Baby House Opens!

News!  The baby house opened today.  Mama Mampo is the lead housemother.  God is keeping everyone here on our toes as He is providing more children to be cared for at Restoring Hope Village.  This time is is babies!  There are 2 here and 3 more soon to come.

Please visit the RHI website HERE for a new video and more info.  In the video Bussi gives a tour of the village.

Sibusiso (See boo See so), almost 4 months old,  arrived almost 2 weeks ago.  As with most neglected babies, he was under weight and needed close attention for a while.  He was placed in the girl's house for now and Mama Salina has loved him dearly and nurtured him into a happy little boy.  It is concerning for me (bob) when a baby comes into care here and is very contented.  That usually means he has been neglected to the point he cannot make his needs known by crying, is not happy and does not move much.  Fortunately, it does not take much genuine love and good nutrition for them to come around rather quickly.  Concerning to this grandpa but I am amazed by the care given by the godly women here.  Grandma Susie has been busier than ever as she helps Lois and the house mothers care for the babies here.  

"Kitty," my nick name for her, came to live with us 5 days ago.  At 10 months old and only 11 pounds, Lois put her under very close observation and care.  I had the opportunity to hold her for several hours over the past few days.  Initially it was very difficult to look into her eyes and think about the neglect she had endured.  1 1/2 weeks ago she was discharged from the hospital and lost weight while living at home.  Since no information is shared with Brian or Lois regarding the past of these children, we have no idea what caused her current status.  Again, love and nutrition (formula) slowly met Kitty's needs and within 3 days she was acting like a 10 month old.  Nothing is sweeter than a baby's cry when she did not even have that ability when she came to us.  She is finally eating enough to begin putting on weight--another real joy to everyone when she downed her first 100 ml bottle (about 3 1/3 ounces).  The first few days she was "force fed" (yeah, really) with a small syringe.  Sunday she moved up to a larger syringe and finally today Susie got her to take her first bottle.  God is so good.  God chose to spare the lives of many of the children here by sending them to receive the care they need.  So many others are not so fortunate.  God has provided so many wonderful South Africa staff members who love the Lord and love serving Him here.  We are blessed to have a small part in this.

If you wonder about our responsibilities here, the best answer we can give is that we do whatever it takes to help this organization run.  We both live out or Faith in Jesus Christ in front of the children and staff here every day.  Making Jesus known is our goal and motivation for being here.  Teaching moments occur often and sometimes when least expected.  Our desire is to see these children know Jesus and learn to obey Him!  We have learned that routine life is the best teaching tool on the planet.  

Susie has been focused on getting the new baby house up and running.  During our time here she will be overseeing the operation of that house and working with the house mothers in providing care for the babies.  Getting clothing, supplies, furniture and bedding from storage to the house has taken her free time recently.  The house officially opened today!

Bob takes care of maintenance and construction matters.  Moving furniture, completing the "punch list" on the baby house and so on.  Both of us take turns driving children and house mothers to and from school and the clinic and wherever they need to go.  Seems like one of us is always headed out somewhere.

We made it!! Only took 35 hours door to door, 4 a.m. (Central time) on Tuesday to 10 p.m. on Wednesday (local time) a week ago!

Lois told us that in honor of our sleeping in late, they had arranged for a surprise for us, but not until afternoon. After lunch, which we skipped because we ate breakfast at 10, the first baby came to live at Restoring Hope Village. The hospital started out with 5, and one has gone for adoption somewhere (it appears). That leaves 3 at the hospital, potentially to be assigned here. God knows, so keep praying.

Baby "Unknown" came to live here, and since he was the only one, he was assigned to Mama Selina for his care. He is about 3 months old, but very tiny, so nutrition and regular 3 hour feedings are mandatory. Quite a change for a mama to have to get up twice during the night for a feeding. Today I went to train both housemothers in the special care for a neglected newborn who has continued with nothing more than feeding and "nappy" changes since his birth. Sterilizing bottles, only 75 ml. of formula because he can't hold more than that without vomiting. They have to learn to do things by a procedure instead of their idea of what is ok in their eyes. During the sterilizing training, Mama Thembisa turned off the sterilizer (in the microwave) after only 1/2 the time had elapsed. I had to make her turn it back on twice because she thought it was enough.

