Hi
Details of our postal address were requested but I'm sorry I don't know how to reply to a posted comment so the best I can do for now is to add a post with our details on. Hope this works for you.
ISAIAH'S UMUZI WOTHANDO
c/o Bulawayo Baptist Church
cnr George Silundika Street & 2nd Avenue
Bulawayo
Zimbabwe
Thanks for your kind offer.
God bless, luv 'n' friendship in the Lord
Sis'Bee
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Dec'07 Update - I.U.W.
Dear Family & Friends of Isaiah’s Umuzi Wothando
Yesterday was the start of another Year and again I have myself sitting here contemplating things which should already have been said and done, and stuff which still needs to be included in a newsletter update.
Of course, by now you have all come to realise that my updates are not as regular as I wish they would be, but nonetheless I hope they are worth waiting for. I also hope that you have settled down in a comfortable chair, with a pot of tea, coz a cup won’t be enough, and that this news update gives you as much enjoyment reading as id did for me typing it.
A revelation for the new day and the start of the new year, with all these wishes for a good year being sent through cyber-space I found myself wondering if it would be a good year or would not such good things happen! My conclusion was that there is no such thing as a good year or a bad one, in fact it’s more a reality of how best you use the opportunities you are given. My pray for all, is that we make the best of the opportunities we have and are given and that it may be one full of fantastic memories and precious moments, however you spend it just take care and enjoy life in 2008.
Since my last update so much has happened, there have been changes to our family and always we are experiencing great excitement in watching the children grow and progress. Of course we have so many people to thank along the way for so many special parts are played by each one of you in your support for this project. I hope I manage to capture and relay as much of the excitement as we share with the children each and every day.
The first week of December saw a vast number of changes at the home and it’s kinda hard to know where to start. Keep reading and you’ll figure out why I say that !
To start with … on a happy note, Moses moved from our home to his new Home with Martin and Mercy. We are pleased that he is settling well into his new environment and we wish them all the very best with their new roles as a family. Martin and Mercy, there will be good times and there will be tough times but just remember a parent never fails, they just create good learning experiences for others! Enjoy every moment you have together as a family!
Khanyile spent Christmas with Martin, Mercy and Moses and at this point we are not sure when he will be re-intergrated with his family. May we ask you to please pray for a smooth and steady transition when the time comes for him to move. It will be a difficult time for both Khanyile and for Martin and his family too but we trust in God knowing He knows the plans He has for Khanyile’s life. May Khanyile always know the love we shared with him and times we will always treasure, when God gave us the privilege of caring for him.
Sadly in we said good-bye to Janina Moore on the 3rd of December, her having dedicated involvement with the home since August 2006. To cut a long story short Nina worked as our House Mother on a volunteer basis. As a Polish National, and therefore a “Foreigner” in this country Nina continually had to renew her work permit with the Immigration Office in Harare. Unfortunately this time upon application for renewal the Officer did not extend her permit and was not at obligation to give any reason for his denial – so of course he did not ! She was simply advised to leave and if she wishes she could reapply after March 2008. So Nina caught the train to Victoria Falls where she then made her way up to Kathu in Zambia, where she had been offered a counselling post at an orphange there. We wish her the best of success in her new endeavours and we look forward to keeping in touch with her. We thank you Nina for your dedication and your love for the children of Isaiah’s Umuzi Wothando, we will miss you !
Yesterday was the start of another Year and again I have myself sitting here contemplating things which should already have been said and done, and stuff which still needs to be included in a newsletter update.
Of course, by now you have all come to realise that my updates are not as regular as I wish they would be, but nonetheless I hope they are worth waiting for. I also hope that you have settled down in a comfortable chair, with a pot of tea, coz a cup won’t be enough, and that this news update gives you as much enjoyment reading as id did for me typing it.
A revelation for the new day and the start of the new year, with all these wishes for a good year being sent through cyber-space I found myself wondering if it would be a good year or would not such good things happen! My conclusion was that there is no such thing as a good year or a bad one, in fact it’s more a reality of how best you use the opportunities you are given. My pray for all, is that we make the best of the opportunities we have and are given and that it may be one full of fantastic memories and precious moments, however you spend it just take care and enjoy life in 2008.
Since my last update so much has happened, there have been changes to our family and always we are experiencing great excitement in watching the children grow and progress. Of course we have so many people to thank along the way for so many special parts are played by each one of you in your support for this project. I hope I manage to capture and relay as much of the excitement as we share with the children each and every day.
The first week of December saw a vast number of changes at the home and it’s kinda hard to know where to start. Keep reading and you’ll figure out why I say that !
To start with … on a happy note, Moses moved from our home to his new Home with Martin and Mercy. We are pleased that he is settling well into his new environment and we wish them all the very best with their new roles as a family. Martin and Mercy, there will be good times and there will be tough times but just remember a parent never fails, they just create good learning experiences for others! Enjoy every moment you have together as a family!
Khanyile spent Christmas with Martin, Mercy and Moses and at this point we are not sure when he will be re-intergrated with his family. May we ask you to please pray for a smooth and steady transition when the time comes for him to move. It will be a difficult time for both Khanyile and for Martin and his family too but we trust in God knowing He knows the plans He has for Khanyile’s life. May Khanyile always know the love we shared with him and times we will always treasure, when God gave us the privilege of caring for him.
Sadly in we said good-bye to Janina Moore on the 3rd of December, her having dedicated involvement with the home since August 2006. To cut a long story short Nina worked as our House Mother on a volunteer basis. As a Polish National, and therefore a “Foreigner” in this country Nina continually had to renew her work permit with the Immigration Office in Harare. Unfortunately this time upon application for renewal the Officer did not extend her permit and was not at obligation to give any reason for his denial – so of course he did not ! She was simply advised to leave and if she wishes she could reapply after March 2008. So Nina caught the train to Victoria Falls where she then made her way up to Kathu in Zambia, where she had been offered a counselling post at an orphange there. We wish her the best of success in her new endeavours and we look forward to keeping in touch with her. We thank you Nina for your dedication and your love for the children of Isaiah’s Umuzi Wothando, we will miss you !
Nina had a special boy at the Home – Jeremiah (known as Baby Chipo at Mpilo). He was possibly 3 months old at the time when he came to our home with all the other children in October, under nourished and extremely thin. Due to his physical weakness his vocal muscles were under-developed and he was unable to “cry”, he would grunt and groan when needing attention, almost as if he was in great pain. Nina focused on Jeremiah day in and day out, with regular hourly feeds, 24/7. Within a week incredible progress could be seen in this little boy - his once prominently protruding ribs were now not as visible and he could now cry when hungry or wet. In a week he went from lying aimlessly to moving his arms and legs and even feeling his hands, he begun to smile and the morning Nina left she told me Jeremiah gave her the biggest smile ever – as if he was saying thank you for taking such special care of him. Jeremiah is a placid baby, and continues to make steady progress.The first week of December saw another baby girl being placed into our care. Bridget was found abandoned, days old, in a pit and brought to our home after spending a week at Mpilo on anti-biotic treatment for any possible infection. She is a strong little girl, feeding well and of course making good progress.
