We are totally given out tonight! We played hard and LOVED being with the children of Thulwane care point. Our morning started with playing with the preschool children. There were 40 of them, so you know we got lots of hugs and everyone wanted to hold our hands! I think some of our team members have become attached at the heart with the children! The wind was very strong today and when we blew up the jump castle it started to blow away, but it wasn’t long before it was filled with so many children it would have taken a tornado to lift it! They laughed, giggled, and smiled from ear to ear.

Thank you to those of you who helped make this possible. The older kids began to arrive around noon and the fun was kicked into full gear. We had bubble gum bubble blowing contests. They ran relays eating crackers and trying to whistle. Plastic eggs were passed from child to child as they ran as quickly as possible. The children each got to put frosting on a cupcake along with sprinkles and then they got to eat them! Our team was blown away because they had to teach them how to peel the paper away and eat them. They had never had a cupcake before! Lunch was the highlight of the day as each child got a steak, pap (a heavy grits) and beens. No matter how big or small the child was they got the same amount of food. They LOVED the meat and some even tried to eat the bones. We fed about 250 children.

As I walked around watching the children eat their meal I was struck by the bounty of God! He provided the money for the day. He gave the missionaries a good deal on the meat and it was cheaper than chicken or sausage. The Swaziland missionaries worked all morning cooking over grills to prepare the steaks and the gogos prepared the pap and beans. God was so good! The children were so excited to get to eat the giant pieces of meat. I did see a few of them sneaking what they did not eat into their backpacks. My eyes began to fill with tears of gratitude for God providing so abundantly. Oh how I take being able to eat what I want for granted. My heart breaks to think of these children having one meal a day. Today was a day of abundance though and today we feasted! The children sang and danced at the end of the day expressing thanksgiving to God. They also did a play thanking God for providing the finances for them to go to school when their families cannot pay. My heart broke as the child was told, clean out your stuff, you must leave school. The child playing the role was so convincing. I wondered if he had heard the story played out over and over. The child went home to a sick mother in the play only to tell the parent they were sent home for good. The parent expressed sorrow at not being able to provide. The child then goes to the care point in the drama and at the care point they received food, loved and acceptance and in the end they were told they could apply for school fees to be paid by the care point. The play ended with the sick mother expressing thanksgiving to God for providing for their child.

The children thanked us over and over. They had a special day. As they left each child got a piece of fruit, cookies, and a birthday card made by children or on of our friends in America. Thank you again to all of those who were praying. It went great. Thank you to those who gave so this day could happen. You invested well. I sure wish you could have been here to see how God used your gift to bless so many. Tomorrow we head back to the care points to love on the children and teach them about Jesus. Please keep praying.