St. Philip's Hostel for Children Newsletter
December 2004
  The following is a newsletter created by Diana Bos, Director of St. Philip's Hostel for Children, and sent to those who have chosen to sponsor a child. To learn more about Sponsoring a Child in Swaziland, please click here.
 

Dear Friends,
The year has almost ended and here in Swaziland summer has arrived with a vengeance; the days are heavy with humidity and temperatures range from 90-110 degrees. There has not been any substantial rain and the drought continues, with many river beds dried up and failed crops for the third year in succession.

As usual, I have much to tell you, and will commence with the news that Henk and I have decided to leave Swaziland. This decision is a bittersweet one for us, but was made after much reflection, and for many reasons. We will be departing on December 7, and returning to Melbourne via New York.

We have considered it a great privilege to have had the opportunity to work in rural Africa, and have learned much about ourselves and the people there over the ten years we have been involved with St Philip’s Mission. We will miss many things, for example, the relaxed lifestyle and the friendliness of the Swazis, the special relationships with the sick and needy people we have helped, and especially our ninety-nine African children. It has been a wonderful experience to see the children grow and develop both physically and emotionally over the last three years that the program has been running. It has certainly brought a new dimension to our lives. However, it will be nice to be back with our family and friends again, as we have missed them a great deal.

Sr. Diane Dalle Molle, MSC is now Administrator at the mission; she is assisted by Aurora Sibug, a Cabrini Lay Missionary and Sr. Barbara Staley, MSC who has come to help for the next few months. In addition, another Cabrini Lay Missionary, Mary MacKinnon will arrive in January, and two CMC Missioners will come for a two year commitment beginning in February.

As you can imagine, it is a challenging time of transition for the Cabrini Community, as well as for the people of St Philip’s.
 

The Children
All the children are excited about parties, which are imminent. Tomorrow there will be a special Mass, dancing and a feast for some of the community members who are leaving, including us. This will be a big celebration, with many invited guests as well as locals from the community, and we are looking forward to the day. Then on Dec 2nd we are planning a break-up party just for the hostel children and staff; they have requested ice cream, chocolate cake, and lots of dancing and music! Also, the crèche children have their graduation party on December 1st, when all but two of our nine hostel children will be moving up to grade one in the Primary school for 2005.

 

Education
A prize-giving ceremony was held in October, as mentioned in the last newsletter. The tutors presented the prizes and it was a happy evening. The children have just finished writing their Term 3 exams and now it is wind-down time at school, with much cleaning and tidying up to be done in the next week.
  Activities
Over the last three months the boys have been making many wire cars and driving them around the mission. Some of these toy vehicles are quite sophisticated – one older boy actually made a double decker bus, with seating upstairs and downstairs. Around the same time I distributed pieces of fabric, cotton and a needle to all the girls and they hand-sewed skirts for themselves. Then last week, after the Australian goods arrived, I distributed knitting yarn and the children have been busy crocheting/knitting hats and skirts. They just love this activity and sit around in groups during the weekend doing their handiwork. The children, including many of the boys, learn this craft in Home Economics classes and enjoy it very much.
 

New Hostel
It is planned that this will open at the beginning of the 2005 school year. More details will be provided in the next newsletter.
 

Thank You
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support and interest. As I have said before, without you, the sponsors, the program would not survive. Your help has been much appreciated by me and I have enjoyed our association. I feel confident that you will continue your support for the good of this mission.

I hope that you and your loved ones have a Happy and Safe New Year.

With love,
Diana Bos

  P.S.
On behalf of all the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and our collaborators in the Stella Maris Province, I wish to thank Henk and Diana Bos for their years of dedicated service and presence in Swaziland. They have done so much over a period of time that has seen the growth and transformation of St. Philip’s Mission.

Our mission presence continues and future newsletters will keep you updated on all that is happening. We are so grateful for your prayers, interest and financial support. Through you and with you, we do make a difference.

United,
Sr. Bernadette Anello, MSC
President and CEO
Cabrini Mission Foundation
 

Please click here to learn more about Sponsoring a Child in Swaziland.

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September 2004

January 2004

July 2003

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May 2002