This month, on the 14th, we gained a 3 week old, baby boy, whom Sam has named Gordon, and on the 19th the three siblings, Tommy, Adelle and Annie, moved to their new permanent Children’s home to join April, Barry, Patricia and Isaac. We are so grateful that our ABC children are able to be together in their permanent child care facility. Gordon is in our care until his mother completes her Educational Diploma at the end of 2020.
The court cases for the house are still ongoing, as everything operates really slowly in Swaziland. We now have another new court case but of a happy nature. At long last, after 11 years, we have permission to complete Keturah’s adoption into our family. Swaziland is about to open nationally for adoptions and as Keturah has lived with us as a foster child for 11 years, it is seen as a straight forward adoption, according to the new Child Adoption Act of 2012, and it can now, at long last, go ahead and be finalised.
Collin has been writing his final Form 5 exams this month and finished his last exam on the 29th. He gave us a few problems during this month and Gerry has banned him from our home because of his bad behaviour, but we are still assisting him. He has managed to get his old job back, at the Chinese Packaging Factory in Ngwenya Village, and has already started to work. ABC will continue to sponsor him for his rent for the next few months until he can get on his feet. He will be working while he awaits his Form 5 results and applies for scholorships to go to Uni, which starts in September 2020.
Lozi is totally enjoying all her courses as a paramedic student at the Emergency Medical Rescue College and the Medical Faculty of the Eswatini University, and is already studying hard and learning lots. She is so tiny that the EMR college had to order a special uniform and S.A. size 3 safety boots, for her. Keturah starts her end of year final exams for Grade 5, in November, and is also studying hard.
On the 9th Aunty Fezile took 1 week’s leave as she prepares for the 2nd stage of her Swazi traditional wedding. Sam has continued to work odd jobs and to drive for ABC. He has been stripping a donated, scrap, Toyota Esteema Van for the spare parts for us to use on our own Esteema Van so as to repair it. On the 29th, Sam was offered a driving job with Mr Waterman, who supplies bottled spring water in and around Swaziland. As Mr Waterman (Thabiso Kunene) is our neighbour, Sam will continue to live at home for now. He is very excited for this opportunity to gain driving experience and to eventually get the opportunity to drive Mr Waterman’s 18 ton water truck as well.
Our dear friends, Heather and Andy Sullivan, arrived to visit us on the 25th and spent the night with us. Heather and Andy were house parents in one of our toddler houses when we lived in Bulembu and we have a lot of history together. Heather and Robyn started school together at 5 years old and have been friends every since then. It is always so refreshing to have friends visit and encourage us with their love.
During this month, we have also had a few meetings with a Rev. David Gooday from Hawane, as he has decided to write a book about a baby boy found in a pit latrine and how he grows up to become someone important. He is incorporating ABC into the book, so as to record our ABC history, and it has been so much fun working with him on this book and sharing our story with him.
Gerry has completed tiling the passageway and the interns from our church continue to complete the painting of the door frames. The passage looks lovely, bright, light and fresh. Gerry continues to work on the 4 vehicles, as they are very old and constantly in need of repair of some sort done to them.
Prayer Requests please:
• Continued prayers for the house court cases.
• For Keturah’s adoption to be finalised quickly and easily so that she can have closure in her life and
become our legal daughter.
• For our 3 year old grandson, Judah, who has to undergo different medical tests at this time.
• Give thanks for Sam’s new driving job.
• Give thanks for all the financial donations that we receive so that we can continue to run ABC successfully
• Give thanks for all the provisions that God has given to us and continues to supply for us daily
Thank you
God bless you
Gerry & Robyn