As well as our little girl we also received a little boy – Sibusiso, also abandoned at a few days old. With the excitement of Christmas upon us I haven’t had much time to get to know the new babies but it seems they are settled and doing well.
In the second week of December I went with my husband Kevin to Gabarone, Botswana to visit some family there, and to take a break from work. It’s been a hectic year with all the country’s unstability and my mind required some refreshing to say the least. I love to browse the shops and as you can imagine living in Zimbabwe right now has seriously deprived me of that ! So it was a fantastic week away for me.
I have to mention here I have really special friends, most of whom who greatly support the work I do with these children, and they are a constant encouragement for me. A couple of friends who knew I was going away offered to contribute some money towards buying Christmas gifts for the children so not only did I have the blessing of time away with family but I was also able to do some exciting shopping ! To quote a friend of a friend who kindly donated a substantial amount of money “We each give according to our ability. Remember the widow's mite... We give because it is our responsibility to do so. It is a privilege, and it brings us great joy." Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing your blessings with us. And to all our friends who made Christmas such a wonderful treat for our children I say thank you again – you will never know the joy you brought to that little life by the smallest thought or token you gave.
At this point I need to share though that although I had a fair amount of money to spend I was very concious of being responsible with the money – I strongly heard God’s spririt remind me the importance of financial responsibility. I believe God always provides financially for our needs and I truly believe that if we are not responsible with it we will never get His fullest financial blessings. So I didn’t just buy for the sake of buying, I thought carefully of all that we needed, and shopped around getting the best value for our money. It was sooooo much fun! Joyce, our Matron know has a digital camera complete with battieries & charger and memory cards so when I’m away they can still capture those precious moments.
You will probably find this email jumps from one topic to the next, and it may not make any sense to you but I’m trying to write down all the things I have to say and for me it’s easier to do it in the order it happened and that way I am less likely to forget something important, so please bear with me here.
So the shopping was great but the next hurdle would be getting it through the border, and some of you may know what a mission that can be all on it’s own. For those who know my husband, you will understand in knowing his patience level is extremely intollerant and now to top it off we had to face a border control with purchases over our duty free allowance. I had heard that duties had been increased daramatically but nonetheless I trusted that God would cover it for me. The cash sistuation, or more appropriate – the lack of it – was another hurdle I feared as if I had to pay duty how would I pay for it with the little cash we were allowed to take out with us. I took my cheuqe book along and just as well, I asked and was allowed to pay using that – what a huge relief – you see God had it covered, all along He knew the plan and He had it in His control.
I really missed the children while I was away, you miss their giggles and chuckles, their all speaking at once and their rushing about. I then came home to find new teeth, sitting, crawling and standing babies, and I was only gone a week !
Little Ruth looks like she has grown the most, she smiles as soon as she sees your face and as long as you are talking she is smiling away. She sleeps and feeds fairly well.
Junior (Thembani) has his first tooth and as Selu puts it “Leave me alone – I’m teething” – I think she means he is a little grumpy ! Everytime I see him it looks like he has gained more weight – he isn’t the tiny undernourished little boy he was when he first came in August 2007. I am always assured by the Matron and her carers that his feeds are being controlled, but it’s good to see he is doing well. Not only has he now got teeth but he is also sitting, occasionally propping forward against his belly ! He smiles a lot and is also beginning to do the baby talk thing ! He demands a fair amount of attention and is not fond of being left on his own.
Davis had two teeth appearing as I left and now he suddenly has 4, two on the top and two on the bottom. He has the cutest deep chuckle and his smile covers the whole width of his face. He is a very gentle baby and now that he can crawl is becoming very active. He and Junior have their own conversations in the lounge. 
My baby girl - Nomalanga ! Well I just love her to pieces and as much as I try not to have favourites, she is just special. I must be honest though that she doesn’t get anything more than any of the others – ok, expect hugs ! Noma is starting to stand on her own now and hopefully she will be walking soon – I know Sarah took quite a while to walk from standing on her own so I am not putting any expected time frame on Noma. Let’s say - she will when she is ready.
Davis had two teeth appearing as I left and now he suddenly has 4, two on the top and two on the bottom. He has the cutest deep chuckle and his smile covers the whole width of his face. He is a very gentle baby and now that he can crawl is becoming very active. He and Junior have their own conversations in the lounge.My baby girl - Nomalanga ! Well I just love her to pieces and as much as I try not to have favourites, she is just special. I must be honest though that she doesn’t get anything more than any of the others – ok, expect hugs ! Noma is starting to stand on her own now and hopefully she will be walking soon – I know Sarah took quite a while to walk from standing on her own so I am not putting any expected time frame on Noma. Let’s say - she will when she is ready.
Noma can be a very serious child, especially when just having woken up, but it doesn’t take her too long to snap into happy mode ! She has developed this little mischievous grin especially when she sees the camera come out !
Towards the end of November on one of my visits I noticed that the children’s bicycle wheel was broken, it seems that the bigger boys were trying to ride it and of course their weight stripped the plastic spokes. We found someone who had a spare wheel lying about and Nyasha was tasked with fitting it – whilst 6 anxious boys watched. I made the mistake of telling Godknows that we would get him a bigger bike so he should not ride the little one, well each time I visited after that he would ask me if I had brought his bicycle. So guess what we bought them for Christmas in Botswana? Yip, 2 bigger bicycles and you should have seen their excitement when we brought them into the lounge as they finished opening their gifts... it was too special for words.
Nhlanhla, our quiet little fellow was delighted with the new bicycles too. He is very good at sharing and patiently waits his turn. He gets very upset when things are snatched away from him, well who doesn’t – but he gladly shares with the other children.! He is looking forward to starting school next week or so with Godknows at Tennyson Hlabangana Primary School in Ilanda, not too far from the home. The boys were delighted at receiving their school bags, coldrink bottles and their new school shoes.
Nyatasha, now known as Mathew, is our little actor of note ! He goes around mimicking everyone and it is so funny to watch the expressions on his face when copying someone. I am seriously considering Drama Classes for him – who knows one day he might be a Zimbabwe Star Actor. He is quite mischievous too and you have to keep an eye on him all the time. I noticed him the other day sitting at Joyce’s desk, with the phone against his ear, motioning with his hands, talking and laughing – oblivious to anyway watching him, seriously he is so comical.
