Signs and Symptoms

My day included Anya (into day 2 of a temperature), Lacy and Katelyn (while Shannon was on campus), a plumber in our only bathroom all morning searching under our sink for the leak (never found it and am left with a demolished sink cabinet with exposed plumbing), a call from Lily's teacher saying she fell on the playground and looks pale and feels dizzy (loaded the kids and went to fetch her right away), a little recoup time in the sun on my porch, Lily and Anya seeming to be feeling better until our dinner guest arrived and Lily needed to throw up (made it to the same bathroom sink), cleaning up, giving baths, and now contemplating if my stomach is starting to feel "off" or if it's all in my head.

All the while on the campus of UWC...the summer project students had planned an outreach that had an AMAZING response!  They printed of SIGNS about our men's and women's Bible studies that were happening today at 1pm, and stood around campus with them.  Groups of people were coming up and asking questions about it and saying they've been wanting and looking for something like this on campus the whole time they've been there.  One guy walked up to one of our students with a sign and said "What's this all about?"  The summer project student responded "We are here to share with people about who Jesus is".  Then the UWC student said, "Well, aren't you going to share with me?" So he did, and the student said he wanted to "bridge the gap" with God, and would pray tonight!  So, all these conversations are happening, and 1pm rolls around and there are balloons and a big sign that says "Campus Crusade for Christ" Bible study at our meeting location before they head to the class room.  Hoards of excited people are coming up and asking about it!  Our newest Stinter, Kate, was just telling me that she was in the room preparing for the study and in walks 15 South Africans, then 5 minutes later, another 10, then another few...28 new South African students came to women's Bible study today! Women were SO excited to have fellowship and talk about God and assurance of salvation.  A few even came up to Kate and said "I really want to learn how to share my faith, will you teach me?".  Praise God!  Some are new believers, some are seasoned believers...praising God for each and every one of them!  And there were even more who talked to people at the meeting point saying they can't come this week but are going to make sure and clear their schedule to make it next week!  It is so crazy it just makes me laugh!  God has such a good plan and it's so fun to be a part of it! Christian said it was the best day on campus he's EVER had...no wonder!

While I was home trying to make sense of the symptoms of sickness and clogged pipes, I'm so thankful students were reading the signs that brought them to hear the truth of the exciting, joyful, abundant life we have in Jesus!  And I'm thankful the Lord has brought these faith-filled summer project staff and students to come and help!  We have PAGES of names of people who are interested in hearing more.  Who knows how long it would have taken us to gather these students if it had not been for the summer project.  Praising God!

Please pray for healing for Lily and Anya...Lily's seems like the flu.  Not sure with Anya but she doesn't have a fever anymore, praise the Lord!
Pray also that Christian and I won't get it.
Please pray for the Summer Project students as they wrap up their time on campus this week, and leave next week.  Pray that God will let the GLORY they've tasted of the Lord here remain fragrant in their hearts and minds for as long as they live, and that God will continue to use them to bring the good news of the gospel to their friends, classmates, co-workers, and everyone they come in contact with.

Please pray for us...Ironically as Christian was preaching at Pastor Julius's church in the township last Sunday (to many who live below poverty line), I was hearing a sermon at our church about how 13 MILLION people live below the poverty line in South Africa.  That is 13 Million living on $1.25/day.  We were challenged at church to live on $1.25/day for food per person for three days.  We plan to try it next week.  But already, God has been pulling heart strings and revealing my pride as I've been reading what God has to say about acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him (Micah 6:8).  I judge the poor more than give to them.  I was telling the Lord yesterday as I was walking in the vineyard that I don't want to leave South Africa unchanged.  I was praying for His heart and eyes for the poor.  And after seeing beautiful wild calla lilies on a trail I'd never been on, I ran into this woman and I asked for directions.  We walked the rest of the way together, and I KNOW she was sent to me as a direct answer to that prayer.  Paula is a para legal but spends every weekend with the poorest of the poor.  She taught me so much about those in poverty in just a 20 minute walk than I've learned the whole time here.  She walks/runs in that vineyard often and we exchanged numbers.  PLUS, she goes to hip hop class (I have been wanting to find one)...God knows every desire of our heart!:) I feel so blessed by another new friend from whom I have so much to learn!  I love how God brings everything together that He wants to teach me!   Anyway, the prayer request is that we would follow Jesus and respond in love to everyone we see and meet, and that He would continue to reveal the areas of our hearts that get in the way of that.  Thank you!
       

