Glory to Yahweh.....
We were finally able to go to church after over a month! It was so refreshing and rejuvenating. Never have I felt more at home, so much joy, so welcome, and love at a church upon just entering. We went to the Berea Baptist Church connected with the original baby house at the DOH. The worship was amazing; I do not feel as though I saw the leaders not smile for a second during all of the music. They asked those to stand who have never been here. We went with a group of Americans serving at the DOH; we were the only white people in the place. However, I do not think it phased us at all as we felt so welcomed and loved. It was not about color or race; The church was about loving Christ <3 Even though they had all their chairs stolen last week they did not complain or grumble. This church is in a desperate area full of struggle. Yet, this church is a light of hope in this city of desperation.
Last night was so exciting at the Door of Hope. Two babies came into the baby bin at the original baby house. Also, a toddler was also received. The baby boys were one and three days old. They are both absolutely precious. The one baby was so well taken care of- well he was placed in a beautiful outfit as well as a sweet bath towel to keep him warm. Many times mothers do not do this. I cannot imagine being that desperate in order to have to leave your baby in a bin. However, it is such a blessing the moms placed their babies in these bins rather than abandoned upon the streets. The Door of Hope spoils these babies and loves them so so much!
One of the girls who served at the DOH last year through our ministry is with us in South Africa for her second summer. She was surprised by being able to name one of the baby boys. Of course she started crying, and then we all proceeded to cry after this. After a long while, she decided to name the baby boy Josiah- meaning the Lord saves. I love this name. All of these babies have been granted a second chance. They are at the DOH for a reason and are fearfully and wonderfully made with plans made in advance by our Father :) We have experienced 5 adoptions since we have been here, and we have heard of a few more to come! I can not imagine the excitement of getting your new baby. It is so strange to think these babies are in homes now in Holland, Finland, and different parts of South Africa. It is so sweet. That night I was able to carry the one day old boy on my stomach in a wrap. He is so precious. He only weighs one pound which is so bizarre. Their lives are so fragile.
I can not believe we only have one week left until we go back to the states. I do not know how I will feel. I can not wait to see my family and friends. However, I know it will be so hard to leave these babies as well as the memories, friends, and aunties behind. I have learned so much since I have been here about myself and who God has created me to be- still a work in process. It is so bizarre it will be my senior year. Sometimes I feel as though I have to have it all figured out. However, I just need to depend on God and he will reveal his plans for me and why he made me the way I am. I have truly been broken in every aspect this summer to rely fully on him. It has been so difficult; however, I am excited for the journey he has planned ahead :)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The hands of many angels called Aunties
First off I would just like to say sorry I have not posted in a while. The last blog I attempted to do continually kept getting messed up. It was about my birthday and celebrating my 21st.
It is amazing to think about the journey God has taken me on, especially my past three birthdays. When I turned 19 I was able to serve on my first ever mission trip in Slidell Louisianna building a roof for one of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The night of my birthday we were playing with a bunch of children in a trailer park. I still remember one of the girls who just wanted me to sleep over and continually play who was dear to my heart. I can not believe my first mission trip was just three years ago. My life has changed so much since then. Last year I turned 20 at Fort Caswell in North Carolina. I learned so much about God's love that summer it was incredible. I still remember the sweet teachers and kids making cards/banners/ a fruit basket (for all of you who know my love for fruit). Last summer was incredible for me and I miss Caswell a lot. This year was amazing to be able to celebrate in Johannesburg. It really has been the adventure of a lifetime from working with these beautiful babies, working in the hospital for night shift, working night shift at Door of Hope, and just recently being able to go to Johannesburg :)
This verse just reigns more true. "For I know the plans I have for you..plans to prosper you and not to harm you..plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11
It is amazing to see all the plans God has had for me, and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead. I just hope that I am willing to listen and obediant. I get excited each day to see what is in store.
The fog has finally cleared to see, the beautiful life you've given me- to feel the breeze of my NEWBORNS gentle breath. With one to walk hand in hand, to share this life that you have planned. It's like a STORYBOOK with dreams that are meant to every next step is an extraordinary scene.
Last week we were able to go to Cape Town for four days- another adventure of a lifetime. Cape Town is absolutely beautiful! It was amazing just soaking in the beauty of everything. From the plane we could see Table Top Mountain. Actually, you could see it from everywhere pretty much. It was a blessing to be able to go. We were able to walk around and feel safe for the first time in nearly two months. Also, we saw water for the first time this summer!
We were able to go shopping the first day in several boutiques as well as African art places. There was one store with traditional African dresses which were so much fun. I wanted to try them on, but we did not end up doing that. Also, we saw the Cape Town soccer stadium which was so exciting. The people in Cape Town are so friendly; We are not used to cars stopping or talking to anyone. We were able to talk to many of the store owners which was truly one of our favorite parts of the trip. The second day was rainy so we were able to do all of this stuff again as well. I am done shopping for gifts finally!
The third day was by far my favorite. We rented a car for the day so we could go to Boulders Beach. We drove to Table Top Mountain and began the two to three hour climb. We have not done any exercise in two months as it is unsafe to walk around JoBurg. Needless to say the climb was exhausting! I have only hiked once in my life and have seen a waterfall. This was the hike of a lifetime for me, and we saw four waterfalls that we had to cross through :) Honestly, I would not have made it without Annie. In my head I was making a devotion about the journey up the mountain. When things get tough you just need to truly depend on God for every step of the way. That may sound cheesy but it is completely true. We stopped and prayed in the middle of the trip as we were so exhausted. One point in the trip I was leading. We took and break and were about to start again. I told Annie okay lets go....1...2....3. My legs did not move, haha. I told Annie my legs were not working. Up the mountain everyone literally told us it was 30 more minutes- even when there were about two hours left. However, it was worth taking it slow and steady up the mountain. We were able to soak in all of the beauty of the ocean and Table Top Mountain :) Finally after three hours we made it to the top. I told Annie as well as my parents that I am getting married here! However, if I want my family and friends to come I guess I should not get married there :)
This is what I read at the top of the Mountain:
Praise the Lord O my soul, all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sin and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion- who satisfies your desires with good things- so that your youth is renewed like the eagles...psalm 103:2-5.
We have met people from every continent except for Antarctica this summer. We met somene from Northern Ireland, Cape Town, France, Germany, Canada, North Carolina, 30 missionaries [who moved into the same hostile as us on the same day!] from Colorado,New Zealand, Mozambique, the Congo, Cameroon, Brazil, Korea, Thailand, Austrailia, and a bunch of other places. So neat :)
We were also able to go to Robben Island which was very neat and interesting. I am wanting to learn even more about Mandela when I come back home to the states.
Off to four more nights of night shift at the Door of Hope. Night shift has been tough, but it has also been a blessing. The baby I looked after in the hospital came back to the DOH two nights ago after a month in the hospital!!! so exciting. He had so many issues and is now a somewhat healthy baby again :) Only 5 more nights of work and 2 more weeks in Joburg so crazy.
