UPS and DOWNS

These past few weeks have been weeks full of significant ups and downs in my life and in Bridges of Hope ministry as well. I would like to share with you some of the current happenings on this side of the world...

Up, Up, Up! We have had many short term teams visiting from the U.S. this past month and a half, helping and serving in various ways. The Ocean Hills team came and led an Orphan camp for about 60 orphans in the beginning of July (see previous blog posting for more details). Next came two different teams from Rolling Hills Covenant church. These teams started construction on three shacks in Philippi as well as taught workshops on parenting, managing personal finances, and marriage. One of the Rolling Hills teams also led an after school camp for children where they made crafts, played games, learned about Jesus and gained helpful life skills.

On July 21st my good friend, Michelle, arrived for a two week visit. We had a great time together working on the construction projects that were started earlier in the month (pictured above), going to a game park where we saw wildlife and went on a horseback safari, and eating out at my favorite local restaurants. We hiked Table Mountain, enjoyed a church service in Philippi, and spent time taking walks, drinking latte's, and catching up. My spirit was lifted seeing such a good friend and sharing with her all that God has been doing in the community of Philippi and in my life. Her enthusiasm, insight, encouragement, and comforting presence was a timely blessing in my life.

DOWN! I think that I have cried more this week than I have this whole year. It has been a week of good-bye's. Michelle left on Tuesday along with Grace Chisholm (a fellow staff member who is going back to the States for a month). On Friday staff member Erik Anderson returned home after a year long service with Bridges of Hope. He left straight from a tearful orphan support group after the kids had all lined up and said their good-byes one by one. On Monday I will be making yet another airport run to say goodbye to Matthew and Melinda Talley who are also staff members who I spent the past year with. They are moving to Southern California so Melinda can start a M.F.T program at Fuller Seminary. It is so sad to be saying goodbye to all of the people who I have worked so closely with for the past year. They have really been like family for me here in South Africa and provided a huge sense of comfort, love, and support. I am mourning that things will never be the same and I am already feeling twinges of loneliness creeping in as I imagine walking in to work with them gone (I will be the only U.S. staff member for a month until Grace returns). I will really miss working with Erik and with the Talley's. Please pray for safe travels and smooth transitions back into life in the States for Erik, Matthew, and Melinda. Also, please pray that Bridges of Hope will be able to find just the right staff to come and work with us in Philippi and at the farm.

Even more painful has been a situation in Philippi in one of the orphan homes that Bridges of Hope supports. I am going to copy a section of an email that the Bridges of Hope director, Dennis Wadley, send out last week that describes what has been going on...

"From Bad to Worse...PLEASE PRAY!!
Last week I told you that we were facing a crisis in one of our Bridges supported orphan homes and unfortunately, the situation got much worse as the week progressed. We really need your prayers! At the orphan retreat last month, a lot of trust was developed between our leaders and the children attending. Some of the children gained the courage to share about abuse they are facing in their homes. We discovered physical abuse, emotional abuse and even sexual abuse. The toughest situation has occurred in one of our supported homes that we have a caregiver in. It was uncovered that the caregiver has been beating the children, swearing at them and manipulating them through threats and emotional abuse. As our staff and church leadership began working through this situation, we found out that one of the children in the home has sexually abused a younger sibling and another child who was staying there temporarily. We love these children and want to protect them from abuse of any kind, so we need your prayers.
Please pray for the church leadership and Bridges leaders as we try to do what is best for the children. A social worker met with the church leaders today and told them that there are no other foster homes available and that if the situation cannot be remedied in this home, the children would be divided up by gender and age and distributed around the Cape Town area into institutional orphanages. We and our staff have visited most of these institutions and they are heinous places. Statistically, 80% of the boys who live in these institutions are in jail within 1 year after turning 18 and being released from their care. A similar percentage of the girls in the institutions are pregnant either before they leave the orphanage or within one year of leaving. Please pray."

Thank you for all of your prayers and support, especially during hard times like these.

Love,

Jen