God likes candy...

It's winter break and my (Mia's) sister, Jocelyn, and Christian's parents, Paul and Kathy, are finally here!  We've been looking forward to their visit ever since we got here, and God has blessed us with three beautiful sunny days in a row to enjoy the sites!  Sunset at Camps Bay beach, check!  Beach day at Clifton 4, check!  Day at the Waterfront complete with sightings of dolphins, seals, and penguins, check!  Tomorrow Jocelyn, Kathy (both teachers) and I (interested Mom) will spend the day experiencing life in Lily's class.  It's been SO fun and refreshing to have family here...almost surreal.  What a blessing.

Today on our boat tour, Lily and Anya had to wear life vests.  Neither liked them.  Lily told us so much as she tried to comfort Anya.  Anya acted as if she wanted to crawl out of her skin having it on.  She doesn't like things to be "tight".  It was almost as if she felt claustrophobic in it.  So after a few minutes of her crying, she finally calmed down and ended up using her vest as a neck pillow....I thought she fell asleep in my lap.  She was motionless and calm with her head down on her vest the whole hour until the very end...when she started whimpering again.  When she finally pulled her head up and we were pulling in to the dock she said "Well I am NEVER doing that again!"  She was very clear about that! Lol!  Poor thing...I found out later that she was awake the whole time just trying to cope!  Hope it wasn't too traumatic of an experience for her!  I'm beginning to see "highly sensitive" qualities about Anya as well these days.   Still gaining so much insight from that book, "The Highly Sensitive Child"!

Lily has been saying some precious things as well lately.  The other day she said "Mom, guess who I love more than God?"  I said "Who?"  "No one", she replied.  She often prays the most insightful and grateful prayers.  It has been encouraging to see the Spirit's work in her life as well, as she is sensitive to tell me times when she makes a poor choice and feels conviction.  God has given so many opportunities to help her experience grace in our need for Christ.  I've enjoyed hearing more of her thoughts, and am often surprised by her understanding of abstract concepts or how she "connects" the dots of situations.  Still waters run deep...she is always thinking and observing!  She is really enjoying our visits to the orphanage as well.  She almost seems more comfortable there than at school!  We've gone the past couple of weeks to just play for the afternoon, and Lily especially enjoys the little girl she asked to be her "friend" on our first visit.  The other day she, Anya and Lacy were pretending as they played polly pockets that they were the kids at the orphanage.  I see them processing and thinking about the things they are seeing and experiencing in good ways, which is encouraging.

Anya has REALLY been wishing she were in school...or at least that she had a "class" of some sort.  Sometimes I hear Anya ask Lily "How was school, Sissy?"  The closest thing Anya has to "class" right now is Sunday school,  She'll often tell us she made a friend named "Susa", and we'll see random kids at the mall and such and Anya will say "There's my friend from class, Susa"...but it's a total stranger!  She just wants to relate.  So the other day I was getting candy ready to take to school for a benefit they were doing, and Anya so badly wanted to have a "class" to take candy to.  So she said "Mom, can I take candy to church, because we are learning about how God likes candy?"  It was almost too cute to say no to!  Especially after them learning the verse "Every good and perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17).  Lol!:) I keep promising her I will try and find a dance or gymnastics class for her...will have to be after break.

One quick answer to prayer from our last post:  God seems to be ironing out some of the differences with our women leaders at UWC...please keep praying for aligning and God's best.  We are so encouraged, though, especially by the initiative, leadership, character and honesty of one of our male leaders in helping to resolve some conflict!

Here are some pics from our adventures the past few weeks!

More fun on Table Mountain!

A special Mother's Day at Bon Amis

Lily is getting to be an expert on the monkey bars!

A warm winter picnic on the beach

Nala's birthday at Gumboot Farm

Sisters

Sunset at the beach with Nana, Papa and Aunt Jocelyn

Prayer Requests and Praises!

