Christmas Parties at the Care Points!

We just finished up two weeks of having Christmas Parties at each of the sponsored Care Points.  A great time for us to get to know the different Care Points’ locations, responsible D-Team members and most importantly….children and gogo’s.  So amazing to see the difference that long term, committed prayer and financial sponsorship can make in the lives of those who depend so fully on their nearest Care Point for food, education and friendship.  

We do the Christmas Parties early in the month so that the D-Team can have some time off around the holidays.  We have heard that most of the country closes up for the few weeks before and after Christmas.  I’m kind of looking forward to a scaled back, relaxing Christmas rather than the frenzy that the holidays can become back “home”.

This year each child who was committed to attending lessons as well as meals at their Care Point received a gift of: a large basin, plate, spoon, cup, tooth brush, tooth paste, wash cloth, soap, bag of “sweets”, cupcake, fruit and a book.  Those children who have not shown good attendance at the Care Point, or who were visitors for the party only received fruit, sweets and cupcake, as well as encouragement by the D-team to come on a regular basis so as to receive teaching, discipleship, regular meals and “treats” in the future.  This helps assure some responsibility on the children’s part and rewards their diligence, while preventing a sense of “entitlement” or “hand outs”.

We were all so very impressed with the respect that these children have for the D-team.  The D-team is a group of amazing people who take responsibility for most of the hands-on ministry at each of the 23 care points.  Since being around these men and women, Steve and I have been amazed at the level of spiritual maturity and diligence displayed in these young Swazi adults.  Most of them have many more pressures and responsibilities placed on them than any of us had at their age, yet they serve these children with joy and commitment and authority.  

At a recent staff prayer meeting we were all telling what we were thankful for in 2010. Each of the nine D-team members present expressed, in different ways, that they were thankful that they were still alive.  That they had survived another year……literally.  A real eye opener for me…that survival is not something to be taken for granted.  For any of us.  And that every breath, every meal, every day on this earth is a gift from God.  A gift that He gives us to be opened and used and enjoyed and lived according to His plan.

Please continue to pray for us as we adjust to life in a foreign culture.  The girls have adapted beautifully….Steve and I are so proud of them as they each minister to the people we come in contact with in their own personal ways.   

Thanks for loving us and praying for us.  Please feel free to email or Facebook any personal correspondence.  We look forward to hearing from friends and family.  It really makes our day to have a personal note on FB or in our Inbox! 

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