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Cape Town was...incredible. But I will tell you all about it in person or over the phone because I will be home the day after tomorrow!
And summer...gone
=)
2.8.09
22.7.09
less than two weeks
I'm coming into the final stretch of my time here. Actually, I’ll be home in only 13 days. That seems so surreal to me. Time has really flown past, especially in the last few weeks. I'm looking forward to getting back and seeing my family, but I can’t imagine life without babies around all the time. I take it for granted that I can recognize the way each one cries and laughs, and that I know how to make each one happy, and why they are sad. Each child is so unique, and loved because of his/her uniqueness. I do have a ‘favorite,’ but I love every single one of them more than I ever thought was possible. It is weird to me how they’ll never remember me, but I’ll always hold memories of them in my heart. I’ll look at pictures of them for a long time to come, but within a few months (or less) of my leaving, they won’t even remember who I am, especially when they grow up
The good news is that so many of them are getting adopted. Only 3 kids that are currently in big babies will be left after September, one from small babies is leaving, and all but 3 from Starfish (special needs) are leaving. It makes it easier, to know that all of my (and God’s) precious little ones are going to a good family that will love them even more than I have been able to
I've started trying to process everything that’s happened to me over the summer, from the conflicts to the days where I didn’t think I could possibly be any happier, to the lessons God has taught me through the good and the bad. I've become so close with my roommates and those who don’t live with me, and I've gotten used to seeing them every day. The staff here is like family—everyone refers to each other as auntie or uncle, no matter how old or young the other person is. Last week the staff had to all come in at the same time for hepatitis injections, and it really was like a family reunion, with laughing and loud talking and a lot of loving. I've worked the most with Francinah, who is the house supervisor and lives here, and Brice, who is in charge of big babies, and who I always work with (by the way, Brice was reading over my shoulder as I wrote this, and he says hi). They are some of the most wonderful and giving people I've met in my entire life, and they’ve sacrificed so much (a better job, shorter hours, etc) to come here and love on the babies
Getting adjusted to ‘normal life’ is going to be hard for me. I don’t even know what to do with myself when I get back, so I’ll probably try and stay busy so I don’t have to think too much about it. I do know that I have to do something with babies, whether I get a job with them now or work in the nursery at a church or something like that. I'm crazy about that age group, which has proven to be so much more interesting, challenging, and dynamic than I ever could have imagined
I’ll write again sometime, but until then just be praying that my time here in the last couple of weeks is fruitful and memorable. Heather and I leave for Cape Town a week from tomorrow, get back on Sunday, and then leave for good on Monday. It’s definitely gonna be a whirlwind, but I'm excited! Thanks for all your prayers =)
The good news is that so many of them are getting adopted. Only 3 kids that are currently in big babies will be left after September, one from small babies is leaving, and all but 3 from Starfish (special needs) are leaving. It makes it easier, to know that all of my (and God’s) precious little ones are going to a good family that will love them even more than I have been able to
I've started trying to process everything that’s happened to me over the summer, from the conflicts to the days where I didn’t think I could possibly be any happier, to the lessons God has taught me through the good and the bad. I've become so close with my roommates and those who don’t live with me, and I've gotten used to seeing them every day. The staff here is like family—everyone refers to each other as auntie or uncle, no matter how old or young the other person is. Last week the staff had to all come in at the same time for hepatitis injections, and it really was like a family reunion, with laughing and loud talking and a lot of loving. I've worked the most with Francinah, who is the house supervisor and lives here, and Brice, who is in charge of big babies, and who I always work with (by the way, Brice was reading over my shoulder as I wrote this, and he says hi). They are some of the most wonderful and giving people I've met in my entire life, and they’ve sacrificed so much (a better job, shorter hours, etc) to come here and love on the babies
Getting adjusted to ‘normal life’ is going to be hard for me. I don’t even know what to do with myself when I get back, so I’ll probably try and stay busy so I don’t have to think too much about it. I do know that I have to do something with babies, whether I get a job with them now or work in the nursery at a church or something like that. I'm crazy about that age group, which has proven to be so much more interesting, challenging, and dynamic than I ever could have imagined
