Yes - we are still alive and well! I'm starting as usual with a huge apology for not keeping you all posted on what's going on here. Although we have been very busy and do find it very hard to get time to write we know how important it is for you all to know what is going on so I'm not going to make excuses. As I read my last update I couldn't believe it' been SO long and theres no excuse for that so sorry. Especially to those of you who we do not have regular email or phone contact with. I hope you are still interested in what we are doing here despite our failure to keep you informed. If you are interested read on - as usual this page has personal news and the work page has work news.

Ironically like our last update we are having car trouble again! We've had a relatively car trouble free period but alas that has ended and the Kombi engine is in serious ill health - hence Rob had to limp home from Durban yesterday! We're wondering if its terminal! 

Rob is in the SA surf championships again next week representing KwaZulu Natal (our province). So he's taking next week off work for that. We've also been off most of this week as mum and dad are here and we wanted time with them. Its been lovely and in fact they've decided to stay an extra 2 weeks so thats great. They are well and enjoying the sunshine. We are enjoying the crack!

Before I go on in the here and now let me play catch up on some of the main things since we last wrote:

Sadly one of our close friends Nina was diagnosed with a brain tumour after becoming ill in May and after a long struggle she passed away on 24 December 2005. She has left her husband Nick and 3 little girls who she loved dearly. Although we were so far away for most of her illness I was able to go and visit her in September and I'm so grateful for that. During that time she gave her life to God which was an answer to our prayers. We were also able to attend her funeral as we were in London at that time. Many thanks to all of you who were and still are praying for Nina and her family.  Nick and the girls might visit us here at some stage so we're excited about that. Please keep praying for them as it is very hard.

As I said we went home to NI in December. This was quite a last minute decision but there were several reasons for going. Firstly we were absolutely knackered emotionally and felt we needed a dose of home. Secondly we knew that God was speaking to us about changes in our work here but we were unclear what, when and how and so we needed time away to refocus. (see later and the work page for info on this). Thirdly our previous tennants in our house at home had moved out in November and we had to sort out some things and find new tennants. Thankfully God provided them and a couple from our church are now living there.

We did have a great time at home. Thank you SO much to those of you who organised special treats for us. I had a night away with 'the girls' which was absolutely great. Also we were given a night away (just Rob and me) which was bliss. Thank you. Mostly it was just so nice to be away from the stresses of our work here - worrying about people dying, children living in terrible situations, etc and to see family/friends.

Most of last year we felt a looming sense of things going to change. I am not good with change. Rob enjoys the challenge of it and as most of you will know he gets knee deep in new stuff and then stops to think about it. I,however, procrastinate, worry about the details and stick my head in the sand for as long as posible. Anyway we were very aware that one main area of work God put on our hearts when we first came here was finding families for children who cannot stay in their own families. We had not had a chance to really do this and much of last year were praying that an organisation would see the need and own this so that we could help set something up. Part of going home was to pray about this away from here. When we came back we found that God had spoken clearly to the church which oversees Duduza about setting up a team to recruit ,train and support foster/adoptive carers!! We were blown away as this was not expected by us. It was confirmation that what we had been feeling was from God. Any way you can read more on this in the work page but as we met and discussed this with them God kept putting on our hearts Psalm 68 :6 -                                                                                               

I had never noticed that verse before! All the time we were thinking of this as a confirmation of how our work would change (or certainly mine). Then one day we were praying together and God put a child's name in my mind. There was a little boy of that name in Duduza who was meant to be going for adoption. This child over his little life had lived with lots of different people before being placed in Duduza. I could't understand what God was saying as I knew that another family had applied to adopt him so I just said well God if you want him in our family you need to make the way and you can tell Rob!! So I didn't even mention it to Rob. The very next day the other adoptive family pulled out and when i told Rob this he said 'I think Gods been telling me we should adopt him!! I've been thinking that for weeks but didn't say as I thought he was going to another family!' Well you could have blown me over with a feather - I thought I knew my husband but clearly not! So when I told him how God had spoken to me the day before he was thrilled! So after much prayer, speaking to our kids and the eldership at our church at home and some close family and friends we decided to go ahead and apply. So our big news is that we will soon have a new son! He is 2.5 years old and has been living with us for approx. 1 month. We are just waiting for the final adoption hearing and then it will all be permament. He is absolutely gorgeous and he 'fits'. The other kids are delighted and very protective of him. We are SO thankful to God for giving us this privilege to parent him and have him in our family. Please pray for Gods hand of protecton and peace on as he grows - that he will be secure in who God made him to be and with us. Also that the adoption will go ahead smoothly.    

Marcel, Georgia-mai and Ellie-Jo are all doing well too. Marcel and Georgia-Mai are 7 now and Ellie-Jo is 4. They love their new brother although we do have the odd wee barny of course. They all did well at school last year and were very settled there. So we were a bit disappointed when we were told that the school was merging with another school and the younger children (pre-school - primary 3 classes) would be moving to another campus. However the move has been fine. They are all well settled in school and are doing well academically. The twins won awards for academic achievement for 2005 and Ellie-Jo won one for leadership and having a nice accent!! We've just had another parent teacher evening and they all got glowing reports so thats great.The only criticism was that they are sometimes late!!! You know Rob he just will not get out of bed in the mornings!!!  And before you all get too cheeky - they start school at 7.45am!!!!!

Actually on a more serious note the children did find it hard to settle back here when we returned after Christmas. Especially Georgia-Mai. She had said a few times last year that she'd like to go home to live but this has increased now. So coming back and leaving family and friends has been really tough for her. She really misses her cousins and friends from home. This is still hard for her even now. We are praying for a close friend for her here but this hasn't really materialised yet.  

The other change in our family is that our old Labrador Toby died in January. We'd got another lab in September 2005- a young one called Charlie. We still have him and he provides hours of entertainment clearing up the plants he digs up, the clothes he chews off the washing line and other such fun. No I'm not joking!! This will hopefully only be a phase!

Health wise we are all well most of the time. I mentioned in my last news that Rob hadn't been sleeping well. That carried on for several months but improved dramatically when we were at home at Christmas. He had been to the doctor here too. However the last few weeks he's struggling with this again. It is related to stresses and worries about work which you will understand when you read the work page I think. Please keep praying for strength to do this work as we need it and especially for the ability to switch 'off' when we need to and 'on' when we need to.

FUTURE PLANS

Some of you may be thinking 'Hang on a minute -  you said you were going to SA for 2 years and then you extended it for another year. What are you planning next?'

Good question!  Well we felt when we extended our time to an extra year that there were areas of work God had put on our hearts when we first came that we had not yet established. We still do feel that. A year on much is changing both in Bethany House and Duduza and in Project Gateway and despite many times longing to go home to what still feels like 'normality' we have felt God is saying not yet. The main areas God is calling us into are the finding families - of which our new child is a crucial part for us personally but which is much bigger than one child.  There are many many children like him here and while we don't see ourselves as being the permanent family for every one (don't panic those who financially support us!) we have the skills and experience to help set up an organisation which will do just that. Also Rob continues to be project leader in Bethany House. We have been praying for a long time for someone to take over this role and another African man has joined the team who is helping in this but there is much to do. In fact you will see on the work page that there are many funding and staffing issues at Bethany House at the minute. Hence Rob's lack of sleep!

Also we have been struggling to renew our work permit. We had been given a work permit (apparently a 'mistake' by home affairs but God doesn't make mistakes!) which is due to expire at the end of this month. As usual this has been a logistical nightmare trying to get it renewed but it seems to be nearly sorted now. Please pray that this be completely sorted out quickly and smoothly. It was no joke for a while but they have now said they'll renew our work permit for another 3 years. Thank God for that. We don't know exactly how long we will be here but we do feel it will be another year or 2 anyway. 

 I think that just about covers most of our personal news. Please do go to the work page and have a look. Again we do very much appreciate all of your support and please do continue to pray for us and our work here. If any of you feel inclined to write an email or letter we'd love that to. We love to hear whats happening to all of you as well. Thanks again!

