August and September have been the two busiest months of the year so far, with lots of visitors. The Hawane farm children are doing well – enjoying all the recent visitors, who enrich each of their lives in different ways, be it through helping a struggling learner with homework, training in HIV awareness, dealing with deep hurts through one-on-one counselling, sharing in Bible studies, playing crazy games in youth group...and so many other ways their lives are touched. The children are blessed by the people who choose to invest in their lives.

He arrived with us, with a lot of anger and hurt. Throughout the past year the Lord has worked in his life in a remarkable way, drawing Banele into a close relationship with Him, and using Banele to demonstrate a depth of forgiveness and mercy seldom seen. Several weeks ago, Banele requested that he be taken down to his rural homestead, as he wanted to face his foster aunt, the one who had been so abusive to him, and to apologise to her for making her life so difficult! It was a touching reunion, with the incredulous foster aunt breaking down in tears and asking Banele to forgive her instead, for all the hurt she had caused him.  The chief of the area, on hearing of Banele’s visit, rushed to see him, shocked that he was still alive. He told Banele that Banele had done nothing wrong; that it was the fault of the foster aunt. “No,” Banele said, “I am now a Christian and I have come to ask for forgiveness. I have God in my heart and my heart needs forgiveness”! Banele, at 13 years of age, led the community in a prayer of forgiveness and turned their hearts to the Lord. It’s a delight to witness the great relationship Banele has with his Heavenly Father, and to see his faith in action. Please pray for the Lord’s will to be done in Banele, for his pain to stop, and for comfort and strength for him. Thank you so much for joining us in this. He is a very special person.

We’ve also had some sad goodbyes lately.  In early September we said “Au revoir” to Emma, who has been with us for 3 years now. Emma is returning to the UK for a while to touch base with Elim missions, who sent her out to us, and to spend time with family and friends, as well as to investigate the possibility of furthering her studies. We are hoping she will return to us soon, but as yet have no date fixed.

Don’s last building project on Hawane was the renovation of our old ‘pack house’. In August the first side of the building was completed. Funded by Elim Neath, in UK, it has been transformed from a crude farm ‘pack house’ into a beautiful new home that will comfortably accommodate 16 young people. Without doubt, it is the best finished house on the property, and we are very thankful to Elim Neath for making this possible.

The second side of the building is almost finished, and it is due to open imminently. In the two years of his stay on Hawane, Don has been training Ntokozo and Sikumbuzo in the building trade. He was able to leave the completion of the building in their capable hands.