After next week we have our "winter break"! Christian's parents, Paul and Kathy, and my sister, Jocelyn, will be coming to visit for 3 weeks! We can't wait! Since there is no way we would all fit in our apartment, they will all be staying in a furnished apartment in our complex. It will work out well! The past couple of weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster on campus. On one hand, Christian has seen remarkable growth and fruit with the male student leaders. This week we had an leadership training time at UWC, and 9 students came...one brought a friend! After learning there how to share their faith, Christian took one of his disciples sharing for the first time, and BOTH of the guys they shared with came to Christ! It was a very encouraging day! On the other hand, we've been struggling to align some of our key student women leaders. There have been multiple hard conversations, and a definite battle against the enemy. We've learned a lot about the culture of the majority of students at UWC in this process, which has shed light on many of their views and convictions. In the end, we have come to the mutual understanding that we're not heading in the same direction. We've been sad and heavy hearted, as we truly love these women and have seen God use them in so many ways! I've learned so much through them and had been encouraged in my faith. I really can't believe it's happened...but we're trusting the Lord and His sovereign plan. All of our new believers were being discipled by these women. It feels a little bit discouraging that we are coming to the end of the new semester, and feeling like we will almost have to "start over" next semester on the women's side. But we're also going into it knowing how to better align and communicate our mission and vision from the beginning. Please pray for these student women- for teachable hearts and reconciliation. Pray also for peace, wisdom, forgiveness, humility and reconciliation for our team as well. Pray against the work of the enemy...division and unforgiveness is just what he wants! On an encouraging note, our babysitter accepted Christ today! She was a friend of a student we'd had babysit, and she has been watching our kids almost every Friday for staff meeting over the course of the semester, and the girls LOVE her! She's a freshman at a technical college here, and recently I had been realizing we hadn't even really talked about her faith. So this week before she left I asked if there was anything I could be praying for her and if she, herself, prayed. Long story short, we went for coffee (Lily wanted to join us), and I shared with her about how she could have a personal relationship with God. She had been to a few different youth groups over the years, but didn't know much of anything about who Jesus is. She said a few times "now it's making sense!" I saw her "get" it, and she surrendered her life to Christ! She's the first person I've met that has had little to no spiritual background. She went from not ever really wondering about God to having a personal relationship with Him! Praise God! It was SO fun! All the while Lily was in and out of our conversation and playing outside...but she told Christian "Mom's talking to Megan about the Bible". It was fun to include her in our conversation and celebration. I'm looking forward to meeting with Megan soon for our first follow up Bible study. So exciting! We've had BEAUTIFUL fall days here this week. I went to Stodel's two afternoons, just to let the kids play outside. I pretended it was our back yard as I watched the monkeys play:). Lily and Anya still have lingering colds...I took Anya to the doctor last week because she'd had a fever for more than 24 hours, and it turned out she had tonsilitis! She just finished her antibiotics. Two rounds of antibiotics since we've gotten here! We're still doing eye drops for her stye, and it seems to be working. Please pray it will go away so she won't have to go under for them to drain it! And yesterday Lacy (the William's daughter) came down with something similar to pink eye. Pray it will heal quickly and no one else will catch it! I got a library card this week...makes me feel like a local:). We went to story time last week, and besides being half an hour late, it was in Afrikaans! Oh well...at least we found the library:). Hoping to celebrate Mother's Day at the beach tomorrow! Yay! This week Lily and I were doing her paper doll sticker book and I asked if she was sure she wanted me to dress one of the girls. She said "Mommy, you always dress us so pretty, I know you will dress her pretty too!" It was so precious. I love my girls!

