Week Two in Africa!

 One awesome mentor having a good chat with the sports kids

This week has been quite an eventful week! Last week I was able to drive through the townships, but this week we started our sports program in the communities and got to actually get out of the car and spend some time with these kids and also walk through the townships. There is one particular township that stood out to me this week… there were the normal rows and rows of small shacks, but then leading up to our soccer field (a dirt lot) was a thick path of garbage. We followed a group of children as they led us through old remnants of food, all kinds of trash, shoes, and tons of dirty diapers. Of course I thought it was gross, but that wasn't my first reaction. The first thing I observed was that these children walk through this all the time without even blinking, without shoes on. It was a gut wrenching experience. 

Who needs to speak the same language to have fun?!

My role in the sports program is taking on a new shape. My job originally was to help run the program (run the games, teach the bible lesson, etc.), but we have such a high number of children that come to this that are under the age (usually preschool to around second grade aged children) that need a little love and attention! The leader of this program (Tim) and I have both agreed that these children are just as important to reach and love on as the older kids are. They are too young to participate in the sports program and end up being a major distraction to both the older children and the sports mentors. I have told Tim that I would love to help out with the younger children. There is obviously a need for someone to do that but we are so short on volunteers here that it is hard to find someone to do it. But I know without a doubt that God has given me a special love for little children and I feel so blessed to be chosen to fill this role. Right now we don’t know what it looks like to minister to these children. They only speak Xhosa, which is an extremely complicated language to learn and involves many clicks that my western tongue cannot figure out! But I know that even having someone there loving on them is a big deal. This is a culture where parents work and older siblings care for younger siblings. Mothers try to provide for the basic needs of their children with the limited resources they have, but struggle to meet their needs emotionally. I can see these children are attention starved just by the way they come up to me to be hugged, lifted up and just touched! It overwhelms me to think that God has chosen me, a little person from Southern California who struggles to love people well, to love on these children. But I also know that that is what we are called to do, show the love of Christ by being in relationship with people. I know that in my own strength I cannot accomplish this, but it’s a good thing that I am not here with my own agenda and wanting to do this alone! I want to love these children because Jesus loves these children so much and He wants them to know how precious they are to Him; because they are.

Sweet girls singing "Happy birthday to you!"

The first five years in a child’s life is the most vital for development. A big problem in South Africa that is overlooked is schooling for preschool age children. The first five years in a child’s life is the most vital for development and 70% of the children in Grabouw do not attend preschool. Thembalitsha (the parent organization for the Village of Hope) has a long term goal to develop more preschools in Grabouw and the goal right now is to move from 30% to 35%, which means opening another preschool. I have been asked to help a lady named Frances in this project while I am here. Right now that involves going into every single preschool and figuring out how we can come alongside them to help develop their existing program and where we can start another preschool. I am so excited for this because this is an area that I am passionate about. I have a little background in early childhood education and believe that God wants to use that to help this little community. Right now it’s all in the beginning stages, but I am really looking forward to how the Lord will use me to help the town of Grabouw and how He will develop my skills and passions even more to impact His kingdom! I will be assisting Frances and another lady from one of the local townships, named Oggi.

I am doing very well here so far! One never knows what to expect when going into situations like this, but I know that God has and will continue to equip me with all that I need for each day. I already know He is working deep within my heart and I want to thank you all for your constant prayers and support.

South Africa is beautiful!

Things To Pray For:

• Pray that the Lord will use me to love these young children in the sports program , even with the language barrier.
• Pray for Frances, Oggi and myself as we figure out when and where a new preschool can be opened.
• Please continue to pray that I develop a strong community while I am here. I am not really homesick, but it is always good to be in community.