Love and God bless, Rob, Deb, Marcel, Georgia-Mai, Ellie-Jo and our new boy.

Off work as kids sick today so good opportunity to give you all a wee update.  We've just said goodbye again to Joy Patterson.  We had a great time with her here - lots of laughs! Thanks Joy! We've also just had Liam and Claire Selfridge and their 4 kids for the weekend.  That was class.  They are looking at various places and seeking God about their future when Liam qualifies as a doctor.  It was SO nice to have them stay here and get to know them again.  As I said this week our 3 kids have all had flu but they are now on the mend I hope.  They are still loving school and are now in the middle of 3 weeks holiday.  As we are working they've been going back to the holiday club at their old pre-school.  However we have been offered a week's free accomodation at Krugger park and so we leave on 13 July and return here on 24th.  We'll drive there and have a week in Krugger with hopefully a day trip into Mozambique.  We can't wait. We've had to have the engine in the Kombi rebuilt last week so pray that that will not be any problem when we're away. I also changed my car to a VW Beetle called Marge and she looks like her name.  She might be old, small and brown but she's a real goer!

Personally we have found the past few weeks very hard. Rob is sleeping very badly again and so is very tired all the time.  Work has been really tough (you can read about that on the work page!) and all in all we are struggling.  We both feel stressed and are finding it very hard to switch off.  There never seems to be a break in the emotional turmoil.  And yes that effects our relationship with each other and our own kids.  Our kids are happy and I don't think they pick up on much but they do notice little things and we really need Gods protection and a rest.

Please pray for all of these things and for safety and no car hassles as we travel.  Also that work issues will be resolved enough before we go that we'll be able to hand things over and switch off while we are away. 

We're not going crazy or anything but things are a bit 'hectic'.  we got rid of the crazy dog Osacr so that has helped a little!

Thanks again to all of you. Please do keep in touch.  We think about you all often and miss home a lot so even if you think you've not got much to say we love folk just filling us in on whats happening at home.

This is a lesson to me in making promises you can't keep!  Sorry again for the long delay.  I can hardly believe its June already!  Where has this year gone?! Just looking at the home page photo on this web site today made me realise how long we've been here.  We all look very different now ( some better and some worse!?!)

As usual info about work is on the work page.  Here I'll fill you all in on our life to date.

Well we moved into our new house in March and its great.  Its so nice to be able to do our own thing.  The house was recently renovated so theres no major stuff to do but we've been moving shelves and gradually making it ours.  As you can imagine Rob has a few 'wee' projects on the go - he started building a jungle gym/play house for the kids which will also double as a storage place for bikes,etc.  His technique of 'I'll start putting in the poles and then decide what I'm making led to a slight 'tete-a-tete' but I think we've now got a 'plan'.

The garden is smaller here than in the old place and so is a bit more restricting for the kids but big enough for us to manage. Rob and I need a crash course in plants and flowers cos the other day a friend came and told us we have fruit trees and other stuff we didn't even know about! Of course the ones we planted died!

What else is new? Rob got selected to surf for KZN and took part in the SA Surf champs in Cape Town in March and is now ranked 8th in South Africa for 30-35 yr olds!! not bad for a bru fra tha toon.  There was more competiton and more shark alerts this year so he did well. If fact at the start of the comp they had not seen a shark for 20 days but had a bloke in the mountain with bino's a bloke on the beach with rubber gloves and stiching equip and two life guards and a paramedic in a boat on the water just to make you feel safe.  He surfed the same place 3 times where the English teacher got chowed a month ago!!

As a family weare doing well and all getting older!  Rob's hair is now half half (black and white) and he found a whitehair on his chest!! (still in counselling).  We do something individually with one of our children every Thursday which means that every 6 week cycle we have spent time on our own with each kid.  This is really good and allows us to get know each other better.  Work & home still get mixed together but you never know we might get it right one day.  It is very hard working together in such emotional things and then coming home and turning of but we are getting there.

We are in our winter now which is a strange season 2 degrees in the morning with frost on the car and roads, no central heating or double glazing and then up to 30 degrees in the afternoon, a season where you wear more in bed than you do during the day!

We've decided to change the Golf we told you about in the last update to a VW Beetle.  Hope the Beetle doesn't give us any grief.  Its a bit of a wee old ladies car but cool (I think!).   Free' s up some funds for the new house and a little toy for rob to play with. And yes mum - we are getting proper seat belts fitted! 

Oh - about the swim 'we' planned to do in March.  Well that never happened - bit of a lack of commitment on my part I'm afraid!! Surprise! Surprise!

The kids are still very happy at school.  Thanks to all of you who gave sponsor money for the 'wheel barrow' race - they had a ball and our 3 were among the 8 highest fundraisers so they will get to go to Usharka Marine World in Durban. Marcel had his first soccer (football) match yesterday for the grade 1 team. He was excited ++++ and managed to score a goal!  He gets his sporting talent from his mum! Georgia-Mai and Ellie-Jo do ballet at school and enjoy it.( This is most definiely not taken after their mum (nor there dad!)  They all do gymnastics at a local club along with Skhumbuso from Duduza. 

We are still enjoying church here.  Our church is growing and changing and that brings fresh challenges but we are happy there.  We have a good house group - a real mixture of people but its good.

Finally we are really looking forward to Joy Pattersons visit next week.  She's our first visitor from home this year and our first in the new house.  We can't wait to see her again. She'll be with us for 2 weeks.

Well think thats all for now folks. Thanks again for your support and prayers.  Please do look at the work and other pages and keep in touch.  We do miss you all very much.

love 

Debbie, Rob, M,G-M and E-J.

23 Feb 2004

Hi again!  Yes we are still on the planet and kicking!  We do apologise for the lack of updates on this and no excuses are good enough so I'm not even going to try.  Just sorry and we will commit to monthly updates at least from  now on.

Please read the work page for an update on work.  Generally the last half of 2004 was very tough for us.  Many of the reasons are described on the work page and the result was that as individuals, a couple and a family we were struggling.  As I've said on the work page we knew God was asking us to stay here longer than we'd initially committed to.  That wasn't an easy decision at all as we were struggling to cope.  However we are fine and God has provided well for us.

The children started Maritzburg Christian School in Jan 05.  The twins are in grade 1 and E-Jo is in buddies pre-school class.  They LOVE it.  They start at 7:30am!!!!!!  Waht's even worse is that the Ng clan now wake every morning at 6.10am.  I know for some of you this is some what unimaginable but true and they finish at 12:30.   So that is when I now work.  They are very happy there and we are very impressed by the love in the school.  Having a more structured school situation has meant that my work is more structured and that has been good for all of us.

We have a new dog - Oscar, a cocker spaniel. He keeps us on our toes but is good.  Toby has lost weight and has a new lease of life!  (Maybe some of it will rub off on me?!)  In SA they have this horrible bird called a Hadida, a protected species that is ugly, the size of a small turkey with a horrible constant crocking.  I can't hurt thrm as they are protected.  Oscar loves them 'steak tartar' and you can't prosecute a dog.

During our time at home in Nov and Dec we decided that we would move house.  In fact God has provided a way for us to buy a house and we will move in on 5th March.  Its near where we are now but means that we're not wasting money renting.  We are SO excited about having somewhere which we can make our own.

I have also just changed my car and now have one with proper seat belts in the back!  A real upgrade.  Its a 1993 VW MKI golf and goes well so far (for all you car lovers a real classic and they still make them here).  I sold the old one to Mandy Baxter from Lisburn.  Keep it in the family (well nearly).

A little from Rob,

It is hot here at the mo and we are getting very brown.  I am still trying to surf and broke my new board of a month old lasst weekend.  But thank God for insurance and a new one is on order again.  I am again trying to get into the Provincial longboard surf team and surfed 3 trials to date getting 2 4ths and a 3rd.  Need to get another 3rd and then I think I am in.  Also swam the midmar mile the other day the largest open water swimming event in the world with over 17000 swimmers over a two day  period it was so good.  swimmers went off in bathches according to group i was in non compamy with another friend from work and completed in in 33mins.  there is another one coming up fro charity on 26th March and me and Debs!! are training for it.  So sponser forms may follow (Gerry's the boy & Johanne the girl for that one).

