"God is Real in Red Hill" - Cape Town 2012

Well, I'm back from Cape Town! I meant to update sooner, but jet lag and time change got the best of me at the beginning of this week. Thankfully, I'm pretty well rested and recovered - although I've been waking up unusually early. I want to say "Thank you!" to everyone who has been in prayer for me and the team I served with as we prepared to leave, took off, served, and returned home. It was an amazing experience and God blessed us in so many ways while we were there!


Friday, May 18, 2012


We arrived in Cape Town after many long hours of travelling and headed to our house, Silver Palms, in Fish Hoek, which is just outside of Cape Town. And no, that is not a typo; they really spell Hoek that way. (= As we were riding to the house, we saw wonderful views and more than one rainbow. God was already showing us his promises and blessings the minute we arrived! Once we were at Silver Palms we rested and then sorted through bags of clothes, toys, medication, and school supplies to give to Barcelona Children's Home the next day.

The rainbow we saw on the way to Silver Palms.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

We did some sightseeing in Cape Town and on the waterfront - beautiful! - in the morning and that afternoon we went to Barcelona Children's Home. Barcelona was a great place and the pastor and his wife who run it (Julius and Irene) are extremely dedicated to the Lord, His work, and His love for children. We were able to give them the cases full of supplies and they were very appreciative. They said that they had been praying for medicine (Tylenol, Vitamins, etc) because they did not have enough to last them through the winter - their seasons are opposite of ours - and we brought them one case FULL of medicine. Thankfully, God always provides!

The kids were so much fun! They LOVED our cameras. They all posed for pictures and wanted to take pictures of one other. They were very loving and had so much energy! All they wanted to do was talk, play, sing, and dance. They were awesome jump ropers, dancers, and singers. They sang Justin Bieber. It was hilarious!

A few of the kids at Barcelona

Sunday, May 20, 2012

We went to King of Kings Church whose pastor is the founder of Living Hope. Living Hope is a wonderful ministry in Cape Town. They go into the townships, kind of like subdivisions, within the city and work with the people in the community to educate them about what it means to work, be healthy, and live a lifestyle pleasing to the Lord. It was a blessing working with them!

Oh, we also went sightseeing. We went to the Cape of Good Hope, the most southwestern tip of Africa. We also saw penguins and baboons, no big deal. ;)

Monday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - Afternoons

Monday was our first day in Red Hill! Red Hill is the township where we served. It is a place full of beautiful people! Mondays and Wednesdays were kids club. Wow! They were awesome! After all the kids arrived they began with praise songs. It was such a blessing hearing those kids sing songs to our one true God and His son Jesus! One of the songs they sang said, "God is real in Red Hill!" That was one of the ones they sang the loudest. It was also the one that got stuck in our heads all week! They said the Lords prayer at the top of their lungs and I think that they really meant "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." They sang and prayed with more fire than most "churched people" that I know. It is amazing how when you have so little, you really realize how awesome God is. I think we can all learn a lesson from them; I know I did!

After singing and prayer they split off into age groups. Two other girls and I were with the preschool kids. They were adorable! Most of them did not speak English because most kids are taught English when they start school. Kennedy, the preschool leader, told the bible story in Xhosa (pronounced ko-sah) and Afrikaans. Then, we did crafts and games with them. On Monday, they made masks and Wednesday they made crowns. After that, we gave the kids food and sent them on their way.

Some of the preschoolers. Aren't they cute?!

The crowns that they made.

Tuesday, May 22 and Wednesday, May 23 - Mornings

On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings we went around with Phyllis, who works at the medical center in Red Hill, to deliver information about TB and Diarrhea. We passed out pamphlets, talked to people, and prayed with them. It was really nice to walk around the community and meet more than just the kids. It was a blessing to work with Phyllis, she lives in Red Hill and she and her husband are very well respected in the community. TB is a very serious illness in SA, especially in the townships. In America we get tests done and if we get it, we take medicine. Other than that, there is not much education or emphasis placed on knowing how to prevent or take care of TB. It is interesting to see how different populations and cultures are affected by different things. 

Tuesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 24 - Afternoons

On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons we worked with the Teens. On Tuesday a couple of us shared parts of our testimony and on Thursday we split up into small groups to help lead discussion after the bible study. The teens were awesome! Their group is not much different from youth groups here in the States. Some of the teens were pumped to be there and be a part of the bible lesson, others were just there because their friends were there or they got food after. Sound familiar? Haha. The teens taught us A LOT of dance moves! We taught them how to play Ninja and Karate, classic youth group games. We had a great time with them and it was awesome to see how God is growing them in the environment they are in. It's just extra proof that God can work anywhere!

Playing Ninja

One of the girls in our small group on Thursday

Thursday, May 24 - Morning

Thursday morning we helped clean and decorate the new Living Hope building in Red Hill. We swept, washed, and painted. Most of us girls were able to help paint a verse on the wall. It is kind of a "theme verse" for Living Hope and the leaders at Red Hill chose that one to be on the wall. It comes from 1 Peter 1:3.

Friday, May 24, 2012

Friday morning we went to the main office of Living Hope and sorted through boxes and boxes of donated shoes. A large shoe store in South Africa donated boxes of mixed-matched shoes to Living Hope. We were only a small part in going through to find matches so that Living Hope could use them. We sorted through Men's, Women's and Children's sandals splitting them into sizes, finding matches, and boxing them up. We were able to find some matches. Hopefully, while not the most glamorous or fun job, our work will be beneficial to helping families who cannot afford nice shoes.

