Newsletter

December 2001

Dear Friends

What a day we have had, nothing like planned, this seems to be the norm though, our babies make sure of that.
I received my first telephone call at 6.45 am, it was Rene, who has come to work with us from South Africa, to give news which shocked me, little Max and Maxim a set of twins, had both with in a hour of each other given up their fight against the HIV virus. Although I know that they are rejoicing in the Heavenly Nursery, to tell a father that after his wife died three month ago in child birth due to HIV /Aids, he now has lost both the babies in one go, is not an easy task, in fact a very painful one. The father himself will not have much time left. Makes you think doesn't it.
Only yesterday afternoon both of them smiled big at me, they where not well I knew that, but their smiles where so beautiful to watch and gave me hope. Life is so precious and can be gone so sudden.We need to be ready.
After having dealt with the hospital and mortuary at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, I went to see our little miracle in the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital. In an incubator, with lots of tubes attached to him is little Peter, yes little, he is only 950 grams.Six days ago his mum had her 10th birth deep in the rural area, she was 45 years old and died immediately after the birth of a set of twins, number 10 and 11. The family took the two tiny little infant and cycled for two days to get to the nearest welfare officer, who took the babies with the relative to us for a long ride on bad roads to Kondanani "Caring Hands Infant Home". We put the babies in the incubator, put tubes in to their tummies for feeding, but on Wednesday the little girl died, she was smaller than her little brother and the trip and the birth had been to much for her. Little Peter was admitted to the hospital.
He had quite an important visitor today, the President and First Lady of Malawi, they had gone to visit someone and when they left could see the baby in he incubator and requested to see him, my first thought was that is great perhaps he will pay the bill ( naughty) We have a big God, He will supply our need .
After getting home from visiting the little bundle, rejoicing over his improvement, I got an other phone call to say that an other set of twins Rees and Ricco are not well and little Chrissie has a high temperature. Off to the hospital again for a malaria test with Chrissie which was negative, we treated her for malaria in any case and with some cold bath and paracitamol the temperature is dropping.
We put the twins on medication and prayed for the children.We believe in His Healing Power.
Who says that Saturday is a day of rest?

The renovations of the new house we bought are completed and the whole house is painted, it looks sooooooooooooooooooo fantastic, I can hardly believe it.
What a privilege to bring up the children in such a lovely place, our God is good I tell you. I sometimes sit outside looking at this great miracle of a house and say to myself,
"how on earth did this happened, I am truly employed by THE BIG FIRM - FATHER SON AND HOLY GHOST.We can only give back to God what He has given us and worked through us, He gets all the Glory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have started play school with the two year olds, they are so clever and really love it.We sow the seed of the Word into their hears so they become men and women of God.
They also have their own play ground separated from the younger ones, the students from one of the High schools spent two weekends putting up play ground equipment. We have no problems with their afternoon sleep now, they are so tired, no longer havoc with 10 of them climbing into one cot. Precious little blessings they are and they usually behave very well.

We had a group of 7 volunteers coming over from Northern Ireland. They all did a fantastic job. Two where child play specialists who taught our nannies to run the play school.
An other two did refresher courses with the nannies in baby care.
The other three held clinic at "Kondanani Children's Village" for the children under the age of five, from the surrounding villagers, two of them are qualified nursing sisters. They had quit a heavy task an will not easily forget their time at the clinic. There where an average of 55 children to attend to per day and many of the problems they came with was not familiar to them, they where so tired every day, but the people where so grateful.

My sister and her husband have been for the third time this year, they are doing a great work for Kondanani in Holland.It is very special when ones own family gives support. We really appreciate them.

Our children's village is coming on the first house is ready and in the new year the first children will move in, we are all exited about it. We have to put the furniture in, we had some nice bunkbeds made, it is going to be a real home a happy home for the children.
We have started with the foundations of an other two houses, it is rainy season now again and we never quite know when we can and cannot work due to the rain, it is difficult to plan.
I have found it quite hard to oversee so much of the work although in the process I have learned how to build. Someone from Wales is coming to help for a while and I will be so grateful when he arrives on the scene.
My husband Lewis has been a great help but has also spent much time with the Malawi House of Prayer, our country needs prayer, Islam is expanding, democracy is failing and there is a lot of prayer going on. The Moslems have petitioned the President to deport a Christian missionary because he is preaching the gospel and they say he is confusing the people, so much for the so-called peace of Islam, don't be fooled.

We have two more people coming to join the Kondanani family.
On the 29th of December Chris is arriving from Holland, she is a highly qualified nursing sister and is going to pioneer the clinic, please pray for her, we know that God has called her onto the mission field and we know that she is going to be a blessing to the many who will come to her for help. She will at the same time have a wonderful opportunity to show and speak the Love of Jesus.
It is however not an easy task to set up a clinic in a foreign country, with a different culture and language.

In Jan 2002, Alan is arriving from Oxford UK, he will take on a lot of my duties as the General Manager of Kondanani.
God is going to use him, he has given up everything in the UK to get more as a missionary, not in earthly goods ofcourse. I went to his apartment and here is this precious man selling all his beautiful antiques without batting an eye lid because God has called. He will find out that it is worth it all.

I went to the UK in October for three weeks for a very much needed rest.
I could not resist doing a little bit of work, I went up North to Warrington to meet a precious couple by the name of Patricia and John who are working very hard on behalf of Kondanani and yet they had never met me,only watched the TV programs. We had wonderful fellowship and their church invited me to speak in the evening, it was special.

Rory Alec of God Digital has been again with his team to film the progress of Kondanani. The screening I believe will be around Christmas time, so if you live in the UK find out when exactly. Some of you will see the baby you sponsor.
God Digital has been through the Angel Trust been a tremendous support for us as an organisation.

And so have many of you who get this letter, whatever you have given has been of great value to the children, through you we have been able to dress them, feed them and give them medical care and because we are happy and not stressed, we are able to give them all the love and cuddles they need. We pray that the fruit of your giving may abound to your account.

It is nearly Christmas, we are going to have our Christmas party on the 22nd of this month.

The Kondananians wish you all a very blessed Christmas,with Jesus at the centre for He is the reason for Christmas. May the New Year 2002 be a year of joy for you.
God be with you till we meet again.

Love Lewis and Annie Chikhwaza and the Kondanani family.