I’ll write again sometime, but until then just be praying that my time here in the last couple of weeks is fruitful and memorable. Heather and I leave for Cape Town a week from tomorrow, get back on Sunday, and then leave for good on Monday. It’s definitely gonna be a whirlwind, but I'm excited! Thanks for all your prayers =)
18.7.09
technical stuff
So I thought I'd talk about the adoption process, since it is such an important part of life at Door of Hope. All adoptions are run through an organization called ABBA Adoptions, which currently (unfortunately) is not able to send kids to the US, Canada, or the UK. Most kids go to Scandinavian countries (Holland and Denmark mostly), although DOH always tries to send kids out locally. Usually, the only kids adopted locally are either very fair skinned or twins. When a family wants to adopt from DOH, they send an application in, along with a scrapbook of their family. All families that adopt a kid have to 'certify' that the child will be raised in a Christian home, which is awesome. Then, the kids who are eligible for adoption (more on that later) are matched to the families, who then receive a scrapbook of their future child. When the parents come to pick up their child, they have to stay in Joburg for 2 weeks, to ensure that both sides transition in smoothly. After 2 weeks are up, the family comes back--usually with the child--to tour DOH, ask questions, and affirm that everything is going well. I recently got to meet the families of two recently adopted children. That was so rewarding. It was amazing to see how quickly the children became attached to their new parents and siblings. It was such a blessing to know that those little ones are in good hands, and that the older one still recognized me! I absolutely cried a little. God is actively redeeming hopeless situations in the lives of these kids and their new families
In order to be eligible for adoption, a lot of things have to happen
1) the child has to be physically ready for changes, and must obtain written permission from a doctor that he/she is healthy enough
2) either the closest relative has signed away the kid for adoption, or
3) the South African court has deemed it necessary to become the legal guardian, starting the process
After the mother gives permission to put the child up for adoption, DOH gives her 2 months to change her mind before starting the process. If a relative visits the child, the process is delayed by up to 6 months. Although this is a fairly good system, there are parents who refuse to take their child back, but visit every six months so he/she can't be adopted. If this happens and the court doesn't (or can't, if the parents are not South African) take over, the child goes to foster care until his/her 18th birthday, which is so sad
In general, though, this system works quite well. Since coming here, 6 children have been adopted, with another leaving Monday and 6 more already matched, to be adopted soon! Hopefully this was helpful to you guys. I'll write again next week. Oh, and if there's anything specific you wanna know about, feel free to let me know =)
In order to be eligible for adoption, a lot of things have to happen
1) the child has to be physically ready for changes, and must obtain written permission from a doctor that he/she is healthy enough
2) either the closest relative has signed away the kid for adoption, or
3) the South African court has deemed it necessary to become the legal guardian, starting the process
After the mother gives permission to put the child up for adoption, DOH gives her 2 months to change her mind before starting the process. If a relative visits the child, the process is delayed by up to 6 months. Although this is a fairly good system, there are parents who refuse to take their child back, but visit every six months so he/she can't be adopted. If this happens and the court doesn't (or can't, if the parents are not South African) take over, the child goes to foster care until his/her 18th birthday, which is so sad
In general, though, this system works quite well. Since coming here, 6 children have been adopted, with another leaving Monday and 6 more already matched, to be adopted soon! Hopefully this was helpful to you guys. I'll write again next week. Oh, and if there's anything specific you wanna know about, feel free to let me know =)
14.7.09
craziness
Oh, what a weird couple of days
Friday morning, Heather (and not anyone else in our room) woke up to the sound of a loud alarm, because robbers had broken into the office, which is around the corner from our room. They stole 2 computers, but God was in control, because they could've stolen so much more. Also, it would be fairly normal for them to come upstairs and find people in the house and injure or kill them, so I just thank God that that didn't happen. Everyone is safe, and none of the babies were harmed, but now we're working to make sure that doesn't happen again