A day at the orphanage

Some of the kids from the orphanage and neighborhood (with Lily, Anya, Katelyn and Lacy)  

Last Saturday our family and team went to the township to paint Pastor J's house and play with their 21 orphan children.  I was a little bit nervous about what it would be like, especially for Lily and Anya, because I wasn't with Christian when they visited last time.  But I knew it was an opportunity the Lord had for us as a family.  As we drove in to the township, my eyes bounced (along with the car) between all the women walking home carrying water jugs on their heads, starving dogs wandering around, kids playing out in the sand (their ground), and seeing all the "life" happening in the multicolored shacks.  There wasn't really a road...more of "a way" between the shacks.  We arrived at Pastor J's property, which consisted of a three small houses (one room houses the size of a motor home)~ one full of bunk beds for the girls, one for the boys, one for Pastor J and his wife and the babies~the church (a bigger room with a small kitchen attached), two outhouses, a trampoline and little jungle gym outside.  The property is fenced in, and felt "safe" in more than one way.  There were A LOT of children, and as Pastor J introduced himself he said many of them (aside from his 21) were kids from the neighborhood.  It was a Saturday, which I later learned was a day many of the parents of the neighbor kids spent drinking.  So they come to the orphanage to be in a stable and safe place.  So many sad stories there, but made us all the more grateful for the generous love of Pastor J and his wife.  He had to go shortly after we arrived, as unfortunately one of the young elders of his church (who he was training to take over) died suddenly that week from tuberculosis and he went to help make funeral arrangements.  It was a very close friend of his.  Please pray for Pastor J, his church, and the elder's wife and kids who are mourning his loss.

Lily and her new friend :)

Most of the team went right to work on sanding, priming and painting Pastor J and his wife's new house.  Shannon, Stephanie and I hung out with the kids.  The trampoline was a main attraction, and quite chaotic:).  I quickly realized that most of the children didn't understand English, as they speak Xhosa.  It was the first time in South Africa that I've encountered a language barrier...and it took me a little while to figure out how to round up 30 kids, and what to do with them.  Thankfully Stephanie had some game ideas and so we went inside to the church and played "Duck,Duck, Goose", "Red Light/Green Light", "Boom chicka Boom", and whatever else we could think of.  The kids were anywhere from 1yr to probably 13 years, so there was a wide range of energy and attention span:).  And although I was a little bit worried how Lily and Anya would do, they AMAZED me!  They joined right in and played with the kids.  And Lily hit it off with one little girl out on the monkey bars.  One of our Cru Community staff members, Rose, said she overheard Lily ask her if she would be her friend:).  Turns out the little girl is the first orphan Pastor J and his wife had, as she was found and dropped off when she was a baby.  Lily had a great time and when we got home she said she wanted to have her new friend over to play sometime, and wants to go back again to the orphanage!

We brought and made lunch for the kids, and the Lord multiplied the hot dogs and apples for the rest of the neighborhood children visiting as well.  For those outside of the orphanage, it may have been their only meal of the day.  Anya, being a slow and distracted eater, left her half eaten hot dog and apple on her plate to come find me in the kitchen.  When she returned, it was gone.  She came back crying, of course, and said the "big" boy took her food.  We quickly gave her another hot dog, and she was fine.  I wasn't upset, as I knew my kids would be able to eat again when we left.  I'm sure the boy thought she was finished...she normally only eats half her food anyway.  When we ended up having some "extra" hotdogs after everyone had eaten, I thought we could just put them on a plate and go around and offer them to everyone.  BAD idea- a swarm of hungry children quickly came to eat.  So instead, one of the older kids that helps with his "siblings" brought a handful of kids who he knew needed to eat more, into the kitchen for seconds.  It broke my heart that we couldn't feed all the kids til they were stuffed, and wished so desperately that they'd never go hungry again.  Thankfully, Pastor J and his wife are able to keep their kids pretty well fed most of the time.  They trust the Lord to provide, and he does.  Before we left we gave each of the children a "Kinder Joy" egg, which has chocolate in one half, and a surprise toy in the other half.  They were SO excited, and the little toys kept them busy for quite awhile!

