Don't Say Goodbye

I HATE GOODBYES!

This week has been rough. Sadly, I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to my Goedehoop kiddos on Tuesday cause Nik thought it would be easier on me not to see them. We we supposed to have private sessions Tuesday afternoon, but we rocked up late to the first session and my kids had already left, which was a huge bummer. We did have the second session. Nikki and Reagan were at a meeting, so I ran private sessions with the help of Zunaid, Elano, and Lykita. It was hetic! Because Zunaid, Elano, and Lykita hadn't been fully trained on this book, they took the class the Nikki usually taught because the class was just writting an assistment. In the meantime, I taught Reagan's, Elano's, and my classes. It was quite the feat as each class was in a different place in the book.

Wednesday I broke down. After three days of basically doing nothing Cynergy related, I broke down. After Nikki and Laura returned from a meeting, I pulled Laura outside to try to tell her how frustrated I was because I felt like I was being isolated from the program. Shortly after, Nikki walked outside and asked if everything was ok. I told her that I didn't want to leave and broke down. When I first got here, I never would have imagined that I would become this attached. And now I am left with the task of a few thousand goodbyes. I hate goodbyes! Shame man. Nikki is so sweet! After comforting me and calming me down, she went inside and prepared a feast. Meanwhile, I learned a bit of cricket playing with Dillion, Jerome, Zunaid, Jachin, Elano, Lykita, and Joanne. I'm grateful for the opportunity just to hang out with them. When we came inside, Nikki surprised me with the farewell dinner that she had prepared and reminded me that no matter where I was, I was always a part of her family. Shame man!

Thursday was great. When my mom was here in March, Nikki and Reagan took us to the China Mart (basically a ton of shops owned by Chinese people that sell products at stock price). Every since, my mom has been asking me to get some stuff for her from there. So Thursday Reagan, Nikki, and I spent the day at the China Mart. Though not terribly impressed with the merchandise, I was glad that I had a chance to get stuff for my mom. Moreso, I was grateful to spend quality time with Nikki and Reagan. It's funny how nearly anything that I do with them is enjoyable solely because I'm with them. :-)

Friday morning we had a workshop for the Reigerpark and East Rand Legends. The workshop included a speech on what it means to be a Legend by Nikki (a lot of Legends have been slacking lately), an "I Choose" session with Laura (HIV info), and a hip-hop session. It was really fun. After the workshop, Mr. Fisch, the principal of Reigerpark, presented me with a framed certificate of thanks for helping in his school. Then Nikki also thanked me and presented me with a journal in which each legend had written me a note. It was the perfect gift! Afterward, Nikki surprised me once again with a party at her house with all of the Legends.

Saturday was crazy early as we had to drive to Edenpark for a workshop with our Legends there. Afterward, we spent the day at Nikki and Reagan's, where we got to meet Beauty, Bianca's older sister. She's a sweetie! I spent most of the day playing with the kiddos. After the other kids went inside, I played catch with Bianca. She loved it! She was constantly laughing and mumbling to herself. Too cute! For dinner, I got to experience Chicken Lickin, which actually wasn't that bad. Tehe.

Praise the LORD!:
~For health and safety
~For the incredible relationships that He's given me here, for my family here and for my kiddos
~For hope
~For love
~For favor and grace
~For heat
~For opportunity
~For using me to do His work
~For wisdom
~For His Word
~For strength
~For mercy

Please pray:
~For strength to say goodbye. It's been so hard! And I still have my hardest goodbyes, the Klaasen family and Laura, to go. Pray that we're able to still stay in touch with one another. Pray for peace. Pray that I keep an attitude of thanksgiving, thanking God for the incredible people that He's put in my life rather than focing on having to leave them.
~For God's protection and provision over my family and kiddos here. Pray that He blesses everything that they touch. Pray that He overwhelms them with His love and peace. Pray that He gives them rest.
~For wisdom and guidance as I transition to life stateside. Pray that I don't get comfortable.
~For safety as I travel. Pray that I make all of my connections and that the flight is smooth and easy.
~For my mom's health. She has larengitious.

Searching for the pause button

I'm not sure how to begin this post as my mind races with a million thoughts. Where has the time gone, my friend? It seems like only yesterday that I was counting the days that I'd been in SA; now I'm left counting the days that I have left. It amazes me how much has happened over the few months that I've been here: all of the lessons that God has been teaching me, the incredible relationships that He's given me, all that He's gotten me through. It's amazing! It's left me wishing I could slow things down a bit here. Honestly, it's left me torn. A dear friend pointed out the irony of my situation. Just a few months ago, I was nervous to leave behind friends and family for the time that I would be in SA. Now I'm struggling to leave my friends and family IN SA. What an incredible answer to prayer! Our God has incredible provision! It amazes me how He's taken care of my every need.