Yesterday the power went out, but the generator kicked back in. Until the evening. Then, the lights went off and on about 5 times, and finally cut off for good. We had to rush one girl, who needs assistance with breathing, around to try and find some more oxygen. Fortunately, though, it went off early enough that we could call the handyman, who fixed everything within a short amount of time. Like I said, God is definitely in control over here
I can't believe that exactly 3 weeks from today I'll be home. To be honest, I'm getting pretty homesick. I love the babies, but 2 months is a realllllllly long time, and it has felt like a lifetime since I first came here. I love it here, but I'll definitely be ready to go back soon
Speaking of, I'm going to Cape Town with Heather at the end of the month! I'm so excited, because that means I will get to see penguins! It'll be a great break after working for 2 months straight, and I've heard it's a beautiful city. I'm so looking forward to it, and we are blessed enough that we get to stay with Melody's family or one of Heather's friends, which is much safer and cheaper than a hotel
Overall, it is just really obvious that God has His hand over me and everyone here, and this entire place. We have two sick babies right now, so continue to pray for them, and that God keeps us safe from any more robbers or attack
Thanks for all the prayers so far, it is crazy to see how God is answering them =)
Friday morning, Heather (and not anyone else in our room) woke up to the sound of a loud alarm, because robbers had broken into the office, which is around the corner from our room. They stole 2 computers, but God was in control, because they could've stolen so much more. Also, it would be fairly normal for them to come upstairs and find people in the house and injure or kill them, so I just thank God that that didn't happen. Everyone is safe, and none of the babies were harmed, but now we're working to make sure that doesn't happen again
Yesterday the power went out, but the generator kicked back in. Until the evening. Then, the lights went off and on about 5 times, and finally cut off for good. We had to rush one girl, who needs assistance with breathing, around to try and find some more oxygen. Fortunately, though, it went off early enough that we could call the handyman, who fixed everything within a short amount of time. Like I said, God is definitely in control over here
I can't believe that exactly 3 weeks from today I'll be home. To be honest, I'm getting pretty homesick. I love the babies, but 2 months is a realllllllly long time, and it has felt like a lifetime since I first came here. I love it here, but I'll definitely be ready to go back soon
Speaking of, I'm going to Cape Town with Heather at the end of the month! I'm so excited, because that means I will get to see penguins! It'll be a great break after working for 2 months straight, and I've heard it's a beautiful city. I'm so looking forward to it, and we are blessed enough that we get to stay with Melody's family or one of Heather's friends, which is much safer and cheaper than a hotel
Overall, it is just really obvious that God has His hand over me and everyone here, and this entire place. We have two sick babies right now, so continue to pray for them, and that God keeps us safe from any more robbers or attack
Thanks for all the prayers so far, it is crazy to see how God is answering them =)
7.7.09
life continues
Last weekend was really long. The babies all decided to start crying on Sunday afternoon, and didn't stop, for 2 solid hours. Needless to say, I was ok with not working the next day. I have until Thursday off, so I don't have much on my agenda besides reading, playing guitar, and catching up on some much needed sleep
Please be in prayer for Door of Hope. I can't be very specific, but there is a lot of stuff going on here that isn't so good, including some personnel changes. The situation just isn't very happy, but I can tell that we're getting hardcore attacked because of all of the awesome work going on here
In happy news, the second Baby House reopened! It has been closed for awhile due to renovations, and it opened this week. It will officially be running as soon as we get a new baby. We've had some problems with over crowding here recently, so this is definitely a good thing
I only have twelve days of work left, which is crazy. Of course, that's interspersed throughout the next month, but that's really not much at all. I feel like I'm completely settled here with the routine, and the days usually don't seem as long as they did when I first got here. I know the routine much better than when I first came here, and I feel pretty comfortable with all the kids. Another one got adopted Monday, which is awesome. A lot of them have prospects, and I think we'll see a lot of babies go out of here before I leave. I know of a few already, but every day I find out more. It's really exciting
Other than that, not too much is going on here. One of the small babies is pretty sick, so be praying for her. She really needs to pull through these next few weeks if she's gonna make it, so it's pretty crucial that she get better soon. For some reason it's not working for me to put up a photo of the baby house for you guys, but I put up a bunch of pictures on Facebook, if you wanna see them. Have an awesome day =)
