Fun pictures of the kids. :) The kids dug a hole and used srap pieces to make a fort. CUTE!
The Kids love to play UNO.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
God has given me the wonderful opportunity to lead a high school girl’s bible study. It has been such a joy and a challenge all at the same time. The joy comes from the chance to teach these girls the truths of the Word of God. It has also given Sasha and I the opportunity to build relationships with these girls which were slow moving before we started our study. Before we (Sasha and I) started the bible study the girls might have told us hello, but we did not have much interaction with each other. Now it is hard to walk by them without getting a hug or a friendly hit on the rear end. They have been so much fun to get to know. Starting on the left is Thobile, Ste, Sli, and Patience.
The challenge comes in their limited English. They understand more than they can speak, but it is still limited. God has taken care of the language issue. I wish that I could say I have mastered the language. But, I have asked my friend Thandeka to join the bible study to be the translator when needed. She is the cook here at the orphanage. The girls work closely with her as they help in the kitchen and enjoy her very much. The other challenge was figuring out how their study could continue after I left. I am praying about asking Thandeka to take over the bible study when I leave. Praise the Lord, Thandeka became a Christian a few years ago and is such an amazing believer. But, she is not confident to take over the bible study when Sasha and I leave. Pray that God would work everything out. Pray also as I study. We have been going through Philippians the past four weeks and the girls seem to enjoy it. This bible study has been very good for me as God continues to teach me through my studying of His Word.
The challenge comes in their limited English. They understand more than they can speak, but it is still limited. God has taken care of the language issue. I wish that I could say I have mastered the language. But, I have asked my friend Thandeka to join the bible study to be the translator when needed. She is the cook here at the orphanage. The girls work closely with her as they help in the kitchen and enjoy her very much. The other challenge was figuring out how their study could continue after I left. I am praying about asking Thandeka to take over the bible study when I leave. Praise the Lord, Thandeka became a Christian a few years ago and is such an amazing believer. But, she is not confident to take over the bible study when Sasha and I leave. Pray that God would work everything out. Pray also as I study. We have been going through Philippians the past four weeks and the girls seem to enjoy it. This bible study has been very good for me as God continues to teach me through my studying of His Word.
The children here had their school break from April 2-13. During this two-week period Sasha and I lead a VBS. It was so much fun.
We asked the high school girls to tell the Bible stories and Sasha and I lead the songs and the games. Praise the Lord all went well. The first week we spent our time in the Old Testament. We started with creation lead into sin and our need for God. We played games that coincided
with our stories. For example instead of “sharks and minnows” we played “Saul and David”. The second week we spent our time studying the birth, miracles, death and resurrection of our Savior. It was so much fun to see how the kids learned the songs and enjoyed the Bible stories. At the end of our second week the caretakers 
and a few other people involved in the orphanage were invited to our rap up of the week. They listened to the kids sing songs they had learned, heard them answer question about the bible stories and heard them recite their bible verses—John 3:16 and John 14:6. Again praise the Lord. The Kids enjoyed performing for their audience—as most kids do.
I have asked you to pray for Charmaine in the past. Please continue to pray for her. I had a wonderful visit with her the other day. She seemed very well and even walked us half way up t
he road when we left. When I first met charmaine she was almost too weak to get out of bed. We could not stop praising the Lord for her health. Also pray that God would protect her at her home. She has unsaved family that live near her, but they do not look out for her well being. Just lately a man that had abused her before came looking for her again and her family let him know where she was living and housed him for the night. Praise the Lord, he was unable to get into her house when he came looking for her, which is a miracle. I would be able to break down her door no problem.
Thank you again so much for your continual prayers as I am here. May the Lord be glorified.
We asked the high school girls to tell the Bible stories and Sasha and I lead the songs and the games. Praise the Lord all went well. The first week we spent our time in the Old Testament. We started with creation lead into sin and our need for God. We played games that coincided
with our stories. For example instead of “sharks and minnows” we played “Saul and David”. The second week we spent our time studying the birth, miracles, death and resurrection of our Savior. It was so much fun to see how the kids learned the songs and enjoyed the Bible stories. At the end of our second week the caretakers 
and a few other people involved in the orphanage were invited to our rap up of the week. They listened to the kids sing songs they had learned, heard them answer question about the bible stories and heard them recite their bible verses—John 3:16 and John 14:6. Again praise the Lord. The Kids enjoyed performing for their audience—as most kids do.I have asked you to pray for Charmaine in the past. Please continue to pray for her. I had a wonderful visit with her the other day. She seemed very well and even walked us half way up t
he road when we left. When I first met charmaine she was almost too weak to get out of bed. We could not stop praising the Lord for her health. Also pray that God would protect her at her home. She has unsaved family that live near her, but they do not look out for her well being. Just lately a man that had abused her before came looking for her again and her family let him know where she was living and housed him for the night. Praise the Lord, he was unable to get into her house when he came looking for her, which is a miracle. I would be able to break down her door no problem.Thank you again so much for your continual prayers as I am here. May the Lord be glorified.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
I pray that everybody had a wonderful Easter weekend. I certainly did. Our Easter celebration was a long but wonderful two-day event. Ceryl who is the new on site-director of Agathos is a pastor and is involved in a lot of community work. He coordinated our Easter celebration and invited the people that he ministers too, to join in the celebration. We had a little over eighty children and over one hundred adults the first day. The second day not quite as many showed up due to transportation issues, over all there were a lot of people and a lot of celebration. Most of what was sung and said was in Zulu and I only understood a couple of words, but I worshiped right along with them. This picture is of one of the ways that people made it to the service. Seat mbelt laws only apply to those sitting in the front seat.
