary club Swaziland

The new minibus (khombi) ready to be used. We're thankful for the provisions that the Lord has given us and we pray that the Chips staff will be able to reach so many people in the future with a holistic approach caring for both physical and spiritual needs of those around us. We appreciate your support in this adventure as well. 

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.

Continued Thanksgiving and God at work

Here's more additions to our list of God-things and things we are thankful for.

• Mbabane Chapel praying for us. Several members came to see us when we were in the hospital. 
• Prayers and encouragement from our supporters. 
• Jenn is feeling God's presence and God is showing her various things. 
• Jenn feels the need to be more involved with the Simunye Church  and to get to know the congregation on a deeper level. 
• Ian is listening more to Jenn and is being patient with her. 
• Jenn is able to share on a more personal and deep level with Ian. 
• The Rotary grant application accepted the proposal for a new Chips khombi and Chips will be able to get it in the next few months. 
• There has been funding that has come into Chips which will allow us to expand. Chips will be able to hire a full time nurse and a couple more counselors. We will be able to have the equipment to test for CD4 levels in the field and be able to prescribe medicines in the field. Additionally we will be able to go into new communities and provide services for them. 
• Jabulane has shown a lot of difference over the last month in his car for others. 
• Jenn has been convicted about judging others on areas in her own life that need to be worked on. 
• God's people at work in our life and the community's which is amazing!
• People from the church continued to bring food all the way up until this last week when we told them to stop. 
• We're learning to be dependent on others. 
• Each day is a gift. 
• Ian is very supportive of Jenn.
• God has spared us for a reason. 
• We're learning to receive abundantly from others. 
• We can see the effect that we are having on those around us. 
• There have been numerous opportunities through out this whole time where we have been able to witness and share with others. 
• Ian continues to feel better and regain his strength. 
• Ian is able to get out and about for short times. 
• Ian got a good Dr's report this week and most restrictions were lifted. 
• Everyone around us has been fantastic. 
• The Chicken Project has been in operation for 6 months and is now turning a profit!
• The study about community, that we were in the middle of at the Simunye church at the time of the accident has really impacted a lot of people. We are on the receiving end of a true community gathered around us. 

At times it has been difficult with everyone taking over for us and that we are unable to do what we want to do when we want to do it. However, when we look at this list, we are able to see that God has a purpose for this (though we don't know exactly what yet) and He is working through the accident and the recovery time. 

We expect all the changes with Chips to be implemented  about the same time that we are able to get back to work. Maybe we needed a time of rest before all these changes come about. 

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.

A team from the States and a struggle to walk

Nowlnuga 3 years old

Nowlnuga has had bad rickets which has left her legs bones growing and fusing together in such a way that it is difficult for her to walk. She also falls over a lot, which is very painful. We are asking for prayer that Good Shepherd hospital will provide her referral to the main hospital in Mbabane and that  Nowlnuga will see the right doctors and be completely healed. Her mother takes excellent care of her and works hard at a fruit and vegetable stall near the Chips office in Timbankulu.

Nowlnuga, her elder sister, and mom are all in the Chips program

Our hearts goes out to this shy little one.

We had a meeting on Monday 11^th Feb with the owner of a private sugar estate owner, Bruce James, in Mchele, a village about 10 minutes away from our house. Our goal was to see if this would be a good area for Chips to expand into, but he takes adequate care of his workers so there is no need at this time for Chips to go into the village. We will be going back to Mchele on March 4th to do education and testing for Bruce James' new employees and will be available should he ever want Chips to help in someway. 

Prayer need

The medical/construction team from the States came on February 18 and will be here until the 22nd. Please pray for their safety and that they would be able to do a lot of good and help many people. Also, we've had a problem in Section 19 with dogs biting visitors. There have been a couple people who have been bit over the last couple of months and there is an ever present threat of rabies from the dogs. We had a meeting with the people of Section 19 to explain the importance of chaining the dogs up for everyone's safety and we are especially concerned with having our team here this week. 

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.

Prayers for healing

There has been a lot going on and so we thought we would take this time to send an update. 

•  Sifiso started a 4 year civil engineering course on Monday in Manzini. We pray that this will be a good fit for Sifiso and that through this path God would use him in a great way here in Swaziland.

• Eric's mom is home from the hospital and doing well, praise God

• We have a lot of sick Chips clients, mainly adults as the Chips children seem to be well. Please pray that the children continue in health and that the adults would return to health. We know that God is the ultimate Healer and we trust in Him for these requests.
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• Please pray for Dudize, from Section 19, he has defaulted on his medication which resulted in him getting sick. He was re-initiated on  ART's this week. Dudize wanted to know if there was hope for him, and Jabulane assured him that there is always hope. 
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•  Sibusiso, from Maphiveni, is very sick and wasting away. He is 25 years old and we took him to the hospital yesterday.
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• We saw Vusile last week and he is a happy boy running around. 
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• Gogo Doreen, from Maphiveni, has shingles and is in a lot of pain. 
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• Jabu, from Maphiveni, is sick but we aren't sure what is wrong. We took her into the clinic for treatment. 

Besides dealing with all this sickness , we are looking forward to our trip next week. We will be heading to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and to Victoria Falls. It will be a nice time to get away, reconnect with God and each other.  We've realized that we need to take more time to do mini-retreats to keep our focus centered on God and seek Him for direction and guidance regarding Chips.

 

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.

two more goodbyes

In the last couple of weeks we have had to say goodbye to two more friends, who have succumbed to HIV and TB. It's always sad for us as we watch our friends as their health rapidly declines due to these terrible diseases. We try to do as much as we can, with getting them to the clinic and started on treatment, however sometimes our help comes too late due to denial of any illness and lack of motivation to get treatment. 

Lungile, the rural health motivator from Khomba went home to the Lord on December 10. We have many happy memories of her interacting with the children at Khomba and her favorite song was "Making Melodies in My Heart". We are sure that she is making melodies in heaven for the Lord. Lungile worked hard for Chips and was always willing to serve the sick people in the village.

Vusa went home to the Lord just before Christmas. He was 28 years old with a wife and small baby. Vusa has been very ill with HIV/TB since August. He was a believer but we are sadden by his passing, it serves to remind us what a terrible disease HIV/TB is and how Chips continues to save lives. We continue to believe that one day there will be zero new HIV infections in Swaziland.

  
Please pray for the families of Vusa and Lungile, that through this they would also come to know the Lord. We pray that each death would serve to awaken others to the need to get tested and on treatment sooner rather than later and the willingingness to prevent others from getting infected. We do praise God for these two wondeful lives and how He used Lungile and Vusa to impact others. 

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.