In 1999 Roger and Sue Smedley along with their 4 children left Moe, Victoria and moved to KwaNgwanase, a remote rural area of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Towards the end of their first year, Roger and Sue were blessed with the adoption of a newborn Zulu girl, Busisiwe.

For two years Roger worked in the Manguzi Hospital.  The hospital provides health care to 100,000 people who fight hard to survive their poverty stricken conditions and the life threatening diseases of malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS.

Currently, one in three adults are HIV positive.  The disease is being passed onto their children with one in nine babies born being HIV positive. 

By the year 2010, life expectancy is predicted to drop to 48 years of age.   As the extended family erodes away, children are left in the care of older siblings.  These orphaned children are often not able to stay in school thus ensuring the continuation of the poverty cycle.

Roger and Sue developed a vision ..." to care for the orphans and the widows in their trouble." The Albury based City Central Church took up their vision and are currently undertaking the establishment of a home for orphaned babies and young children, who would otherwise be homeless.

In preparation for the establishment of Destiny House, a team from City Central Church travelled to South Africa in September 2004. A team also visited in March 2007 to help facilitate the project.

The Smedley family returned to South Africa in late March 2006 to set up Destiny House. This is a "lifetime" call for Roger, Sue and family.  Roger obtained employment at Hlabisa Hospital in the Pathology Laboratory.  In the Paediatric Ward was an orphaned baby boy, Simphiwe, whom the Smedleys have now lovingly adopted.

Roger and Sue attended the first Watoto Conference, "Hope for Africa's Children", in Uganda in October, 2006.  There they learnt the importance of partnering with local community churches.  Since then a partnership with Grace Community Church in Mtubatuba, South Africa, has been established.

As a result of this partnership, land and houses have been generously provided  to rent for the Smedley family  and to house orphans and vulnerable children.  They moved there in October, 2007, with Roger travelling to work at Hlabisa Hospital. 

Whatever you need as a family, the Smedleys will need. Roger has employment in South Africa , but there is a large shortfall and we need your help to meet this.

If you feel you can assist in any way - financial, with letters of communication and encouragement, school supplies etc, please visit our Contributions page.