We had the most amazing day yesterday.  The choir from SJCV gave their first public performance at City Presbyterian Church.  They did great and I was so proud of them.  The church even asked them to sing again after the service was finished.  I also got to share a little about the ministry and got some very positive feedback from some of the congregation. 

After church we took the girls back to my place for lunch.  It was so much fun watching them play on the swings, and bikes and trampolines.  Many of them had never been on a trampoline before so it was hilarious watching their reactions when they first got on.  I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent  and from their faces it was obvious that they also enjoyed themselves. Now they are looking forward to next Sunday when they will sing in the Baptist Church. 

I have been overwhelmed by the response to the "One in a Million" campaign. It's such a simple concept and most people love the idea of being "One in a Million"!!!  It's great that we are getting such a positive response from the Bulawayo Community as well.

Now I am off to SJCV again to do some more practicing with the coir.  Only four weeks to the opening and so much to do!!

Just when I think we have everything sorted out for the young girl staying us who is pregnant her father sends us a message and says if we send her home he will kill her.  This also includes us sending to her to family members.  Now I am very unsure what the next step is.  It's really a tough call.  Would appreciate your prayers for wisdom.
A friend of mine has a ministry called Forever Homes.  We work very closely with her and help each other whenever we can.  She is about to open another home and has offered places for four children.  Her homes can only take up to ten children and it is usually a permanent situation.  Problem is we have a number of children who would thrive in a family situation, it's just knowing who to choose.  At least we have time to pray about it.  The home will only open in the next couple of months. 
Please pray for a couple of our little ones who are not well.  Two year old Ethan has a mouth full of ulcers.  He is a very unhappy little guy.  Ethan is one of my favourite kids.  He is a very quiet, sweet natured little boy and I hate seeing so him so miserbale.  Three old Sara has the same thing..a mouth full of ulcers.  One of the doctors in town has agreed to see the children pro bono so tomorrow we will take them both for a check up.  Hopefully it's nothing serious.  All of our childen were immunised recently for measles so we are wondering if Ethan and Sera are having some kind of side affect from the injection.  Who knows?
Anyway Des is about to call me for supper, roast lamb and veg.  My favourite meal.  Catch you all later.

Bendover Boutique

I have just spent the last few hours with the children at Willow Park.  What an amazing bunch of kids they are and so talented.  They are all working really hard preparing for the official opening on 11th July.  The choir will be singing, there will be traditonal dancing and they will be playing the marimbas which finally arrive tomorrow afternoon.  They asked me if I could delay their bedtime by an hour each day in order for them to be able to practise more.  Hope I wasn't conned into giving them extra time for nothing!!
On Sunday  the choir will be singing in the presbyterian church and I have been given a few minutes to speak about the ministry.  The girls are really excited if not a little nervous about their first public performance.  They have nothing to worry about.  I know they are going to be fantastic.
I spent this morning digging through clothes at the bendover boutique.  This a place where everyone sells their second hand clothing.  There are huge piles of clothing on the ground and one must just bend over and sort through it all until you find what you want.  I have bought 14 pairs of black jeans this way, all for $3 each.  You can get a real bargain if your persistent  enough!!

This morning all the YFC staff went off to hear Joyce Meyer speak and Darlene Zschech from Hillsong did the praise and worship.  It was such a treat for us.  We NEVER get any of the big names coming to Bulawayo.  Having said all that I didn't even get to hear Joyce Meyer. I had to go back to work before she started speaking.  I was really disappointed!!  But I thoroughly enjoyed Darlene Zschech and I was so impressed by the turnout.  The hall was absolutely packed.  There must have been over 5,000 people there. 

We have finally made a decision regarding the young girl I spoke of in my last post.  She will go to live with her Aunt in Harare.  I will be sad to see her go but I think it's the best thing to do.  She will finish this term with us and then leave in August.  I am glad she will be with us for the opening of SJCV.  She is part of the choir and I have really become attached to all the girls in the choir.

I have finally been given permission to start showing photographs of the place we are hoping to buy as the new centre for SJCV,  It is just so perfect for us.  It is much closer town, has more accomodation, beautiful grounds, a huge area with lots of swings etc, a wonderful underground water supply and best of all lots of offices so we can move the National Office onto the premises and be close to the children.

It's lovely isn't it!!