Please be in prayer for Door of Hope. I can't be very specific, but there is a lot of stuff going on here that isn't so good, including some personnel changes. The situation just isn't very happy, but I can tell that we're getting hardcore attacked because of all of the awesome work going on here
In happy news, the second Baby House reopened! It has been closed for awhile due to renovations, and it opened this week. It will officially be running as soon as we get a new baby. We've had some problems with over crowding here recently, so this is definitely a good thing
I only have twelve days of work left, which is crazy. Of course, that's interspersed throughout the next month, but that's really not much at all. I feel like I'm completely settled here with the routine, and the days usually don't seem as long as they did when I first got here. I know the routine much better than when I first came here, and I feel pretty comfortable with all the kids. Another one got adopted Monday, which is awesome. A lot of them have prospects, and I think we'll see a lot of babies go out of here before I leave. I know of a few already, but every day I find out more. It's really exciting
Other than that, not too much is going on here. One of the small babies is pretty sick, so be praying for her. She really needs to pull through these next few weeks if she's gonna make it, so it's pretty crucial that she get better soon. For some reason it's not working for me to put up a photo of the baby house for you guys, but I put up a bunch of pictures on Facebook, if you wanna see them. Have an awesome day =)
29.6.09
i saw a rhino
Wow, it's been a long week. Wednesday I went to a game reserve, and we drove around a place called Pilanesberg the entire day looking for sweet animals. We saw warthogs (not as fat as Pumba, by the way), impala, kudu, springbok, lizards, hippos, giraffes, elephants, and rhinos. They were all really close to the car, and it was sweet to see them since they weren't in cages. It became kind of a game to pick them out. Hippos are incredibly lazy animals, by the way. They lay around and do nothing. For ever
Today I'm working with the small babies, who are 0-3 months old. It is definitely a bigger challenge than babies you can play with and have fun with, but I love it. Some of them are just so tiny, and it's cool to see them along their different stages of development, and how God heals and changes each one. Last week we had 9 sick kids at one point, and now all but 3 are better, which is definitely a huge blessing, for them and for us, since they all had diarrhea. Two more got adopted today!!! I'll miss them a lot, but I heard that it went really well and their new parents are really cool people
Saturday marks the halfway point for Heather and me. I can't believe I've already been here that long. It's absolutely ridiculous. Time really does fly here, especially when I'm enjoying it so much. I got a new roommate yesterday. Her name is Emily, and she's lived in Egypt for the past year. She seems pretty easy to get along with, and I'm looking forward to getting to know her better
Thanks everyone for your prayers and encouragement. Keep the 3 sick kids in your prayers, and also the kids that got adopted and are assimilating into their new environment. There has also been a bug going around, so pray that it stops and nobody else gets it. Thank you so much, I hope you all are doing well!
By the way, if any of you want to email me, that would be awesome. However, my Virginia Tech email doesn't work here, so use dewwireddrummer@gmail.com if you want to tell me how you are doing or ask any questions. Hopefully I'll talk to some of you soon =)
Oh, and happy birthday Dad! I love you
Today I'm working with the small babies, who are 0-3 months old. It is definitely a bigger challenge than babies you can play with and have fun with, but I love it. Some of them are just so tiny, and it's cool to see them along their different stages of development, and how God heals and changes each one. Last week we had 9 sick kids at one point, and now all but 3 are better, which is definitely a huge blessing, for them and for us, since they all had diarrhea. Two more got adopted today!!! I'll miss them a lot, but I heard that it went really well and their new parents are really cool people
Saturday marks the halfway point for Heather and me. I can't believe I've already been here that long. It's absolutely ridiculous. Time really does fly here, especially when I'm enjoying it so much. I got a new roommate yesterday. Her name is Emily, and she's lived in Egypt for the past year. She seems pretty easy to get along with, and I'm looking forward to getting to know her better
Thanks everyone for your prayers and encouragement. Keep the 3 sick kids in your prayers, and also the kids that got adopted and are assimilating into their new environment. There has also been a bug going around, so pray that it stops and nobody else gets it. Thank you so much, I hope you all are doing well!