The auntie we work with at night shift sometimes is truly amazing. She has two twin daughters who are ten years old and still works night shift. Last night she told us that the babies wake up every night because they know beauty, and they want to see our faces. She also said that they smile all the time because they know they are being touched by an angel.
The aunties are the ones who are the angels. They work night shift while being pregnant, having children of their own, or just working night shift alone all the time is exhausting in many different aspects. However, they continually work with such vigor and joy. I know that I desire God to have a HUGE glorious plan for my life. I see myself working for a large non profit, teaching, or doing something with ministry. However, if God called me to work full-time for night shift being a nanny when not given much credit at all- would I be willing to do this? They are the angels.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
a BUMP in the road along our amazing journey
I have not updated this in a while. Atleast it seems as it has been forever due to all the chaos that has taken place since the last post.
Tuesday was the beginning of a great morning. Annie got a package from home. We got some good Starbucks coffee, incredibly exciting! Then afterwords we decided to go to a local Irish Pub to watch the last Bafana Bafana game on television. It was so much fun sitting outside with friends and one of their friends. It is beginning to feel like home even more. Next door to us was a KFC (yes, in South Africa). All of the workers from the KFC kept coming outside to cheer on the soccer team and blow their vuvuzelas (horns). It was so much fun :)
Before all of this is where the bump in the road begins. Getting a call from our director, she asked if we were willing to work night shift at the Johannesburg Hospital for the next three nights from 6 pm- 7 am. 13 hours in a hospital in a very dangerous area was a bit overwhelming at first. However, we realized this is exactly what we had been praying for as well. We were praying that we wanted to be used in a way that they most needed as well as something to mix up the routine a bit. We did not just want to go through the motions for the rest of the summer; we felt this would happen if we were continually working the same shift at Door of Hope. Also, we have been desiring for a community as well as a way to build relationships with people outside of the Door of Hope.
Working in the hospital has been an incredible blessing as well as tremendously tough and emotionally exhausting. Two of the babies from the Door of Hope are sick on the same floor in different rooms. Me and Annie have been separated for the first time. The first day was frustrating as we have already heard horrible stories of the nurses who work in this hospital. One of the girls from Door of Hope was serving in he hospital; one of the nurses told her that she did not care what happened to these babies. She was solely there for the money. On our first night shift I got laughed at a number of times as I did not know what I was supposed to do. These nurses do not feed the babies or change their diapers or clean up anything. It was extremely frustrating. The first night was emotionally draining. My baby cried for about thirteen hours straight.
Watching my baby struggle for life taught me a lot of things. We have been watching Loui Giglio as I wrote in the last post. He has been talking about being fearfully and wonderfully made. Being alive is such an amazing thing if you stop and think about it. Why are we here? How did we get here- really and truly? How is everything so uniquely and creatively and perfectly made? God does not want to see us struggle. From the perspective of me and the baby- it hurt so much to see this little premature baby crying out in pain struggling for life. He wants us to have a life of peace and love in Him and Him alone.
A lot of these babies were supposed to have been aborted by their parents. They have been taken to witch doctors (they are heavily present around this area) and were supposed to have been given spells to have an abortion. Needless to say these have not worked, and the babies have been born with many issues. All of these babies have been born for a reason. They have been fearfully and wonderfully made. One of the leaders at Door of Hope was saying that she was going to continually fight for each and every babies life until the last moment; we are not to give up and should continually rely on God and his miraculous hands. I completely agree with this.
Night two at the hospital was a lot better. From a different perspective we were considering all that these nurses go through day in and day out. Johannesburg is one of the most dangerous cities in the world for both murderer and rape. I can not imagine working at a hospital where so much crime and struggle exists. It must be hard to get emotionally connected with anyone.
The second night I was able to talk to the nurses. They all asked questions as to why I was there. It was neat hearing them ask questions and being able to explain what I was doing there. One of the nurses, "Eggie" then began to proclaim I love Susie and I am going to take care of you. She had so much joy in her heart. Also, I found out that she has been working there for about thirty years. She just said that you need to laugh and talk to people; the parents are already emotionally drained. Eggie had an amazing impact on me.
Another bump in the road occured. We got asked if we wanted to work at the Berea baby house or night shift at the one we have been working at. The Berea house is much further away, and it is in a less safe area. Also, we have loved these babies so much at our baby house. Starting Thursday we will be serving night shift at the Door of Hope. We are truly excited about it. We have more one on one time with the babies. Also, we will be able to prepare breakfast items or words of encouragement for the aunties who come in later :)
Then Wednesday morning we found out we had the opportunity to meet Reggie Bush in South Africa. How bizarre is that? And we were on our way after two hours of sleep. Our car broke down. So now we have a new car as well. The old car was named Hootie. Now our new car is Boo Bell. Do not ask questions! We were worried as how we would get to the hospital. However, they got us a new car right away. It is amazing that our car did not break down in the middle of Johannesburg; God is good.
This whole experience has truly been a learning experience over anything; I am so blessed to be here. We are going to Cape Town in 2 weeks :) I just booked the flights, the hostile, and the car rental. We will be staying in a hostile which is so exciting, and it is looking over Table Top Mountain. It will be a great time of relaxation in between everything. It has already been 6 weeks! Time has flown by; We only have 5 weeks left.
Tuesday was the beginning of a great morning. Annie got a package from home. We got some good Starbucks coffee, incredibly exciting! Then afterwords we decided to go to a local Irish Pub to watch the last Bafana Bafana game on television. It was so much fun sitting outside with friends and one of their friends. It is beginning to feel like home even more. Next door to us was a KFC (yes, in South Africa). All of the workers from the KFC kept coming outside to cheer on the soccer team and blow their vuvuzelas (horns). It was so much fun :)
Before all of this is where the bump in the road begins. Getting a call from our director, she asked if we were willing to work night shift at the Johannesburg Hospital for the next three nights from 6 pm- 7 am. 13 hours in a hospital in a very dangerous area was a bit overwhelming at first. However, we realized this is exactly what we had been praying for as well. We were praying that we wanted to be used in a way that they most needed as well as something to mix up the routine a bit. We did not just want to go through the motions for the rest of the summer; we felt this would happen if we were continually working the same shift at Door of Hope. Also, we have been desiring for a community as well as a way to build relationships with people outside of the Door of Hope.
Working in the hospital has been an incredible blessing as well as tremendously tough and emotionally exhausting. Two of the babies from the Door of Hope are sick on the same floor in different rooms. Me and Annie have been separated for the first time. The first day was frustrating as we have already heard horrible stories of the nurses who work in this hospital. One of the girls from Door of Hope was serving in he hospital; one of the nurses told her that she did not care what happened to these babies. She was solely there for the money. On our first night shift I got laughed at a number of times as I did not know what I was supposed to do. These nurses do not feed the babies or change their diapers or clean up anything. It was extremely frustrating. The first night was emotionally draining. My baby cried for about thirteen hours straight.
