WHAT A WEEK!

Friends and Family,

I can't thank you enough for all of your prayers and support! I feel it! Really, it has been such a blessing to FEEL God's peace and presence with me this week as I transition into life in South Africa. It has been so hard in some ways and also really wonderful (depending on the moment!) My life has felt like a wild rollercoaster... Here is an overview of the "ride"...

UP UP UP -- I arrived in South Africa without any hang ups! I walked right through customs without even being questioned and all of my luggage made it. I slept 8 hours on the flight and thankfully haven't experienced any jet lag at all. The 10 hour time change didn't seem to negatively affect my body as I have been sleeping 7-8 hours each night since I arrived.

DOWN -- I am feeling more lonely than I expected. I really miss having people around who know me. I have been praying for new friends and a church body to get involved in. I have missed the comforts of home as almost everything here is different from what I am used to. I am learning to drive on the "wrong" side of the road and eating things called "chutney" and "bobotie". More than anything, however, I miss relationships.

UP -- God is teaching me to rely on Him FULLY (I think he knew he had to lead me far, far, away from home before I would really do it!). He is proving that he truly is capable of fulfilling all of my needs.

DOWN -- My credit cards and cash were stolen shortly after I arrived. I was in a training seminar at a local church and someone took them as we stepped into an adjacent room for lunch. I learned that I must be more careful and aware than I was at home.

UP -- I was so blessed to get to be apart of the orphan support group that met this week. On Friday there were about 45 orphans who attended ranging in age from 5-16. I was filled with joy as we worshipped God together and talked to the kids about God's deep love for them. We taught about their importance to God and gave them bookmarks to decorate and write scriptures on relating to this theme. The picture above is of a little boy writing Jeremiah 29:11 on his bookmark in Xhosa.

PRAYER REQUESTS

* Please pray for the many orphans in the support group. Pray that their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs would be met and that the message they heard at group on Friday would become real and touch their hearts. (Many are living in abusive situations where they hear negative, demeaning messages frequently. They find it hard to believe God's love for them.
* Pray that I would learn to be fully present in Africa, and willing to make it my home for the next while, instead of letting thoughts of home fill my mind.
* Please pray that I would be humble, compassionate, and sensitive when working with the orphans, many of whom are hurting deeply.


Thank you!!!

Love,
Jen