Dear friends and family,

Elizabeth and I send you our warmest greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are now three weeks into our third term of school and everything is settling well. In our last
newsletter we explained how the hostel would be closing, and there were approximately 60 students
that would need accommodation for the remainder of the year. I was particularly afraid that some
of my students would not be able to return because of that. However, God has answered our
prayers and all of my grade six students returned. Some of the parents opened their homes to
children and have taken six or eight of them at a time. By God's grace all but three students in the
whole school were able to return. We praise God that he has made a way for these students to
have good homes.

We were convinced that several of my grade six students would be unable to return so as a result
we accepted two new girls for grade six. Now that everyone has returned, we have a very full
classroom. The two new girls have fit in well and it is good to have a change in the dynamics of
the classroom. The two new girls are named Zintle and Anathi, please pray for them that they will
get adjusted quickly to their new school. As well as that they will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit
as we minister to them through the rest of the year.

Another change this term is the Grade 1 situation. The Grade 1 teacher never showed up for
school on the first day of class. We heard that she went for surgery on her kidneys but we
had been unable to reach her for the past month. Earlier today she showed up at the school
to collect her things and say good-bye. As is typical here, as I suppose in all mission situations,
you have to be flexible and ready for the unexpected. Elizabeth jumped in to take over Grade 1
and is absolutely loving it. The Grade 1 students are the same students that she taught for the
first term last year before taking over Grade 4. She loves the kids and they respond very well to
her. She has been able to do fun activities with the kids and it has been so refreshing for her to
have a classroom again. This is the third time since Elizabeth has been here that she has had to
assume the teaching position of a teacher that abandoned the post. We joke that it is her calling
in life to "fill in" and we have even playfully dubbed her the "official filler-in person". All joking aside,
it really is a gift of hers to be willing to adapt and help in any situation. She is so invaluable and
precious, not only to me but to the mission.

This past week was my birthday and I was not expecting anything from my students. Last year
they surprised me with a party, but this year I was certain they wouldn't. However with Elizabeth's
help they cunningly organized a surprise birthday party. It was such a blessing to me. My kids
made me birthday cards and several of them thanked Elizabeth and I for being their parents. One
girl, who is now orphaned, wrote to me saying that I was her "best teacher and parent" and that
"I meant more to her than anyone in the world." I was so moved by the love the kids have for
Elizabeth and I, and all the pains they went to to make this special for me. It is going to be hard
to leave them at the end of the year. I want to adopt them all and bring them home but I cannot.
The kids asked me again if we could stay and many of them cried when we told them that we
would be going home and not returning to South Africa. One of my girls has purposed in her heart
that she is going to come to Canada when she is older so she can teach my children. Anyway,
there are a few pictures of the surprise birthday party that will be posted on the website, I hope
you will view and enjoy them.

Prayer Needs:
" We still need money for our plane tickets. It is now imperative that we raise the money.
" Pray for the new grade six students, Zintle and Anathi.

May God bless you.

In Him,
Tyler & Elizabeth Jorgensen
Willowvale, South Africa
vdcs@iafrica.com
http://www.sugaweb.net/tylerliz.htm
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