You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you—
John Bunyan

October 2013 Majakeneng Village Outreach

How these words ring true! How I hope your feeling the blessing I pray on your life! I pray the blessing comes back to YOU because of how and what YOU gave in prayer, support and resources to God’s little ones. These little ones will never be able to repay you and may never ever see you-but what you have done will last forever.  We pray you feel the lasting blessing that springs from their hope!

We started our outreach on Friday Oct 18th with an all night prayer. The youth of Flames Church gathered for their monthly all-night prayer and we were able to be a part. Imagine this if you will, 100 or more teens-on a Friday night, beckoning the heavens for His Presence! How remarkable! All night long till early morning they prayed, worshipped and get this, I never saw one cell phone! That was a miracle in itself. I was blown away by! I believe our week’s success was birthed from your prayers at home and followed up from here!

Saturday, Sister Sharon met with the Sunday School Teachers/Leaders to empower their teaching of the Flames Church youth! Flames church is exploding with youth, coming from everywhere! Sister Sharon engraved the heart of a child’s most important spiritual needs onto these leaders/teachers. She followed it up with offerings of tools and ideas they can use through this next year: 2014. It was then/there right in that place I sensed God was going to move big in the youth coming from all ends of every village to be nurtured and given hope. Oh! How it is so necessary to fill these leaders with tools and the ‘mind workings’ of a child to foster this coming-up generation! A generation, we pray that just might be angry enough and hungry enough to change the junk that has been handed down to them!

Revival! That was the word I was left with in my Spirit after the afternoon workshop. Unknown to me then, those Spirit spoken words—came alive. I can’t even sit right now, its that exciting!

Sunday, we had a gogo event and teen event. (Now, a gogo is anyone who is a grandmaJ.)   Sister Sharon gave those sweet precious ladies an empowering message on not ‘stopping’ until you’re dead and then they all enjoyed a big feast (from you) along with a gift of a beautiful purse from one of our committed donor’s!

I took the teens and we had a message on forgiveness and getting ‘unstuck’. They were given books and solar radios with messages from Charles Stanley. It was a great turnout and as a surprise to both of us, Sister Sharon and I were ‘dressed’ by our African family. It was such a grand privilege, my eyes water talking about it…..

 

Can I add that our outfits are from Martin’s tribe: Tsonga?

Yes, of course I cried. What a privilege to be dressed in his tribe!   I plan on walking into heaven and meeting Jesus and my Pastor Martin with his outfit on!

Monday, was quite the surprise! !! You know how it is. You plan and plan but reality doesn’t always look like the best thought–out plan. As Pastor Bruce always say’s “TIA” that is African for: This is Africa! We had planned to visit every classroom everyday with a single message that followed the 1600+ bracelets message with certain colored beads made by some awesome volunteers in Indiana!

 

The first color: black-meaning we all sinned. The second color: red-meaning those sins were taken care of by Jesus blood. The third color: white-meaning we are made clean. The fourth color:   green– meaning we need to grow in our love for Jesus. The fifth color: yellow-meaning we will get to see the gold of heaven!

However, on Monday, it soon became obvious that Sister Sharon, Lorraine, Fatima and a few other Flames volunteers could not share a lesson with every group of kids…  We quickly learned the new ‘teaching math’… we multiplied the minutes spent with each group by the number of groups and tried to divide it into the minutes of the day! IMPOSSIBLE.

So we improvised … and by week’s end we were so organized  it was scary. PLEASE pray that we continue to have access to our kids, because without it, the orphan’s needs cannot be reached!!! (I will tell you why, later)

As Sister Sharon, Lorraine, Fatima met with the childrens groups, I went to seek the little orphans we are targeting to assist. The ones without any relatives but are just living as sibling families. My goal was to get to know each one and start a deeper level of care. There are about 20 such sibling raised families among the 300 orphans who live with a granny or auntie or uncle. Thanks to you, we are feeding the 300+ but desire to do even more for the 20!

If I shared the stories I heard that week, surely your heart would break at the evil and slimy predators that are surrounding our kids, daily. As the week ended I didn’t want to hear anymore stories; I didn’t want to see any more shacks. I became more overwhelmed and felt like I was sinking in the absolute valley of impossibleness (if you will). How do you come against such horrible things; including witchcraft?  How do we keep these kids safely cared for outside of their sheltered school day? If you let me be human for a moment, I wanted to slice and dice every evil thing coming against the innocent little ones!!!