Anyhow, that was my first step in fulfilling our purpose in coming here. Next we will get the house that is ready to open spic and span from all the dust that has blown in. Monday we will (hopefully) know if we get the other 3 babies or will open it to older children. If it is babies, the bunk beds must be disassembled and removed, the bedding back to storage, and cribs come out of storage and assembled for babies. Beds for housemothers brought in, and paint the rocking chair that another organization has for us. 

Next we will write up procedures for how things are to be done, and a chart for recording all the necessary facts about the babies' care.

Forgot to mention, but because the baby boy came without a name, they had a naming party at the Village Bible Study last night. We have to assign him a surname also, but his first name is Sbusi (a Zulu name, as I understand). Turns out that is short for something, but don't know the rest and can't recall what it means. I think it is survivor, and determined, maybe. He was found abandoned in a field by someone who contacted the police, and has spent his life since then in a crib at the hospital, ignored most of the time. Makes for a very content little boy.

We are settled in and working on the many projects here for us. Thanks to all for praying for us.  More to come!

Love you all,
Bob & Susie

December Birthdays

For those of you with December birthdays you sometimes know what it is like to be "cheated" when your birthday is so close to Christmas.  Not at Restoring Hope Village!  One Saturday every month is dedicated to celebrating that months birthdays.  Here are the birthday girls for December.

Happy Birthday DK, Jessica, Lois and Motsodishi!

A birthday party means someone has to make a cake...4 cakes for this day!  Here is Komohalo helping Grandma Susie with the cake decorating.  "Komo" is a great helper for any task!

Welcome to Restoring Hope Village

Susan and I arrived at Restoring Hope Village to a very warm welcome and big smiles from the children and staff here.  What a pleasure to be serving God in this place.  Yes, there are many pleasures from seeing children grow in the Lord as well as every other way to just being close to so many people!  There have been some awesome changes in the lives of children since we left here in April.   The staff here has worked very hard to bring these changes about.  Susie and I both had to ask Atlehang  who she was because she had changed sooooo much and looks healthy and happy.

After reading many articles on getting over jet-lag, I have ditched their ideas and developed my own method.  Very simply, if you are tired, sleep, no matter the time of day.  If you can't sleep at night, get up and do something.  That is why this post is being written at 12:30 at night!  Seems to work well for me but not sure about tomorrow morning with church and our duties transporting people!  Might have to get up on time!  Susie on the other hand has had no problem--I am jealous.

Oh, one of the pleasures of life here can be seen comparing the thermometers of Ames, IA to Welkom, SA.  Sure will miss snow skiing this year!

Amazon Smile supports Restoring Hope International

Now you can support Restoring Hope Village by shopping at Amazon!  .5% of your purchases will be donated to RHI for use in the Operations of RHV each time you make an Amazon purchase using the Amazon Smile website.

Check out this link to get started:  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-3925275

You can contribute to RHI by making your normal Amazon purchases.
Thank you!
The entire RHI family.

Here we go again!

Monday begins another 3 month term in South Africa.  As Restoring Hope Village grows, there is more work every day!  We anticipate being involved in the lives of all of the children in many ways including Bible memory and studies, interpersonal skills, homework help, gardening, maintenance, sewing and fun things like teaching house mothers and children skills.  It will be awesome being involved daily with the 25 or so people who make up Restoring Hope Village and the other multitudes of people in the community and church!

Look for updates on FB and Here!

Thank you for your prayers as we continue this venture in serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Bob & Susie

During the summer months our "farm" produces organic vegetables for our table as well as other families in central Iowa.  We only grow organic and have taken the challenge to keep our small acreage totally organic-no chemicals.  So many health benefits are derived from chemical-free food.

Atlehang

Atlehang came under the care of Restoring Hope Village as she was being admitted to the hospital.  She is 9 years old and weighed 27#.  Our staff dressed her in size 3T clothes.  She is seriously ill, malnourished and very happy for the care she is receiving from the loving staff and volunteers at Restoring Hope Village.   What you can be assured of is that Atlehang is being loved and cared for like she has never experienced in her childhood.  Her outlook is very positive yet her prognosis is very uncertain and precarious.  Here is an email from Lois received this morning:

Atlehang, a 9 year old girl, very ill and small for her age, has been in our care since March 28, but most of that time she has been in the hospital. She has only been discharged for 10 days from the hospital and yesterday she had to be admitted again. We ask that you keep her in your prayers and that the doctors caring for her will be able to give her the right medication and find the proper diagnosis. Our housemother was with her all day (7am-10:30pm) yesterday at 2 clinics and waiting in the ER to get her admitted. 

