Potato Chip, Potato Chip, Crunchy Crunchy...

I love Jesus a bunchy, bunchy. YES - that chant will get stuck in your head. It's what we're all saying as I type this blog...made ya read it tho...didn't it?

As a recap, today has been another amazing adventure...from the guys adventure of sunrise surfing (ask Rich about his stitches) to singing w/ the kids, painting canvases, & meeting some new friends...it's been another incredible day here in Jeffreys Bay.

We started this morning with another devotional Oswald Chambers...what it looks like to walk in His presence day by day, minute by minute. The message quite timely as we look to serve the kids moment by moment. We arrived this morning at Ithemba to the kids sitting at their desks working on their letters and taking their vitamins. We then broke for playtime where you could hear songs of "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes...Father Abraham...If You're Happy and you Know it Clap your Hands"...that quickly transitioned into games like Simon Says & Red Light, Green Light.

Favorite Moments today:

1. Watching Rich do basketball tricks with boys

2. Watching Matt get the kids ready for nap time (see pic)...it's CRAZY - to hear the room go from

a loud roar to a silent whisper in less than a minute

3. The girls put on a show for us that is a traditional African dance to drums...pics to come

4. The most impactful thing we have been chewing on today is how the kids share so easily with one another considering they have NOTHING...especially when it comes to meals outside of Ithemba. Today, during snack time - popsicles were the treat - and it's so fun to watch the kids run around sharing with them not only with their friends at Ithemba, but also with us. It's crazy. How come we have so much trouble SHARING back home when we have so much? And these kids who don't know where their next meal is coming from (outside Ithemba) and they will not only share with their friends, but also the bum on the street peeking his head in. It's truly amazing.

During lunch, we took some time to continue our debrief from thoughts shared yesterday. We were able to identify a few needs we're going to try to meet while we're here: underwear, socks/shoes, pencils, crayons, paper, soccer & basketballs. We also did some brainstorming for LUO fundraising efforts once we're back in the states - if you want to help out...ask us!

After lunch, we started working on the canvases...so FUN!!! (We paint canvases with the kids and then take them back to the states and sell them - for a purchase of $250 you can buy a canvas and sponsor a child for a year - if you're interested in checking them out - they are AWESOME -email info@luo-setfree.org)

Tonight we had a team dinner at a cool pizza joint called 3 Fat Fish....my favorite was the fig, gorgonzola and bacon...we're saying good bye to 4 team members so it was a great send off. Then we came home and hosted some guests from the church for milk tarts and tea before heading off to bed.

I have to say we're all running low on energy tonight - and could really use your prayers for good rest, renewed strength, and continued connections with the kids tomorrow.

Walking in His presence,

Becca, Matt & Rich (our adopted brother)

Becca, Matt and Rich's blog updates:

Ithemba...

Wow! I don't think we have words yet for our first day at Ithemba...we are all still processing. So I will try to just highlight some special moments...

First, we started the day with a devo from Utmost for His Highest-actually-we did two. One was focussed on serving, not out of show, but out of obedience...and the second was on seeing God in the process...and trusting Him in the purpose for what ever process we are experiencing-each of us unique. Both were very timely for what we experienced today.

Here are a few of my favorite moments:

1. Arriving at Ithemba and going into the classroom and watching the kids light up and cheer...and then singing "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" spontaneously with my new friends. (Matt was in a separate classroom-but when we came out he said-he knew where I was as soon as the singing started:)

2. Watching Matthew play with the kids-he was their ultimate toy-and they climbed and hung on him all day...it was awesome to watch. For those of you that play kickball with him-watch out-he's got a new team:). See facebook for pics.

3. Seeing Rich get a mohawk and Katie get new braids. The kids here are fascinated with our hair so they play
"Beauty Shop" all day long.

4. Touring the safe house-its almost finished. Just internal touches left-we hope to have kids in it in the next month-yeah!!!

