October Happenings

“Being Transformed by the Renewing of my mind”

During the second week of October I attended the second module of the Social Transformation Course. It was great to be reconnected with familiar faces after a 10 week break! The time in between the modules allowed each one of us to process through the information we had been taught, and to use the tools we had been given on course projects...these were then reported to the entire class (check out the previous blog entry for info on my project). I told my teachers after the week, that “If God had me in Cape Town this season to just attend this course...its been worth it!” I'm sorry that I cant quite put into words all that I have learned...I feel as if my eyes have been opened, and I'm learning afresh as situations are put in front of me.

Monthly Road Trip:

In this last season I have been driving once a month to a town called Worcester which is about 2 hours outside of Cape Town. It's a lovely drive along the N1 highway and quite literally straight through the mountains, as there is a 15min tunnel which takes you directly through a mountain range. My companions are Lilian and Thami, who are both social workers with the Warehouses' Care for Kids program. This project partners with churches caring for the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in their surrounding communities. Since neither of these women drive yet, I was asked to be the chauffeur, which has become a blessing as I enjoy our long chats in the car.

Children Bring me Joy:

Jesus continues to bless me with very special outings with children around this city! Babysitting has been a key source of income the last few months and I have been connected with some very special families. I have also been getting lots of time with kids I knew from Tacoma (Jacob, Ariel and Hailey Barker), their family is here on a YWAM DTS, so I often take them on spontaneous excursions...we recently saw Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in 3D! My favorite days are when I go on monthly 'tea dates' with my special friend Vivian Rose. We enjoy sipping hot coco, sharing a muffin and reading books in fun cafes. Check out the latte art from a local coffee shop called Common Ground Cafe...watch out Seattle...these baristas are creating all types of outrageous designs on my foam!

SACS Update:

Each Thursday I continue to volunteer at SACS Pre-Primary school. Last month I had a special opportunity to take one of the teachers I work with to the Warehouse. We sorted donated clothes & shoes together, and I was able to show her what the local church is doing in their communities. This past year I have desired to be a bridge between those at SACS to those in need around the city, so I was overjoyed at her visit that day. Last week the boys had a special introduction day to 1^st Grade: getting a tour of their new building (SACS Junior school), meeting their new teachers and seeing their new uniforms...which they will be wearing for the next 11 years of their life, after the Christmas break! The school year ends on December 11^th, the very day I fly to London...what an honor its been to love on these young boys before they enter the world of Elementary School!

Loved and Appriciated

On the 6^th of October, I drove out to the Sizisa Ukhanyo Preschool in Khayelitsha. It was the first time I had gone on my own and was a significant day for me. I was planning on leading a short workshop for the teachers, as part of my project for The Warehouse's Social Transformation Course. My plan was to teach them about the 'Wheel of Humans Needs' and to get them to think positively about their roles as teachers. I entered the time with realistic expectations as I knew the chaotic environment of the Preschool well (the plan was to share during the kids nap time). I brought yummy iced doughnuts along with me to make the time feel more special and to bless the teachers with a treat.

Once we sat down, I handed out sheets of paper with the wheel on it (translated in Xhosa) and we began discussing the different human needs. I had them look positively at their teaching jobs to think about which of their needs were being met. I've regularly observed during last year that many of them don't act like they enjoy teaching, so I wanted them to look at themselves with greater significance. A few of them responded...but then the discussion took off more as we began to discuss how the children's needs are met each day at the school. It was amazing as we began to pick apart their daily routine and all the teachers were able to see that these various needs (to different degrees) were being met. I was also able to share some of my personal observations of how the kids are being significantly influenced, which I think they found encouraging. After our discussion I went to get a covered surprise that I had brought along with me.

What I uncovered was a collage, full of pictures of the kids and teachers over the last 8 months. At once they started screaming and jumping up and down. Two of the teachers ran up and hugged and kissed me!! They were thrilled to see pictures of themselves and touched that I had made it just for them! It never ceases to amaze me how much South Africans love to get their pictures taken! We laughed together and many of them counted how many times they were in pictures, just like young school girls! It ended up being the hit of the day...and I realized that they may have already forgotten about the truths we had just discussed...but over all they felt loved and appreciated, and that was the greatest accomplishment of all!

Sizisa Ukhanyo Preschool

I continue to drive 45min each Wednesday out to Harare, Khayelitsha to spend time at the Sizisa Ukhanyo Preschool...loving on the teachers and the kids. I am always amazed that God continues to provide different companions to make the drive with me. Earlier this year I drove weekly with two Warehouse interns named Susie and Lara, but they finished in June. So now, there always seems to be someone I can find to travel and serve alongside me on.


As you can imagine, on arriving it is often chaos...a classroom with 3 classes and a total of 100 kids is no quiet afternoon! But, I cherish my hugs and times of play with the beautiful kiddos and the brief but sometimes deep conversions I catch with the teachers. This next week I will be leading a discussion workshop with them (during nap time)...this is going to be my 'project' for the Social Transformation Course I have been apart of at the Warehouse. The purpose of this workshop is to get them thinking about what strengths they bring into their work environment and how they can be further motivated to meet the needs of those around them. I will let you know how it goes!

Pictures always portray a thousand words...so here are some of my favorite from the last month.















Yummy lunch each week - Rice with a veggie soup!











The little 3 year old girls dont have dolls to play with so they attach cars and boats to their backs as 'babies' (just as their mummies put them on their backs)















Another nap time photo...Would be a strange shot if one didnt know its context!