What a year!! Not even talking about the miracle called Clara, whose birth is rapidly approaching. So far we can look back at this year and just sigh a sigh of relieve and thankfulness. So many wonderful things has happened and we also survived this financially tough year without having to stop helping people or closing any carepoints. This in itself was a miracle for me. Some of our partners here in Swaziland had to make these calls and even leave because financially they just could not do it anymore. As I am sharing this I praise God for allowing us to continue our calling and to look forward to a next year full of potential and energy.

So I thought it would be good to recap a little and just share some of the accomplishments of the year.

• Currently we just added another carepoint and are now serving 25 carepoints in total.
• 3180 kids have a place of safety during the days and have access to food and medical help, if needed.
• Roughly 60% of these kids are getting discipleship every week and hopefully we can raise that number next year with getting more D-Team members.
• We started a school fee scholarship this year where kids can apply for school fees if maintaining a B+ aggregate. We were able to help quite a few kids this year.
• The school that was started in partnership with the government at Bhalekane is giving education now to Grade 1 to 6 and next year grade 7 will be added.
• We have hosted 14 trips this year for sponsoring churches and connect communities. There were also 4 vision trips.
• With hosting 14 carepoint trips, we did 14 fun days where the kids received a special meal of meat, rice, veggies, salad and cupcakes. We probably ordered about 1950 cupcakes this year. And we will do it again for Christmas!)
• With the help of many of the churches and connect communities about 830 children were provided with school shoes.
• 100's of letters from sponsors were received and translated, a few 100 letters were send back from the kids
• With the help of Luke Commission several clinics were held that gave approximately 4000 people some medical help.
• The team down here has delivered more than 550 tons of food so far this year.
• 8 wells were drilled this year and we are in the process of installing either solar or electric pumps so that the kids can have access to clean water.
• Various capital projects were done this year including 8 kitchens, 4 latrines, 2 multi purpose buildings, 2 playgrounds, a big church at Enaleni, fencing at various care points and we are 30% finished with a big bathroom/shower project from Capo Beach Church at Thembeni carepoint.
• Our staff has grown in numbers!

So as we look back and say thank you to our Lord and Savior, we can also look forward to a new year that already looks packed with activities, building projects, special occasions and people coming to visit.

So as the year is rushing to an end, as always, we would love to end the year at the carepoints with Christmas Parties for all kids, even the unsponsored ones. With Kriek out of action, the number of kids growing at each care point and our exchange rate that has seen the dollar lose 25% of its value, we are again in a position where we need to ask for help making this happen. So if you would like to give a special gift for the Christmas parties, please email me at jumbo@adventures.org

Sorry that I am cramming all of this info into one long blog! We are trying to get everything done before the baby comes! She should be here by the end of November! So the next blog update you get from us might just be the announcement of her birth!

PS Please pray for Kriek in this last stage of pregnancy as she is getting very uncomfortable and tired a lot.