A Very Full Day

Day 5: A very full day!
In the last few minutes of Wednesday, I will do my best to recap the title.  It was the third day with the OVC kids and wow, what an amazing and awesome day it was!  For many of us the morming story and moments after was a time when God really moved.  At the end of story time a lot of the kids were praying out loud to accept Jesus instead of silently.  Even if there might have been a language barrier, it was truly special to hear these kids pray out loud, some for the first time...in English and so clear! This is even more special considering most of the kids speak very little if any English.
There were some really great crafts and activities today.  A few of the many touching stories include seeing what the kids write on their newly made headbands Jesus is ..... One of the older boys wrote Jesus is my everything.  He nailed it right on.  We continue to learn more about the hardships and world these kids come from and just how difficult it is, but for some just how easy it is. Jesus is their friend, father and everything.

Today, we also introduced the game dodgeball to the kids.  It was a huge hit and was even added as a request during the kids free time before dinner.  Still in shock it beat out soccer (football) which is the usual free time choice for the kids.  The games definitely picked up in intensity and the OVC kids tried to add in their own rules, mainly when it benefited them. However, the kids are great and so much fun to be with.  The only thing that stopped the game was dinner calling.
After dinner there was a talent show, where there were some true talents on display.  Among the singing, break dancing, line dancing and free style, the most talked about moments were the local and traditional songs and dances the kids performed.  At one point, what started as a small group turned into almost every kid singing their hearts out to us.  It was clear how much they loved singing and dancing.

I think I can say the whole team feels blessed to be here and spending time with these kids.  We haven't been the only ones teaching as the kids are teaching us as well. Whether it is their own language, game, favorite song etc..the lessons are new each day.  I'm touched to see just how sharing they are with their food and how much the love seeing us, playing, singing and participating in the planned VBS activities.

It it is with a heavy heart we close tonight since tomorrow morning this group of kids leaves.  Most, if not all are going back to much harder and difficult times and to some very heartbreaking circumstances.  As a team we discussed this and it weighed heavy on all of our hearts....but, we know God loved them before us and so much more than we possibly can.

Well, tomorrow is already here and need a little rest.  We appreciate your prayers and ask you would continue to keep praying for our strength, health and openness to how God is moving and calling us.

Thank ya'll again for your love and support.

Chris

Day 4 – Owls, Dance Parties, & Wild Weather

Hi Everyone! This is Amber J This post is from yesterday. Like Natalie said, the internet connection here isn't the greatest. 

Really quickly – Caitlin would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to Stephen!

            Today was truly a day filled with countless perfect moments. This morning was filled with so much joy! The view outside was something off of a postcard – African mountains & bright green trees soaked in rain. We all made our way into the common room to share our last few moments of silence before the kiddos flocked in. As I walked into the kitchen, I found one of the staff members joyfully belting out “How Great Thou Art”. He didn’t hesitate to continue when he saw me. He just wanted to share the good news.

It was the second day of OVC camp here today at the Academy. For those of you who don’t know what this looks like, there are currently 36 kids from the township of Sweet Home staying here overnight with us for 4 days & 3 nights. Each day, we share breakfast, lunch, & dinnertime with them, filling the rest of the day with crafts, games, story time, & worship. Needless to say, this is has been  & is continuing to be an exhausting but AMAZING adventure.

            First on the agenda was story time. Caitlin, Steven, & Sara told the story of Abraham & his wife. This painted a beautiful picture of family & what it means in our lives. Most of these kids are either orphaned or just don’t have your typical American family structure, so we wanted to share with them that that is more than okay because when you love God, you are a part of His family. We are all brothers & sisters in Christ. This storyline gave me the opportunity to share my testimony. I stood in the front of the room as Sisanda (a CHE from Sweet Home) translated my words into Xhosa. I told these children that although I have a family I love dearly, it is not your typical “mom, dad, brother, sister” household. I shared that because my mom was very sick when I was young, she passed away & that I never knew my dad but this was okay because my family is not limited to a bloodline. In this moment, I could see so much emotion from them. They knew my struggles thoroughly & could understand me completely. In this moment, I felt that the things I have been through finally made sense. God works in such mysterious ways – what if my life was this way because one day in 2014, a child from Sweet Home would finally be able to feel that they are not alone in their experiences? I don’t know the reasons why the things that happen to us do, but I am confident that God works for the good for those who love him & that he has a plan far greater than our own. I trust him wholeheartedly.