We prayed for friends when we came back as we felt that we needed to have a social group that we could just be with.  As Debs said the last wee while of last yyear was very tough.  Well God has come up trumps and we have been invited out to loads of places, had people over, gone camping with 2 families from Church also from the UK, Debs is going out tonight.  I know this may sound a bit weird but trying to settle into another country and circle of friends is difficult and it's good to know we are still normal (this could be debated by some!)

The kids have a swim gala on Saturday, can you believe it compulsory and lucky dad has to help put up the tent thing at 7.00am.  debs is also particularly looking forward to the mum's and dad's race!  the kids can't wait.  I have bought my gold sequended speedo's for the event andam waxing my legs later.  Will take photos and keep you up dated.

We had a great time in NI and just did not have enough time to see everybody.  we also really needed a break, to be 'home' eat duck, sit by the fire have a guiness and be with famiy and friends.

Thats about all our news for now.  We do want to say a huge thank you to all of you who gave us SO much during our time at home.  We were overwhelmed by your generosity.  There are too many to mention by name but you all know who you are.  Thank you.

Please do keep emailing, writing, calling and praying.  We also keep praying for all of you.

God is good ALL the time.

Love Rob, Deb, Marcel, Georgia-Mai and Ellie-Jo.

I HAVE WORKED OUT HOW TO ADD PHOTOS.  SOME US ND THE KIDS AND THIS MONTH A SPECIAL PROFILE ON DEBS BROTHER PAUL!!  WHO WILL IT BE NEXT MONTH. 

Most of you know that Joy left us as planned in June. That was tough and we have missed her a lot. Some of you might have noticed you haven't had a home made card for a while - that was her influence! The kids still talk about her a lot - she was a real Joy to them. She is due to start uni in Sept and we hope she has a ball there. Maybe she will come back and visit us here - so keep saving Goy!

A few weeks later Adam Pollock came as the first of the Barn team - we had a class time with him. Some good old N.Irish craic which was well overdue! Rob and him went to Capetown for a 'lads weekend' (what do lads do on those anyway?) and met up with the Hoy clan (well some of them). That was good. Adam then spent time with us in work and after having had some time to really see what we're doing it was good to hear his views and advice. He is  a real encourager and we really appreciated his input and support.

Then came the other 9 from the Barn. Project Gateway didn't know what hit it - 10 N.Irish yins plus a couple of us from the province who are already here!!! The team stayed in the cells  and defrosted by midday each day. They got stuck in with our team at Bethany House in organising an activity programme for all our families. Also in helping with community visits and whatever else was needed. You can read more about the activity programme on the work page but it was great and had a major impact of giving hope and sharing Christ with those we work with. We also had a weekend in St.Lucia with the team and apart from almost getting charged by about 40 elephants it was great craic. (so typical-we had to be the ones stuck in the middle with no way out even though the park is 360000 hectares!!) Hawk eyes Adam also spotted a leopard which was awesome! The other big struggle was trying to keep teacher Barbara inside the truck. Seriously though the team gelled together really well and we were so amazed at how each person had such a clear role to play in the work. So a huge thank you to all 10 of you who came and to all those who supported them to make it possible. Some people may say would it not have been more sensible to just send the money but nothing could replace the impact that the teams presence had on the individuals we're working with. Especially the sense of hope which so many of them have never had before.

Just to keep you posted on Rob' hair status - he still has some, its getting whiter by the day and he's still moaning about it - no change there then!

We're not any further forward in terms of firm plans for how long we'll be here. We have spoken to SIM, the Barn and Project Gateway leadership asking them to also pray Gods guidance in this. Please keep praying for us in this as we plan our personal life and our work. Also that we will get the right balance between work and home life . The work is emotionally draining and we need protection over our marriage, our children and our own spiritual lives.  

rob here just to give some chat:

Just to let you know our faithful white Kombi has had major heart surgery and coming home from hospital to day with a 'new heart' as the old engine blew.  So after the initial running in period she should be a flying machine.  Unfortunately I have not had surgery on my heavy right foot so we should have some fun!  I have been having physio on my back again as it is giving me some problems main one being haven't been able to surf or gym for the last 6 weeks.  Seeing a specialist in August so will just see.  Tomorrow is Ellie-Jo birthday and she will be three years old.  She really is growing up and her smiles and grins are really very cute.  Marcel and Georgia-Mai are brilliant.  They are putting us to shame with their spoken Zulu and so we are starting a Zulu spoken class at work.

God has been so good to us and our project and I just wan to let you know some of what he has done:

• For the trip to sani pass for our teenagers we needed boots and blankets.  The Irish team where donated walking boots.  We prayed for blankets on the Tuesday morning and in the afternoon we where donated by a girls school 30 brand new blankets.
• We where up in the Drakensberg with the Mullans and our fan belt broke.  We battered on only fort the immoboliser to kick in and leave us stranded onto top of one of the peaks on a Sunday with no phone signal.  We rolled down and just prayed for some help.  We stopped half way down the barren landscape and found a scrap yard !! open !!! and with some to help !!! and a 1984 V6 Granada with a fan belt to fit a 1991 2.5 VW Kombi !!!  What a blessing
• We shared about our funding at the project with all staff going onto half pay at the beginning of July.  The staff have been amazingly strong and faithful.  The reality was that our staff also have mouths to feed and their pay is very low anyway.  Gods timing is perfect and over the last three weeks we have been blessed with gifts and donations.  This allows us to stay open for another 3 months which is amazing.  So please continue to pray for further long term funding.

And by the way in terms of the hair thing I look a little like a micro phone at the moment!

Well its that time again - more news from the Ngs! No point in apologising this time (again!) for taking so long to update - same old excuses! We are all well and are really loving having my parents and auntie Pat here for 2 weeks. They've been here almost 2 weeks - and only have 2 more days so I'm starting to dread the airport farewell again! Its been realy class seeing them and we'll miss them like mad. We spent last weekend in St.Lucia seeing animals. Before that we were around home and showing them all at our work and Gateway. They had a couple of trips into the local communities where we work and spent time at Duduza. It'll be nice when we talk on the phone now that they'll be able to put faces to names and places.

We also had a great time with Henriette, Hazel and Karen Miller. It was so nice to have time with them and to show them our work. It is so hard to explain to folk about our work but when they see it first hand it becomes so much clearer. It was also really nice to just have fun together. I think having all these people come to stay has made us realise that we are actully quite lonely here. There are loads of nice folk here and we have friends but we do still feel lonely for those kind of 'easy'  friendships that we had at home where theres just an understanding of each other without much effort. Those take time to develop and will here eventually I suppose. 

There's not much other personal news:

( this is where I rob have to come in.   Last time we spoke we where just leaving for the SA longboard champs in Port Elizabeth.  Well apart from some of the best surfers in South Africa being there and the fera of sharks (one 18ft being pulled from the place we surfed jusr 2 months previous) i came 9th in the masters division 30+ in South Africa.  Not bad for a bloke from london learning to surf in NI.  Next comp for the KZN champs on the 19/20th June so here goes again to qualify for the SA champs next year.  Durban is about 50mins away from home and with the extra work committment has been hard to get in the water.  Also growing my hair again.  only thing this time it is white!!  oh boy I look like a skunk, could soon be advertising for guiness.  I think I should do a poll.  I don't like it and think I should shave, debs thinks it makes me look sophisticated (needs more than hair) and the kids love the novelty factor.  Let me know your vote counts!!

Anyway Debs says:

Kids are all still happy at school although the twins teacher is leaving at end of June so please pray for a good replacement. They will change schools in Jan and we're still waiting to hear where they'll go. Ellie-Jo may also change to pre-school at whatever school the others are at so they'll be in the same place. 

We are still praying for direction about our future after next April 05 so please also keep praying for that.  Being here a year we have just got into the swing of things.  the needs are so great but we also have a family and a marriage to keep going and we can't just keep running.  There are times when we really love it here but there are more times when we love home and please pray that we are clear about what we should do.  

