January 25th, 2009

Hi Everyone,

Sorry that I haven’t updated the blog sooner, but my schedule has been hectic and I did not have access to the internet at my accommodations in Johannesburg.

I am happy to report that everything has been spectacular from the beginning of this trip to this point. On Thursday, January 22nd, we had a wine and cheese event at the home of our host family. Michael and I were able to present From Us With Love to a wonderful group of people from Johannesburg. Their response to the presentation was more than we could have hoped for. From that event, we have already received a donation from the President of a paper company in Johannesburg that is going to supply many of the schools we support with paper.

On Saturday, January 24th, I visited with a family from the US that are serving as Missionaries in Rustenburg with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). They took me to visit the Lighthouse Orphanage. This orphanage has 30 children, mostly HIV. We had a great time with the children and staff and we are going to ask some of our Corporate Sponsors to help provide some items to make their lives better.

I arrived in Cape Town on Sunday, January 25th and got to spend some time with two young men, James and Lucas, that participated in the Homeless World Cup in 2006 and 2007. It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago these two were homeless. With the support of the Western Cape Street Soccer League, they are now attending University and James recently received a performance award from his current employer.

Warm Regards,

Mike