            The so called “cherry-on-top” to this experience occurred when I made my way into the craft room a bit later than the others as the kids were making family trees. They were told to write the names of 5 people on cut-outs of their hands that meant the most to them, family or not. A little girl named Sinipha tapped me on the shoulder and held up her family tree which had not only my name on it, but Sara, Natalie, & Erin’s as well. This was a feeling I could never explain in words. I immediately traced my hand & made Sinipha one of my five too. The smile on her face was priceless. Soon enough, all the kids were writing our names on their family trees.

            All in all, the rest of the day was just as great as the beginning. It was so sunny all day that some of us even got sunburned! Soccer games were played (Adam made a goal!), the girls from Sweet Home did some amazing South African dances for us, and a giant musical performance consisting of loud singing & the banging of spatulas against metal trash cans & tables broke out in the kitchen during dinner clean up. We made tie-dye shirts, had a glow stick party, & even did a scavenger hunt.

            There was so much love going around all day that it didn’t seem like anything could possibly go wrong until we were all in the shed being silly & dancing around, when an owl flew out from the ceiling. The kids lost it. There were screams & tears as things were being thrown across the room towards the bird. We were all so confused as to why there was such a strong reaction. Battling absolute chaos, we tried calming them down but nothing was working. It turns out that in the South African culture, owls are told to bring bad luck & are tied to witchcraft. So here we are, thinking that these kids are at the safest place possible in comparison to the place they reside each day – finally away from the gangs, violence, & abuse for a little while – when an owl, something Americans see as harmless, takes that all of that away. Luckily, some of the staff that speak Xhosa were able to calm the kids down by explaining that owls are just another one of God’s beautiful creations. This conversation turned such a horrifying experience into such an incredible God moment!

            The night is winding down now. There was just a bunch of thunder & lightning so Kristin, Kaila, & I made our way outside. We sat on some chairs on a grassy area & reflected on the day. Amongst the crashes & flashes, it even started sprinkling… but we didn’t care. And then it started pouring… so we started dancing! I think they would agree with me that this was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

            Thank you all for your continued love & support! Everyone sends their love. Please continue to keep us in your prayers!

xo,

Amber

Day 3, or is it 4?

Hi it's Adam,

I've already lost track of how long we've been here, it's either the lack of sleep or the whirlwind of activities we've been doing with the kids. Today was the first day with the OVC camp kids, and they are nothing but contagious in their laughter. But let me take a step back. There have been a couple of things that have stood out to me so far on the trip, and the first was right when we left the airport. Lining the sides of a modern highway, within sight of a modern airport, stood the townships. It was a striking contrast, and while the government of South Africa is doing some things (like build basic housing, provide sanitation, and electricity) there is still a big difference between cobbled together shacks and the shining cars zipping past in the background.

The second thing that struck me was when we went into Sweet Home and met some of the kids who we would be ministering to at the camp. It was amazing the joy that was on these kids faces, despite their circumstances, and the environment around them, they had the biggest smiles. Those smiles continued today when they arrived at Bridges. 36 kids ages from 6 to 17 showed up for a day of worship, stories, crafts, and games. You really can't help but fall in love with these kids, with their silliness, and big smiles. Some of them started off a little closed off, but you should have seen them dancing by the end of the day. That goes for some of those on our team too. I think God is breaking down some barriers for some of us, and we're starting to jump in all the way. Words can't really do the day justice, so it's a good thing I brought my camera with me, take a look for yourself:

Post by Adam Rogers

**sorry we havent been posting! Our internet had been a bit spotty but we have been safe and having too much fun. here is a blurb from our first hours in South Africa

Day 1:

What a day of traveling it has been! Or three days I should say… It has been both exciting and exhausting, a day of laughs and the beginning of will later be tears.

Once we finally landed, we were met Di, and the two Clives, who picked us up so we could drop our stuff at the Retreat Center, and then go straight into the townships. Pulling up into what is considered to be a town was a surreal experience. As a team we have been preparing ourselves and each other for this. We know all the information there is to know, we have studied and planned. But once you get there, and start laughing with the children and have someone take you on your first home visit, something changes. Its not that you did not know there was poverty like this, because if you haven’t been to a dejected place like Sweet Home before you have at least seen pictures, but it is how happy and unaffected they are which propels in you a deep love and admiration for these people who you barely know. There is an element to each one of them that is so unique though—very different from what we see at home. Its almost as if you see their hearts or maybe even their souls through their eyes. In Orange County or the States in general we try immensely to only let a select few see who we really are, our raw true selves. But here, its different, and they are even more radiant because of it. When we were in Sweet Home, the township, we played and ran around laughing with the kids, begging them to sing and dance for us while we goofed around making silly faces and giving every child within reach high-fives. It was truly a beautiful scene. Ryan stole the show, making every little one fall in love with him instantly. Chris had a fleet of kids chasing him around and around while Kaila and Adam documented our time by following most of us, taking pictures of only the very endearing and embarrassing moments.