Anywho, this week has been a bit different than most. Monday night Laura, Jerome, and I had an incredible opportunity to go to a FIFA Confederations Cup game. We saw Italy v. America. The experience was incredible! Praise the LORD for keeping us safe and once again providing for us! As we were walking through several checkpoints before the game, Jerome somehow dropped his ticket. Needless to say, we were freaking out a bit. There's no way that he would be allowed into the game without his ticket, and the chances of him finding it on the ground somewhere among the crowd were even slimer. Frantically we searched through his back countless times, but to no avail. Thus, Jerome decided to attempt the hopeless serach of looking for his ticket on the ground. This lead to another problem: how would he get back through the checkpoints? After talking with several police officers, he and another man were allowed to exit the perimeters. As Jerome backtracked, Laura and I contemplated what we would do if he couldn't find his ticket. We didn't want to miss the game, but we couldn't just leave Jerome; we had been bused a few km away from where we parked, so he couldn't return to the car. We kept praying that he would miraculously find his ticket. A few minutes later, Jerome returned with a grin waving a ticket in the air. He explained to us that the other man that had walked out with him, Andre, worked for FIFA, so he could get into the game without a ticket. Thus, he gave his ticket to Jerome! God is so good!

The game itself was exciting. Somehow, the US was able to hold off Italy and was in the lead for the first 2/3 of the game, perhaps the second miracle of the night. Tehe. Sadly, we decided to stop playing in the second half and Italy whooped us 3 to 1 in the last 20 minutes. Considering our rankings, I'd still say we did pretty well.

Because of holidays this week, I've been able to spend some quality time with Laura and Jerome. We've had some pretty cool conversations over the past few weeks. It's been great getting to know them better. Definately going to miss them!

I'm also going to miss my kiddos! This week, I had to say goodbye to two of my schools, Reigerpark Primary and Lakeside. I hate goodbyes! Though it was hard, it was encouraging to see the impact that I've had on my kiddos as well as on their educators. It was so rewarding to walk into the classroom and have dozens of kids shout my name with glee. After I announced that I would be leaving at the end of this term, I was mobbed with hugs. Several of my kiddos told me that they were going to miss me and didn't want me to leave. A few even told me that they weren't going to let me leave while a few others told me that they were going to come with me. Cooler still was the response that I had from the staff at the schools. I had one educator tell me how much she appriciated my time there; she thanking me for teaching her kids and simply loving on them. She told me how excited they got whenever they saw me walk into the classroom. The principal at Lakeside also thanked me for my time and said that the school would sorely miss me. She was eager to find out when I would return. Mr. Ficsh, the prinicpal at Reigerpark Secondary, asked that I come see him this past week. It was a bit intimidately not to know why I was being called to the principal's office. Tehe. What he told me was shocking! After thanking me for my time, he went on and on about how my presence had changed the environment of his school. In gratitude, he is giving me a certificate and a letter to attach to my resume. He was also considering holding an assembly in which he would present these things to me in front of the entire school, but we desided that it would be better to present it at the Legends' workshop instead. Wow! God has blessed me immensely!

Yesterday while driving around Joburg trying to find property that Nikki and Reagan wanted to check out, I was given a wake up call to how huge Romaposa, one of the shanty towns, is. It broke my heart. The poverty that one sees here everyday is heart wrenching, but now it's become personal. Those aren't just shacks that I see; those are the homes of my kids. This is the reality of their lives. Yet their thriving. It was incredibly humbling that God would use me to love on these precious little ones.

Praise the LORD!:
~For the INCREDIBLE people that He's placed in my life over the past few months- Reagan, Nikki, Dillion, Kita, Kaylin, Jachin, Laura, Jerome, Dezzi, Elano, Jo-Charm, Andrea, Alex, Mankies, Johnny, my kiddos, the Legends...
~For giving me life changing friends and family in SA
~For giving me life changing friends and family in USA
~For growing me
~For teaching me
~For His favor and grace
~For hope
~For opportunity
~For using me
~For change
~For strength
~For safety and health
~For His incredible love
~For forgiveness
~For opening my eyes
~For a roof over my head
~For my daily bread
~For never leaving or abandoning me
~For adopting me as His child
~For His incredible provision
~For teaching me to forgive
~For life
~For sunshine

Please pray:
~As I transition over the next few weeks
~For strength to say goodbye
~For wisdom as I begin life stateside again
~For continued health and safety. Almost everyone that I'm in contact with is either sick or getting over being sick. Please pray for a speedy recovery.
~That God will lead and guide me for His name sake
~For Cynergy
~For Laura
~For guidance in the future
~For my kiddos. Pray that God overwhelms them with His love and provides for all of their needs. Pray that they grow spiritually, mentally, physcially, emotionally, and socially. Pray that they become world changers. Pray that they discover their God-given potential so they can fulfill their God-given destiny.

I <3 the ocean!

This past week I had an incredible opportunity to travel to Durban with Reagan, Nikki, Laura, and Jerome. Durban is quite similar to the city of Miami; tall buildings surrounded by ocean and beaches. It was beautiful!

We spent much of Monday driving (Joburg to Durbs is about a 5 or 6 hr drive). As we were driving, we saw SNOW! It felt quite homey. Tehe. After settling in to our home for the week, we ventured outside to enjoy the beauty of the ocean. I hadn't realized how much I had missed living near water. The ocean is somehow calming and exhilerating all at once.

