I wanted to share with you an update on Nomafili and let you know of some specific ways that you can be praying this upcoming week.
There is a missions team here right now from Rolling Hills Community Church. There are eight of them here and the team is comprised of people on the worship team at their church in California who are gifted in directing, singing, and compiling music. They brought with them high-tech equipment for recording and are in the process of recording songs sung by the church choir and the orphan choir. The team will then put together a CD/DVD combo to be sold. The proceeds from these sales will go directly towards the care of Orphans and vulnerable children in the township of Philippi. Please pray that the recording will go smoothly today (Monday) and tomorrow and that all those involved will be blessed by the process of practicing, filming/recording, editing, and compiling the CD and DVD. Also, please pray for safe travels as the Rolling Hills team leaves to go back to California on Thursday.
One of the ladies on the Rolling Hills team, Karen, is is gifted singer and actress. On Friday she planned and led a drama workshop at Orphan Support group. About 45 kids showed up and they were encouraged to use their imaginations and be creative as they practiced acting. They even performed for us at the end of the day. The above photo is of some of the children who gathered at the end of group to sing the Rolling Hills Team a Xhosa song of thanks and appreciation.
I would like to report a praise! Nomafili is feeling a lot better. I don't think that any of her external circumstances have changed, but she seems like a different person this week, full of joy and happiness. She is involved in the orphan choir that is currently in the middle of recording for the CD. This is a really fun and exciting experience for all that are involved. After meeting with the committee, Bridges of Hope has decided to sponsor Nomafili and her siblings by paying for food, school fees, etc. but under the condition that an adult caregiver moves into the home. Then, the money would go to the adult caregiver and she could keep record and make sure that they money is spent wisely and responsibly. Please pray that Nomafili would be open to the idea of an adult moving into the home and that the right caregiver would step forward and volunteer to do this. Thank you for all of your prayers and concerns for Nomafili. I could really tell a difference when I saw her on Friday. She was singing loudly in the choir and seemed to be filled with joy. Praise God!
Please pray for a little girl in the Orphan Support group named Sinoxolo. She is ten years old and has AIDS. She was gone for the holidays visiting extended family and Friday was the first time that I had seen her in a while. Though happy to be back, she looked incredibly thin and it was clear to me that she had lost a lot of weight off of her already thin little frame. It is so sad to she her walking and trying to play with the other kids; literally just skin and bones. Please, please pray for Sinoxolo. Pray that she will fight this battle against AIDS. Pray that she might enjoy health. Pray for her strength (emotionally, spiritually, and physically). Pray that she would gain weight and be able to go back to school.
Thank you for joining with me in prayer for all of these things. Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Jen

Nomafili

Here in South Africa I frequently hear stories that break my heart; stories of pain, suffering, disease, loneliness, heartache, depression, and death. This is especially true at the Friday orphan support group where kids feel safe to open up about struggles they face dealing with their parents death, feeling alone, insecure, and afraid.
This past Friday, a sweet 16-year-old came into group late and pulled me aside. We stepped outside and as soon as we sat down I could tell that she had a heavy heart. Nomafili's parents died not too long ago and she was left in charge of her three younger siblings. Her parents died without writing a will, thus allowing selfish extended family to step in and take all of the families belongings, leaving only the shack for the four kids to survive in. Being the oldest, Nomafili has carried a heavy burden, one that no child her age should have to bare. This Friday I could tell that she was beginning to break under the weight.
She began to tell me about her problems. Every day she wakes up wondering where she will find food for she and her siblings to eat. Her younger sister, Onele (8), came to her and begged for some money so that she could buy lunch at school just for one day. She told Nomafili that she is so embarrassed at school when all of the other children are eating lunch and she doesn't have anything to eat. Nomafili had to tell her little sister that they don't have any money and she has nothing to give. I asked Nomafili how much she eats a day and she says that she can usually eat about one meal a day. She feels the burden of trying to raise her siblings and take care of their needs while trying to balance her own studies. She worries about their safety. She worries about the younger kids beginning to steal from others because they are hungry. She feels totally alone, fearful, broken, desperate, and without any hope for the future. She told me that her heart hurts so badly that she wants to take it out and throw it far, far, away.
She looked me straight in the eyes with tears streaming down her face and asked, "Jen, how could God do this to me? How could he leave me alone with all of this? I can't do it! Why did he let my parents die?" I wish I had some healing words for her at that moment. I wish I could have answered her questions in a way that was clear and comforting. All I could do was hug her as she cried and assure her that God hadn't left, even if she couldn't feel Him.
I encouraged her to go to God and express her anger and hurt. I told her that it is helpful to pray about all of those things on her heart and mind. At the end of the day, I found the following prayer in the prayer box written by Nomafili:

"You know? I don't know what Jesus want from me? He give me the hard thing for my life and I don't know how to do with those things. Sometime I feel like he don't love me or look after me or maybe he is playing with me? Does God love me or not? There are so many things that hold my wish, I do have dream for the future but he is letting my dreams down. Amen."

Please pray for Nomafili. Please pray that she would experience God's presence and really turn to Him as a Father, Comforter, and Protector. Pray that she would continue to turn to God and express what is on her heart and mind instead of running away from Him. Pray that she would experience a renewed trust and faith. Also, please pray that Bridges of Hope would be wise as we discern the ways that we can intervene and help Nomafili and her siblings without creating an unhealthy dependency. Pray that we could find an adult in Philippi who would be willing to move in with these four kids and help take care of them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season and are enjoying the beginning of 2006!
Whew... I have neglected my updates for a while, so I guess I have some catching up to do...
I just returned to South Africa after a wonderful two weeks spent in Colorado and about a week spent in Santa Barbara. I enjoyed time with my family skiing in Breckenridge for a couple of days, cooking, playing tennis, board games, and some competitive rounds of ping-pong! We celebrated Christmas Eve at our house with extended family and I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up on people's lives and give updates as to what has been happening in South Africa. I left on the 27th of December for a week in Santa Barbara where I brought in the New Year with some of my best friends from college (see above picture!)
I arrived back in South Africa on Friday and am here to stay for the next year. It was really hard to say goodbye, but I am excited to dive into ministry as we are busy planning and organizing for the upcoming year. We are moving into a new office space next week and are anxiously anticipating the purchase of a farm to serve as a retreat center and leadership academy. Three new staff members are joining the team in the next few months. There is a lot to look forward to and plenty to keep us busy!
As we start this new year, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you for your continued prayers and support. It was such a joy for me to get to reconnect with a lot of you while I was home and I look forward to keeping in touch and knowing how I can encourage and pray for you this upcoming year. I will be adding entry's to this blogsite 1-2 times a week with updates and ways to be praying. I often send out an email notifying you that I have added a new entry. If you would like to be taken off of this email notification list please let me know and I will remove your email address. Thank you, again, for your support and please keep me updated on how you are doing as well!

Love and Prayers,
Jen