Also pray that people will come forward and stand up in areas and positions of responsibility so that we can empower and pass over our work.  As we need people and communities to take on the community development nature of our work.  we do not discuss these issues alone and have involved Benson (elder oversight) the rest of CCP management and the the church in all of this.  The Church PCF are spending time in pray later this week about projecct leadership[ so please pray that God will lead them and the project in the way forward (to read more please read work) 

The other big change for us will be when Joy leaves us on the 4 June. She has been a huge blessing to us and to the kids and staff at Duduza. We will  REALLY miss her and it'll seem very quiet when she goes. Please pray for us and especially the kids whom she has really blessed(ours and those in Duduza) - that we'll cope ok with her having left. Also for wisdom in how to prepare the kids for her leaving. Wee Lindo in Duduza will really miss her as will they all. This next 2 weeks will be hard for Joy so pray that she'll have strength to face the leaving and that she can really trust God for the kids futures as well as for her own. 

A team from the Barn will be here the first 2 weeks of July and as we plan their itinery we are really excited about that. Then we have the Mullans coming the last 2 weeks of July so it'll be busy but fun.

  (did I mention trying to get a weekend away with with Adam, in a butch kina way, by the way this is rob speaking)  

Well time for another snippet of life here. Its been a really hectic here since Christmas and as some of you will know our time for emailing and keeping contact has decreased. Sorry for that but please don't feel we don't appreciate your support. We count on it and just receiving mail every day is just great.  Whilst on holiday we are going to work on playing more and working less!!  

If you go to the work page you'll be able to get the latest developments on our work. 

Here I'll tell you a wee bit about life in general. We are all well. The twins are now tonsil - free and fully recovered. No more tonsilitis HOORAY!! All 3 are healthy. Ellie-Jo has had a bit of a strange tummy thing and doesn't seem to be over it completely yet but she's in quite good form. Just not eating well and more tired than usual. They're all still enjoying school. We have to  apply now for the twins to start 'big' school in Jan '05 so please pray that we'll get them into the right one. 

I have started Zulu classes 2 nights per week along with Joy and 2 other volunteers. Long time since i've had to do homework and i think age definitely does affect your ability to memorise stuff. At least thats my excuse!!

We also do a marriage course 1 night per week which we're enjoying.

Robs been trying to fit in surfing as much a possible in preparation for the SA championships from 21-28 March where he is representing Kwa Zulunatal. We're all going so it'll be a holiday. In total we'll be away almost 2 weeks as its 13 hours drive away. A friend Jongie will housesit and look after the dog from 18-31 March.

Church is good and we're enjoying it more now. There are lots of things to be involved in but we're getting better at saying no when we need to. 

We've been incredibly busy at work and have both felt a heavy burden of responsibility. Rob really struggles to get a good night's sleep and so feels knackered all the time. We hope that during our holiday he'll really be able to rest well. We'd appreciate your prayers for this.

By the time we come back from our hols we will be coming into out 12th month so should be coming back next year.  Please pray for clear direction about our future and how long we should be here as we need to make plans both for ourselves and our work and is we are going to stay longer we need to start making plans know.

It was great to have the Pattersons here in January and then John and Doris Matthews here last week. A real encouragement to us. Its great for us to know that they have a real insight into what we're doing here as its very hard to explain. So thanks to them . We're also excited about having Henriette(alias Robs mum!),Hazel and Karen Miller in April for 2 weeks. Then my parents and my aunt will come in May for 2 weeks. Then a team from our church may come in July for 2 weeks followed by the Mullans for 3 weeks.

Hence we've decided now would be a good time for a family holiday - we're off from 18 March - 31st.We're going to Port Elizabeth to cheer Rob on as he's surfing in the S.African championships. He is on the Kwazulu Natal team. After a mega busy 3 months since Christmas we're glad to be going away.

That's all for now - news on family,etc is on the news page if you're interested.

Thanks again for your support and prayers and letters and emails....

God bless

Deb, Rob, M,G-M and E-J.

Hello everyone and a belated Happy 2004!

It seems like 2004 is well under way already even though its only the end of Jan! We all had a great holiday over Christmas and New Year. It was great having Paul here and the Pattersons for a weekend too. They all really encouraged us in so many ways - so thanks guys. Joy Patterson and her mum and dad went off to her brothers wedding in Oz and they had a nice time. She returned here last week and will be staying with us until 4 June o4. For those of you who don't know Joy she is from our church at home. She will look after our kids some of the week to enable me to work more and the rest of the week she will help at Duduza. She is 19 and full of fun and bright ideas so we are really excited to have her here. Not to mention the benefits of having a built in babysitter.

As we said last month we had a couple of friends from Duduza stay with us over Christmas which was great.  They learnt how to ride a bike, ate like horse's and where such fun to have.  It's a real humbling experience when children who have lost so much start sharing with you what and how they feel.  We had them stay and two more of their friends the other weekend and after watching Free Willy II they started talking about family they had lost and, well we were all crying but what a beginning.  Pray for them and their health.  One of the kids with HIV from Duduza was very sick and in hospital over new year with Chicken Pox, Pneumonia and TB.  She has made an amazing recovery and is such a pillar of strength to us all.  Also one of the HIV+ house mums passed away over Christmas, so all in all a period of ups and downs.

We also just want to say to Gerry and Johanne Mullan and all their friends and colleagues from DVLNI Enforcements staff Coleraine thank you so much for the £1171 you raised for our work here.  People we do not know doing so much.  We especially want to thank: the Enforcements staff donated themselves all the prizes for.  There were 10 prizes ranging from a large food hamper to a cuddly teddy bear. They got the tickets printed by Mountfern Coleraine and they all spent considerable time selling the books of tickets. Keiran a friend from Ballymoeny basketball club got his wife to sell some of the tickets. Some staff opted out of the annual Christmas Bran Tub and donated the money instead. Speacial thanks to Sharon McCandless.  Elizabeth Craig donated £40.00.  Cindy Fowler did letters to Santa and raised nearly £40. Cindy took the time to make every letter she sent to a child personal to that child from the information on the one she had received.  One casual AA (Kevin Robinson) who only started here bought £10.00 of tickets. Carrie McIntyre two children gave their money for their school teachers christmas presents.  Natasha Alexander mother donated a basket of fruit for one of the prizes.  John Breadon the keynotes (work magazine) editor took photos and put the info in the magazine. He also wants to run a regular feature and is trying to get the agreement to donate the funds from the staff annual sponsored walk in May.  Wicked!!

Also a big thank you to radio cracker, and Paul Todd for your help and patience.  I submitted a bid last August time for funds for our work and last wek got word that we had been given £5000 to buy a minibus and garden tools for the project.  Minibus is already in the process of being MOT'd and then we are off.  All I need know is a sticker from 'Ballymena hey' so that the bus feels at home!

Otherwise we are all fine. The twins had their tonsilectomy on the 19th Jan and all went well. They have been of school since but should be able to go back on Monday. They will see the consultant tomorrow but they both seem fine now - starting to be able to eat properly again now. So we thank God for that.

Ellie-Jo is fine. In fact she's having a temper tantrum as I write and has just pulled apart a new bracelet I gave her 15 minutes ago! So no change there! Roll on the end of the two's!

Rob surfed in another of the qualifying rounds for the KZN longboard team for the SA championships last weekend and was 3rd. Actually the scores were pretty close and he surfed great. So he has been selected to be on the KZN longboardteam - the SA longboard championships are at the end of March (21-27) so we hope to take that week off and all go as they are in Port Elizabeth.

Work is busy as always and we've had some difficult issues to deal with this past month. We feel quite heavy weight of responsibility as often the type of issues we are dealing with ( concerns about abuse or poor child care) as there is no-one else more experienced than us to consult. I don't mean that in any sort of a boasting way just that we are the only qualified S.workers there and even the government authorities don't inspire much confidence. So its very scary and we continually pray that God will guide us and give us the wisdom we need. And that the mistakes we make won't have too bad consequences and that we'll learn from them.( For more about our work and some of the encouraging things that have happened - go to the work page).

