Last Post

So this will be my last post about South Africa. I think I have avoided writing it because I don't like that it will be my last. I wanted this post to be a "wrap up" and summary of my experiences.....but I'm only beginning to realize that there is no way to wrap up or summarize all of the amazing things that happened in my year in SA. Out God is a big God and He did SO MANY things in my life and all around me while I was in South Africa. I think I will continue to feel the affects for the rest of my life.

I have learned that:

• Missions is an attitude of sharing Christ's love to those around you....through words AND deeds. Missions is not a "trip." It is something we are all called to be a part of.
• Doing what you think God wants you to do is scary, but so much better than doing things your own way.
• I don't have all the answers and that's ok cause God does....even when He doesn't share the answers with you, He still knows them.
• Being "at home" is more about who you are with than where you are.
• Missionaries feel it when God's people pray!
• God doesn't bless you after you obey. He blesses you in the midst of your obedience. Going to South Africa began as "obeying God" and as I obeyed I was blessed by the entire experience.
• I will never be the same as I was pre-South Africa. Praise God for great changes!

I feel like I have less purpose and drive since I've been home. I hope God helps me to see that I can be a part of His plan here at home too.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. Thank you for praying for my kids and teachers. Thank you for money, materials, books, socks, underwear, clothes, Krispy Kreme, Ketchup, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc!!! Thank you for being interested in how God is working all over the world. I have no idea how many people have read this blog, but I hope you have enjoyed it. I have LOVED being able to share what God is doing in my life over the past year. I will miss having a place to record and share what is happening in my life.

Thanks Again and God Bless!

Home Coming

I am home in VA safe and sound. The flight was uneventful and smooth. Me and all of my luggage made it to VA with no major damage or concerns. I was greeted at the airport by my Dad and 5 great friends. They had posters, horns and flowers for me. They also had those plastic visors that you get from the dollar tree. They turned these upside down and wrote the letters of my name on each visor so that when they were wearing them, they said AMBER. It was so fun to walk out of the terminal to such a greeting!

After a quick trip to Walmart to stock up on soap, shampoo, etc I showered and went to my grandma's house for lunch. American Chinese food is so much better than South African Chinese food!

I got a good nights sleep (Praise Jesus!) and after a little drama trying to find my dress for my interviews, I had 2 interviews. They went well and I am now gainfully employed as a 4th grade teacher. Ahhh....4th grade! That's going to be quite a change from Kindergarten/preschool.

After the interviews, I went home, unpacked a little and went to church. I thought I was going to speak to the youth about my trip. But I was surprised with a "Welcome Home" party instead....how sneaky! Wow, what a blessing to have people so glad to have me home!

My To-Do list is growing shorter and everything seems to be going smoothly. The transition back to the US couldn't have gone any better. God is good and I'm glad to be home.

I plan to write one more blog as a wrap up of my experiences in South Africa..so stay tuned just a little while longer.

A few photos

Im too tired and overwhelmed to really post anything at this moment. Here are a few photos.

To Do List

A lot of things are going to be happening in the next few weeks. Im having a hard time prioritizing what to focus on each day. At this point Im just taking care of the things that HAVE to be tackled at the moment. I'd like to get a jump start on some of the things on my list, but I'm having a hard time thinking beyond the immeadiate to-dos. Here is the list in the best chronological order I can figure....

Finish thank-yous for TLC Staff
Pack
Say Goodbyes at church
Print the curriculum (Which is finished!!! Praise God!)
Pick up a few remaining odds and ends
Get on the plane
Land, settle into my house and see family and friends!!!!
2 Interviews (The day after I arrive home!)
Kingsfest
MC2 (church camp for a week where I am a missionary on staff)

Those are the highlights. Im sure there are other minor details in there. The list looks short, but they seem REALLY big from this side of the list. Hopefully as I go through the list I will be able to take it one thing at a time.

I'm excited to be coming home! And Im excited that my to-do list has a time limit.....at a certain point all of the things will get crossed off wether I get them done or give up on them! hahaha Pray that I get them all done!

Street Corners

There are many people on the street corners in Jo'burg. Some are trying to sell you something. Some of them are begging. Some of them want to wash your windshield for a little money. It can be overwhelming at times to be constantly bombarded with sellers, beggars, washers and random other people at the stop lights.

The people that really get to me are the mothers sitting on the corners with their children begging for money. Often the kids are crawling and walking in the median strip making me nervous that they are going to fall into traffic. There are days where I've seen the same people sitting out on the corners for hours....with their children. What child wants to sit by a busy street and beg for money? It breaks my heart. It makes me mad that these women are teaching their children to beg. It overwhelms me to think that if I give them 5 rand they will be able to buy a loaf of bread today, but there is no way to provide for them tomorrow. It’s like putting a band aid on the problem. The little change I give them doesn't really help them in the long run. And it even encourages them to stay on the corners and beg and repeats the cycle of poverty.

