We thank God once again for giving us this opportunity to update you on what the Lord has done for us here at Themba, as well the challenges we face as the Themba family. We are so thankful to God for keeping us safe in the middle of a harsh economic environment and the pandemic. The number of covid cases remain down and the restrictions have been further relaxed. The children are also happy to be at school without interruptions. We continue to trust God, who is the author and the finisher of our faith, that he will continue to bless Themba families in every way.
School Visits
After another shut down, the schools finally opened on February 7th. We have been able to visit more schools this month for the payment of school fees and for consultative purposes. It is now business as usual, although some children complain their teachers are not committing to their duties, disadvantaging the children who are already behind in their schoolwork. We also noticed that some of the lower primary school children struggle to read and write as they failed to grasp these concepts because of the pandemic.
Please Pray:
· May you pray for the children to have good teachers who have a heart and the patience to educate them.
· Pray also that this coming new term will be a better academic school term for them and that they will work very hard to excel in their studies.
Friday Bible Club
The Friday Bible Club Program is doing very well, and the attendance is very good and we are always so encouraged to be working with this group. Our theme for this year comes from 2 Chronicles 26:5 and we are encouraging the children to seek God to prosper, just like King Uzziah, who sought the Lord and prospered. We continue to teach the children in the ways of the Lord and have time to do one-on-one evangelism with those who need salvation. We always feel so privileged when they give their lives to Jesus.
We have also taken this time to teach them other things that affect them in life, like bulling, drugs, abuse, hygiene etc. We have seen a lot of participation from the children. We trust God to give us wisdom as we help them to overcome the many challenges they face as young people.
Please Pray:
· Please pray that God will protect them, and that they will choose good friends.
· Pray also that the Lord will water the seed planted in their hearts to bear fruit.
Saturday Bible Club
The Saturday Bible Club, designed for those who stay far from the venue, is also running smoothly. We had our last program for the term this past weekend and were so happy to meet with the children. It was raining heavily in the morning but the children came in their numbers. We did similar programs for them as we do for the Friday Bible Clubs and were so encouraged to see the participation of both the primary and the high school children. This group also is working very hard in anticipation of the upcoming Bible Quiz competition scheduled for the month of April.
Please pray:
It is our prayer that these two programs will help the children grow to be responsible adults who will make a difference in the community and love God more.
Home Visits and Prayer Time
We continue to visit the families in their homes for encouragement and are always blessed to have an opportunity to share the Word of God and pray with the individual families.
We visited one of our caregivers to make a follow-up visit on her son and were told he is still in the psychiatric hospital. The doctor said they will assess him on the 4th of April to see if he is improved enough to be discharged from the hospital. This mother is so devastated but was encouraged through our sharing God’s Word and prayer for her and her family. Please pray with us for his speedy recovery so he can go back to school.
Another caregiver is also not feeling well. She has a growth inside her abdomen and the doctors confirmed that it is cancerous. She will have a CT scan to see how they can help her, but it will be dangerous to remove the growth. Please pray also for her healing and God’s provision as the CT scan is very expensive for her and the medications are also out of reach. Pray also that she will find comfort in God.
Let me take this time to thank all our Themba sponsors and friends, for your love, prayers, and support. May the Lord continue to bless the works of your hands. We love you all and are praying for you.
Similo Theb
