An Ending and a Beginning

I leave for the states tomorrow. I’ll leave Bethesda around 1 and my flight will depart at 9:30 p.m. As I look through my pictures, it seems like I got here yesterday. Time flew by so quickly. I pray that as I leave here, God is saying well done faithful servant. This is how I want to live my life, even though I fall so short.

Today I spent quite a bit of time with the kids. Some of the older boys found a stereo that was broken. They literally spent hours working on it. Once they fixed the radio all the kids danced and listened to the music under the lapa all afternoon. I tried some dance moves. I got schooled and the kids got a good laugh out of it.

As I ventured out to find the younger kids I was bombarded by them. They all ran up to me and gave me big hugs. Oh how I will treasure that moment. Even little Dipuo gave me hugs. Dipuo is a sassy little 2 year old who has a ton of attitude and character. As I was holding her she gave me hug after hug. A mood she is rarely in. That was a great way to say goodbye to her.

As I reflect on my time in Africa I see that the children here have had a bigger impact on me than I on them. I’ve been so blessed by their hugs, smiles, laughter, and the time I’ve been able to spend with them, whether working or playing. I am one of many interns who will be a part of these children’s lives. I will miss my title of “Auntie Kat” or “Auntie Kat Meow” according to Lawrence. Again, my life has been blessed richly. I will never forget what Africa has taught me and how it has changed my life. I am coming back to the states to start a new chapter of my life. I’m ready to apply what God has taught me in Africa. I’ll continue to praise his name for giving me this experience.

Christmas at Stinkwater

Today Grace Baptist Church went to a township located in Hammanskraal called Stinkwater. There is an orphan ministry there that Josh Mack and his wife Marta have done a lot of outreach work at. They planned a Christmas day for the kids. When our ride came to pick us up we followed a caravan of about 20 cars to Stinkwater. It was wonderful to see how many people in the church came to minister to these kids. It is what the church is called to do.

It was a wonderful Christmas celebration. Josh and his interpreter told the most animated story of Jesus. The children were definitely attentive and laughed quite a bit. 4 refugee boys from the DRC formed a rap group called Blessed Boys and sang for everyone. They were amazing! We also sang and taught the children some classic kid songs. It was a great time of worship.

After worship, the kids were able to open their gifts. Different church members brought shoe boxes for the kids. They were filled with toys, snacks, and hygiene products. It was another humbling experience to sit and watch my girl as she opened her box. I was reminded of how much I have. These gifts we gave the children are the only Christmas gifts they will receive. When was the last time they had a toothbrush and toothpaste? Body wash? A new shirt? Blanket? These items are a luxury for these kids – common items for me – items I purchase without a thought. It was wonderful to see the joy they had as they opened their gifts. I was so blessed by this experience.

Thanksgiving in Africa

I am so thankful for the community I have here in Africa. I had the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving at my pastor’s house with my Bethesda family. There were about 20 of us including Josh Mack (our pastor) and his family, some DRC refugees, and the Bethesda staff. It was a great time of fellowship. The refugees (obviously) had never experienced Thanksgiving. I enjoyed sharing this experience with them. We shared the history of Thanksgiving and some of our favorite traditions. It was a time of laughter, community, celebration, and thanksgiving. There is no greater thing than spending time with other believers. I am going to miss these people so much.

Before we left for Thanksgiving dinner it felt like an ordinary day. My roommates and I had a great lazy afternoon that included movies, junk food, and the Internet. It was hard for us to realize that it was Thanksgiving Day. My family is on a different continent and I’m not in America where Thanksgiving items stock the shelves and T.V commercials advertise shopping specials. It is interesting to think how these things have had an impact on my life when it comes to the Thanksgiving holiday.

As I am writing this it is December 1. I have 9 days left until I leave for the states. I’m praying that I will continue to seize the moments God gives me to minister to these children. This is my last week in the school and for tutoring. Graduation is on Friday, ministry day at Stinkwater on Saturday, a Christmas party, church on Sunday, and then I pack up and get ready to leave on Wednesday. I still have a lot to look forward to.