Today I am feeling really down.  For the first time we have had to turn children away.  We just don't have any more room!! This is something I never wanted to do but we have no choice now. 

 We are still fighting for St Joseph's and at the same time trying to raise the money for the Hotel Rio.  The owners of the hotel have finally given me the amount they want....Option 1 - $800,000-$200,000 deposit and then $600,000 by October 31st.  Option 2 - $1,000,000- $400,000 deposit and then $150,000 every six months for two years OR Option 3 - $1,200,000 - $400,000 deposit and then $167,000 every six months for the next three years.   Once the deposit is paid we could move in!!!!

We are considering renting until we can buy the Hotel but finding a big enough property is difficult and expecting people to rent their property to a children's home is even more difficult.  Se we continue to wait on the Lord trusting that He knows what's best for us.

On a positive note we have finally been giving permission to take 6 year old Tafara...the little boy I spoke about in a previous post. Thank goodness we have finally been able to get this little boy away that home. He will stay in town with us until has has his medical examination and then move out to the village.  He is a sweet little boy.  Let's pray he settles in well and is happy in his new home.

Michaela is looking much better now.  She is eating well and looks much happier.  Fleur had to take Sipho to the specialist yesterday afternoon.  She would not eat or drink and even though we were pumping her full of rehydration fluid it was not working.  By yesterday afternoon she was very weak.  The doctor put her on to antibiotics and by lunch time today she was looking much stronger.  Many thanks to all her prayed for her.

Last week we were asked to take a 13 year girl who has been abused by her stepbrother for the past 2 years.  The family tried to hide the matter but it eventually came to light and social welfare removed her from the home.  The stepbrother is now missing.  We were also asked to take a ten year old rape victim but before we could take her the family sent her out to the rural area.  They are trying to protect the abuser. The police are dealing with this matter. 

We are still fighting to get the 6 year old boy I wrote about in my post.  Please pray that he can be removed from the home as quickly as possible...things tend to work very slowly in Africa. 

Two of our children are sick with vomiting and diarrehea - 9 month old Michaela and three year old Sipho, who is the little sister to Panashe, the little girl I spoke about in my newsletter. Please won't you pray for these two children. It's never nice when children as sick but so much harder in a large children's centre because it puts an even heavier load on the housemothers.

On a happier note, the kids at SJCV had a great time on Saturday morning after a church group visited them and brought party food and gifts.  There was lots of fun and games and it was wonderful to see them all so happy.

Finally my four year old told me yesterday that this year we must put up two christmas trees so that we can gets "two times"presents!!!!

Tanyaradzwa is now out of hospital and looking much better.  She loved being in hospital and getting thoroughly spoiled.  Can you believe we still don't know what was wrong with her.  Not once did we get to see the doctor.  He didn't come to the hospital at the same each day and we continually missed him.  It was very frustrating.  I did hear mentions of appendicitis and kidney infections but nothing was confirmed.  Anyway the main thing is that she is back with us and much happier and healthier.
Last week we received a call from one of the nurses at the O.I. (Opportunistic Infections) Clinic.  This is the clinic where those suffering from HIV go for medical treatment and ARV drugs.  She became aware of a six year boy who was there for his treatment and was obviously being badly neglected.  So yesterday Fleur and Portia went to investigate and were horrified by what they found.  The little boy is an orphan and was living with his grandparents in the rural areas.  After his grandmother died last year his grandfather sent him into town to live with his Aunt and Uncle.  It is very obvious that he is not wanted.  The child was very dirty and wearing rags.  He could not remember when he had last eaten.   He is not allowed to sit on the furniture and sleeps on the floor each night.  He is regularly beaten and his guardians do not take him to the O.I. clinic for his reviews and medication. We are very concerned and doing our best to get the child out of that home. 
Do you feel angry?  I do!!  I will let you know when we get this little boy.  Please pray that it happens soon. 
To be quite honest I think the problem for this family is their lack of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS.  I believe they are terrified that they will somehow catch the disease from the child.  Hard to believe that such ignorance still exists today!!