Today was the most amazing day yet. Got to
Rehoboth at like 8:15 and got to hear the devotional and singing again...so good. The Auntie that sings has a voice like I've never heard. Doesn't sound like
aretha franklin or other big black ladies, but it's just different. The
vibrato and the tones were so pure and just unique. Ah. The rest of the the morning went the same as yesterday. I told the story of Jonah, then we made wales out of paper bags. They weren't to into it. These kids are just amazing. I'll name a few.
Mpilo (pee-
loh),
Nosipo, Lucky Joshua,
Aphiwe (a-pee-way), Sampson,
Lebo,
Siya,
Vuyo,
Namcle,
Mbongeni,
Londiwe, Brightness, Happiness, Nathan,
Yaya (the last two are Alfons and Yvonne's kids),
Namsile,
Samke, and many more. Then we just played again. They loved the balloon animals so much.. They all wanted swords. Then we left for the
Kulah Club, which was out in a village by Lake eland. It was run by Pastor Joseph who led a village church there. It was
surrounded by mountains and plateaus and trees..I took pictures. They just aren't loading yet. It's an all day program that provides meals for children, parents, and just fun and protection for kids of all ages and sizes. We got there around 1:30 and there was like 100 kids there. Most didn't speak English, but it didn't matter. Our adult team had been there all day and yesterday so they were playing and singing with them. So we just played and held kids for awhile, then Joel and Courtney warren started to pass out stickers so I offered to help and they swarmed.
All just holding up their
lil hands to me like I was holding life and they wanted some. These stickers were barely the size of a fingernail but it made their face light up and brought so much happiness. I wanted to cry. I was just peeling and sticking and praying for them with all of my heart. The older girls who were holding kids who they most likely care for all the time would hold up the little ones hands and then walk away.. I called them back and gave them one too and they just looked at me with the most thankful eyes. Overjoyed
because they got a piece of sticky paper with a few colors. This was blowing my mind. Because of AIDS, parents are dying, leaving 4 or 5 kids usually to fend for themselves. The older one takes over the role of parent, and when they die, it
carries on as such. The adult team got to go out into the village and see a home the size of room where a 13 yr old girl was caring for 5 kids on her own. Her house had been destroyed by a flood that came through,and the church had built a new one, but it was so small, but huge to her.
As the day there was ending There were a few kids who had latched onto me and I them so we were just walking around, then there was about 10 older women who helped there and they started to sing and dance so loudly and everyone gathered to watch and sing along. It was so amazing. We all danced and sang songs in Zulu. Pastor Joseph walked over to me during this and just said to me so sincerely, "We will NEVER forget your visit to us. You are sent from God" over and over again as these women praised God in Zulu around us. God's presence was so overwhelming. I asked him what they were saying, and he said "they are singing 'There is no one like our Jesus". The kids I was holding on to were fighting over my hands and when I looked down I saw that one girl who like 5 was taking her stickers off her hand and putting them on mine..She looked into my eyes and was just smiling so big. Those stickers she's waited about 30 minutes for, and that made her so happy, she was placing on my hands, and smiling with more joy than before. This made me lose it.. I bent down and just hugged all 4 of them to my chest and cried and prayed and was just so happy and sad at the same time..
The women continued to sing and the children would harmonize and I just stared at the sky, and the hills surrounding us and was just so..full. Some of the happiest tears I've ever cried. Then Pastor Joseph got up to pray, and he prayed in English first the most passionate and sincere prayer I've ever heard. He prayed for Jesus to be their portion, and nothing else. We left there very uplifted. Praise God today...man
Then we got to go on a safari drive through the Game reserve we were staying at that week and it was soooooo freakin neat. We saw 5 Zebras, 3 real non zoo like Giraffes, lots of Springbok and eland, and other deerish creatures, wart hogs, some birds and lots of gorgeous mountains and trees and nature. Then we went to the suspension bridge that goes over the Oribi gorge and across the deepest place in South Africa. Hoooly nuts. It looked like the bridges that always break in the movies.. HA. So awesome though. Took lots of pictures. The sun was setting as we pulled away and it was the perfect end to a perfect day.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, is our last day here. It's been such a ride. Such joy out of such sadnes.. We are being blessed as much or more than we are blessing these people. Isn't God just amazing. I'm so glad this week came when it did. My heart is healing, but I'm afraid of going home and wounds reopening..but we'll cross that gorge when it comes..
Katy
