This year is now rapidly coming to a close, and yet in many respects it feels like we are only getting started! Many, if not most of us, may be feeling like we have had a somewhat unsuccessful year, not achieving the goals or completing the projects we set for ourselves at the start of the year. I think we should consider assessing 2021 together with 2020 when measuring our progress, or at least to drastically revise our objectives. Most of us, I’m sure, have grown on a personal level and maybe even in our faith as we have had to rely on the Lord in new ways this year.
 
We never need to doubt, however, if the Lord will complete His work…
 
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
 
So be encouraged, as the Lord does not waste any season or challenge, but will use it for His purposes in and through your life.
 
Our Foxfire Youth Team is currently returning from a fruitful and inspirational mission trip to Cape Town, and we look forward to bringing you the full report in our final newsletter for 2020, next month.

African Enterprise (SA)
First National Bank (FNB)
Acc No: 50950005121
Branch Code: 22 13 25
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ221325
Ref: MO & your name

Pls send payment advice to shind@ae.org.za as we would like to thank you. You can also email us your MO pic, and the best one will receive a signed copy of Michael Cassidy's memoirs!

God bless you for standing with us in 2020! 

Theuns Pauw
CEO | AE South Africa
t.pauw@aeint.org

AESA has been providing COVID Relief aid since the 01^st April 2020 in the form of food parcels; hygiene packs and Gospel tracts. Securing food parcels and hygiene packs became increasingly more difficult as the infection rate spiked in July 2020, seemingly heading towards a peak. In order to maintain momentum on COVID-19 Food Relief Aid, AESA had to adapt the form of assistance given by distributing grocery vouchers to the indigent thereby empowering the recipients to easily source basic food-stuff from a reputable group of national chain supermarkets.
 

Translation of Voice Note from Phumelele Ngubane:
My name is Phumelele Ngubane and I am a student at Ngezandla Zethu. I'm doing Fashion Design.
I would like to thank African Enterprise for sponsoring us even during the lockdown, they gave us food parcels and also gift vouchers. Thanks a lot especially from me. I don't have an income I can rely on, that voucher helps me so much, I bought groceries for my family. Thank you so much for the free certificates (referring to the free fashion designing course), I also thank them (referring to AE) for their support, I wish that God bless them all.
 
Translation of Voice Note from Ntombifuthi Makhathini :
Hello my name is Ntombifuthi Makhathini I'm a student here at Ngezandla Zethu. I would like to thank you very much for the help that Ngezandla Zethu gave us. I came here not knowing how to thread the machine. I thank you so much to our teacher Mrs Dladla, she's helping us a lot to learn more about sewing, now I know to cut and sew many things. I also thank African Enterprise their intervention during lockdown our situation was not right they helped us with food parcels. I would like to say thank you, God will give you more and bless where you took it from. I'm saying this deep down from my heart that God should bless you more. After giving us food parcels AE gave us face mask job, paying us salary that means a lot to us. I also thank you for the gift voucher may God bless you all. As I'm Christian and a child of God I know that if you sow a seed later you reap and the word of God says if you throw from top you receive on the bottom. So by doing so I ask may God bless you, and I think you will continue supporting us. They said more blessed are those who give, than those who receive, those words taught us as beloved one, it also taught us to help each other and that hands washes each other. God bless you.  Amen
 
Since the commencement of Lockdown AESA has assisted 1,358 families with Food Relief aid (effectively providing in excess of 300,000 meals); and has produced 5260 face masks for distribution.
The monetary value of COVID Aid provided through AE South Africa is approximately R450,000.
 
Apart from the medical havoc that COVID-19 has wreaked upon our country, it has also dealt a hammer blow to our already depressed economy when it caused it to all but grind to a halt, forcing many businesses into closure and others into restructuring as they scramble to survive…and this may yet continue if businesses are unable to recover!
 
As the country’s economic engines begin to crank up again, and we breathe a sigh of relief over the flattening of the COVID-19 infection rate curve, job losses and retrenchments, however, sharply rear the head of an already alarming unemployment curve, reminding us of this ever-present and ugly reality.
 
The need for us all to reach out to the indigent by whatever means possible, remains crucial, as South Africa continues the fight against socio-economic forces amidst the COVID-19 battle.

Yesterday was a fairly cold, misty, drizzly day here at AE.  For those of you who have been to the Centre, I am sure you can picture the dull grey mist blanketing the surrounding trees.  And then today…an explosion of blue skies, lush green grass and 38 degree heat!

October was a good month, as we have picked up on the number of bookings, and have managed a modest turnover despite still being allowed to operate at only 50% capacity.  We say a huge thank you to the guests who have regularly supported us, and equally so to a few new guests who have decided to make the Centre at African Enterprise their second home.  We really do appreciate your support.

The work of clearing and enlarging our natural pool is nearly finished, and I have nothing but admiration for the three men who have worked so incredibly hard to make this possible.  We are confident that the pool will be finished in time for the anticipated hot weather.

Our two Centre Supervisors, Thamsanqa and Sthembiso, are attending an excellent supervisor’s course at Shan Cade Training and Consulting.  They are learning so much, as they hone their skills to practically manage dealing with both the guests and staff.

African Enterprise would like to thank CEMCON for their assistance with some much needed maintenance to our road.

We value your partnership as we strive to “evangelise the cities of Africa though word and deed”.