First of all everyone says hello to their families and loved ones. We’ve not been able to get everyone onto the internet here, but want you all to know they are safe and healthy and having an amazing time. We are reading the comments on the blog so if anyone wants to specifically say a hello or something to any members on the team it would be good to post a comment on the blog comments so I can tell them your greetings.
We went back to the center and enjoyed another day with the Children’s Community. The children were just wonderful and so excited to have us back again. We’ve been able to teach the kids and teachers new things and provide something outside of their daily routine. It really makes such a difference for them to have constant activities going on that it makes it hard not to feel badly when we leave. There are close to 50 children on any given day at the morning program and then the afternoon group. The center is certainly put to great use. It can be very cold here in the mornings as I’m sure you’ve gathered by our pictures… we are all bundled up… so we’ve been trying to find ways to keep the kids warm especially if we’re planning outside activities. It has been really amazing to think that places like the center and the other programs here are non-profit charities… so most of the people here are volunteers and are at the mercy of donations for crafts, games, and books. Basically all the items the kids and most of the adults come from donations.
We continued onto the Christian Academy in Bulembu for the afternoon and broke up into small groups to go to the classrooms. The school was able to host the academy in an old building that was used for cows. They spent a year fixing up the building to work as a new space for the school. It is settled into the hillside across from our house in a beautiful location with three long buildings, a field, and playground. The kids attend all the regular academic studies and also are required to go to singing, dance and theater classes. All the children have uniforms and a smile on their face! The children are so excited for school and enjoyed performing their routines and class assignments even while we were there. The teachers are all from different places and are very passionate about their jobs. It felt really good to give them a bag or two of donations pens and such for the schools use. We were all so impressed.
My favorite part of watching the team is during playground time…. Well maybe the kid’s tooth brushing time too, that’s a whole other story. But when the kids go to play out on the playground some of them go running over to the play structures, but most of them just go running up to one of us grab for our hands or our coats and just want a little love. They are so full of trust and love towards what we would call a stranger it’s amazing to look them in the eye and give them a little hug because that’s all they really want from us.
Coming here on mission may have been a decision some of us were not so sure of. When we started this journey we may have felt moments of guilt or worries of feeling selfish, knowing that others were not able to come along with us. It’s been nice to share those worries and pre-thought with one another and trust in our being here as part of God’s plan. Trusting that our intentions are good and that we come here to share love with the children and learn from that experience to bring out in the world. Having the awareness and awakening as to what is possible in a community for the people and sharing the successes of that is what we will be able to bring to the table when we go home. The big lesson today was: Come to God as you are and be an honest person in your walk with your vision and mission no matter where you are.
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