The Missionary Life of Amy

Feeding/Fun Club

2012-02-29T10:56:00.012-08:00

Today I taught the first half of the story of Noah. A young man came with Madoda and he was my interpreter. For some reason Madoda started the habit of holding a stick - I think to point to the children when they aren't listening. I did let this young man know that he must not actually HIT the children. He did a great job interpreting and getting the kids to pay attention!

These children are so precious. Please continue to pray for this ministry and the needs of this community.

The area where we meet is rustic for sure. Today was a bit difficult as I was standing on an incline.

Madoda and Mavuyu - this boy is growing up so quickly!!

Each week Lona prepares the pilchards in a stew. Someone donated a larger pot which will mean she can make enough for all of the kids to get a bigger portion. Some weeks we serve the stew with rice and some weeks with bread.

More Birds

2012-02-29T10:45:00.003-08:00

This bird is a crow - or I'm pretty sure it is. The crows here are black with a white patch around the neck. It was pretty big and I was able to catch the bird in flight.

I can't remember the name of this bird but it makes quite the loud and raucous sound. (Almost like a kookaburra.) It was in my back garden yesterday and let me take his picture.

I was told this was a kingfisher. Today this bird sat on a tree outside my window for quite a long time. What beautiful feathers!

Even though I have a "rational" fear of birds, I enjoy having them outside my windows and listening to all their different chirps, songs, calls, or whatever you call it!

Walking on the Beach

2012-02-27T08:10:00.004-08:00

This morning Julie and I went for a walk on the beach in Wilderness. This beach is gorgeous and pristine! We walked for two hours, almost 6 miles in total. Though we walked nearly 3 miles one way there was a lot more beach we could have walked!

The sky and the water were absolutely beautiful!

I found the Southern Cross on the beach. I must tell you that I love seeing the Southern Cross in the sky here. It just makes me smile when I see it!!

I really do believe I live in the most beautiful area of the world!

Visiting George, a Town with Electricity

2012-02-27T08:00:00.005-08:00

Sunday morning was a bit exciting here as I was visited by the baboons again. But this time I was prepared with my new BB gun. I was having a bit too much fun shooting them with the gun and didn't grab my camera. They went a running which was what I was a hoping for!!!

Yesterday in Knysna and Sedgefield the electricity was turned off from 5 am until 10 pm. There was work being done on the power lines. I decided that being home all day without power, i.e. no fans, was not a great idea. And sitting in the dark isn't my idea of fun either. Thankfully my friend Julie invited me to come and spend the night.

Sunday evening Neville Steele spoke at Agape Baptist. We divided up into groups to answer some discussion questions and then came back together to hear Neville's conclusions on this chapter. This was his third message on this passage. Last night was very encouraging!

Another Bug . . .

2012-02-27T07:57:00.002-08:00

I saw this moth while I was out shopping. It fluttered across the floor and I couldn't believe how white it was. It almost looked like lace. So I, of course, took a picture! Have you ever seen such a white moth?

My Boy!!!

2012-02-27T07:48:00.004-08:00

Mom made a cake for Ben's 1st Birthday. They celebrated on Friday night and I think Ben enjoyed the cake . . .

This boy is just too cute!!

It was fun chatting with my family on Saturday and I got some pictures of Ben. He is getting so big and you should see him running around the house in his walker. Yep, he can move!

Here he was trying to give me one of his toys. I miss this cute little guy!

A Stick, Or Not???

2012-02-24T01:34:00.006-08:00

I saw something on my wall the other day and of course grabbed my camera.

So what could it be?

Seriously this thing looks like a piece of wood, with legs! Anyone out there seen one of these before??

The Birthday Boy

2012-02-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

A nice close up on Skype of Ben. Such a cute boy. When I first called he kept looking back at my brother and smiling. I miss this little guy! Happy Birthday little man!!

Ben was very excited to hold the remote. I believe he turned the TV to channel 19,372 or something like that. He loved the blinking lights on the remote.

Paul was showing me how Ben is walking holding onto his hands. Maybe soon he'll take those first steps!

Feeding/Fun Club

2012-02-22T11:24:00.004-08:00

We had a great group of kids today. (More came after this first picture was taken.) These kids are so precious. I am working through the Bible and today's lesson was on Cain and Abel.

Each week I am amazed at the hunger these children live with on a daily basis. We only feed them once a week though we wish we could do a lot more. Such precious little ones!

After the feeding it is time for the clean up.

After the feeding some of the kids were playing next to Dave's vehicle. They enjoyed seeing their reflection in the side of the Jeep. They only stopped because we drove off. It was hysterical to watch them and hear their giggling!

Turning One Tomorrow

2012-02-21T06:02:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow my adorable nephew will turn one! I can't believe how much he has grown. Here are some recent pictures Shannon put on facebook. Hopefully they will have the camera out tomorrow to capture this special day! I would if I was there, of course!

Birds

2012-02-19T07:10:00.003-08:00

I do have what some would determine an irrational fear of birds . . . though I see it as completely rational. (They might just fly at my head and try to peck me!) But I do enjoy listening to them chirping outside of my windows. (But they must stay OUTSIDE of my windows!) Ok, on to the reason for this post. These two black birds were having quite the cheeky conversation. I imagined it was about the bit of food one of them had that the other one wanted. It was fun to listen to them!

Then later a pigeon and a black bird seemed to be having a fight about something. The pigeon looked like it wanted to attack the black bird. They continued their argument before flying off to other branches.

I suppose this means I have too much time on my hands. But I was at my windows a lot today due to the baboons. And being the caring blogger I had my camera in hand . . . to get that perfect picture! Oh, the things that I do for you - my dear, dear readers!!!

Baboons!

2012-02-19T06:57:00.004-08:00

This morning before church I was sitting on my couch. I looked up at my kitchen window and saw a baboon looking in at me. He was trying to get the window open, thankfully it was LOCKED! Most baboons are not afraid of women but I had to try something. So I jumped up, yelled at the top of the lungs, and ran toward the window. It worked - the baboon ran off! (I then thought of how I should have gotten a picture before scaring off the baboon! I might be a bit crazy!) I looked out the windows and saw a whole troop of baboons in the woods.