We are really looking forward to seeing Michael Patterson this weekend - he'll be here Fri - Mon for Joy's birthday. It'll also be great to see John and Doris in March, Henriette, Hazel and Karen Miller in April and my parents and auntie Pat ( HOORAY!!) in May. Also the Mullans will be returning in July to get stuck in again (gluttons for punishment!). We are praying about a possible team from Currysiskan coming at some point also and various other individuals have expressed an interest. Please pray that as our work develops we will know how to best use these folk to both be blessed themselves and to bless our families.  (For others thinking of helping please see getting involved)

There are are also a couple of volunteers from home, Mandy from NI and Emma from London.  Great to have some friends who we are starting to get to know.  Pray for them aswell as they get stuck in up to their eyeballs!    

Thanks again to all of you who have emailed, written, phoned, prayed, visited, given money, sent gifts...... and all the rest. We can't say enough how grateful we are. We also pray for all of you.

God Bless - Hambakahle (go well)

Deb,Rob,Marcel,Georgia-Mai, Ellie-Jo and Joy

Yesterday it was in the mid 30's and today expected to be over 40!!!!  Can't wait for the turkey and potatoes that the rest of the family will be eating as I enjoy my cool salad sandwich.

Hard to believe that 8 months have already passed and the next milestone in April will be 'the year'.  Having finished work on the 12th Dec and already had a couple of days rest it just blows your mind to see how things have developed.  Following a planning meeting on Dec11th for the orphan care programme Rob has been offcially asked to head up the programme.So please pray around issue's concerning him being project leader.  Rob drew up a working document for the programme in terms of the way forward and it was accepted.  In the New Year (dependnt on funding) we will recruiting 5 new Zulu members of  staff, planting gardens in all our orphan families, developing work with schools, offering psychosocial support to some of our most vulnerable children (see work section).  We have seen some some amazing success's.  

We also continue to see some very difficult situations and just on friday finalised the removal of three children from the same family - 2,4 and 6 years,  two HIV+ all three with pnuemonia and all three significantly neglected, the two year old only weighing 6.5 kg (15lbs) when we first started working with them.  Also one of our orphans who was moved into foster care begging on the street corner after running away from his aunt.

Deb has just started working one day a week in Duduza (the orphanage for children infected and affected by HIV).  Her role there is very exciting as she will be exploring how these children can re-intergrated back into 'family homes', some potentially back with family members and others into some form of foster care.  The other two days a week Debs works we work together with our families and children in the community.  

Debs also keeps me sane when I start to lose the plot and counsel's the prozac dog (toby) and 'mum's' the kids, this only takes a couple of hours so not quite sure what she does with the rest of her time!! (I (Rob) wrote this part, don't tell Debs) 

Marcel, Georgia-Mai and Ellie-Jo are doing great (see photo).  They all got their first school report and it was excellent.  The twins are learning to swim at school and got their first certificates.  Marcel has lost three teeth and we are staring to see the difference between them as boy and girl.  Marcel has certain topics that 'little boys' talk about and Georiga-Mai wanted "the shoes with the big heals mummy".  She got the flat ones and will do until she is 18!!  Ellie-Jo is 'developing' at being two very well at the moment! if you know what I mean and loves being with her brother and sister.  When ever she plays with other children now she's a little bit like a granny alway saying "OK, kids i'm coming'.  They are all great and are doing 'exactly what it says on the tin', being experts at play, playing with others and intergrating especially with our friends at Duduza.

We are all very excited as this Christmas we will having Scombuso 6 years and his sister Nokutula 9 from Duduza staying with us from 23 - 4 Jan.  These kids are just so nice and it will be just such  blessing to us to have them.  Sometmes Scomboso gets a little tired and sick so please pray for him that he keeps well.

Debs brother Paul is here at the moment and in a little while we head off to St Lucia, sounds posh but just up the NE coast for a little break.  Can't wait as this will be our first real break since being here.  Will see croc's in the river and tiger sharks in the sea and hippo's kind of hippoing around.  You might also see a crazy Northern Irish surfer trying to blend in with the crowd! (you must be joking, if only had I known about the sharks before we had booked!)  

Willie, Hazel and Joy Patterson arrive here on Jan 1st and will be staying for a couple of days.  Joy then returns at the end of the month to work in Duduza work four months.  We are looking forward to seeing them and get a bit of NI culture back into our bones.  

Christmas here does not have all the 'glitz and tacky trimmings' that seems to have invaded the rest of the world so we are enjoying it.  Hard to even really think it is Christmas as it is so different for us.  Everybody talking about their summer holidays, so hot and the silly Santa in his red wooly suit and black boots.  

We are missing you all and do again thank you for your letters, e-mails, presents, fund raising and phone calls.  We are starting to get used to it all and need you all to know that we are all in this together.

We will write again over the Christmas holidays and just want to say to you all thank you, and when your watching the Trotters again for the 5th time and ET over turkey scraps just remind yourself that turkey ain't really that nice.  

Hambakahle (stay well), 

the Ng 5 (see photo)

Just a quick HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you and a very big thank you for all your support and prayers and help over the last year.

I also want you to pray for the staff and kids at Duduza as 2 days ago one of the staff members died. She was HIV+ (diagnosed about 2 months ago) but had been working right up until the Christmas holidays. She was only young and had a little boy.

Actually my main reason for writing now is also to ask you to pray for Sane. Some of you might remember that her twin Samke died in June. Well Sane developed chicken pox over Christmas. This is not serious for most kids but can be very serious for HIV+ kids. She is now very ill and we have been trying to get her admitted to hospital for treatment but until now they have refused to admit her. She had been staying with her aunt for the holidays but we are bringing her back to Peitermaritzburg today to try to get her admitted here to hospital. Please pray that she will be healed. In this year the staff and kids at Duduza have lost 7 people to AIDS.

Sorry this is not a happy note to finish the year on but its whats going on here. We go back to work on 5th Jan and will keep you all posted on the progress. Thanks again and God Bless you all in 2004 .

Hello everyone, yes we are still alive.  

Can't believe, four birthdays (only rob left, 18 march in case you did'nt know)  an attempted house break in and our VW microbus stolen, one bust surfboard and six months into our time here has flown past.  Life here is a little bit like a new business, you have to go to all quotes and shows to get started so not much social life.  We worked out today that I have been out once on my own since we have been here, once as a couple and Debs inagural trip out is tonight (some chick flick)!

We are quite home sick at the moment.  We miss our friends and family and are continually frustrated by ‘things’.  Rob misses so much, his surfing crew, good male company and debs her family, sisters and girlfriends (rob also misses duck! can't get any here!).  We got our car nicked last week, had our new camera in it with all out photos 270 in total, Robs wedding ring and car stereo.  Thank God that we miraculously got the car back - a phenonemon that does not happen here cars just don't turn up again, especially when they are not recorede on the police files when they ring at 10.30 at night to ask if you've lost some CD's and Zulu notes. The ring, camera and stereo were gone but Benson our boss, elder and good friend 'feels good' about it so we'll see!

Work is going well with some major changes.  We are so much more involved in the decision making process in terms of the programme and have to set out our strategic plan for Dec 11 (for more info see the 'work' section).

We have also had great fun with the computers.  We have managed to blow up two and this one with some thumping works well.  Another true and honest story as to why no update has been made.  

Paul, Debs brother and my good mate is coming over for Christmas.  We really can not wait, (he's a computer wizkid, method in our madness) and although he will leave bread crumbs on the work tops and eat all the cornflakes and milk he will remind us of home!!    

The kids have settled. The twins birthday was last month and they had a ball. Thanks to all of you who sent pressies - we had many exciting trips to the post office to collect parcels. Ellie-Jo now knows all the words of happy birthday and continues to sing it to whoever she feels like. She also got lots. We got them a paddling pool and it's been a great hit. Especially now its getting hotter here (30's most days and 40 last weekend).