Watching my baby struggle for life taught me a lot of things. We have been watching Loui Giglio as I wrote in the last post. He has been talking about being fearfully and wonderfully made. Being alive is such an amazing thing if you stop and think about it. Why are we here? How did we get here- really and truly? How is everything so uniquely and creatively and perfectly made? God does not want to see us struggle. From the perspective of me and the baby- it hurt so much to see this little premature baby crying out in pain struggling for life. He wants us to have a life of peace and love in Him and Him alone.
A lot of these babies were supposed to have been aborted by their parents. They have been taken to witch doctors (they are heavily present around this area) and were supposed to have been given spells to have an abortion. Needless to say these have not worked, and the babies have been born with many issues. All of these babies have been born for a reason. They have been fearfully and wonderfully made. One of the leaders at Door of Hope was saying that she was going to continually fight for each and every babies life until the last moment; we are not to give up and should continually rely on God and his miraculous hands. I completely agree with this.
Night two at the hospital was a lot better. From a different perspective we were considering all that these nurses go through day in and day out. Johannesburg is one of the most dangerous cities in the world for both murderer and rape. I can not imagine working at a hospital where so much crime and struggle exists. It must be hard to get emotionally connected with anyone.
The second night I was able to talk to the nurses. They all asked questions as to why I was there. It was neat hearing them ask questions and being able to explain what I was doing there. One of the nurses, "Eggie" then began to proclaim I love Susie and I am going to take care of you. She had so much joy in her heart. Also, I found out that she has been working there for about thirty years. She just said that you need to laugh and talk to people; the parents are already emotionally drained. Eggie had an amazing impact on me.
Another bump in the road occured. We got asked if we wanted to work at the Berea baby house or night shift at the one we have been working at. The Berea house is much further away, and it is in a less safe area. Also, we have loved these babies so much at our baby house. Starting Thursday we will be serving night shift at the Door of Hope. We are truly excited about it. We have more one on one time with the babies. Also, we will be able to prepare breakfast items or words of encouragement for the aunties who come in later :)
Then Wednesday morning we found out we had the opportunity to meet Reggie Bush in South Africa. How bizarre is that? And we were on our way after two hours of sleep. Our car broke down. So now we have a new car as well. The old car was named Hootie. Now our new car is Boo Bell. Do not ask questions! We were worried as how we would get to the hospital. However, they got us a new car right away. It is amazing that our car did not break down in the middle of Johannesburg; God is good.
This whole experience has truly been a learning experience over anything; I am so blessed to be here. We are going to Cape Town in 2 weeks :) I just booked the flights, the hostile, and the car rental. We will be staying in a hostile which is so exciting, and it is looking over Table Top Mountain. It will be a great time of relaxation in between everything. It has already been 6 weeks! Time has flown by; We only have 5 weeks left.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
you are fearfully and wonderfully made..
We have been watching sermons preached by a pastor from Atlanta named Loui Giglio. Me and Annie have both fallen in love with his sermons; he is so genuine and down-to-earth.
Yesterday I had a lot going through my mind- which is easy to have considering everything still being so new as well as so much down time. I have learned to appreciate quiet time as well as rest. For many of you who know me this is a tremendous change as I have always needed something to do- even when I was little- it was what game can we play next.
Writing in my journal, we have been learning a lot about being fearfully and wonderfully made as I have written in my last post. I have been thinking a lot about how God, the creator of everything in this universe, has created us all uniquely for a specific purpose. So many times in life I have tried comparing myself to others or tried to become someone who I am not. I feel as though this is a struggle for many people. Even though I sometimes wish I would look a little different or have a better personality, I am coming to realize that God created me with all of my flaws, quirks, physical traits, passions, and interests for a reason. I was thinking about how this summer I want to learn more about why God made me the way I am as well as how He could best use me.
Not only has he knitted me in the womb, He has knitted all of us. Life is amazing when you really stop and think about it. Every second of life is due to grace as well as a miracle. When you think about how he has created everyone it is truly humbling; when someone is bothering you to the point of screaming or a little baby is crying for what seems to be no reason at all- you stop and think God created them as well.
Yesterday after thinking about all of this, the sermon was on You and who God created you to be. Of course it was! Also, he already knows what will happen in our lives as well as what he is going to do with us. One of my favorite parts of this amazing sermon called Unthinkable was when he was talking about how God knows everything already and the pastor said maybe I should just step back and try to learn from the genius of creation. So many times I do not listen or try to comprehend why I am going through a situation or what I can learn about it.
Door of Hope is amazing. Today we learned of another little girls story. The doctors said that she would not live past the age of one. At seven months old she still only weighed five pounds. However, she just turned two years old and is walking and beautiful! There are so many stories like that here. Each one of these children are fearfully and wonderfully made; they all have a purpose. I am truly blessed to be able to be a small part of their journey.
I have learned to love things changing and not going through the motions. I am glad God has slowly taught me this throughout the years. Today we received a phone call asking if we were able to work in the Johannesburg hospital for night shift the next four nights. We are truly excited to be able to serve there where it is desperately needed.
The nurses are supposedly not the best; they do not take great care of their patients. We will be feeding the babies as well as changing their nappies (diapers) throughout the next four nights from 6 pm- 7 am. We will be serving in separate rooms on the same floor- loving two different babies. It will be a humbling experience as supposedly the nurses are very harsh and we will have to submit to all of their requests.
Timing has worked out perfectly as well. We were out of groceries the other day; yesterday we filled our cabinets with food. We will have plenty of food to bring along with us for the night shifts. We would have not felt like doing it during the day. Also, we will be able to see the United States play in the World Cup tomorrow at four as we are not working during the day :)
Please pray that we can keep up our energy, get some rest during the day, and the babies remain in a stable condition.
Yesterday I had a lot going through my mind- which is easy to have considering everything still being so new as well as so much down time. I have learned to appreciate quiet time as well as rest. For many of you who know me this is a tremendous change as I have always needed something to do- even when I was little- it was what game can we play next.
Writing in my journal, we have been learning a lot about being fearfully and wonderfully made as I have written in my last post. I have been thinking a lot about how God, the creator of everything in this universe, has created us all uniquely for a specific purpose. So many times in life I have tried comparing myself to others or tried to become someone who I am not. I feel as though this is a struggle for many people. Even though I sometimes wish I would look a little different or have a better personality, I am coming to realize that God created me with all of my flaws, quirks, physical traits, passions, and interests for a reason. I was thinking about how this summer I want to learn more about why God made me the way I am as well as how He could best use me.
Not only has he knitted me in the womb, He has knitted all of us. Life is amazing when you really stop and think about it. Every second of life is due to grace as well as a miracle. When you think about how he has created everyone it is truly humbling; when someone is bothering you to the point of screaming or a little baby is crying for what seems to be no reason at all- you stop and think God created them as well.
Yesterday after thinking about all of this, the sermon was on You and who God created you to be. Of course it was! Also, he already knows what will happen in our lives as well as what he is going to do with us. One of my favorite parts of this amazing sermon called Unthinkable was when he was talking about how God knows everything already and the pastor said maybe I should just step back and try to learn from the genius of creation. So many times I do not listen or try to comprehend why I am going through a situation or what I can learn about it.
