This week I have celebrated my 39th year of being “Single for the Lord”. I want to thank the Lord for the promise He made me at that time, that He would always be faithful. Many who knew me when I was 18 years old, looking so young to consider making such a big commitment, said that it might not be so hard to not have my own children, but what about not having grandchildren. I knew that I would not be dissatisfied as I made my promise to remain single, as His promise to me would be so much greater. As well as my children in Karibu Nyumbani, the Lord gave me this little one,this month, to stand with at her baptism and be her God mother. My heart rejoices in His promises.

Nikas often called “Baba” by all the children, lives a few minutes away and comes in at 4. 30am every day. I know that as I have been opening the gate for him this week! He comes to milk that cows with Lucekelo. Their whole family are a special blessing to us. I’ve known Nikas since I first arrived in Tanzania as he was at the Agape centre now nearly nine years ago. Although he didn’t know a word of English or me, Swahili, I taught him a few chords on the guitar and he became a good friend to me and later Ludmila especially when we were learning to get around on dala- dalas.

    

 

We are so grateful to the Tanzanian Volunteers Lucekelo and Nikas working on the farm. This year as well as selling milk which has increased to 3 cows and is doing well, we are also eating a lot of our own fruit as well as vegetables. This last month we planted the land near Royston House with tomatoe plants and are hoping that this will help us with our food costs but also our neighbours who can come and buy from us. Please pray that they grow well.

In July we once again we had the privilege of being part of the wonderful family at Karibu Nyumbani. Upon our arrival at the airport , we were greeted by shouts and hugs from some of the children. What a wonderful surprise that was.
We arrived at the beginning of July, in the middle of the preparations for their celebrations to officially open the Chapel and bless the orphanage. The day of celebration was an amazing experience, the orphanage was buzzing with love, life and the Holy Spirit and being a part of it was awesome.
As usual, spending time with the children was our primary purpose of our visit, with a little bit of painting and decorating thrown in! We enjoyed every minute of our stay, three weeks just wasn’t long enough but we can now start planning next year’s visit.

In June and July we were blessed with a large group of eight volunteers from Slovakia. Their numbers brought with them great energy, enthusiasm and love. They took on their jobs tirelessly and showered the children with love. Thank you all.
Below are quotes from each of them

I am really grateful for this experience, Karibu Nyumbani is a home full of love and laugh. Thank you for an opportunity to be here.
Anna S.

Thank you that I could feel like at home. Karibu Nyumbani is a beautiful place and I hope I can come back here. This place gave a lot to my soul.
Maria R.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be in such a beautiful place with the amazing people. I hope I will come back one day. Karibu Nyumbani filled my heart with love.
. Maja Z.

I thank to Karibu Nyumbani they welcomed me and for some time I could be a member of this beautiful big family. I am grateful for this experience.
Let the God bless you and save you, let Him give you the peace, fills your hearts with love and let Him be always with you.
Nika

Karibu Nyumbani became my African home. I am really thankful for three weeks I spent here. I like African culture and I hope I will come back here.

Miriam

Thank you for an opportunity to come here for your welcome. The moments I could spent with you enriched me a lot. My heart was filled with a feeling that I was at the place right for me. Simona

I found here a place full of love, joyfulness, humility, patience and unselfishness. I always dreamed about going to Africa to help as a volunteer and in Karibu Nyumbani my dream came true. I am thankful for an opportunity to come here. I could learn a lot. God bless you!
Beata
I came to Karibu Nyumbani to help as a volunteer but actually this place helped me. I brought some gifts but I got one of the nicest gifts I have ever got. God has its plans with everybody and I am glad I could follow Him right here.. THANK YOU.

Anna

 

While I travel during the next month, I will be talking to a number of parishes and individuals to thank them for their support in the past, but also to ask for more help.

Our new flyer says:-
£5 a MONTH
(from as few as 400 supporters)
CAN SUSTAIN ALL OUR CHILDREN
AND THEIR HOME.

This is a priority for us at the moment!!

REQUEST SOME OF OUR NEW ATTRACTIVE FLYERS FOR DISPLAY AND HANDING OUT:-

email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please pray for me as I set off from Cornwall tomorrow.

Last week  I was walking with my Father and his dogs along the Falmouth seafront when we met a woman who asked if we could pick up one of the dogs for her to stroke. She then explained that she had had a car accident and was suffering from severe whip lash which left her unable to bend. So typical of my father he said, “We know someone who can heal you”. Within a minute or so the lady was healed, bending to touch the ground, telling the passersby that she had been healed. 