After church I heard noises outside and looked out the windows to see the baboons were back! They were on my side of the fence, on the house next door, on the back patio next door, and in the woods. One of them is HUGE! (I didn't get a picture of that one.) I certainly hope this troop goes away soon. A whole day of having them all around the house is getting very old!!

Oh, and I am going to be looking for a BB gun to deal with these dreadful creatures!! If they get into the house they can cause a lot of damage. If they feel trapped they can attack. Oh, and they aren't scared of women. Wish I could get something BIGGER than a BB gun!!!

Another BIG Crowd

2012-02-19T06:50:00.005-08:00

Today we had another record crowd at church. We had 37 people in church today!

It was great to have four kids in Sunday school today. We learned about the raising of Lazarus. Then we did a paper about Lazarus and played a game.

Feeding/Fun Club

2012-02-15T10:24:00.012-08:00

Today we were back in the township for the feeding. The last two weeks we have been rained out and it was great to go again. I really enjoy these kids . . . and though there is a language barrier, well, I still walk away with a smile knowing I'm touching their lives!

After the Bible story and feeding we gave the children bags of caramel popcorn. A lady in our church made and bagged this up for them. They loved it!

The Ngesi's little boy is growing FAST. Actually he isn't really all that little! Can you believe he is only 14 months old? He is going to need new clothes soon . . . he is outgrowing what he has!

Never Know What You Will See

2012-02-15T10:14:00.004-08:00

Every time I go to the township I see something "different". Today a small herd of cows came walking up the road after us. They decided to find some tasty grass around where we hold the feeding. Since they do have horns it made me a bit nervous to get out of the car. But when I said "shoo" they, um, "shooed". No one was gored by the horns today . . . shew!

And after the feeding this "little piggy" showed up looking for something to eat.

We always have to chase away the stray dogs. I haven't seen any cats though. But goats, chickens, horses, mules, and more are not that unusual at all. Ah, life in the township!

Sunday

2012-02-13T22:51:00.005-08:00

We had a large group at church Sunday morning. I have really enjoyed having older kids to teach in Sunday school. (You can see my students on the front row!)

Sunday afternoon was a combined service in Sedgefield. Sadly the group from Pacaltsdorp were unable to come. We did have people from four churches - Agape Baptist, Lakeside Baptist, Lagoonside Baptist, and Lubabalo Baptist. It was wonderful to join our voices together in song! I took the kids out during the preaching time for a lesson on the raising of Lazarus. I love getting our churches together. The fellowship is extremely special!!!

Why I Close my Windows

2012-02-13T22:46:00.003-08:00

Each night just as it is getting dark I close up the windows so I can turn on the lights. Most evenings I hear things hitting the windows. So I thought I would try to get a picture. These are a few of what I saw. Trust me there are a LOT of other bugs as well. I don't like bugs flying around so I choose to CLOSE my windows! There are times when I miss having screens on the windows.

A Knysna Loerie

2012-02-13T22:41:00.003-08:00

The other day I was sitting on the couch and looking out the window. I realized that a Knysna Loerie had landed on the next door neighbor's deck railing. This is the first one that I have seen in the wild. When the bird flew off I could see it's red wings. Such a unique bird!

This is a picture from the internet . . . since my picture is a bit blurry. Definitely a beautiful bird!

My Nephew

2012-02-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

I was given some new pictures of my adorable nephew Benjamin. He is getting big and now has teeth. I can hardly believe that he will be one this month. Where has the time gone? So thankful for these pictures . . . though I would love to hold this dear little boy again!!

My Other Families

2012-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

I went to Cape Town to help my missionary friends, Tony and Cathy Payne. They are heading back to the US for a year long furlough and have another family moving into their house. I went to help clean out cupboards and make room for this other family's belongings. I had such a good time with Cathy though I completely forgot to get pictures. SAD! I will miss these dear friends who are like an extra set of parents.

During the day I helped Cathy but spent each evening at the van Besouw's home. They have become family and I love spending time with them. It was a wonderful week and I was spoiled by Theresa. Just before I left I did think to get some pictures. It was a wonderful and relaxing though busy week. I always look forward to my visits and cannot wait to visit again!

How I Love This Mountain

2012-02-05T11:23:00.001-08:00

I must tell you how much I love Table Mountain. While I was driving with Theresa to Table View I was able to snap a picture of MY mountain. What a beauty!

Visiting my Kids

2012-02-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun visiting my kids - JP, Azura, and Micah. And of course spending time with their mother Caren as well. I arrived at their house in time to ride with them to orchestra practice. These three have grown so much and are so fun!

While JP and Azura were at their orchestra practice (they both play the violin) Caren and I enjoyed some time together with Micah. He played soccer - which is so fun to watch as he is so little! He also played baseball - hitting dry leaves. SO CUTE!!

When we got home I helped bathe the younger two children while JP worked very hard on his homework. I can't believe how much he is growing up.

Before I left I had to get a picture of me and each of my kids. They are so precious and I miss them. What a treat to get to visit during my visit!

Lagoonside Fellowship

2012-02-05T10:32:00.001-08:00

This year our goal for Lagoonside Baptist is to have fellowship lunches so that we as a church family can spend more time together. We are calling them Lagoonside Fellowship - Out to Lunch. This first fellowship was held last Sunday and we had a bring and share meal at the Lagoonview Nursery. We had a great group of people and it was fun to spend time together.

Isn't little Emma adorable?? It is wonderful to have a family with children coming.

Made Me Chuckle

2012-01-26T02:40:00.001-08:00

When going through my pictures today I found this one of Madoda and his son. I love how they have matching expressions on their faces. Check out their lips . . .