Friday evening and Saturday we did more sightseeing of the beautiful Cape Town and surrounding mountains and beaches. It is an extraordinary part of the world with views and sunsets that illuminate the creative power of our awesome God!

I am very thankful for the opportunity to serve, the wonderful team I was able to serve with, and the place where we were. God does amazing things all around the world every day and I feel so blessed to be even a small part of of that work!

Thank you all for the support and prayers. If you ever want to go to South Africa, let me know. I'm sure we could find you a way there. ;)

http://www.livinghope.co.za/

One of the many beautiful sunsets we saw.

Living Hope

Hi Everyone!

Here is a little preview of the ministry that my team will be working with in Cape Town.

http://vimeo.com/37864944

Thanks for the continued prayers and support as we prepare for this trip!

Annie(=

Headed back!

Hello Friends and Family,

Good news! I'm going back to South Africa in May! I will be there for 11 days (May 17-28). I am going with a team of NC college students organized by Baptist Men & Women on Mission (http://baptistsonmission.org/). We are working with a ministry there called Living Hope (http://www.livinghope.co.za/) and will be doing different projects in Cape Town. I am very excited that God has given me this opportunity to serve in South Africa again!

In order to go on this trip I need to raise $2,700 by May 1st. I am confident that where God calls, He will provide. If you would like to give to my trip, it would be greatly appreciated! You can send donations to my church and put a note or post-it with the check or cash saying that it is for me. That way, it will count as a tax write off for you!

Send checks or cash to:

Shoal Creek Baptist Church

1867 E Us Highway 19E

Burnsville, NC 28714

If you cannot give monetarily, prayer support is also greatly needed! This trip will be very different from my last one and it is still half-way across the world! Please pray for my team, my leaders, and myself as we prepare to travel to Cape Town, SA in May.

Thank you,

Annie Sutton

"Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow." -Psalm 25:4

All The Things That Mean The Most.

Quite a bit has happened since I last updated. A week of work, Bruma Market World, packing, service at Barea Baptist, Pilanesberg Game Park, last day of work, and dinner with friends. We had 9 new babies come to door of hope since last Sunday. It has been a great last week!

I went to Bruma with Susan and Emily. It was a lot of fun. We talked to a lot of people. Emily bought pretty much all of her gifts for home. Susan bought an African dress (so great) and skirt. I wasn't going to buy anything, but I got a little statue of a giraffe. I have officially fallen in love with giraffes while on this trip. New favorite animal, just so you know.

Packing was, well, packing. Emily came over and hung out with Susan and I while we got everything together and it was nice. We then had "family dinner" with the Wiggins who were leaving that night. Saying goodbye to them made it more real to us that we were leaving soon. It is crazy how close you can get to people in just a few weeks. The Wiggins are people that I am now so blessed to know.

Church Sunday morning was great. Barea consists mostly of black Africans. They love the Lord with everything they have (which isn't much) and they aren't ashamed to shout, sing, or dance for Him. It was a joyful service full of God's love and praise to the King. I love that church.

Monday we went to Pilanesberg, which is a game park. You can go on a guided safari or drive yourself. We drove ourselves because it was cheaper and we could go wherever we wanted. We were only there for three hours and saw so much. Most of the time people don't see as much all day and we saw in those few hours. The first thing we saw were wildebeest; there were a lot of those all over. We saw quite a few Springbok and Impala. A small herd of either Bushbok or Kudu (not sure which) leaped across the trail right in front of our car. They were magnificent. We saw a good many Zebra. Some of them looked as if they were hugging each other, another looked liked it was dancing. We saw a few Warthogs, adorably ugly creatures. haha. There were hippos that looked like rocks by the water. I kept saying how I wanted to see a giraffe. As we rounded one corner there was a giraffe. I squealed, scaring Susan to death. There were three more down the trail and we took many pictures of them. The whole time Susan and Emily were talking about wanting to see Elephants. As we rounded the last corner before the trail end, there was a herd of elephants in the middle of the road. We all got so excited and took pictures. We had to wait for about 5 or 10 minutes for them to move, but we didn't mind at all. It was grand. (=

Yesterday was our last day of work. It was a pretty good day. The babies were good and mostly happy. It was bittersweet. We loved being there with them, but were sad that it was our last day. We went out to dinner with the other volunteers, Lindsay, and Ferdi. It was very good and nice to have a relaxing meal enjoying everyone's company.

Today is the day we leave. In about 9 hours we will get on a plane and fly to Atlanta, Georgia. I will arrive in Asheville a little before 11:00 AM tomorrow. I am so excited about being home, seeing my family and friends, eating Mom's spaghetti and chocolate cake, and having the comforts of home. However, it will be so weird to be back. I know that Spruce Pine probably hasn't changed much and I know almost exactly what to expect from Mitchell County and even Mars Hill once I go back to school. I'm not the same as I was when I left though. God has taught me so much and has changed my heart in ways that are unexplainable. I know that it will be wonderful to be home; home and school are where God wants me next. I am ready to see what He will do in the next year in, around, and through me. Just because my time here is up does not mean He is finished working in me. I am thankful beyond measure for this experience and the people I have met here. I feel that part of my heart will always be in South Africa, but for now my heart is being called to Western North Carolina.

"I'm letting go and holding close to all the things that mean the most. And it feels so good coming home to all the things that mean the most." -Gloriana.

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." -Philippians 1:5.

"Like the sound of a silent song, oh Carolina, ya keep callin' me home." -Eric Church.

Drawing Maps on a White Board.

I am at the baby house typing this as I end my shift. This is another one of those where I can’t figure out how to start. I have nothing profound or cute or exciting to start it off. So I guess I’ll just start typing….

