Welcome to Africa!

WE HAVE ARRIVED!! Finally, after hours on a plane and maybe a few too many plane entrees, we have arrived here in beautiful South Africa! We are all here in one piece along with all of our luggage, safe and sound. It was pouring rain when we landed and has yet to let up but it feels fresh and new.
As we stepped off the plane and claimed our bags, we walked into the loving arms of 10 of the academy students! It was so amazing to be hugged individually by each one and we all felt so welcomed. Then off to our cars we went. Bags a plenty and with God's love surrounding us, swelling our hearts as our journey has finally become a reality, we drove the hour to Franschhoek, where the Bridges of Hope Academy is. The cold is bearable, like a sweet fall night during October in Southern California... the weather is around 60 in the day and maybe 40 at night. I can't describe in enough words to you the glowing feelings in my cheeks or the beauty I am in amazement of here. Surrounding the academy are mountains of wonder and children with beautiful faces, smiling into our hearts every second were here. Our first day here we just hung out with the children, playing games (pool and HORSE included) laughing and getting to know one another, while growing closer to God through it all. After all the games, we took a small hike over to the Academy, which is adjacent to the Retreat Center in which we are lodging, and had dinner with the kids. Spagetti was on the menu and it was great to share a meal with out fellow brothers and sisters in Chrsit, over here in South Africa. Following, was a movie called Up and then some hot cocoa and popcorn. Many of us were tired and sleepless from the plane but we chugged right on through, living it up with our new friends. Getting to now one another was amazing... its slow and new but great non the less.
Once we were all tucked tightly in our new beds for the next two weeks, you could almost here our silent prayers filling the house. Sleep was close at hand and sneaking up on us as we thanked the Lord for the most amazing first day in Africa that we could have ever asked for, but before the snores came about, I know we all felt His love showering us among the rain droplets falling from the sky, soothing us into our first night here.
If I had to put everything I just wrote into a few simple words it would be this:

Thank you Lord for being our one true love and thank you for bringing us here!

There is so much to be done here I can just feel it...