By the way, if any of you want to email me, that would be awesome. However, my Virginia Tech email doesn't work here, so use dewwireddrummer@gmail.com if you want to tell me how you are doing or ask any questions. Hopefully I'll talk to some of you soon =)
Oh, and happy birthday Dad! I love you
22.6.09
=/
Just a quick post to say that I'm sick, so if you could pray that would be much appreciated. Right now I have a cough, cold, and sore throat. Also, more importantly, pray that nobody else gets it (especially Heather, since we live together) and that the babies don't catch it. Thanks so much
I had an awesome weekend, and the best chocolate milkshake of my life yesterday. The food here is so good, and it's cheap to eat out so I definitely do that a lot
Wednesday I go to Pilanesburg, which is a game reserve where I get to see some sweet animals up close. Hopefully. I'll write more about that later =)
I had an awesome weekend, and the best chocolate milkshake of my life yesterday. The food here is so good, and it's cheap to eat out so I definitely do that a lot
Wednesday I go to Pilanesburg, which is a game reserve where I get to see some sweet animals up close. Hopefully. I'll write more about that later =)
15.6.09
hello, sheep intestine
I have a little bit of time...so this should be longer than usual. Saturday I went to Soweto with some other girls. It was awesome. We went to the Mandela Family House first, which actually wasn't that impressive, except I was excited that Nelson Mandela had been there on May 29th, which isn't too long ago. After that we finally ate real African food! It was a beautiful buffet, and the food was delicious. There was some kind of bean thing, which was one of my favorites, and the bread was fantastic. There was a dish called shakalaka, which was spicy carrots, and it was really good. I made myself try some sheep intestine, which is as disgusting as it sounds, but overall I'm glad I ate it, just so I can say I did. After eating on Saturday, we went to the Hector Pieterson museum. He was the first boy killed in the protests against the mandatory learning of Afrikaan in school in the 1970s. It was pretty fascinating, one of my favorite things that we've done so far
The rain has finally let up, and it has been sunny and warm and beautiful, just like you'd expect Africa to be. Still a little chilly, but I definitely prefer the winters here to Blacksburg winter. The kids are all so happy and healthy, and one was adopted today. It was my favorite, and I miss him a lot...but I'm so excited he has a family. It was a sad goodbye today, though
I'm going to Troyeville Baptist Church right now, which I love. Yesterday I gave a testimony about evangelism, and was asked at the last minute to run the Powerpoint, which I've never done before. I think I did a decent job. Afterwards the Pastor invited myself, Heather, and Russell to his house for dinner on Thursday night. It's awesome to be so involved with the church right away, and the people there are so welcoming, the youth especially. We've made some friends already, which is exciting
I work today and tomorrow, and then again on Saturday, but we have Sunday off so we can help Russell out with church, so it should be a pretty easy week
I'm learning so much here about God. I didn't realize how much I relied on other people when I'm in a good/bad/whatever mood, and it's been a good learning experience to not have that around as much. Of course, the girls here are awesome, as well as the staff, but it's definitely not the same as the huge community I have back at home. No complaints, but God is really using this summer for His glory, and to stretch me in ways I didn't think were possible. Every day is wonderful because there is plenty of time to be in the Word, or practice guitar, or pray, or just spend time with God. We don't have a TV or DVD player which I'm grateful for, because that would be way distracting
I am having fun, though. Saturday night was a mini Johnny Depp marathon with chocolate fondue and wonderful pita. Sunday after church we went to a wonderful Greek restaurant, too. It's kind of funny for me to be eating Greek food in South Africa, but they have all kinds here--Italian, Chinese, Thai, etc...
Ok well hopefully that's a good update for you guys. Thanks again for all the encouragement and prayers. Speaking of...
Reasons to thank God
1 A kid got adopted! That is always awesome
2 We've had some new arrivals lately, and all are in good health
3 Team dynamics are still excellent, and continually improving
4 It's sunny! And so so warm...
5 There's no way I'd be able to learn the lessons I am if I was not here for the summer
Reasons to pray
1 Pray for the kid that got adopted, that he'll grow up in a loving Christian home
2 As always, the health of the kids here. One is pretty sick, and hasn't gotten better lately
3 Rachel and Katherine, the two other girls I'm living with, are moving out tomorrow to stay at a new place. Heather and I will have new roommates, so pray that the transition is smooth. I'm gonna miss those girls a lot
4 Rest. It's so easy to get tired here, especially working such long days. At the end of the day I often feel like collapsing. I'm so happy, but it is exhausting
5 That I will continue to enjoy being here, and not get too homesick. There's some stuff going on that will remain unmentioned, but God knows it
I love all you guys, and I'll post again when there's more news!