Munaso is our “speedy” boy, nothing is done at slow pace with him, he dashes in and out and is quite happy to play by himself as long as he has the freedom to run around.
Sarah, the Matron’s favourite I might add – is otherwise known as big-mama by the older children and the staff, runs about the home at 180km/hr. She is a strong willed character who knows exactly what she wants but on the same token she is becoming a more loving child who can be quite gentle especially around the babies. Sarah often spends weekends away with families as she is so easy-going! For a long time Sarah had only two bottom teeth, but now she has another two on the top and another two on the bottom, making six in all.
Towards the end of November on one of my visits I noticed that the children’s bicycle wheel was broken, it seems that the bigger boys were trying to ride it and of course their weight stripped the plastic spokes. We found someone who had a spare wheel lying about and Nyasha was tasked with fitting it – whilst 6 anxious boys watched. I made the mistake of telling Godknows that we would get him a bigger bike so he should not ride the little one, well each time I visited after that he would ask me if I had brought his bicycle. So guess what we bought them for Christmas in Botswana? Yip, 2 bigger bicycles and you should have seen their excitement when we brought them into the lounge as they finished opening their gifts... it was too special for words. We made sure we got sturdy training wheels and so there was little difficulty, cuts and scrapes as he learnt to pedal away. In time the training wheels can be loosened and eventually taken away. We managed to get a 16” red one and a 20” blue one.
Nhlanhla, our quiet little fellow was delighted with the new bicycles too. He is very good at sharing and patiently waits his turn. He gets very upset when things are snatched away from him, well who doesn’t – but he gladly shares with the other children.! He is looking forward to starting school next week or so with Godknows at Tennyson Hlabangana Primary School in Ilanda, not too far from the home. The boys were delighted at receiving their school bags, coldrink bottles and their new school shoes.Nyatasha, now known as Mathew, is our little actor of note ! He goes around mimicking everyone and it is so funny to watch the expressions on his face when copying someone. I am seriously considering Drama Classes for him – who knows one day he might be a Zimbabwe Star Actor. He is quite mischievous too and you have to keep an eye on him all the time. I noticed him the other day sitting at Joyce’s desk, with the phone against his ear, motioning with his hands, talking and laughing – oblivious to anyway watching him, seriously he is so comical.
Munaso is our “speedy” boy, nothing is done at slow pace with him, he dashes in and out and is quite happy to play by himself as long as he has the freedom to run around.
Panashe is forever talking and laughing. His speech is quite clear now and his English vocabulary is becoming more varied. He loves to take my cellphone and pretend he’s talking to his special friend Melissa {in the UK}– and then proceeds to tell me she is at work and she’ll come tomorrow! Mel, this is where you smile and say “my precious boy” – no tears just smiles! On Sunday morning he was walking out the playroom when I came through the kitchen, as soon as he saw me he dashed back into the playroom to tell the other children I was there, and then proceeded to run back to me continually calling out my name.
Nkosilathi has made incredible progress and is now beginning to talk – we praise God for this as we were beginning to wonder if he would ever talk. He has just recently started saying one syllable words like Hi and Bye – but this for us is enough to remind us that miracles do happen. I think he will need some kind of speech therapy as his voice is more of a whisper something we will look into soon.
Kudakwashe tries everyday to do just as much as all the other children. He is very active both in and out of his walker which he is rapidly growing to tall for. He is also mastering the “potty training” and he is doing extremely well, communicating when he needs the toilet. He is a very happy child, with incredible strength and each day seems to make more and more progress. He is starting school in January at King George which is a specialised school for children with disabilities.
The end of December saw another two new babies come into the home, a little girl Amanda & a little boy Bhekibuhle. I’m told his name means “to see the light/beauty”.
This brings the number of children with us now in our Home to 17 precious little souls. Each one of these children is so special and each one of them has a totally different character from the other, it’s quite amazing that 17 children can all be so different. I guess somewhere in between all this info should really have been something about our Christmas Party – our first official party of the Babies Home. Well I’m afraid without the pictures this update is already 5 pages long and if I have to include the Christmas party it will be a whole heap more, so keep your eyes posted for the Christmas Update next….Until then God bless, do take care,
With luv and friendship in the Lord always - Sis’Bee
Monday, December 3, 2007
Various Needs of the Home
Good evening All
As I've been saying for a while - I'll post of list of "needs/wishes" soon - so here we go ...
Electrical & Other Household
Geyser Element {T115 330V 3000W) DESPERATE Not locally available !
Hand held Torches - preferably non battery operational - Shake rechargeables good !
Stop plugs - child proof covers for wall sockets - square 13Amp and round 15Amp !
3 x Oscilating Desk Fans {For use in hot summer months}
Heaters {For use in winter months - dependent on Electricity supplies to Zimbabwe}
Bayonet Light Globes {40Watt or better still Energy Savers are great!}
Medium & Large Size Padlocks
Square & Round Adapters
Multiplug - round and with two pin plug point
Baby/Toddler friendly curtains (standard size)
Wall mounted Notice Board
Small / Medium Photo frames
Garden Utensils & Accessories
Overhead Water Storage Tank
30m Hose Pipe
Garden Pick
Garden Shovel
Garden Fork
Garden Rake
Hedge Clippers
Kitchen Utensils
Large Cooking Pots & Pans
Mutton Cloth
Dish-towels
Cutlery - various
Toiletries & Medical Supplies
Mortein Electric Mosquito Repellent {Plug in unit with liquid refils}
Thermometers
Latex Disposable Gloves
Gentian Violet
Betadine Ointment
Hypercal Cream for cuts & sores
Multi-Vitamins {Syrup & Tablets}
Sophyllin / Sophylex
Ponstan
Strip Bandages {Band-aids}
Vaseline (Blue Seal) Petroleum Jelly
Aqueous Cream
Small / Medium Disposable Nappies (for use when taking children out - special use only)
Clothing
Vests - Newborn to 1 year
Summer Rompers
Shorts - 1 year to 8 year old
Trousers - 1 year to 8 year old
T.Shirts - 1 year to 8 year old
Pyjamas - 1 year to 8 year old
Sandals / Rafters - Boys 2 - 8 years
Face Towels - Unisex
Baby Girls Socks 1 month to 2 years
Boys Socks 8 months to 8 years
School Stuff for Godknows/Nhlanhla/Munaso & Nyatasha
Uniforms for 2 boys going to Grade One at Tennyson
Black Lace-up School Shoes
Early learning exercise books (wide lines) and stationery
Lunch boxes and Coldrink Bottles
Swimming Costumes
Pre-school Aprons
Other
Small bicycle with or without training wheels for 4 year olds
Medium Bicycle (BMX type) for 8-9 year olds with our without training wheels
From the above mentioned, if there is anything you'd like to contribute, please feel free to let us know at your convenience.