Last week we worked four nights, exhausting. Two of our babies got adopted at the beginning of the week. As excited as we are that they got a family and we know it part of God’s plan, it still feels as if our babies are missing. No one can smile up with the same big eyes as our “Queen.” (Queen isn’t her name, it is a nickname. We aren’t allowed to use real names.) No one can make the same crazy faces as our “Manny”. On night shift we put out bottles and make milk. We have 10 less bottles to put out. It makes my heart frown, but then it smiles to remember that they are with “Forever Families” who are enjoying their smiles and crazy faces. It’s definitely bittersweet.

As I think about how I feel with two babies getting adopted and leaving I can’t help but wonder how I will feel when I leave. In a week and 2 days, will I be happy to go home? Will I be heartbroken to leave these babies who I love with everything in me? Will I cry for joy at the fact that these babies are taken care of and loved? Will I cry in sorrow because I may never see any of them again? I think it will probably be all of it.

I feel like there is so much more to write. I’ve wanted to write since Thursday, but I just can’t figure out how to word everything so I wait. The longer I wait the more there is to say. It’s a vicious cycle. Now that I have started this will be a long blog.

We’ve been watching Louie Giglio again. This series is called Tattoo. I know that I always talk about how much I love each series, but this one is definitely one of my favorites. It’s all about the mark of Christ and being true Christian. It is so good and truthful. He talked about how we should be holy because God is holy (Leviticus 19:1-2). He also used a section from Philippians about shining like stars in a perverse generation. In that section it also talks about being blameless and pure (holiness). I recently read Philippians and that was one of the verses that stayed with me. He said that as Christians we need to get out of the gray area. We need declare what we are about. We are either for the world or for God. How crazy would that be though? Think about it. If everyone just told people, “Hi my name is so-and-so and I believe in God’s holiness. I stand for truth, justice, mercy, etc, etc.” or “Hi my name is so-and-so and I don’t believe in God holiness. I stand for darkness, worldly pleasure, materialistic items, etc, etc.” You would know exactly where everyone stood. You would know who was on your side and who you needed to reach to. In a way it would be awesome. At the same time, it would be very hard to reach out to those who were upfront about not agreeing with you (it already is, isn’t it?). And I feel that it would create more cliques and good guys vs bad guys thought processes. The point of it wasn’t really that you should go around and tell everyone what you believe. Instead, be aware of it yourself. Tell God if we chose to be holy through Him or if we chose to be a part of the world. Then, let your actions show where you stand. If you believe in justice, act justly. If you believe in truth, let the truth show through your words and actions. If you believe in love, love freely and fully. If you believe in Christ, let him save you and be an imitator of him. Know what you stand for and live it.

Yesterday, we got three new babies. One was a toddler, so he went straight to the toddler house. The other two were put through the “Hole in Wall” and brought to our baby house. They are both adorable. One is about a day old, well two days now, and weighs about 3 lbs. He was a preemie. He is adorable and so tiny. The other is about 3 days, 4 now, and much bigger! Beth brought the second baby around 8:00 last night. When she arrived she told Kathrine (a second time volunteer) that the baby was hers. She got to name it. Kathrine cried, so of course we all cried. That’s what happens when you have a house full of women taking care of babies. Haha. Anyway, Beth let all of us hold him and told us that you could tell he was well taken care of. He had new clothes and a new blanket. The mother obviously loves him, but could not keep him. It breaks my heart for that mom. I cannot imagine how she must feel. I want to reach out to the mothers who bring babies here. They need to know that it will be ok. God loves them and is taking care of their babies. Thank God for giving these babies a second chance. He is their Father and protector. He loves them and has great plans for them. Oh, Kathrine just told me what she decided to name the baby! She decided on Josiah, meaning “the Lord saves,” from 2 Kings. I think it fits quite well! (=

God continues to teach me more each day. The aunties that we work with are full of joy and love. Auntie Loyce, the one we work with most often, is so sweet and funny. She loves having fun and laughing. We talk a lot of the night, even though we sometimes have communication problems. I was trying to explain to her where we were all from and she couldn’t understand exactly what I was saying. So, I took a dry erase marker and drew a map on the board in the kitchen. It was a terrible map! Anyone who has seen my drawing skills knows that it probably just confused her more! It was funny, she kept going “Oh!” when she would figure out where we were and where we all came from. Then she said to me at one point, “You don’t have to wear down with working all the time, auntie. It’s ok to rest.” I smiled and said, “Yes, auntie, I know. I will rest later.” And then I thought about it. I think that I need people to tell me that more often! I am what people call an over achiever. I work and do more than is necessary. People say it as if it is a good thing, sometimes I think otherwise. I don’t have to do everything. It will get taken care of if I sit down. Then a voice in my head goes, “But it would get taken care of sooner if you would do it now. Don’t be lazy, Annie. Get over yourself. It needs to get done, so just do it.” I’m not a fan of that voice. But I have learned this summer, especially last night, that if I don’t do it all it will be okay. If I sit down, it will get done. I need rest during the 13 hour shift. And that is okay. It’s a freeing realization, really. Haha. Thank God for teaching me to rest.

This is a long blog, I told you I had a lot to say! I don’t know how I am going to leave these babies, but I am so glad to be going home soon. I can’t wait to see my family, friends, get a Dr. Pepper and a good cheeseburger, drive the parkway, wear shorts, and enjoy my last couple of weeks of summer. I am so blessed to have been here and to still be here for another week. Oh, there goes the little one’s squeal. It will be a happy morning for day shift. Praise God!

"The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, is holy.'" -Leviticus 19:1-2.

