Update from Silembe

I know it has been some time since posting an update....... Our family went on vacation, and Mike Jones, our Director for Africa, has also left Zambia to a stay of several months in the States.

Our Orphanage Director, Jo Anne Byrum, spends most of her time in the 'bush' at the Orphanage so she can't communicate with us regularly. She has recently sent us several items, and I want to share them with you.

From our Orphanage Director -Jo Anne Byrum (edited):

HI everyone! It has been a long time since I have written, and you may have been wondering what I have been up to.

Well, I have a friend staying here for about 4 months, and she has been a huge help and contributor at the Orphanage. Kathy came on May 21st, and she has a gift of communicating with the deaf. She has come to go out to Mapompi (the village area that includes Silembe and several others) to help teach some communication skills to the deaf children in the bush. Many of these children have only the signs they and their families have created. The communication between any one else doesn't exists, and definitely the deaf with the deaf can not communicate with each other.

She has just started teaching this week and we have seen our Father's mighty hand at work! One young girl, Betheal, was noticed mouthing all the words Kathy was telling her as well as signing them. We thought that she might have been able to hear at one time because she is able to make some sounds. So Kathy took Betheal's hand and put it to her throat and said Kathy, then Betheal put her hand to her throat and said Kathy. Well there was just shouting and Hallelujahs going out from all over the place! Betheal's mother was jumping up and down and crying and praising God too! Betheal was able to say MAMA for the first time to her own mother. So Kathy is very excited to get back out to the Children's home this coming week to see what other miracles may come her way.

As for the children -you know we now have eleven now. I hope you all are getting the news letter to keep you updated. Well, God had sent us Brain who is now 7 yrs old. and is HIV positive. When God sent him he weighed only 12 kgs. which is about 26lbs. I am happy to say that our Father is blessing him, and he is now up to 14.5 kgs that's about 31-32 lbs. He is taking a high protein supplement diet. I make it here from Soy flour, sugar, powder milk and corn meal. He has it 2x's a day between his reg. meals. I am also giving it to the younger children and have seen them stronger also.

Lovemore, he has the scaring in the right eye, went to the Zimba eye clinic when the American eye team came. The doctors examined his eye and said there was nothing that could be done in Zambia. Lovemore needs a corneal transplant and it has to be done by a special pediatric eye Doctor. It can only be done in South Africa or in the US. He would have to be in one of these countries for at least 6 months for the follow-up treatment as well. So I am leaving it in God's hands to heal him or to provide a means of medical treatment. Even if it means that he adjust his life to seeing out of only one eye, we'll have to find a solution for him. I have explained to his teachers that he needs to sit on the right side of the room so he can see the chalk board and the rest of the class more easily.

God has also sent us a little girl named Constance. She is 3 years old. I noticed early on that she didn't play or interact with the other children. She is suffering from what is known as detachment syndrome. She has lost her mother and now she has been separated from her grandparents. She has become very withdrawn. This week while at the children's house I have seen a break through though. She is now starting to be with the other children and I heard her laughing and saw her smiling at times this week. Praise God for this! I was really concerned that we might not reach her, but with the love of God being prayed over her day and night, God's grace is prevailing. When I leave the home I make it a point to go and tell her that I am leaving and inform her as to when I will return. I believe that by her seeing me leaving, and also coming back -is making her see that everyone who leaves doesn't always stay gone.

It is winter here now, and very cold. Here in Africa we don't have heat in the houses. Especially if the homes are made of grass! I wear lots of cloths in the morning and then peal them off as the day goes on -only to reverse the process as the evening returns. Soon it will be hot season again, and we will then be longing for a cool breeze.

I love being out in the bush, no electricity, only solar lights, right now no flushing toilets and a splash bath every night. Heat your water on the fire and take a bath. Really, this life is good, and the kids make it better. Thank you for all your prayers as you can see God does answer them.

Your servant to Jesus the Messiah, Jo Anne Byrum

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Please keep the team, the home, and the children at House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia, in your prayers. -Peace