Door of Hope is amazing. Today we learned of another little girls story. The doctors said that she would not live past the age of one. At seven months old she still only weighed five pounds. However, she just turned two years old and is walking and beautiful! There are so many stories like that here. Each one of these children are fearfully and wonderfully made; they all have a purpose. I am truly blessed to be able to be a small part of their journey.
I have learned to love things changing and not going through the motions. I am glad God has slowly taught me this throughout the years. Today we received a phone call asking if we were able to work in the Johannesburg hospital for night shift the next four nights. We are truly excited to be able to serve there where it is desperately needed.
The nurses are supposedly not the best; they do not take great care of their patients. We will be feeding the babies as well as changing their nappies (diapers) throughout the next four nights from 6 pm- 7 am. We will be serving in separate rooms on the same floor- loving two different babies. It will be a humbling experience as supposedly the nurses are very harsh and we will have to submit to all of their requests.
Timing has worked out perfectly as well. We were out of groceries the other day; yesterday we filled our cabinets with food. We will have plenty of food to bring along with us for the night shifts. We would have not felt like doing it during the day. Also, we will be able to see the United States play in the World Cup tomorrow at four as we are not working during the day :)
Please pray that we can keep up our energy, get some rest during the day, and the babies remain in a stable condition.
Friday, June 18, 2010
13:13
We worked our first three days in a row this week. Every day is so long but so rewarding as well. It was our first week without the aunties from Canada as well as one our age from England. However, the United States is filling up the Door of Hope as a girl from Iowa came by all herself! It amazes me how she looked up this place on the Internet and flew here by herself; that is amazing faith.
I have fallen more in love with the babies every day. Three children got adopted this week!!! It is bittersweet; We miss seeing them. However, we also know they have a family forever now that will hopefully be loving them so so much. Two new children were brought up from the infant room. They are two and three months old and so tiny. So may premie babies are trickling in. Supposedly a lot of the times these babies were meant to be aborted. A lot of people resort to the "witch doctors" all around. The abortions went wrong and they ended up at the Door of Hope. Yesterday I got pretty emotional changing one of the new little babies. I was scared to change her because of how small she is. I then started thinking about how thankfully she was brought from the hospital. I can not imagine someone that tiny, or anyone at all, being abandoned on the street. It gives me more of an appreciation for the Door of Hope. God has amazing things in store for these children; I know it.
Yesterday we were able to see the first Baby house built where the latch is; people can place their babies through this latch to give them to the door of hope. There is an alarm sensor in there. The area around this baby house is a lot more rough. We saw one building which was meant to be a rich/fancy place for people to stay. It ended up turning into pretty much a shanty town. It is a huge building. Supposedly a lot of babies are thrown outside of those windows often. It is so hard tohear that.
On a happier note we have been here three weeks. After four weeks we can take the babies on day trips. We are thinking about taking three of the older boys to the Lion Park! I am so excited to do that. Technically these boys would be in the toddler house; however, there is no space right now. They will probably leave us very soon which will be a sad day. However, it will be neat to take them to the Lion Park!
We may go to Swaziland next weekend to work with a ministry one of the girls has worked with! I am so so excited. It is more relational based ministry. I truly can not wait to form connections with people. This has been on both mine as well as Annie's heart. It will be tough as it has one of the highest percentages of HIV/AIDS in the world. However, I am truly excited to experience part of the "real" African culture. We will be sleeping in a tent as well.
Off to enjoy the rest of the day with friends :)
I have fallen more in love with the babies every day. Three children got adopted this week!!! It is bittersweet; We miss seeing them. However, we also know they have a family forever now that will hopefully be loving them so so much. Two new children were brought up from the infant room. They are two and three months old and so tiny. So may premie babies are trickling in. Supposedly a lot of the times these babies were meant to be aborted. A lot of people resort to the "witch doctors" all around. The abortions went wrong and they ended up at the Door of Hope. Yesterday I got pretty emotional changing one of the new little babies. I was scared to change her because of how small she is. I then started thinking about how thankfully she was brought from the hospital. I can not imagine someone that tiny, or anyone at all, being abandoned on the street. It gives me more of an appreciation for the Door of Hope. God has amazing things in store for these children; I know it.
Yesterday we were able to see the first Baby house built where the latch is; people can place their babies through this latch to give them to the door of hope. There is an alarm sensor in there. The area around this baby house is a lot more rough. We saw one building which was meant to be a rich/fancy place for people to stay. It ended up turning into pretty much a shanty town. It is a huge building. Supposedly a lot of babies are thrown outside of those windows often. It is so hard tohear that.
On a happier note we have been here three weeks. After four weeks we can take the babies on day trips. We are thinking about taking three of the older boys to the Lion Park! I am so excited to do that. Technically these boys would be in the toddler house; however, there is no space right now. They will probably leave us very soon which will be a sad day. However, it will be neat to take them to the Lion Park!
We may go to Swaziland next weekend to work with a ministry one of the girls has worked with! I am so so excited. It is more relational based ministry. I truly can not wait to form connections with people. This has been on both mine as well as Annie's heart. It will be tough as it has one of the highest percentages of HIV/AIDS in the world. However, I am truly excited to experience part of the "real" African culture. We will be sleeping in a tent as well.
Off to enjoy the rest of the day with friends :)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Bafana, Bafana!
The United States is playing tonight at the World Cup verse England! The girl we have been serving with the past two weeks is from England. It will be so much fun to watch the game together as well as one of the missionaries from New Jersey, currently living in South Africa with her wonderful South African husband!Even though we cannot make it to a game, it is amazing to experience the World Cup in South Africa. You can hear vuvuzelas everywhere- which are the horns. Needless to say the children do not like the sound of them; however, it never ceases to amuse the aunties to play them at the Door of Hope. The other day we heard so much chaos going on at the local mall. We decided to be adventurous and get out of the car to see what was going on. There were literally hundreds of people rounded up solely to blare their horns in support of the South African team. It was so neat. Everyone has so much joy and support for this team, even though they are ranked 83rd in the country. From a country with so much tension between all the different colors of people to this amazing support for their soccer team, it is a miracle that the World Cup is taking place in South Africa. The world cup is bringing the nation together; it is only soccer- but it doesn't matter because they are all still unifying in some way.
We watched the opening ceremony at the Door of Hope with all of the Aunties and the babies- never watched a competitive game with twelve babies! We laughed about our company. The day was so much fun. We all wore South African colors, and when they scored everyone went nuts at the Door of Hope! Also, it was two of the boys birthday celebration. It was an exciting day at the DOH.
I saw one of the children walk for the first time. It was so exciting! I have never experienced that before. It made my day. For some reason I felt as though he was going to walk that day and he did!
Today me and Annie watched a sermon by Loui Giglio about how we are fearfully and wonderfully made. It went into all of these details regarding both how big the universe is as well as how intricate God has designed our bodies- even to the cells. Sometimes I doubt my abilities- correction- I often doubt myself. However, I realize this is almost a slap in God's face. He has fearfully and wonderfully made all of us for a purpose. He has intricately created us from the beginning of time; doubting what we are called to do is selfish. It is almost like taking an extremely long time carefully planning the perfect gift for a certain person. After taking time planning every single detail, the person is unable to graciously accept the gift.
