Greetings from a freezing cold wintry Zimbabwe! We arrived back at Jabulani in early July after a very busy time in Northern Ireland where we had lots of preaching and fundraising events alongside precious family time, thank you for your prayers.
Already we are in term 2 at school and it’s all go! From early morning until night. A typical day involves rising at 5am with the children as they bathe and get ready for school, breakfast and packing lunches and then leaving for school at 6:20am arriving around 6:45am. The traffic is still pretty quiet then but if we wait even 15 minutes our journey would increase by 30 minutes at least!
The kids have school work until 1pm then sport and clubs most days til 3:30pm. Then we pick them up and are home at 4pm to change for dinner, wash shirts and socks and pants then homework. Then we all rest for an hour or so and watch a quiz programme and have our family quiet time and a few worship songs before bed at 8pm. There is no problems with sleeping!
The children are doing well at school and doing exams as we write this mid July, The COVID shut down of the country for over 18 months means our children have lost a huge chunk of education and it will take time to catch up but we are trusting God! The children are happy and generally well-behaved and enjoying life. With all children, there are challenges at times and also with ours, we are grateful to God for our care staff working closely with us and the children and seeking to guide them along the path of God. Please pray for them all.
Joseph has played soccer for the school team and is a keen Liverpool FC supporter and loves watching games with Dad. Grace is playing for the school hockey team and Hope and Blessing for the netball team. They are very enthusiastic and don’t like losing! We don’t know where they get that from!
At Primary school we have Abi, Sarah and Esther are representing the school at hockey, Hannah at soccer and Ruth in netball! So with Saturday and midweek games all over the city, we are kept busy! Faith is not really a sporty person but enjoys watching everyone.
Hannah had her 10 birthday in May and Grace turned 14 in July! Where have the years gone? Everyone is growing up fast, Abi also turns 10 and Joseph 13 in August.
We thank God for everyone’s health and Kuda has been very well during this winter and continues to eat well and is happy. We pray Luke 2:52 over all our children,
‘And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’
Our Grandson Daniel has finished school and waits on his A-Level results but has decided to come to Africa to serve the Lord for a year and arrives here at Jabulani in early August prior to going to Sports Academy George in South Africa and joining the team there. Please pray God will use him greatly and guide him while he is there.
The cost of living here has gone wild along with the rest of the world. Everyday goods have doubled in price along with fuel etc and we thank every one of you who financially support Jabulani. Without your help we would not be able to function. We are very grateful for your prayers and love and support.
May God bless you all richly.
I have been reminded recently of these words spoken to me many years ago…
ONLY ONE LIFE WILL SOON BE PAST,
ONLY WHAT’S DONE FOR JESUS WILL LAST.
May our Lord enable us to finish the course,
much love from Jabulani,
Alan and Dorothy
