This month has certainly been full of difficulties but we know that God is in control and this home is His home and these are His babies and children. We have experienced one of the
worst droughts in many years and are so grateful to answered prayers in that rain has been falling over our land during this month.
We continued to experience problems with Collin as he kept on bringing marijuana onto the property. We called in our friend from the head of the police drug squad, to counsel Collin and to show him what his life will be like if he continues into a world of drugs. He took Collin off for the day to the police station and when Collin got back he told us that he had his eyes opened. Within a week he was found at school with marijuana on him and we were called to the school as he was too ‘high’ for class on two occasions. He was also found dealing in the drug at the school.
We realized that at this stage, he didn’t really want our help but was manipulating us to continue staying in our home. We then made an agreement with the school to keep him home for 2 weeks on study leave, so that he could at least write his final exams for Form 4 (grade 11) during November. He was home for 2 days and the problems started again with Collin continually arguing and disrupting the running of the home. Then Collin asked to leave ABC and be returned to his biological family in Big Bend. As we are a baby home, Collin’s social worker agreed for us to let him go. He is over 18 years old and so had the right to say where he wants to live and so he signed himself out of the home. It was a sad day for all of us when Gerry and Sam drove Collin back to Big Bend but it is a choice that he has made. Please continue to remember Collin in your prayers.
Lozi is in the middle of her JCSE exams and will finish on the 4th November for the year. She has applied to St Marks’ private high school in Mbabane for 2017, to do her IGCSE. We are now waiting to hear if she has been accepted. One of her teachers, from junior school, has offered to sponsor her at St Marks if she gets a good pass this year.
The babies continue to grow up fast. Emily is now in her own little toddler bed and although we had a few problems to start with, with her climbing out and running around the room disturbing the others, she is now sleeping nicely in her little, big girl’s bed. She is talking a lot and trying to make sentences which often keeps us laughing. Emmanuel has learn’t to run and loves to run away from us when we call him. Lucy is walking confidently everywhere but Wandy is still furniture walking and lacks the confidence to let go and go. Wandy’s mother completes school this year and the family will soon be taking her back home to live with them. Isaac continues to be a joyful and happy little boy, laughing easily at everything, content to just sit and watch the others play. We have had a few warmer days where we have been able to put out the little pools for the toddlers to splash around in. We have also informed welfare that we are now available to take in another baby if an abandoned baby is available.
On the 21 October, we travelled to Botswana, which was a first for us, for a weekend visit to meet Florence’s family, who live in Gaborone. We had a lovely time with them. We were taken on a special tour around Baylor Clinic, Botswana, which Robyn enjoyed and found fascinating as she works closely with Baylor Clinic here in Swaziland and all our babies are registered with Baylor. On Saturday morning we went with Florence while she did some shopping and we saw a bit of the city. It was a quick visit but we thoroughly enjoyed our time in a new country, meeting Luke’s new family and getting to know them all a little better.
Once again we have been blessed by many generous people and we are so grateful for their help. Jonathan Rudd donated a lovely big combined fridge/freezer which helps us with the donations we receive from Woolworths. Thank you Jonathan for the fridge. We really appreciate it.
As we head into summer, we ask for more prayers for more rain to fall, so that our country will be fruitful once again and that the water restrictions will be lifted.
God bless you all
Gerry & Robyn
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