CHILDCARE PLUS Sponsorship Update…

After asking you last month to consider sponsoring a child and changing a life forever in Zimbabwe, we were overwhelmed to learn that only about 20 children out of 72, are yet to be picked up for sponsorship through ChildCare Plus! We can’t thank you enough for your response! Next week, 12 more profiles will make their way to PAOC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada) head office – so if you are still praying about sponsoring a child to go to Cornelius Hope Academy Primary School - please call 905-542-7400 or log onto the ChildCare Plus information at www.paoc.org to find out more.

Medical Needs…

This October has been an emotionally charged month as we dealt with many a medical need and our hearts broke over and over again.

• For the 11 year old boy being carried on his mom’s back who hasn’t walked in years. We have discovered there is a degenerative muscle disease in the family and are now exploring how to get him mobile and back into school, to improve his life and future (pictured right and above.)
• For the 9 year old boy who was born with ‘droopy’ eyelids, his left eye not functioning at all. He will undergo eye surgery for the cost of $150 to ’stitch up’ the eyelid on his good eye, giving him a greater field of vision, and making it so he no longer has to hold his head at funny angles to see anything.
• For the 8 year old girl who, after having her badly broken leg in traction for over a month, had to return to the operating table to have the bone cut down so her injured leg wouldn’t be longer than the other – the wrong weights having been applied during the first treatment.
• For the 4 year old boy whose dad passed away from Tuberculosis, who is HIV positive, and whom we discovered, was being locked away for up to 12 hours at a time without food, water or toilet.

We did what God allowed us to and helped with crutches and rides, took a number of trips to Specialists and to Social Welfare, and moved a very sick 4 year old into our children’s home, allowing him safe shelter, food, clothing and medical

care. Please keep these children in your prayers over the next months as we continue to see specialists and surgeons to allow

Zviko to be mobile again whether through a wheelchair or surgery and crutches; to allow Joshua better scope of vision and a better chance at school; and for complete healing for Derrik and Evernice. All these children are now on ChildCARE Plus sponsorship and will be attending CHAPS (Cornelius Hope Academy Primary School) in January, 2008!

Let the Little Children Come….

The Village continues to make preparations for the new year and a full opening of C.H.A.P.S. by ordering uniforms, school books and supplies for our new CCP children; putting finishing touches on the two new school blocks; and arranging

continuing education for our new teachers. A school playground was put up in October, and new school desks and chairs were delivered to fill the new school blocks - thanks to donations in Canada!

We also moved in and began to train a new house mom – Regina! We are blessed to have her!
(pictured right with the latest addition to our family – Derrik).

Despite the economy and the news you hear out of Zimbabwe today, we are experiencing favour from God! And where so many other parts of the country are having trouble with basic necessities like milk, bread, and meat, we are not doing

without at the Village! God has continued to open doors for us to find these items a little here and little there. WE ARE

BLESSED!!

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For the people of Zimbabwe during these troubled times
• For the many children suffering because of the loss of loved ones, the loss of jobs in their family, because of medical care they cannot afford
• For Zviko, Joshua, Derrik & Evernice. For finances to help with their very specific medical needs.
• For Regina as she prepares to take on a house of 8 children, a blended family of her own, once fully trained.
• For the construction materials now in scarce supply in this declining economy. We are ready to go ahead with new children’s homes if we can supply the materials.
• For the occupancy permits needed to use the new school blocks and offices A.S.A.P.! There are some small speed bumps yet to cross.
• For the 6 new teachers about to join us in January.
• For upcoming continuing education for staff on ‘Counseling Children at Risk’ – December 07.
• For our own family’s safety and wisdom in these troubled times.