Those precious eyes look up at you so expectant, so alive and so wanting to be loved, held, mentored, given attention and respected. What I saw and heard was that the children really do fend for themselves; regardless if there is an auntie or granny or sibling there. They are coerced to bring money home in obvious evil ways; they are not encouraged to do homework; they are manipulated and not given attention to. Health needs go unmet; referrals to clinics/doctors never get done and things we give them-get taken away.

For example, little Aida… she lives with her granny who is part of a ZedC cult. She was forced to take off her bracelet and was hiding her bible we gave her otherwise it would get burned. She hung on me all week; just wanting to be near me. She was so proud when she took me to her shack! However, I was met by a irrate granny who yelled and screamed at us and so we had to leave. I had Aida in the car with me and she just started crying.   Here is a picture (un-posed I might add) of her reading her bible before putting it in hiding.

On a positive note; however……   I met with a white-South African nurse who came to the school for immunizations and she shared all her concerns with me and what does/doesn’t get done for the kids she has an ‘eye’ on health-wise.   She mentioned that there are fewer and fewer children who are falling off the curve of the national weight graph! So, this is a big credit-due you! Feeding these children for almost a year has been more than fruitful! When a child’s brain has proper protein life begins to make sense and they can think and reason as God had designed !!

On Thursday, of our week-it was very exciting. The truck hauled in over 1400+ bibles for the kids. We had the lesson with the green bead: growing in love with Jesus, going to church, and learning about Him in His Word. After every child got the lesson and they received their very own bible!!   What fantastic fun it was to pass them out! You cannot describe the privilege or the fun, we as children of the living God have when participating in a work like this! To everyone ‘out there’ it’s the farthest idea of a good time! But to us ‘in’ here YOU know, it is fun- a fun that lasts forever. It’s the only thing that will remain standing and alive after the dust settles here on our earth!       That, what we did together here with these three: Faith…Hope…Love.

The greatest of all these three is the Love!

because

IT LASTS FOREVER

Where do we go from here? In light of what we discovered this week .. …. What’s the plan?   The plan has always been and will never change: to love, nurture, feed and give proper attention to these precious children forgotten by everyone else. That stays the same.   But, three weeks after we left our week in Majakaneng a text I received from Pastor Alcy reads like this:

Hi my dear sister. I love you. We are fine but it’s just a bit hectic from my side. The kids are coming in huge numbers to church and now the challenge is transport because I have to now add a bus and buy more bread. But praise God we manage to assist. I love you more, sister.

As God leads us and provides we will trump the evil with good in Majakaneng. We will raise the children with proper love, food, mentoring and seek to tutor them when possible. There is some concern now that those who are living with ‘our’ kids may resist what we are doing as we are becoming more involved. They may choose to not let the children come to functions. But, they can’t stop us feeding and loving them. Please pray with us that our Father will restrain all evil and He will allow us to continue ministering to all our children.

We feel the need to build a proper kitchen for our kids and that will help the cooks. We want to bless our kids; bless the faithful cooking staff and keep an ever-present outpouring to the future children of Majakaneng Village.  There are a few different directions we could pursue… so pray that we be given wisdom to do what is best for the kids on a sustainable basis.

Our long range goal: to set up a safe house for the emergencies that our children experience on a daily basis–that we are missing. I have a letter from such a little one, right now. I will share at a later time. Then, the possibility to further the dream of Pastor Martin—He wanted to birth a church centered right here in this village-one of the least in South Africa NW Brits.

We are a long way off from such things… but, right before us are hungry, attention-starved and un-nurtured children.   We are slowly making a start, God-willing.  How do we make the group smaller that we are serving?  It’s impossible as the stories continue to speak to the need of the 40 most vulnerable, of the 300 orphans, of the 1500 village children.  I don’t know. And, this will hopefully pave our path, somehow…someway.

WE will have our Christmas Party December 7^th! Every child (300+) will receive an outfit and a bag to carry it home with, from you . There will be cards from you. And, a feast of food! Flames Youth will provide the Christmas Story and that will complete a very busy but fruitful year 2013.

I humbly thank each and everyone who has prayed, supported and resourced ‘our’ kids… God’s least.