Afterwards, we all passed out on the bus ride back to the Retreat Center, got showered up for the first time in what felt like years, and then went off into the beautiful town to go out for dinner. We sat at a long make shift table together, recapping our triumphs and failures for the day, laughing and joking, talking and bonding.

These last few days have been a whirlwind, but they also have been absolutely incredible. I speak for the whole team when I thank each and every person who has both prayerfully and financially supported us on this trip. It has already been a truly life-changing experience, and we are all so incredibly excided to see what God is going to for the rest of our time here.

--Natalie DeAngelo 

Team Arrived

I received an email at 1:15am PST that the team had arrived safely.  It usually takes a full day for them to get settled and at a point where they have enough to share on the blog.  They were headed to Sweet Home directly from the airport to meet the CHE's and kids.  Then they go to the academy to get settled and ready for the two camps.  The days they have the camps are super long days so pray for extra strength as they have the kids 24x7 and I know first hand how hard the first two days can be as you are both jet lagging and can't really rest.

Wood

And so it begins...

 Their flight has departed and the  team is on their way! (See the previous post to track their flights and keep in mind that it will be a few days before we see a post from them on the blog.) Things went well at the airport & you can see from the collage that there was quite a bit of action in reallocating weight in bags, standing in line for ticketing & security, and of course prayer! Even though it looks like they are in line for first class it is just an illusion...they are all in economy.

Speaking of prayer.... please keep these specific items in mind as you pray for the team:

• Obedience to God.
• Unity amongst the team members.
• Open hearts (both theirs  and the hearts of those who they will come in to contact with). 
• Safety and health.
• Wisdom, patience, and discernment in all situations.

Travel day

The team leaves this evening, please pray for safe travels, health, and for the two camps and their time in Sweet Home to be a blessing to those people they will be helping transform their own community.  The community development we do in Sweet Home is all lead by locals and we only work on what they asks us for help with.  It has been an amazing learning experience to understand the difference between relief (short term) and development (long term) and to be focused only on the long term needs for so many years. We are seeing sustainable change. The locals in their community understand their needs so much better than we do and through CHE (Community Health Evangelism) we can see progress in distinct ways we never saw in other ministries.

It is a very long flight and we will post an update when they arrive.  After that it is usually a day and a half wait for their first post since they have to get settled and get through a whole day before their first post.

You can track the first flight here.

And the second flight here.

Wood

Our Last Night and Transition Home

Hi friends and family! It's Karissa and on behalf of the entire team we can't thank you all enough for your prayers and support! It was so encouraging to read your comments on the blog every day. We have been back for 4 days now and it has been a difficult transition. Sweet Home, the Bridges staff, and students are constantly on our minds and it is a great reminder to continue to pray for them.

Last Friday night we had Girls and Guys night and it was so much fun! The guys played Minute to Win It and they had a blast spending more quality time with the boys at Bridges. Girls night was a huge success! We played music, danced, laughed, and enjoyed watching the girls work the runway all in their pajamas. Our last night couldn't have gone better, and it was refreshing to leave on such a positive and memorable night.

The next morning we packed up and prepared to say our goodbyes to everyone. It was heart breaking to leave and say goodbye to our dear loved ones. We formed lasting relationships with the students and Bridges staff, and they became a part of our lives. God moved in BIG ways while we were in South Africa and He truly blessed every conversation, after school program, prayer time, and much more. We pray the students would grow in their faith, for boldness to step out in faith, and for safety and protection for the Bridges students and staff.

THANK YOU again for your amazing support and prayers while we prepared to leave and when we were in South Africa!

Love to you all,
RHZA13 team members

The 713 RH South Africa Team is back in the USA!

After many hours of travel the team arrived safe & sound at LAX this afternoon. Please continue to keep them in prayer as they adjust to being home and process all that they experienced.

Last Day in Sweet Home

Hello Friends and Family! Kim and Rachel here to update you on our day!