We are all created for a reason and a purpose. It is amazing just being able to walk around, see, smell, touch, taste, and hear. It is amazing to have life. We should wake up every day and embrace what we are given; it is all a gift. By no means am I saying I am perfect; I sadly forget this too easily.
I do miss home a lot randomly. I miss Caswell and seeing the beauty all around me, the amazing people, the kids, etc. I miss home a lot and all of my family and friends. I miss the summer. I miss good coffee. I miss being able to walk around freely after 6 pm. However, I love these babies and know I am here for a purpose. Thank you all for your support and prayers.
Well, me and Annie are off to our United States verse England world cup party!
Love you all
Monday, June 7, 2010
better than an hallelujah....
Standing outside of the Door of Hope tonight, the stars were shining above us and the elevated city lights surrounded us in front. I realized this place is amazing and I have been granted my hearts desire. Even though their is so much brokenness all around us- this place has a beauty on its own- one that I am not used to- the city.
The World Cup is really going to be huge for this place. It will be two worlds colliding into one :) It is a miracle hopefully binding South Africa in their pride for the World Cup.
Today was so much fun and very refreshing. This place is starting to feel more comfortable and more at home. The States will seem like paradise when we return. Today we went to an African Market about 30 minutes away in Johannesburg with two of the aunties- Lou and Dale.
I never have experienced a market before- let alone one where the prices are all in Rand. It was so crazy. If you do not know how to say the word "no" you will be sure to quickly learn at these markets! Also, I felt rude not listening to all of the people wanting to make me buy things- slowly I got better at walking away from them all. It is very hard and they all make you feel so guilty. I need to work on this! Some people were so so pushy; however, there was one strip of stores with people who were very nice as well. It was bizarre what a difference you could find in prices from one side of the market to the other.
Most of these people receive their only incomes from this market and come there every day. Even though it was somewhat stressful, it was also a lot of fun. We went with two older missionaries with us from Canada who are so nice and neat. They have taught me that no matter what age you are to embrace your personality. They wore purple wigs in the Door of Hope pretending they were not doing anything funny- it was hilarious to hear the story! It is so neat how God brought two Americans and two Canadians to serve at the Door of Hope.
I did manage to get a lot of neat gifts for people. Also, I got a braclet for an amazing deal- which I was so excited about until dinner- it was 20 Rand instead of 50 Rand because I had no more money- at dinner of course I realized that they spelled Africa "Afirca" on the wrist band- haha. I thought I got a deal- oh well maybe I can pretend they spell it that way in Afrikaans??
South Africa is beginning to feel more like home everyday as we get adjusted to it. The people surrounding us are so neat and so passionate about their faith and God. One lady we met today at the market was amazing. You could just tell how much joy she had from the moment you saw her face. It was astounding! It turned out that Dale knew her from the last time she had visited. They have been e-mailing one another. This lady gave Dale a beautiful painting, a jeweled elephant figurine, and a keychain for free. She was just so excited to see Dale again. She also gave us a hug right away and told us how she would be praying for us and that we would never be alone. She has such a passion for the God she loves. It was refreshing to see. She also gave us her phone number to call her if we ever need someone to talk to. Hopefully we will be able to return and just talk to her. She seems amazing.
I am so excited to be able to serve here with all of these amazing individuals and experience so much love. It is neat to be able to get away and see things from a different perspective of things going on at home as well. There are so many amazing things I see and hear happening from different friends at home. I love hearing updates :)
We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah......
The World Cup is really going to be huge for this place. It will be two worlds colliding into one :) It is a miracle hopefully binding South Africa in their pride for the World Cup.
Today was so much fun and very refreshing. This place is starting to feel more comfortable and more at home. The States will seem like paradise when we return. Today we went to an African Market about 30 minutes away in Johannesburg with two of the aunties- Lou and Dale.
I never have experienced a market before- let alone one where the prices are all in Rand. It was so crazy. If you do not know how to say the word "no" you will be sure to quickly learn at these markets! Also, I felt rude not listening to all of the people wanting to make me buy things- slowly I got better at walking away from them all. It is very hard and they all make you feel so guilty. I need to work on this! Some people were so so pushy; however, there was one strip of stores with people who were very nice as well. It was bizarre what a difference you could find in prices from one side of the market to the other.
Most of these people receive their only incomes from this market and come there every day. Even though it was somewhat stressful, it was also a lot of fun. We went with two older missionaries with us from Canada who are so nice and neat. They have taught me that no matter what age you are to embrace your personality. They wore purple wigs in the Door of Hope pretending they were not doing anything funny- it was hilarious to hear the story! It is so neat how God brought two Americans and two Canadians to serve at the Door of Hope.
I did manage to get a lot of neat gifts for people. Also, I got a braclet for an amazing deal- which I was so excited about until dinner- it was 20 Rand instead of 50 Rand because I had no more money- at dinner of course I realized that they spelled Africa "Afirca" on the wrist band- haha. I thought I got a deal- oh well maybe I can pretend they spell it that way in Afrikaans??
South Africa is beginning to feel more like home everyday as we get adjusted to it. The people surrounding us are so neat and so passionate about their faith and God. One lady we met today at the market was amazing. You could just tell how much joy she had from the moment you saw her face. It was astounding! It turned out that Dale knew her from the last time she had visited. They have been e-mailing one another. This lady gave Dale a beautiful painting, a jeweled elephant figurine, and a keychain for free. She was just so excited to see Dale again. She also gave us a hug right away and told us how she would be praying for us and that we would never be alone. She has such a passion for the God she loves. It was refreshing to see. She also gave us her phone number to call her if we ever need someone to talk to. Hopefully we will be able to return and just talk to her. She seems amazing.
I am so excited to be able to serve here with all of these amazing individuals and experience so much love. It is neat to be able to get away and see things from a different perspective of things going on at home as well. There are so many amazing things I see and hear happening from different friends at home. I love hearing updates :)
We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah......
Saturday, June 5, 2010
feesh and chips
South Africa finally feels more comfortable and like home :)
Tonight was so much fun. We went out to eat and got fish and chips again with three of the aunties who work with us from Door of Hope. It is so bizarre that two Americans, two Canadians, and a girl from England all sat down together to eat at a restaurant in South Africa and it felt like a home away from home!
We work tomorrow. Next week we will be going to a local African market with the same group as tonight. Wednesday we will be going to the 'cinema' and seeing a movie for less than $3- how bizarre!
Besides all of this fun stuff it is amazing to hear about everything going on at home and in the lives of the people I love. God truly works miracles all the time!
Tomorrow= another day of loving the babies!
Tonight was so much fun. We went out to eat and got fish and chips again with three of the aunties who work with us from Door of Hope. It is so bizarre that two Americans, two Canadians, and a girl from England all sat down together to eat at a restaurant in South Africa and it felt like a home away from home!