If I was a rich girl, I would bless you back 100000% more than you gave. But, since I am not a rich girl I am asking God to do the 10000000% blessing each morning and each time I pray of ‘our’ kids.

I love you-each one,

Sally Herman

Original Link: October 2013 Zoe News
FB Album:       October 2013 Facebook Album

“I’d rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might-have-been has never been, but a has was once an are.”

    ~Working together to shape the world of children who are considered cannot be’s to become could-be’s!~

Hello my family!  …   Well, July is over and guess what?  We are already rocking and rolling, full throttle toward Christmas!   Our Tigger Drive is far exceeding my dream!  We are almost at 350 completed outfit sets for each of our orphans to bless them at Christmas!  I tell you, my heart leaps as I get the cutest outfits shipped to my door!  I can feel the love…. I can.  Pastor Martin always wanted these kids to receive clothes for Christmas, as this is the culture thing.  A child in a South African family always gets clothes for Christmas.

Well, these children are our ‘family’ and what we are saying to them by this gift is deeper than any words.   They are wanted and they are loved!

Out of our goal of 350 sets here is all we have left to get!  Please email Betty  Lynn if you are planning on shipping any outfits to me.  Let her know what sizes etc so she can graph them accordingly to make sure no child is missed!!   blynn1@optonline.net,

 19 Boys sets sized between 8 and 10

13 Boys sets sized between 5 and 7

8 Girls sets sized between 8 and 10

 These outfits will be wrapped like Christmas Gifts with a few added toys, purses etc.  So truly, our 350 kids will feel the love from you, in December!  We are looking for ‘notes’ again to tag onto each gift!  So if you feel inspired, send me some love-notes!

LET it be said—if we exceed our goal in outfits, we will be giving the other outfits to orphans in the Flames Church.  So if we go over—then, to God be the Glory!

We are also working on children’s bibles.  I have not found the ‘one’ the hits my heart yet, but still looking.  I am so open to suggestions!  I would like each child to receive a bible and inside a note from you.

For all who don’t shop we have shopped for you with the beautiful resources that have been sent in.  I can’t even say thank-you enough.  Words escape me…  Thank you.

Look for more ‘happenings’ as we continue to visit the school in September and October and proceed with financing the building of our kitchen!  We would love to see a kitchen built for the hard working momma’s that are cooking  meals at the school every day for the kids.    Again, this would not be possible without your continued prayer and support.  Thank you!  Thank you for the monthly provision to provide a wage for our hard-working momma’s.   Thank you!

Again, just popping in to let you know what is happening !  I ask for continued prayers.  This project cannot continue forward without the prayer of all of you.  It seems we take one step forward in helping our children and the devil advances his tactics.  We are tromping on his territory, but we know WHO wins!  Thank you sooooo much.  I love you more than I could ever tell you.

Love, Sally

Original Link: August 2013 Zoe News

That mother whose heart is bound to her child’s – doesn’t compare to how your Father’s heart is bound to you. {Isa 49:15}

CAN I JUST SAY IT AGAIN?? GOD DID IT!

GOD SHOWED US JUST HOW MUCH HE LOVES!

May 2^nd we made it through South Africa Customs without any question! Just imagine for a moment, if you will…   Imagine one rather small (but I do have muscles!) blonde girl unloading (12)-50lb duffels off the baggage ramp: all filled with blankets, scarves and hats! Now imagine me, loading them on three very small rolling carts. … The weight and height was way over the top of me.

And, no one had yet showed up to help me.

“Father I know you have a plan. I know you love these precious children more than me. I also know I am very imperfect; fall short so many times; but please don’t count that against blessing these precious little ones. I know I don’t deserve such mercy and a free ride; but they do. Please… show up and show me how to get out of here unharmed and all these giftss untouched by greedy hands. Thank you, Jesus.”

 

I know, that little prayer sounds a bit odd. But, when you’re in a crisis mode-you know the only thing that can hinder God’s power is maybe something not right in yourself. So, you repent of everything you can think of really fast and hope…. (smile) and pray.

Of course, during my dialogue with God I saw a young boy watching me curiously. He had a Custom vest on. Should I? I was standing alone in the entire area. He was ready to get off shift. I went up to him and did it. I explained about ‘our’ children–so in need. I told him I was in need of some help to get out of the baggage claim area. ……

Of Course God Did It!

