Yes, the Khayalethu boys have returned. The house is no longer quiet, but rather filled with everyone yelling over everyone else to be heard, or the repeative name calling of one individual until he answers. Which is actually funny becuase one will start to yell for another until all of the boys join in trying to get the attention of the one being yelled for. Meal times have been replaced with 23 metal bowls, plastic spoons, and a varity of plastic cups and mugs. The rooms have been occupied, and the younger ones are constantly running out of them becuase they have annoyed the older ones with whom they share the rooms with. The chaos that this house has become within the last 48 hours, is at times overwhelming but, from a lack of a better way to describe it, so good.
The boys names are:
Bronza
Sipo
Deplussi
Craig
Ricardo
Junile
Masiscole
Casiscole
Luyanda
Luthanda
Ayunda
Simba
Anele
Zolani
Mario
Sergio
Joseph
Freddlin
Owethu
Rayston
Melvin
Poena
Poulus
Yes, I am proud of myself, I really have memorized them.
Their ages range from Ayunda who is the youngest at 6, to Ricardo who will 22 in August.
We were warned when we first arrived at the home of the reasons why these boys were placed here, and warned of certian things to look out for, and not to say that we weren’t warned without reason, but with just these last two days, what we have discovered is that the boys are aware of what their society says and thinks of them, and they are desperately trying to not fit that mold. These boys are loving; seeing the older ones play with and care for the younger ones honeslty makes my heart melt. No matter what, they are brothers. These boys are crazy athletic and are proud of their personal accomplishments in soccer, rugby (which is a crazy sport after having Sipo explain the game to me) cycling, karate ( 3 boys earned gold and silver medals in the Netherlands), and running. They are curious about engineering, building things out of whatever they can really get their hands on. They are kind, smart, so funny, mischievous, generous, caring, and so much more. These are good boys, and I have been praying to see them through the lense of who they actually are as opposed to through the filters that others have placed on them. I’m stoked to be here and to just love on them however we can. I ask that you partner with me and just take one of the boys and be praying for them through out these next 2 weeks that we are with them. Pray for whichever boy you choose daily that God just wreck them, that they find Him. That they find the identity, worth, and purpose that only God can give them. I ask that you pray for Team Selah, that the Lord give us an abundance of opportunities to speak truth to them and that we take every chance. Thank you, you guys rock!! These boys rock!! Our God rocks!!!