Last night the doctor was concerned about her abdomen being distended and the possibility of her having TB in her stomach area. This will take a while to diagnose properly. 

With her in the hospital this also means a lot more work for us to organize in assuring she is visited daily and getting people to the hospital to be able to visit her. We are only allowed an hr in the morning and an hr in the afternoon for visiting. 

Thank you for your prayers,

Lois & everyone at The Village

Four Weeks Already--Construction 1

Restoring Hope Village is a growing place and growing means construction which is a huge part of the ministry here now.  Here are some photos of what has happened here in the last 4 weeks.  We are somehow involved in every construction project sometimes to a greater extent on some than others.  There are 3 teams coming between the 1st of February and the end of March giving the village lots of extra hands to accomplish the enormous task of building places to house people and meet the spiritual, physical and mental needs of the children that God has provided to live here.

Setting the grade for the foundation of the new staff house.

New staff house foundation being poured...earthquakes and the code here require the foundation be poured in one day...this day ended at 11 PM!  All concrete is mixed on site.

August and his crew of bricklayers are putting the walls up quickly. 

Sundays are special!

This was written on Sunday...and finally posted today!!  Gota spend more time on the computer!

Sunday is always a special day of the week.  Our work during the week is to see children come to know our Lord and it often involves the tedious and most often difficult tasks.  Everything we do should be for His glory and to reach people.  That was the message this morning and it is what we strive for daily.  Sunday’s are special because we gather as a group of believers to worship Christ.  What a thrill to sing those songs of praise to God!

I had a couple of conversations after the service.

First was with Anne.  She is a provider of child care for the disadvantaged and a Christ-follower.  It was thrilling to rejoice with her and celebrate the healing of her son of TB.  She praised God that in 4 months he was free of the disease.  TB is a huge, huge problem here and the strains that thrive are the vaccine-resistant ones. 
Anne also related how God provided a church with a wonderful pastor in Welkom Baptist.  She had been having “Sunday School” in her “cresh” (daycare) for several months after a local church had “dumped” them.  You see, a church was holding services at her cresh and seeing people come to God when they just decided that they, for whatever reason, could no longer continue.  Anne kept the little “church” alive and taught the 40-50 children God’s Word and there were up to 10 adults who would attend as well.  The adults wanted to give their tithe to Anne but she could not accept as she was not a pastor and the “church” was not really a church...in her words at least.  This observer saw that there were more than 2 or 3 gathered in God’s name and they were indeed a branch of His church!  God did open the doors at Welkom Baptist and now the 40-50 people she has influenced all attend every Sunday!  Praise the Lord for His provision and praise Him for faithful people like Anne.  I am humbled and honored to be able to rub shoulders with people like Anne.  She makes our efforts look so easy and makes our life look very cushy.  Yes, we live in a cottage but Anne lives in a small apartment and has never known a lost child that she could not find a way to feed, clothe or house.  God bless Anne!

Joel and Lucia are missionaries from Brazil to the Portuguese speaking people in South Africa.  They were able to attend church today since their ministry schedule allowed.  Joel shared how he and Lucia work all year long and often are discouraged because they don’t see much fruit BUT then they take a spiritual inventory at the end of the year and find out what God was doing through their faithfulness all year long!  They are excited to share God’s reaching people from Mozanbek.  Joel also related how the South African people are steeped in witchcraft more than the people in Brazil and even Mozanbek.  The families make it an integral part of family life to the point that a person who accepts Christ as savior must often give up their family.  Joel shared that there is a lady at Church this morning who is struggling with this very thing.  She says she has placed her trust in Christ but will not turn from the witchcraft that has such a strong hold on her.  Joel relates that she never really has accepted Christ.  Again, what a privilege to know people like Joel and Lucia.  

This is a long post and I must relate that God grabbed me today and I just had to write down these experiences.  There is plenty to pray for and plenty to work toward.

Activity at the village is pretty much routine.  I relish the opportunities to share God with the children here.  They happen frequently--as frequently as we have time with them.  Time in the garden and times just visiting or playing.

Anne in center

Anne with some of her crew

Last week was a week of hot, hot, hot and jet lag!  The jet lag is over and now we only deal with the scorching hot sun in the middle of the day.  Staying out of the sun is about the only solution!  