Today was the team's last day in Sweet Home. We were able to train the CHEs on a couple of different topics. Taylor walked the CHEs through how to build an effective resume, and was able to answer questions about where to look for employment. He really emphasized the importance of building relationships with people in the community. At the end of this training, we were able to pray for God's provision in employment within Sweet Home.

Next up, Karissa and I (Kim) got a chance to provide some training for teachers from the informal school. We started the training off with a hands on experience to help them understand the importance of learning through play. I passed out some paper plates, and then, I gave each CHE some playdough. I thought I told everyone to start creating, but somehow there was a little miscommunication and a CHE may have eaten some playdough. Not to worry. She's fine and we got it all sorted out. The rest of the training went well. We continued to share information with them through hands on activities. They learned how to encourage students in their language/literacy development as well as their math skills. During each activity, I could see how much fun they were having as they took on the role of a student. I'm praying that they hold on to that memory and create an environment where their students see how fun learning can be too.

I want to give a huge shout out to Rachel, Kate, Julie, Sarah, Danielle, and Jeff who did an awesome job entertaining over 40 kids while these trainings were going on. Again, it's been so encouraging to see how our team supports one another. Their willingness to sing songs over and over with the kids kept the distractions to a minimum during the trainings. That was a huge gift to the CHE's to be able to focus like that.

Back at the Academy, we continued with our same after school activities as yesterday. Apparently, the Bible Rap Off's were even more intense today. These students can really throw down the Word of God to a beat. They were also able to learn some more hip hop and fitness moves today.

Tonight, it was another great night with the students. We were able to pray over another Matric (grade 12) and spend some time learning about how God is our Confidence. Danielle led an encouraging devotion about this and it opened up lots of discussion about how we can sometimes doubt God's plan for our lives. Again, you could see the Spirit moving and encouraging the students to ask questions about their future and God's truth for their lives. After ending the night with the students, the team had the opportunity to have dessert at Clive and Di's house. They have blessed the team in so many ways while serving as Academy and Retreat Center Director, and they have become our team's South African mom and dad. We were able to pray over them and just affirm how important their role is here and how big their hearts are for serving this school.

We wanted to share a special moment the two of us had today. Both Kim and I were able to spend some one on one time with our students that we sponsor here at Bridges. It was a great opportunity to bless them today with some ice cream and conversation. We're both so thankful that God has called us back to Bridges again this year to continue to build these relationships that have been growing over the past few years. It was a time of laughter, but also, a time for us to go deeper individually with these girls and encourage them. This afternoon was a gift and answer to prayer for us. Oh, yeah, we let Russell and Goodwell crash girl time too (but not our photo shoot). The three of us just wanted to celebrate how God has brought these three specific students into our lives. We're very thankful for the special time we got with them today.

Answered Prayers and Rainy Days

Hey people it's Russell! 

Hi Dad and Mom, I love and miss you guys! Driving has been a blast, and I can't wait to tell you how amazing it has been here!

Well, needless to say God has been moving powerfully over our team and over the academy kids! Many prayers have been answered, but more to that later!

The day started off with an early and rainy morning. Although it was gloomy, we all enjoyed the rain and time to bundle up in warm clothes! We all headed over for the Wednesday chapel meeting down at the academy where Kim spoke about anger and forgiveness. She did an amazing job, and you could feel all the kids paying attention and staying attentive to what she had to say. We spent the day tidying up the retreat center, and then, it was time for us to begin our after school activities with the students. Danielle, Taylor, and I headed up the Bible Memorization/Rap/Sing off battle where the students had a set amount of time to memorize a Bible verse, and perform it for us, the judges. It was so rad! A couple of the groups really brought the heat by rapping, playing beats, and danced with the limited time we gave them. We had to have a tie-tie breaker because they were so great! A double tie breaker! The students also brought the heat in their hip-

hop dance class with Ellen and Rachel. Students also participated in a fitness class with Sarah where they definitely learned how true, "No pain. No gain" is. Finally, in true rainy day activity spirit, Abby led the students in a game of Spoons.

After dinner, Sarah taught the nightly devotional with the students and did amazing! She also shared on anger and how God is her Healer. The kids responded positively and asked some great questions during response time. After that we headed into a classroom to pray over one of the grade 12's (matrics). We've been doing this to bless the students that are soon going to graduate from the academy. We prayed over one student tonight and got some powerful words and pictures for him. After we prayed, he asked if he could receive even more prayer. The prayers for him then shifted into a time of asking God for inner healing for him. It was just another example of how the Spirit has been moving here in the students. Please continue to pray for students hearts to become responsive to the Spirit and for our team to step out in obedience to what we're hearing during those times. 

