God is so good!  As we look back on all that has happened in South Africa over the last 6 weeks, who would have ever thought we would be where we are right now?  Only God!

Blessing #1:

Remember the property that you all have been praying for in Ikageng, just outside of Potchefstroom in South Africa? Well, praise God, in just the past couple of weeks we have been on that property unpacking, cleaning, organizing, interviewing potential teachers, hiring staff, registering children and on Monday, January 14 we opened the doors of a preschool that we have been asked to manage!  We chose to rename the school ‘Naledi Christian Preschool’ and we have the vision of it being only one small part of a greater Christian education/training center that we will call ‘Naledi Christian Academy’.

The word ‘naledi’ is a Tswana word that means ‘star’.  God shared with me a vision for every child, parent, staff member or visitor that walks through the preschool doors to become a ‘light’ for Jesus and then to take that light back into their own community, allowing it to shine in the midst of all the sin that pollutes their world.  An old Finnish proverb says ‘even the smallest star shines in the darkness.’

The school operates from 8AM to 4PM Monday through Friday, and in addition to instruction each child receives two nutritious meals and a healthy snack every day. We ask the caregivers of each child registered in the preschool to pay a nominal monthly fee of R100 (about $12 USD) to attend the preschool, which covers only a portion of our cost for food, electricity, staff salaries and supplies. This presents a huge opportunity for you to change the future of these children by sponsoring one or more one them for $25 per month. If you’d like to do so, just click on the “Donate Now” button of our website and register for a recurring monthly donation of $25 designated to “Sponsor a Child or Family”.

Blessing #2:

In addition to making preparations for the preschool to open we have also unpacking, cleaning, and setting up house #6 on that same property as the preschool that we will be moving into in the next week!  Please keep us in prayer as we move into the township to live among the people we are serving-pray for acceptance from the other residents on the property and in the community, that our presence there will not be a distraction or impediment to the work that Christ has for us there, for protection, and God’s anointing on us as we work to make His name known in the community.

Blessing #3:

We have a new family member!  As many of you know, we are always asking for prayers for a 19-yr old young lady from Freedom Park that we have ‘taken under our wing’ since meeting her in 2008.  She has endured many challenges in the past couple of years and we have been praying that God would bless us with her being a part of our ministry work in South Africa.  We are extremely thankful and blessed to be able to employ her as one of the preschool’s ‘teacher in training’.  Thank you, Jesus!  Please pray that we can build her up and allow her to become whole again after living through a tragic experience in September 2011.  She will be staying in House #6 with us.

So as you can see, so much is going on right now in Ikageng – we are truly blessed and thank God every day for allowing us to be a part of His plan of redemption.  We deeply appreciate your support and prayers!  As you are praying for US, we are praying for YOU… that God will provide volunteers to serve alongside us in Ikageng!  We would love to see you in South Africa!