Rock Harbor South Africa

Wood Here.

Title: Learning why something happened a year and a half later and how God works in amazing ways. So, I broke my hand a year and a half ago. It seemed like such a strange way to break something. I was walking the dog (with my beautiful wife who I miss dearly) on the beach. We were going down some stairs and I had a tennis ball in my hand. I reached out for the hand rail for no other reason than to have a little more security. I caught my pinkie on the hand rail and broke my hand. It was a spiral fracture that required surgery, a plate and eight screws. Two nights ago, Andrew asked me to switch with him for the house parent duty. We have to have at least one person from our team sleeping in the rooms with the kids to insure order. I said it wasn't a problem. For the first night all week I got to bed at a decent hour. The bed I was in was right next to Aphiwe. He is an amazing boy who was attacked (here at the Academy) by two other students last September. They attacked him with scissors and cut him from the top of his head around the side just in front of his head and all the way down to his chin. The retreat center hosts who helped drive him to the hospital said it was a miracle he didn't die because he had lost so much blood by the time they got there. He has an amazing heart and forgave his attackers and asked that they not be kicked out of school. They were kicked out anyway, but it just shows his huge heart for God. So I was lying in the bed across from him and we were talking. He asked if I knew the story of how he got the scar. I said yes, Dennis had told me most of the story and that we had prayed for him when we learned of the attack. He always wears a hat pulled down sideways to help hide the scar which is hard not to miss. He is very afraid that he will be targeted as a gang member when he is home in Phillipi because they often have facial scars. He wants to be a diplomat when he gets through school and there is no doubt in my mind that he will make a very good one with such an infectious smile. He stopped in the middle of the conversation and asked if I knew anyone who had a scar that had disappeared over time. The lights were still on and I reached out my hand and said there is a 5cm (2 inch) scar on my hand, can you find it? He sat up quickly, took my hand and looked as closely as he could at my hand as he could as he also moved his thumb back and forth over the top of my hand. He was amazed that he couldn't see anything. Really, he said with a growing optimism. I finally pointed it out to him and when he looked close enough he could see it and he was still amazed and very encouraged. He asked me when it had happened. I realized that it was exactly one year before he had been attacked. I know he is still worried, but if that was the only reason that my hand was broken then I am lucky to be used by God in such an amazing way. We prayed together before we went to sleep and I could hear absolute terror in his voice when he asked God to protect him and Nathi (one of the other boys that was here for camp) this weekend when they are back home in Phillipi. Aphiwe lives alone in a shack behind a house was all he would tell me. I learned that the only family he has is a grand father that lives on the Eastern Cape a very long ways away. Someone let him setup a shack behind their "house". I was also told that he has been alone for a very long time and I think he is only about 14 or 15. I would ask/beg that you say a prayer specifically for Aphiwe and Nathi as they went back home to Phillipi yesterday and will be picked up again on Monday as the new semester starts. They are both amazing boys that greatly deserve all the opportunities they are being given by Bridges of Hope. We went to Robben Island with the CHEs from Sweet Home today. One of them brought their three month old baby boy and I can't begin to tell you how much I miss my baby boy who is six months old in only three more days. This has been an amazing trip so far with a great team, but I still miss my baby with all my heart.

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Tanya Here.

Today was a good bonding time for the team. We went to Robben Island and then walked around a shopping area. It was a peaceful day. Robben Island was the cause of many mixed emotions. It had such a rich and dark history but, more than that, was a place of hope and victory. It was awesome to see the pride and the happiness in the CHE's faces when they learned more about the island. Many of them have not had the opportunity to learn details of the anti-apartheid movement and were soaking up the information that was given to them. Our prison tour was given by an ex-political prisoner. It was very interesting to hear a first hand account of their treatment and struggles, but more importantly, their strength and bond. It was an incredibly beautiful island and for the prisoners to have stayed bonded and courageous only adds to that beauty. It's amazing to see such a place that satan tried to make ugly and evil be triumphed by joy, hope and beauty.

After that we had a great lunch with the CHE's. We were trying to get to know them, but there was a strong language barrier. In spite of that barrier, we were able to talk about God. It was incredible to know that in their limited english, God was such a priority that they learned many words to describe their love and commitment to Him. All in all, it was a great day and God continues to bless us through the little things. I ask that everyone reading this blog continue to pray for the Bridges Academy students that are home in their townships right now. Pray for their safety and for them to have the strength to make wise decisions in their time of temptation. Also pray for the OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) as they arrive today for camp :-) Thank you for all of your prayers, comments and support.