Students from Sinekhono Project with their new school supplies

At Two Tunics we believe that education is one of the best weapons we have to wage the battle against AIDS and poverty in the communities we serve. A majority of the sponsored children are orphaned as a result of AIDS and live with a Gogo (grandmother) or Auntie. They have been identified by our community partner projects to be especially needy children in their communities. These children would struggle to stay in schools where they must supply their own uniforms and school supplies were it not for the sponsors’ support. We are proud to be a part of bringing hope for the future into the lives of these children. Please join us in praying that God would protect them, strengthen them and guide them in their studies this year.

Sponsored students in their uniforms with new school bags

All of this is an opportunity to give thanks and praise. We are grateful to God for the opportunity we have had as Two Tunics to contribute to this progress in South Africa. Yet my fear is that at this critical time we will become complacent and reduce our resolve and commitment to fight this battle which is far from over. South Africa continues to be the most affected single country in the world. In fact 1 out of 6 of all HIV positive people in the world live in this one country of 48 million people. And in the Ugu District of KwaZulu-Natal where we are continuing our work 40% of the women of child bearing age are HIV positive. Partly because of the co-epidemics of poverty and TB the death rates of young mothers and fathers remains high and there are more than 2.5 million orphaned children in South Africa (20 million in all of Africa).

Besides the gospel, education is one of the best weapons we have in this battle against AIDS. Two Tunics is committed to supporting education for children, specifically for those who are poor and/or orphaned and would not otherwise be able to stay in school. That is why in 2010 we started a Child Sponsorship Program to help needy children stay in school. For this coming school year starting in January, our community partners have identified 62 needy children. A one-time donation of $90 or R700 will provide the support for needed school uniforms, shoes, school supplies and food parcels.  This Christmas season we would ask you to consider joining in this effort with us. If you are not able to sponsor a child yourself perhaps your family, church group or social club could come together to sponsor one or more children. Go to our share page to see how to make a donation and be sure to designate your gift for child sponsorship. In the first quarter of the year you will receive information about your sponsored child.

You can help restore hope for the future to a child in South Africa through education. You have an opportunity to join us as we carry on the battle against the AIDS epidemic. We will not become complacent but we need your support.  Please stand with us and for all God’s children.

When I left off with the story the chief’s approval was granted and the foundation was in for the new creche building. Then in late July and August two ”GAIN” teams came from Holland to help with the construction.  The walls went up, the roof went on, the windows and doors in, and the paint went everywhere. So when we arrived back in South Africa in late September the building was already complete and occupied by the creche. The veranda was still to be put on the front of the building but other than that the only thing left to do was to celebrate what God had done and dedicate the building.

So together with Northview Bible Church team we helped Thobile and the Siyakhula Creche committee throw a grand opening and dedication party. It was a great day! A typical Zulu affair. The neighbors and other invited guests began slowly to gather as the children sat patiently waiting. The program started on African time (long after we were ready). Then there were speeches, singing, more speeches, more singing, dancing, speeches, singing, more dancing, more speeches and then lunch was served.

Siyakhula Creche kids waiting for the party to begin

It was a long but great day! I’m not sure who is happier, Thobile or her husband. After having 35 children in their living room for more than a year they are very grateful that the creche now has it’s own building. We at Two Tunics want to especially thank Grace Church as well as Marco and the GAIN team for helping to make this possible.

Thobile teaching children in her house

Thanks to a US church partner and a construction team coming from Holland later this month, we had the funding needed to provide Siyakhula creche with a classroom building. Thobile had generously offered some of her land for the building and will give the creche a permission to occupy the land (a PTO) which will guarantee the creche use of the building even if something happens to Thobile. But the PTO requires the approval of the local chief. When we arranged a meeting with the chief we were told we must bring him a sheep as well as money for his petrol to visit the site.

So Friday morning we went sheep shopping. Debbie, one of our staff helped me pick out the largest one, wanting to be sure the chief would be pleased with it. We loaded the sheep in the back of our bakkie (South African for pick-up truck) and headed off to Thobile and on to the chief’s. Robin and Kirsty stayed well back in the other car. Even though we had an appointment, the chief was not at his office when we arrived. Fortunately his secretary knew the situation and was quite helpful. We left the sheep and petrol money and were told the chief would arrange a time to visit the site.

We heard from Thobile later the next day that the chief had come that morning. He said he wanted to come right away because he was so happy with the sheep we had brought to him. He gave his blessing on the building project and the PTO for the creche. The project is moving forward quickly and the foundation is in. We are excited for the arrival of the GAIN team from Holland to put up the walls the end of this month.

If you ever need advice on shopping for sheep just let me know. God it seems sometimes uses sheep trading to move the hand of those in authority.

“Despite government efforts to improve the living conditions of
children, particularly through social grants, almost two-thirds of all South
African children live in poverty. This is according to a report released recently by the SA Human Rights Commission and United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), based mainly on the 2009 annual General Household Survey.

Lack of food has had a permanent stunting effect on one in five South African kids.
The number of children with micronutrient deficiencies (especially vitamin A
and iron), caused by inadequate diet, doubled between 1994 and 2000.

