Simunye Church Project 3-16 update

We continue to be involved with Project 3-16  through our church in Simunye , to" evangelize the lost", 3000 bible tracts have been distributed so far  and the goal is to reach 5000 people before the project is completed in November  ,this has been an exciting project and for many in the team it is the first time they have been involved in witnessing to the general public and more details are available on the previous postings
 PS. If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via www.WorldOutreach.orgGo 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.

Project 3-16

  We just want to share with you an exciting project ,we are involved with through our home  church  here in Simunye  "To  Evangelize the Lost " Project 3-16 The complete  New Testament will be read out loud ,tracts  will be distributed and testimonies will be shared
 Simunye is the largest town in this area ,where we attend church Simunye Christian Fellowship about 16 miles from our home ,the plaza is where people come from many settlements in the area and is also the main bus rank
On the first Saturday when the New Testament was read for 3hours and 16minutes nearly 400 people where witness too and tracts distributed ,it is estimated it will take about 8 weeks to complete the project .
To donate to the Lords work here in Swaziland  ,see link below .

 
 PS -If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via www.WorldOutreach.orgGo 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.

Frontline Sunday School Class May 3rd 2015

 Ian teaching Frontline Sunday School Class ,these are oldest children who attend the church ,for many it will be their last year of Sunday School before they join the main church body .I have been teaching this class  ,twice a month  for four years and it has brought me a lot of joy and seeing the children growing in the Word of God is very encouraging.

 

    PS-if you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via www.WorldOutreach.orgGo 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.

Home Sweet Home

We're so glad to be home and have quickly slipped back into life here in Swaziland after our trip to the UK to visit family.  

Clondile, our housekeeper, did such a great job at keeping our house up while we were gone in the UK. It is nice to have a great help and one who is trustworthy.  

Ian jumped right back into teaching Sunday School with the kids at church. He taught about how the best technology that we need is found in the Bible. Just this past weekend, he participated with the kids in a Litter Drive. They went along the main road through Mhumle park and picked up trash to earn money for camp.  

We both have been back to the communities and have done a few Bible Studies. Jenn was teaching on Rahab and had more men show up, it looks like it is now a mixed group Bible study and not just a woman's group. We were given 60 boxes of clothes from the Simunye Church which we have started passing out in the communities.  

Bonginkosi did such a great job with the garden even planting a new flower garden as a surprise for our return. We now have spinach and lettuce in abundance that we can pass out to those who need food. 

We are so thankful to be home and that is what Swaziland has become to us. Home.

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.

Wedding Vow Renewal

On Sunday, September 29th, we had a vow-renewal ceremony at church. 

The ceremony was very nice and sprinkled with bits of humor. This marks the third time that we have said these vows to each other, and the third continent.

We married in England 24 years ago, renewed our vows in the States for our 10th anniversary when we started going to church again, and saw it was fitting to do it a third time. 

We have become Christians in the last 14 years and answered the call to full time missions, while growing closer together and to God. We’re thankful for all God has done with us over the last 24 years and give Him all the credit.

Yes, we keep marrying the same person. This is our last time marrying each other. We are in it for keeps at this point. We were planning to do a Vow Renewal next year for our 25th anniversary, however after the accident and everything that happened in the last couple of months, Pastor Dana convinced us that we needed to do it now and not wait. 

We're thankful for our church family as they celebrated with us. 

Pastor Dana (middle) has been such a blessing and encouragement both personally and to our ministry.

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.

Thankful list

The last six weeks have been difficult at times, dealing with the frustrations and limitations of our injuries.  In order to keep our perspective on what God is doing, we have started a list of things we are thankful for and ways we see God at work.

• ·       Jabulane-sees the value of community and wants to join the Simunye Church
• ·       Getting a loaner crutch
• ·       Bonginkosi wants to join the Simunye Church
• ·       Mary sees a true community in action.
• ·       Umpopoli’s visits with lots of tears and prayers to the Lord for saving us, his prayers for our healing (he’s a non-believer)
• ·       Simunye Church-brought the service to us, with a total of 16 people in our living room. 
• ·       More communication between us and realizing we need each other.
• ·       Being able to talk with and get wisdom from Pastor Dana, as well as prayer  and support
• ·       Thembili- taking over the household duties and coming more often
• ·       Many people praying for us around the world.
• ·       Gogo in tears about our situation
• ·       Cops praying for us and stopping Jabulane and Mary to pass on messages for us 
• ·       Ian-physical progress
• ·       Forgiveness toward the truck driver
• ·       People in the community are touched by our example and they really care for us
• ·       Food from the church
• ·       Martha cooking different types foods
•        John and Kay West- greater friendship and help with many things
• ·       Realize how much we need each other
• ·       The blessing of Charissa-more than our own children
• ·       Time and strength to deal with things from the past
• ·       Daran bringing cheese
• ·       Teresa’s visits
• ·       A good surgeon for Jenn and being able to minister to him
• ·       Prayer and support and friendship when we are unable to continue.
• ·        A great OT who has been able to come to the house

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.

Elderly man discharged to a falling down home

Mpopli got sent home from the hospital, where he was being treated for a drug resistant strain of TB. We're not quite sure how this happened as the doctors had said that he wouldn't get sent home until he had a safe home to go to, but it is Swaziland. When we found out, Mpopli was already home and staying in his ramshackle shack that is about to fall down around him at any time. We had to scramble to find a one room house in Macetuka that we could rent for him for the next month until a more permanent home can be arranged (or his home rebuilt). 

Thankfully,  we have had donations for food so we could at least provide him with the basic necessities. Mpopli does look well, which is another thing we are very thankful for and we'll be working on his housing arrangements. You can read more about Mpopli here.  Please continue to pray for his complete recovery and that he would see God's love through us.

Another blessing is that Simunye church gave us a donation of 28 boxes of clothes to give out. We had a clothes give-away in Macetuka and Khomba which ended up being organized chaos like usual. 28 boxes may seem like a lot of clothes, but it really is only a drop in the ocean compared to the need. Our church is such a blessing to us, and it warms our heart to see how much they care about the people we serve and are always so willing to come along side the ministry by providing clothes and food parcels.

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.

clothing, classes and chili sauce

Gavin is a 2 year old, almost three, little boy who has been very sick. We tested him and he is HIV+. He was quickly initiated on ARV's. His mother died from unknown causes and Gavin now lives with his Aunt and three small cousins. It's hard to find such a little one who already has HIV, but we pray that the ARV's can give him the longevity and quality of life to fulfill the purpose that God has for him. 

The Simunye Church has given us several bags of clothing to pass out. Clothing give-aways can get crazy and we need to come up with a better system to give the items to those who are in most need and will actually use it rather than selling it for beer. 

Jabulane and Mary have started a six month business course. Jabulane is doing Business Management and Mary is doing Office Management. We hope that these classes will give them extra qualifications to pursue the dreams that they have, since neither of them have a college education. Jabulane wants to do business management consulting and Mary wants to own her own business. They both continue to work hard side-by-side with us in Chips and we are thankful for them. 

Several of our more stable clients in Maphiveni want to transfer to the Simunye clinic as it will be more convenient for them to make their appointments. Bethusile, the rural health motivator at Maphiveni, makes a reasonable income from selling chili sauce and Vaseline with aloe. She thought that it would be a good idea to share with to some of the Chips ladies and see if there is any interest in learning these skills in order to make an income. Bethusile even suggested a stall at the side of the road to sell the items. We're hopeful that this will turn into another micro-industry for the women.

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.