RAIN, FOSTER CARE, and I'M STAYING!

Here is one of the older boys, Mzizi, who LOVES to take a camera and take photos of himself (I have about 30 photos just like this). He is fun, smart and musically talented. He LOVES hip hop dancing and his dream is to go to school to become a professional dancer, and I actually see that it could be possible, as he is very gifted. He is also one of the responsible older boys who take care of the young children. He also loves to teach the little 4 year olds to dance hip hop as well. I really want to see him go on to college or dance school, I think he can if he really works hard.

This week it has rained and rained and rained and rained. Finally today the sun is out. Also, this week, all of the social workers are planning a foster care program for the Lily kids so it has been a really exciting week of meeting together, learning the South African foster care system, brainstorming and analyzing challenges, etc. It has been great to be a part of that. I have learned SO much.

It has been bliss for me to be here with the kids and there is so much for me to do with the social workers. There is such a great need for more social work support at this time here. God has put this deep love for this place in me, and now He has led me to stay longer. So I will be staying until mid-March. Wooo Hooo!

On a more serious note, it has been quite a journey to complete the reports in the social worker's office. Each day I read through the past of each of the kids. Each day I read all their abandonment, unwantedness, sickness, worthlessness, weaknesses, struggles, unlovedness. I read how families think they want to adopt, but then decide they don't. It breaks my heart and I just feel God's heart for them burn deep in me. I just long to stay here with them and show them how much they are loved by Our Great God. I long to show them how He takes broken, 'worthless' lives and does miracles and great things through them. Oh, I want them to know that!

WE BEAT THE BOYS!

In the last week, the volunteers (who are mostly girls), wanted to play soccer. Most of the older boys play soccer regularly and are really good players. We ended up playing a very competitive game with them in our bare feet. To there great shock, they lost the game 10 to 7.
But this meant war. They did not have 3 of their best players at that game and their pride was wounded. They wanted a rematch! We set the time, 5pm on what turned out to be a sweltering hot evening. Our best players suffered heat headaches during the day and we were all intimidated by the boys' intensity.
We started the game with a butterflies in our stomachs. No one scored for a good 10 minutes, all of us fighting for the ball and soon dripping in sweat. The boys were strong and had a great defense. We couldn't get anything past them. Then suddenly they scored. Oh, man!
But after their goal, they got a bit lazy and comfortable. We kept up the tenacity suddenly to their surprise we got a goal through! And then another! They were shocked once again! This could not be happening! Girls were beating them! How could this be!! They were supposed to be amazing players! They got frustrated and lost their teamwork and fire.
We fought for the ball with everything we had and our tenacity won the game. In the end we did a victory dance in their faces! We won 7 to 4!!! Of course it did not happen without sacrifice with Kierra spraining her foot badly and is now bedridden. They have been quieted. We'll see if they want a rematch!

African Thunderstorms

We had a massive thunderstorm that rolled over the lovely green hills. What an experience to see it coming! And then brought hurricane winds and huge hailstones! The electricity was out almost instantly and we all huddled in the office together to wait it out and watch the lightning come down around us. The electricity is back on, thank goodness.

The Bugman came and so tomorrow I can move back into the house I was staying! Hopefully bug free! There is a new volunteer who has come and so I have a roommate now, which is nice.

I have been working hard in the social work office and trying to figure out the balance between the office work and just hanging out with the kids. They are finishing up their holiday and have to go back to school Wednesday, so these are the final days for them to be free before they start the schoolwork grind. I have less than 2 weeks left here. Time sure flies!

It's midweek and time is flying. This weekend, it was little boy's birthday, Sanele. We had him come over to bake a cake and just hang out in our house. He is a sweet boy who struggles with a lot. I didn't really know him the last time I was here and it was great to spend some time with him.

This morning I woke up with more tiny tiny bugs all over me (another moment where I really thought I was going to die!). I also have a bad cold and so I am a bit exhausted and psychologically tramatized. :) But my house is being fumigated now. But hey! We've had lots of running water this week!

DAILY LIFE

I have been here for about a week and a half. It has been an amazing journey of trusting God for every basic need. April has gone and I am alone in an older house, whose water system is a bit more primative and tempermental. There is running water for perhaps a couple of hours each day and the trick is hopefully to be home during some part of that time to fill up the water jugs. Then basically, all the washing and water usage comes from those jugs. For sure, it is something to get used to but I have adapted well.

I had one bug incident that made me almost want to die (kidding) but I got through it.

But this is how living here is. It reminds me, especially at Christmas time, how uncomfortable it must have been for the God of the universe to come into our lives. What a daily lesson of His love.

It has been so great to be with the kids again. It has been absolute bliss for me. At first the little ones were confused and shy to see me, but the next day they got it and were at my door with excited faces. The older kids gave me huge hugs.

I have really been able to do a lot with the social workers. There are new social workers who don't know the kids very well and are very behind on their reports. I am helping them complete them and organize their charts and information, getting as much as possible on paper (often they just keep all sorts of things in their heads). In the afternoons, I take a break and play games with the kids, who are still on their Christmas holiday. They have another week and a half left before they all start a new school year. In the evenings I spend time getting to know the other volunteers, who are from around the world: London, Austria, Germany, South Africa, and Korea.

Sorry I can't provide any photos this time, but hope to send more out soon.

I'M BACK!!!
I am back! It is surreal to be back at this special place and to see all those beautiful faces again! I really cannot believe it! But what makes this trip EXTRA special is to share it with my amazing friend, April. It has been such a SPECIAL journey together. We have seen God do SO much just to get us to South Africa. And sharing our experience has been so wonderful.
Our first days were characterized by ADJUSTMENT. We had no running water for the first 2 days and bathed in buckets (woo hoo!!!) and fetched pool water to flush the toilet. But yesterday the water came on!!!!! We have never appreciated the luxury of running water more than that moment!!
OH, THE JOYS OF BEING ABLE TO FLUSH without a trip to the pool!

One of the most wonderful things is to connect again with all the kids. There were a group of kids that saw us driving up to our house and ran to meet us and carried all our suitcases into the house for us. It was such joy to be back with them and show them that I have not forgot them for ONE moment and also to see they hadn't forgotten about me either!

Some of the younger kids were shy when they saw me but after a day, they were running up to our house and wanting just to be with me and meet April. I wasn't sure how it would be to meet them again, and it was great.

Since it has been New Years, we've just been relaxing and playing with kids. We had a huge dance party on New Years and rang in 2011 with fireworks (kids doing fireworks, wow we're not in America anymore!!)

Its hot here, quite a change from the BLIZZARD that made our flight leave 3 hours late.