Great news! We found out this past week that South Africa will indeed renew my visa for 2 more years! This is great news considering how many missionary families that we have heard have recently been forced to leave South Africa. Thank you for praying with us for this big hurdle!
We are so blessed that Emi’s Closet is approaching 400 children now how receive daily immune-boosting vitamins. I’m also able to add a fresh fruit drop once a month to each preschool so that each kid can have their own apple. I hope to increase that to once a week by the end of the year if possible. We’re also starting to plan a retreat for the first term of next year to bless all the ladies who run these little pre-schools. I want it to be a time of spiritual input for them and a time to bless them for all they pour out for the little ones. Here are a few pics from last week’s fruit/vitamin day.
Our treasure project, making art items made from recyclable materials, continues to expand. We are so blessed to have made a connection with a network in Birmingham, Alabama called the Grace Klein Community. They loved our little project and asked if they can buy some of our products and re-sell them on their ETSY store. It is so cool. All of the money they make from this store goes to support different missions projects globally, and they buy all of the items from existing global missionaries (like ourselves) so it’s a win win. Check out the ETSY store where our tREasures are now available - it's called Be More Random here:
You can see our card sets, coffee bean coasters, and wooden key hangers that we’re making from recycled materials.
It would be great if you guys could share that link on your facebook page or via email, and help us get the word out that our crafts made from recyclable materials are now available in the U.S.!! And that is what is helping us fund the added fruit delivery. We’re going to be offering some great Christmas card sets soon. I will send you photos soon if you would like to order some to give your friends and family.
Marius continues to rock along at the coffee shop and with Global. They have a community wide business prayer meeting now every 2 weeks, and that is growing with local business owners. This is exciting stuff as some of these guys aren’t even believers yet! The mall has taken quite a hit lately with the opening of a brand new huge mall about 30 minutes away. Hopefully things will get back to normal when the initial hoopla is over.
We recently got to go to Bloemfontein for Emi’s cousin’s birthday parties. Don’t Marius and his sister look alike? They girls had so much fun playing together!
Today is the beginning of 3 week winter break from school, as you guys in the States are enjoying a hot sunny summer! Emi has been enjoying kindergarten and she is looking forward to first grade next year. Only one more term of kindergarten left. (How did that happen??)
I know many of you are on vacation now, but please don’t forget about us. Our last wire was about 1/3 of what it normally is, and it is winter here and utility bills still need to get paid somehow…. Please know that we love and appreciate all of you dearly. Happy summer and many blessings from the Deetlefs family!!
sincerely,
Jodi, Marius, Emi, and Zoe
