November 08 to January 09
Proverbs 3:3-5
3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
A lot has happened since we last updated this blog so without further ado let me begin.
House News
Since November 08 we finished the roof of the orphanage house and the builders have finished all the brick and cement work that they were hired to do. It is really looking like a house now! Maybe not so pretty yet but we can see and envision it! The only thing that stays left to finish of the physical structure is the roofs for the kitchen, toilets, and bathrooms. There is still a lot of other things that still needs to be done like all the plumbing (including the water tank), the inside of the kitchen, the wash basins, and the shelves in the kitchen pantries. The septic tank still needs finishing, the glass installed in the windows, the doors fitted and hung, the walls painted, and the ceiling in the house installed with the electric wires. You might be thinking electricity in the bush? Aren’t you out in the middle of nowhere? Yes we are, but running water and electricity is one of the requirements from the government for orphanages. They do not differentiate between city and bush village standards (where nobody has running water and electricity) so we have to abide to the city standards which are harder but more beneficial to the children. Please pray that we get everything finished so that we can get approved by the different departments to get the children in before June of 2009 (our goal). There is still lots of work to be done we can get the needed approval from the Ministry of Health, Social welfare and also the district counsel.
Jako – farmer, missionary, or both?
We have also been busy cleaning half a hector of land to plant crops for needy children in the area. It was the first time I was able to put our small three wheel tractor to good use and I definitely felt like a farmer spending all day out there in the hot sun. It took hard work, not only getting used to operating the tractor but also removing all the stumps and tree roots that remained hidden just under the surface of the soil. We were happy that the hard work of clearing the big trees had been done 3 years ago. Trying to make a field in the middle of woodlands is no easy job and we experienced the truth of that again as it was slow going removing all that remained hidden. After several long days in the sun and with some community help (their own initiative), we got the ½ hectare planted. With no way to irrigate the land we trust that God will provide all it needs this rainy season. Please pray that there would be enough rain this year for the crops because last year there was too much, a lot of the crops died, and people are facing hunger this year. Please pray for them.
We also cleaned the orchard, replaced some trees that had fallen victim to termites or ants, and planted a few more. We replaced some mangoes and bananas and added 16 papaya and 16 orange and nartjie trees to the mango field. We were busy trying to get everything done before we left, wanting to make use of the rainy season to get them firmly rooted. When there is no rain Amber has to pump water to give each tree 2 liters and now with 180 fruit tree, that is quite a job. While all the trees are still quite small they continue to grow and we have even had the first fruits off of some of them already. Over the past few months we have had gooseberries, maulberries (which the birds got to before we did), strawberries, and now the granadilla (passion fruit) tree is in bloom and starting to make fruit. We pray that one day there will be a year round bountiful harvest of fruit for the widows, orphans and needy.
Animal Antics
To date we now have 17 cattle. We are happy to report that all of our cows that were of age produced a healthy calf this year. They are getting nice and big (and fat) and the community is noticing. Our bull (which we got when it was young and small) is much admired and everyone wants to know if they can buy one of it’s offspring. In December however we did have an accident with our ox. Obey, the man that looks after the animals, came to us one afternoon as it stopped raining and told me that Jamaica the ox ran away with the plow and it had cut his leg really bad. I went there with all the medical stuff that we have and even a stitching kit and when I got there I thought we are going to have to kill him because the plow had cut through all his tendons on the lower leg. I cleaned it and tried to give stitches but the skin was so tough that the needles kept bending. Eventually we decided to clean it well and bind it tight. After that we cleaned it every 3 day for almost 2 weeks and thank God he is walking with a limp but doing much better. While he will never be able to work again, but he should heal fine and be able to get nice and fat to get us a good price when the time comes to sell him for meat.
Our goats continue to grow and now number 49. I wonder if sometimes they don’t think they are rabbits : ) One day in January we even had 5 baby goats born in one day to four different mothers! God is definitely blessing the livestock and we are very thankful for his watch care and protection over them.