Summer Project in Cape Town's Winter

What an incredible few weeks it has been with the 37 staff and students here for summer project!  Last week we were in the township of Khayelitsha doing a holiday club, soccer club, doing some painting/remodeling of a preschool, and sharing their faith door to door with Pastor Peter and his church members.  Though Christian and I weren't as actively involved this week, it was encouraging to hear the ways it impacted our summer project students.  One girl in the summer project Bible study I'm (Mia)   in has experienced homelessness and loss that allowed her to relate in a special way to the people of Khayelitsha.  She said she "feels at home" with the people there and fell in love with them instantly!  One lady she shared with came to Christ and the next day the new believer not only shared with her family, but went door to door with our student translating while they shared the gospel!  Praise God!

This week classes started at UWC, so the whole project has been on campus sharing their faith.  Monday staff and students saw 7 people accept Christ and were able to follow up with 4 of them on Tuesday!  Another girl in my (Mia's) Bible study was excited to learn how to share her faith and become more comfortable in communicating the gospel.  Yesterday the first two students she talked with accepted Christ!  And today she sat down and talked to a couple of guys watching our volleyball outreach and after sharing the gospel with them, one of the guys accepted Christ!  Christian walked up half way through and is going to meet with the new believer for follow up on Thursday.  Summer project students are having so much fun talking about their faith, and people are coming to know the Lord.  It's such an encouraging start to the semester!

Lily started school again yesterday as well.  The first few days back are always a little rough for her, as she feels like she's missing out on "home" life (mostly playing with Lacy) by being at school.  But when I pick her up she's always in good spirits and says she had a great day.  Today is sunny and warm...it feels like spring!  I saw tulips and gerbera daisies in the grocery store the other day and it, along with the sunshine today is giving me spring fever!   Sounds like spring comes in August...I can't wait!

Please continue to pray for our time on campus- that we would all be filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit as He leads us to those who need Him!  Pray also that every new believer would meet again for follow up and get connected.  Thank you!

Prayer Requests

Our Stint teammate and friend, Rett, found out that his mom's leukemia is back in full force and final stages.  The last round of chemo was not effective.  He is resigning from his Stint year and going home to be with his family.  We are so sad for him, his mom, his family, and sad to see him go.  Please pray for God's peace that passes all understanding, and for His love and mercy to be lavished upon Rett and his family.  Pray for miraculous healing for Rett's mom, and peace for her as well.  Rett will be leaving next Saturday. Please pray for this final week he is here as he wraps up loose ends and says goodbye- that he would know he is loved and have closure as he goes.

Our team is going through quite a transition right now, as our newest Stint member, Kate, just arrived, Rett is unexpectedly leaving, and summer project (37 U.S. staff and students-including Christian's brother, Bobby and sister in law Alexandra) is here for 5 weeks.  So many emotions all wrapped up together! Please pray for our team in this transition- that we would love each other well and communicate clearly.  We've had a great first week of project!  We were in a low income area helping a church with "holiday club", which is like a VBS.  Last Sunday we were told to go and "hand out flyers" to invite kids to the holiday club.  When we arrived, we were following a marching band and were parading through town handing out flyers!  It worked!  Over the course of the week, the number of kids coming went from 110 to over 300!  They are all from impoverished homes where both parents have to work and only make less than $1/hr, and alcohol abuse is common.  Though exhausting, it was impactful and fulfilling to help feed these children not only physically (holiday club lunch was the only meal most of the kids would get each day), but spiritually and emotionally by loving them and sharing how much Jesus loves them too!  Christian shared with one 10 year old boy, Deveroix, at lunch one day.  Deveroix said he would pray that night, and the next day he was so excited to tell Christian that he invited Christ into his life!  It was heartbreaking to know the situations these kids would go home to, but encouraging to play at least a small part in loving and feeding them throughout the week.  Hope penetrates through circumstances in Christ alone.