Luv 'n' friendship always in the Lord
Sis'Bee
As I've been saying for a while - I'll post of list of "needs/wishes" soon - so here we go ...
Electrical & Other Household
Geyser Element {T115 330V 3000W) DESPERATE Not locally available !
Hand held Torches - preferably non battery operational - Shake rechargeables good !
Stop plugs - child proof covers for wall sockets - square 13Amp and round 15Amp !
3 x Oscilating Desk Fans {For use in hot summer months}
Heaters {For use in winter months - dependent on Electricity supplies to Zimbabwe}
Bayonet Light Globes {40Watt or better still Energy Savers are great!}
Medium & Large Size Padlocks
Square & Round Adapters
Multiplug - round and with two pin plug point
Baby/Toddler friendly curtains (standard size)
Wall mounted Notice Board
Small / Medium Photo frames
Garden Utensils & Accessories
Overhead Water Storage Tank
30m Hose Pipe
Garden Pick
Garden Shovel
Garden Fork
Garden Rake
Hedge Clippers
Kitchen Utensils
Large Cooking Pots & Pans
Mutton Cloth
Dish-towels
Cutlery - various
Toiletries & Medical Supplies
Mortein Electric Mosquito Repellent {Plug in unit with liquid refils}
Thermometers
Latex Disposable Gloves
Gentian Violet
Betadine Ointment
Hypercal Cream for cuts & sores
Multi-Vitamins {Syrup & Tablets}
Sophyllin / Sophylex
Ponstan
Strip Bandages {Band-aids}
Vaseline (Blue Seal) Petroleum Jelly
Aqueous Cream
Small / Medium Disposable Nappies (for use when taking children out - special use only)
Clothing
Vests - Newborn to 1 year
Summer Rompers
Shorts - 1 year to 8 year old
Trousers - 1 year to 8 year old
T.Shirts - 1 year to 8 year old
Pyjamas - 1 year to 8 year old
Sandals / Rafters - Boys 2 - 8 years
Face Towels - Unisex
Baby Girls Socks 1 month to 2 years
Boys Socks 8 months to 8 years
School Stuff for Godknows/Nhlanhla/Munaso & Nyatasha
Uniforms for 2 boys going to Grade One at Tennyson
Black Lace-up School Shoes
Early learning exercise books (wide lines) and stationery
Lunch boxes and Coldrink Bottles
Swimming Costumes
Pre-school Aprons
Other
Small bicycle with or without training wheels for 4 year olds
Medium Bicycle (BMX type) for 8-9 year olds with our without training wheels
From the above mentioned, if there is anything you'd like to contribute, please feel free to let us know at your convenience.
Luv 'n' friendship always in the Lord
Sis'Bee
Sunday, November 25, 2007
I.U.W. - Nov'07 Update
Dear Family & Friends
Another long overdue email about Isaiah’s Umuzi Wothando and the delightful children of this project – trying not to give excuse after excuse on why it’s taken so long, it’s pretty pointless becoz it’s the same reason more often than not - that time just isn’t on my side! No matter how hard I try with the best of intentions I never seem to get down to doing what I should have done a while ago! Nonetheless I’m starting with the hope of finishing tonight and posting all before I head to bed to start another hectic week tomorrow.
Many friends have asked for a list of things needed within the home and I will try to include this in my email – that way combining two points off my list of “things to do”! I hope my email does not sound demanding becoz by no means is that my intention, I do believe that if one asks, one will receive, and if you don’t ask how will anyone - but God - know what you require.
I’m sure many of you have been anxiously waiting to hear how all the children have settled and how the carers are coping with the intake of the children from the hospital. I am delighted to report that all is going as well as can be expected. I’ll start with things around the home and then move onto the children themselves. The first few days were a challenge - as much as we thought we had just about everything in order we were soon to find out that not everything goes according to plan.
Our “carers” now work on alternating day and night shifts three on during the day, exclusive of the house mother and the house matron, and two on duty at night again excluding the house mother. We encourage volunteers to become involved as much as possible and this can keep our running costs to a minimum.
One of the bigger challenges in the Home has been the supply of water and electricity – but that’s a country mission and not just one of our Home.
The lack of power has made preparation of meals for the children quite a cumbersome task! We do have a small “wood stove” outside which is being used more frequently, especially at times like this weekend where the suburb has been without power since Friday. According to the Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) there is a fault and they do not have fuel for their vehicles to come out and attend to the problem – Only in Zim we find ourselves saying again! Gas cooking would be possible however the handigas used is another item in short supply and when it is available is at an astronomical price.
Secondly, on meal preparations, we have a limited number of pots and pans, well ones big enough to prepare “sadza” (maize-meal) for the 12 children. In fact I say limited but to be more precise we have a serious shortage of large pots and pans. The few we do have are also used to boil the borehole water we have making it more suitable for consumption. Nonetheless the carers have made-do with the pots that are available.
For those living abroad and unaware of the Bulawayo water situation – we receive council water through our home pipes twice a week for a period of about 5-12 hours at best. At other times we are privileged to have borehole water to use - we are truly blessed and thankful that our property has one which provides for our needs.
Water has been a challenge for the staff but on a positive note has certainly taught us conservation of our precious resources.
We are on the look-out for 20 litre containers/buckets with lids which can be used for temporarily storing water. This water is then used for bathing and flushing of the toilets as well as for laundry. Today we were able to utilise the few we had to collect rain water off the gutters as without electricity we could not run our borehole and without running that we have no water supply to the home. This was a challenge but thankfully for God’s blessing of rain one easily overcome.
Without power we also have the “evening” challenge of darkness. The home has wall mounted candle holders but I personally am fearful of candles in a home as a fire risk. We managed to purchase some “battery-free” torches however as you can imagine it is kinda difficult to change a nappy whilst holding a torch in one hand. Ideally we would be most grateful for rechargeable lighting, although with the short/erratic electricity supply this also presents another challenge of recharging them again. Other options available are “inverters” that run off heavy duty deep cell batteries to run lighting, these initially can be quite costly. We looked into the option of a generator however a large voltage one is required to run the borehole, and the inconsistent supply of fuel in Zim would present further issues. At this point we are open to any other suggestions from those technical folk out there.