Mercy! He took off his Custom vest and helped me push my carts past Customs and out to meet our Pastor Alcy and Pastor Bruce. ……   “Thank you, Father….. Thanks for Your Love and Compassion that holds no limit even when You are forced to work with cracked vessels!”

Our Weekend Started on Friday

Here we started our morning with meetings with the principal and teachers of Majakaneng School.   It is through this precious relationship that we work with the 300 orphans. Eunice the principal updated us on the feeding program. We heard success story after another! Not only are we able to feed the extra 300 orphan– daily but the hot meal (Tender Mercies from Midwest Food Bank) feeds the other children living in each of their homes—because, they take the extra left over hot food home with them. None is ever wasted!

See these two?

One small story….   These two were coming to school and eating ravenously for over two months. Finally, it was noted by their teachers that these siblings were not being washed; their uniforms were dirty and shoes were in need of great repair. Since it is pretty much culture driven to keep quiet-the teachers sat them both down and begged them to speak about things going on at home. With much reluctance they proceeded to spill out the details. Their mother had run off with their government ID’s and papers. They were alone. Without papers there was no money to help feed and clothe them. They found their grandmother but their grandmother did not have the finances to support them—however, she did the best she could.   I tell you, tears… Tears. ……..

Their mother may have abandoned them and took from them; but God didn’t. God showed up in their time of need.

HIS HEART IS BOUND TO THEM  Is. 49:15

Mama Fatima

Here, we have Mama Fatima! We met with her on Friday, also. She is a member of the Flames Church and lovely gifted woman of God who has been heading up the cooking for our 300! She is amazing! We love her! It was quite a surprise to Eunice and the rest of us when Mama Fatima told us that the two kids she cared for at her home were not her own—but were orphans from the school! We fell back in shock!   We have our key Mama! She has a heart for orphans because her parents were not there for her when she was young. Her passion has her growing peanuts, vegetables and cooking food for our kids—everyday. She showed us her shack by the school.   She showed us how she made peanut butter and how she roasted peanuts to give to the kids and sell for an income! She is a one amazing gift to our children!

Again…monthly support from YOU keeps her alive in her work for HIM!

PLEASE PUT MAMA FATIMA IN YOUR DAILY PRAYERS! SHE WILL BE OUR KEY TO GROWING IN OUR CARE FOR THESE CHILDREN!

Saturday could not come fast enough! We gathered the Flames Church youth and gogo’s and set up our event! You see, the Flames Church also made 200 blankets alongside us for our kids; some are orphans of the church themselves… not some, but I should say most are.

Can you imagine—orphans making blankets for orphans?

We had an outpouring of blessings and God’s nearness as the 350 little ones walked into our tent church of Elandstrand…   There was something different about this group. They were different than when we gathered at Christmas…….. (I will touch on this in a moment)!

Of course once again Byron our lovely Cheetah came to our party! Many did not get to pet him the last time so we had him come and bless our kids, again! He is a perfect gentleman and the kids are in such awe of him! (ok, me too!)

Then.. we had the Flames Youth present a program of dance, love, worship and fun! IT was fantastic! The orphans were smiling ear-to-ear; clapping and laughing! I tell you, I was placed on another level of joy! I can’t tell you or even explain it! I felt God wrapping His big Arms around our little tent and pulling us in– tight into His bosom! I did not want to leave-ever!

After this program our kids got to have another meal-just like at Christmas. Food was piled high on plates that consisted of chunks of good meat, vegetables and pap  Set up for Kings and Queens! But, at this point here it was ‘different’.

Bruce and I both noticed it. There was not that desperate look when the food came out. The children ate, talked and looked around while eating. It wasn’t like in December where total concentration was on eating; putting food as quickly as they could into their growling tummies. They were having fun eating and their eyes were bright!! They were enjoying us and each other while eating. In other words eating wasn’t that BIG of a deal!

WE CAN ONLY CONTRIBUTE THIS TO OUR FEEDING PROGRAM!

Our Father continues to be bound to our kids! He is filling them in the places where there is the greatest void! Is 49:15

After everyone was full they lined up to receive a gift of warmth from You! Even if you personally did not make a blanket -the resources given bought material for others to make warm blankets! We had blankets for every child along with scarves, hats and gloves! We got them set for their winter! They even got special notes of love from you!