With these cheerful thoughts, we are also struggling with the harder ones-like why do the kids and their families have to live like this? How can a good God allow such poverty and misfortune to coexist in such a beautiful place? And why isn't the community here caring better for their own people?

Matthew shed some perspective this morning when he woke up-it was freezing in the room he slept in...but he quickly said, "If I am cold in a house like this-think of those people sleeping in shantys with no heat, food, or blankets. I have no need to complain-I have more than I need."

I wonder how many of us have more than we need and if so, how can we leverage that "more" for the good of those who don't?

So that's a little picture into our time so far and some of the things we're wrestling with. I know God is Sovereign and there is a plan at work...I am just asking him to show me my part in the process.

With much love and gratitude,
Becca

PS-I am updating from my blackberry-so please forgive typos. Also, for pictures, please visit my facebook page:)

Home again!

We just got back to J'Bay!! We are with Allie and Lindsey and being filled in on all of their adventures thus far. Next week a group from reThink will be arriving and we can't wait to have them here! It is going to be a busy summer, so keep checking back for updates, photos and new video of the safe house...it looks AMAZING!

Intern Update!

Just got another note from our girls in J'Bay! Here is what they have to say about their time so far :)

Hello from Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. We have officially been here for three weeks and our lives have settled into something that neither of us expected but we love. The people have been so welcoming and friendly and we are learning more and more about their culture each and every day. Some cool things we have learned are that rhinos are afraid of fire, elephants get drunk from eating a fruit called amarula, it is important to greet the elders in the room first in the Xhosa culture, and it is always important to have lots of tea and coffee on hand for spur of the moment entertaining.

We were blessed to attend the Xhosa worship service at Ithemba this past Sunday. The authentic worship in that place was enough to bring us to tears. There was a lot of dancing, clapping, and praising the Father. We felt His presence among us and it was an amazing time to celebrate the love of the most high God. We were asked to stand in front of the congregation and introduce ourselves and then they formed a receiving line so that each member could greet us with a hug or a handshake.

Things at Ithemba have settled into a very pleasant routine and we are enjoying assisting the teachers with their classes as well as playing with the kids and showing them love. We are so excited about the new principal, Estee, and what she will be able to contribute to the way the school is currently running. Just today, we made a plan for the curriculum and for an assessment of each child. We feel that the assessment is crucial so that they can be placed into classes with other children that are on the same level academically. We have worked together to plan a structure that we think will benefit the kids and their educational experience at Ithemba.

The safe house looks wonderful! The roof is almost finished and they are already working on the electrical work and the plumbing. It still needs to be painted and such but we are so impressed with the work that is already done. I know that this house is going to bless the lives of so many children as they are able to find shelter, safety, and love. It stands as a silent reminder both of the desperation of many of these precious lives and also the hope that they can have for a brighter future.

We are looking forward to the joys and challenges that each new day will bring and we are so excited to have the other teams join us. Our driving is getting much better and we are not reduced to tears or panic each time we get behind the wheel. We are trying new foods and experiencing new things all the time and we send our love from J-Bay!!

Raise the Roof!!

Exciting news...the safe house in Jeffrey's Bay now has a roof!! Thanks again for making this possible, y'all are awesome :) Just wanted to share a few more pictures...a video tour is soon to come!

a light in their eyes...

Being in Nicaragua again was really great...difficult emotionally, but great! On this trip we were able to bring a group from the Journey Church in Murray, KY. It was so awesome to get to introduce them to the children that they have impacted in such a big way. It was even more amazing to see the kids impact them. I think that some of the kids left a mark on our hearts that will never go away!

Every time that we leave the country and get to hang out with the kids in Nicaragua and in South Africa, I am completely overwhelmed by the light and the hope and the joy in each of their eyes. These children have been exposed to things that most of us can not even begin to wrap our minds around. Things that no one should EVER have to experience...and definitely not at 3 years old. These children are amazing, they are the future and the hope of their countries, they have the potential to change the world. All they need is love and encouragement...they need to know that their pain and their suffering is temporary and that if they live for something bigger than themselves, they can leave their print on their communities! I see the light in their eyes, and I see a hope for their futures, a hope that can only be found in Jesus!