I must be honest and admit that there are many days when I can drive past these people and not really think about the poverty they live in. I've gotten so used to seeing them, that I don't really see them.

Today there was a mother at one stop light who had her baby strapped to her back. But this mother wasn't begging. She was trying to sell pens and nail clippers. I've seen her before and bought a pen from her once. I like that she is trying to sell things to make a living. Her child is seeing her work hard to provide for them. Today I was pretty far back in the line of cars. The woman didn't get near my car until right before the light turned green. As she walked down the long line of cars, she had a pretty smile on her face. She said good morning to the people who had their windows cracked open. She was polite and friendly.

Then the light turned green, so I went. Had she made it 2 more cars I would have bought a pen from her again. I was about to brush it off as I usually do when I see people on the side of the street, but then I looked in my rearview mirror and saw her face. Her smile was gone. She looked tired. Worn out. Like she was about to lose hope, or had already done so. And my heart broke. I just kept thinking "Why didn't I stop and buy something?" Sure, the cars behind me would have been mad. I probably would have heard a bunch of horns beeping. And I would have another second rate pen littering my already dirty car. But perhaps, just maybe, if I had bothered to stop and help her she wouldn't have felt quite so weary and hopeless. I kept thinking "Whatever you do for the least of these you've done unto me"....and I didn't take the opportunity to help "the least of these" because a stop light turned green! Sometimes my stupidity amazes even me. Good thing our God is a God of second chances...and third and fourth and ten hundredth chances. Hopefully the next time I have the opportunity to help someone, I won’t let the chance pass me by.

Reflections

I will be leaving South Africa in 8 days. I am very excited about going home. I've heard from a few principals about potential jobs, I have a place to live and a car to borrow until I can buy my own. I'm looking forward to being near friends and family, being able to make a phone call without figuring out the time difference and having access to Dr Pepper. Its funny to me that other than people, the things I miss the most are food related. I could gain a lot of weight when I get home if I give in to all of my cravings. I suppose when I was living in the US I could indulge a little at a time, but since I've been in SA I have not been able to indulge in small pieces. I could be in real trouble when I get home if I give in to all of the cravings. hahaha

But as much as I'm looking forward to going home, I am really going to miss the people here. I often have a hard time seeing what I have done while I've been here. Some days I feel like I haven't accomplished much. But when I think about what God has done while I've been here, I feel like LOTS has happened. The teachers have the things they need to teach. The toys are not broken and dirty. The teachers have a different attitude towards punishment. The teachers plan ahead and include Bible stories every day. The teachers have learned to ask for what they need instead of living without necessities.

I've seen the kids grow, mature, learn colors and shapes. I've heard them praise God spontaneously, sing songs in Zulu about how great God is, and retell Bible stories with great detail.

I've been able to given out clothes, money and food to people in need. I've rejoiced in the the packages and gifts sent from the US that met our needs. I've been blessed to be the one to get to give out socks, shoes, underwear, clothes, toys and books all sent from people at home.

The curriculum I have been writing just needs a few more tweaks and it will be done. I'm excited to have a nice fat folder with 12 months worth of lesson ideas to prove to myself that I've actually been working while here in SA.

I've heard so many people say "You are so brave." Or "I could never do what you have done." I don't feel brave. And I could never do what I have done if I didn't know for sure God wanted me here this past year. I wish all of my choices in life were as clear as when I felt called to come to SA. It's been a year of many blessings and many heart aches. I wonder what the next week will bring....

Good Bye Party

TLC had a goodbye party for me today. It is a week early, but next week is Vacation Bible School. Instead of saying goodbye to a bunch of neighborhood kids at VBS, we went ahead and had the party early so I could say goodbye to just the TLC kids.

They went all out on the food. Cake, pie, chips, juice, and my favorite Milk Tart. The kids thought it was a birthday party and were really confused when I started crying. The kids sang some of my favorite songs (including "I have decided to follow Jesus"!!!) The teachers had nice things to say. And they sat the 2 naughtiest kids beside me at the table of honor. Nomfundo and Sunday are my "friends" because I love them even when all the other teachers are fed up and cant stand them one more minute. What can I say? I have a soft spot for the naughty ones.

I'm going to have a hard time leaving these kids. They are great. For example:
The other day I picked up Kanyiso and as I was picking him up into the air he raise both hands in the air and said "Yeah Jesus!" Out of the blue, random praise! He is so clueless sometimes, but he knows the important part.

And today Paige was doing a video clip of a little 4 year old boy. She asked his name, age, etc. Then she asked "Who is Jesus?" Siyanda replied "Jesus is God." If he knows that, then TLC is doing its job well. Praise God! What a privilege to have been a part of that.