Hello! I didn't send out mission letters on this trip so you may be surprised to hear that I've been in South Africa for a week! Or maybe since you've been subscribed to this blog and know my heart for South Africa, you really are not surprised at all!
On June 1st we landed in Jo Burg. Then spent two days in Marloth Park recovering from jet lag and preparing to move into the community. Over the weekend we spent some time reconnecting with one of our community partner's family and went to church in Nelspruit, which is a larger city about an hour and a half away. Monday through Thursday we moved into the village! My favorite part of our program!
Our days usually look like this:
In the mornings we have quiet time and coffee time. Then we head to the local preschool in the village! The kids absolutely swarm you and simply seek to be loved by you!
My first day I didn't get to the office door to put my bag down before I was in a puddle of hugs and tickles. All pushing past each other to sit at my feet and touch my skin and hair. It blew my mind that they didn't know me for more than five mins and they were already pushing each other to be in my embrace. I think that's a beautiful image of Jesus. We hear the rumors of this friend of sinners who will wash us clean and make us new. We yearn to sit at his feet! For just a touch of His robe! I am so grateful for moment like this one where I see His glory in unexpected ways!
Then we start by helping dish up and handing out breakfast to the kids. Then have play time outside for an hour.
After play time the kids get settled into their classrooms. There are three different age groups but our team works with the little guys! We work with an organization called TTN network that uses something called Asidlale boxes. "The ‘ASIDALE BOX’ is an activity box - a fun play tool to help children develop skills and creativity, gross & fine motor skills and 'hand to eye coordination', while learning in the process."
Then we help dish up again for lunch and serve the kids before they go home for the day.
We head back to the mission house in the village and normally take a nap. Those kids wear you out! Then spend the last few hours of daylight hanging out with our neighbors!
One afternoon we took a drive through the villages to where Go Missions & SMA have bought land that will be where they grow food to give to the local schools. We met our neighbor, Temba who offered to help put up our fence! He also let Rhyan and I hold some of his baby lambs!
This Friday we had the amazing opportunity to spend the night camping in the Kruger as apart of the conservation side of our work here. If you don't know Go Missions partners with Spear Missions Africa (SMA)! SMA is a South African based nonprofit organization and it stands for Stop Poaching Endangered African Rhinos. The poaching of rhinos in the Kruger National Park is tragic and out of control. Syndicates pay excessive amounts to poachers to engage in illegal activities. This occurs in the poverty pockets that exist in the areas neighboring the park.
Go Missions' partnership with SMA intends to bridge conservation, faith, and community. By educating and through different initiatives such as bringing children and community members on trips to visit the Kruger National Park, they will see the beauty of the animals and better understand their privilege to protect it. SMA also provides the opportunity to fully integrate into the local communities by providing Go Missions with a mission home in the center of KahHoyi. Furthermore, SMA allots Go Missions the land to grow vegetation to bring fresh produce into the local schools.
We got to learn first hand from the rangers about the animals and the environment through guided driving and walking tours through the Bush!
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