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." -Philippians 2:14-16.

"Calling is where our deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." -Fredrick Buechner.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea.

Cape Town is absolutely beautiful. The whole time we were there I was captivated by God's beauty through the water, animals, landscape, people, everything. There is a much more relaxed way of life there compared to the Jo-burg area. Maybe because it's a coastal city. Perhaps that is universal. Every time we were around water the song "Somewhere Beyond the Sea" would pop into my head. It seemed fitting to put it as the title of this blog.

Day 1:

Beth drove us to the airport. I think that is first time that we have spent time with her alone. It was great. She has such joy and peace that radiates from her. She told us all about Cape Town, one of her favorite places in the world, and we got to hear how she ended up at Door of Hope. Hearing everyone's stories is great. It's amazing the way God works things out.

A taxi driver that was set up by the hostel met us at the airport in Cape Town. He was really nice and informative. He drove us to Zebra Crossing, the hostel where we stayed. The hostel was really cool. It was clean, especially compared to most hostels, and the girls running it were very nice and helpful. There were some neat people there from Germany, Chile, and the US.

After getting settled in Susan and I went exploring. We walked down Long Street, the main part of Cape Town, to the V&A Waterfront. We went into some shops and got some really neat things. I am officially done present shopping, which is good considering I don't have much money left! We ate at a cool place by the water for lunch and then an Italian place for dinner.

When we arrived back at Z-Crossing we were met by a group of about 30 US students working with Campus Crusades. They were GREAT! We got along with them really well and it was very encouraging to hear about what other students our age are doing to serve the Lord.

Day 2:

We were planning to hike Table Mountain, but it rained. We ended up walking down to the waterfront again- we know that place like the back of our hands now. We went into some more of the shops and talked to the owners. It was so neat to hear their stories and how long they had been there. They are so proud of their work and it's good for them to feel appreciated. Their work and their personalities are all part of what makes that city beautiful.

Day 3:

We hiked Table Mountain. Wow, big hike. It took about 3 hours. Of course, we stopped every 3 minutes to take pictures. Haha. It was so amazing and totally worth it. All the way up God's creation and beauty drew you in. I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to be there the whole way up. The last stretch was the hardest, and everyone coming down kept giving us different answers as to how much further we had to go. However, reaching the top was well worth it! They city below was gorgeous and you could see over the water for miles and miles (or kilometers and kilometers as they would say in SA). I opened my Bible once we reached the top and came upon Psalm 9. The first two verses were praising God for everything. It was perfect in the moment. God is amazing and He deserves the praise for all of His creation.

After Table Mountain, we drove to Boulder's Beach and saw penguins! That is what I was most excited about the whole trip. I didn't care if we did anything else as long as we saw penguins! It was great. They were all so cute and waddled around and made cute little penguin noises. Aw! Probably the favorite part of my trip.

We met people from literally all over the world while hiking and at Boulder's. There were people from Northern Ireland, Germany, France, Cameroon, North Carolina, Canada, Cape Town, Thailand, and probably more that I can't think of right now.

Upon returning to Z-crossing after penguins, we sat around and talked to the Campus Crusade students. It was awesome to talk to and get to know them. Fellowship with other believers is always needed!

Day three was definitely my favorite day.

Day 4:

We took a tour of Robben Island. It was a good educational experience. It was really interesting and definitely worth it. We took a ferry to the island and the whole time on the boat I kept thinking about how badly I wanted to fish, I know, not really the point of the trip....

We learned about the history of the Island, the way men were treated there, and how they were liberated.

The African prisoners had it worse than everyone else. They got less food, less of an education, and more labor. If anyone in the prison did not meet the wardens standards or got into trouble, they were sentenced to 7-14 days of isolation with only sugar water and bread twice a day.

In the old cells there were testimonies and things donated by the ex-prisoners that made it to the 1995 reunion. There was so much, I cannot really begin to explain it all. The views from Robben Island were fantastic: water, rocks, Cape Town, mountains, and more water.

After the tour we ate seafood on the waterfront. We had Blue Nose, no idea what kind of fish that is, and it was very good. Then we walked around the festival going on down Church Street in honor of Nelson Mandela Day. It was really neat.

After that, we returned to Z-crossing to get ready to go. We packed our stuff, chatted with the Campus Crusaders, said goodbye, and headed toward the airport.

We had a good flight and met a really nice lady from Cape Town who loves God and is excited to see His work in uniting Africa. Stephanie picked us up from the airport and we arrived safely back to our house around 11:00 last night.

The whole time we were there we were asked for money by beggars. Much like any city, but many of the ones there would follow you down the street badgering you. We did give money to a couple of them and bought muffins for one little boy when we felt led. It was sad, but you can't help everyone and you never know who is legit. Hopefully what we gave helped and it was to the right people.

Cape Town was a great experience. God revealed Himself, His plans, and His beauty to me more every day. I was constantly struck by His awesomeness, power, and creation. I love Cape Town. Maybe I'll go back one day? haha. Only God knows...

"I will praise you, Oh Lord, with all of my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, Oh Most High." Psalm 9:1-2

Heart Problems, A Car Wreck, and God's Grace.

This past weekend was, well, tough. Through it all, God revealed himself through mercy and grace. Thursday, Granny, mom's mom, had valve replacement surgery. Being half-way around the world while it was happening was not a good feeling. She came through it with a great attitude and the surgeon said it went "perfectly." Have you ever heard a surgeon use the word "perfectly" referring to surgery? It doesn't happen often. Praise God it happened this time. She is, hopefully, being discharged from the hospital today and will be placed in a rehabilitation center for a couple of weeks. A woman of her age being discharged less than week after major heart surgery is another thing about which to praise God! I am so glad that she is getting through this with a good attitude. She is strong woman and I admire her.