The rain has finally let up, and it has been sunny and warm and beautiful, just like you'd expect Africa to be. Still a little chilly, but I definitely prefer the winters here to Blacksburg winter. The kids are all so happy and healthy, and one was adopted today. It was my favorite, and I miss him a lot...but I'm so excited he has a family. It was a sad goodbye today, though
I'm going to Troyeville Baptist Church right now, which I love. Yesterday I gave a testimony about evangelism, and was asked at the last minute to run the Powerpoint, which I've never done before. I think I did a decent job. Afterwards the Pastor invited myself, Heather, and Russell to his house for dinner on Thursday night. It's awesome to be so involved with the church right away, and the people there are so welcoming, the youth especially. We've made some friends already, which is exciting
I work today and tomorrow, and then again on Saturday, but we have Sunday off so we can help Russell out with church, so it should be a pretty easy week
I'm learning so much here about God. I didn't realize how much I relied on other people when I'm in a good/bad/whatever mood, and it's been a good learning experience to not have that around as much. Of course, the girls here are awesome, as well as the staff, but it's definitely not the same as the huge community I have back at home. No complaints, but God is really using this summer for His glory, and to stretch me in ways I didn't think were possible. Every day is wonderful because there is plenty of time to be in the Word, or practice guitar, or pray, or just spend time with God. We don't have a TV or DVD player which I'm grateful for, because that would be way distracting
I am having fun, though. Saturday night was a mini Johnny Depp marathon with chocolate fondue and wonderful pita. Sunday after church we went to a wonderful Greek restaurant, too. It's kind of funny for me to be eating Greek food in South Africa, but they have all kinds here--Italian, Chinese, Thai, etc...
Ok well hopefully that's a good update for you guys. Thanks again for all the encouragement and prayers. Speaking of...
Reasons to thank God
1 A kid got adopted! That is always awesome
2 We've had some new arrivals lately, and all are in good health
3 Team dynamics are still excellent, and continually improving
4 It's sunny! And so so warm...
5 There's no way I'd be able to learn the lessons I am if I was not here for the summer
Reasons to pray
1 Pray for the kid that got adopted, that he'll grow up in a loving Christian home
2 As always, the health of the kids here. One is pretty sick, and hasn't gotten better lately
3 Rachel and Katherine, the two other girls I'm living with, are moving out tomorrow to stay at a new place. Heather and I will have new roommates, so pray that the transition is smooth. I'm gonna miss those girls a lot
4 Rest. It's so easy to get tired here, especially working such long days. At the end of the day I often feel like collapsing. I'm so happy, but it is exhausting
5 That I will continue to enjoy being here, and not get too homesick. There's some stuff going on that will remain unmentioned, but God knows it
I love all you guys, and I'll post again when there's more news!
11.6.09
first day...done
Yesterday was my first full day of work, and it was incredibly exhausting. I pretty much collapsed at the end of the day, but in a good way. I love my job, and I love all the little kids. One is getting adopted soon! I'm excited for him, but of course it'll be sad to see him go
Besides taking care of babies, my life pretty much consists of drinking tea, playing guitar, and hanging out with Jesus, which I am absolutely loving. I don't have a lot of time in the day, but what I do have I've learned to use wisely so I don't waste any of it. It feels much better than laying around doing nothing, which is usually pretty easy to do, especially during the summer
It has rained so much here, it's pretty unbelievable. Everybody is telling us that his is 'Cape Town weather,' not Johannesburg weather, because it usually never rains here in the winter. I heard a rumor floating around that snow is possible...I might be slightly bitter if it snows here, although July is supposed to be their coldest month
Thanks so much for all the prayers and encouragement. It's good to hear, and definitely necessary. I have no new or pressing prayer requests, just the same ones as before. There's nothing too exciting going on right now, but I go to Suweto (sp?) for a half day on Saturday, which should be pretty sweet. So I'll write more on that later
Ok...off to drink some tea and warm up hopefully =)
Besides taking care of babies, my life pretty much consists of drinking tea, playing guitar, and hanging out with Jesus, which I am absolutely loving. I don't have a lot of time in the day, but what I do have I've learned to use wisely so I don't waste any of it. It feels much better than laying around doing nothing, which is usually pretty easy to do, especially during the summer
