Newsletter February 2025
Love Thy Neighbour
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:12
In a world filled with hardships—whether through war, natural disasters, or economic struggles—it is easy to lose sight of the power of love. Yet, Jesus’ command in John 15:12 calls us to love one another just as He has loved us. Love is not merely a feeling but an action, a movement that brings healing and hope to those in need.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our friends at Hopewell Christian Preschool, who have encouraged us, prayed for us, and dedicated February’s Mission Month to Ma’s vir Wellington. Throughout the month, the school collected cards of encouragement and engaged with parents to share more about our Grade RR preschool.
In return, our children created beautiful cards and drawings to send to Hopewell, along with this message:
“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
A Call to Love
Let us be a generation that does not merely speak of love but acts on it. As we face the trials of this world, may we hold fast to Jesus’ words and embody His love in all we do. May we become vessels of His grace, bringing light into the darkest places.
Together, we can make a difference—one act of love at a time.
Children’s Ministry
A Wonderful Start for Our Superstars!
A new year means new faces, new adventures, and a brand-new group of Superstars in our Children’s Ministry! With 52 beautiful 3–4-year-olds, we are excited to embark on a journey of faith, discovery, and growth with them. These first few weeks have been filled with exciting activities and themes designed to build a strong foundation of love and faith.
Our First Day – Getting to Know Each Other!
We began by introducing ourselves and learning about our daily routine at Ma’s vir Wellington. The children had the opportunity to share their favourite things and express themselves creatively by colouring pictures and cutting and pasting from magazines. Through this, we not only got to know one another but also learned that each of us is unique and special in God’s eyes.
Love and Obedience – God’s Plan for Us!
One of the first important lessons we taught was that obedience comes from love. We introduced three simple classroom rules to help us live in God’s love. Through games and stories, the children discovered why rules are important—not just in our classroom but also in God’s Word! They learned that the laws in the Bible were given to help us become more like God.
Loving My Neighbour – A Small Heart with a Big Message!
Children learn to care for others earlier than we often realize. In this activity, they tore and pasted pieces of paper to create a beautiful heart—a fun way to develop fine motor skills while discussing the importance of love and kindness.
God Made Me Unique – A Wonderful Truth!
We shared a story about the labels people place on us and asked: “What does God really say about who you are?” The children learned that their identity is rooted in Him, not in what others say about them. Afterward, they had the chance to create themselves in clay—tiny figures made from rolled-out clay “worms” representing their own bodies. This fun activity encouraged creativity and fine motor skill development while celebrating the powerful truth of Psalm 139:14:
“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!”
Prayer and Praise – Our Favourite Part of the Day!
Each day, we set aside a special time for praise and worship, where the children can express their love for Jesus through singing and movement. Songs help them remember Bible truths easily, and we make sure that every moment of worship is filled with joy and wonder!
These first weeks are just the beginning of an incredible journey. We look forward to helping these precious children grow in their faith and creating an environment where they feel safe, loved, and valued.
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Pre-school
At our preschool, children are encouraged to engage in a variety of play-based learning experiences with their classmates. Through these activities, they develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Each morning begins with morning ring, where we discuss the weather, shapes, colours, and a Bible story, as well as sing songs and recite rhymes. We also take this time to remind our children of our three golden rules at school:
We love God and one another.
We speak kindly to others and ourselves.
We share and take good care of our toys.
So far, we have explored themes such as My Body, My School, and Summer. Currently, we are learning about Shapes and Colours, with each theme running for two weeks.
Our children feel safe and loved at school. Play helps them communicate, share, and work together as a team. Outdoors, they engage in imaginative play, working together to create and explore. Their favourite activities include water play in the sunshine, building and constructing in the sand, and other hands-on experiences.
We also provide extra table activities outside, where children can colour, build puzzles, play with clay, or practice rolling and cutting clay. These activities not only encourage creativity but also help develop fine motor skills, making children more comfortable with using scissors.
Through play and exploration, our preschoolers grow in confidence, develop essential skills, and build friendships in a nurturing and joyful environment.
Avodah
February at Avodah
February was a full and exciting month! We welcomed two new volunteers to serve in the program. A warm welcome to Nicola and Eloise and thank you for your caring hearts in serving our group.
Our journey around the world officially began! We “visited” the United States and Brazil, learning about their cultures, sports, traditions, and animals. We had fun singing and dancing to their anthems and music. We specifically prayed for the people of these countries to come to know Jesus. It was a great adventure to create art inspired by each country. To celebrate America’s Fourth of July, we made fireworks art, and for Brazil, we crafted colourful masks, carnival dancers, and tropical birds.
Every Friday, our members take part in a Bocce tournament, which they absolutely love. They are very competitive and always look forward to the games! The men in the program especially enjoy their training time with Petrie, who builds relationships with them through sports and activities. He is a role model, showing them what it means to follow Jesus.
For fine motor skill activities, our members practiced various threading exercises using wool and beads. They created the most beautiful little woollen heart crafts!
We also focused on God’s promises and how we should be grateful for everything He does for us. Each family received a cross with a dove and an olive branch as a blessing, as it is important for us to speak blessings over our members’ families. Everyone enjoys the time we spend worshiping God and listening to His voice.
A special highlight this month was meeting Katryn, our new therapy dog! Our members instantly fell in love with her, enjoying walks, playing fetch, and giving her plenty of affection. Our hope is to train Katryn as a therapy dog so she can build meaningful connections and bring comfort to our members.
February was a month filled with learning, fun, and God’s presence. We are excited to see what March brings!
A Story of Hope: * Jade’s Journey
Three years ago, *Jade’s journey with us began when she joined our Children’s Ministry as part of the Blue Group. Even as a young child, Jade had a quiet but kind presence and always wore a warm smile on her face.
As she transitioned into our Grade RR programme, her teacher, Ms. Xolisa, described her as a soft-spoken child who was always ready to lend a helping hand to her classmates. She was known for her beautifully neat coloring and her ability to complete her tasks on time, always with care and precision.
She now attends Newton Primary School, where her potential continues to blossom. Recently, her proud mother returned to our ministry to share *Jade’s glowing report card, a testament to her hard work and character.
We are so proud of *Jade and all our former learners who continue to make us proud! Stories like Joy’s remind us why we do what we do. Watching our little ones grow and thrive is such a joy, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for all the children.
A journey of second chances: Megan’s story
I started at Ma’s vir Wellington as a Tannie Mamma in 2022, during one of the hardest times of my life. Money was tight, and I was doing my best to support my two daughters while my fiancé was the only one working. Some days felt impossible, but I held onto hope.
Then, I got the chance to do the Amazing Brainz training, which led me to become a teacher assistant. Working with children was my passion, but financially, I couldn’t make it work. Leaving was heartbreaking—I felt like no matter how hard I tried, life kept pulling me down.
Then came the call that changed everything. Salome, our Operational manager, told me about a bursary for my studies. At that moment, when I felt like a failure, God opened a door I never saw coming. It was my second chance—a chance I thought I had lost when I became a young mother in college. But this opportunity reminded me: my dreams weren’t over.
This month, I completed my Level 4 in Generic Management—I am so proud. A few years ago, I never would have imagined being where I am now – working in an office, serving as a fieldworker, and teaching children in our preschool program. But here I am.
And when I look back, I see God’s hand in every step of my journey. I am beyond grateful for the people who believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. This isn’t just my story—it’s proof that no matter how dark things get, there is always hope.
