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

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.

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.