Dear LIV Partners,
We welcome you on board the LIV team. To quote John Smit and Super Sport,
“It’s time for us, as South Africans, to come down from the stands and join the team on the field. Let’s play…”
Just 2 weeks since the banquet, and with the help of a team of dedicated ladies, we have completed the capturing of your information and pledges, including your comments. We are truly humbled by so many of you wanting to make a difference in the lives of ‘our children’.
Arial Photo of the LIV Village Site
Download the pledge letter here
We are now putting you into groups of your different skills. We will be arranging group workshops over the next few months ie construction; education; art/music; sports etc.
Those heading up these groups will be in contact with you with a time and date.
You can see by the response from all of you why we are so humbled, excited and ready to begin in earnest with this first village. We call it the first village as we know many villages are needed to be rolled out across our province and nation.
We believe we need to get the model for this one done excellently so others that follow will be able to take the blueprint and replicate it.
We have already been approached by some of you to assist in setting up other villages up the north coast, on the south coast, in the Transkei / Eastern Cape.
We know, when South Africans are called to defend their nation they will always rise to the call. We have heard the call to defend and stand in the gap, for the children of our nation. Our children.
Together, representing business, church and government, we pray that KwaZulu Natal will be a province who looks after ‘their children’, turning scars into stars.
May you be truly blessed as we journey together to make this happen.
Kind regards,
Tich and Joan Smith
Well folks,
Congrats on the new initiative! I heard about it in our church in Surrey, BC Canada: Relate Church. I am a little confused about a few things. What does LIV stand for? What is the connection with Watoto Uganda? Why has no one responded to this letter dated May 2010? Is there already a team?
Johan
Dear Johan, firstly I must apologise for nobody responding to your mail. There is no excuse, but I do not know how it escaped our attention, please forgive us. LIV is “Lungisisi Indlela Village.” Lungisisa Indlela means the “right way” doing it right, we believe that restoring the family with Jesus in the “middle” is the right way. We have been involved with two other NPO’s here in South Africa and the first one we started was “indlela” which means ‘The Way”, the second one was “Lungisani Indlela” which means “Prepare the Way” and now, “Lungisisa Indlela”, the “Right Way.” These names are Zulu words with the English interpretation. We connected with Gary and Marilyn Skinner a couple of years ago and went up to Uganda to see the Watoto villages. I felt that the vision that Gary had from God was very similar to the vision that I believe God gave me. When I saew the Watoto villages I felt God say that we do not have to change anything from that model and so we are “not connected” but are trying to role out the same villages as Gary and Marilyn have built in Uganda. They have been a tremendous inspiration and help to us. Gary is a big Kingdom minded person and has a heart for the Kingdom of God. It is wonderful to meet people like the Skinner’s because their only goal is to further the Kingdom of God, and so we have had tremendous support and been given all the information we require from them. They have really been a blessing to us, and we hope to work closely with them as we “role out” thousands of villages around the continent of Africa.Hopefully this answers your queries, and once again please forgive me for not getting back to you earlier. God bless, Tich Smith.
Sorry John, we have a team, although still fairly small. We have 9 people on the farm. Wew have 2 girls in marketing, one doing the finances (Pricewaterhouse Coppers are the auditors), 3 girls in the Social wlfare Department and one admin lasy at present. We have built the church and are busy with the first two clusters as youn can see on the website. Thanks again for your interest and encouraging comment. God bless, Tich.