We work tomorrow. Next week we will be going to a local African market with the same group as tonight. Wednesday we will be going to the 'cinema' and seeing a movie for less than $3- how bizarre!
Besides all of this fun stuff it is amazing to hear about everything going on at home and in the lives of the people I love. God truly works miracles all the time!
Tomorrow= another day of loving the babies!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Learning to Love...
I came to the realization today that it would be impossible to love fully without Christ. I would have a selfish love rather than continually looking out for those around me. I do fall into this trap very often which I am slowly realizing how selfish I can truly be. I feel as though every relationship is a gift from God learning a little bit more about love along the way.
This summer loving these babies is going to be tiring and amazing all at once; we will see how it goes. We have eleven hour shifts. Today was our first day. The babies smile can light up the world, I promise. Their laughs are even more cute and adorable. These babies have come from such diverse situations. It is surreal to think about the situations they have come from while serving at the Door of Hope; however, it is also easy to focus too much on the past rather than loving them in the future. It is such an amazing organization. The babies crawl right up to you wanting to be loved. They are such happy babies- it is incredibe. Today, I was trying to Americanize one of the babies haha- teaching him how to high five and "pound it." It would be so hard to love these babies without keeping our focuses right continually throughout this summer.
It has been tough being here because everything is so foreign. We miss good coffee, good food, and communication with the world outside of our little home or the Door of Hope. We are so used to text messaging and television and friends and continual activity. We have a lot of down time here as we cannot go outside after 6- it is unsafe after dark. I miss the comfort of living in the United States. However, I know me and Annie are here for a reason.
It is amazing to think some of my friends are serving all around the world as well: Nicaragua, Kenya, Korea, Guatemala, Caswell, Churches, and all of the other BDT summer missionaries. It is neat to hear people from all over the world proclaim their faith in the same God.
I am excited about tomorrow to love these babies even more. Then we have two days of rest :)
This summer loving these babies is going to be tiring and amazing all at once; we will see how it goes. We have eleven hour shifts. Today was our first day. The babies smile can light up the world, I promise. Their laughs are even more cute and adorable. These babies have come from such diverse situations. It is surreal to think about the situations they have come from while serving at the Door of Hope; however, it is also easy to focus too much on the past rather than loving them in the future. It is such an amazing organization. The babies crawl right up to you wanting to be loved. They are such happy babies- it is incredibe. Today, I was trying to Americanize one of the babies haha- teaching him how to high five and "pound it." It would be so hard to love these babies without keeping our focuses right continually throughout this summer.
It has been tough being here because everything is so foreign. We miss good coffee, good food, and communication with the world outside of our little home or the Door of Hope. We are so used to text messaging and television and friends and continual activity. We have a lot of down time here as we cannot go outside after 6- it is unsafe after dark. I miss the comfort of living in the United States. However, I know me and Annie are here for a reason.
It is amazing to think some of my friends are serving all around the world as well: Nicaragua, Kenya, Korea, Guatemala, Caswell, Churches, and all of the other BDT summer missionaries. It is neat to hear people from all over the world proclaim their faith in the same God.
I am excited about tomorrow to love these babies even more. Then we have two days of rest :)
Saturday, May 29, 2010
I believe I can fly...
We have now been here for 5 days and it feels like so much longer. The states feel so far away.
After our over twenty four hour plane trip from Charlotte to New York to Amsterdam to Johannesburg and getting receipts in dollars, euros, and Rands we made our way to the city we'll be serving in for the majority of the summer- almost eleven weeks. It is so crazy to believe that we will be here for such a long time period. It has already seemed like a long time and so different from home. However, it has also been good so far too. I am just excited to see what is in store for this summer- or winter (in South Africa)- it is starting to get cold. Me and Annie are in sweats under blankets already and it hasn't even started the "cold" season- however- it is still nothing like New Jersey!
It is hard being here right now because even though the apartheid ended a decent amount of time ago there is still so much tension visible between the people in this city. It is hard to know how to go about building relationships with people due to the danger of this city. However, I feel as though that will come with time as well. Their is a mall within a ten minute walk from us that we can walk to safely during the day. Me and Annie are hoping to go to a coffee shop there and become regular customers so we can get to know atleast some people.
The people here are so much different. It is hard to be ourselves in public because we do not know how to act around everyone. People are very conservative- me and Annie would love to run around and take pictures!....but I do not believe that would be the best decision. I feel like Johannesburg needs a miracle. Whites and blacks still have a lot of tension between one another. The president right now has three wives and about twenty children which is so bizarre. The World Cup is a huge deal right now because it will be a joining of the two worlds. I don't think we will be going to a game due to expense and not many tickets left; however, we are thinking about possible doing a tour around Soweto/"Soccer City". Nelson Mandela's home is there. Also, it is not the best area- However, a guy at church has connections with a local ministry there so we are hoping to be able to serve there in some way if the opportunity presents itself. There are so many opportunities for this summer; however, we are going to be praying about what we should do as well as what opportunities fall into place this summer. We have only been here less than a week so I am not too worried about it. One of the missionaries we are with from New Jersey- who has moved and gotten married in South Africa- has connections with a ministry in Swaziland- one of the highest percentage populations with individuals with HIV/Aids- we would love to experience "real Africa" and be able to serve there as well. We will see what doors open up.
Johannesburg is supposedly considered a world of its own compared to the rest of Africa. There are so many different mixtures of people of various races and cultures. It would be neat to be able to serve in a smaller village one day- it would be a lot easier to form connections I feel like- rather than a humongous city. However, I am truly excited to be here and for this opportunity to serve the children at Door of Hope as well as experiencing all this summer. I know I am here for a reason. I do not see myself serving here full-time- but who knows!
We have been to the Door of Hope about three times now. Tomorrow is our first real day of work. The babies are adorable! We are taking care of about 12 kids- all two years old or younger. There are thirty babies at the house we are working in. There are three houses- ours is the safest one which is a blessing. It will be neat to see the other two ones too- just to experience it. The other one is where the latch is for the babies to be placed in anonymously- then an alarm goes off- and the babies are taken in from the other side of the wall. It is so crazy hearing about all of these babies who have been abandoned by their families- I guess sometimes it is the most loving thing they can do if they can not support them- the babies here are very very well off! We went grocery shopping today and were buying dried apricots/salmon/etc....just very healthy good food. You can tell the babies are loved so much here. When we first walked in the door- two babies- Denzel and Prince- crawled right up to me and wanted to be held. It would not be that way if they were not loved like that.
Today was so strange- it was our first time seeing an abandoned baby brought in. A girl about my age or younger found a precious baby girl on the streets- and kept her for the night- then they brought her to the orphanage- I can't imagine being that desperate to have to leave your child behind. It would be so hard.
Everything has been going pretty well. The area we live in is so different than I have ever lived in- it is not the best area- however the home we are living in is very safe and secure- and very comfortable and nice. Driving on the left side of the road is getting much easier for both me and Annie. The wind shield wiper and the blinker are on the opposite sides- so we laugh because we keep turning on the wipers instead of the blinkers. Also, we keep trying to get into the wrong side of the car to drive- it is so confusing! The speed is in km/hr instead of mph so I thought I was going 110 mph but it really wasn't that at all!
