Happy Birthdays!
This month, we celebrated a lot of birthdays! Austin turned 8 on the 13th, Agripa’s birthday was on the 11th, & Agripa (Agripa’s nephew) & Sheeba both had birthdays on the 9th. We combined all these into one big celebration on the 13th, with dancing, games, gifts, great food & the company of some of our dear friends.
Child Spotlight: Austin
As we continue to familiarize you with the children at Kwathu, this month we want to spotlight Austin. Now 8 years old, Austin is excelling in his education. He recently placed 8th in reception at Faith Christian Trust Academy! He is a sharp boy, but would still rather play outside than study at a table. He received some wonderful gifts for his birthday including a puzzle, art supplies, toy cars, clothing & a game for outside. He is an avid tree climber & loves to race around the yard, draw on the sidewalk with chalk (pictured above), & play karate with the other boys. Austin is the middle brother to Francis (10) & Obet (4) who all come from the Kazungula border area. These 3 brothers have been at Kwathu for nearly two years now & really enjoy being a part of this family. Happy 8th Birthday Austin! We love you!
News & Blessings:
April has been a beautiful month for Kwathu, marked by many blessings! On Thursday, the 21st Jerome Phiri was born at 12:24 AM. We have all been patiently, but eagerly expecting his arrival for some time now & we were in awe of God as he finally released Jerome into this world. Though a mere 3.5 kilograms, Jerome exhibits the physical & natural qualities of both parents, including Agripa’s nose & eyes & Jeanette’s lips. Also, he is as calm, cool & easy-going as his parents, rarely crying, & very alert. This has been a lovely highlight for Kwathu this month! Welcome, Jerome!
On the 18th of this month, the director of Faith Christian Trust Academy traveled from Kitwe & visited Kwathu to meet the children & staff & to see the home. We were so blessed by her visit as she encouraged each one of us in our efforts, as well as the children in their studies & futures. She is strong & hardworking, but so full of grace & love. In addition to blessing us with reduced school fees & scholarships, she committed to donating foods & supplies monthly to Kwathu. We fell in love with this woman’s heart & are so grateful for her example of servant leadership. We look forward to our continued relationship with her & the school.
Another blessing came in the form of two complete strangers from New York! Mickey & Marisa, a couple honeymooning in Zambia, visited the home last week, returning later that evening with a truck filled with food, household supplies & toys for the kids! We were astounded at their generosity & love. Thank you Mickey & Marisa!
Property Update:
As we near the end of April (surprised that May has arrived already!), we feel a great urgency to maintain our efforts at the plot & push forward in the development process. We are in need of funds to make this possible. In the coming months, our hope is to finish clearing, place boundary markers, build a fence & sink a borehole. Kwathu asks that you might pray about any way that you can be involved in the progression of this vision, including financial support, prayer & even volunteering with us this year. Once the funds are in, we would love to host short-term teams to assist with development through physical efforts at the land. Would you consider joining us in one of these ways? If you have any questions, comments, etc., please send them to the email listed below. Financial details are also listed. If depositing money in the Wells Fargo account, please attach your name so we can thank you personally. Thank you for your ongoing support & partnership in seeing others lifted up here in Zambia. Your friendship & encouragement spurs us on with much strength & joy!