Next week we will be serving in another township, and then the summer project will join us in sharing the gospel on campus when school resumes July 16th.  Please pray for God's continued protection and leading each day!

Thank you for your prayers!

Catching up

We had a WONDERFUL few weeks with Paul, Kathy and Jocelyn.  God blessed us with sunny days most of the time, which isn't "normal" for the rainy winter season here.  It's still definitely winter here and a chill in the air. It is warm in the sun, but cold in the shade and at night.  We got to do everything we had on our list and thoroughly enjoyed our time being tourists!  We also got to take them to the orphanage for an afternoon.  We had a special delivery for the children, as the women from Paul's facility (Water Valley Good Samaritan) had made each of them a winter hat.  There were all different colors and sizes, and it worked out perfectly amongst all the kids...Pastor J was excited to get one too!  It gets so cold at night- especially in the township where there is no insulation and no heat, so they were grateful for the hats.

Another special memory was "Tea with Queen Nana".  Have you ever read that book, "Tea with the Queen"?  It's about a grandma who invites her granddaughter, Ruby, to "Tea with the Queen", but Ruby doesn't know until the end that the Queen is her grandma.  Kathy gave the girls some fancy invitations in our mailbox, and they dressed up and went to Nana's apartment for Tea with the Queen.  It was a special time for the girls with Nana.
Paul and Kathy left first, as they were going to Kenya for a few days.  It was hard to say goodbye...especially for Lily.  She cried and cried and cried herself to sleep that night.  I was laying in bed with her trying to soothe her,  and up crawled Anya to the top bunk and she squeezed in between us.  She said "It's OK, Sissy...Nana and Papa will pick us up for Christmas!"  Then there was a pause and Anya started singing "Tomorrow! Tomorrow!  It'll be better, tomorrow!   The sun will come out, tomorrow!"  from the movie "Annie".  It was so sweet!  I didn't even know she knew that song, and here she broke it out at the perfect time!:)

Kathy and Jocelyn got to see Lily at work in her favorite class- pottery!

They served us tea while we watched them learn a Bible story, sing songs in Afrikaans, English and Xhosa, and talk about the calendar.  Her teacher, Trudi, is so great!  

Lily's class had a music program/potluck one evening.  Lily came home one day and asked me about the Titanic...and I wondered where they had talked about it.  Well, they sang some of "My heart will go on" by Celine Dion.  And they sang some of "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele!  An interesting little performance!

At the end of the music program the kids did a little dance.  After this boy chose Lily for his partner, she said she thinks he is her friend now.:)  And after this dance, each of the kids had to bring a parent up to dance with!  I had fun with it (surprise surprise:))!

What better way to spend a cold, rainy day than at the spa (especially with winter specials!). This "fish nibble" was part of my treatment.  They are a special fish that nibble the dead skin cells off and the enzyme in their mouth replenish the skin.  It tickled!!!  But it really did exfoliate.  I prefer foot scrub, but it was an interesting experience!

We went to a local little Game Reserve (Aquila) for a safari.  We got to see all the animals (hippos, rhinos , elephants, giraffes, lions, springbok, water buffalo, zebras, ostriches and more!) within a couple of hours.  Perfect for the kids!

Anya slept for most of the safari...maybe that's why young kids are free?

Another song that Anya liked to sing (and seemed to be a theme song for all of our car rides) was "Hakuna Matata" from Lion King.  Anya sang it the whole way to the airport with Nana and Papa...though she says "A tuna matata".  :)  But hey, it means no worries either way!