Dreams Taking Flight- a background

Dreams Taking Flight is a work program for the boys who live at the center, and for those young men who have been re-integrated with family. The program allows these youth to gain employment in the business community. Each is taught how to create a CV (resume) and then how to actually look for a job. They have never done this before. The first time they go with me, I do the talking to the prospective employer so they can actually see and hear what is said. At the next business stop, they are given their CV, they go in by themselves and talk to the prospective employer. There is such a gleam in the eyes, and a smile on the face, when a youth comes back without his CV in hand. Success is measured in such small steps in this new program. At this time there are three young men working at a bulk food distributor (like Costco in America) and one is working at the local grocery store. These young people are in need of transportation and lunch funding. The average pay is approximately $90 a month for 30 days work, 12 hours each day, with Sunday off to rest. Of course, buying food for the family, transportation cost and eating lunch takes up the majority of their pay. Funding to help transportation costs would allow more of the paycheck to go toward food, etc. for the family. For some families, this is the only source of income.

This program is invaluable and I am excited to see how God uses it to help change the lives of the boys for the better!

Dreams taking flight

I talked a little before about Dreams Taking Flight but I wanted to give you a little picture into the potential that this program has. When these boys go to work they are not just earning a little extra spedning money, they are providing for their families.

One boy has a family including his mom, 3 siblings, an aunt and 2 cousins all living together. He has asked me to ask his employer if he can stay working with them when school starts. He will be in 10th grade and go to school from 6pm-10pm. He will work from 7:30am until 5:00pm to help put food on the table. For him, it costs about $12USD a week for transport and lunch.

Another boy now lives with his grandmother and feeds and clothes her. His cost per week is more because he lives further out in the bush - about $15USD a week. I could go on and on, but this is just a little example of how important this program is. To help break the poverty level of one boy of this generation, is such an answer to the call of God!

I now have 15 boys looking for work. Pray God opens more doors for employment!

If you would like to make a donation to off set the travel expense for one of the boys it would be such a blessing and an encouragement to these boys. If you would like to make a donation click here and in the designation box put "Dreams Taking Flight."

https://www.thecause.org/index.php?c=home&type=menu&section=5~donate

Missionary friends and Apple of Gold

Recently, we had two fun opportunities to strengthen relationships of the long-term missionaries at the center. We get so busy here with all the different times people are busy, it is very rare we all get to be together for over an hour at a time. These two events we fun and blessed moments together.

First, we had a "girlz night out"! All of we missionary gals met in our long-term missionary building about 8pm on a Friday night. It was one of our Brazilians b-day, so we celebrated. We played games and had LOTS to eat (our Brazilians are notorious for cooking here), facials, massages, pedicures and manicures! It was so much fun!

Second, we did the first Apples of Gold dinner with Bob and Betty (missionaries from Canada) . It was Italian (had to use Bob, he made the manicotti). Actually, Bob and Betty did all the cooking, while I was in charge of all else. For dinner we had: Italian flatbread with the oil dip, minestrone soup, Italian green salad, lasagna, manicotti and Italian Cheese Cake. All the food was from scratch! We opened the evening with just the women present. I explained what Apples of Gold was and how we adapted it to here in Africa at the center, specifically. I say "adapted" because many of the ingredients we cannot get here, so we improvise. Betty had the recipes printed for everyone and demonstrated how she made the bread and lasagne. After she was finished, I spoke about Friendship. I used several of the girls here as examples in my life of Friendship, as well as "gal friends" from the bible. Betty also spoke of her Friendships here. After this hour of tim etogether, the men joined us for dinner.

My part was to "set the mood", so I prepared the room as a restaurant with six tables at odd angles covered with red and white checkered tablecloths. The centerpiece: a candle, and a gerber flower laying by the candle with tiny white wildflowers resting on it beside a golden apple. I had place settings to mix up the people and I called the names out for each table and seated one table at a time. One married couple was at each table. There was Italian music playing in the background and tiny white lights were hanging around at the entrance. Everyone visited over the appetizer of bread and dip. To begin dinner, Betty dipped the soup into bowls and I served. Next the salad, lasagna and manicotti was put on each table and everyone ate "too much" - but still had room for the cake! Everyone had a lovely time and we gave gifts to our Directors, Steve and Ros. After the holidays, two of the gals are going to do the second Apples of Gold and have already said dinner would be Tex-Mex! There are no Mexican restaurants here or in Nelspruit, SA....so I am really looking forward to it.