Thembeni Carepoint

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” - Matthew 6:13

It’s hard to imagine that the brutal death of an innocent child could bring about positive results but we have seen this in the community of Thulwane. The untimely death of Sakhile Mamba has not only brought a grieving community together, it has also launched a child protection program within the local schools, taught many to not take a day for granted, and most importantly, it is bringing glory to our Father. We will all miss this bright and shining star of Thulwane but know, without a doubt, that he is spending eternity in Heaven. His big, beautiful smile, his warm hugs, his morning Bible study, his intelligent mind, his playful heart, and even his bite will be missed…but we can all take comfort in knowing that, one day, we will be able to experience all of this with him again. Rest in peace Sakhile Mamba.

Signs of spring and new life are beginning to appear in Swaziland. The trees are starting to bud and the birds are singing beautifully. What a glorious sight! The winter months were unusually cold this year and for many Swazis. This was the coldest winter in many years. They are very eager for some warmer weather but anticipate this summer to be an especially hot one!


	Swaziland Holidays

August 29th – Reed Dance – Umhlanga
This is an eight-day ceremony. Girls cut reeds and present them to the Queen Mother and then dance for her. Only childless unmarried girls can take part in this traditional ceremony.
September 6th – Independence Day – Somhlolo Day
December 13th – Incwala Day - Traditional holiday
Always the fourth day after the full moon nearest the longest day of the year, Dec. 21st.
December 25th – Christmas Day
December 26th – Boxing Day


	CarePoint Update

There is always excitement among the children and Gogos when people come to visit a CarePoint, but there is extreme exhilaration when familiar faces and old friends are reunited. Capo Beach Church brought many people on their teams this year, some new faces and some old, to visit the Thembeni area. Some highlights of the trip were: songs, Bible stories, books, games, crafts, crayons and coloring pages, medical attention, and a favorite from everyone…soccer balls! These children were loved on and felt the spirit of Jesus from an amazing group of people from California. They also reached out to the Thembeni community by visiting many homesteads and providing needed food and household items to many homes.

The Capo Beach teams also gave the children at the CarePoint many needed items. The children received: new t-shirts, hats, a warm blanket, and sweets! What a tremendous blessing for these children to experience such love from people who came from thousands of miles away. Thank you Capo Beach!


	Discipleship Team – (D-Team)

Just as the seasons are changing, so are the elements of the D-Team. Bheki and Zodwa left at the end of May to attend an Extreme Leadership Training in South Africa. They will be in Jeffreys Bay for a total of six months. When they return in December, they will be D-Team leaders for a new program that will be implemented at the beginning of 2012. This is an exciting time not only for these two, but for the entire ministry as well. We will seek out and find new members to make up the Discipleship Program and prayerfully each CarePoint will have their own D-Team staff. Big but exciting changes are coming for the staff in Swaziland!

The two D-Team members that attend Thembeni weekly are Musa and Hlobsile. These two do a wonderful job at disciplining and mentoring the children in the Thembeni community. Their lessons are now split between the older children and the younger children. The younger children are continuing to learn that “they are chosen by God’s grace.” The older children are going through a program called “No Apologies.” This is a character-based curriculum that specifically promotes abstinence and helps adolescents identify the problems and consequences associated with premarital sexual activity. It also teaches teens refusal skills to help withstand pressure from peers to engage in sexual activity, drug and alcohol consumption, and other high-risk behaviors. The D-Team was trained to implement this program late fall and we feel that this could have a huge impact on many lives in the Thembeni community.

As a part of their weekly lessons, Musa and Hlobsile are also passing out a multi-vitamin to every child and Gogo at the CarePoint. This just provides an extra boost of needed vitamins into the children and adults every week. The D-Team is also reaching out to the area by implementing home visits. They are assessing the needs of the area and ministering to the entire community. The D-Team is such a vital part of the ministry here in Swaziland and we thank them for their willingness to serve!


	Project Update

While the team from California was visiting, many projects were completed in order to better and maintain the CarePoint. The restroom and shower facility are now completely finished. What a huge blessing this will be for this CarePoint. The team erected a large awning outside of the multi-purpose building. This will be a wonderful shelter from the rain as well as the hot sun in the summer! The Capo Beach team also poured a concrete pad underneath the awning. The children have a nice, level place to eat and play! They also put an awning over the concrete bench area and put a fresh coat of paint on all buildings! What major accomplishments in such a short time! Thank you Capo Beach! These are all things that this community CarePoint will benefit from for a long time.


	Sponsorship Information

Continue to send your sponsored child letters. Remember that you can mail these directly to HopeChest or you can send these via email to: swaziland@hopechest.org. If you email the letters, they are printed out and given to the child within days. If you attach a picture, this is also printed out and stapled to the letter. The children cherish all communication that you send!

Letter writing tips

DO (to benefit your child)

Correspond at least once every three months with your sponsored child, but no more than once a month. Our suggestion is: One letter, One page in length, Once a month.
Tell them about things you enjoy doing in your spare time.
Tell them about your job, school and family.
Share your walk with Christ with them.
Share your dreams for your future.
Tell them about your hobbies and interests.
Tell them about interesting places you have visited.
Include pictures of your family and about your life.

DON’T (to protect your child and yourself)

Don’t send gifts. (A birthday and Christmas gift for your child are provided by the monthly sponsorship funds.)
Don’t promise anything you can’t keep. This includes mentioning that you’d like to visit ‘sometime.’ To a lonely child this means you are coming in the next few weeks.
Don’t make any type of suggestion that you may want to adopt them or bring them to the US.
Don’t give personal mailing information or phone numbers for your privacy.
Don’t share personal financial information with them.
Don’t use the word “Sponsor” in your letters. We prefer you say “Special Friend”. The word sponsor has the connotation that you will be sending money directly to them.


	Prayer Requests

We would like to invite you to pray with us as we continue the ministry in Swaziland.

Pray for the community of Thulwane as it is still healing from the death of Sakhile Mamba.
Pray for the King of Swaziland. Pray for his heart and the heart of those in Parliament.
Pray for the entire country of Swaziland and the people who make up this beautiful land.
Pray for the staff and all of their ministry efforts.
Pray for the D-Team as they continue to disciple and minister to the children and local communities.