The bedrooms have been arranged now with the older children in one room and the babies in another, the third bedroom being utilised by our house mother. Unfortunately these rooms are not well ventilated and in the heat of Zimbabwe’s summer can be quite “stuffy”. We are looking for some oscillating/free standing fans which can be used in each of the rooms during the summer months. In winter we would look at the opposite effect being heating.
The toy room remains as it is and the sitting room is now also used as a dining room. We thank our friends for the kind donation of children’s tables and chairs which certainly has kept mealtimes in some order and has added some bright colour to the room.
We have a bookcase in the sitting room which has a variety of children’s books, the older boys have enjoyed paging through most of these books during “school-time”. We have a small selection of children’s CD’s - musical and educational which unfortunately we have not been able to use as we do not have a CD Player. If any friends are looking for ideas of items to donate this would be a great idea.
Our Matron has her work station in the hall entrance. Some extra ideas I have for that area of the house is a notice board on the wall and some photo-frames which contain pictures of the resident children – if anyone would like to contribute in that area, I would be most grateful. Nothing makes a home look homely more than photographs on the wall.
Our garden is coming along wonderfully, the fruit trees are growing well, the grass is beautifully green and the vegetable patch has produced a fair harvest already. The mulberry tree has shed a fair amount of fruit and it’s pretty easy to tell which child has been there. Nyasha, our garden worker is desperate for some tools, a spade/shovel, a rake and even a hosepipe would be great. Please feel free to share your extra tools with him.
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost a month the children have been with us… and the saying is so true that time flies when you’re having fun… Just to let you know we have instituted a child sponsorship programme which can be done individually or as a group, if you are interested in this being a part of this programme, please feel free to contact either myself or Martin. You can post a comment here or respond via our email addresses.
That being said and done, I now come to my favourite part of sharing the development of each of the children, of course with a few pictures included… Sometimes this part can be difficult because I find myself spending time with some of the children more than others, so please accept my apologies if some descriptions are more in depth than others…
Godknows continues to be the “helper” - always keen to offer a hand. His love for the younger children is evident as he is the first around to console a crying baby, even if it is just to pat them on the back or whisper a gentle word. I think I may have mentioned one of his comments at leaving the hospital was the fact that he was going to a home with its own kitchen! “Godi” has settled well, he has his own bed and freely shares this with the others for story-time. He loves going to church with Martin, and each Sunday shows so much excitement. He also loves to play on the swings in the garden.
Nhlanhla is reserved, he seems a little quieter, than when he was at Mpilo, possibly taking in all that he sees happening around him. He shares and plays well with the other children and will often play with the smaller ones, being so gentle with them. 
Both Nhlanhla and Godknows are excited about going to school next year – they have been enrolled at a local government school in the area. More excitement will come when they get to go and purchase their uniforms and other accessories in the New-year.
Munaso loves the freedom of running around – he has so much energy and is always on the go – up and down the driveway on the plastic motorbike, he loves to try climb up the palm tree in the front garden. He seldom sits still, in fact I think only to eat. His deep chuckle is often heard about outside in the garden playing.
Nyatasha has a loving nature - he can play “sad” at any point to win over a hug or get a little attention. He loves his food and often finds his way into the kitchen, hoping for a snack or two. He likes to play outside, dashing back every now and again, to sit with you and laugh at what the other children are doing. 
Panashe has settled well. He is still a little unsteady on his feet but each day he becomes more mobile, walking with less support along the walls. He continues to chatter to everyone and his speech has become more audible. He loves to throw the soft toys around the room and such has good upper body strength. Think we best get him a ball for Christmas – something he can throw about outside and run along to fetch it again. He has this new trick of teasing you and then running away around the corner – his steps are quite small and close together so it just looks so cute, he then pops his head around the corner as if to say come on catch me if you can! His laugh and giggle is so infectious !!
Nkosi loves his new environment – he quite happily plays alone inside or out pushing bikes, cars or the prams around. He is not speaking yet but can express himself with deep grunts, groans and even squeals. He nods or shakes his head in answer to you and understands when spoken to, he is just not showing signs of being ready to talk. He smiles so much more now which is enough to tell us he is content in his new surroundings, and so in the meantime we will continue to encourage him to talk.
Davis is beginning to fill out – as most of our baby’s do! He has a good appetite and now has one bottom tooth out and another one popping up next to it. Initially, Davis was put to sleep in the rocking crib and it was the cutest thing to watch as he learnt by shaking his head the crib would move. He now sleeps in a bigger cot and has learnt to move about in it. He turns about and rolls over playing with the toys around him.
Thembani - Junior has gained a substantial amount of weight and has a healthy appetite. He does not like to be left alone and prefers to be entertained at all waking hours. He is no longer the youngest of our boys however the name has stuck and everyone knows him as Junior.
Another long overdue email about Isaiah’s Umuzi Wothando and the delightful children of this project – trying not to give excuse after excuse on why it’s taken so long, it’s pretty pointless becoz it’s the same reason more often than not - that time just isn’t on my side! No matter how hard I try with the best of intentions I never seem to get down to doing what I should have done a while ago! Nonetheless I’m starting with the hope of finishing tonight and posting all before I head to bed to start another hectic week tomorrow.
Many friends have asked for a list of things needed within the home and I will try to include this in my email – that way combining two points off my list of “things to do”! I hope my email does not sound demanding becoz by no means is that my intention, I do believe that if one asks, one will receive, and if you don’t ask how will anyone - but God - know what you require.
I’m sure many of you have been anxiously waiting to hear how all the children have settled and how the carers are coping with the intake of the children from the hospital. I am delighted to report that all is going as well as can be expected. I’ll start with things around the home and then move onto the children themselves. The first few days were a challenge - as much as we thought we had just about everything in order we were soon to find out that not everything goes according to plan.
Our “carers” now work on alternating day and night shifts three on during the day, exclusive of the house mother and the house matron, and two on duty at night again excluding the house mother. We encourage volunteers to become involved as much as possible and this can keep our running costs to a minimum.
One of the bigger challenges in the Home has been the supply of water and electricity – but that’s a country mission and not just one of our Home.
The lack of power has made preparation of meals for the children quite a cumbersome task! We do have a small “wood stove” outside which is being used more frequently, especially at times like this weekend where the suburb has been without power since Friday. According to the Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) there is a fault and they do not have fuel for their vehicles to come out and attend to the problem – Only in Zim we find ourselves saying again! Gas cooking would be possible however the handigas used is another item in short supply and when it is available is at an astronomical price.
Secondly, on meal preparations, we have a limited number of pots and pans, well ones big enough to prepare “sadza” (maize-meal) for the 12 children. In fact I say limited but to be more precise we have a serious shortage of large pots and pans. The few we do have are also used to boil the borehole water we have making it more suitable for consumption. Nonetheless the carers have made-do with the pots that are available.