Running through the Bible in One Year

2012-01-26T02:27:00.000-08:00

This was our second week in our Amazing Race - Running through the Bible in One Year. Due to how Knysna is laid out, Dave holds two mid-week Bible studies. Tuesday night is in Belvidere (the western end of town). This is the one that I attend.

The Wednesday night study is held in the Hunter's Village community center (on the eastern end of town). They had 18 in attendance this week.

Both of these studies came about because of contacts made from the music groups that came this past year. Some that attend these studies don't attend our church but have a desire to study the Bible.

SCARY!!!

2012-01-26T02:13:00.000-08:00

A friend posted this picture on facebook so I went online to check it out. From what I can tell it is a real picture and boy it gives me that shivery feeling down my spine! I would be a happy person if I never saw a crocodile and had no desire to even know that one this big existed!!! Seriously, I still have that horrible feeling going up my spine!!!

Okay, so I did some more digging and found this article online. The article said it was killed because it was attacking FULL GROWN COWS!! More shivers!! They didn't get an exact measurement but guestimated it to be 15 - 16 feet long. Um, how far away is the Zambezi river anyway??????

Feeding/Fun Club

2012-01-26T02:02:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was our second feeding for this year. We had a good group of kids. When you look at these faces please pray for this ministry. We are dealing with a huge language barrier. I have started learning Xhosa but am a long way from teaching in this language. There are such needs as well. Please keep the community of Ntinglani in your prayers!!

Ben's First Snow

2012-01-26T01:59:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful for cameras and the internet. I miss my nephew Ben but am so thankful that I can get pictures and even talk to him occasionally on Skype. I was able to get pictures of his first time in the snow. I may be prejudiced . . . but hey, I think he is pretty cute!!!!

They must be good . . .

2012-01-26T01:56:00.000-08:00

Seriously, these carrots must be amazing if Bugs is on the wrapper . . . right??? Made me chuckle when I saw who was on the bag.

Oh, and they were very tasty!!!!

Feeding/Fun Club

2012-01-26T01:46:00.000-08:00

Yep, I am finally blogging. I have to get back into the habit of taking pictures - cause I just don't have that many on my camera. Last week we started up the feeding program again. We had over 30 children there to hear the Bible story and then to be fed. Aren't these faces adorable?!?!?!?!

Another Surprise Party

2012-01-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

Friday after the Holiday Club all of the workers gathered together for lunch prepared by Janelle. (She really is amazing!!) We surprised Reuben with gifts and Janelle had made a delicious cake. Someone made a nice party hat that didn't last on his head very long!

I do believe this was his favourite gift - The Beginner's Guide to Cake Decorating. Or maybe it was the stuffed fawn, or the candy, or the biscuits, or the Pez dispenser. He was definitely surprised and may kill me for this picture!! Ha ha!

A Surprise Party

2012-01-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was Julie's birthday and the ladies in the church decided to throw her a surprise party. And my house was chosen as the venue. It made for a crazy week with my helping with the Holiday Club but it turned out so well! Seriously my house was FULL of ladies. There were at least 25 if not more.

Julie was completely surprised . . . even with a LOT of cars outside my house. She didn't wonder about three cars in my driveway, two cars in the grass, and five or six cars in empty house driveways in my cul-de-sac. She walked in the door and realized my house was FULL of people. It was fun to surprise her!!

We had plenty of food . . . the ladies each brought a plate of goodies. Penny had to bring over more cups and plates and some coffee. (As a single I only have so much stuff you know! And coffee is horrible so I don't have any of that in this house!) We had a wonderful time together and Julie enjoyed having ladies from George, Sedgefield, and Knysna together and celebrating with her.

What was that??

2012-01-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

One night as I was preparing to head to bed . . . getting all three fans going, opening the window, and having something fly in . . . oh no, not that! I wasn't sure what came in but thought it was a moth. Now I have this thing AGAINST moths. I cannot stand the constant fluttering. But it wasn't a moth - it was prettier than that.

But pretty or not it couldn't stay. I get shivers just thinking about it fluttering around the room in the dark. So I caught it with my laundry hamper and released it into the wild. Wow, no poison involved. I'm getting better! And last night I actually went to sleep with a gecko on the wall above me . . . I let it stay there.

Now rain spiders and scorpions . . . totally different story. They MUST die!!!

Children's Holiday Club

2012-01-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

Lakeside Baptist hosted a Holiday Club the first week of January. The theme was "Under the Sea" and the church people did a great job decorating the hall. The amount of children grew throughout the week and it was exciting to see the children bringing their friends. Janelle led the singing, taught the Bible story, and ran the game time. I know she had to be exhausted by the end of the week! (Plus Mandie turned two on Wednesday - so she planned a party too!) Janelle truly is a wonder woman!

Karen and her helpers came up with fun crafts for the kids to do each day. The first day was probably a favourite . . . painting your hands and pressing them onto the paper to make fish, crabs, etc. Messy but fun!!

The most important time was the memory time . . . wow, these kids learned a LOT of verses this week. It was exciting to see several children learn over 25 verses . . . and the most exciting truth is that these verses can be used by God throughout the rest of their lives!

I taught the missionary story for the week. The story of Bert Gabane is challenging and very exciting. It is a modern missionary story written by Evangelist Steve Schwanke. It leaves you hanging every day . . . my favourite kind of story!!

Water sports are especially wonderful when the sun is beating down on your back!! And throwing a sponge full of water . . . fun for any age. Zoe was definitely drenched when the game was done!!

Snack time is always special . . . most days the kids had biscuits (cookies) but the last day there were delicious cupcakes. I may have indulged in one . . . or two!!

And of course it is always fun to soak others . . . I spent a good bit of time hiding in the hall to avoid retribution!!! You are so welcome Reuben . . . thanks Hannah for helping me out!! (He deserved it for sure!! At least in my opinion . . . .)

Skyping with Ben

2011-12-31T10:47:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun Skyping with Ben and I think he was happy to see me as well!

Whenever he would get tired his fingers would go into his mouth and then he would rest his head on his other hand.

