This time I'm going to share about my experience photo-journalism style. Less words, more pictures!
Friday - Sunday
CVG > ATL > ORT > DUR = 40 hours of travel
Stayed overnight in Johannesburg but I hardly slept.
It was so good to see Phillip & Clive again!
Sunday
Stayed in gorgeous condos on the Indian Ocean and kept forgetting I was in Africa.
Does this look like Africa to you?
Monday
Drove an hour into sugar cane country in thick fog to reach the preschool site.
Sanded down, primed, and painted the inside of two shipping containers
to be used for storage and a classroom.
to be used for storage and a classroom.
Tuesday
The day was much clearer and warmer than the first day so we could actually see the preschool site.
It ended up being so hot and windy we had to leave the site a few hours early.
Wednesday
Played games with primary school kids, just next door to the main preschool site.
Spent the morning packing 10,000 meals for the primary school and locals.
Thursday
Visted the second preschool site down in the valley of the for a few hours
(and took all the credit for the other team's work for the week).
BTF built a physical building at this location because it's too remote to drop shipping containers in.
The littles at the second site sang and danced for us.
Tuesday - Thursday
Got roped into planning and producing a mural because of my design background.
It took 3 days but didn't turn out half bad.
Before
During
After
Friday
Went on a game drive at Thula Thula resort, the place "The Elephant Whisperer" was based on.
Tahbo, the friendly rhino, befriended us all, much to Phillip's delight
Saturday
The flying cheeto plane we took in and out of Durban.
Miscellaneous
Overall, this trip was not the exciting, so-glad-I'm-back experience I thought it would be. I mysteriously injured my hip and glut about 6 weeks before so the pain and discomfort took a lot of my attention away from the trip. I felt embarrassed explaining that I couldn't paint squat to paint down low and sad that I couldn't dance or run around with the kids. The weather was mostly overcast and cold and I felt nothing like myself. I pushed through the best I could but it's still disappointing to recognize how much I held back this time.
However, I've been learning a lot about myself through this injury (still working through it). Struggling with pain, fear, loneliness, and grief has forced me to think more deeply about the circumstances of the people I came to visit. Do they have medical options when they're hurt? What daily fears are they up against? Who do they run to when they're lonely? How do they overcome overwhelming obstacles?
The answer to all those questions for me has been Jesus. I'm not going to wax poetic here, just state that in this confusing season of life my first and best option is to cast all my cares on the great healer and ask for everything I need. It doesn't mean I don't get resourceful (currently visiting a chiropractor, orthopedic, and physical therapist) and look for answers, just means those things aren''t my first move every time I'm on the edge of despair.
In other news, it's going to be a busy year because I'm leading a young adults trip to South Africa in August! The good news is that I'm fully funded so I won't be asking for financial support. The sobering news is that I want to be healed. physically and emotionally, by the time I lead that trip. Please pray that I would plant my feet firmly on faith in Lord and find wholeness and healing over the next few months in order to lead this trip to the fullest of my abilities.
Thank you for your love and support. I love ya right back!
K
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