Hello!
It’s strange to think that I have been in Africa for six
weeks! It feels like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to everyone back home,
but at the same time it feels like ages ago. I have struggled to update my blog
for a few weeks now… it’s so hard to process and put into writing what I am
seeing and how God is working. But I will try my best to update and give prayer
requests!
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| Children from an informal settlement after an afternoon of sports |
I have been here long enough to begin to establish a
routine. Every Monday through Thursday afternoon we run a sports outreach
program and as I believe I have mentioned before, my role has changed from
helping run the sports program to now caring for the younger children (8 years
and younger) that show up to the sports field. I am convinced that the little
children are telling other little children that someone is there to play with
them and more children show up each week. That is so cool because I know God is
using me to love on these little children for that one hour that they come out,
but it can be very overwhelming! Just picture this… you alone or maybe with one
helper, with 30 or so Xhosa or Afrikaans speaking children and no interpreter!
Now, I love children and without a doubt feel called to minister to these
children, but I’m not going to lie… I panic every time I see all those kids!
And in their faces you can just see how desperate they are for attention. From
a human perspective, that is so overwhelming and feels a bit daunting, but I
know that God has sent me there and will equip me with all that I need to
accomplish His will. For example, we have a team of architecture students from
Germany here to expand our baby unit and every afternoon we take two of them
with us. One of them always comes with me to help with the little ones. It is
so helpful just to have another set of hands, but I want to do more than just
keep an eye on the kids, I really want to show them the love of Christ and with
more helping hands it is easier and the adult-child ratio is a bit better.
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| Masiphumelele Preschool |
An update from my last blog about the development of
preschools in the Grabouw area… We have found a tiny little preschool called
Masiphumelele that we want to come alongside to help them grow and better
themselves. Right now the school consists of two teachers (with little to no
education) and 31 children ages 3-6. The school is on a little dirt plot and
its only building is a freight container with two windows and one door. The
goal for this school is to make it bigger by adding another container and a
kitchen to accommodate more children, which will make it possible for more
children to attend preschool in that area. We have been developing a very good
relationship with the teachers there and the teachers are very comfortable and
happy to have me come once a week to do a lesson, craft, or some sort of
activity with them. We really have a heart for this school and want to use the
little skills we have to help them grow and be more than just a holding place
for children. I am really excited about this! I have a little education and
experience in early childhood education and am so happy for these skills to be
put to good use!
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| Children of Masiphumelele Preschool |
What is so awesome about this work is that because
everything is a routine, I am starting to develop relationships with the
children I see every week. Just today, for example, a little boy at one of our
sports clubs ran up to me with a huge smile on his face and gave me a big, long
hug! I love getting to that place where you’re no longer a celebrity, but
someone they know and trust.
I am definitely being stretched in many ways. I knew that that would happen, but I could not imagine how intense it would be and how deep God would be working in me. I know this is all to make me more like Him and to make me more a lover of His people, for the hurt, the lost and the lonely and less focused on my selfish desires. I am so thankful for this season of life, however difficult and painful some days may be, this is really a season full of blessing and growth.
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| Happy children at the playground! |
Things to Pray For:
- That I would allow God to use me; that His will be done and not mine.
- That I would continue to lay everything at the Lord’s feet and not try to carry everything on my own.
