It Only Gets Better From Here

So I haven't been very good at blogging....or journaling for that matter. But I thought I'd catch ya'll up on what has been going on here. Last weekend was a girl's sleepover at Lynn's house(one of our leaders who lives off base). The night started with a puzzle and games. Then on to food; fajitas, which spoke right to my Texan heart, and chocolate chip cookies. All girls know that a girls night is not complete without cookies...they just set the mood for the whole night. After dinner was pedicures and mud masks. The masks made our faces hard and tight, maybe the way botox feels. So we all had good laughs about not being able to smile. Our pedicures somehow turned into party toes! Yes I know I'm 23 but it was girls night and it was fun, besides party toes are so much better than regular toes. Finally it was time for relaxation with a movie, however some of us didn't join in on the movie and had a very interesting girl talk instead. Of course the conversation led to boys, like any good girl talk, and I learned lots of new things about my new sisters and even myself. :) Overall it was a wonderful night. All the girls slept upstairs but Kelly and I had a bedroom to ourselves. It was weird not being in the same room as everyone after 5 weeks of sharing a room with 9 girls, but the quiet was nice; even if we did stay up til 1 in the morning giggling and talking.

This past week was wonderful! We had a powerful man of God come and speak to us, his name is Wilson Goeda. Our topic was Reconciliation and Forgiveness and there was definitely a movement in our team. After this week I feel like we are so much closer together and I love my new Africa Family. How blessed am I? I have 9 new sisters and 5 new brothers! Plus all our wonderful staff who pours into us week after week. On Wednesday night for community night, Wilson held a Celebration of the Nations. Each nation here had to come up with an act or presentation for the other nations to tell about their country. Along with the Swiss team that is here on outreach we had 5 different countries.....America, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, and South Africa. It was a blast watching all the other performances! Then afterwards we had a dance party! And Rebekah taught us the thriller dance, so watch out, I have Michael Jackson moves now.

So every Thursday we go to Dwaleni, one of the communities. I have talked about it before and it is my absolute favorite community outreach that we do. However, the past 2 weeks have been hard and I don't know if it's my favorite anymore. Don't get me wrong I love the children, I love playing with them, getting to know them and just giving and receiving so much love. But for the past two weeks I have helped serve the food, because it's a feeding program for the orphans. Dwaleni has by far the most children at their feeding program, over a hundred hungry children. So both weeks that I have helped serve food we have run out. The food gets less and less and somehow the line of children gets longer and longer. They just keep coming and coming and the food is not enough. It's one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever had to witness in my life. To walk out and tell these children in line who probably haven't had a meal since the feeding program from the day before that there is no food for them today, is the absolute worst feeling in the world. To see them standing there with no food watching all the other children eat is heart wrenching. That's not how it should be.....no child should go unfed, it's just not fair. I don't know if I can witness that another week.

Well lastly, this coming week is outreach prep week! Time to get ready for Zambia and Jo-berg! Yes it is a little early but this is the only week they could fit it in. And I'm excited about it. Our outreach leaders, Haley, Derek and Stanley, will be in charge this week. We will learn everything we need to know about both of this places and even dramas and skits to perform while we are there. It will be good team building time also. When getting ready for outreach I am reminded of something Wilson said this past week......"We are not bringing Jesus to Zambia/Jo-berg, he is already there. We are just revealing him to the people, to make him known where he already exists." And that's what I want to do, to be his tool for Zambia/Jo-berg, may he use me as he wishes!