Yesterday we spent a good amount of time at Mahangeni Carepoint near Nsoko.  We are leading a small group from Children's Hopechest who sponsors the carepoint.  They were doing children's ministry there.  There was a lot of activity – more than 50 kids were there.  Also we are building a small addition to the existing building to use for storage.  The ladies who volunteer to cook there asked for the addition as well as a stand for their water tank.  We'll put the tank next to the building to catch rain water.  Right now they use water from the nearby pond to cook and drink.  Hopefully someday we will have a well here.

 

 

Pastor Gift says things are very difficult right now on the area homesteads.  Three out of five families have nothing to eat.  I noticed at the carepoint that when lunch was ready there were close to 20 adults there to eat as well.  And I saw small pots of the cooked food leaving the carepoint once the kids were finished eating.  This creates a lot of strain on our carepoint food but it is hard to tell the ladies who counter to cook that their families cannot eat.

 

 

In the afternoon we did a couple of home visits.  One to a woman's house who cooks at another carepoint.  She passed out that morning while preparing food for the kids.  She is HIV positive and very weak.  We brought a nice pile of food to her home and prayed for her for a long time.  The other visit was with a woman who lost her 28 year old son last week.  Her husband left her some time ago.  She was grieving and we were able to bring food there and prayer as well.

 

 

As I write this Marcia is with the group of ladies from around Nsoko for a special day of ministry with them.  The group here has paid for a nice day at a conference center and have plans to appreciate the ladies, encouraging them and teaching them.  It will be a good day.  Then for lunch we are having a "braai" which is a barbeque.  There will be chicken and a warthog on the grill!  I hope to get some pics!