FIRST DAY OF SPRING

Get out your hats, sunscreen, and flip flops, folks-- winter is officially OVER!!! (okay, okay, I know...for most of you it is yet to come, but for all of us here in the Southern Hemisphere, it is over)! September 1st marks the first day of spring according to South Africans. It is known as "Spring Day" and is celebrated by many who walk around town with floral printed clothing, shorts, sandals, and flowers or ribbons in their hair. I could not be more excited for the onset of spring, especially because this winter has been particularly cold and wet. I am also excited because, in a way, I have felt quite "wintery" this past month-- emotionally I mean. It has been a hard month for various reasons (explained below). However, things are warming up and I am feeling better. Spring is here, indeed!
As I mentioned in my last email we have been dealing with a very difficult, sticky, situation involving the caregiver of one of the orphan homes that Bridges of Hope supports, who we discovered was abusing the children living in the home (physically and emotionally). This was a huge blow to us because we thought that we knew this caregiver well and we really trusted her. (Side note-- I just realized that it has been a month since my last blog update in which I explained this situation to you. I am sorry for being so "absent" and taking too long to get back to you with an update. Thank you for praying none-the-less!) We ran into many dead ends as we tried to find a safe place for the children where they would be cared for and loved-- no one could (or was willing to) take them in. We found ourselves in a tough spot with two bad options-- 1) leave the kids in the abusive home, or 2) send them to live in overcrowded government institutions (that statistically tend to produce gangsters and prostitutes). We were way in over our heads and out of options. So, we handed the whole case over to Child Welfare Services who are qualified to deal with situations such as these and who promised us they would interview the kids, discover the extent of the abuse, and try to work with them to find a good "third option" so the kids could stay in the community, yet be safe. This is where the situation stands, out of our hands, but being dealt with in a way that will hopefully benefit all involved and bring about justice and healing.
This situation has weighed heavily on my heart. We weren't dealing with children who were unknown to us, but we were dealing with 7 children close to my heart who we have come to know and love. I was so hurt to hear about the extent of this abuse and even more hurt to see some of the ways that the kids have been acting out in negative ways due to the abuse. Please pray for healing and safety for these children and pray that they would be brave enough to be completely open and honest with the social worker that will be meeting them at school to talk about this situation. Also, please pray for the oldest boy in the family who, it was discovered, has been sexually abusing his younger sister (3 years old). Pray that "safe" houses would be quickly discovered in the community and that all the children can receive the love, nurturing, and counseling they so badly need.
This has been such a hard thing to deal with this month, but also hard has been the fact that all the US staff left to go back to the States (except for my directors Dennis and Susan). The office suddenly became a very quiet and lonely place. There were also lots of details to take care of that had usually been dispersed between all of us, but that became the responsibility of those of us who remained. I think it was good that I had a lot to keep me busy, but I still felt lonely. With this devastating uncovering of abuse, the mass exodus of staff, and the cold, rainy weather I found myself pretty down. My usual enthusiasm seemed to disappear and in its stead was a general "blah" feeling. I wish I didn't get down. It would be nice if I could be happy, enthusiastic, and joyous all the time. But I am not. I am optimistic, though, that things will get better--in fact they already have.

Staff member Grace Chisholm returned back to South Africa just last night from a month long holiday in the States. I am so happy to have her back. The office is brightened by her fresh enthusiasm and I love the extra activity. Tennis has started up again and I am enjoying the opportunity to get out on the courts after work each day and play with the team again. The weather is getting warmer and the days longer. Spring is coming and flowers are in bloom. My heart isn't as heavy, and I don't feel as down and "wintery" anymore. Thank you for your prayers and support. Thank you for allowing me to be "me"--the good, the bad, and the ugly! I appreciate all of the love and prayer you offer.
Some people have asked me about ways that they can become more involved with Bridges of Hope. I have thought about some ways to get those involved who want the opportunity-- but at the risk of boring everyone with a really LONG entry I will make that the topic of my next update (and I promise you won't have to wait a month this time for the next one!) Thanks again for your love and support!
Gratefully Yours,
Jen (with a flower in my hair and flip flops on my feet!)