**I’m adding pictures to this blog VERY soon. So stand by for that!**
So, I spent the first half of July just outside of Capetown with Team Tandem. We were living with our contacts, and joining them in their children’s ministry for kids in the neighborhood. Everyone calls them Ma and Pa, because they basically parent the community. Kids come to the area in front of Ma and Pa’s house every single day to play and hang out. Ma and Pa, and their daughter Mirna, have started activities for the kids to be a part like the dance team and the choir. They also feed them lunch most days.
What’s really amazing to watch, is the impact that this family is having on an entire neighborhood of children just by giving them a healthy, loving environment to be in. In an area where it is common for girls to get pregnant at ages as early as 12 or 13, Ma and Pa are encouraging these kids to have a healthy childhood. The kids are being discipled and taught. A lot of them come to church because of how much they love being around Ma and Pa.
Ma, Pa, and Mirna are possibly the MOST generous people I’ve ever met. They dedicate their money, food, and lives to this neighborhood. It was an incredible blessing to be with them, and see how they have chosen to daily live their lives as a blessing to those around them.
While I was their, the team did a week long kid’s camp, because the kids were out of school for winter break. It was really fun to get to know these kids, and give Ma and Pa even just a little break.
They also have a 10 year old daughter named Xena that I became pretty good friends with. 🙂 She’s amazing. I can’t wait to see where the Lord takes her! He has huge plans for that girl. I miss her…
The time with the team was great too! We had two extra team members with us that were doing a Real Life Exposure trip. This trip is a month long, and the missionaries are college age. They join up with World Race squads for a month, and become a part of the team. So, I got to spend some awesome time with Team Tandem’s real lifers…Who, by the way, were two amazing women of God and such a blessing to me and the rest of the team.
I cried to leave the ministry and the people in Capetown.
Then…I WENT SHARK DIVING! With GREAT WHITE sharks!!
Ok, so I was in a cage attached to a boat. But STILL, the sharks were RIGHT THERE! It was super cool, and super cold. I think the biggest shark we saw was around 10 feet long. (Massive!) And, one swam up to the cage and bumped it with his nose while I was in the cage. Sooo awesome. 🙂
After that little adventure, I went to Jo-burg for the last half of the month and spent the time with Team Fuego and Team Go There. It was such an awesome 13 days or so of quality time. I got to check in with a lot of people to see how they were doing, and get to know them better.
The teams were with a ministry called “For Good”. It is a website where you can find all the different ministries in the Jo-burg area. People can go on there and find activities/outreaches to be a part of. It’s a pretty awesome concept! The teams got to scout out new ministries that want to be added to the website.
I had a great time with these two teams too! Not to mention, they had 2 AWESOME Real Lifer’s as well. I really enjoyed the time I was able to spend with them. 🙂
All in all, South Africa was a great month!!
Updates from Thailand coming soon. 🙂