Finally, I just wanted to share a personal story with you about a prayer that has been answered in my life. I have been praying and journaling for God to appoint me a younger high school guy that I could hopefully connect with, in hopes that I could possibly pray for or just simply hang out with during the two weeks we are here. Well let me tell you, He answered! 

First off, each grade was assigned to write welcome letters to a couple of our team member and the grade 8's ended up writing a welcome note to me. Remember that for later. This kid, Goodwell, came into one of the group activities I was helping in and I could notice there was something different about this kid. Different in a sense that he reminded me a lot of myself. We started to hang out during the week and throughout the daily after school programs. I finally had to ask God what He was up to, so I prayed and journaled about it. Kim then got a hold of a list of students that were not sponsored yet, so I frantically asked if Goodwell was on that list. He was! I was super excited and prayed about it that night hoping God would answer me quickly! After talking to the staff about the opportunity and further confirmation, it couldn't be more clear that Goodwell was placed in my life for this exact reason! I soon got to tell him that I needed to have a "talk" with him and he got a weird look on his face but agreed. Let me tell you, the excitement was building! That next day I reminded him that I needed to have a talk with him. I said that hanging out with him and getting to know him has been awesome, but there was a certain something that God has been putting on my heart lately. I then told him that I knew he didn't have a sponsor, and that from now on that I would be sponsoring him! His smile and expression was literally indescribable. He then gave me a huge hug and said that he had been praying for this moment for years! After walking back to the academy, we said our goodbyes until dinner, and he started jumping, skipping, and screaming! Being the emotional wreck that I am, this made start bawling my eyes out. The feeling and immediate effects I was having on this amazing kids' life was, and still is, unforgettable. 

Remember how I said that the grade 8's wrote me that welcome letter, yep you guessed it. Goodwell is in grade 8! Coincidence, I think not!

GOD IS GREAT!

Please continue to show the love by responding our posts, and continually praying for our team! We love you all and thank you for the constant support!

After telling Goodwell that I was going to be his sponsor 

Kim and Yanga, one of the Matrics

Rachel and Nwabisa, one of the star performers from the Bible Rap Off

God Is My Rock

Hi Dear Family and Friends- This is Jan and I am the Senior member of the team by several decades!

We have had another day here to Trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding. Some of us went into Sweet Home today (I keep calling it Sweet Water in error due to my incredible ability to mess up words). We met with some of the CHEs and Danielle did a very informational workshop for them on First Aid and CPR. We also had the opportunity to do a home visit and pray for a man raising his four children after the death of his wife.

Our spirits are good and our prayer times together are encouraging. We have found our prayer times to be really moving and we are trusting on the power of the spirit more and more. We have made prayer a even bigger part of what we are doing here and as a result we are praying for students, staff, house parents, each other and anyone that we encounter. The remainder of our team stayed here at Bridges to do some organizing and chores. We had our afternoon workshops with the great Bridges students. Russell led us in line dancing and we all had a blast. The big hit dance was the Wobble and we got everyone up for that! We also had an Art workshop for the students and offered a Spiritual elective for students who wanted to dig deeper with the Rock Harbor prayer model. A couple students showed up for the elective and it was encouraging to see their desire. Even after the elective ended, some students came to Kim and Danielle and asked for more prayer. It is amazing to see their willingness to pray for one another and also receive prayer.

Evening Devotional was taught by Taylor and he did a great job sharing his story with all of the Bridges Kids. God is my Rock was his theme and he was on fire! The students were receptive to what Taylor was speaking about and God's words appeared to resonate in their hearts.

Each day is fast and sometimes the pace is a little furious, but our team holds each other together and the Lord is giving us strength every day. Your prayers and comments mean so much to us.

P.S. I have to wish my sweet daughter Hannah a Happy Birthday! Happy 20th Hannah, I miss you and love you. Have a super great day!!!

Church and Prayer Training

Jared here!  

Sorry for the delay in reports but we were all so tired last night!  

Let me start by saying yesterday was one of the most unforgettable days for me.