I wish you could have seen their eyes! They were so excited to receive such beautiful and warm blankets! They lit up with all the bright colors and child prints! They wrapped themselves in them!

If you want to see the total event in pictures here is a link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.520225308014103.1073741827.151982811505023&type=1

I promise you will look at these pictures and a smile will slowly spread across your face!

What can I say? The weekend was filled with God spilling out His Amazing Love in so many different and big ways! Lives were touched! Important connections were made to take our care of these precious orphans to another level! God is putting out the plan before us-we simply are walking through each open door! That is really how it works!

So many times, yes…me.  I want to run ahead and do this/do that… There are just so many needs! But, that is not how God works. He doesn’t ever want to overwhelm us with a list of to-do’s. No.   He quietly lays out the next step; when done, He opens the next step…

We just have to be faithful in the finishing of the next best thing-one step at a time.

HE LEADS—we follow!

If I thanked you from now until He comes back-that would not be enough to fully express my gratitude for your faithfulness. I am so humbled as I see God fully binding His heart to us through you!  Is 49:15.

I love you, my family. I love you so much-Sally Herman (did I say thank you?)

Original link: May 2013 Zoe News

Blessed are the merciful; blessed are the pure in heart; blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the meek; blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; blessed are the peacemakers; blessed are the persecuted for My name sake.

Great is their reward

The Beatitudes simply put are described as an exclamation of the inner joy and peace that comes with being right with God. Together, they incorporate a set of Christian ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. I believe they echo the highest ideals of the teachings of our Lord Jesus: teachings on mercy, spirituality, and compassion.

 My eyes shed a few tears when I opened up an email recently. It was sent from our family in South Africa and it contained this picture that I posted above. To me, it portrays everything. I don’t need to say another word. Take another look.

How does it make you feel?

 This is our Pastor Martin Siko from one of our village churches. It exemplifies everything. What kind of Pastor would sit with a bunch of ladies and patiently make 200 flannel blankets for destitute orphans?  And, what a warm contented smile! In fact, Hlayi and Lorraine who were the leaders in our Linus Project report to me that the men who participated did a better job on their blankets then the ladies!

Now, I don’t say this to discredit anyone. But face it, we who are women are more inclined to serve—it is ingrained in our DNA. But!! Oh, what it does to my heart to see a man so humbly sit down and serve! To me, that man has preached a sermon without speaking a word! His actions speak virtue. He exudes the ultimate Beatitude.

In fact, this picture makes me feel close (as I can on this earth) to our Pastor Martin in heaven because that—was who he was.

 Well, here we are. We are days away from another crusade and my heart is fluttering; my spirit soaring! Together we have once again fulfilled a worthy goal! Together, we alongside our family in South Africa have poured our resources and efforts together and created beautiful warm blankets for our orphans! Today, we have over 350 blankets!

Soon every orphan in Majakaneng and the few who are in the Flames churches will be wrapped in the warmth of our love!

 You gave up time and you gave up resources to make this happen. Blessed are you! Blessed are you! Thank you. It would not have happened without a strong family effort!

GREAT IS YOUR REWARD!

I promise you, your reward will be great! As great as you can imagine! Not only will you carry those virtues of joy and peace that comes from knowing you are fulfilling God’s great commission; but, one day I see that just about the time you are to walk into heaven a precious small brown child will burst out of the gates, find you… tightly grab your hand and so proudly escort you in-maybe even show you his room J.

To me, what more could we ever–ever desire?

 My original goal was 300 blankets; surely, I thought that would be enough!

However, as much as I would like to see the number of our orphans lowering (because a large number overwhelms me) —God keeps upping it!   We are going to gather our group of now, 350 together in the tent of Elandstrand. We will have a venue of fun, games, music, worship, dancing and…..of course, Byron ‘our cheetah’ will come to visit-again. (I think he likes our kidsJ!) There of course, will be a big meal and every child will receive a warm blanket, a warm scarf and a handwritten card from all of you!   

My heart can’t take much more anticipation!!! I so wish all of you could come and join with us! I know you are already here in a BIG way, but, oh how I would love for you to experience the explosion of joy in real-time.   I would love to share those few special moments when that little one you have been eyeing all day….. looks your way with those precious brown eyes…. and decides for himself that you are safe enough to go on and give you his heart.