He was so tired and loved resting his little head on his hands!

Ben is crawling now and did finally crawl toward the computer. He is so cute!

Christmas Day

2011-12-31T10:39:00.001-08:00

Christmas day started off with a special church service. It was wonderful to have visitors, and one family was there all the way from Joburg. I had two little girls in Sunday school. One of them was VERY excited about Christmas. She had to get up so she could wiggle 'cause she was so happy!!!

After church I headed home and decided to do something different for Christmas. I went SWIMMING - there are some perks to Christmas in the southern hemisphere. Later in the afternoon I went and picked up Dave's mom and headed to the Rudolphs for the day. We started off with opening gifts. I had a pile to open! (I have a picture of everyone else but don't think they would appreciate it. So in a rare show of discretion [and kindness] I will not post it! Yes, you are welcome Rudolphs!)

After opening my gifts from the Rudolphs I was surprised with a whole tray of gifts. My mom's box did make it on time and Julie didn't tell me. Instead she had all of the gifts wrapped up and ready for me. I was very surprised!

Another Sunset!!

2011-12-24T01:34:00.000-08:00

Surprise - pictures of a sunset. Oh wait, I sorta have these posts a lot! But hey, they are beautiful and I LOVE them. So, here you go! These are pictures taken from Dave and Julie's balcony last night. Gorgeous!!

Open House

2011-12-24T01:27:00.001-08:00

Friday evening was an Open House at Dave and Julie's. It was a fun evening of fellowship and some AMAZING food! People were happy to stand around and chat in the dining room - close to the table which was piled high with food!! Of course the balcony was a favorite place as well.

We ended the evening with a time of singing Christmas songs, Dave reading the Christmas story from Luke 2, and finally a time of group prayer. What a special evening!

Better Pictures

2011-12-24T01:20:00.000-08:00

So I decided to try again at getting pictures of the lights of Knysna. So I decided to stop the car and take pictures while I was NOT driving. Unusual I know - hope you enjoy these!!

Carols by Candlelight

2011-12-24T01:11:00.000-08:00

Sunday evening was a special Carols by Candlelight on Leisure Isle. The evening started off with a bagpipe band. That was a lot of fun!

There was a great group of people for the evening. It was really fun to see the candles as it grew darker.

The sunset was gorgeous - the sky was alive with colour!

Peta and Bianca sang O Holy Night. (Yep, the picture is really dark - well it was dark outside!!) Another man named Peter also sang two songs - wow, what an amazing voice!! Sadly the picture of him was even darker.

I love this picture - it was so fun to see people singing while holding their candles.

Dave and Julie were given gifts as a thank you for leading the carols. It was truly a special night!!

Christmas Lights

2011-12-16T06:44:00.000-08:00

On the drive home I took some pictures of the amazing light display in Knysna. Hey, it may not be much but it is pretty. In town they have lights strung from light pole to light pole across the street. And on each light pole there are lighted pictures . . . many different things. Like a teddy bear, wreath with a candle, angel, tree, a seahorse . . . a what??? Yep, a seahorse - a good picture to have considering Knysna is known for a special seahorse found in the ocean here. Come on over and see these beautiful lights for yourself!

Beautiful Sunset

2011-12-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

Last night at the Rudolphs I saw the most amazing sunset. It was unusual because I could look right at the sun and it didn't hurt my eyes. I enjoyed watching the sun slip below the horizon!

Feeding/Fun Club

2011-12-16T06:27:00.000-08:00

This was our first feeding in several weeks due to a lot going on. Sadly it was also our last for this year. Many, if not most, of these children will be leaving and heading back to wherever their family is from for Christmas. This time of year it is not unusual for people to have off more time than normal. I taught the children the Christmas story and encouraged them to have their parents read it to them on Christmas.

These children are precious and I always leave realizing how blessed I am. Will these children even have a gift this Christmas? We gave them a small treat and the youngest children were given a small stuffed animal.

The kids loved blowing and chasing bubbles. They went crazy!

Party in the Township

2011-12-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

I always love a visit in the township. On Monday I helped with a Christmas party at Ella's soup kitchen. These kids have such hard lives and it is a blessing to do something for them.

Tony, a friend of Penny, came to do his spinning tops for the kids. They loved it . . . it was so much fun to watch their faces!

For fun they put on fake tattoos. The kids loved it!

Isn't Grace a cutie?? I think Julie would love to take her home . . . Grace's mother wouldn't agree though!!

Two Cuties

2011-12-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

On my way home from dropping off someone in Sedgefield I noticed that Shaun and Heidi were outside the coffee shop working on a new fence. The sunset that evening was beautiful.

I love this picture of Gabe on his bike - something about the color and movement.

Gabe was having fun riding his little bike . . . and they had a plan for that wheelbarrow. Would they actually try it out?

Yep, they decided to try it out - all went well until the wheelbarrow wheels came off. Oh well, they went back on!!

What Else??

2011-12-16T06:04:00.000-08:00

Hmm, what else would the bottle be for???

A Special Sunday

2011-12-16T05:55:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday after the service we all met together at a local restaurant for our Christmas lunch. We filled three tables and had a great group of people. The meal was a buffet which is a bit unusual, as it is probably the only buffet I have eaten at in this country. (Buffets just aren't that common!) I had fun taking pictures and here are a few from our special lunch!

Julie got ahold of my camera and took my picture - payback since I was taking everyone else's picture. (At least I had the deleting power!! Ha ha!)

Homeschooling

2011-12-06T23:54:00.000-08:00

Today I am helping Janelle again so that she can take the older two girls to violin lessons. So while babysitting I am also doing the homeschooling. After we finish school the plan is to read books and play games. Only three more days of school for this semester and they are definitely ready . . . though Janelle is probably the MOST ready!!

Beautiful Flowers

2011-12-06T23:44:00.000-08:00

As I was driving home from Sedgefield I passed this house with stunning flowers. I had to get a picture and even told the man sitting in the front yard how beautiful his flowers were. The colours are amazing!