“Close to five percent of children suffer from wasting and face a markedly increased
risk of death. Chronic under-nutrition in early childhood results in diminished
cognitive and physical development, which puts children at a disadvantage for
the rest of their lives,” according to the report.

On average, only a third of children live with both parents and children growing
up in female-headed households are more likely to be poor and hungry. About
20% of kids (1.9 million) have lost one or both parents – mostly as a result of
HIV/AIDS. About half a million kids live with foster parents.

The death rate for children under the age of five has not improved since 1990,
while maternal mortality (women dying in, or as a result of, pregnancy) has
increased by a shocking 80% since 1990. In total, some 75 000 children die before their fifth birthday. This toll of over 270 maternal and child deaths every day is mainly due to HIV and AIDS and poor implementation of existing packages of care.”

Children in the poorest households appear to have benefited least
from progress since the end of apartheid. The income situation of a child’s
family, race, location and to a lesser degree gender, determine the extent of
inequities in the fulfillment of children’s rights,” concludes the report. “

Disturbing. We can not find this acceptable. We will press on for the sake of the children.

In the middle of our time in South Africa God made it clear where the party should be and who we should invite. Pastor Amos and his recently planted church in Mkholombe, the large shanty town on the outskirts of Port Shepstone, were going to have the opening of the church in their new tent. Through the generosity of a couple donors, Two Tunics had been able to purchase a tent for Amos to use for the church meetings as well has his ministry Jesus’ Voice Kingdom Ministries. Amos had gained permission for use of some land for the tent to be set up on Sundays and on 20 March 2011 the church planned to have its first meeting in the tent. They would invite the members of their sister congregation as well as members of the local informal settlement (politically correct name for a shanty town). Obviously this was a great opportunity for a celebration party.

Originally light refreshments had been planned for after the service. But we were able to supply funding and groceries to prepare a meal that was truely a banquet for the 150 who attended. Amos’ wife and other women from the congregation stayed up through the night cooking. Tables and chairs were collected and delivered. The tent went up and the music started. Praise and worship with song and dance went on for nearly 2 hours. Then guests were introduced, prayers were said and messages shared. Mike gave a message based on The Parable of the Great Banquet after which Amos gave an invitation to those in the audience. Many indicated a desire to follow Jesus to his final eternal celebration. Eight children and 14 adults came forward professing new faith in Jesus Christ. Prayers were spoken over them and then the banquet started.

It was a great party and we were blessed to be a part of it. Our God is a generous God and a God who loves a celebration like the one we had this day when His Name is lifted up and He is glorified. We now know that there will be a few more in attendance at His final eternal banquet. We look forward to partying with them again some day.

In Africa orphans are and will be cared for in communities largely by extended families (aunts, uncles, grandmothers, brothers and sisters).  And it is not just the orphans who are vulnerable, but in many communities in South Africa poverty and AIDS makes nearly every child in the community vulnerable. In the face of the combined effects of poverty and AIDS, these communities and families are struggling to meet the needs of their children.

Two Tunics’ Communities for Kids Program and much of our Partner Support Program are aimed at helping families and communities care for their children. Communities for Kid addresses the needs of preschool children who are especially vulnerable without the support of a school environment. The program strives to assist community projects improve the safety, nutrition, education and spiritual growth of preschool age children in the community. Much of this is done through creches, which are preschool daycare centers in the community.

Psalm 68:5-6a states, “A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” We at Two Tunics believe families in communities is God’s plan for children. We are committed to assisting and building the capacity of those in AIDS affected communities in Africa to fulfill God’s plan for children.

Our organizational structure as well as the design of our programs needs to reflect the following goals based on a biblical approach to doing missions in poor communities.

1. Develop Effective Partnerships
2. Avoid Unhealthy Dependency
3. Avoid Paternalism
4. Avoid Providing Relief When Rehabilitation and/or Development is needed
5. Do Relief and Rehabilitation with a “Best Practice” Developmental Approach

Many of theses principles that we follow are from the outstanding book “When Helping Hurts” by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. We highly recommend this book to anyone working in poor communities. We at Two Tunics are committed to working in a non-paternalistic and developmental way to avoid creating dependency, even as we provide needed relief due to the ongoing crisis of AIDS in Africa.

The child sponsorships we were able to offer last year paid for school uniforms, school supplies and food parcels. We are generally able to work with the schools to get the school fees waived for these needy children.

With the success of this small program last year we committed to continue it for the 2011 school year starting in January. So for World AIDS Day 2010 (1 Dec 2010) we began an email fundraising campaign for our child sponsorship program. God is good and he is faithful! Thank you to all of you who responded to the appeal. Because of your generosity we are pleased to be able to provide 31 sponsorships to orphans and other needy children this year. Sponsors who requested information on their sponsored child will soon be receiving their initial reports.

The program still has many needs. Although we don’t anticipate taking on additional sponsorships this year there are often additional expenses to be met throughout the year. Field trips, sport uniforms and end of year Christmas parties require ongoing funding. If you would like to support these programs for our sponsored students you can designate your gift to Two Tunics for “Child Sponsorship Program”. You will bless a child and help fight HIV and poverty because education is one of the most important weapons in this battle.