Christmas in South Africa
We were blessed to spend Christmas with my (Jako) mother in South Africa. After all the rain we had received in Zambia, the roads there had become full of mud and made it very tough for us to drive so when we got to South Africa with their nice tar roads and sunny weather it seemed like we were in a different world. We all went to visit a family friend at the coast and really enjoyed the weather there. A Christmas at the beach was very different for Amber who grew up with cold cozy winter Christmas’. We had a very blessed time and were even able to visit some family that my mom and I hadn’t seen in a very long time and that Amber had never met before.
Where are we now? South Africa, Zambia, USA!
We are now in the United States, blessed to have been invited to a missions conference at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Fl. It was a nice unexpected surprise for us to be invited again but we are enjoying our opportunities to share all that God has done in our lives and in Mukamba, Zambia. We also enjoyed a week visit up to First Baptist Church Woodbridge (Virginia) where we were able to share, reconnect with past team members who had helped in Mukamba before and meet with the team that will be coming to help again this year.
Of course one of the biggest blessings is being able to spend time with Amber’s family. While her prognosis or diagnosis still hasn’t changed (brain tumor) she continues to do well. She asked that we thank you all for the prayers and ask that you please keep praying for her because she knows that that is what is sustaining her so well now.
What’s Next?
We will be in the States (Florida) until March 5th and then head back to Zambia (via South Africa). The worst of the rainy season should be over by then so God willing we can get to work right away. Thankfully we are going to have a young man named Nate with us from the States for three months. He should be a huge help in working with me to finish all that needs finishing.
For more pictures please go to www.picasaweb.google.com/missionoflovezambia
Please pray for:
God’s name to be glorified in the area
The people of Zambia that do not have any food
The orphanage so that everything gets done in a timely manner so that the children can have a home
The renewal of our work visas
Thank you for all your love and support
Jako and Amber Joubert (amberandjako@hotmail.com)
Mission of Love Community Orphanage
Zambia
3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
A lot has happened since we last updated this blog so without further ado let me begin.
House News
Since November 08 we finished the roof of the orphanage house and the builders have finished all the brick and cement work that they were hired to do. It is really looking like a house now! Maybe not so pretty yet but we can see and envision it! The only thing that stays left to finish of the physical structure is the roofs for the kitchen, toilets, and bathrooms. There is still a lot of other things that still needs to be done like all the plumbing (including the water tank), the inside of the kitchen, the wash basins, and the shelves in the kitchen pantries. The septic tank still needs finishing, the glass installed in the windows, the doors fitted and hung, the walls painted, and the ceiling in the house installed with the electric wires. You might be thinking electricity in the bush? Aren’t you out in the middle of nowhere? Yes we are, but running water and electricity is one of the requirements from the government for orphanages. They do not differentiate between city and bush village standards (where nobody has running water and electricity) so we have to abide to the city standards which are harder but more beneficial to the children. Please pray that we get everything finished so that we can get approved by the different departments to get the children in before June of 2009 (our goal). There is still lots of work to be done we can get the needed approval from the Ministry of Health, Social welfare and also the district counsel.
Jako – farmer, missionary, or both?
We have also been busy cleaning half a hector of land to plant crops for needy children in the area. It was the first time I was able to put our small three wheel tractor to good use and I definitely felt like a farmer spending all day out there in the hot sun. It took hard work, not only getting used to operating the tractor but also removing all the stumps and tree roots that remained hidden just under the surface of the soil. We were happy that the hard work of clearing the big trees had been done 3 years ago. Trying to make a field in the middle of woodlands is no easy job and we experienced the truth of that again as it was slow going removing all that remained hidden. After several long days in the sun and with some community help (their own initiative), we got the ½ hectare planted. With no way to irrigate the land we trust that God will provide all it needs this rainy season. Please pray that there would be enough rain this year for the crops because last year there was too much, a lot of the crops died, and people are facing hunger this year. Please pray for them.