Interesting Sky

2011-12-06T23:23:00.000-08:00

The other day I noticed the sun shining through the clouds onto the ocean and it was gorgeous. Of course, I had to share it with you.

Decorating for Christmas

2011-11-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

I decided to decorate for Christmas and had a lovely evening with Christmas music playing. My tree was in the middle of the floor but I found a better place for it. I think it works and I love that it looks taller since I put it up on a box.

I even put some garland on my curtain rod. Oh, and the bow on my tall lamp in the corner, well it has an ornament tied to it. This is my first ornament, and it was given to me by a dear missionary friend - Sharon Watson.

I do believe the tree turned out beautiful. I decided to get one that is a little bigger than my first tree. I still am using small ornaments but love having a fuller tree. (My first tree was shorter and very "skinny"!) Oh, and under the tree is my Cracker Barrel ornament. Mmm, I do miss eating at Cracker Barrel!!!

My tree topper is a snowflake ornament given to me by the Clipp family while I was on my furlough. It works perfectly!

One of my favorite decorations is my nativity set.

The wisemen are on their way to see the Christ child - so they are across the room on the end table.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T12:29:00.000-08:00

We had a feast for Thanksgiving - turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, corn, sweet potato casserole, rolls, cranberry salad, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, blueberry pie, and strawberry pie. We all had PLENTY to eat and enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship.

Neville was wearing his "American" shirt that he got in Texas. I did tell him that I couldn't imagine any cowboy wearing this shirt . . . EVER!! Ha ha!

So much to be thankful for . . .

2011-11-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

Every visit to the township finds me thankful that I get to leave, that I have a lovely home, that I have plenty to eat, my bathroom is in the house, I have running water and electricity, I have a bedroom and other rooms in my home, there is a kitchen in my home, and so much more. Life in the township is so different.

Many live in a government built home - the old ones are one bedroom and a main room while the new ones have two bedrooms and a main room. Sometimes they only have one big room and a bathroom. And those are the blessed people. So many more live in shacks. These shacks could be made from scraps of wood, metal, or whatever else can be found. Often the only insulation is pieces of cardboard stuck up on the wall. And these shacks are often so small - a whole family living in a room the size of my kitchen or smaller. How do they do it?

As I was leaving in the midst of a downpour my heart was aching. Children were walking home from school in heavy rain - most of them without a coat on. People were walking home from working in town as I was driving in my car. How can some people have so much while others have so little?

The children in the safe house had on tattered school uniforms. This time their sweaters looked even worse. One barely had a shoulder left in it. I wonder how many uniforms they even have. They changed into "play" clothes and those were worn and it broke my heart. I have a cupboard full of clothes. Oh, how much I take for granted.

Am I truly thankful for what I have? Or do I wish for something more? Is there that one thing that if I have then I will be thankful? I want to be truly thankful and these visits to the township do help. But I leave the township and tend to forget what I have learned.

Do you struggle with being thankful? Do you forget how much you really do have? We all need to be reminded of how blessed we are . . . even when we think we have it bad - I promise you there are people around the world that have it worse! This Thanksgiving season I want to be thankful for all that I have. What about you??

Work in the Township

2011-11-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

Twice I have gone up to the new building program in the township to take food to the workers. My first time they had finished the framing of the building. This was their fourth day!

The second time I took lunch it was looking more and more like a home. They have done this work very quickly. (This was the ninth day I think.)

These four men have worked very hard and gotten a lot done. Mark (on the left) attends our church and is the "foreman" for this job.

Here the guys are enjoying sloppy joes, chips, fruit, and cookie bars.

These are three of the children that live in the first safe house. They are very sweet and I enjoyed spending time with them. We even read a Xhosa book together . . . well, I stumbled through and they had plenty of laughs. But they were helpful in pronouncing the words!

Please continue praying for this building program. Some of the promised money hadn't come in but God provided a large gift this past Sunday. Ella, a special woman who had the vision for this safe house, has a full home right now and is looking forward to this new home being finished. The police bring her abused children and she also has some women living with her. It is exciting to see how God is using Ella and the safe house to reach lives in this township community!

Sunday

2011-11-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

We had a LARGE group on Sunday and it was exciting to see the room looking a lot fuller.

I enjoyed having these three children visit again. They are so much fun to teach.

After church we headed to our favorite restaurant with some friends. I had grilled fish and veggies. Wow, it was just as good as the fried fish . . . well, almost!

Licensed to Drive in TWO Countries

2011-11-16T09:14:00.000-08:00

Yep, I did it!! I passed my driver's test on the first try! Woo Hoo!

So what made it difficult - well if you are really interested keep reading. Imagine yourself sitting in the car (remember to get in on the right hand side.) If you want to be able to drive a manual you must take your test on a manual. You pull up in the testing yard and make your sweet friend walk in the rain because she can't stay in the yard! (There was a possibility that if I drove myself I would be immediately failed even though I have my American driver's license.)

You must listen to the rules and restrictions before starting the test. Starting at the driver's side mirror you must say the following as you walk around the car:

~ No obstructions or leaks under the vehicle

~ Side mirror is attached

~ Tyre has at least 1 mm of tyre tread and the bolts are tight

~ Windscreen has no cracks

~ Wipers work

~ No cracks in the lights

~ The bonnet is closed

~ Oil, water, and brake fluid has been checked

~ Tyre has at least 1 mm of tyre tread and the bolts are tight

~ Side mirror is attached

~ No obstructions or leaks under vehicle

~ Tyre has at least 1 mm of tyre tread and the bolts are tight

~ Back lights have no cracks

~ Boot is closed

~ Tyre has at least 1 mm of tyre tread and the bolts are tight

~ Fuel cap is closed

Then you get into the vehicle and do the internal check: (This is all I had to say though the list in the book is MUCH longer!)

