I MADE IT

Hello from South Africa! My flight over was pretty effortless, which was a GIFT from God (and a miracle), because an airplane is usually like a closterphobic death chamber to me. This is my second day here at the orphanage, just trying to get my barings on things. I have met many of the kids and am getting to know how they live. We don't have a lot of internet access now so I will have to send photos out later, but I can't wait to show you the beautiful mountains. The orphanage is actaully right next to an animal reserve so we can see all sorts of animals. Everyone lives very simply here, but well.

The children here are all HIV positive, but none have AIDS. Some are disabled, some have had TB, many must go often to see doctors. But generally they are healthy and the set up of the orphanage is very good. It is quite slow here, things run slowly, so that is my first challenge--to slow myself down and to do things that they really need that I normally wouldn't do. My brain gears are churning, seeing how they need help and what could make things run more smoothly. It also has been pretty intimidating here to get to know the kids. Some are friendly, but many are very shy and not so warm at first. To them, they need love to be proven. A relationship need a lot of time.

The other volunteers are great. They are very international and it is an interesting feeling not to be with any Americans. There is a Korean guy, 2 South Africans, and 3 Germans. They are very kind and social. We are all a part of each other's lives and sit and talk together on our down time.

Trying to clean up everything! Wow, it is hard to pack up and fit in all the goodbyes. I have one more day here and my room needs to be cleared out!

So many goodbyes and so many uncertainties, but so much excitement. That seems to be how it is with God.

I have felt overwhelmed with God's communication to me through everything and everyone that I should really be going to this orphanage. That makes me feel better when I get afraid of all the uncertainties, and overwhelmed with all the aweful statistics and problems there.

I fly out on Sunday morning! I can't believe it.

A couple of months ago, my friend found an ad in my church bulletin and thought of me. She showed it to me and I looked at the website. It is an orphanage in South Africa that works with children suffering/affected by HIV/Aids. It was started a few decades ago, initially to bring children who were dying off the street and give them a safe, loving place to have their final days. Over the years, the children have become more healthy and now the focus is not on helping them face death, but on helping them face life. They have all sorts of different programs, to build their education and spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Deep down I felt an unusual and peaceful excitement as I read what they wanted to do in the lives of these children.
After a lot of prayer and a lot of words of encouragement from pretty much EVERYONE in my life, I have decided to go there for 6 months.

Lately, God has been bringing up a verse to me again and again. And it is on their website too (for obvious reasons!). It is this: James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Unfortunately, people in this world either do one or the other, but usually not both (especially the latter without judgment). This I want to do well this year.

So, starting in February, I am off to South Africa to work in their clinic and be whatever they need: social worker, tutor, mentor/discipler... I will LEARN a LOT. I will need to depend on Jesus every day, as I am out of my comfortable life and in a world that is full of brokenness and sorrow. But I am excited!

Where will I go next? Perhaps another African country? What might God have next for me?

At the close of our construction project, we headed back to Kigali and visited some different ministries. One was a jewelry company where women, who used to be prostitutes, came to work and earn a good decent living, instead of prostitution.  They made beautiful necklaces and sold them around the world.  We also visited an orphanage and spent the day with the children.  There were so many amazing experiences in all that as well.   The trip was also a great bonding time with my teammates. 

There were some themes that God taught me, verses that ran through my mind on my trip. 

1. Christ's love compels us.  (2 Cor 5:14).  While flying into Africa on one of the flights, we were surrounded by all sorts of doctors, mission teams, community service teams, etc. All trying to make a difference.  And the difference for us, God's people, is that Christ's love compels us.  That is the driving force behind our efforts. It should not be guilt, or coolness (hey, its cool to go to Africa!), or pride or anything else.  I really learned that.  And so going back to my "normal life" my desire is to have Christ's love compel me.

2. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus, yet though He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor 8:9).  To really love God it takes showing this theme to the world, living it out, demonstrating it.  We really were able to see our richness and see so much poorness and try to live this out.  And my desire is that I can make this a theme of my life more often, to demonstrate that in small and large ways. 

Thanks for reading my blog! 

KIDS

Ok, sorry, I just had to add a couple of cute kid photos in. Boys will be boys. 

And a sticker obsession.  Kids crowded around us to get a sticker put on their forehead, as if we were giving away food to the starving! This guy was one of the serious sticker guys!  

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

During our working days the children would gather from literally miles around to watch us work.  Some of us would step away from working on the house to spend time with the children (we had plenty of manpower on the house).  This was our opportunity to do a little children's ministry, a vacation bible school sort of thing.  There were a good 20-30 children who would come to us each morning and would spend the day with us until we left.  Slowly their shyness melted away and we would have fun with them and they would gather.  

Our church had made hundreds of little paper heart necklaces for the children with bible verses on them in English and in their own language.  We shared bible stories (with a translator), played games, and gave gifts to them while they were with us.  

This little guy is showcasing the necklaces our church sent us to give.  One day while driving, we spotted a little boy with one of our necklaces on about 4 or 5 miles from the work site! That was so special to see how far we had reached! 

 

We played many games with the kids and they laughed and played as if they had no cares in the world.  

Someone brought a children's bible and with the help of a translator and some great illustrations we told stories as the children gathered around.