Other different sayings that are funny:
Honking the horn= blowing the hooter
Traffic lights= robots
The trunk= the boot
Napkins= diapers
I meant to write a blog beforehand. However, I typed it up on Word and tried to paste it and it did not work. Also, I attempted posting it while on here- it did not work a second time. Sorry for not writing sooner.
Yesterday, we went to a church that we both absolutely loved- our first South African church. We sang hymns which was a lot different than guitar and slide down screens with the lyrics on them! It was fun though. The man, Daba, who owns the place we are staying at, Angels Rest, is on the church congregation there. The message was really great, and the Pastor was really funny. It was talking about how sheep are dumb, can only see about six feet in front of them, and if they were on there own they would not survive. We need our Shephard, Christ, to save us and guide us throughout life. I love analogies and just thought it was really neat. I have always though the perfect church would be all different people in one place. This church was really tiny but their were missionaries from all over the place as well as many different individuals. They are all really friendly. It was great to have people to communicate with and fellowship with as it is quite hard to talk to people in the city.
Tomorrow equals first day of work!
Thank you for all of your support and encouragement- it truly means a lot. I feel as though it will already be strange to come back to the states. However, I can not wait to come back to warm weather, the beach, and American food/coffee (it is not that great here!)- it will seem like paradise.
Miss you all
After our over twenty four hour plane trip from Charlotte to New York to Amsterdam to Johannesburg and getting receipts in dollars, euros, and Rands we made our way to the city we'll be serving in for the majority of the summer- almost eleven weeks. It is so crazy to believe that we will be here for such a long time period. It has already seemed like a long time and so different from home. However, it has also been good so far too. I am just excited to see what is in store for this summer- or winter (in South Africa)- it is starting to get cold. Me and Annie are in sweats under blankets already and it hasn't even started the "cold" season- however- it is still nothing like New Jersey!
It is hard being here right now because even though the apartheid ended a decent amount of time ago there is still so much tension visible between the people in this city. It is hard to know how to go about building relationships with people due to the danger of this city. However, I feel as though that will come with time as well. Their is a mall within a ten minute walk from us that we can walk to safely during the day. Me and Annie are hoping to go to a coffee shop there and become regular customers so we can get to know atleast some people.
The people here are so much different. It is hard to be ourselves in public because we do not know how to act around everyone. People are very conservative- me and Annie would love to run around and take pictures!....but I do not believe that would be the best decision. I feel like Johannesburg needs a miracle. Whites and blacks still have a lot of tension between one another. The president right now has three wives and about twenty children which is so bizarre. The World Cup is a huge deal right now because it will be a joining of the two worlds. I don't think we will be going to a game due to expense and not many tickets left; however, we are thinking about possible doing a tour around Soweto/"Soccer City". Nelson Mandela's home is there. Also, it is not the best area- However, a guy at church has connections with a local ministry there so we are hoping to be able to serve there in some way if the opportunity presents itself. There are so many opportunities for this summer; however, we are going to be praying about what we should do as well as what opportunities fall into place this summer. We have only been here less than a week so I am not too worried about it. One of the missionaries we are with from New Jersey- who has moved and gotten married in South Africa- has connections with a ministry in Swaziland- one of the highest percentage populations with individuals with HIV/Aids- we would love to experience "real Africa" and be able to serve there as well. We will see what doors open up.
Johannesburg is supposedly considered a world of its own compared to the rest of Africa. There are so many different mixtures of people of various races and cultures. It would be neat to be able to serve in a smaller village one day- it would be a lot easier to form connections I feel like- rather than a humongous city. However, I am truly excited to be here and for this opportunity to serve the children at Door of Hope as well as experiencing all this summer. I know I am here for a reason. I do not see myself serving here full-time- but who knows!
We have been to the Door of Hope about three times now. Tomorrow is our first real day of work. The babies are adorable! We are taking care of about 12 kids- all two years old or younger. There are thirty babies at the house we are working in. There are three houses- ours is the safest one which is a blessing. It will be neat to see the other two ones too- just to experience it. The other one is where the latch is for the babies to be placed in anonymously- then an alarm goes off- and the babies are taken in from the other side of the wall. It is so crazy hearing about all of these babies who have been abandoned by their families- I guess sometimes it is the most loving thing they can do if they can not support them- the babies here are very very well off! We went grocery shopping today and were buying dried apricots/salmon/etc....just very healthy good food. You can tell the babies are loved so much here. When we first walked in the door- two babies- Denzel and Prince- crawled right up to me and wanted to be held. It would not be that way if they were not loved like that.
Today was so strange- it was our first time seeing an abandoned baby brought in. A girl about my age or younger found a precious baby girl on the streets- and kept her for the night- then they brought her to the orphanage- I can't imagine being that desperate to have to leave your child behind. It would be so hard.
Everything has been going pretty well. The area we live in is so different than I have ever lived in- it is not the best area- however the home we are living in is very safe and secure- and very comfortable and nice. Driving on the left side of the road is getting much easier for both me and Annie. The wind shield wiper and the blinker are on the opposite sides- so we laugh because we keep turning on the wipers instead of the blinkers. Also, we keep trying to get into the wrong side of the car to drive- it is so confusing! The speed is in km/hr instead of mph so I thought I was going 110 mph but it really wasn't that at all!
Other different sayings that are funny:
Honking the horn= blowing the hooter
Traffic lights= robots
The trunk= the boot
Napkins= diapers
I meant to write a blog beforehand. However, I typed it up on Word and tried to paste it and it did not work. Also, I attempted posting it while on here- it did not work a second time. Sorry for not writing sooner.
Yesterday, we went to a church that we both absolutely loved- our first South African church. We sang hymns which was a lot different than guitar and slide down screens with the lyrics on them! It was fun though. The man, Daba, who owns the place we are staying at, Angels Rest, is on the church congregation there. The message was really great, and the Pastor was really funny. It was talking about how sheep are dumb, can only see about six feet in front of them, and if they were on there own they would not survive. We need our Shephard, Christ, to save us and guide us throughout life. I love analogies and just thought it was really neat. I have always though the perfect church would be all different people in one place. This church was really tiny but their were missionaries from all over the place as well as many different individuals. They are all really friendly. It was great to have people to communicate with and fellowship with as it is quite hard to talk to people in the city.
Tomorrow equals first day of work!
Thank you for all of your support and encouragement- it truly means a lot. I feel as though it will already be strange to come back to the states. However, I can not wait to come back to warm weather, the beach, and American food/coffee (it is not that great here!)- it will seem like paradise.