~ Car is in neutral

~ Handbrake is up

~ The seat is adjusted

~ The mirrors are adjusted

~ All is okay as far as the dashboard lights go

~ There are no obstructions on the floor

Now turn the key to the on position without turning on the car and then use your signal in both directions, turn on the lights, turn them on bright, hoot the horn, push the brake pedal, use the signal again in both directions and put the car into reverse. Return the car to neutral and wait for the examiner to enter the car.

Time for the hard part - parking! Thankfully the examiner stood outside the vehicle. I had to parallel park the car from BOTH directions, reverse into a parking space (called alley docking) from both directions, and perform a three point turn. If you bump the curb or a pole you instantly fail. If you roll at all you also fail.

If you make it through this part in the time allotted (20 minutes) without doing anything that means an instant fail you get to head out on the road with the examiner.

Car is in neutral with the handbrake up. You must look in your right side blind spot, right side mirror, rearview mirror, left side mirror, and left side blind spot. (You will see this a lot so I am going to refer to it as BMRMB (Blind spot, mirror, rearview, mirror, blind spot) Then you put the clutch in and place the car into first gear. Now BMRMB before taking off releasing the handbrake without rolling back at all.

One last stop before leaving the yard - taking off on an incline. As you approach the stop sign press the break first, then put in the clutch and bring the vehicle to a stop. Pull up the handbrake (without making noise - so push in the button) and put the car in neutral. BMRMB then put the car in first. BMRMB before taking off without rolling back on this incline. Woo hoo you have made it out of the yard.

Now begin driving around town. You must look in the rearview mirror each time you shift gears. Always look both directions at every intersection. Look at every place a car or pedestrian could enter the roadway. (Which in town is a LOT of places!)

EVERY time you stop the car you must pull up the handbrake and put the car in neutral. BMRMB before putting the car in gear. BMRMB before pulling off. Staying in a low gear is a good idea!!

When you want to change lanes you must look into your blind spot, signal, look into your blind spot, look in the rearview mirrors, change lanes, cancel signal. Check blind spot one more time.

This is actually making it sound easier than it was. I was so stressed and sure I was going to fail! When we arrived back at the testing area I sat there quietly (wringing my hands) while the examiner figured up my penalty points.

He told me that I failed and I asked what I had done wrong. I look over and he was writing the word "PASS!!!!" on my paper. What a mean thing to do!

I'm thrilled that I passed it and am so thankful for my instructor. My driver's license card should be ready by the end of the week - YIPEE!!

(Yep, told you it was long but hey my true readers will be thrilled to read it . . . right, right, or NOT!!)

A Sense of Accomplishment

2011-11-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my first big cross stitching project. I have been working on this for over a year and it is finally done!! I am so glad I didn't give up and went ahead with the backstitching as it makes such a difference. Now . . . what to do with it?!?!?!?!

Another Amazing Sunset

2011-11-10T13:11:00.002-08:00

The sky was alive with color the other night as I was at the waterfront and thankfully my camera was close at hand. Wow, beautiful!!

The drive home was full of amazing color and I had to stop and get pictures (or possibly take some while I was driving . . . ???)

Flowers

2011-11-10T13:11:00.001-08:00

Saundra spoiled me with some beautiful roses . . . gorgeous!!

Sedgefield

2011-11-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

Sedgefield is officially a "slow town" and the town mascot is a tortoise. This particular one is at the information booth and is covered with a beautiful mosaic coat.

Here is the "slow town" pledge:

Saundra and I enjoyed a lovely walk on the beach. The weather was stunning!

I think this is a huge jelly fish - but I am not for sure. It was quite rubbery and very heavy.

Sunday

2011-11-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

After the retreat Saundra came to visit me for the weekend. She played a piano special at church. We enjoyed a lovely weekend together!

We had more missionaries visiting - it has been exciting to see the different works where all of these missionaries serve.

Yep, here we are eating at the famous Knysna Heads - another delicious meal of fish and chips.

Fun Pictures

2011-11-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

There is a machine up on Table Mountain - where you wait in line to take the cable car back down to the base of the mountain. I had a bit of fun with it - no surprise there I am sure! I found the pictures online and had to get them. So fun!!

Table Mountain

2011-11-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

Thursday we headed to Table Mountain - one of my favorite places in the whole world!! It was an absolutely beautiful day.

We had fun taking pictures as well.

Thorns

2011-11-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

These are some really LONG thorns. Wouldn't want to run into this tree!!

Wellington

2011-11-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday we visited Wellington, which was located near the retreat center. This is one of the places that Andrew Murray pastored here in South Africa and he is buried here.

We also were able to find the house where he used to live.

BWM Retreat

2011-11-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

I went to the BWM Retreat held in the Paarl mountains. The view from the chalet was stunning!!!

Part of the retreat was sharing ministry updates and prayer requests. What a blessing to spend time in prayer for each other.

Happy Birthday Julie!

2011-11-10T11:31:00.001-08:00

What fun to celebrate Julie's birthday! I spent the night before her big day and we enjoyed dinner, a cupcake, and a movie.

Julie and I shared breakfast at Mugg & Bean and while she was away from the table I was able to arrange a muffin complete with birthday candle. The two waitresses singing were rather quiet but it was still fun! They came up from behind her so she didn't see it until it was right in front of her. FUN!!

After our breakfast we were joined by some friends from Julie's church. They all enjoyed steaming cups of coffee . . . how do people drink that stuff?? I had to head to Cape Town for a BWM Retreat but I know Julie had a wonderful and busy rest of her birthday.

Guest Speaker

2011-11-10T11:28:00.001-08:00

Neville and Joy Steele were a blessing when they came and Neville preached for the service. He was one of three Neville's at church that Sunday. Funny enough we had Neville and Joy as well as Neville and Joyce. After church we enjoyed a delicious lunch of Fish and Chips down at the Knysna Heads.

Um, Really???

2011-11-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

What do you think of this chair cushion?? You really never know what you are going to see! (Oh, and yep this was my seat . . . . )

And here is the sign on the men's bathroom door . . . interesting to say the least!!

