stories of hope!

as you might be aware myself (tim) and maz have been enjoying some much needed family and holiday time in europe over the last few weeks and we are so thankful to the team of wonderful volunteers and staff who valiantly held the fort whilst we were away....to have such a team around us takes away that stress and strain when we are away and the legacy of the project is the fact that the project can run without us being as involved in the day to day stuff which is really cool.

whilst we were away we had the opportunity to meet up with family and friends in england and france and we were able to share highlights and update people on the work we are doing both at the village of hope and the wider thembalitsha foundation. we also had the chance to speak at a couple of churches and a surprise fundraising event with our main focus on encouraging everyone that they can make a difference whether they are called to set up a HIV project in south africa or called to provide a hot meal to a needy neighbour wherever they live!

upon our return we were able to celebrate the amazing news of our successful application for the village of hope to be registered as a temporary place of safety which we have been waiting and praying for over the last year or so, as has been highlighted before much credit for this must go to maz who has been a stalwart in ensuring that this registration came through under the correct government department and within the new children's act, of which she is an expert.

however our successful registration wasn't the only incredible news that we are able to share, what must go down as a true miracle happened yesterday as two of our village of hope children have been officially adopted by an amazing american family, who we were able to join for a celebration braai at the elgin country club last night. the parents, brent and karla, have been visiting our thembalitsha projects for a number of years now and we are so pleased that these two children will now have the opportunity of a lifetime to grow up in a stable loving home with a mum and dad who can provide the basis of a life in the united states.

the underlying success of the village of hope is the fact that around 40 children have now been placed back home with their own families here in south africa and that continues to be desire, however for some that isn't that easy so we are so pleased in the outcome that has happened to these two dear little ones...should you want to read more about this fantastic story then please visit the families blog by clicking on this link, we are sure you will be inspired.