 

Nearby I saw these words graffitied on a wall :-“Leap into the void”  and they echo what I am thinking about  just now. 

God called Abraham before he knew where he was going and promised him descendants as many as the sands on the seashore- humanly impossible!

 

It seems that unless we are called out of the “What’s Possible” we will never see the” Impossible” workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

 

My initial call to Tanzania seemed just as impossible to me. “Leave everything for a land that I will show you”  

 The Lord turned fears into faith, weaknesses into strength and led both Ester and me to step out together, so that the Lord himself could build HIS home for his children.

 

Whilst finding my feet in Tanzania, there was a very lovely song being sung, “Oceans Deep” It was a prophetic song for many in its time. It’s a call to us to step out upon the waters. The words of the chorus continue:-

“Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Saviour”

 

With each new step of faith, there is a testing – a void, but as we jump -the Lord turns fear into faith, stress into rest, weakness into strength. People are healed on the streets, Children find homes, and the kingdom of heaven comes on earth. 

 

Please continue to pray for us that we can hear the Lord’s voice and be obedient. 

 

One of the lovely things about our Karibu Nyumbani family is that we are blessed to have members of different churches.

This week we had a visit from Harness and Rehema’s church, they came with gifts and also to talk and pray with the children. One of them, the wife of a man we sold some pigs to before we had a tragic death of all our pigs, came to tell us that she and her husband wanted to gift us with a female pig. SO, we will start or pig farming again, as this week we also heard from Fr Ettiene at Agape Community that they too wanted to bless us with another Male and Female pig!!!

God bless you all.

We are so grateful for everyone who sends gifts via volunteers, of visitors or with me or Ludmila when we travel. Last year when I was leaving the “Terefenko family” they gave me the gift of their pencils.

They are only used for special occasions! -THANK YOU!

For the last few weeks I have been sitting in on the children’s Saturday afternoon “Sunday “School in the village church, just to help with ideas.

 

This week Florian and Max have been busy preparing pictures to inspire the children to do their own pictures to be used to pray the Rosary.

 

Our chapel has not had its official opening, but we have been blessed to have Fr. Mkandara come and celebrate Mass and baptize 2 children.

Nearly half of our small village church (not yet a parish!) came to celebrate with us.

It was a wonderful celebration.

 

 

We thank Fr. Benno our Parish Priest who during his busy schedule always has time to come and support us when we need and encourage us in with in our call and vision.

Only six years ago Ester and I came to pray on this land when it was all bush!

Now we are standing in the same part of the land in our lovely chapel! I can hardly believe how much the Lord has done! 

Just to feel the Glory of the Lord in this place lifts your heart to sing! Lord we pray for your vision to be revealed and unwrapped in your perfect timing. AMEN!

 

This is a project that we have needed to move forward as quickly as we could due to safety.

However, expert advice was sought to ensure that heavy rains will not carry it away again! As you can see, it is looking like a castle!

 

Bianca and Samueli started school this month too.

They are going to our Private Parish School – Don Bosco 20 mins away.

We want to thank Mr. Mishili a good friend, who has been receiving orphans into his own school for many years. Knowing how we did not want our young ones to have to go to boarding school at this early stage he agreed to support 2 children at a nearby school.

So, Bianca and Samueli are now at an English Medium school. He has also said that if we are to start a school in the future he would like to pay for them to go there!

Neema came to us at the age of nearly 3 and when she came she could not walk or speak. Her mother died when she was born from an epileptic fit during delivery, and Neema was affected by a lack of oxygen.

She spent the first part of her life in hospital limited to sitting in a cot. When she arrived with us we took her to a doctor who said that she may walk but probably not until she reached 5 years old, and speech would be slow too.

 

Neema has been so loved by all the children and all our Aunties and volunteers. We had a very special group of volunteers from England – Holy Angels-Surrey, a group of 8, who they came for 3 weeks. They spent every moment of their time with the children and Neema was lifted on her legs all the time for exercise. 

When she first came if she fell over from the sitting position she could not get up.

When she started to get up herself, the children would clap and cheer her. She then made herself fall so that she would make everyone cheer.

Then she started to stand to more clapping and cheering, so she was eventually walking within six months of us taking her to the doctor!  This month she has just had her 5th birthday and has started school. We are sending her to a small private school so she has more care. She herself has epilepsy, but rarely falls because of her medicine.

We want to thank all who have been praying for Neema and who love her dearly. She is truly a treasure, and a testimony of how prayer, love and joy can change a person. God bless you all.