Miss you all
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
im european! kinda
we just landed in amsterdam.....finally! after getting four and a half hours of sleep and a 2 hr ride to the airport 2 hr trip to ny and a really really long trip to amsterdam were only one flight away from the beautiful city we will be serving this summer! should get there at 3 30 pm eastern time and 9 30 pm in south africa!!!
i am so excited to be able to get away for ten weeks and serve in a foreign land. me and annie will be able to get away from all the distractions and serve together and love these babies who desperately need love. i can not wait to experience everything- a safari, the world cup, capetown, penguins, these beautiful children, and learning everything possible- language/culture/etc.
thank you for all of your support and please let me know if there is anything i can pray for or just what is going on back in the states!!!
me and annies theme songs for this summer so far are im so excited and i believe i can fly!
im excited to learn and grow this summer and have this incredible opportunity in johannesburg to really meet new people vastly different from ourselves.
euros are expensive so ill update more later!!!!
love you all.
i am so excited to be able to get away for ten weeks and serve in a foreign land. me and annie will be able to get away from all the distractions and serve together and love these babies who desperately need love. i can not wait to experience everything- a safari, the world cup, capetown, penguins, these beautiful children, and learning everything possible- language/culture/etc.
thank you for all of your support and please let me know if there is anything i can pray for or just what is going on back in the states!!!
me and annies theme songs for this summer so far are im so excited and i believe i can fly!
im excited to learn and grow this summer and have this incredible opportunity in johannesburg to really meet new people vastly different from ourselves.
euros are expensive so ill update more later!!!!
love you all.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
8 days and counting :)
It seems surreal that I will be in South Africa in solely eight days.
Sitting at home in New Jersey in the pouring rain- it doesn't seem like it is actually going to happen soon.
My brother just got married to our beautiful new sister, Lindsay Jackman! It was amazing as well as encouraging to be at the wedding with so many strong Christians following what God has planned for them. The wedding was God- centered; I am so excited for their relationship with one another to see what is in store for them in both the close and distant future!
Financially, everything has been falling into place and has been a huge blessing. So many people have graciousally contributed to my trip which I am so thankful of and for. It is amazing how everything is slowly falling into place through support from my family and friends, to finances, to seeing everything leading up to being in South Africa loving these children.
Life has been bittersweet. Even though it sounds crazy, it is hard having so many amazing friends and family members in my life. It is such a blessing to have so many wonderful people in my life; however, it is extremely difficult to get up and leave the people you love. I know I am supposed to go to South Africa, and I know it will be extremely rewarding and have a purpose; however, it was nonetheless hard to say bye to my family and friends at my brother's wedding, and it will be hard to say bye to my parents and family/friends at home.
I think about how blessed my childhood was compared to how so many children in South Africa are abandoned on the streets: in public restrooms, trash dumps, toilets, etc. It is surreal to hear this; I can not fathom children actually being abandoned like this. I am trying to prepare my heart for these children.
This organization I will be working with sounds truly amazing. There is an adoption agency connected with the orphanage that connects the children to strong Christian households.
Only 8 days to go :) thanks for all the prayers and support.
Sitting at home in New Jersey in the pouring rain- it doesn't seem like it is actually going to happen soon.
My brother just got married to our beautiful new sister, Lindsay Jackman! It was amazing as well as encouraging to be at the wedding with so many strong Christians following what God has planned for them. The wedding was God- centered; I am so excited for their relationship with one another to see what is in store for them in both the close and distant future!
Financially, everything has been falling into place and has been a huge blessing. So many people have graciousally contributed to my trip which I am so thankful of and for. It is amazing how everything is slowly falling into place through support from my family and friends, to finances, to seeing everything leading up to being in South Africa loving these children.
Life has been bittersweet. Even though it sounds crazy, it is hard having so many amazing friends and family members in my life. It is such a blessing to have so many wonderful people in my life; however, it is extremely difficult to get up and leave the people you love. I know I am supposed to go to South Africa, and I know it will be extremely rewarding and have a purpose; however, it was nonetheless hard to say bye to my family and friends at my brother's wedding, and it will be hard to say bye to my parents and family/friends at home.
I think about how blessed my childhood was compared to how so many children in South Africa are abandoned on the streets: in public restrooms, trash dumps, toilets, etc. It is surreal to hear this; I can not fathom children actually being abandoned like this. I am trying to prepare my heart for these children.
This organization I will be working with sounds truly amazing. There is an adoption agency connected with the orphanage that connects the children to strong Christian households.
Only 8 days to go :) thanks for all the prayers and support.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
35 days away, count down begins!
Yesterday, I just received my plane tickets! I will be flying out on May 26 and returning on August 05. I am so excited and thrilled to be able to go to Johannesburg and serve there in the orphanage with doors of hope. It has been my hearts desire for so long.
It seems like yesterday, where the young girl at Fort Caswell told me I should go to Africa and help the children over there; it has already been almost a year ago. She had been asking me what I wanted to do when I grew up. Laughing, I had told her I wanted to be a crocodile hunter being silly. For about two minutes she had not said anything; Then she looked up at me, not previously knowing my heart for Africa and children, and told me that I should help the kids over there.
My brother's fiance's aunt had known of this organization I will be going through, and had told me about it towards the end of the summer. I was extremely excited about it and looked at the website continually; however, in no way did I think that I would actually be able to go. The due date for the application was January 1. Doubting myself, as usual, I had filled out the application; yet, I did not turn it in until the day beforehand!
At the interview conference, I met the girl Annie (we did not know either of us would be the ones going yet) who was amazing- I could tell that we would get along great. Finding out a few weeks later we would be going together was so exciting!
It has been a dream come true to see everything fall into place and to finally see the plane flight times!
I am not sure what to expect while I will be over there. I know my heart will be broken for these children who have been abandoned by their parents due to different circumstances. I am a little nervous to be gone so far away from home for a ten week duration; however, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go and love the children at the DOORS of HOPE orphanage as well as the people in the surrounding area.
Two more weeks of school, my brother is getting married!!, and then africa.
It is hard to focus and remain focused on where I am at. Things are so exciting right now :)
It seems like yesterday, where the young girl at Fort Caswell told me I should go to Africa and help the children over there; it has already been almost a year ago. She had been asking me what I wanted to do when I grew up. Laughing, I had told her I wanted to be a crocodile hunter being silly. For about two minutes she had not said anything; Then she looked up at me, not previously knowing my heart for Africa and children, and told me that I should help the kids over there.
My brother's fiance's aunt had known of this organization I will be going through, and had told me about it towards the end of the summer. I was extremely excited about it and looked at the website continually; however, in no way did I think that I would actually be able to go. The due date for the application was January 1. Doubting myself, as usual, I had filled out the application; yet, I did not turn it in until the day beforehand!
At the interview conference, I met the girl Annie (we did not know either of us would be the ones going yet) who was amazing- I could tell that we would get along great. Finding out a few weeks later we would be going together was so exciting!
It has been a dream come true to see everything fall into place and to finally see the plane flight times!
I am not sure what to expect while I will be over there. I know my heart will be broken for these children who have been abandoned by their parents due to different circumstances. I am a little nervous to be gone so far away from home for a ten week duration; however, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go and love the children at the DOORS of HOPE orphanage as well as the people in the surrounding area.
Two more weeks of school, my brother is getting married!!, and then africa.
It is hard to focus and remain focused on where I am at. Things are so exciting right now :)
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