Not being home with weekend was tough. I wanted to be with my family very badly to help and comfort them. God has a plan for me here and I saw that as I worked Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Those babies need love and this is where I was called to serve this summer. On Saturday I talked to Mom for the first time in a couple of weeks. I cried as we talked for the first time since I found out about Granny's surgery. Crying is needed for healing, I've finally accepted that after 19 years of trying to be strong all of the time. At the end of the talk she prayed that God would reveal himself to me and comfort me during night shift. He definitely answered that prayer. Our big boys were in the best of moods when we arrived that night. They were all giggling and playful. To see their smiles and hear their laughter put joy beyond measure into my heart. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness in the hardest times.

Sunday night I went out with Susan, Emily, and Zoe to eat and watch the final soccer match. We had a lot of fun. It was great to chat and laugh and enjoy each others fellowship after a long week. On the way back our gas light came on and we had to find a gas station. On the search for "petrol" we were talking about God's grace and how He comes through at the craziest times. We found a gas station and I started to turn in. I shouldn't have turned when I did. A car was coming straight towards us and hit the back passenger side of the car. (remember, in SA we drive on the other side, so he hit the left side of the car) We were all shaken up and a little sore and the back door is completely bent in. The amazing thing? We didn't spin or flip, the window didn't break, and no bones were broken. God's grace? I think so. The men in the other car weren't upset with me. The driver made a few phone calls while his brother came over to talk to us and make sure we were all ok. I'm sure I apologized a million times, but he kept reassuring me that it would be ok and all that mattered was that we girls weren't seriously hurt. Emily came outside with me and hugged me. She stood with me while we talked and then prayed before we got back in the car to get gas and leave. Susan stayed with Zoe and got them something to hold on their necks since they got the brunt of the hit. It was rough. I was shaken up and felt terrible for putting my friends in danger. But, God was faithful. His hand was on us the whole time; He never let us go. When we got home that night I noticed the stars. They were beautiful and bright as they radiated His glory. There are reminders of Him everywhere.

You'd think that's it, right? Nope, when I checked my email once I was home I had a message from my dad saying that he was admitted into the hospital for an a-fib in his heart. An a-fib is when the top of your heart beats faster than the rest. Well, then I broke down. This was not ok. Especially not on top of a car wreck an hour before and Granny's surgery 3 days ago! Again, God was faithful. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me an amazing roommate that comforted me. Dad was 100% about an hour later, 6 pm NC time, and was able to go home the next day. I was able to talk to him after he got home. God's grace? I think so.

My aunt sent me a message on facebook yesterday morning. Just a little bit of encouragement and a bible passage. Psalm 34 was exactly what I needed to hear. I have recieved encouragement from friends, family, people in my church, and in south Georgia in the last couple of days, and really all summer. It has been great and so comforting to know that God placed all of these people in my life that are faithful to him and love me.

Basically, I have been more homesick this week than I have been the entire trip. This week, God has revealed himself to me more than he has the entire trip. He will continue revealing himself. Every week, every day I learn more about the gracious God that we serve. I am so thankful that I was given this opportunity to serve him and grow in him.

Something to look forward to, CAPE TOWN!! This Thursday Susan and I are heading to Cape Town to see penguins, the beach, shop, and hike until Saturday. Hooray! We will have so much fun and I'm sure I will blog about it when we return. I cannot wait to see this beautiful place and rest.

Oh, quick update about the baby in the hospital that I watched. I found out that he wasn't actually abandoned. The mother wanted him the whole time, but she didn't have the money to come to the hospital to see/take care of him. If she would've stayed in the hospital she would have lost her job and had no way to provide for the baby. She was supposed to visit on Sunday, but couldn't get there so the social worker just assumed he was abandoned and called DOH. Bad job on the social worker's part for not following up with the mother. However, it turned out for the best because if we would not have sat with him, he would not have been taken care of the way he needed. So, he is now back with a mother who loves him and wants him and is determined to care for him. It helps my heart to hear that. Again, God's plan is amazing and knows what he is doing in everything.

I guess that's all now. Continue to pray for my family, DOH, the aunties and babies, and the other volunteers here. God's grace is sufficient. That's what we all need to remember.

PSALM 34 (NIV)

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

The Heart of God.

I have so much to say, but I'm not sure how to put it into words. I know that whatever I say is only going to scratch the surface of how I feel and what I have learned in the past week...but I'll try...

We started working night shift at the baby house. I actually really like it. It's exhausting being up all night. But, it's more one-on-one time with the babies. Instead of going on a strict schedule we just feed and change the babies as they wake up. We make the bottles for the next day, clean toys, fold laundry, and have some down time. It's nice to be in a more relaxing environment and really give individual attention to the babies.

The cutest thing happened the other night. I don't know if I can explain it right or if anyone else will even realize why it was so cute. It will probably just sound ridiculous... One of our girls always does this thing where she moves her hands and fingers around and just watches them. It's like she is trying to figure out how it all works. I had just fed her and one of the boys. They were laying on a blanket beside one another. The girl started moving her thumb and pointer finger together and then apart, over and over again (like usual). When I looked down again both her and the boy were just staring in amazement at her fingers touching, then moving apart, touching then moving apart, etc etc. I don't know why, but it was the cutest thing. Just watching them try to figure out how it all works with the exact same expression on their faces put a smile on my face.