News from J'Bay

Allie and Lindsey have been in J'Bay for just over a week and we are so excited to have them there! Below is an e-mail I received from Lindsey about their adventures so far! I will be posting pictures of their trip soon...as well as updates from Nicaragua!

Molweni everyone! (Hello in Xhosa)

It has now been one full week since I arrived in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. I have had a wonderful, busy, exciting, crazy, and challenging week so far. I am working at Ithemba (the children’s day center) full time now from 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM and I love it! Working with the kiddos is both rewarding and challenging. By the time I get home at night I am completely exhausted because they keep us on our toes. In the mornings I help the teachers (4 Xhosa women) make the kids their breakfast. Then we have play time for about an hour. This usually consists of piggy back rides, getting my hair braided and tied in knots, tickling and chasing, and lots of hugs and kisses. The mornings usually have around 55- 60 kids ages 5 and under. I am quickly picking up Xhosa phrases to ask them how they are, what their names are, to tell them my name, and of course the useful kid phrases like “listen”, “don’t do that”, and “sit down please.”

I am teaching in one of the classrooms which is fun and yet very difficult because they are too young to speak English so I have to have everything translated. I am working with Mama Queen. She is a Xhosa grandmother. We work on the alphabet, shapes, numbers, days of the week, etc. There is a lot of work to be done to make the classroom setting run a little more smoothly, but we will get there! In the afternoons, we play some more and then about 100 more kids come after they get out of school- they are from ages 5- 16. I am working with the older kids in the afternoon on math, English, and writing. Yesterday, we did long division- it has been a LONG time since I have done long division but it went well!

My favorite part so far is just getting to know the people here. Both the Xhosa people and the Afrikaans people are so kind and helpful. They do not hesitate to help us (myself and Allie- the other girl I am here with) when we don’t understand something and they are very patient about teaching us their languages as well. We are learning pretty quickly and I am getting quite excited about that. Building relationships with not only kids but adults as well is very important to me!

The scariest part for sure has been the driving. Most of you know that I do not know how to drive a manual car so I had some lessons when I got here. My friend Marco was very brave and patient and he took us out for 3 lessons here before he let us hit the road on our own. Not only are we learning to drive a stick, but we are driving on the other side of the road and they have a lot of these roundabout things that are kind of tricky to figure out. We have had quite a few scary moments and stalls but so far the car is still running and we haven’t hit anyone else so I consider this a job well done- or maybe just done haha! We are getting better every day so I am trying to be positive even though I have to fight down panic each time I get in the car. Please be praying for safety both for myself and for the unsuspecting people of J-Bay!!

Finally, I want to share some of the cultural things that I find interesting so far: the eggs are not refrigerated so you by them on the shelf, milk comes in a box on the shelf, they call stop lights “robots”, they call stop signs “stop streets”, they say “see you just now” instead of see you later, soda is called “fizzy” or “cool drink”, and there are many more but I am slowly picking up on these things!

Anyways, I realize this is kind of long- but I hope that this finds you well and enjoying the summer! It is pretty cold here and I must admit I am a little envious of the weather at home. It is pretty though, and we are right on the Indian Ocean so we are definitely enjoying this place!

Please be praying for energy to keep up with the kids, for continued good health, for SAFETY while driving, and just that we will be used to accomplish the Lord’s purpose here! He is in control and He knows each and every one of these people by name. He speaks their language, even when I do not, and He has a deep and unending love for every nation, tribe, and tongue.

I will hopefully send out another update next week, please feel free to respond with questions or comments- I am obviously leaving a lot out because this thing would be SUPER long if I tried- but I am happy to answer any questions you may have. I get to the internet every couple of days!!

Lekker Dag (Have a nice day in Afrikaans),

Lindsey