Sunday was a normal day of church with the fabulous benefit of a bus load of Restoring Hope Village children and neighbors who sing worship music on the way to and from church!  Wow, what a blessing to us!  "My God's not dead He's surely alive he living on the inside, roaring like a lion..." 

It is wonderful to see the way God has transformed the lives of the children here!

Here are some photos of the village I took this morning.

 The 2 children's homes, playground on left

 The garden this morning

Playground new since last year!

Headed to Africa Again!

Off we go again for a 3 month trip to Restoring Hope Village (RHV) in Welkom, South Africa.  We are excited to be involved in the lives of the children at the village.  Would you join our team by praying for us, the staff at RHV and the children who live there?  God is doing great work in the lives of these children who have been forgotten by their culture.  Yes, God loves them very much and it is our privilege to be involved where He is at work!

 Next Wednesday, January 16, we head to Chicago to catch a our flight to South Africa.  We arrive on the 18 and soon will be put to work!

The RHI website now works on your phone!!!

Restoring Hope's website: RestoringHopeInt.org

Fun Priviledges

The most fun is had when the missionaries can take the children and have fun with them.  The local mall has a concrete Rhino and water fountains that shoot out of the brick sidewalk.  Here some of the kids pose by the Rhino...notice the wet footprints on the bricks from the fountains.

 Komohalo is always a ham...is there any doubt?  God has turned this boy's life around since he came to Restoring Hope Village.  Living with his gang-member brother before coming to RHV did not aide in his development as a child.  God has given him some super role models in Brian and Louis.  These guys and the Word of God/Holy Spirit have made this guy into a real gem!

Will Work for Food

One of the challenges we were handed when we arrived here was, as a housemother put it, "these children are just too lazy."  The missionaries here echoed the same feelings.  The term "Orphan Syndrome" was coined.  We thought there would be an easy fix to that with the gardening season opening up and all!  Let's just say it was a challenge for all of us and also for the children.  The last week or so finally we are seeing the proper attitudes when it comes to doing a few chores.  Gratitude and an understanding of the help these kids get from their supporters is finally getting through to them.  I would be afraid to count the number of conversations Brian, Bob and Louis have had with these kids individually as well as in a group, but it was many.  A prayer request is that these children would see the value in working hard and reaping a harvest or reward!  That one principle is very sadly lacking in the culture they came from.  Today they weeded and pick some produce from the garden:

 Lerato anticipating the joy of eating the first cucumber of the garden!  

 Paulina with the Okra plants...almost ready to produce.  Fried Okra will be a new treat for these people!

Komohalo wanting to eat these freshly picked potatoes...raw with salt!    Yes, he is a ham, always a ham and he loves to help Uncle Brian, Uncle Louis and Grampa Bob!  Really!

At 3 PM today Monica (6 and perhaps the laziest of all) came to me and asked me for a job (no photo to protect the guilty).  Sorry, I about fell over and then decided to ignore her due to past experience.  Then she asked again with earnestness.  So, I wondered what she wanted...and gave her a job sanding the rust on the steel that I had just finished welding.  She stayed with the job until the end without complaining and did not ask for anything!  Folks, God has worked in this girl's life...I am absolutely convinced of that!  Now I don't suppose I owe her an apology but probably a big hug!

Kruger National Park

Perhaps the best natural setting of land and animals in Africa, Kruger National Park

 Rhino

 Impalla, Natures fast food for lions and leopards.  

 Giraffe on the run.

 Giraffe with Ox Peckers eating tics.

 Ginnea Foul

 Dung Beetles, google this interesting beetle for more info.

 Kudu

 Leopard, look closely

Wild dog, the most vicious animal in the bush.

 Baby Zebra

 Mamma and baby, 6 months old or so

 King of the bush...

 Kudu

 Buffalo

 Young Giraffe peeking out 

Wart Hogs, listen to Patch The Pirate for his story.

 A visit to Boskoppie resulted in the most fun part...holding baby lion and tiger cubs!  You can see Susie really enjoyed this part!  I really think she is a cat lover!

More Cute Photos

God's gifts to Brian & Lois...right there under the tree, yep, all 3, look closely.

Tumi comparing Charlie's shoes to his own before the RHV Christmas dinner.

 Liam getting ready to eat Santa marshmallow!  Yum!

Charlie with "Nana."  Not sure who is the better looking one!  Nana is Trish Darby...great friends of everyone in the world!  She has never met a stranger.