Painting the primer on Pastor J's house-

It was a long day- we were exhausted!  Christian and the team got the house painted before the sun went down.  They learned a lot about the quality of painting supplies...brushes and rollers were breaking left and right.  But luckily it wasn't a big house- more the size of a shed.  It was a rewarding experience for all.  We continue to pray for Pastor J, his wife, and their ministry to their children, their church, and their neighborhood, and we plan to go back to help regularly.  Please pray that the Lord will bring justice- There are children that have been with them since they were babies that have abusive, alcoholic parents, and they are still fighting for custody and trying to protect them.  Pray the Lord will provide a way through all the legal red tape and change hearts and minds of the parties necessary so that all the kids will be in the safest, most loving environment (the orphanage).  Pray also that the Lord will provide all that Pastor J and his wife need; emotionally, physically, spiritually, and tangibly.  God's love is SO evident in this orphanage, and God is being glorified- even in the midst of such trial and need!

Playing jump rope in the church

Anya eating her hotdog...everyone else is finished :) 

Easter Lily

Fall is in the air, which seems strange and normal at the same time, but is beautiful!  We've had a few cold and rainy days, which sounds like it's how the winter is here.  However, our internal temperature gauge may be a little different, as we are dressed for summer most days when others have their sweaters and coats on!  What can we say?  We're from Colorado:).

It seems like there are quite a few "holidays" in South Africa in April, which has given us time to be refreshed.  Good Friday, and the Monday after Easter are public holidays here, so that was nice to have an extended weekend.  Although it rained all day Saturday and most of Sunday, the sun came out for the perfect amount of time for an Easter egg hunt after church in the yard of the Joostenberg Vineyard.  It was perfect!  We had a wonderful Easter celebration.  It didn't seem to be much of a tradition here to dress up for Easter, but the girls had been asking to wear their Easter dresses for weeks!  We used pink sand pails for Easter baskets had some plastic eggs for the traditional Easter egg hunt (thanks to the vision trip), but in South Africa they hunt for chocolate eggs.  Basically, Easter is way more commercialized in America, which isn't surprising.  It was quite nice to keep it simple.  This was the first year we've ever attended a Good Friday service, and that was very special in keeping focused on Christ.

