Vuvuzelas. A Lot of Vuvuzelas.

Hello all! I know that it's been a while since I updated..sorry, Anna! ;)

In the past week I have been busy, but a good busy! Wednesday we saw a movie for 18 rand each, which is approximately $2.33. MUCH cheaper than movies at home, so we'll probably be going to the "cinema" quite often on Wednesdays. Also, at noon on Wednesday everyone in the Jo-burg area blew their vuvuzelas..i'll attach a picture of one at the bottom of the post...there were also people blowing car horns, sirens, yelling, screaming and dancing..it was all to show support for Bafana Bafana (the SA soccer team).

Thursday, we worked in the baby house. I love those kids so much!! One of big boys walked for the first time! He took about 7 steps through out the day...Susan said that her goal was for him to walk by the time we leave, and she helped him do it! It was fun to be there when it happened, all of the Aunties were so excited about it!

Friday, we worked again..it was such a fun day! Let me start at the beginning, 5:35 am our alarm goes off, first thing we hear are vuvuzelas somewhere down the street..we knew from the start that is was going to a crazy day! Friday was the World Cup opening and you could feel the excitement everywhere you went..we arrived at baby house around 7:00 and the Aunties were blowing vuvuzelas at whoever was walking in the house. They all had on their South African hats, jerseys, flags, face paint, everything! We took a lot of great pictures! Three of the volunteers who had been working there left this weekend, so on Friday we had a party for them. Also, two of our big boys turned 1 so we had another party for that...needless to day I ate way too much junk food between those two parties! haha...then, right before 2:00 one of the Aunties brought a televisions upstairs so that we could watch the opening ceremony and the game. Between all of this we were feeding, changing, and loving the babies..at 4:30 was the kick-off for South Africa vs Mexico..when South Africa scored all of the Aunties started screaming and yelling and blowing vuvuzelas and jumping all through the house..(ps- the older boys HATE the vuvuzelas)..it was so funny! The game ended up being a draw, but a tie isn't bad..so, Friday was a very very busy and crazy day!

It is so neat to be here during this time. This is the first time that this country has experienced this kind of unity and joy. One of the Aunties was saying that in her whole life, she has never seen this much joy. She said that for once, people are not talking about killing each other or racial issues, instead they are coming together for a common goal..it's crazy that something as small as a soccer tournament (yes, i know that it's the World Cup) can bring a fighting country together..We all just pray that it lasts after the games are over..

Last night we went to Lindsey and Ferdi's to watch the USA/England match. It was a pretty tense game, although both teams were having some trouble.. Our goalie was pretty awesome, I must say.. Becca is from England so she was heavily out numbered, but she was a good sport. She was so fun to watch the game with. It was good to relax and laugh with friends.. it feels like we fit here more..

Church this morning..we went to the one that we attended 2 weeks ago..we work every-other weekend, so only get to go every 2 weeks..but it was good, again. Everyone has been kind and welcoming to us. The pastor and some other people from the congregation are gone on a trip to Jordan so a different man spoke. He gave a good message. He spoke from Ephesians 2:1-10. This week I started reading through Ephesians, and I was very touched by chapter 2, verses 1-7.. So when he said to open up to that passage, Susan and I just looked at each other and smiled because I had just been talking about it a few days ago. Isn't it great how God does that? He always finds a way to speak to us, especially when we are listening.............

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:1-10

VUVUZELAS