Sad news!!

One of our caregivers passed away on Thursday. She leaves behind two daughters. Please pray for the family during this time of mourning.

Our new baby!!

We have a new little boy. He came to us when he was 6 days old. He is really cute and really likes his bottle!

Painting the walls!

It’s really encouraging to see companies getting involved with different ministries! Last week we had people from Arthur Els & Associates coming for a day to paint our wall, fill up our sandpit and provide lunch for the children and staff. They also gave the children new toys which was very exciting. Thank you all for your hard work!

Time to say goodbye!!

Keisha with the children from 78 house

Keisha is one of our volunteers from the States who has been with Lambano Sanctuary for a year. Keisha is a biblical counselor by profession. She’s been counseling our children and helping us with some of the projects in Katlehong. Keisha stayed in one of the houses with the children and, in the evenings, she would read and pray with the children.

We thank the Lord for sending her to Lambano. She will be greatly missed!!!

Quote from one of the children:

One little boy was sitting with Auntie Barbara and they were packing a birthday gift of sweets for one of the volunteers. The little boy was looking at the gift and he said “the Devil wants me to eat these sweets but I won’t listen to him, I won’t eat the sweets”

Children are really cute!!

Two new babies!!!

We got these two little ones last Friday from the Katlehong hospital. Both were abandoned – one’s mother already has 3 children and didn’t want him and the other’s mother died shortly after her birth. The children were so dirty when they came that we thought they had been burned but it turned out to be dead skin which we scrubbed off. We found out yesterday that they are both HIV negative, for which we praise the Lord! We are trying to get them released for adoption.


Disclosure
2 weeks ago we disclosed to the children about their disease after much prayer and discussion. We were worried that the children would be really hurt and confused by knowing they were HIV + but they took it all in their stride. Some asked a few questions but then they just wanted to play. We know that, as they grow older, they will ask more questions. We are depending on the Lord to provide the answers to these questions that are honest, simple and understandable.

Birthday parties!
January and February are our busy months with all the birthday parties. Thanks to AFM Church for organizing the birthday parties and giving each child a gift voucher.

Birthdays!

This girl is our oldest child, she turned 9!

He turned 6

She turned 4

He turned 7

January is usually our quiet month except for the birthday parties!

School starts!

Five children started school this year. For some it was exciting, while for others it was rather overwhelming, we are glad to say that all of them are adjusting well to the school environment and making new friends!

Another Medical emergency

One of our little boys who has hydroencephalitis (which is water on the brain that causes pressure and a stunting of the brain which can eventually lead to death) was rushed to a public hospital on the 01st of January because of a blocked shunt. On the 07th he came back home but, within two days he had to go back to that hospital because the pressure had built up again. There he lay for 2 days without the doctors doing anything. By late Saturday afternoon when we saw that he was lapsing into a coma, we removed him from of that hospital and took him to a private hospital where they replaced the shunt.

At first he seemed to be doing well but had a relapse and started having continuous seizures which the doctors couldn’t stop. We really thought that was the end for our little chap and were considering bringing him home for palliative care – what a difficult decision for the doctors and Lyn to make. However, God amazed us again! On Tuesday he came back home and is doing better although he is still very weak. He isn’t able to speak any more but he is so glad to be back home with his “siblings” and has big smiles for everyone. We are praying that the brain will heal and that he will regain his power of speech and be the bright, happy little boy he was before this incident!

We really thank the LORD for Mama Barbara who spent hours at his side ministering to him and bringing him comfort. Part of Barbara’s ministry is visiting the children that are in hospital, bringing them love and care and keeping an eye on the medical care the children are receiving from the hospital – essential in a Public hospital.

Happy New Year!

Well, every Friday we write about the children which we love doing, but this week we want to write about the ladies who works with the children. The children call them mamas and it is really their mamas, they love these children like their own.
These ladies work for long hours, day or night shift. They work very hard!


Thanks to Seal Beach for collecting money for the staff Christmas hampers.
As you can see on the picture and the video how excited they were to receive the hampers.

The song is from psalm 23: 1-3

The LORD is my shepherd I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness.