Holiday Time!

We have spent the last week in South Africa at Kruger National Park and have had a great time.

Tomorrow (December 8) we head to Victoria Falls and will spend a night with friends in Bulawayo on the way.

Things at Vana are going well with 23 new children in the feeding program. We are in the final stages of getting our registration and we are told the certificate should be on its way any day now.

Continuation...

Well, I see Sasch has already beaten me (Bek's sister-in-law, Brooke), to updating the blog for Rebekah & Dion!!

Rebekah's brother, Earle Swan, spoke to Rebekah's parents and as of last Friday (ish) they had made it safely into Capetown.

No updates as of yet, but please continue to pray for all their safety and also for the power issues to be sorted out. I pray also that the visit from Bek's parents will rejuvinate, re-energise and renew both Bek & Dion in continuing to do what the Lord has called them to do and that the Holy Spirit will continue to minister through Dion & Rebekah as they reach out to others in their community.

I encourage you all if you haven't already, to keep those sponsor letters coming. The smiles on the children's faces when they receive them are absolutely priceless. Take some time out to write to your sponsor child especially as Christmas draws nearer every day.

Until next time when either Sasch or I can keep you updated :)

A Tough Week in Chivhu

Whilst Bek's parents are in Africa, Sasch is doing these updates for us.

It's been a really horrible week but we made it through alive.

The problems with our power have continued with a power surge that we think has blown up multiple things. We haven't been able to assess the damage as we have not had power since it happened 3am Thursday morning.

This happened to lots of people who sadly no longer have TVs. With any luck it will be all fixed by the time this hits the blog.

We are going on holidays next week and are looking forward to spending some time with Bek's parents.

Note from Sasch: This has been a pretty rough week for the two of them, with lots of things having to be organised before they head off on their holiday. I'm sure they would appreciate your prayers that it will all be done in time. Please pray too that their holiday is enjoyable and relaxing, with no illnesses, delays or lost luggage!

Not much news

Well, news from Zim has been a bit quite this last week and won't improve this side of the new year. We, Mum and Dad Swan, leave on Wednesday 25th for a long anticipated visit to Zim and as Mum Swan does most of the blogging, news may be a bit thin on the ground. The lovely Brooke (sister-in-law to Bek) has agreed to take up the task of keeping everyone up to date, but it will depend on that all important telephone connection.

So, stay tuned, you never know when a message may appear. Thanks for supporting Bek and Dion, I'll be able to give you all a first hand account of how they are doing in 2010. Untill then, have a blessed Christmas, don't leave Christ out, or you may just end up with a 'mas'

Susan

Wet Season has arrived

Well, the rainy season has arrived. This is a good thing for crops but like everything else comes with its cahllenges like leaking roofs, wet fire wood and the challelnge of getting from A to B and the horrible mozies. With this we set our mozie net up las week which as a challeng in itself.

Oh how we long for the doors and windows that seal and are not full of gaps! Last night we were overtaken by insects and this morning I swept up over 40 from our small loung and kitchen not to mention the 20 I found in the kitachen sink. Argh. Add to that the number of dead in the field out side our front and back doors plus the ones still hanging on to life in hiding spots around the house.

Reading sponsors letters.

We are having lots of problems with our phone so if you text us and we don't reply assume we didn not recieve it or that you did not reciebve our reply and try again!

Thanks to the sponsorship of the children we were able to buy each of them a pair of new school shoes. We gave them out yesterday and prise the Lord there ewas only 1 pair out of 30 that did not fit. The children were very exicited, oneof the girls was almost in tears and just sat looking at them. Before they went home they broke out in song, singing 'God is good He's good to me, He's good to you, yes God is good'

Midia, cooking Sudsa for lunch program

It turns out Dion has a hidden plumbing talent. Since we got here we have had next to no water pressure in our kitchen. In the last month it has gotten to the point where we don't bother and collect water from the bathroom sink. Today Dion decided he was sick of waiting for someeone to get the plumber in and took the spout off to find it full of crap including two mesh ends and a valve to restrict the water flow. With all the rubbish cleaned out we now have a wonderful flow of water in the kitchen sink. This is extremly exciting.

m.