It is always a joy to experience cultural differences first hand. The meetings were supposed to start at 10:00, but people did not start showing up until close to 11:30. I had to drive Ceryl to get a key and we did not get back until 12:15. They had already started singing, and the rest of
the day went as planned. In between meetings Ceryl asked if I could go with the kids during the second meeting. I thought that he meant to help but little did I know that he meant to lead all eighty kids for an hour. I realized all of this when I got to the room and a nice high school girl came to me and said, “It is all yours.” She was nice enough to stay and translate for me. I have to admit that my headache was not very comfortable that day and all that I wanted to do was sleep. I had to step back and remind myself why I was there in the first place. It was defiantly not to sleep, but to serve our risen Savior. Praise the Lord all went well.
It is always a joy to experience cultural differences first hand. The meetings were supposed to start at 10:00, but people did not start showing up until close to 11:30. I had to drive Ceryl to get a key and we did not get back until 12:15. They had already started singing, and the rest of
the day went as planned. In between meetings Ceryl asked if I could go with the kids during the second meeting. I thought that he meant to help but little did I know that he meant to lead all eighty kids for an hour. I realized all of this when I got to the room and a nice high school girl came to me and said, “It is all yours.” She was nice enough to stay and translate for me. I have to admit that my headache was not very comfortable that day and all that I wanted to do was sleep. I had to step back and remind myself why I was there in the first place. It was defiantly not to sleep, but to serve our risen Savior. Praise the Lord all went well. For those of you who do not know who Charmaine is I shall tell you.:) Charmaine is a 47(she does not know her real age) year old woman that is dieing of AIDS. She lives in a cute one-room house that she has painted very beautifully and takes great pride how she has decorated. She has been unable to buy food for lack of money and has not been strong enough to get out to work or really do anything. Sasha and I go to her house once a week to bring her food and clean water. She has not been able to make it to church since she has been so sick. So, Sasha and I read scripture to her and pray with her. Please continue to pray for Charmaine. I went to visit her on Thursday; 
her doctor has her on a new medication that is making her uncomfortable. The day that I went it was raining and the van that I drove was unable to make it down the dirt road. So Thandi (one of the caretakers) and I had the joy of walking. Thandi had two bags of food and I had a 5-liter bottle of water and a bag of food. It was such a great bonding time for the both of us as we slipped the whole way to charmaine’s house. We were able to pray for her and encourage her with scripture. Things were certainly put into perspective for me when Charmaine seemed overwhelmed with the couple of bags of food that I brought her. She kept saying that it was a dream to have all that food on her counter. Charmaine also had the chance to encourage me. While I was there Charmaine asked how I was keeping myself, and before I could answer she replied by saying “why should I even ask look at your self you are fat, of course you are keeping well.” I have learned it is good to be “fat” in this culture. Keep in mind that this comment was coming from a woman that was barely eighty pounds just six months ago because of her AIDS. She now is on medication and is very proud of the weight she has gained.
her doctor has her on a new medication that is making her uncomfortable. The day that I went it was raining and the van that I drove was unable to make it down the dirt road. So Thandi (one of the caretakers) and I had the joy of walking. Thandi had two bags of food and I had a 5-liter bottle of water and a bag of food. It was such a great bonding time for the both of us as we slipped the whole way to charmaine’s house. We were able to pray for her and encourage her with scripture. Things were certainly put into perspective for me when Charmaine seemed overwhelmed with the couple of bags of food that I brought her. She kept saying that it was a dream to have all that food on her counter. Charmaine also had the chance to encourage me. While I was there Charmaine asked how I was keeping myself, and before I could answer she replied by saying “why should I even ask look at your self you are fat, of course you are keeping well.” I have learned it is good to be “fat” in this culture. Keep in mind that this comment was coming from a woman that was barely eighty pounds just six months ago because of her AIDS. She now is on medication and is very proud of the weight she has gained.
This is a picture of Charmaine's house. It was raining that day, so it is not a very good picture.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Lots of fun things have been happening lately as well as some challenging things. The kids are off for the next two weeks for their break in between terms. Sasha and I are running a VBS for the kids during their break; I will get pictures posted soon. One of my biggest challenges lately has been trying to get to know the caretakers here. The caretakers are women that Agathos has hired to be the “moms” for the kids. They are here just about 24/7, with the exception of their weekend off once a month. Each mom is in charge of six to eight children. The living situation is set up in three room suites. The mom is in the middle room and she has a room of kids on each side of her. Having someone that they can go to and rely on gives the kids stability, especially when there are volunteers like myself in and out quiet a bit. They are wonderful women that care a great deal about the kids that they watch. Almost all of the women are Christians. The policy in the past is that only Christians are hired to be the moms. This was broken a couple of months ago when they hired Florence. Florence used to be a residence in one of the rooms, now she is a relief mom when the other moms have a weekend off. She is one that I have been able to get close to and she has been wonderful in trying to teach me Zulu. She has been coming to church and has been showing a lot of interest in Christianity. I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to her a couple of days ago about the Lord. She said she is not ready to become a Christian, but would like to one day. Please keep her in your prayers.
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