Due to transport issues the students do not attend a church on Sundays so when teams come we have the privilege of doing church service together.  I had the opportunity to give the message, which was something I had been looking forward to since we got here.  My message was about suffering and how we serve a suffering savior who came to this earth and experienced pain just like us, for us.  I had planned to speak on this topic already but throughout the past week it became apparent how relevant this topic would be as we had a student lose a brother, another an aunt and another share with me about anger and thoughts of suicide.  The topic was relevant and very sensitive and I began to feel that weight.  Before starting the service the team prayed over me for about 10 or 15 minutes and I experienced the Holy Spirit in a way I never had and just started to cry.  We were already behind schedule so I tried to pull myself together and get the service started.  Worship just made me feel more emotional and as I started to speak and explain why I looked like a mess I started crying AGAIN!  You're probably all feeling as awkward reading this as I felt standing up there.  Eventually, we got to the message and the Spirit really moved!  All of the students were so attentive and at the end we had a response time where about 8 students made either first time commitments to follow Jesus or rededicated their lives!  It was AMAZING!

That great morning was followed by an unbelievable afternoon.  We did a two hour prayer training where we walked through the Rock Harbor prayer model and then practically pray for one another.  We talked through the "Why?" and "How?" of prayer and then before starting the practical we did something pretty unconventional for academy programming.  We told the students that this next portion was completely optional and we only wanted students to stay if they were fully committed to confidentiality and really going for it in the practical.  Thus far this has been the only optional class they've had and the room cleared out.  There were about 5 students left and I was left feeling disappointed.  As we began to circle up students started to come back into the room until there were 25 students (half of the student body)!  The culture here is very private and repressed and no one shares about their feelings or likes to show vulnerability.  We took a leap of faith and asked if there was a student that would like to be prayed for as we go through the prayer model.  Silence... awkwardness... more awkwardness... finally, Unathi, a grade 12 volunteered and stepped into the middle.  We explained that this is not practice or just pretend but we are actually praying for Unathi and invited everyone to participate.  As we started to pray it was mostly just our team at first but then a student shared a very powerful picture.  It was tough to see how Unathi was responding to the different pictures, scriptures and words because she was hiding her face so much but then she just started sobbing.  The room completely changed after that.  Most of these students have been through such incredible hardship and have shared how they don't trust anyone to share this stuff with and it was like hearts were getting cracked open and there was a huge release.  We then split up into groups of three where students and team members took turns praying for one another.  One by one they started to receive and then cry.  It was one of the most powerful times of ministry I've ever been a part of and to know how important it is to them to hide their emotions and vulnerability made their reactions that much more significant.  As we concluded there was such a joy and excitement that filled the room!

Sunday concluded our first full week of ministry and we enjoyed dinner with some of the long term missionaries, the Kamalskis and the Babbs.  We also had today off to stop by one of the local game parks to see some animals - it was a much needed day of rest as our team was really run down.  Tonight as we all reflected on the past week we were all struck by the powerful ways we've seen God move, especially through prayer.  Prayer has been such a significant marker for us ever since we all went through prayer training together and has continued to unite us as a team.  I would ask you guys to please pray against spiritual attack and spiritual warfare in the community of Sweet Home and at Bridges.  I've experienced spiritual warfare here unlike anything I've ever felt before and know that there is a battle for this place.  I can see God softening hearts and I just pray that there continues to be an openness to the spirit.  Back in Sweet Home tomorrow!

Thank you for your words of encouragement and for praying for us!  Your comments make our day!  :)

Here is a team pic from a day off!

Quick update / Full stories tomorrow!

Hi family and friends!
We have had an AMAZING and crazy busy day filled with Church, prayer training, and dinner with the chaplain and long term missionary from Rock Harbor- Chris Kamalski. We have a 6:30AM call time tomorrow morning...eeeek so early... so, we will wait to tell you ALL about our day in tomorrow's blog. Thank you for your prayers and support! We love you all!
Mom, Dad and furry friends how's it going?  I miss you! <3

