Dear Friends and Family,

   
What a busy few months it has been. As usual, I am not keeping up with you all as much as I want to, so I apologize, and want it to be no indication of how important you are to us. Here are some bits of news from Africa.

First Year Missionaries Finish Semester…

  Our team of 8 FYM’s finished their five month term last week and headed back to the states. It has been a wonderful 5 months with them and we have shared in so many sweet experiences within the community. I am excited for a number of these missionaries have chosen to stay on for their summer and help lead outreaches to both Swaziland and other locations. We are also happy to welcome one of our ladies back next year as our new Ladies RA. Please see the testimony below from Matthew Best.

Testimony From an FYM…
During his 5 months here Matt brought a huge amount of zeal and passion to the team, and dedicated much of his time to the Manzini government hospital. Often making daily trips to the men’s ward in town, Matt would spend hours doing what most people would turn away from, by caring for and cleaning the patients. In short the government hospitals is Swaziland are deplorable to say the least. The hospitals were usually started by Nazarene Nuns; however, They were later taken over by the government and immediately began to decay. The hospitals are now slammed with patients, far understaffed, and there is no hope to be found within the grim walls. Most people know that it is the place “where you go to die”. So in defiance of that stigma Matt would spend hours giving the men, most of which had TB and HIV, personal care, bathes, and pray with them. Of the many patients Matt spent time with, one man named Peter was a consistent one. Peter had both TB and HIV and was a skeleton of a man when Matt met him at the beginning of the semester. In fact, most nurses had given him only days to live, but on the contrary Peter fought back from horrible sickness. In fact he was even discharged at one point, and decided to jump right back into his old job. Now I do not know Peter very well, but through Matt’s daily visits and prayer for Peter I saw dramatic effects in Peter’s life. To the shock of everyone there Peter lived through the entire 5 months Matt was here and shared in daily discipleship, prayer and friendship with Matt. Peter did go home to be with his heavenly Father two weeks ago, but I am convinced as is Matt that it is Peter’s great joy to be there now, as Matt was integral in Peter coming to the Lord! It continually blows my mind that our Father would bring a young 20 year old boy half way around the world to bathe people, change dirty sheets, love and care for the sick, pray for and usher the dying into a better eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Had Matt not come, Peter surely would have passed away months ago from a hopeless state. Matt has truly been a walking beacon of hope in the hospital and I know he is greatly missed by so many.
 
 

Update on the Girls…
Mary is doing very well, and continuing to meet with her deaf friend to teach her to write, read, and sign. She has also been getting into cooking again now that the group is gone, and is coming up with some amazing chino-swazi-merican dishes. As the group left we moved from our two room house into the luxurious 4 roomer where the team was, and are really getting some great family time. Nondumiso just cleared her first birthday on the 4^th of May, and is motoring all over the place. She is now a crawling machine, and walking with a little assistance from any nearby object. She is also looking much better and finally almost scabies-free. Her sign language is amazing, and she is signing “papa” every time I walk in the room. As for Busisiwe, she is doing great as well and just finished her first trimester of grade 1. Her teacher says she caught up fine and is doing extremely well in class. I know both girls thoroughly enjoyed their visit last month from their American grandparents (mary’s folks), and are looking forward to meeting my mom and step father in June, and my dad and sister later in August!

Winter Plans…(summer for you Americans)

Mid May through the end of May…2 outreach teams in from Boston College and NYACK College

Early June through Mid june…Working with a college age group who will be in country for two months at another  community

June 20-30…Claud’s mom and step-dad will join us to check out the community

July…Language focus time, and orphanage construction push

August 5-15…Claud’s dad, sister, and God father join us to check out the community

Latter half of august…To the states for AIM staff conference

Prayer Notes…

-making a major push on language learning over the next few months

-targeting to finish the orphanage before AIM staff conference

-development of profit generating jobs for locals in the community, as well as for the orphanage

-begin meetings at the orphanage location for new Christians

-development of youth discipleship through football clubs(more info to come…)

Closing thoughts…
Really miss all of you and think of you always. I cannot tell you how much we thank God for your prayers and support. Please continue to stay connected with us and know that you are deeply valued by our entire family! What a joy it is that you join us in this work here!
   

                                    So much love,

                                   
Claud, Mary, Busi, & Nondumiso