What a privilege. Surely, I feel so guilty to be so fortunate.

 Building such relationships with these little ones who need so much would not be happening without you.

I cannot say thank you enough!

THANK YOU!

 

Please keep me in prayer as I once again have to walk by security and customs with this large load: (10) 50lb duffles!

Pray that nothing will be confiscated; pray that I will have help and not be questioned!

Please…

And…..

Thank you once again for living-out the Beatitudes of Jesus in the flesh!

 I love you all so much!

 Sister Sally

 P.S.S.

My friends I tell you, I just see our Precious Pastor Martin so proudly taking Jesus aside on our big day so that he and Jesus can African dance with us, too!

Pastor Martin would surely be teaching Jesus one of his favorite songs …

“No matter what the people say, Jesus is number one!”

(That was his song, we will need to teach the orphans this!)

 

2Chronicles 15:7

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

 

Original Link: April 2013 Zoe News

 

As we are in the throes of winter…… our kids in South Africa are in the heat of summer!  BUT…. Not for long!  Soon, a few months will be gone by and we will be putting our snugly blankets away and unfortunately, most of our kids will be looking for blankets to pull out.  So…   not wanting to let one of the most basic needs pass us by, we are in the middle of Project Linus!

Already, I have had snugly flannel/fleece blankets come sit at my door—awaiting to snuggle an orphan in South Africa! I am soooo thankful!  And, soon they will be too!

We are aiming at buying or making 300 blankets as we want all the kids we serve at Majakeneng to have a blanket.  If I could get 150 blankets to take over in April and then with the help of our Flames Youth making 150 blankets more this would be the success that we are looking for!!   Then, every child will be warm in their shack, at night and snuggle in on the days it will be too cold to go out!

An added bonus, is…  they will be wrapped in love, snuggled in prayer by the work of your hands and the generosity of your heart!  I can’t think of anything more a child would need!

So included in this newsletter are ideas…  ideas for construction and ideas to buy..   We would take kid/teen snugglies, wraps or flannel/fleece blankets…  kid-designs preferred or kid colors…  and……..

 A WAY WE GO!

 Thank you sooo much everyone!!!!  Thank you and just know what is done for an orphan’s warmth will touch and warm this child’s heart…

HERE are the downloadable instructions if you choose to go the creative route…

No Sew Double Fleece Blanket

No Sew Fleece Blanket Instructions

Project Linus No Sew Blanket

 Thanks to Betty Lynne, if you have questions you can email her about the construction!!

blynn1@optonline.net

 My address I will give to you upon request!  ……

 I love you soooo much, all of you, everyone!!! Thank you!

 Sally Herman

www.zoeforkids.com

zoeyherman@aol.com

Original link: January 2013 Zoe News

 Someone once said….

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

DECEMBER 1, 2012

Today, I stand in awe. We did it! God did it through you. Who would have ever thought that a dream of this size could ever be realized? Who would have dreamed that people from every part of the globe would gather in South Africa and give 250 orphans a party they would never …ever forget? I think our Pastor Martin stood up in heaven on Dec. 1^st and gave us all a grand applause!

I believe if there was a half-second chance that he might have wished to come back to earth-it would have been for this one. I believe he would have jumped to be ‘in on the action’ if only for a moment…   I cried tears as this truly miraculous day unfolded…

As the 250 orphans got off the bus I could not hold back my tears. They got off the bus so excited. This day, I am sure they had been dreaming of as children in families dream of Christmas.

Not one was disappointed!

As all of you worked through the entire past summer making pillowcase dresses, buying super hero T-shirts, collecting stuffed animals, writing out cards, collecting jewelry and making hair accessories—this day was the grand finale! It was as if we were all here together in South Africa giving a hope and hug to 250 orphans!

The party started out with a speech and prayer from the principal of the school whereby she told these children they were the privileged ones who had mom’s and dad’s from all over the globe that loved and cared for them.   Yep, that clouded my eyes.

It wasn’t too soon after that when our special ‘animal’ orphan appeared! Mr. Santa Cheetah Claws arrived at our party in his special car from his orphanage-DeWildt Sanctuary. He is an orphan cheetah who has been loved on and petted by more than 100,000 children. Now make that: 100,250!!