The kids have all had repeated bouts of tonsilitis and are just over a very bad one. Georgia-Mai was especially sick this time. We were referred to an ENT specialist who recommends getting both the twins' tonsils out. We haven't decided yet what to do, any advise? 

Rob has just completed a 16week Zulu language course at the University and Deb a fabric-painting course.  Rob also came 3^rd in a surfing comp in Durban and a small trphy has pride of place on the TV. This is a flavour of what we are involved in and does not even to begin to look at our role with Duduza (see our work), people around us and the church.  When you get to write all these things down it helps you realise why at times we are just so tired.   

We also have just got a dog, Toby a 6 or 9 yr old, depends who you ask Golden Lab.  He certainly is no guard dog but helps us feel a little bit more homely and the kids love him.

Here is a quick message from georgia-mai,ellie-jo & marcel:

hello. thanks for your letters and presents. we have swimming lessons at school and we can jump in. its fun. its hot here and we go to game parks to see animals like rhinos and giraffes and zebras.      

(just a quickie one of our friends Sani a 5 yr girl from Duduza (an orphanage for HIV+ infected/affected children) came with us to a game park when Johanne and Gerry and Lauren were here.  She went home to Duduza and told her 'mum' that our house was lovely.  that our garden was really big and that we had rhino swimming in our pool and giraffes in the front!!  She is great.

Thanks

We continue to owe all of you so much. We could not do any of this work without your support in prayers, letters, emails, phone calls, finances, and much more. We do really apreciate all of them so a huge THANK YOU. 

We will try to send a hard copy prayer letter out soon but in the mean time please also pass on our thanks to anyone you know who doesn't have access to this web site. 

Any way here we are - a sixth of our 2 years is completed.  Hard to believe and very scary.  Lots has happened since we last wrote and I'll try to give you the details without waffling (hard for me as you know!).  Robs mum spent a month with us and we are so grateful for her wisdom and support as always.  As usual she got stuck right in and impacted lots of folk.  Among other things she taught crafts at Gateway school and taught a friend of ours who HIV+ how to knit.  She is making blankets for her two daughters and can been seen everyday walking around gateway with her wool and needles.  This lady is now half way through knitting blankets for her two children - a labour of love which they will have when she is no longer here.

Then came our friends the Mullans. They also got stuck in  - Lauren participating in sports at the school,  all spending time getting to know the children at Duduza,  accompanying us on visits to the community,  sorting out clothes in the cells and helping us keep sane.  It was so nice to have them here to see first hand what's happening here.  Talking about the pain and struggles is a hard to concept to understand unles you are really here.  (They charge £10 per hour and are avaliable most evenings!)  Seriously if you want some info give them a shout johanne@mullan6.fsnet.co.uk .  Also spending a few days away with them at a game reserve.  Thanks for the laughs you guys and for your encouragement when it was badly needed.

Also we've had the Exodus team here for 2 nights - they spent a day working hard digging a veggie garden and cleaning the house of the family I wrote about in the last update( grandparents caring for 8 orphans).  They were so blessed and blown away by the Exodus and Oasis teams willingness to serve them.  (The Oasis team left at the end of AUG, thank you guys for all your help and encouragement).  It was amazing to see their faces especially when their water tap was fixed and they had running water for the first time in years.  Since then the veggies are growing and the kids are clean.  3 of the 4 younger kids had been tested HIV+  just before the Exodus team came.  So experiencing Gods love in such a practical ' in your face' way couldn't have come at a better time for this family and since the team left Granny has committed her life to Christ!  Grandad is already a Christian and we pray that the kids will see Gods hand in their life too.  We are currently in the middle of building a  very basic house for this family on their land as their own house is falling down and dangerous. Please pray for this work to be finished quickly,  for wisdom in how we should be involved with them in future and for the family to be blessed and enabled to get rid of the old house and all its memories to the new. 

We also continue to support many orphans with food parcels, school support, trying to get government grants (without much success as yet.  But as of Thursday we have been awareded SA degrees equivalent to our own in the UK,  this means we can go to court, supose I will have to buy a suit!!),  taking them for HIV tests and supporting them with the results and whatever else they need. 

We delieverd a day of basicday of training for our orphan carers in August.  They attended and responded really well and training will be a bigger part of our work in future when we get more staff to do the everyday stuff. 

In the last month we have also become involved in 3 families where there are serious abuse issues.  This has caused us to be more involved with Government departments in trying to plan and co-work to ensure childrens needs are met.  However the systems here are so stretched and inadequate that it has been incredibly frustrating and leaves us feeling a heavy weight of responsibility.  Although S.Africa is one of the most developped African countries the legacy left by Appartheid and the whole history of oppression here has a major impact at every level of society and is a big feature in why many of the government departments are as they are. 

However we do need to work with them and we pray that God will give us a resilience to perservere and to stand strong on what we know to be right.  We believe it is only in this way that we can earn the respect of these organisations and have any real long term impact for the people we serve.  A positve in this area is that last week our social work qualifications were evaluated have been recognised here.  We are waiting for this in writing but it means that we can do a lot of the things ourselves which we have been asking the department to do eg assess peoples grant applications and present their case to court for a decision.  This could potentially avoid a 2 year delay in people getting their entitlement.  Many of the families we support would not need our help if they had this income.  To put this into perspective, the family we spoke about with the eight orphans live on 600 rand a month about £50.  they are entitled to 4700 rand , £ 420 per month.  Whilst there are so many people dying of HIV/AIDS,  starvation with our clients is a major factor.  Being Social Work registered will also mean that for the first time Poject gateway will be egilible to secure Government funding towards employing social work staff although we need to look into this further.

Staffing is a big hindrance to our work in that we just do not have enough people who can speak Zulu and can drive.  A trainee auxiliary social worker called Niet has started with us and although she can't drive she has been able to begin some work with 2 teenage orphans who we support. They are 14 and 16  and are cousins (a boy and a girl).  Both have lost their parents to AIDS in the last year and both are really struggling with grief. Nit has been able to start some work with them just enabling them to talk about their experiences and look towards the future.  They both live with their 2 uncles who are in their early 20's. Rob introduced them to some others at Gateway and one of the Uncles is starting to work with a one of the young Zulu men from te enterprise painting and we were delighted to see him at church this morning.

We have also continued to be involved at Duduza and spend a lot of time with the kids and staff there.  Just last week we meet with the elders who oversee Duduza ( ie the management).  That meeting gave us opportunity to share with them - hearing their views and sharing ours.  They acknowledge that Duduza is in a transitional phase in terms of its vision and staff.  They have many big issues to face and decisions to make. We are trusting that God will make the His vision for Duduza clear to all of us. Please pray for wisdom and unity among the staff.  Also for us as we advise them and that our role there will become clear.  Also that they will realise the need for a trained and experienced staff team who have the skills to assess childrens needs and plan for their future.  We believe that most of the children could and shoud be living in families and we ask you to pray that God will show us how to take this forward.  Deb is going with the Duduza management to see another orphanage next s weekend (12-14 Sept 03).  Please pray that God will guide us all clearly as to whether it is a model we should learn from.  We will also go to see another excellent place later this month.  Hopefully seeing these other places will make the way forward clearer.  

On a personal note we are all well. The kids continue at school and are all enjoying it.  We're glad that Ellie-Jo is now more settled there - she still goes 3 mornings.  Life here is busy -  work , church, Rob is taking a Zulu class 2 nights per week and there is little time for much else.  Rob really needs to learn how to speak Zulu and is also starting morning conversation classes with Dora the sister of the granny of eight.   We also talk about work alot at home as we are so involved in the seting up and responsibility of childrens lives.  As well as this is the pain and suffering we work with.  Last week was hard.  A man lying in his own faeces shuned to the wood hut in the garden.  A man they would not send to hospital as they wheeled him for his grant every Wednesday and could not live without the grant.  A two year living with 15 other adults and children abndoned in her own home, with legs the same thickness as my big toe.  Removing three orphans from the care of their neglectful and physically abusive uncles.  Debbie working with a lady all night in the Orphanage who after being diagnosed HIV+ developing a pyschotis reaction, with Rob having to admit her into Psychiatric care the following day.  The images of this pain are hard to deal with.  God is so good in all of this and we thank him so much for the retired Psychiatric Doctor in our house group who has just got a job in the ward that we sent this person too! 

