Merry Christmas!

We LOVE you, we MISS you, and we are SO thankful for you.  What a comfort to know that ALL around the world, we will all stop and celebrate the same thing.  JESUS!   HE has done so much for us and for so many we know.  Truly “THE GIFT”!

(thank you Mike Pier- Missionary to Zim for this:) When Jesus made his appearance in our world, it wasn’t with a lot of fanfare and with extravagant celebration. He CHOSE to be born in Bethlehem, a city that surely wasn’t a vacation hotspot of the day, in a barn that was full of animals, hay, a few rats and poop, and in a manger…..a feeding trough.

If this is where the Creator of the universe chose to be born, if this is where God showed up on Earth…what is He saying to us?

I think Jesus was saying, “I’m a real person and I’m here to relate with real people, to meet them right where they are, in the dirty places, where there’s animals, rats and poop. Even if it smells bad, I don’t need a red carpet rolled out for me, cuz YOU can be real when you come to me….just as you are”

So many times we think I need to get myself straightened out, then I’ll go to church, do this, do that... I’m here to tell you…NOT SO!!!! I’ts just the opposite, Jesus loves a mess….and He loves cleaning up a mess. He already knows that we smell bad, that we are in a rough place and maybe have made a mess of our life Jesus always seemed to be in hot water with the “religious” folks of the day for hanging out with all those sinners. I for one am so glad Jesus decided to hang out with me and my mess.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!!!

Thought you would like to see this. A few more that HE met where they were.   It is our wrap up video from the BIG Christmas Celebrations.  The Lord allowed 6000 children in Swaziland, 3000 in Zimbabwe and over 1000 in Mozambique to hear, know and learn the message that “GOD is with them!”… what an incredible Savior!  thought you might want to see: http://www.childrenscup.org/2011-recap-for-christmas-at-the-carepoints/

Bless you!! and have a WONDERFUL Christmas celebrating with all those you love (or tolerate J)

 

It’s a great time for that end of year tax deduction, AND you can be a part of transforming lives in Africa.

 

 

amazed

God is SO incredible!  What a great season to celebrate all HE has done.

 

Wanted to first of all say THANK YOU for all of the prayers and support this past year.  Thank you for believing in what we are doing and equipping His work here in Swaziland.  We thought it would be fitting for you to understand just what that was this past year!

 

-Expansion-added 7 new CarePoints and have now reached over 5600 children monthly with food, medical care, educational support, and most importantly-the Love of Jesus.

-New orphan home-a way to reach out to provide in community care for the worst cases of orphaned and vulnerable children

-2 new church plants(construction underway now)

-Global Leadership Academy students- graduated 19 world changers today.-this is the next phase in our completion plan when our CarePoint kids get older

-leadership team.  We now have 48 local african’s working for us, and 21 missionaries all serving in a variety of capacities

 

All of this-GOD receives the Glory and credit for.  We are amazed at what HE has equipped and accomplished this year.

 

It is easy to get “lost” in the numbers, or to puff a chest at the above.  Please know-we recognize and see that it is NOT anything to do with us, but EVERYTHING to do with our heavenly Father.   We continue to focus on the “One”.  The one boy that met Jesus at the carepoint and introduced Him to his family, the one intern that was next in line in their family to be “sangoma”(witch doctor) and broke the curse by choosing to follow the Lord, the one child that sat in my lap and recognized that she has a father that loves her and sees that HE is always with her, the one that learned that serving is the greatest thing she can do to understand her own poverty.  We have thousands of “one” stories.  And all evoke our deepest emotions and greater awareness of God’s character and countenance.

 

We believe for great things in the year ahead.  Believe with us!  Will you pray with us and for us on January 1^st?  Just a minute to ask the Father to give us wisdom and guidance in the year ahead, to see His vision for the ministries of Children’s Cup Swaziland. 

 

We feel that the Lord is asking us to theme next year for Cup Swaziland.  “Going Deeper”.  Everything we do next year will be about deeper relationships, deeper faith, deeper connections, deeper training, deeper focus, etc.  The team is in place, and we are excited to bring all of our staff together in January for a 3 day training to set the tone and direction for 2012.

 

2012 will bring visits from Mitch’s mom and dad and 12 teams from the states.  It will bring a new focus on discipleship and nurturing relationships.  It will result in more children understanding and learning about Jesus in a deeper way…because of YOU! 

 

Thank you for your prayers- they have sustained us.  Thank you for your obedience in your financial giving-it has equipped us to cary out a small part of His work here in Swaziland.

 

We love and miss you deeply!

 

Committed,

 

Mitch and Charlotte

 

Christmas Update - 3 pics and a vid - opportunity to get involved

Well, Christmas celebrations are in full swing here in Swaziland and we are
SO grateful for your prayers and support that make all of this possible. We
are SO blessed! The kids have learned that "God is with them" (the theme
for the parties). Every area of the party has a training on that core
belief!

We are well! Looking forward to some down time over Christmas(still
dreaming of a white one, but it seems highly unlikely) and then Mitch's Mom
and Dad come for a visit as we kick off the new year.

We take time to reflect all that GOD has done this year in Swaziland. He
has doubled the outreach of Children's Cup Swaziland to nearly 6000
children. He has brought leaders to us from communities and businesses that
desire to love the hurting children we serve. HE has done so much...through
your help!

Thank you!

The above pics were taken today, the video links were from this week as
well(just click).

300 kids singing "jesus in the lover of my soul":
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150383578750812.353047.160850980
811&type=1#!/photo.php?v=2815509146904

Mitch being mitch:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150383578750812.353047.160850980
811&type=1#!/photo.php?v=2815448145379

If you believe in what we are doing here in Swaziland, would you PLEASE pray
for us on January 1st? That the Lord would give us wisdom, strength and
vision for 2012.

WOULD YOU CONSIDER A SPECIAL ONE-TIME TAX DEDUCTIBLE GIFT AS THE YEAR
APPROACHES IT'S END? (IF SO, PLEASE GO TO WWW.CHILDRENSCUP.ORG SELECT DONATE
AND OUR NAMES)

Bless you, thank you so very much for everything. We miss you, but LOVE our
kids!

Mitch and Charlotte
www.mitchionary.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/mitchchar