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.