Most of the time we are too knackered to do much else anyway!  Rob's surfing has been seriously hindered by his board frequently getting broken or damaged, he has taken to leaving home at 5am to be in Durban by 5.45 just to get wet.  I have been doing a fabric painting class once a week for 6 weeks and have really enjoyed it.  The end result will be on our wall next week!  Amazing what you can do with minimal artistic talent!!  Orfin is still here and he's great. We're really enjoying having him around.  Our vegetable patch(es we have three) is doing good too.

Over the last two months we have been so encouraged by funding for projects.  Thanks to  the Oasis  and Exodus team.  

Thats about it. Here's a quick list of prayer points for those who are interested

WORK:

1. Staffing for the orphan care programme. 

2. Wisdom and resilience  to work with Government depts.

3. Wisdom as we find the way forward with Duduza staff/management - for a clear vision and purpose.

PERSONAL:

1. That we will be able to switch off and find time for ourselves without feeling guilty.

2. That Robs surf board dilemas will end and he will find some like minded buddies who he can surf with and a board that won't break!!. 

3. That we will continue to be healthy - thank God the colds/flus which plagued us in May and June have now gone and we've all been pretty well. 

4. That God will give us wisdom to deal with 'church politics'.   We're not very good at these as we just get on with it.   In all we d that God  will guard our hearts and keep them right.

Just a wee quick update as we are getting ready for a weekend away with 15 kids!! We are going with the kids and staff from Duduza to the beach. Will be back Sunday pm. Should be noisy but fun! Was  nice to be asked and gives us achance to get to know them all better. 

Work has really begun to take off this week so thank God for answered prayer about that. Its good to be involved. We had a meeting with our project manager which was really positive and we were able to discuss our thoughts and ideas openly with him. We then went with the Home-based care team to visit some of the orphan families and were able to help look at the needs of the children and have the courage to ask more questions which is so vital to ensure you are making good assessments and so are meeting needs accurately. Our second visit was to a family where the team have been supporting for some time. By asking some deeper questions however we discovered that another boy living in tbe home is an orphan and so we should have also been supporting him. He was alone and when we began asking about how he felt about his parents death he very quickly changed from saying 'ok' to crying. This gave Rob the chance to talk with him and we have agreed to visit again next week. After half an hour we left him smiling and laughing. We're under no illusions that there are any quick fixes in all this but if we don't ask real questions we don't meet real needs and now knowing how that boy feels we can plan with him how to move on. It doesn't have to cost money - just a bit of time and sharing with him a hope for the future. 

Another family was refferred to the team last week who are in dire need. Very poor. Granny and grandad(both in their 60's) have had 3 daughters died of AIDS in recent years leaving 8 children.(The daughters are all buried in their back garden) The youngest are 2year old twins who are clearly ill. They had no clothes,food and their house is in ruins.No running warter or electricity. They survive on a meagre government pension. So Rob and the home-based carers have spent time there this week beginning to assess the whole circumstances and the needs. We have provided a little physical help ie bedding and clothes. More importantly we have got them to agree to have blood tests and medicals done . This is scary for them but it is important to enable us(and them) to work out how their needs can best be met. When the team visited again yesterday the change in the grandparents was clear. Yes the situation is still desperate but they were up, had 'cleaned' the house and were interacting with the children well. The grannys sister works in Gateway and said she could see a real change in them in that they now feel someone is trying to help. So please pray that they will have strength to cope with the blood test results on Monday and Tuesday and that we will have wisdom as we try to then assess how all their needs can best be met. 

Today Rob visited another family to find the wee 2year old he'd seen 2 weeks ago had died a few days ago. Despite this the family have agreed to get together others in their neighbourhood to hear about HIV/AIDS education and about Gods love. This is vital even if only a drop in the ocean.

So thank you for your support and prayers. Please keep praying that God will give us wisdom everyday. We do not want to offend people but we do feel it is necessary to ask more questions rather than just giving out food parcels and stuff. Pray thay we can begin to develop systems which help the orphan care service develop so that we can make a real difference in these childrens lives. This will involve recruiting and training staff and much learning ourselves about the law and systems here. Pray also that we will work sensitively with others in the team without causing offence and that they will be open to change where this is needed. We are working out that some things are cultural differences and others are not and need to be sensitively challenged. Poor organisation and communication are major problems and cause much frustration so patience and perserverance is needed big time!!!

Health wise we are feeling better and have started on multi-vitamins. The kids are well to and settled back at school. Rob's mum comes on Tuesday and we can't wait!She'll be here for 3 weeks and soon after that the Mullans come. It'll be so nice to see folk from home!Met up with Benji and his girlfriend from NI ( the SA guy who played rugby for B'Money and Coleraine) this week - good to see them. Having a wee party for Ellie-Jo's birthday next Sat(26th) mind you she's been singing 'happy birthday to me' since she got a card from auntie Betty last week! She will be 2 and will hopefully be coming to the end of the 'terrible two's' when most other kids are just starting them!!!!

Well thats all for now, thanks again and do keep those emails coming!

Deb,Rob,Marcel,Georgia-Mai and Ellie-Jo

Oh - forgot to say that our week in Margate was excellent. Learned loads that will be of use in our work. The 'Place of Restoration' is very impressive and the course was very good. All very inspiring and we would love to have much more contact with them. Also stayed in a class backpackers in Ramsgate.

Firstly our apologies for not updating this sooner - life has been very busy and to be honest when we get the kids to bed and eventually begin to 'switch off' at nights the last thing we want to do is this. That said, we do know how important it is to keep you all up to date and we totally rely on your prayers and support. Thanks so much to all of you who've written, emailed and phoned - going to the post ofice has never been so exciting! 

Its hard to believe its only a month since we wrote the last update!Seems so long. Things have moved along and its actually encouraging to read back to be reminded of that. One of the hardest things to cope with has been the sense of frustration that things are not 'happening' more quickly and that we are not actually doing much that is having a tangible impact yet in our work. This has been largely because (a)there are many changes happening in Gateway which all staff are adapting to and we are carving out our role in the midst of these changes (b)our work is to extend what already happens here so a lot of carefull planning,observation and cultural understanding is needed so as to ensure we develop a good quality service and(c) we need to understand the system here (especially the law).For a fuller update on our work click on 'our work' above. Generally it is progressing and God is guiding us and making things clearer but often it feels like 1 step forward and 2 steps back.  

Personally we are all well settled and now know our way around (ish!). We feel settled in the house and it is great. Orfin has been here about 4 weeks now and he is lovely. A quiet, friendly, gentle christian man and we're really enjoying getting to know him. He works 6 days a week so is only around at nights and on Sundays so we still have our privacy.He enjoys a chat and a laugh and is very easy to have around. So we thank God for him.

Marcel,Georgia-Mai and Ellie-Jo are enjoying school. They have been going 3 a.m's a week from 7.30 - 1pm but the twins will go 5 am's from now on. Although she is improving Ellie-Jo is still a bit unsettled in school. She does enjoy it but cries at particular times each day and seems to not have really adjusted to the routine yet. So we need to decide whether she might settle better if she went 5ams or should we stick to 3ams. We're praying for wisdom on what is best for her. The twins are well settled and are enjoying it.

We are still attending Peitermaritzburg Christian Fellowship. I am involved in helping in creche which is interesting as we have children from various cultures, races and languages. Rob was baptised a few weeks ago along with about 10 others. We have made some good friends in the church and the kids enjoy it.

