We here at Kedesh are giving a loonngg over due update.  So firstly an apology for that fact.  But here it is.

  We had a lot of visitors this year.  Over the Northern hemisphere’s summer we had people coming and going nearly constantly this year.  In addition to the normal teams and visitors Dave and Jo’s parents came out an spent time getting to know Kedesh and all the goings on here.  It was excellent for me (john) to get to know them after so many years.  Dave and I actually go back 10+ years.  That is when Dave first came out.  So to meet their makers (Dave and Jo’s) was good for me, and hopefully them as well.

  We had some old timers come back as well and some new timers that plan on coming back.

  Heather Prichard who came originally in ‘99 came for a visit TWICE these last few months.  Her first visit this summer she came with a Zimbo friend of hers Hulani.  They were taking a break from where they work in Zim.  The second time she came with some friends of hers from England, Heathers native land.  She has decided to join us more permanently after her brothers wedding in the spring. 

  Heather, is a Occupational Therapist and plans to help and refine our working with the boys in preparing for life.  She says she has psychological training as well and will be looking for cracks in the staff…. Anyone who knows us knows that does not require training.  But we’ll humor her.

  It will be nice to have another female on hand crashing ‘the boys’ party.  We resist-- but love it.  Jo I’m sure will relish having another female in this ‘X’ waste land.  We had planted many paw-paw (papaya) trees in hopes of giving Jo other females to bond with (Papaya trees unlike most other tress are male and female) but Heather will probably work out better, she can go for walks with Jo!!!  That probably wasn’t a very politically correct joke towards papaya trees, exposing their weaknesses publicly like that.  I apologize.

  Dave Jo and Grace had to leave us a bit unexpectedly last month.  Jo, who has been growing in stature, mainly because she was pregnant, was preparing to go back to England to give birth when some complications came up.  They all flew to SA to get a second opinion from the doctors there.  The ones here weren’t filling them with confidence.  The next day, at 30 weeks, Jo under went an emergency C section and little 1.5 kg Ezra came into the world!!!  Welcome Ezra!!!  He has had some complications but appears to be responding well growing quickly we look forward to having another Y around.  GO Y’s!!!!

  The down side of this birth in SA is that I thought I had Dave around till Dec but under the obvious circumstances he is in SA with Jo Grace and Ezra and they won’t be able to travel for some time now.  When Ezra does get big enough they plan on going to England and showing him off.  After that the plan is to return to Kedesh.  All these dates and plans are all dependant on Ezra, and he hasn’t told us just yet…

   As far as building is concerned the house is coming along nicely.  We have bought the wood flooring and it is about 1/3 done.  The trusses are about ¾ done.  The boys have been helping in all this and really enjoying watching the house go up at their hands.  They have also been putting on the finish layer of cement that gives the walls a nice smooth finish.  Now, went I walk back and forth on our property the house is gaining a more finished ‘house’ look to it rather then a ‘what‘s that gonna be’ look.  It is still a ways off but I hope to be moving into it with in a month just to be a guard that things we are putting in aren’t stolen at night.  The boys have started sleeping over there on a recreational basis. 

  We have a new couple coming next week.  Tyler and Danii Kutscheid from the states.  They are newly weds who will be here for about 5 months.  Danii, an artist, plans on painting murals all over Kedesh and we will start with the boys room.  So Kedesh will start looking entirely different and colorful starting in a couple of weeks.  Good bye cement gray!!!  Tyler will be helping us on the agri side.  I’m really excited to have them!

  Joao Simao has been a great help with us in the years here and his plans have always been to move on to bigger and better things which has manifest itself in a Ywam base in SA.  He will be a staff member there, as well as continuing his education.  Joao has been a huge help while been here the last couple of years.  He has been a great example and encouragement to the boys being their dorm father.  He as well has been doing a lot of carpentry work for us as well.  The most obvious of all he built three picnic tables for out door eating, which has been a big hit.  We really needed the space as well.  We wish the best for him and are sad to see him go, but are proud to send him off as such a great person.

  The boys continue to be such excellent kids.  They forever impress me and others who come through.  There is just an excellent attitude, willingness, and contentment with them.  I would love to Thank our God, YHVH for that work.  I am grateful utmost for His work that is the main driving force, reason for being.

  Our place has become something of a hang out as well now.  So even though we have only 19 boys there are usually something to the effect of 30 that are here eating, sleeping, playing, working, building.

  As far as the obstacle course is concerned we just received a donation from a local trucking company, J & J, of among other things all the old tie down straps from their trucks, hundreds of them of all sizes.  So we have completed our net climbing wall, which is a big hit with the boys.  They are constantly over there going up and down it.  I have seen a hammock go up and ‘hand rails’ for our ascending descending balance beam, swings and climbing ropes are everywhere.  Most of the boys have made them selves belts and head bands making Kedesh look like something of a Karate camp.  We will also be making lawn chairs out of them.  Thanks J&J!

  We have had a few good rains and it looked like the rainy season was off to a good start.  But now it hasn’t rained for a couple of weeks and I’m wondering again what kind of a year this will be.  Since Kedesh runs on our own well this is an important issue for us, keep it in your prayers.

  We are extremely blessed and have a wonderful life here.  I frequently look around and just laugh at all the good things.  Goats chickens fish all doing well, I do live a bless life.  Thank you all for helping and investing in it, may you share in the joy as well.  So in this time of the American Thanks Giving I give thanks to all of you joined with us. And mostly to our King of the Universe, Creator of the World and of Kedesh…

Thank you, we are grateful.

John