For those living abroad and unaware of the Bulawayo water situation – we receive council water through our home pipes twice a week for a period of about 5-12 hours at best. At other times we are privileged to have borehole water to use - we are truly blessed and thankful that our property has one which provides for our needs.
Water has been a challenge for the staff but on a positive note has certainly taught us conservation of our precious resources.
We are on the look-out for 20 litre containers/buckets with lids which can be used for temporarily storing water. This water is then used for bathing and flushing of the toilets as well as for laundry. Today we were able to utilise the few we had to collect rain water off the gutters as without electricity we could not run our borehole and without running that we have no water supply to the home. This was a challenge but thankfully for God’s blessing of rain one easily overcome.
Without power we also have the “evening” challenge of darkness. The home has wall mounted candle holders but I personally am fearful of candles in a home as a fire risk. We managed to purchase some “battery-free” torches however as you can imagine it is kinda difficult to change a nappy whilst holding a torch in one hand. Ideally we would be most grateful for rechargeable lighting, although with the short/erratic electricity supply this also presents another challenge of recharging them again. Other options available are “inverters” that run off heavy duty deep cell batteries to run lighting, these initially can be quite costly. We looked into the option of a generator however a large voltage one is required to run the borehole, and the inconsistent supply of fuel in Zim would present further issues. At this point we are open to any other suggestions from those technical folk out there.
The bedrooms have been arranged now with the older children in one room and the babies in another, the third bedroom being utilised by our house mother. Unfortunately these rooms are not well ventilated and in the heat of Zimbabwe’s summer can be quite “stuffy”. We are looking for some oscillating/free standing fans which can be used in each of the rooms during the summer months. In winter we would look at the opposite effect being heating.
The toy room remains as it is and the sitting room is now also used as a dining room. We thank our friends for the kind donation of children’s tables and chairs which certainly has kept mealtimes in some order and has added some bright colour to the room.
We have a bookcase in the sitting room which has a variety of children’s books, the older boys have enjoyed paging through most of these books during “school-time”. We have a small selection of children’s CD’s - musical and educational which unfortunately we have not been able to use as we do not have a CD Player. If any friends are looking for ideas of items to donate this would be a great idea.
Our Matron has her work station in the hall entrance. Some extra ideas I have for that area of the house is a notice board on the wall and some photo-frames which contain pictures of the resident children – if anyone would like to contribute in that area, I would be most grateful. Nothing makes a home look homely more than photographs on the wall.
Our garden is coming along wonderfully, the fruit trees are growing well, the grass is beautifully green and the vegetable patch has produced a fair harvest already. The mulberry tree has shed a fair amount of fruit and it’s pretty easy to tell which child has been there. Nyasha, our garden worker is desperate for some tools, a spade/shovel, a rake and even a hosepipe would be great. Please feel free to share your extra tools with him.
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost a month the children have been with us… and the saying is so true that time flies when you’re having fun… Just to let you know we have instituted a child sponsorship programme which can be done individually or as a group, if you are interested in this being a part of this programme, please feel free to contact either myself or Martin. You can post a comment here or respond via our email addresses.
That being said and done, I now come to my favourite part of sharing the development of each of the children, of course with a few pictures included… Sometimes this part can be difficult because I find myself spending time with some of the children more than others, so please accept my apologies if some descriptions are more in depth than others…
Godknows continues to be the “helper” - always keen to offer a hand. His love for the younger children is evident as he is the first around to console a crying baby, even if it is just to pat them on the back or whisper a gentle word. I think I may have mentioned one of his comments at leaving the hospital was the fact that he was going to a home with its own kitchen! “Godi” has settled well, he has his own bed and freely shares this with the others for story-time. He loves going to church with Martin, and each Sunday shows so much excitement. He also loves to play on the swings in the garden.
Nhlanhla is reserved, he seems a little quieter, than when he was at Mpilo, possibly taking in all that he sees happening around him. He shares and plays well with the other children and will often play with the smaller ones, being so gentle with them. Both Nhlanhla and Godknows are excited about going to school next year – they have been enrolled at a local government school in the area. More excitement will come when they get to go and purchase their uniforms and other accessories in the New-year.
Munaso loves the freedom of running around – he has so much energy and is always on the go – up and down the driveway on the plastic motorbike, he loves to try climb up the palm tree in the front garden. He seldom sits still, in fact I think only to eat. His deep chuckle is often heard about outside in the garden playing.
Nyatasha has a loving nature - he can play “sad” at any point to win over a hug or get a little attention. He loves his food and often finds his way into the kitchen, hoping for a snack or two. He likes to play outside, dashing back every now and again, to sit with you and laugh at what the other children are doing. Places at a preschool in the area have been booked for Munaso and Nyatasha for the new-year as they are not yet old enough to attend school.
Kuda has settled well and is happy to be out and about – he is doing extremely well at potty training and is able to communicate with the staff when he needs to go to the bathroom. I think in this respect he has made incredible progress. He has a walking ring which if inside the house he moves freely about, and outside he will sit on the mat sounding instructions to all the children. Today I watched him sitting on the mat with Noma talking to her, and gently reaching out to hold her hand – it was too precious for words – I wish I had my camera. He loves being in church, listening to the music and he too goes along with the singing in his own way. Kuda has been given a day-scholar place at King George which is a special needs school for children with disability, until such time as a boarding place becomes available. He was called for an assessment and was not very happy until Mel asked him if he was ready to go back home, he gladly waved goodbye. I believe the day scholar option will be best as an initial introduction to the change of environment for Kuda, they do cater best for his special needs.
Kuda has settled well and is happy to be out and about – he is doing extremely well at potty training and is able to communicate with the staff when he needs to go to the bathroom. I think in this respect he has made incredible progress. He has a walking ring which if inside the house he moves freely about, and outside he will sit on the mat sounding instructions to all the children. Today I watched him sitting on the mat with Noma talking to her, and gently reaching out to hold her hand – it was too precious for words – I wish I had my camera. He loves being in church, listening to the music and he too goes along with the singing in his own way. Kuda has been given a day-scholar place at King George which is a special needs school for children with disability, until such time as a boarding place becomes available. He was called for an assessment and was not very happy until Mel asked him if he was ready to go back home, he gladly waved goodbye. I believe the day scholar option will be best as an initial introduction to the change of environment for Kuda, they do cater best for his special needs.
