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| Pasture Valley Children's Home for OrphansSwaziland is one of the countries worst affected by HIV/AIDS. With a population which is more than 40% HIV positive, there are many orphans left to fend for themselves. There are many child headed families and many neglected or abused children. We could not ignore the situation around us and wanted to help in some way. So, in October 2003 in response to a call from our Lord, Jesus Christ, we established a small orphanage on Pasture Valley.
The children stay in a cottage on the farm where Gogo (means grandmother in Siswati) Constance takes care of them. They attend a school nearby. The ChildrenThe children's names are:
Pasture Valley Children's Home Newsletter
Hi Everyone! I do hope you have all had a blessed Easter. I had not anticipated writing a letter so soon again, but would appreciate your prayer on some things happening here. Today has been quite an eventful day. I arrived back from work to find that the kids had taken out the dress-up box and had made 2 seats on which the king and queen had to sit. Peter and I had to walk down the aisle where the “soldiers” saluted us and then we were sprayed with petals and once seated on the royal throne were presented with flowers and a song. This brought such joy to my heart! We felt so truly honoured and blessed by these beautiful children. Gogo Constance was also given the royal treatment. Little did the children know that we had to make an important decision tonight? The Child Protection Unit visited Pasture Valley this morning and asked Peter if we would consider helping them with a child that needed a home. The police found the little boy on a rubbish heap. The mother of the child had been found and has been arrested as this is her second attempt to kill the child. The previous time she had tried to set the child alight. She has gone through some terrible times herself and cannot cope any more. As you know, we had decided a while ago that we would no longer take in any more children as the home is not big enough and it would not be fair on Gogo Constance. We always discuss all cases with Constance and she insisted that this was from God and we were not to refuse what God has given us. She paralleled it to a crown that God gives us and we were not to throw the crown away. We prayed together and Peter was lead to read from Matthew 18. We did not know the little boy’s name and when Peter called the Police to let them know of the decision that was made to accept the 16month old boy, he was told his name was Piwankosi (I am not sure if I have spelt this correctly) which means “brought by God”. I do not think his name was a co-incidence. Please pray for this child, for the other children who will have to adapt to a new brother and for strength for Gogo Constance. We will be asking one of our staff to assist Constance for a couple of hours each day to do the housework to allow her some time with this new child. Today’s journal entry for the farmer from Angus Buchan is “those who sow in tears will reap in joy”.
These past months have been really hard for me as I was required to be away from home a lot travelling in Zambia and working over weekends etc. I was seeing less and less of my children and family and needed to refocus on what meant more to me. I took the painful plunge and resigned 2 weeks ago and offered to work on a part time basis if required. I now rely 100% on God’s provision for what I need to do in the month’s ahead and have no plans. This is so contrary to my personality that needs to have a plan for everything (I drive Peter mad with lists and what if’s scenarios), but have a peace about it. However, this transition is not going to be easy. Please pray for God’s will to be done in my life. Nontobeko was kindly offered a wonderful opportunity to do some skills training as a waitress at a golf course estate close to where I work by the Swaziland Charity Trust. She will do this for 3 weeks during her school holidays that start next week. She is very excited and we wish her well in this training. Funny how God works because we in turn have offered some skills training to 2 young boys (the sons of an Anglican minister) for 3 weeks during the same period here on the farm. Let’s hope they survive the experience! We were visited by a friend from the UK last month. She has been involved in gathering statistics on AIDS around the world and has assisted with various projects including an orphanage and home based care programme in New Guinea. The Swaziland AIDS situation still looks very bleak. I felt quite hopeless when looking at the magnitude of the problem. So many children and adults need help. She suggested that we try and reach out to the communities by assisting the children that are vulnerable within the homesteads i.e. to identify needs of the child/children and assist on a monthly or yearly basis. Having lived in Swaziland for a while, I am a little wary of merely handing out cash or food but maybe we could assist by paying the school fees of a child or providing seedlings for a garden to feed the children or help in other ways. This way we reach out to a larger number of children. I do not have all the answers, but would appreciate your feedback on whether you who support us would think this would be worthwhile to pursue. We have already been blessed with the donation of a Pajero vehicle for use for the children by some other dear friends now living in the UK. Thank you so much for your unselfish giving. This vehicle may be a tool for use to reach many more in need in the future. We continue to pray for a volunteer to help with the teaching at the children’s’ home. I know that God will send someone in His time.
I cannot thank you all enough for all you do. Please do not stop praying, keep on persevering and keep on aiming for that crown at the end of the race… God bless, Peter, Michelle and all at Pasture Valley “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. “ 1 Peter 5:7
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Peter & Michelle McCubbin
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