Julie

CHE Retreat

Hey family! Chalane here. Someone apparently made a mistake because with the weather we're having there's no way it's winter here! God blessed us with another beautiful and warm day to start the CHE retreat. Late last night the CHE's arrived, army of kids and all. The team split up to speak to the academy students and the CHE's while others took turns attempting to occupy the CHE's children. Though the kids were a handful - the language barrier didn't help - they are so cute (pictures to come!). There were moments when all the kids were crying for their mamas but we wanted to offer the CHE's a chance to relax and feel taken care of. I'm not sure how we would have survived without Ellyn's magic way with kids and all Jeff's experience. The first block of the CHE retreat was awesome! Russell's lesson in encouragement came with a feet washing for the CHE's from him, Rachel, Sarah, Jared, Danielle and Karissa. The women were so overwhelmed that they decided to then return the act of washing feet. Rachel mentioned it was a highlight moment of the trip so far: to see the body of Christ serving one another. Jeff and I spoke at the second session of the retreat: I spoke on identity in Christ and Jeff on spiritual gifts. At one point we gave the women a discussion and share time which led to an interesting debate about animal sacrifice. Just FYI many Christians in South Africa struggle giving up ancestral worship and traditions, including animal sacrifice. Since the topic is clearly important but also very sensitive, it was awesome we could open the door to addressing rituals. And even though I was leading the session at the time, I was so grateful that Taylor, Jeff and Kate were there to help answer questions and offer scripture to back up our claim that animal sacrifices are no longer necessary. It was clear the Holy Spirit was with us helping us because things were a little tense and intimidating but I'm so glad we pressed into it together. You can be praying for the CHE's (and the students) to find a balance between culture and following Christ!

While the CHE retreat was going, Abby shared her testimony with the academy students and talked with them about trusting God with your body. This is a really big topic for the students so Abby's openness in sharing was really impactful. Jan did a great job speaking later with them about trusting God and how each of us as Christians are leaders (the kids adore Jan). After hanging out with the kids later at the bon fire (we even had s'mores!) they unanimously expressed how much they enjoyed the speakers and their stories they shared. We pray all the devotions and lessons we do with the students really gets their wheels turning. And we want to continue to pray that the students can learn to trust each other and the staff enough to share personal things so they can receive prayer and guidance.  Plus there's healing in talking and many of the kids don't feel they have anyone they can really share big stuff with. But we're gettin' there! 

We ended the night in a really neat way by getting to pray for Sisanda, who recruits and trains CHE leaders and runs after-school programs and support groups for orphans in four different townships. In other words, she does A LOT to serve God and is still incredibly joyful and kind despite her enormous work load! AND she's a mother. She just looks at you with the love of Jesus. It's truly been a blessing meeting her. Please pray for her! Pray that God would continue to be her strength and would bless her abundantly for all the good work she does. Being the saint she is, Sisanda expressed how much this retreat meant to the women and even said they feel like "princesses." Pause for tear. What a day of blessing and being blessed!

Thanks for all your prayers and support! And please do comment - we all love to hear from you :) The encouragement means so much!

Love you all,

Chalane.

True Talents

Hey Everyone its Jeff,

      Today marks a week from leaving home and also the big talent show. (FYI our team has been working on a dance routine for weeks and we Brought It!) Ill get to that later.. We put together an appreciation lunch for all the staff here at Bridges. We had all the students take time to write words of encouragement to each one and gave it to them over salad and pizza. It was the first time we had the opportunity to really meet and get to know the staff. This team of teachers and administrators not only sacrifice many comforts, but have devoted themselves to these kids to give hope in Christ and a future outside the townships. They give them confidence to move beyond their own expectations. Long story short.. THEY ARE AMAZING and deserve much more than what we can offer.

 As I mentioned, tonight was the big talent show. So much fun! We have been practicing a dance routine to One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful". We received a standing ovation (even though I personally stood in the back and pretended to know what I was doing) The students got to share their talents tonight with us and blew us away! These students have talent that needs to be seen and heard beyond the gates here at the Academy.

      After the talent show we had a dance party in the dining hall. Taylor and Russell led the kids in the "The Wobble" and the students started a drum line on the tables. I joined in to show my mad table drumming skills until I found out there not supposed to drum on the tables.. Sorry Bridges Staff! While the others were dancing I looked around the room and found one of the students who wasn't dancing. When I asked him why he wasn't dancing he didn't respond. I could tell that something was wrong and didn't feel apart of the group. I picked up a notepad and a pen and sat next to him and in my best Simon Cowell impression I said "Absolutely Dreadful!" I got a smirk and he joined right in. After he grabbed his own notepad, we turned the dance floor into an audition for our own talent show. We had the best time scoring everyones dance moves and even pulled people aside to ask "Why do you think you should be the next star of our new show?" Definitely made a new connection tonight and cant wait to follow up with him these coming days.

    Tomorrow marks the first day of the CHE retreat and we spent the rest of the night getting together notes and materials for the weekend. We would love prayer for all of us who are teaching The CHE's and the students this weekend. Pray for open hearts and open minds to the teachings. That we are filled with the Holy Spirit while we deliver the wisdom and hope of Jesus Christ. We love you all and love your comments and encouragement. Please respond so we can hear from you. We look forward to reading your comments every night.