Feeding/Fun Club

2011-11-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

Please continue to pray for the feeding initiative/fun club which is held in the Ntinglani township. Pastor Ngesi is returning after having to go and get some training so he can find a job here in Knysna. I'm looking forward to getting back into our weekly feeding program. These children are so precious and I long to see them accept Christ!

Missionary Guests

2011-11-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

October has been missions month here along the Garden Route. What a blessing to have the Donovan May family in our services sharing their ministry. I really enjoyed spending time with them and their children are adorable. Please pray for them as they serve the Lord here in South Africa!

A Beautiful Sunset

2011-10-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight on my drive home from George I saw some amazing colour in the sky. I just had to stop and get pictures! Awesome!!

I loved that I could even see this beautiful sunset in my mirrors!!!

New Feeding Program

2011-10-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

We had a great group of children for our first feeding/fun club. We are meeting in the shipping container which has been moved to the Ntinglani township. The Ngesi's have started a new church, Community Baptist here in Ntinglani and meet every evening and Sunday mornings for services. This is one way they are reaching out into this community. They also feed ePap on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I am teaching a Bible story which is interpreted by Pastor Ngesi.

After the lesson the children were fed pilchards (sardines). This is an excellent source of needed omega oils.

The pilchards are cooked into something like a soup which the children eat with bread. They LOVED it and slurped it down!!!!

The children enjoyed their koolaid. The children from the Rudolph's sending church sent us koolaid packets for this ministry. What a blessing!

The Ngesi's little boy is adorable.

I was SCARED!

2011-10-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, I was terrified. I walked into my room and jumped in fright. There on my floor was a very creepy bug. I have learned how to deal with these things.

I headed to the kitchen and grabbed my weapons of destruction. Oh yeah, I keep Raid on hand at ALL times and of course paper towels are a necessity. I headed back into my room ready to take care of this intruding creature!!

I bent down to spray and realized that my creepy creature was actually a piece of string. Yep, I was scared by a piece of string . . . I do believe I may be losing it!!

New Bible Study

2011-10-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

While I was gone Dave started a Tuesday night Bible study. It is exciting to see a group of people (most of which do not attend our church) gathering to study God's Word. Please pray for this study and those who attend. God is working here in Knysna!

A Gift . . . . or Not!

2011-10-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

I had a package waiting for me from my friend Naomi. She sent me some extra special "treats" that I haven't been able to allow myself to eat. I suppose I could just save them forever. Or share them with others (with a lack of eating them on my own part.) Now some of my readers may end up wishing they could come and "share" theme with me. Are you one of those readers? Or are you with me on saving them FOREVER!?!?!?!?!

What are they you ask???

Keep scrolling down and you will see . . . .

Almost there . . . .

Here you go ~~~

Want some???

Welcomed Home

2011-10-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

My blogging has been dreadfully sporadic lately. I'm so sorry - I'm trying to get back into a normal blogging routine rather than a dizzying amount of blogs all at one time. But until I get back into that routine . . . well I'm just trying to get caught up. So . . . on to my topic. It was wonderful to get home after being gone for nearly a month. After dinner at the Rudolphs I headed home to get unpacked. Julie had gotten me flowers to match my room. I love them!!

Sticker Shock

2011-10-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

Whenever I get back from America I go through a bit of sticker shock. I thought I would share it with you. This is at a better than normal exchange rate right now. The fluctuating exchange rate makes a missionary's life interesting. Just imagine your normal pay changing every single time. That is how it works for us. But back to my sticker shock - let me know if these prices seem normal or whether or not they seem steep to you???

A basic non-stick pan - only R 220 which is about $ 30.

This nicer T-fal non-stick pan - only R 325 which is about $ 45.

A plastic laundry basket - only R 75 which is about $ 10.

Corning Ware dish - only R 465 which is about $ 60.

This recliner (which is quite comfy) - only R 4999 which is about $ 650.

This Pyrex dish - only R 149 which is about $ 20.

This beautiful Dutch oven - only R 1739 which is about $ 230.

And this chaise lounge - only R 4999 which is about $ 650. (Yep the same as the recliner!!)

A Busy Weekend

2011-10-18T04:35:00.001-07:00

Friday night began a prophecy conference in the Oupad Township. Pastor Mark and Pastor Mark, Jr. were the speakers. I went to the Saturday morning meeting. It had to be shortened because there was a funeral in the township and most people attend.

I took the Ngesi's son out since he was getting a bit noisy. (I don't know how to spell his name - need to learn that!) He is adorable - a little older than Ben and a bit bigger.

The church really does look great. And the second picture is of the handmade fence around the property. (These are very important in the township.)

This is the Ngesi's home next door to the church.

These two boys went walking by and let me get their picture!

The township is definitely an interesting place. I can never fathom how people live in these types of homes.

It was exciting to be back at Lagoonside Sunday morning. We had a great group of people and Pastor Mark preached for us. I taught Sunday school and had a lot of fun with Nichole and Matthew. (But I forgot to get a picture - oops!)

Sunday afternoon was another combined service in Sedgefield. Dave counted about 130 people in attendance!

The Lakeside choir sang a special - this choir is directed by Peta and they did a great job.

A group from Lubabalo Baptist Church (from the Oupad township) sang a special. It was AWESOME!!!

Pastor Mark did two sessions on prophecy - finishing out the prophecy conference. His wife Judie sang a special.

Flying Home

2011-10-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

Having a window seat means you can occasionally get some really cool pictures. I didn't get any pictures of my Philly to Washington flight. (I had left my camera in my bag . . . oh well!) So these start with taking off out of Washington.

Landing in Dakar very early in the morning.

I love the clouds!

Approaching Joburg . . .

And landing . . .

Ah, a beautiful sunset in the city of Joburg. Saundra was so kind to come and get me and allow me to spend the night at her house for my layover.

My flight to George was spent talking so there aren't any photos. My seat mate was friendly and talkative. (And my camera was in the overhead storage bin again - oops!)