Panashe has settled well. He is still a little unsteady on his feet but each day he becomes more mobile, walking with less support along the walls. He continues to chatter to everyone and his speech has become more audible. He loves to throw the soft toys around the room and such has good upper body strength. Think we best get him a ball for Christmas – something he can throw about outside and run along to fetch it again. He has this new trick of teasing you and then running away around the corner – his steps are quite small and close together so it just looks so cute, he then pops his head around the corner as if to say come on catch me if you can! His laugh and giggle is so infectious !!Nkosi loves his new environment – he quite happily plays alone inside or out pushing bikes, cars or the prams around. He is not speaking yet but can express himself with deep grunts, groans and even squeals. He nods or shakes his head in answer to you and understands when spoken to, he is just not showing signs of being ready to talk. He smiles so much more now which is enough to tell us he is content in his new surroundings, and so in the meantime we will continue to encourage him to talk.
Davis is beginning to fill out – as most of our baby’s do! He has a good appetite and now has one bottom tooth out and another one popping up next to it. Initially, Davis was put to sleep in the rocking crib and it was the cutest thing to watch as he learnt by shaking his head the crib would move. He now sleeps in a bigger cot and has learnt to move about in it. He turns about and rolls over playing with the toys around him.Thembani - Junior has gained a substantial amount of weight and has a healthy appetite. He does not like to be left alone and prefers to be entertained at all waking hours. He is no longer the youngest of our boys however the name has stuck and everyone knows him as Junior.
One baby who has made incredible progress is Jeremiah – in just one week his skinny frame has filled out – his ribs are no longer visible which is so encouraging to see. When Jeremiah came into the home, he did not cry, all he did was moan – the reason being that his muscles had not developed sufficiently for him to cry. Within two weeks of special care from Nina, our house mother, he has developed incredibly – he smiles and talks and now even cries when he has too. It just shows you how simply a chid thrives on love, and that’s what we plan our home to be – A Home {Umuzi} of Love {Wothando}. 
Ruth is making steady progress. She sleeps well and has a healthy appetite, gaining weight as she should. Ruth is about 4 weeks old now. There is not much to report on a little baby as Ruth because all they really do is eat and sleep and require nappy changes.
Nomalanga is crawling about all over the place, she has begun to pull herself up on the furniture and walk along the walls, she does not yet have the confidence to stand alone but this will come. Nina calls her our little lady because she says she is so graceful and gentle. Noma is beginning to repeat a lot of words spoken and has grasped “ta” and “bye-bye”, and she has her own “thank you”. She sings, bounces about in dance and plays peek-a-boo with anyone willing. She eats moderately and does not fuss when put into her cot to sleep. Her dimpled smile lights and bright eyes light any heart.
Sarah is our bundle of energy as she is always on the go. She is walking, or should I say running, about entirely on her own now, it took a while but no-one can stop her now. She is a strong character who knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. She often spends weekends away from the Home either with the Matron and her family or with a friend of the Home. As Sarah is a friendly baby she is a delight to any visitor.
There is to be another change too, Khanyile was also being fostered along with Moses, however a relative has come forward claiming she has been searching for him now for 2 years. We are pleased to report that although Khanyile will be leaving us sometime in December, Martin and Mercy will be a part of this transition to his new home and we pray for God’s guidance and presence in his life. 
It was interesting to watch how the children intergrated and how they communicated with one another as both groups spoke different languages. Moses and Khanyile generally speak English with a little Ndebele, and of course the Mpilo boys speak mainly Ndebele and a little Shona. It’s good to see though both are teaching each other and all are learning a variety of languages. Hopefully this will continue and their language skills will be varied.
So that brings me to the end of this update, it’s been fun, hope you’ve enjoyed it too. Have a great week and we will post again soon I hope.
Thank you for your continued love and support for this project. God bless
Luv ‘n’ friendship in the Lord always,
Sis Bee
Ruth is making steady progress. She sleeps well and has a healthy appetite, gaining weight as she should. Ruth is about 4 weeks old now. There is not much to report on a little baby as Ruth because all they really do is eat and sleep and require nappy changes. Nomalanga is crawling about all over the place, she has begun to pull herself up on the furniture and walk along the walls, she does not yet have the confidence to stand alone but this will come. Nina calls her our little lady because she says she is so graceful and gentle. Noma is beginning to repeat a lot of words spoken and has grasped “ta” and “bye-bye”, and she has her own “thank you”. She sings, bounces about in dance and plays peek-a-boo with anyone willing. She eats moderately and does not fuss when put into her cot to sleep. Her dimpled smile lights and bright eyes light any heart.
Sarah is our bundle of energy as she is always on the go. She is walking, or should I say running, about entirely on her own now, it took a while but no-one can stop her now. She is a strong character who knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. She often spends weekends away from the Home either with the Matron and her family or with a friend of the Home. As Sarah is a friendly baby she is a delight to any visitor. Moses & Khanyile are adjusting to having all the children with them in the Home, it has taken some time for them to settle as they were used to being the eldest of the children, and now suddenly there are others. 
Yesterday we had the priviledge of sharing in a very special day for Martin and Mercy – and soon we will be saying a little goodbye to Moses as he joins his new mom and dad in their home. He will not be gone forever though and we know we will see lots of him but we pray that he will walk with Jesus every step of the way.
Yesterday we had the priviledge of sharing in a very special day for Martin and Mercy – and soon we will be saying a little goodbye to Moses as he joins his new mom and dad in their home. He will not be gone forever though and we know we will see lots of him but we pray that he will walk with Jesus every step of the way. There is to be another change too, Khanyile was also being fostered along with Moses, however a relative has come forward claiming she has been searching for him now for 2 years. We are pleased to report that although Khanyile will be leaving us sometime in December, Martin and Mercy will be a part of this transition to his new home and we pray for God’s guidance and presence in his life. It was interesting to watch how the children intergrated and how they communicated with one another as both groups spoke different languages. Moses and Khanyile generally speak English with a little Ndebele, and of course the Mpilo boys speak mainly Ndebele and a little Shona. It’s good to see though both are teaching each other and all are learning a variety of languages. Hopefully this will continue and their language skills will be varied.So that brings me to the end of this update, it’s been fun, hope you’ve enjoyed it too. Have a great week and we will post again soon I hope.
Thank you for your continued love and support for this project. God bless
Luv ‘n’ friendship in the Lord always,
Sis Bee
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Naming a new Baby
On Thursday 8th November 2007, our Home was blessed with a beautiful baby girl who had been abandoned in one of the western suburbs of Bulawayo. A young school boy had come across the baby and took her to the local Police Station where she was later admitted to Mpilo Hospital for observation. The following day the baby was discharged in fair to good health and brought to our "Home of Love" by Social Welfare.