Cant wait to write about tomorrow! Talk to you soon,
Jeff

 

     

Day 4: Building Bridges

Hey there! Karissa and Danielle here (we both want to shout out to our loved ones...We miss you and love you!). Today was another beautiful day in South Africa. God has truly blessed us with perfect weather so far, we were all in t-shirts (and some even in shorts)!

This morning we went to Sweet Home again, and this time Russell, Karissa, Sarah, Rachel, and Danielle shared about Jesus' Life, Death, and Resurrection. After hearing the story, we invited the kids into a prayer to accept Jesus into their hearts! For the rest of the time in Sweet Home, a group of us stayed with the kiddos and enjoyed singing songs, dancing, playing games, and just having a good 'ol time. We have been blessed with a team that works well together, willing to help out whenever needed. While they stayed back, the five of us, Kim, and three CHE's (Community Health Evangelists) went on a home visit to one of the shanties a few blocks away. This shanty belonged to a man and woman and consisted of a small "home" with a dirt floor, wooden benches, and one twin mattress in a corner. With next to nothing in their possession, they were so welcoming to us, inviting us to sit on all their benches and chairs. Here we were able to pray over a woman with a lesion on her right knee and a man who was still feeling ill after a major surgery. Their openness and vulnerability with strangers was a special moment where we could feel the Lord's presence. The people in Sweet Home are very receptive to us and in deep need for love. Even the smallest acts of kindness mean the world to them. During the past three days, even with a language barrier, our team has been able to form special bonds with these children. After two days of searching for the unforgettable smile, Rachel was reunited with her "screensaver" kid from two years ago. Kate too made a special bond with a child, Azele, who has come back each day to Kate's arms to hear about Jesus (she might just come home with him in her suitcase). As we left the township, our hearts were broken as the kids ran after the cars crying.

This afternoon was filled with another day of after school activities, including baking, latin dancing, dodgeball, and of course, BUNCO! Needless to say, it was a very fun and tiring (for us leaders) afternoon! During our devotions tonight, Jan shared her testimony and was able to break through to some of the students. She provided an opportunity for the students to open up to us and talk about how faithful God is during hard times. Through her powerful story, God was definitely at work building trust between us and the students. We (Danielle and Karissa) were talking to a group of girls during small group time, and when we asked them questions about times in their lives where they saw God's faithfulness, they shut down. We have no idea about the constant struggles and hurt they face. Tonight we also learned that in the South African culture that it is unknown to share feelings and talk about what is going on in one's life. In fact, journaling is foreign to South Africans because of the fear of someone reading their stories. In a further attempt to break down these barriers, Danielle asked them, what they think about us when they see us? They told us that we have perfect lives, we drive nice cars, and have a great place to live, and this hit us like a ton of bricks. I think all of us would agree that these kids have asked us "the right questions", the questions we ourselves don't want to answer. We have come here to minister to them and yet they are the ones ministering to us. Please pray that seeds would be planted and that we would not be discouraged but rather rejoicing in the fact that God is victorious!

At the Academy, they have "house parents" who look after the kids, cook meals for them, and speak into their lives. Since we arrived here on Sunday, we have all noticed what a difficult job this would be. These house parents are in charge of enforcing the rules and thus are under appreciated. However, despite their challenging role, they exude joy and love the kids with a Christ-like love. Our team has been blown away by how well they care for these students. Tonight we had a unique experience to pray over the "house dad", Mthobeli as he headed home for some much needed rest. In one of our activities, Karissa had the students write encouraging notes to the staff at Bridges. One student said that Mthobeli "seeks God until the end of this universe". It is such a blessing to be able to support the staff and come along side them in prayer.

Our last thought to share with you before we try and grab a few hours of sleep is a request. We ask that you would pray for Bridges. Pray for the spiritual battle going on here for both the hearts of its students and for the work that the Lord is doing here. God is reigning in this place and with that comes unhappiness from the devil. He is hard at work to try to thwart God's plan. Pray for our team as we face these battles and pray for the students. They have gone through more than we can even imagine and the wounds are deeper than any of us can see, only God knows the depths.

Tomorrow is the start of a busy weekend full of retreats for both the CHE's and students! God has so much planned and we cannot wait to see what He does! We have so much planned and would greatly appreciate a showering of prayers- for strength, health, energy, and more of His Spirit. We are so thankful for your support and prayers! We miss you all!