JANUARY MESSAGE FROM THE HILLS 

One Heart International

Dear Friends,

We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season and are starting 2012 off well!  Thanks for your prayers this past year and for the help in sending us off to Africa.  As we look back on s that we have made here in South Africa, new friendships, and opportunities to serve the poor and vulnerable and share God's love with them.  Thanks for your help along the way. 

How did you spend Christmas Eve?  Our family had the unique opportunity to spend the afternoon at the "Ingwe Emabala" (Leopard's Spots) orphanage in KwaMashu township outside of Durban.  We packed up stacks of shoe boxes filled with goodies for the kids at the orphanage into the team Land Rover.  We had difficulty connecting with Eric and Tracy at the orphanage; so we just took a chance and showed up as a surprise.  And what a surprise it was!  We unloaded mini cupcakes, cookies, candy and soda and had a little impromptu Christmas party on the front yard.  The kids were so happy and excited.  The littlest boy, who was just recently dropped off at the orphanage, was packing away the goodies just as fast as he could.  It brought a smile to everyone's face.

Logan and Morgan were an instant hit and proceeded to make friends and play with the kids on the broken down jungle gym in the back.  What a lesson to see our children just jumping in to a "play date/party" with the orphans, without thinking of color or socio-economic status.  It was just a fun time with new friends for them.  If only the world's adults could be as impartial and free from prejudice ...

Pam wanted to interact with the kids and so she started playing hand/lap clap rhymes with them; which they loved.  One little guy just enjoyed being lifted up into the air.  He would giggle with glee.  What fun to share simple moments of joy with these children who are so desperate and have had such tough lives!  After a time, we brought the kids over to the vehicle and handed out the Christmas boxes, and some special presents to the house parents as well.  Our team got them some special treats that they wouldn't buy for themselves, as well as a gift card to a local grocery store to feed the family.  They were blessed to tears and told us that if we had not come, they would not have had anything for the kids for Christmas or a holiday meal. 

We have often heard how George Mueller prayed for his orphanage and at the last minute someone would show up with just what he needed for the kids.  It was an incredible blessing to be the ones to show up as an answer to prayer!  The kids were so excited with all the things in their boxes (pencils, markers, new toothbrushes, candy and little toys.)  The number one hits were a squirt gun (in one of the big boys' boxes) and face cloths!  Go figure on that one.  Tracy was most excited that they all got pencil bags, which Pam and her friends had made for them.  Thanks for your part in helping us.  As we were leaving Eric said to me, "Really, we need you!"  Pray for the youngest child (sorry, still working on learning all the names) who has a very distended tummy and some gray patches on his hair.  It may be malnourishment or even a very bad case of worms.  Eric also asked us to pray about a placement for the oldest boy, who is disabled.  He says that they are finding it very hard to care for him since he has been wheel chair bound.  They are having to change diapers, and provide care that they are not equipped for.  Please pray that we will be able to work with them and the social welfare agencies to find a good place for him with occupational and physical therapy opportunities.

Our visas are still M.I.A.  Or more properly "Missing in INaction".  There has been no progress or movement at all with them again this month.  We are thankful that we haven't been asked to leave the country, but we are very ready to settle the visa issue and have the freedom to move about in the neighboring countries.  Pray for our team as they do a survey trip this weekend to Lesotho to prepare for a big outreach event there in March with a group from a church in Cape Town.  Please pray that our visas will come in before that trip, so that Steve can take part.  We are taking hats, boots, and blankets up to share with the rural poor in Lesotho for the coming winter months.  If you can knit or crochet hats, we are looking for help with that.  They would need to be mailed by mid-February at the latest.  Let us know if you are interested in helping with some homemade hats. 

Tomorrow is the first day of the new school year for both of our children.  Logan will be starting second grade and Morgan will be starting K4.  Please pray for them as they make the adjustments.

We have spent the past seven months settling in, learning our way around, getting our children settled, networking with area churches and ministries, making a few trips into Lesotho (while we were still on our tourist visas), and finding out about the existing work in the local area with the poor and vulnerable.  As the new year dawns, we are fasting, praying and seeking God for vision for the work ahead for 2012.  Please pray with us as we spend some time setting goals and organizing our schedule this month.  We want to include time working with the street kids, feeding the homeless, making mission trips into neighboring countries, caring for orphans, and doing community development in the slums.  We have good solid leads and ministry opportunities in all of those areas.  Now we just need to put it together into a workable plan for dividing our time, while still maintaining our church activity and family life.  It's a balancing act that will need great wisdom and we appreciate your prayers. 

Thanks for being faithful in your prayer and financial support.  Some of you have been partnering with us for many years.  We need your help to keep serving "the least of these".  Without you ... it wouldn't happen.  We can make a difference together!
 

Serving Him Together with One Heart,

Steve & Pam Hill

Please make tax-deductible donations payable to:  One Heart International Mission, PO Box 210 Dublin, PA  18917

Contact us:

24 Gordon Rd, Hatton Est, Pinetown, KZN 3610, SOUTH AFRICA

011-27-79-198-7159

onehearthills@gmail.com

Web: http://oneheartint.weebly.com/

Or find us on Face Book:  Steven Hill or Pam Rowling Hill