Lily started back with her 2nd term of Grade R (Kindergarten) after Easter.  She had a 2 week break between terms, which seems to be the norm.  It will be strange that she will be in school now until the end of June, when she will get a few weeks off again.  I really like her school and "Teacher Trudi".  She is very compassionate and gentle with Lily.  I've been learning a lot about Lily's temperament and personality lately.  Our counselor referred us to the book "The Highly Sensitive Child"by Elaine Aron, and though I am only on the fourth chapter, it is making so much sense!  Lily is a highly sensitive person, along with 20% of the population.  It's not a disorder- just a temperament- like "strong willed" would be considered.  It's genetically determined and present from birth.  Basically it just means that Lily's own feelings and interpretations of others emotions and her environment are heightened.  Some of her types of "sensitivity" are:  Notices subtle scents and sounds, does not like crowds or bustling places, picks up on the mood of others, has interesting insights about what is going on with people, notices small changes in room or my clothing, prefers little or only gradual changes, hesitant in all new environments, slow to warm up again with someone she has not seen for awhile, notices small changes in people after not seeing them for a while, does not like to be in large groups when some are strangers, does not like to be the center of attention among strangers (or in any group), does not like to be questioned by a stranger, and does not like meeting a lot of new people at once.  Normally, people with this temperament are "labeled" as shy or introverted, but it is more encompassing than that.  I've gained so much insight and feel like I can relate more to Lily now that I understand some of what she must be feeling.  The book is full of very helpful and practical parenting advice.  There are many strengths to highly sensitive people as well!  Many times they are artistic, scientific, patient, empathetic, conscientious, spiritually interested, intelligent, kind, and have a high concern for social justice.  I see many of those in Lily, especially in her artistic abilities!  I just see God's hand in bringing all of this understanding together...Lily's Soetlief class in helping her to understand her emotions, her teacher at school is familiar with the highly sensitive child and is a highly sensitive person, herself, and my friend and teammate, Lauren, is a highly sensitive person with much in common with Lily.  All the while, the Lord has been speaking to my heart through His Word about His love being patient and kind, and being quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.  I'm so grateful for who Lily is, and I'm grateful to be able to understand her more to be able to communicate, protect, shepherd and love her in a way that will help her to become more of who she's created to be!
This week Lily accidentally ran into a boy at school and ended up with a busted lip!  Teacher Trudi called me to come see and comfort Lily.  She was calm and coloring when I arrived, but her lip was pretty swollen and still bleeding.  It's such an awkward place for a cut!  Even though she was fine, Trudi thought it best to bring her home for the day.  So we had fun:).  But that night and the next day the anxiety of going back to school and having everyone look at her hit.  She kept saying she wished she would have watched where she was going, that the cut would have been anywhere else but her face, that she'll be embarrassed when the kids look at her and ask her what happened, etc.  I had just read about how highly sensitive people think about how they could fail or what could happen, and how it can be helpful to plant the seed of "coping", by helping them know what they could say or do if those scenarios happen.  So I tried it.  We still had to coax her into school, but Teacher Trudi was very helpful in not drawing attention and understanding what she needed.  All went well, and her lip is already almost healed.  Poor thing!
The same day of Lily's accident, I took Anya to an eye specialist.  The sty on her eye has been hanging on now for 3 months!  And we found out she has one forming in her other eye now too.  The doctor didn't want to have to schedule surgery (he called it "theater") to slit it open until it was the absolute last resort.  So he gave us some drops and will continue with the ointment for 4 weeks and PRAY they heal!  Please pray that with us!  Thank you!
Ministry is mostly encouraging- a couple weeks ago Christian led 5 people to Christ!  Praise God!  And he's been having really neat discipleship appointments with the leaders and new believers he's meeting with.  After walking through the 4 Spiritual Laws this week with a new believer, the guy said "How many more of these do you have? Everyone needs to hear this- it's so clear!  We all need to share this with our friends and multiply our faith"!  They are all deepening in their love for Jesus and heart for the lost.
Our women leaders are still loving Jesus with their whole hearts, but we've encountered a few challenges in talking through personal convictions.  Please pray that Jesus will remain central, and the peripheral issues of behavior will all come through looking at truth in the Word, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Pray also for wisdom and humility as we continue to dialog.  Things are going so well, it's just like Satan to want to get in there and twist the truth, cause dissension, and confusion.  Pray against his attack and the "religious" spirit of things beaming more about what we "do".
Tomorrow we are going to Pastor J's orphanage in Gugulethu to paint their house and help with projects that need to be done before the rain comes.  We will take the kids with us and play with their 21 children!  Pray for a dry, sunny day, and that we can thoroughly bless Pastor J and his wife and kids!  Pray also for Lily, as I know it will be an uncomfortable day for her in such a new environment with new people, and seeing such need.  Pray for Lily and Anya in all they will be exposed to- that the Lord will help them process and learn from the kids. Thank you!

I can tell I'm changing...

I can tell I'm changing...in a good way.:)  I just can't shake the thought of those little kids in the orphanage where Pastor J and his wife give so much of themselves and have so much joy while not knowing how they will feed everyone that day.  The tension I am wrestling with is a good one.  I have so much.  Others have so little.  I really don't know what it means to go without.  I haven't ever really "suffered" in need.  I'm reminded of those kids when I'm buying groceries, when I'm buying clothes, when I'm debating what to wear and wishing for more, when the girls are begging for me to buy them a toy at the store, when I start to feel a little bit hungry, and when I splurge, indulge, or pamper myself in any way.  I see clearly here what I would not have said in the States...we are wealthy.  Not just in our blessings and provisions...but financially.  The way of life for many in the townships seem unsurvivable to me...no refrigerator, no bed, one room shack housing way more people than there is room for, the smell of outhouse, hundreds of flies swarming, no bathroom, no privacy, no food,  no job, no idea what the next day will bring.  I have so much to learn from them.  So much room to grow.  So much to pray about.  So much I want to "do" to help.
I still like to shop, be comfortable, know that will be able to eat when I get hungry, and buy my kids toys.  BUT, I can tell I'm changing...

