This month I had the priviledge of working at two after school programs twice a week through an organization called New Chapter Foundation.
At the first location we did games, read books and really just tried to love on the kids. Most of the kiddos came from broken homes, places of real darkness and sadness. Some kids didn't have a dad, others no mom's, some had upwards of 5-6 siblings (sometimes more)!
Going to Lotus River was a time of breathing life into the kids, of bring them joy, playing with them, seeing them smile and laugh, and even teaching them some life lessons. It was great to get to hold, swing, throw, and just play with the kids. The kids LOVE oboe-ski-wat-and-tot. That game where you stand in a circle with your hands in each other's and you slap each other's hands and try to not get out when the count up hits 8. I taught them and they play it all the time. Every time we go, they ask to play and rock it out. It's awesome. I also taught them the game Ship To Shore, which I learned in my girl scouting camp counselor days and they really liked that too.
The second location was my favorite. it was located in one of the many townships http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Township_(South_Africa) of South Africa ::The first link is to pictures of townships, the second to a definition::
At this placement, we also did games like Ship To Shore, though we had to modify the game not to do any of the ground shout-outs since there was glass and other not so nice items laying all around. We also got to continue speaking life into them, imparting them with knowledge of how much God loves them and desires them and wants them to become like him. One day in the second week, we started singing worship songs with them, 4 songs that we did each time we went there, and by the end of our time there they were really into 2 of them, so much that they had basically memorized them and were singing so loudly.
Their voices are SO beautiful. I think a video was taken of them, but I don't know where that's at currently. Once I do, I'll upload it. It melted my heart to hear them sing of God's love and how He has made them BEAUTIFUL. It was unbelievable. Malcolm, our ministry contact there said that they had been trying to get the girls to get into worship songs for the past 4 months and until we came it didn't happen. The amazement on his and his partner's face was crazy. They almost started crying they were so full of joy. It was a magnificent thing!
I'm missing those kids, they will all hold such a special place in my heart!