                          Every child stood spellbound and fell very quiet as they came up and gave our ‘orphan’ cheetah some cheetah love. You could have heard a wild cheetah call clear from Mozambique as not one child dared make a sound!  Even the leaders got an opportunity to meet eye-to-eye with a real live cheetah… (Some leaders shared with me later that they never in all their born ‘days’ dreamed they would ever pet a real cheetah!)

I think my smile became etched in permanent ink that day.

After this we had a short drama done by The Flames Youth and a few of ‘our’ kids got up and sang. The Christmas Story was shared and

THEN….

We gathered the excited little boys together in a line and each received a brand new T-Shirt, a toy car, a stuffed animal and a handwritten note from YOU. They were so proud! Never have I seen boys hug a stuffed toy as they did or do what boys do best, get on the cement floor and crash cars! ……

THEN….

 We gathered the girls in a line and each girl received a pillowcase dress ‘fitted’ just right for her in every way! I could see the birthing of worth and value as they picked the color and design they loved with the help of our women leaders. They hugged on their stuffed animals; started to put on new jewelry, tie their hair in new ribbons and read their cards. They glowed!

That day, they were transformed to Cinderella with worth and value that mattered to someone.

There is no amount of money that could buy or words that could capture all the precious moments of that day. However, I believe the greatest moment occurred in a place so deep it can’t be seen.

 

When the food came—everything stopped. Never have I seen such heaping plates licked clean by such tiny bodies! Even Bruce commented how a different ‘feel’ was in the air when the food arrived. It was as if time stood still and all focus went on eating as much food as each could without getting sick. It was said by some of the teachers that they rarely get ‘meat’. And, we had pap, big chunks of stewed meat, vegetables, juice and butterscotch pudding. I got a weird feeling while they ate. It was as if I dare not disturb any child who was busy eating-like their eyes lost all outsider focus. That is the only way I feel I can describe it.

   

This ‘thing’ only intensified our commitment to keep the feeding program at the school going for as many children as we can; for as long we are able.

 

When the party was over the kids wrote us thank you notes. There was one that I will share as it sent a chill down my spine. It really caused a ‘tug’ in my heart as the buses arrived.

It said….

  “I love all but I don’t trust anyone. I trust in God. Good bye“

 As the buses pulled away filled with ‘our’ kiddies my mind was spinning. My heart ached and my arms felt empty. There is so much they need; so much we need to teach them. I kept thinking and asking myself how did Pastor Martin keep doing this week after week?

These children are exposed to so much evil when they should be protected. They had to grow-up when they should still be small. How does one make a difference? I thought of a something I read a long time ago….

Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.

 G.K. Chesterton

 Atrocities occur in the shadows and in the secret places everyday in the lives of our kids. Such gruesome threats seek after the most precious commodity our children possess.

That commodity is: HOPE.

  I think the ‘thing’ that kept our Pastor Martin going into this village week after week; meeting his orphan’s needs wherever he could-was accomplished in his astute wisdom of this one commodity. He knew if HOPE could be restored and preserved in the heart of every abused and neglected child—every dragon in that child’s life that needs killing–could be slain.

It is the hope of God that the lonely, rejected and abandoned be restored. It is His hope that all would find a place of perfect protection, uninterrupted acceptance and unspeakable joy. Although, we won’t find such a place like this until heaven, His command for us in the meantime is amazingly simple…..

 “God sets the lonely in families” Psalm 68:6

 A family is God’s answer to a lonely child’s prayer. And, I see it this way…

He searches the earth for those seeking a lasting purpose and matches them with those who need love and acceptance.

This past year, you have been a ‘family’ to these precious kiddies. I can’t even thank you to the full extent that is due. It would take me pages to thank you for one incredible year: 2012!

But, I think most of you would not accept the accolades even if I offered. I think I know who you are and most of you realize that in the gift of becoming ‘family’ to these precious kiddies-you already have all the praise you need. You are the answer to their most desperate plea…

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven”

The HOPE of heaven on this broken earth is what 2012 was all about.

 I love each one of you. If you were in arm’s reach I would wrap you all in a big African hug. But since I am not, I will wrap you in the wings of an African prayer. Thank you, thank you…thank you, for all you have done.

 

 Awaiting in Hope for 2013—Sister Sally Herman

 

Original Link: December 2012 Zoe News