Adventures in Africa

It has been an eventful few weeks! So much to report...where to begin?

Christian's brother, Bobby, came with 6 other staff from our region for the Cru Vision Trip March 14-20th. It was SO encouraging and refreshing to have him here and share what our life and ministry looks like. Lily and Anya were so excited, they started "cleaning" their room for him a week early! We showed them the sights, spent a day on campus together, and ate at the "African Cafe" where you are served traditional African cuisine...and I got my face painted. It was delicious and fun! Bobby and Alexandra will be back in July, as Bobby is leading the Cape Town Summer Project.

About a week ago last Saturday, while our team members(Lauren and Stephanie) were out, their house was broken into. Stephanie's computer, video camera, back pack, shoes, some clothes, and thumb drive, and Lauren's ring, jeans, one shoe?, and misc. items were stolen. The thief broke in through their spare bedroom window and seemed to leave in a hurry, as he/she left a trail of some of their things that dropped. They are thankful they weren't in the house when he/she came, but were understandably shaken up by the whole thing, and don't feel safe in their house. They have been staying with Tyler and Shannon, have negotiated to get out of their lease (praise God!), and have been looking for a safe apartment to move to. Please pray for them to find an apartment that is safe, within walking distance to some stores, affordable, will rent to Americans, and will allow a 9 month lease. Please pray also for God's provision in helping them to replace some of the essentials they lost, as they didn't have renter's insurance. Thank you!

~Family Vacation
We feel rested and refreshed after having a week off for Spring Break! We took a little family vacation and drove about 6 hours along the Garden Route to a town called Knysna. We were pleasantly surprised by the safety of the highways...it felt like we were traveling in America much of the time...until we passed ostrich farms, spotted elephants at a Reserve off the side of the road, and missed hitting a baboon in the road! The drive alongwas beautiful through lush green mountains and rolling hills, and some along the coast of the Indian Ocean. We saw apple and pear orchards, an olive grove, vineyards and forests.
We went to a cute little cafe called Ile de Pain for breakfast (famous for their bread) and then beach the first day. It was a beautiful beach and perfect weather. We were entertained by the way the waves crashed against the large jagged rocks, and by the huge washed up jelly fish and hundreds of little sea snails that came in with the tide. We built sand castles and had a great time!

Our second and final day in Knysna we went to the Elephant Park. Elephants in that area were killed off by poachers, but they rescued some of the orphaned elephants and take care of them there in the park. We got to feed the elephants apples, pineapple, watermelon pieces, etc. Fruit is like their chocolate! We could touch the elephants and could have ridden them if we paid:). Lily got up the nerve to barely touch one of the elephant's ears...but they were both afraid to feed them. No wonder kids get in free!
When we got back to our hotel that night I saw something scurry by my feet...and saw that it was a gecko! After I "landed" and calmed down, we took some pics, scooped him up in a cup and took him outside. Gave me a good scare!:) Lily also informed me on our trip that she is going to be moving back to South Africa when she is older! Guess that's a good sign that she's enjoying it!:)


Thank you for all of your prayers for rest. We feel very refreshed as we enter into our second term! We enjoyed watching the Jayhawk victory on Sunday and hope to be able to download their game this weekend! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Christian went on an outreach to the township of Kayelitsha today.  Pastor Peter went with them to translate as they went door to door to share the gospel and hand out Bibles.  The poverty they saw was sobering.  In one shack lived 2 women, a one year old and a 2 week old baby.  The child and baby were sleeping under a towel to keep the swarming flies from crawling all over them.  Christian got to share the gospel with these women and both women invited Christ into their lives!  He went to the next house and shared with 2 more women while Pastor Peter translated, and they both accepted Christ!  Praise the Lord!  They were given Bibles and Pastor Peter will follow up with them.  It was another humbling experience.  Please continue to pray for wisdom in how to continue to be involved in bringing God's love to our neighboring townships.