I found out a couple of nights ago that the baby I watched over at the hospital went back to his mother. It is a good thing because the mom is taking responsibility for her baby and hopefully will be taking care of him. On the other hand, it absolutely breaks my heart. I wanted to be able to see him again and know for sure that he was being taken care of. His mother is the reason that he was sick, she did not care for him the way she should have. It makes me angry and worried. I just keep praying that she is taking good care of him now. Maybe time without her baby made her realize how special and important he is. Hopefully she is taking good care of him and loving him the way she should. That's what I am praying for. I'm also praying that I will not have a selfish heart just because I want him near me. Every baby needs their mom. Everything happens for a reason. My part in his story is complete.

I just finished reading through Hosea. It's great. It gives a clear picture into the heart of God. I mean, one book of 14 chapters can't lay out WHOLE the heart of God, that would be impossible. However, there is so much to learn in those pages. You see God's righteous anger and jealousy. His chosen people that He lead out of Egypt, provided for, fathered, and gave His promises to have turned their backs on Him. They are worshiping idols and giving the grain and wine that He has provided to false gods. They do not acknowledge His ways and the religious system that He created is completely corrupt. It only makes sense that He is angry. Then, there is His love. He is constantly pursuing His fallen people. He does not want to carry out His anger against them. He just wants them back; He wants them to continue to be His. The last chapter is what really blows my mind. Through His prophet, He tells His people that all they have to do is repent, return to the Lord and He will redeem them. That's it, just turn back to God with a humble and repentant heart. It's amazing. Through the New Testament we see that we, as Christians, are now part of the covenant. Because of Christ's sacrifice, we are God's people. His love for us is still that strong. He wants us, every bit of us. No matter what we have done or how far we have turned away and fallen, He just wants us to repent. He wants us to recognize HIM as God and no one/nothing else. I think that is totally do-able. For a people who do not at all deserve any sort of grace, all we have to do is come to Him with a humble and repentant heart, accept God and the relationship he offers. Wow. It's unthinkable, unbelievable. It reminds me of the Louie Giglio (yes, him again) messages that we have been watching. They are actually called "unthinkable." We are made "by God and for God." Not just BY God, but FOR Him. Our life (physically) and our destiny (spiritually) are connected in him. It blows me away.

We now have three nights off. Meaning, real sleep. It will be great, so refreshing! Tonight and tomorrow we are going out with Lindsay and Ferdi before they go visit her family in the states for a few weeks. Wednesday night we are going to an authentic African restaurant with Emily for Susan's birthday. I am so excited! It will be a great week. For now, I just need sleep.

Thank you all for the encouraging comments, emails, facebook messages/comments, etc. It really means a lot to me to have that support, love, and prayer.

She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold-- which they used for Baal.....

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man-- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.....

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion." "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon. Men will dwell again in his shade. He will flourish like the grain. He will blossom like a vine, and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon. O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me." Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Hosea 2:8; 11:8-10; 14:1-9 (NIV)

"[Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."

Colossians 1:15-16 (NIV)

Lions, Babies, and a Sanctuary.

I've been wanting to blog for a few days, but my internet was out. I have so much to say, but don't really know how to say it. Hopefully I'll be able to sort through my thoughts.

We are done working at the hospital. I think the babies came home, but I haven't been to the baby house to see. I hope so, they were so close! As exhausting and disheartening as it was the first couple of days, I am really glad that I worked there. I got to know some of the mothers and prayed with them. One of the nurses was around my age and we talked some. I really like her and she has such a kind heart. Being there just made me appreciate the things we have in America, the medical care and everything. I had to give my baby medicine. If any of the machines beeped, I would have to get up to get a nurse every time. No buttons to call for them and it wasn't like they weren't around. They simply didn't do their jobs. I am glad that I was there to fight for and care for that baby. He really does have my heart now. I've missed him the past couple of days!

On Saturday Susan got sick. I went to the hospital alone Saturday and Sunday. It wasn't that bad. I just stayed with my baby and then fed and changed the other one when it was time. It was kind of nice actually, because it was different and passed the time better. I was also very proud of myself because I remembered how to get to and from the hospital on my own. I mean, I have people I could have called if I needed directions, but I didn't. I was impressed because usually I am TERRIBLE with directions and get lost everywhere. Also on Saturday, I watched the USA soccer game with the nurses in the other ward. The babies were sleeping, so I just checked in on them whenever there was a delay. The nurses told me that since I am here I need to act like them and cheer for an African team. I said, "No, I cheer for America!" Then, one of them starting humming The Star Spangled Banner. She kept talking about the USA and how she wanted to go there. They all kept laughing at me. I was jumping up and down and groaning and yelling the whole time. USA lost and at the end they said, "Sorry, it's just part of the game." I just shook my head and tried to be a good sport. I was very disappointed, however.

Yesterday, we went with Lindsay and Emily to the Lion Park. We took three of our kids. It was so much fun! We saw animals and walked outside all day. It was really refreshing and fun to see the kids' reactions. Most of the babies don't really go out of the baby house unless they go to the clinic or something. It was also, more than likely, their first time seeing animals. They seemed to really enjoy it and it was good for them to be out and about. The oldest boy we took is at the Toddler House; he is 2. He talked a little bit and would point to the animals if we asked where they were. I tried to get him to pet the giraffe, but as soon as we got close he started wiggling in my arms and whining. He loved to look at it, but wouldn't get closer than 10 feet to it. It was really cute. We really enjoyed it and it was good to see Lindsay and Emily after not seeing anyone from DOH for a week.