It has rained so much here, it's pretty unbelievable. Everybody is telling us that his is 'Cape Town weather,' not Johannesburg weather, because it usually never rains here in the winter. I heard a rumor floating around that snow is possible...I might be slightly bitter if it snows here, although July is supposed to be their coldest month
Thanks so much for all the prayers and encouragement. It's good to hear, and definitely necessary. I have no new or pressing prayer requests, just the same ones as before. There's nothing too exciting going on right now, but I go to Suweto (sp?) for a half day on Saturday, which should be pretty sweet. So I'll write more on that later
Ok...off to drink some tea and warm up hopefully =)
9.6.09
I'm Here =)
Hey everyone! I made it safely in Joburg. It was a long flight (17 hours) but well worth it. Sorry I couldn't get on before now, my internet access was somewhat limited
Life here is awesome. It couldn't be better. The staff here (mostly South African) is incredible and incredibly welcoming, and they have made the transition easy. Everyone is a family here, and it really feels warm. Speaking of, the weather is freezing, or at least way colder than I thought. Today it is probably in the low 50s, which is cooooold compared to summer in Virginia. Oh well, if that is the biggest sacrifice I really don't mind
I'm getting along incredibly well with Heather, the other girl who came with me. She and I are similar in so many ways, but not to the point where we are in conflict with each other. That's such a huge blessing, as she has been a constant encouragement to me. Last night she brought out her guitar and I used a pot to play drums, and we worshipped with two other girls from North Carolina. It was incredible
God has been teaching me so much since I've been here, and a lot about the love He has for His children. 2 kids have already been adopted, which is awesome, and a few others should get adopted soon. I am a little sad to see them go, but it's such a blessing for them to live with a real family instead of at an orphanage. No matter how loving and caring the staff here is, there are still a lot of babies to focus on, so I'm sure it is much better for each kid to get individual love, and have parents and be able to grow up in a good environment
I have so much to say, and I don't even know where to start, so for the most part I'll have to tell you all in person when I get back. I'm keeping a journal so I don't forget anything, don't worry. I have to go soon, but before I do
Each day of work (which is 3-4 days a week, depending) looks like this
7 am--wake up the kids (I am responsible for 12 babies between 3 months and 1 year), bathe them, change them, clothe them, and feed them
7-10 am--play with the kids
10 am--nap time, thank goodness. We have a break here for tea and staff devotionals
Noon--wake everyone up, feed them, change them
3ish pm--feed the kids, change them
5 pm--dress them all in pajamas
530 pm--put all the kids who are still drinking milk to bed
6 pm--put the last 5 to bed
Overall it is an 11 hour day, which is exhausting, but well worth it. The kids are incredible. I'll tell you guys more about each kid later, or else this post will get too long
Reasons to thank God
1. I get along so well with Heather, and the two other girls, Rachel and Katherine. We are all sharing a tiny room, so it is a good thing we like each other
2. Of course, there were no problems traveling and we made it safely here
3. The transition has been the easiest it could possibly be
4. South Africa is beautiful, even when it is raining. Just to look outside and see beauty, different from the kind I see in Virginia, is a huge blessing
5. The kids are wonderful. I'm not allowed to post their actual names or faces online, but I will tell stories about them later using nicknames. They bring such joy to my life, and make this whole trip worthwhile
There are a ton more reasons to thank God, but those are the big ones
Prayer requests
1. Both Heather and I have had a little trouble sleeping. Last night was much better, but rest is necessary as we work long hours
2. Pray against any attacks on our relationship with each other, which are going so well so far
3. Pray that the kids will continue to get adopted. They need families
4. Good health is important. I hurt my hip pretty badly on the way here, but it is getting better. Nobody has been too sick so far, although Rachel fell and hurt her elbow last night
5. That I will be open to everything God has to teach me
Thanks so much for reading, and I will post more soon. I love you guys. Oh and Kara--I won't be able to post videos for CGS all summer, but I will once I get back I'm sure
=)
Life here is awesome. It couldn't be better. The staff here (mostly South African) is incredible and incredibly welcoming, and they have made the transition easy. Everyone is a family here, and it really feels warm. Speaking of, the weather is freezing, or at least way colder than I thought. Today it is probably in the low 50s, which is cooooold compared to summer in Virginia. Oh well, if that is the biggest sacrifice I really don't mind
