This 3D virtual image was taken on the playground at the Machava Ministry Center run by Iris Ministries outside of Maputo, Mozambique.
This past Saturday, backed by generous support from Will’s family and friends back home, AR put on a big back-to-school bash for kids in the township. What made this party special is the fact that it was initiated by Will’s nieces and nephews, who wanted to do something special to help the children of Mamelodi. Help they did, as each child was given a parcel of brand-new school supplies… not to mention, boerevors, ice cream, jumping castles and a waterslide! Check out Will’s blog post for his reflections on the day and of course photos.
Children aren’t the only ones starting a new school year this week. Our classes at the Powerhouse resume tomorrow, and we are eager to begin working with and encouraging a next set of students. Thanks for your prayers as a new term gets underway!
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.—Psalm 40:2
Abandoned Babies for Christ Ministry was started by Robyn and Gerry Richter more than a decade ago and is located in the mountain village of Bulembu in the northwest corner of Swaziland. HIV/AIDS has decimated the population of the country to less than 1 million, leaving tens of thousands of orphans behind, vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Taking in abandoned and unwanted children from all over the country, Robyn and Gerry are living out their calling and supporting the Bulembu vision of restoring a dying race of Swazi people through education and God’s love, raising up the leaders of the next generation.
Click the image below for the audio slideshow on ABC Ministry.
You need the Flash Player to view this audio slideshow about ABC Ministry in Bulembu, Swaziland, where their vision is to care for the orphans of the country, raising them to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Robyn tells a story predating ABC, when she and others fed and clothed children in a squatter camp near their home.
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Robyn shares her husband’s story and the cost of following Jesus.
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Many thanks to Robyn and Gerry for allowing me into their extremely busy lives to take photos and record their stories. Thanks to the ABC staff for letting me get in their way. Thanks to my wife for her support and assistance in editing the audio and selecting the photos. Most of all, thanks be to God for supporting and sustaining the ABC Ministry.
Since our arrival, I’ve been intent on visiting the people whose lives I was privileged to document as part of my master’s thesis (HIV Stories) . During the worship service this morning, I got a tap on my shoulder—it was Selina from one of the stories, "Living Positively," smiling at me with a huge grin. If you’ve seen that story, you know she has been HIV positive for many years now and was on a downward spiral before she found Jesus at the Powerhouse and her life turned around. So it was just great to see her again, to hear her voice and to know that she and her family are well.
The church service was also really special today. Besides the joyful songs and a great sermon, seven babies were dedicated to the Lord. Vincent called the mothers up front along with any relatives of the children. He said, "I want these relatives to be here so that if in the future these babies are taken to a Sangoma (a witch doctor) you can say, ‘No! This child belongs to the Lord.’" There is a real danger here of babies being dedicated to Satan through ancestral worship practices as infants. Vincent’s dedication was powerful and it was beautiful to see all the little faces, held by their mothers. One little guy even clapped with the congregation as they cheered for him.
After church was over, I looked outside at two little girls standing on a wall together and recognized them from the "Facing the Future" story. One girl, Koketso, is the face featured on the fridge magnet we’ve given to our supporters and the other girl, her sister Maria, is sort of the "poster child" for the "Facing the Future" exhibit . It was wonderful to introduce them to Rebecca. For both of us it was as if frozen faces in a painting were coming to life before our eyes. When you see their faces, look into their eyes and hear their quiet voices, all the poverty statistics just fade away and you can see these kids are real. It just melts my heart with joy to see these kids again. The same tension still exists however—the tension between their innocent hope and their dismal situation in life. These kids are orphans, living with their fellow orphaned cousins in a house their uncle owns, yet he has little to give them. I really want to follow up and see how their situation has changed since I was here last in February 2006—yet I suspect their only source of support is the Powerhouse. I didn’t take my camera with me to church today (on purpose) but I’ve put up two photos from HIV Stories and I invite you to view their story, "Facing The Future," at www.hivstories.org .
Later, we had a chance to take the girls, along with Selina’s children, Thabo and Legato, and two others back home. With all of them piled into the backseat of the AR van, it was beautiful to hear their little whispers to each other, their excited giggles and then to turn around and just soak in the beautiful image of their shining little faces.
"Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." —Jesus (Mark 10:13-16 )
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