We spent most of the week working on tech stuff for Cynergy, enjoying the ocean, doing some shopping. I think we were at the Gateway Mall, the largest mall in the Southern Hemisphere, every night. We also found a nice resturant called Taco Zulu where Nikki and Reagan had their first Mexican food experience (there are only three Mexican resturants in the entire country of SA). They were so impressed that we ate there three times.


I was amazed by the ocean. Though I could sleep in, I was up every morning by eight. The crashing waves simply beckoned to me. As I explored the sea life on the rocks, I wished Tori was with me so she could explain all of the incredible creatures that I saw. On Thursday I had an opportunity to swim in the Indian Ocean. It kicked my butt! I've swam in the Atlantic and Lake MI countless times, but it was nothing like swimming in the Indian Ocean. It didn't help that I was swimming as the tide was going out. Opps! The water that I was standing in only came up midcalf, but when I wave came I wasn't strong enough to stand. Stronger still was the current that pulled me back out to sea. It was incredible! So invgorating! It amazed me how strongly the waves gripped me. What an incredible picture of God! Imagine the power and vastness of the Creator of the oceans! His creativity shown through the brilliance of the creatures. My God not only created such things but controls them, commanding the waves to seperate themselves from the land. Wow! What a mighty God we serve!

And His might isn't revealed by nature alone. As you've noticed, I've been praying for wisdom and guidance for my future. There are a lot of incredible opportunities before me; I'm trying to find God's will in these, asking Him to guide my every step. Wednesday I had a very humbling experience. I had a plan of how I wanted to see these things come to reality, a plan and a time table. Wednesday morning I realized that I needed to surrender this plan to God, as hard as it was. I needed (and still need) to trust His plan and timing above my own. And if/when my plan doesn't match His, I need to give up my plan for His. As I was praying these things, praying that God direct my steps, pray that He fill my mind with His plans in a way so evident that I couldn't ignore it. As I was praying, Laura was upstairs dreaming. Later that morning, she shared with us what she had drempt, something that she doesn't usually do; it simply came up in conversation. After hearing her dream, Reagan inturpreted it. It spoke into what I had been praying for wisdom with! Wow! As I prayed for God to direct me, He did exactly that in a dream to Laura. What a mighty God we serve!

Later that day, Nikki and I had an incredible conversation by the ocean. I love her so much! She spoke into my life as we discussed surrendering to and trusting God, God's perfect timing, facing trials, growth. She is an incredible woman of God! She has blessed me more than she realizes!

Overall, Durban was incredible! And though I miss waking up to the sound of the ocean and warm weather, I'm excited to see my kiddos again. I've missed them. Tehe.
Praise the LORD!:
~For speaking into my life
~For Nikki
~For Reagan
~For Laura
~For opportunity
~For using me
~For the ocean
~For His power and love and grace
~For vaction
~For safety and health
~For His provision
~For wisdom
~For His perfect timing
~For growing me
~For beauty
~For sunshine
~For snow
~For my kiddos


Please pray:
~For smooth transition. I honestly have no idea how I'm going to leave here in just a few weeks.
I missed my kiddos after being gone for just a week; how am I going to leave them long term? Not to mention leaving the Klaasen family and Laura. It's going to be hard. :-(
~Health. I'm still getting over broncitis, and it seems like everyone in Joburg has it now, including Laura, Kaylin, Jachin, and John Jerome. Please pray that God heals our bodies.
~For wisdom and guidance in the future
~For strength as I say goodbye to my kiddos over the next two weeks
~For safety and provision
~For understanding

Slowing down

This week has been fairly uneventful, which is a nice change from last week.

As usual, I rolled out in the schools this week, helped with after classes, and helped with Legends stuff. I've also enjoyed time with the Klaasen crew. They've decided that I am not leaving, so they are either going to adopt me or marry me off to Lee Lai (Nikki's brother) so that I don't have visa issues. Bahahahaha! Even Oma told me that I wasn't allowed to leave. Tehe. Oh, I love them all so much!

Laura and I have finally finished moving in. Though our new house has its quirks, it's home. :-)

Part of the reason that this week has been so low key is because I've been sick. I think I have bronchitis, so I've been resting a lot in hopes of getting better asap. Wednesday I woke up feeling so sick that I didn't go to the schools. :-( Thankfully, I'm starting to feel better. Laura and Nikki have been taking good care of me. Tehe.


Praise the LORD!:
~For a roof over my head
~For three daily meals
~For fresh water
~For Laura
~For the Klaasen and Lai families
~For His Word
~For wisdom
~For technology
~For heaters
~For laughter
~For opportunity
~For using me
~For protecting me
~For growing me
~For the incredible support that He's provided me

Please pray:
~For health. I'm told that bronchis lasts 2-3 weeks, which is the majority of my time here. Pray that God heals me quickly so that I can get back to my old self.
~For continued safety
~For smooth transition. I really don't know how I'm going to leave my family here.
~That He provides a way for the Klaasens to visit in December
~For direction; pray that He guides our every step