I was given the privilege of naming the baby and since this was to be our "first" abandoned baby girl I wanted to choose a name which had a strong biblical meaning. I wanted a name which would have great meaning in her life and one day she could look back on this and know that she was all a part of God's special plan and purpose. This is what I came up with :-
This baby's name was selected from a list of great Woman of Faith, mentioned in the Bible.
"RUTH"
Ruth was dedicated to those who loved her, she refused to turn away from the love she’d found in them. She left her homeland and the love of her family to care for her mother-in-law who had lost her husband and then also her sons. Ruth was a humble hard worker who was prepared to gather from the leftovers of the harvest. She was gracious and kind; despite difficult times she rejected rejection and placed herself and her life into God’s hands.
Ruth proved how kindness, grace and loyalty can flourish in times of crisis, how commitment to each other and unto the Lord’s care can bring great peace and unexpected blessings.
Ruth reminds us of unceasing faithfulness – whether we come from religious families or disreputable backgrounds, when we seek God and surrender to His plan we can find peace and purpose just as Ruth did so many years ago as she walked in the purpose of the Lord from the beginning of her life to the end.
I was given the privilege of naming the baby and since this was to be our "first" abandoned baby girl I wanted to choose a name which had a strong biblical meaning. I wanted a name which would have great meaning in her life and one day she could look back on this and know that she was all a part of God's special plan and purpose. This is what I came up with :-
This baby's name was selected from a list of great Woman of Faith, mentioned in the Bible.
"RUTH"
Ruth was dedicated to those who loved her, she refused to turn away from the love she’d found in them. She left her homeland and the love of her family to care for her mother-in-law who had lost her husband and then also her sons. Ruth was a humble hard worker who was prepared to gather from the leftovers of the harvest. She was gracious and kind; despite difficult times she rejected rejection and placed herself and her life into God’s hands.
Ruth proved how kindness, grace and loyalty can flourish in times of crisis, how commitment to each other and unto the Lord’s care can bring great peace and unexpected blessings.
Ruth reminds us of unceasing faithfulness – whether we come from religious families or disreputable backgrounds, when we seek God and surrender to His plan we can find peace and purpose just as Ruth did so many years ago as she walked in the purpose of the Lord from the beginning of her life to the end.
Ruth replied "Where you go I will go,
where you stay I will stay,
your people will be my people,
your God will be my God"
So allow me the pleasure of introducing Baby Ruth ...
So allow me the pleasure of introducing Baby Ruth ...
Monday, October 29, 2007
9 Children from Mpilo have a new Home !!!
Dear Friends
We are so excited to announce that nine children from Mpilo have a new home as of 4pm today 29th October 2007......
Please join us in Praising and Thanking God for his Faithfullness and the realisation of this dream for many !!!
Here are a few pictures of the day...
Joyce, Social Welfare Worker Kudzai and the Hospital Staff, signing over the paperwork ...
Joyce and Sis'Bee getting the children ready for a new life... starting with a new set of clothes ...
Preparing to leave Mpilo for our new Home ...
In the car on the way to their new home ...
And arrival at their new home, greeted by their new carers...
And of course a group photo of this special day ...
Thank you all for the very special part you play in this very special project.
May God bless you and your families always.
Luv 'n' friendship in the Lord Sis'Bee
Friday, October 26, 2007
MOVING SOME CHILDREN SOON ....
Dear Friends
Things are happening at Isaiah's and having received our Social Welfare Registration Certificate we took immediate action on pursuing the movement of the group of children at Mpilo to our Home in Suburbs, Bulawayo.
We had a few decisions to make as a Management Committee as the group of children included a few which were older than our anticipated age group. However we decided we would take all of them as quite strong bonds have been formed and it wouldn't be fair to leave some behind, we thought we could best advocate for them to the next available orphange place or better still foster families, so please includes this in your prayers.
The Committee set a date for Wednesday 24th October as our earliest anticipated date to be able to take the children, of course realising that Social Welfare would play a big part in the success or delay of reaching this date... Of course there was another ongoing conference so we were delayed a few days, nonetheless, we continue. On an exciting note... Progress is now being made and the paperwork between the hospital and Social Welfare is in process.
To this we say ... WATCH THIS SPACE ... becoz shortly we hope to include a couple of photographs of God's Blessings running around their new garden.
We have a few "needs" which have come to light as we plan the new intake of children and we'd like to post a small list which some may be in a position to assist us with, we would be most grateful for any assistance. Just a few things which come to mind - if anyone has bunk beds, or single beds not in use, or even one or two that may be looking for a new home - I know of the perfect place, so please feel free to "post a comment" and we'll get back to you. Also looking for kitchen utensils, pots, pans, cutlery and crockery suitable for children - we have a few things but will certainly be in need of more I'm sure. I'll be gathering the info together soon so please keep your eyes on this site.
Well I'm looking forward to doing the next post and I'm sure it will be an exciting one for all. Do take care and thanks again for all your prayers and support at this very exciting time. God bless you and your families.
Luv 'n' friendship in the Lord Sis'Bee
Things are happening at Isaiah's and having received our Social Welfare Registration Certificate we took immediate action on pursuing the movement of the group of children at Mpilo to our Home in Suburbs, Bulawayo.
We had a few decisions to make as a Management Committee as the group of children included a few which were older than our anticipated age group. However we decided we would take all of them as quite strong bonds have been formed and it wouldn't be fair to leave some behind, we thought we could best advocate for them to the next available orphange place or better still foster families, so please includes this in your prayers.
The Committee set a date for Wednesday 24th October as our earliest anticipated date to be able to take the children, of course realising that Social Welfare would play a big part in the success or delay of reaching this date... Of course there was another ongoing conference so we were delayed a few days, nonetheless, we continue. On an exciting note... Progress is now being made and the paperwork between the hospital and Social Welfare is in process.
To this we say ... WATCH THIS SPACE ... becoz shortly we hope to include a couple of photographs of God's Blessings running around their new garden.
We have a few "needs" which have come to light as we plan the new intake of children and we'd like to post a small list which some may be in a position to assist us with, we would be most grateful for any assistance. Just a few things which come to mind - if anyone has bunk beds, or single beds not in use, or even one or two that may be looking for a new home - I know of the perfect place, so please feel free to "post a comment" and we'll get back to you. Also looking for kitchen utensils, pots, pans, cutlery and crockery suitable for children - we have a few things but will certainly be in need of more I'm sure. I'll be gathering the info together soon so please keep your eyes on this site.
Well I'm looking forward to doing the next post and I'm sure it will be an exciting one for all. Do take care and thanks again for all your prayers and support at this very exciting time. God bless you and your families.
Luv 'n' friendship in the Lord Sis'Bee
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