This morning started out as a great morning. About mid-day, though, I got very tired, discouraged, and homesick for no reason. I honestly cannot figure out why I started feeling that way. We went to a coffee shop to get Wi-Fi and in my email I found a nice little devotion that spoke right to my heart. I get devotionals sent to me from Proverbs 31 ministries. This one was about finding your sanctuary. It talked about how a sanctuary isn't a place, but it's the presence of Christ and the Father. It used a passage from Psalm 73 and Hebrews 6. The passage from Psalms reminded of another Psalm on my friend Karin's Facebook. The passage from Hebrews was similar to one used by Louie Giglio in his message that Susan and I watched this morning. It was another one of those things where I hear something over and over and finally go, "Oooohhhh! Ok, I get it now, God!" I really loved the message that Louie spoke (it's one of my new favorites, called Un-thinkable). When he read that passage I knew there was a reason that I was listening to it. And I had just told Karin the other day that I loved that verse. It wasn't until in the coffee shop that it all finally clicked. Throughout the past week I saw these scriptures and heard others talk about them, but it wasn't until that moment that it finally came together. When Christ died for us, God tore down the curtain in the Temple. We can now go to the Holy of Holies and meet with God and know God. (Hebrews 6 and 9) When our foot stumbles, His love saves us. (Psalm 94:18) If I am disheartened, God is the strength of my heart and my portion. (Psalm 73:26). It's pretty amazing, isn't it? We are definitely not worthy, but God is pursuing a deep, intimate relationship with us. He wants to be our strength and hope. Jesus suffered on a cross as a sacrifice and then rose from the dead to be the high priest so that we might know God. It's crazy. It's "Un-thinkable."

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:26 (ESV)

"When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul."

Psalm 94: 18-19 (ESV)

"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the

purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."

Hebrews 9:11-15 (ESV)

Little Ones to Him Belong.

The past three days have been a blur.. I have gotten approximately 6 and 1/2 hours of sleep since Tuesday at 7:30 am. So much has happened between then and now. Just to warn you, this will probably be a long blog and scattered due to lack of sleep...

Tuesday started out wonderfully. First thing I did was drive as quickly (and safely) as possible to the post office to pick up a package from my mom. The package was perfect, everything I hoping for! Thanks again, Mom! As soon as we got back to the house we got a call from Kate, the director of DOH, asking if we would be willing to work night shifts this week at the hospital with our sick preemies instead of the day shifts we were scheduled for at the baby house. We said yes..it was a bit overwhelming and a quick decision, but we decided that is where they needed us and there was a reason she asked us instead of the other volunteers or aunties. So we have stayed at the hospital the past two nights.

Let's start out with something fun! Tuesday afternoon we went with Lindsey and Ferdi and one of Ferdi's friends to an Irish Pub to watch the Bafana soccer game. It was packed! We had to sit outside and there was a guy at the table in front of us wearing a ridiculous hat, so I had to stretch to see the TV...but it was so much fun. Every time something good would happen in the game, everyone would started screaming and clapping and blowing Vuvuzelas. When something bad would happen, they would all groan and yell at the television. It was great.

Tuesday morning Stephanie drove us to the hospital and told us what to expect while we were there. We also talked about how a lot of our smaller babies were attempted abortions. One of our three month old girls in the baby house, who happens to be one of my favorites, is one of them. Lindsey had told us about that a little bit. She said that a lot women will go to witch doctors or really sketch places trying to get an abortion and a lot of times it doesn't work. The witch doctors usually just give them something to drink or put something on their skin. Then, the mothers won't take care of themselves because they think they had an abortion and the babies end up being born early. It is so sad. We just watched three Louie Giglio sermons using Psalm 139, which I mentioned something about in one of my other blogs. He didn't say anything about abortions, but that is what I think of every time. EVERYONE was fearfully and wonderfully made. His works are good. God doesn't make mistakes; He knows what He is doing each and every time He knits a baby together in a mother's womb. He has a plan for them, their days are numbered. I am so thankful for DOH and places like it that are willing to take care of these babies. These babies just need someone to fight for them. Like Stephanie said, "I just have to be faithful and leave the rest to God. I'm not the one fixing them. I just love them and fight for them the way God calls me to." I am also thankful for mothers who bring their babies to the orphanage or put them up for adoption when they know they cannot care for them. They know at Door of Hope their babies will be taken care of. The ones that put babies up for adoption have faith that they will go to a Godly home.

So, Tuesday night was kind of crazy, we have never stayed alone at a hospital with a sick child. Much less with sick preemies. We had no idea what to do. We talked to Beth and she told us more of what to do. We figured it out pretty quickly. The one I am staying with is a 2 and 1/2 month old boy who weighs about 3 pounds. He is adorable and officially has my heart! The hospital is huge and is not easy to get around. We were parked in the parking garage at 5:57 and didn't get into our rooms until 6:15ish. It doesn't take that long for us to get there now that we know where we are going. The public hospitals here are not well-kept or well-staffed. The private hospitals have more similarities to the hospitals in the U.S. We are at a public hospital. The nurses can be very rude (and if you think you've met a rude nurse before, you would be surprised). They only check on the babies twice in a 13 hour period, when they start their shift and when they end it. They make the bottles for the babies, but they just leave it in the kitchen for the mothers to get. You have to ask for clean linens (we bring our own from the orphanage) and they don't sweep or mop the floors. The bathrooms are disgusting and smell strongly of cigarette smoke. I want to take these babies and bring them to America so that they can be looked after properly. Most of the nurses or doctors couldn't care less about the babies. One of them asked Lindsey last week why she cared and took care of the babies. Lindsey said that they needed love and some one to fight for them. She said the nurse just gave her the oddest look and said, "I don't care. I'm just in it for the money." Isn't that crazy? I mean I'm sure that there are plenty in America that are the same way, but here they don't even pretend to care. So far, I have only seen 2 of the 5 night nurses do anything productive without being asked. The first night there was just the one that seemed to care. It drives me wild, I don't understand it.