Seeing the Townships...humbling & hard!

"Brokenness & compassion, tears & smiles, laughter & anger,..." These are just a few of the things I, (Christian), experienced in my own heart last Thursday as our team visited two of the predominate Townships here in Cape Town.  I have seen the townships before, but I am overwhelmed each time.  There are only 20 km for where we live, but it feels as if there is a world that separates us.

Rose, the leader of Campus Crusade's community ministry here in the Western Cape, took us on tour of three places.  The first was a ministry that seeks to plant Bible based churches in the Township of Khayelitsha.  They are called, "African Leadership Nework," and have been so effective in bring the youth and children of Khayelitsha into Children Churches.  This ministry is doing a great work to end the physical and sexual abuse of the children through a t-shirt campaign.  The shirt reads,"I am precious to Jesus," in Xhosa and serves as a warning to the adults and a source of hope for the children.  I never would have thought that something like this would work, but it is! Many of the things that this ministry is doing blows my "western-mindset."  

The next place that we visited was a church/preschool in a poorer area of Khayelitsha. (there areas that are less developed) This is the church of Pastor Peter, a man who's heart for God was such an encouragement.  In his journey to do good for those around him, he has seen persecution from the authorities, but he has walked with God.  His vision for the church is to help those that are suffering from HIV, abuse, and extreme hunger.  He said, "It is better for for people to experience physical suffering now, but to know Jesus, so they can live in comfort for eternity, than to live in comfort now and experience an eternity of suffering."  Wow, his words hit me hard and brought such clarity to the reality of what we are called to in this life.  We do not live for the temporal, but eternal!  We do not store up treasure on this earth, but in Heaven.  Pastor Peter, has really helped give vision to this area of how they can grow their own vegetables.   He lead an initiative to build a green house at the church, of which our students from last years Summer Project helped to build.  It was working well, they were growing their own food, and were giving it to the poor who needed food so that they could take their HIV medication. BUT...last month the greenhouse was destroyed, people broke in at took the support structures that held the greenhouse together.  They also took all of the food that the church had stored for distribution. Please pray for them in how they should proceed with meeting the needs of this community.

We had one more stop on our "visit."  It was to an area called Gugulethu, where for years it had been an area dominated by gangs, but 13 years ago God called a man to plant a church.  His name is Pastor J, and his journey has looked different than what he expected, but it is a story that is changing lives.  J and his wife moved to this area and began a church. During that first year the police brought to him a 2 month old baby girl whose mother had died. They knew him to be a pastor and thought that they might care for the baby.  They took the girl in and that was the beginning of their orphanage.  They now have 21 children. It was my first visit, and my heart broke for them.  They live day to day on what God supplies, and they truly love these children as their own.  J and his wife are in their 60's but they are putting skin around God's love to these children daily.  They do have 2-3 volunteers that help with the kids. The children were so happy and by our standards had very little.  My heart broke when I saw two little girls playing together, and could not help but think of Lily and Anya.   Rose explained to us that they are in need of help, and have experienced other organizations raising money for them and yet it never made it to them. There are times when Pastor J will call Rose and share that they have no food. She has brought them food and other supplies. We were all moved, and want to be used by the Lord to help this little "orphanage," in Gugulethu.

Pray with us for God to protect the innocent and heal those that are hurting in this city.  Thanks for all of your prayers we really do feel loved, and protected by God.

In His care and love,
Christian, Mia, Lily & Anya