Would you like to come and join us by the fire?

 

For the past eight years, Ian and I have traveled from Africa in October to spend the month in the US and Canada raising money through speaking events and galas.  This annual trip kicks off our year-end giving campaign, which is critical to the health and existence of Heart for Africa and Project Canaan. 

 

This year we were not able to make that journey to see friends and family with borders closed and planes grounded, and we all know that it is almost impossible for large gatherings to happen safely.  But our Heart for Africa US team has gotten creative and figured out a way to do several things:  host a live event for 75 people at the Legacy Theater in Alpharetta, Georgia AND bring us all together on a virtual platform that will allow us to at still celebrate hope together from around the world.

 

So here is my invitation to you - on Thursday, October 22^nd at 7:00 PM EST please join us with pe9ple from all over the US to Celebrate HOPE together.  This is a very important fundraiser, so we are asking you to make a $50 donation to receive the link to join us. Ian and I will take you on a virtual tour of Project Canaan, just as if you were here in Eswatini with us, going from department to department, meeting our Supervisors and children and getting to see a bit more of life on Project Canaan. We know it’s not as good as doing it in person, but we hope it will be the next best thing, and we hope you will come. Unfortunately, due to US and Canadian charity laws, we are only US credit cards are able to be used on this platform. If you are Canadian and want to join this event, please email david@heartforafrica.org.  We will have a Canadian event in a few weeks that will be very similar in content.

 

Even if you aren’t able to join us on Thursday, you can easily bid on some really fun silent auction items, like a really beautiful Checkers board made on Project Canaan.  The board is made from dark and light bloodwood and the game pieces are hand rolled ceramic SwaziMUD.  Also available is a dinner for four people our house in Eswatini, with Ian’s delicious beef and ostrich steaks cooked to perfection, with farm fresh vegetables and South African wine, all while enjoying an African sunset.  You can also bid on 30-minute Zoom video calls with Ian on the farm, me at the children’s campus or Amber and her teachers at the Project Canaan Academy.  There is even a fireside chat for you and five friends/family with Ian and me at our home in Eswatini, including delicious South African wine and cheese and a beautiful charcuterie board to take home.

 

These are unusual times, and we have to approach them with fresh ideas and the knowledge that the Lord will provide for His children through His people.

 

If you are not able to join us, and/or aren’t interested in our auction items, you are welcome to click on the link and make a donation to help us continue the work in Eswatini. Just yesterday we received a newborn baby who was put in a plastic bag at birth and dropped in a pit latrine (outdoor toilet).  A neighbor noticed a strange sound as he urinated into the toilet and called his wife to bring a stick to pull the plastic bag out. They were shocked to find a wet and bloody newborn baby in the bag. This little 4-pound boy was saved and is now safe at Project Canaan, and will be with us for the next 18-21 years. That is our commitment to each and every child who is placed with us through the Social Welfare department of Eswatini.  There will be children living here and being saved long after Ian and I are gone, so we need more people around the world to know about our work and support us.

 

Thank you for reading this blog each week, and for sharing our mission with your friends and family. It takes a very large village to raise 273+ children!

 

If you want to join our Celebrate Hope Gala, please click here.

 

If you want to see our fun auction items, please click here.

 

If you want to make a donation, please click here.

 

Live from Eswatini …praying for continued favor.

 

Janine

What did I see in their eyes?

Hand carved Zimbabwean statues for live auction.

I have been told that we make it look easy… this “missionary thing” … afterall, how hard could it be? Moving to Africa, abandoning your family, building a house, buying a car, opening a bank accounts (actually that one still hasn’t been possible), figuring out telecommunications, managing with slow-speed (expensive) internet, and doing it all in a local language that seems almost impossible to learn.  How hard could it be?

It’s hard. Really hard.  Nothing is as it appears to be. The people we trust betray us.  The safety that we feel is false-safety. Spencer and Chloe, and family, are far far away, and a host of people sit on the outside looking in, watching to see if we are doing things right or wrong.  But of course, they are not “judging”.

But nobody REALLY wants to hear about all that, so when asked how we are doing, we stick with “It’s all good”.  And really, it IS all good, except for the bad parts.

On Thursday we had wonderful evening with so many dear friends at a Gala event in Georgia that was designed to raise money for Heart for Africa. By all accounts, the golf tournament, dinner and silent auction were a huge success, raising over $100,000 to help us raise our 167 Swazi children.  As each familiar face arrived at the event I was encouraged by their presence, knowing that we really aren’t alone doing what we do.  Each one made an effort to come and see us, support us financially, and encouraged us to continue doing His work.

BIG thank you to former Board Chairman, Rick Bishop, for hosting the successful golf tournament again this year.

Congratulations to Rod McLure and team for winning the golf tournament.

We are celebrating five years living in Swaziland. FIVE YEARS!  How could it be five years when it feels like we are still finding our way around?  During the event the Chairman of our Board of Directors, Chad Gregory, asked us what the biggest change was in the five years since we moved to Swaziland. I responded with “weight gain”, but alas that was not really the answer he was looking for :). 

I went on to share that the biggest change is trying to get our heads around being the mother and father to a rapidly growing family.  Without even thinking about it I found myself sharing the challenges (and fears) of raising children who have HIV/AIDS (making sure they get their life-saving medication twice a day) and tuberculosis (keeping them in isolation until they are no longer contagious).  Then there are the many children who are on special diets to help them “catch up” on their weight, after suffering from extreme malnutrition and neglect, and then there are the ones who arrive with broken bones who need immediate care, and the ones who were dumped in outdoor toilets (pit latrines) and arrive with head trauma/lung infections and even burns.

I choked up while talking about our little girl named Phephile, who came to us with a broken tibia and fibia along with signs of 6-7 historic breaks in her arm, I looked out across the room and saw many tears in many eyes. What did I see in those eyes? They were the eyes of people who love us, who care about those children, and who are asking themselves how they can do more to help Heart for Africa?

Thank you Jeremy and Raelenna Ferguson for traveling from Missouri to show their love and support.

Those are our friends who “get it” and they were there that night to REMIND me/us that they “get it” and that they want to help.  No sitting on the sidelines.  They were there to encourage us, and hug us, laugh with us, and cry with us and remind us that even on our darkest days when it feels like we are all alone, we are not alone.  They are with us in spirit and in prayer.  I got a huge boost of energy from their smiles (and tears), which rejuvenated me and encouraged me to take on another day.

Taylor and Sandra Green always volunteer and attend our fundraising events. Thank you Green family for your love and support

Yesterday we flew to the west coast of Canada and will attend the “Celebrate HOPE” in British Columbia tonight with more friends and family who are truly committed to supporting us.

I have no doubt that today’s blog will be my least read and least shared because there is no drama or craziness in it, but that's okay. I wanted to make sure that I took the time to let you know that I am thankful for each and every one of you and I pray for you and give thanks to the Lord for your lives.

Live from Vancouver … today is going to be a very busy day of meeting, but it will also be fun.

Janine  

Special thank you to Chris Cheek for all her work making this event a huge success and for her son Joey to be serving by her side.  We are thankful for this special family.

PS – we have THE MOST AMAZING US staff/Board and volunteer team at Heart for Africa. Thank you all for making Thursday night magical for us all.