We also cleaned the orchard, replaced some trees that had fallen victim to termites or ants, and planted a few more. We replaced some mangoes and bananas and added 16 papaya and 16 orange and nartjie trees to the mango field. We were busy trying to get everything done before we left, wanting to make use of the rainy season to get them firmly rooted. When there is no rain Amber has to pump water to give each tree 2 liters and now with 180 fruit tree, that is quite a job. While all the trees are still quite small they continue to grow and we have even had the first fruits off of some of them already. Over the past few months we have had gooseberries, maulberries (which the birds got to before we did), strawberries, and now the granadilla (passion fruit) tree is in bloom and starting to make fruit. We pray that one day there will be a year round bountiful harvest of fruit for the widows, orphans and needy.
Animal Antics
To date we now have 17 cattle. We are happy to report that all of our cows that were of age produced a healthy calf this year. They are getting nice and big (and fat) and the community is noticing. Our bull (which we got when it was young and small) is much admired and everyone wants to know if they can buy one of it’s offspring. In December however we did have an accident with our ox. Obey, the man that looks after the animals, came to us one afternoon as it stopped raining and told me that Jamaica the ox ran away with the plow and it had cut his leg really bad. I went there with all the medical stuff that we have and even a stitching kit and when I got there I thought we are going to have to kill him because the plow had cut through all his tendons on the lower leg. I cleaned it and tried to give stitches but the skin was so tough that the needles kept bending. Eventually we decided to clean it well and bind it tight. After that we cleaned it every 3 day for almost 2 weeks and thank God he is walking with a limp but doing much better. While he will never be able to work again, but he should heal fine and be able to get nice and fat to get us a good price when the time comes to sell him for meat.
Our goats continue to grow and now number 49. I wonder if sometimes they don’t think they are rabbits : ) One day in January we even had 5 baby goats born in one day to four different mothers! God is definitely blessing the livestock and we are very thankful for his watch care and protection over them.
Christmas in South Africa
We were blessed to spend Christmas with my (Jako) mother in South Africa. After all the rain we had received in Zambia, the roads there had become full of mud and made it very tough for us to drive so when we got to South Africa with their nice tar roads and sunny weather it seemed like we were in a different world. We all went to visit a family friend at the coast and really enjoyed the weather there. A Christmas at the beach was very different for Amber who grew up with cold cozy winter Christmas’. We had a very blessed time and were even able to visit some family that my mom and I hadn’t seen in a very long time and that Amber had never met before.
Where are we now? South Africa, Zambia, USA!
We are now in the United States, blessed to have been invited to a missions conference at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Fl. It was a nice unexpected surprise for us to be invited again but we are enjoying our opportunities to share all that God has done in our lives and in Mukamba, Zambia. We also enjoyed a week visit up to First Baptist Church Woodbridge (Virginia) where we were able to share, reconnect with past team members who had helped in Mukamba before and meet with the team that will be coming to help again this year.
Of course one of the biggest blessings is being able to spend time with Amber’s family. While her prognosis or diagnosis still hasn’t changed (brain tumor) she continues to do well. She asked that we thank you all for the prayers and ask that you please keep praying for her because she knows that that is what is sustaining her so well now.
What’s Next?
We will be in the States (Florida) until March 5th and then head back to Zambia (via South Africa). The worst of the rainy season should be over by then so God willing we can get to work right away. Thankfully we are going to have a young man named Nate with us from the States for three months. He should be a huge help in working with me to finish all that needs finishing.
For more pictures please go to www.picasaweb.google.com/missionoflovezambia
Please pray for:
God’s name to be glorified in the area
The people of Zambia that do not have any food
The orphanage so that everything gets done in a timely manner so that the children can have a home
The renewal of our work visas
Thank you for all your love and support
Jako and Amber Joubert (amberandjako@hotmail.com)
Mission of Love Community Orphanage
Zambia
1 comment:
Hi Jako and Amber! I know we just saw each other last week but I just got around to reading you big blog update. God is really and obviously powering your mission! Enjoy the bit of R&R with Amber's family in Florida. Can't wait to see you in July!
Post a Comment