I'm getting along incredibly well with Heather, the other girl who came with me. She and I are similar in so many ways, but not to the point where we are in conflict with each other. That's such a huge blessing, as she has been a constant encouragement to me. Last night she brought out her guitar and I used a pot to play drums, and we worshipped with two other girls from North Carolina. It was incredible
God has been teaching me so much since I've been here, and a lot about the love He has for His children. 2 kids have already been adopted, which is awesome, and a few others should get adopted soon. I am a little sad to see them go, but it's such a blessing for them to live with a real family instead of at an orphanage. No matter how loving and caring the staff here is, there are still a lot of babies to focus on, so I'm sure it is much better for each kid to get individual love, and have parents and be able to grow up in a good environment
I have so much to say, and I don't even know where to start, so for the most part I'll have to tell you all in person when I get back. I'm keeping a journal so I don't forget anything, don't worry. I have to go soon, but before I do
Each day of work (which is 3-4 days a week, depending) looks like this
7 am--wake up the kids (I am responsible for 12 babies between 3 months and 1 year), bathe them, change them, clothe them, and feed them
7-10 am--play with the kids
10 am--nap time, thank goodness. We have a break here for tea and staff devotionals
Noon--wake everyone up, feed them, change them
3ish pm--feed the kids, change them
5 pm--dress them all in pajamas
530 pm--put all the kids who are still drinking milk to bed
6 pm--put the last 5 to bed
Overall it is an 11 hour day, which is exhausting, but well worth it. The kids are incredible. I'll tell you guys more about each kid later, or else this post will get too long
Reasons to thank God
1. I get along so well with Heather, and the two other girls, Rachel and Katherine. We are all sharing a tiny room, so it is a good thing we like each other
2. Of course, there were no problems traveling and we made it safely here
3. The transition has been the easiest it could possibly be
4. South Africa is beautiful, even when it is raining. Just to look outside and see beauty, different from the kind I see in Virginia, is a huge blessing
5. The kids are wonderful. I'm not allowed to post their actual names or faces online, but I will tell stories about them later using nicknames. They bring such joy to my life, and make this whole trip worthwhile
There are a ton more reasons to thank God, but those are the big ones
Prayer requests
1. Both Heather and I have had a little trouble sleeping. Last night was much better, but rest is necessary as we work long hours
2. Pray against any attacks on our relationship with each other, which are going so well so far
3. Pray that the kids will continue to get adopted. They need families
4. Good health is important. I hurt my hip pretty badly on the way here, but it is getting better. Nobody has been too sick so far, although Rachel fell and hurt her elbow last night
5. That I will be open to everything God has to teach me
Thanks so much for reading, and I will post more soon. I love you guys. Oh and Kara--I won't be able to post videos for CGS all summer, but I will once I get back I'm sure
=)
31.5.09
may is over
Four days until I leave...and I haven't started to do anything yet. I've made a list, but nothing is packed and I still don't even know everything that I need. I keep putting it off as long as possible, so I've found other stuff to take up my time. I should probably get started like...yesterday or something though. Oh well. So to let everyone know, I'm driving up to Richmond Thursday morning, June 4th. My flight leaves at 3 pm so I guess I have to get there around 1 or so. Then I fly straight to DC, where I have less than a 2 hour layover. Hopefully I'll go through customs in Richmond so I don't have to deal with all my luggage by myself with only a couple hours until I have to get onto the next plane. Hmm, I guess I should call the airline...
Anyways my next flight leaves DC before 6 pm, and I fly straight to Johannesburg. It's a 15 hour flight, and I'll arrive at 5.20 pm on June 5th, since South Africa is 6 hours ahead of Virginia. I'm not sure if the times make sense, but that's what my itinerary says
So, I should probably get going to find some other distraction before I actually have to pack. I'll keep everyone updated on when I make it safely, etc. Just be praying that I don't miss my flights and that my luggage makes it all in one piece
=)
29.4.09
Small Beginnings
Thanks for visiting my blog! I won't be posting anything until the end of May, because I don't leave until June 4th. Check back again later for more =)
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