Wednesday morning, that was yesterday, right? Sorry, this staying up all night business is making me all confused. Anyway, Wednesday morning Susan and I were both exhausted and not happy. So, I napped and she rested as soon as we got back. Then, we got ready and got in the car to head to Sandton to meet Reggie Bush (running back for the New Orleans Saints) with Stephanie and some others. Our car wouldn't start. We were about to go meet one of the most famous American football players while we were in South Africa and our car wouldn't start. We girls, not happy. More importantly, we were stressing about how we would get back to the hospital that night. We called the car rental place and a couple of hours later they showed up with a Hyundai and took our Toyota away. It's the same color and similar style, but the Hyundai is a bit more compact and cuter. We named it Ariel Boo Belle. (Ariel from the Little Mermaid, Boo from Monster's Inc, and Belle from Beauty and the Beast.) Oh, did you know that our GPS is named Mufasa Rafiki Zazu? We like Disney...sorry, I'm getting distracted. Must be the lack of sleep...We were very disappointed that we didn't get to meet Reggie Bush. Really though, it was nice to be broken down. We walked down the block to the mall and bought a couple of books and some socks and drinks. Then we had more time to sleep before the USA game/getting ready for the hospital. Plus, it's a good thing that we broke down at the house rather than in the middle of Joburg or Sandton or the hospital. God works everything out. Even when we don't get to meet famous people, it ends up being a good thing...hahaha!

My baby is sharing a room with two other babies and their mothers. They are very nice, but sometimes the communication is off. It's hard to understand them sometimes and then they just look at me..then I eventually get it and we all three just laugh. They are very kind people and they love their babies so much, which is great to see! Everyone keeps asking where I am from and why I am here. It surprises a lot of people that I am here just to work with babies for 10 weeks and that I would volunteer to stay in the hospital with them. I have been asked at least

six times in the past two nights if I have kids of my own. To which I reply, "No, I don't" and smile..There is one girl here who is 21, married, and just had twins. She is really strong Christian and it was refreshing to talk to her tonight, I mean last night. She said that it is a miracle that she and her babies are alive right now. Her story is amazing. She was sick during her pregnancy and didn't find out until later that she had meningitis. She also had a brain mass, so she was in a coma while in labor. The doctor said that she would probably never walk or see again, but she is now perfectly healthy. Her babies were born prematurely and caught a virus at the hospital when they came in for surgery. But, the babies are starting to do better and she kept talking about how great God was and how He was in control.

Tonight, well last night, while I was feeding the baby I randomly started singing "Jesus Loves Me." I have sang that song over a million times in my life, I'm sure. It's probably one of the first songs I learned all of the words to. For some reason tonight, though, it just hit me how true those lyrics are.

"Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me...."

I guess it was just the fact that I was holding this "weak little one" in my arms and knowing that He belongs to Jesus and is loved. No, he doesn't have a mother or father like the other babies in the ward. He does have a heavenly Father, however, that created him and put His signature on him. God is strong and the little ones belong to Him. He lead this baby to Door of Hope. He lead me here to take care of him, to fight for him. God has this baby's days numbered. Whether he gets better and lives to be 80, or if God takes him next week, it is part of God's plan for him. I want this baby to get better so badly. He has such a big part of my heart now, even though I've only known him for less than 48 hours. I know God has big things for him, no matter what happens.

"Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdoms cause"

~Hosanna by Hillsong United

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

~Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

"But Jesus called them to him, saying, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall nor enter it.'"

~Luke 18:16-17 (ESV)

By Your Side.

I worked with the babies today! I love them so much! It makes all of the cold, homesickness, and bad coffee worth it! (Luckily, I don't have to deal with the bad coffee much longer because I have an amazing Mom that sent me the good stuff!)

Aaron, one of our "big boys," was crying non-stop all day! He was sick earlier this week and I think that he still wasn't feeling 100% today. He just didn't know what to do with himself. I held him and he cried. I put him down and he cried. He sat in my lap and if I moved at all, he cried. I had to hold him and stand in this certain spot by the window and rock back and forth in order for him to stop. I felt bad because Susan had to keep doing all the other stuff with the big boys, but she told me it was ok because keeping him from crying was a job in itself. In the middle of it all the song By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North came on and I came up with an interesting connection.

Part of the lyrics are "I'll be by your side wherever you fall, in the dead of night whenever you call, please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you."That is how I felt all day. When Aaron fell, I'd pick him up. When he cried, I would try to soothe him. He would get in fits like he was mad at me and would push me away, so I'd give him space. Less then a minute later, though, I would reach my hand out to him because he would still be crying. Isn't that the way God is with us? He's our strength and comfort. Sometimes we push Him away, but He never really leaves. He opens His hands to us every time. We can always cry out for Him and He'll be there.

This is why I am here, to show these babies the love of God our Father. Luckily, I had great parents who showed that to me, but these babies don't have that. Even if they don't understand, it still makes a difference. By the age of 3 children have a foundation and understanding of whether they will be cared for and loved. I think that everything up to that point makes a difference. I can show love to others because God loved me first. I am learning more about God and His character everyday. Through His word or random connections like today. I don't even know if it makes sense to anyone else. It could be one of those "reaching" moments where everyone else is just looking around trying to figure out a connection. But, for me it clicked. I am so blessed to be here.

BY YOUR SIDE -TENTH AVENUE NORTH

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go