Thank You

2011-10-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you Paul and Shannon for buying me a ticket and allowing me to come home. I fell in love with Benjamin and cannot wait til furlough to see him again. It was so special to meet him while he is still little, cute, adorable, amazing, fun . . . I could go on and on and on. I love you both!!

And I love you too Benjamin. (This is Ben laying on my bed my last morning there.) Miss you buddy!!!!

Mmmm, Cracker Barrel

2011-10-18T04:15:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we stopped at Cracker Barrel - a favorite of mine - and had a delicious lunch. Mmm, so delicious!! (Maybe one day a Cracker Barrel will open up here . . . one can dream you know!)

Mom didn't want to share the boy at all!! (But she did cause I made her!!!)

Dad had fun helping Ben make funny noises.

And somehow poor Shannon stayed away from the camera.

Two More Cuties

2011-10-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

The Saturday before I left my cousin Jared and his wife Sarah came to visit. They then left to celebrate their anniversary and we watched their two adorable children. Jade loved the dogs. I also thought it was cute how she just sat on Lee's feet to watch Looney Tunes.

I thought a trip to the park would be perfect.

(Jasper had more fun climbing back and forth over this curb than anything else - he did it over and over and over!)

Sarah was glad we allowed them one ration of water to share. These two had fun playing in the dog kennel though Samson and Gimli were not impressed!!!!

Oh, and of course I couldn't forget Ben now could I??

More of Ben

2011-10-18T03:54:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to do this but I just had to - more pictures of Ben. Trust me I have even more!!!

The Skype Confusion

2011-10-18T03:45:00.001-07:00

While in America I enjoyed being able to talk to my friend Bekah on Skype using the video. I had Ben on my lap so Bekah could see him. This was definitely a new thing for Ben!

Ben was certainly confused how Bekah got into my computer.

He is definitely an adorable little boy!! (And of course I am not biased at all!!!!!)

Cranberry Festival

2011-10-18T03:40:00.000-07:00

One of my Saturdays was the Cranberry Festival close to Paul and Shannon's home. We had a good time looking at all of the different stalls, tasting food, seeing old cars, and enjoying a lovely fall day. In my thinking there was a profound lack of cranberries for this supposed Cranberry Festival.

I thought this old church was beautiful - what do you think?

Ben doesn't look extremely impressed with his pretty halo!! Ha ha!

A Visit

2011-10-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

My cousin Jared's wife Sarah came to visit me at Paul and Shannon's house and brought her two adorable kids. Jasper and Jade are so cute. It was great to spend time with Sarah in person not just through facebook. She and Jared are coming Saturday for a picnic and it will be good to see them again!

Ben's play thing was too much fun to pass up - so all three had to climb in and have fun! Not sure Ben liked them doing that though - ha ha!

Sunday

2011-10-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

Shannon and I went to Wayside on Sunday morning. They had a guest speaker - Bro. John Bishop who has an amazing testimony. It is always a blessing to visit my family at Wayside. The ensemble did a good job!

Yup, He is Loved

2011-10-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Not hard to see this boy is loved by everyone - especially Grandma and Grandpa!!

He's just so cute!!

Visiting Friends

2011-10-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

One day while Paul and Shannon were in town we went and visited the Foltzs. They are family friends from when I was a young child. They live in a beautiful log home that they built themselves. (I LOVE this house!) Paul used to spend a lot of time with Mr. Foltz's parents and was very close to them. It was a wonderful visit!

Grandma and Grandpa don't mind holding Ben one bit!!

Visiting Johanna

2011-10-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

I was able to spend a day with Johanna while I was home. After school I also enjoyed some time with her five adorable children. Sadly Johanna doesn't allow photographs of herself (with the threat of embedding some virus on my blog or something like that - and her husband does work with computers so I fear that!! Ha ha!) Thankfully her children are fair game!!

Ben and Auntie Amy

2011-10-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

BEN!!

2011-10-04T18:02:00.001-07:00

Paul and Shannon

2011-10-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

Before the pictures turn into all pics of Ben or Ben and myself here is two of my brother and sister-in-law. Thanks you guys - meeting Ben has been amazing!

I'm in Love

2011-10-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

Benjamin stole my heart and I absolutely love him!!! (And am teaching him to love or at least deal with the camera!!!)

He's Coming

2011-10-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

My nephew was supposed to come on Wednesday but I was surprised to find out he was coming on Monday! Woo hoo - too bad this shirt wasn't in his size . . .

More Interesting Things

2011-10-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

I guess hotels in America aren't as clean as I always assumed they were . . .

Only in Hagerstown (or any other rather hickish area of the country I suppose!!!)

Thankfully my nephew arrived and became a better picture opportunity or I would probably have a lot more posts about "strange things"!!!

Sunday

2011-10-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning I went to my parent's church and enjoyed the fellowship at the potluck lunch. I somehow forgot to take pictures . . . weird I know! Sunday night I went to a supporting church in Winchester, VA. My aunt, uncle, and cousin (and family) attend this church. Two of my cousin's boys sang with the children's ensemble. They did a great job singing parts for the first time.

I'm in America . . .

2011-10-04T17:37:00.002-07:00

And I am sorta going through a bit of culture shock . . .

I was literally excited over the produce section of the grocery store. The apples were SO shiny and looked so good! I had to find the person who worked in that department and let him know how good it looked! (And of course take a picture!)

It must be deer season here! This was in town - you don't see stuff like this in Africa!

Hardboiled eggs already peeled - really????

Peanut butter to go??? Really??

Getting Ready to Go

2011-10-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

My brother and sister-in-law bought me a ticket to come home and meet my nephew. Of course I was thrilled to go! I wanted to vacuum my floor before leaving so I put everything up on my bed. That is way. too. much. stuff! But it all fit into the suitcases which is what I needed.

This is the waiting area for all six gates at the George airport. It was the beginning of a long two days that ended with seeing my family.