Despite some visits to the garage in the first few weeks the Combi is going well and we feel was a good buy. We also bought a Ford Laser from another SIMer who was going home and we got it for a really good price. It also had to visit the garage  as it started playing up on our way home from buying it(!) - so we had a f ew weeks of feeling we'd never get a reliable car! However we are now all  sorted and both cars are good. It gives us much more scope at work and at home  having 2 cars. Also robs surf board broke on his 3rd time using it so he was a bit peeved about that. However the insurance have agreed to cover it (Thank God) and he's been able to borrow a board from the shop so it hasn't stopped him. As we are 45 minutes from the beach its not as easy to get in as at home. Rob is missing all you surfing and basketball mates a lot and it'll be good when he gets some 'surf buddies' here. We're all really looking forward to Robs mum and the Mullans coming in July and August.

It has felta bit like we're on a roller coaster with some days things seeming very positive and other days thinking have we made a huge mistake coming here? This is often compounded by frustrations which people here view as normal eg people not turning up when they're supposed to, buying things that don't work...... so that even simple everyday things are made complicated. Despite all this this is a good place to be - nice people, great weather, and too much good food (So no we're not losing weight - sadly for me!). We do know (despite some moments of doubt mostly due to fear about the scale of the work!) that it is right for us to be here. So although work issues do feel overwhelming and we have many fears, we are really having to trust God daily to give us wisdom and strength. 

Thanks so much again for your interest and support,

Deb, Rob, Marcel, Georgia - mai and Ellie-Jo.  

 the time has come and we're feeling excited about really beginning our work here. We're feeling relatively setled in the house now even though I (Deb's) still don't know my way around much!So tomorrow morning we will drop the kids off at 7.30am to be in work for 7.45 for the daily Gateway staff prayer meeting. We heard the really sad news this morning that little Samke one of the twins in Duduza died on Thursday. She'd been readmitted into hospital on Monday. Its so sad but a harsh reality here where Aids is so real. Please pray for her sister Same and the other kids and staff as they grieve while also meeting the needs of the other sick kids there.

 This is just a little taster of much of what is ahead for us in our work so please pray for strength to cope without becoming hardened to it all. We,ve been reminded of how easy our life is compared to others who are living in extreme poverty and / or illness - that we need to really appreciate what we have. What we can hold on firmly to is that Samke is in heaven with our LORD who is the best mother/father and carer she could ever have dreamed of and she is suffering no more.

We formally joined the chuch here today which basically means we attended some information classes and were prayed for today alond with about 25 others new members. It was also a baptismal service and Rob was Baptized which was great.

Other news is that we have bought a car - a vw microbus which is a real relief. It gives us so much scope to be able to use for folk visiting as well as work. The kids had a good first 2 days in school and are looking forward to going back tomorrow. Ellie-Jo is not keen to stay in her class yet away from the twins but i think once she gets used to the place that will come. The school are totally flexible about letting her have time to settle so thats good. The other news is that Orfin will move into the outhouse tomorrow night. God has really spoken to us this week clearly about it and we have a real peace about him coming now. We met with him on Wed night and he is delighted to be back. He is 'over 50' he thinks! He seems very quiet and kind and the kids are fine with it. We've agreed to review it after a month.

Please keep your emails and calls coming as they are so special to us. We don't have a camera yet but will send on some piccys as soon as possible. Please also pray that Rob and I will be able to work well together and establish our individual roles  - shin pads and ear plugs have not been provided so we'll really be relying on God for protection!!!!

Thats all folks - thanks again for your prayers and support. All our love D&R.

(Good news for all you surfers - Rob got stung really badly by a 'blue bottle' in the water yesterday and now looks like elephant man! So surfing in the sun isn't all its cracked up to be!)  

Well life here is starting to get in to the swing of things.  Tomorrow all three of the children start school (building blocks).  They will all be in the same school of 90 children from 3 months to 7 years.  We are realy pleased with the school and the children like it.  Very 'homely'.  The kids in the school can start from 7.00am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  At home I could hardley make it into work @ 9.20 (obviously worked extra hard when there and and only took 10 mins lunch break) (ths is for the benefit of Willie P kinda boss's boss etc) (obviously if surf was good during lunch would have made it up some where else!)

Did our first family thing yesterday and went to a local game park where we sat in an open top landrover 6ft away from three masive african white elephants.  Debbie was well scared, but don't worry I reasured her that all was OK.

Whilst the kids start school tommorow we also start work.  We are meeting a lady called Lorrentia, one of the directors from the department of welfare.  We met with Bethany house managrs Benson, Helen and Marian about our 'role and job spec'.  One of the major areas of development is with the voluntary sector including Project gateway and their relationship with statutory and dept sectors (see our work).

As a parents we need your advise as Marcels first tooth fell out a little earlier than we had expected.  He is so proud about it and is smiling all the time.  Hopefully we will get a photo of it soon.

Also as some of you may have been aware of we  were meeting with a man called Orphan who had lived in the out house of our house.  Sounds really grand but is nothing more than a very cold, damp room attached to the garage.  Out side toilet and cold shower.  The winter is coming in and I can't believe that it is snowing in the mountains and yet 25 degrees in town.  Cold showers in the morning with this is poor.

Well he is moving in on Monday.  He had lived hear from 1989 but no one could tell us anything about him.  We met with him today and spoke to his employer, and pastor.  He is 50 + and is over the moon.  He is single which is not common here at all and as with the small children is an easy target.  Pray that we will all get on well and that we will be a great resource and blessing to each other.

Still no luck on the car front, but we don't start work until Monday!! So still have some time.

I'll keep it shorter next time.  Love rob Deb and 3

It just realy makes you wonder how much they as a team realy know and how much the UK knows about what is really going on here in the 'lovey land of SA.

Life here continues to be strange and difficult and frustrating.  I feel that everybody is out to 'rob' you and that it is hard to know who to trust.  The people here have so much to offer and yet so much to gain from 'looking after' themselves that you can not blame them.

We are being given so much advise.  Don't buy this, buy this, you'll get highjacked in this etc....

Whilst trying to find 'referance' points is hard you can let your life get consumed with nonsense. Having your bin poked through does not do justice to what we throw away.  We have been told not to 'give' to 'beggars' or people calling at your door. So this week we're going to through away some sandwiches and apples!

Marcel and Georgia-Mai are in their bunk beds today. Another story in the buying - you would not believe how you can be robbed and the price war.  The lady in Mdabuna ,a shop, asked me where I was from.In the shop was just Black Africans and poor Asians.  I stood out like a sore thumb.  Not because of colour.  But because of health, weight and height.  She told me to be safe as I tried to fit 4 mattress into a ford smaller that an escort whislt in the street on my own.  Lets just say visibility out of the windows was not good and the police would have had a field day in terms of dodgy load. Just felt that I had to get out of there.The kids are doing great.  Looked at a number of schools and have two in mind.  One very 'schooly' and the 'other not'.  The other being our preferance but need wisdom in what is best.

Please do continue to e-mail and do use the forum and tell others.

We meet with our bosses tomorow, Benson and Helen really nice from Ghana and SA about starting so pray that we get an order to our work.  There really is so much to do that you could just forget about everything else and get so 'whopped' in the process.

love you all

rob & deb

Today we got our cargo and the aid for the orphange and comuinty from customs.  I was told that I would need and import permit that would be be refused and that our goods ould need to be sent back to the uk.   This was becuase the goods were descirbed as goods for the orphange, second hand and missionary.  

If sending aid over ask us first so that it will save an enourmous headache and £££.  I prayed real hard and the 'hard cusoms officier' who could not see me changd his mind and let it through and with no charge.

Hopefully we will be buying our car, work transport tommorow something called a Mitsubishi Space Star basically 10 seats in a van thing.  We are aso looking for a small 'spare cheap run about.  Cars hear are really expensive as everthing is recycled.  Even the bin bags we put out on fridays get looked through.  Makes you think about what you throw away!

All in all starting to cope.  we both had a little of the 'wat have wedone' blues and having an attempted break in did'nt help.  God is good and we pray for safety and protection.  God does not fail and his kingdom is wonderful.  Hopefully this will soon involve me finding and buying a surf board like 'my baby'.  bit of a surfer thing, if you don't surf you w'ont understand.  Thanks again and speak soon

rob