Drums, Bananas, and Police...it's the life!!!

Sawubona!!

When do you know that you’re in Johannesburg, South Africa? When you are listening to the radio and the traffic lady reports that there are delays on the N1 (like Interstate 75) because a man is playing homemade drums in the middle of the median and passersby are stopping to watch…. When you must have your bananas weighed in the produce section BEFORE getting in line to check out to avoid having everyone behind you in line wonder what planet that you came from…. And when you have to go through THREE police checks just to get to church from the apartment…listen in on one of the conversations “How are you today my sister? Ahh, you are from America my sister. I am not fine today my sister, but I pray you are fine today my sister, you may now go my sister.”

Now that you have experienced a little bit of living in Joburg, here’s what’s going on with me...God is showing me so much. Sometimes it isn’t in the most pleasant situations, but I am learning to find my strength in Him each day. The work with the youth can be draining at times going from one crisis to the next. BUT it is during those times of crisis that I see God working in their lives to draw them to Him. The Sunday before last I left early service to go take a youth to the hospital with chest pains, and this Sunday we took another one of the youth to the hospital with severe stomach pains; by the time we arrived at the hospital she was unresponsive. I spent the last 3 days at the hospital with her and her family. She was released, and the doctors have no idea what caused the problem. As I write this, she is resting at my apartment; please pray for her and her family that God would continue to work in their home. Last night I was able to have that family over for dinner; it was a very sweet time of fellowship. Please also be in prayer as we begin to make decisions about camp (remember we have summer camp in December here). We want to seek God in every aspect. This is a very special time that the youth look forward to all year long; this is the only time some of them get to go on vacation or holiday. My job at the Guest House is also going very well; I am getting to meet many missionaries as they pass through to the States or on to their place of service and as many stay for medical needs. Please pray for me personally as I will be leaving to go to Zambia for a month on October 22; this is a time of orientation that my region requires. I must confess that I have not had the best attitude about going. You see I really REALLY love my hot showers, my various forms of communication, and my apartment free of rats and snakes. I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; it’s just sometimes I don’t want to do ALL things. I know this will be a time of growth and stretching for me as I lay it all before Him. I will definitely let you know how it goes.... O, I am also learning to count in Zulu; maybe by the time I leave for Zambia I will be able to count all the way to ten by myself… :)

LOVE YA'LL!!

Hebrews 12:1-2