At Peace - October Update

Beautiful Campus we stayed at in Guelph

This week I have been out in Guelph, Ontario doing a cross-cultural training in preparation to head to South Africa. It has been a really great week meeting and getting to know others who are heading out to different parts of the world with various organizations.  It is really wonderful how God can bring together so many different people from unique backgrounds who have one thing in common, the love of God. We have all connected really well, all in the process of stepping out in faith and asking God to provide as we walk in obedience. 

 

The one thing we keep coming back to, is the heart of what we are doing, worship. For me it has been a good reminder to make sure I check my motivations and my heart behind what I am going to do. I think because I have been out to South Africa and have the relationships with the kids, knowing they have been asking when I am coming back, it is easy for me to get caught up in going back as soon as possible, but also a bit selfishly. I miss my kids.  But why am I really going to Lily of the Valley? To be a part of the kids’ lives by showing and sharing the love of Christ with them.

Nomail and I

One of the girls I am really looking forward to seeing actually isn’t living at Lily anymore, but we have been close for 3 years now.  She, Nomali, graduated grade 12 and has been living out on her own working as a firefighter for 2 years. Being able to mentor and be a friend to her has been a growing experience for me. We laugh so much together, but we also have really hard conversations where I get to challenge her on deep life issues.  She know what I believe and that it affects every part of the way I choose to live. In this she has challenged me in asking the hard questions. I continue to pray for Nomali that one day she will make the decision to follow Jesus whole-heartedly and not worry what others will think of her.

Boys looking at the animals across the valley at Lily

Update on departure:As some of you may remember, my goal was to be leaving at the end of October for South Africa from Toronto with my visa. Currently because of where I stand financially with my monthly support, I cannot go. I am still here in Guelph for another week, learning, growing and listening to God. After I will be going back to Toronto to apply for my visa, and finally back to Calgary to finish support-raising. My new goal is to be leaving November 25^th. Please pray with me for God’s provision for others to partner monthly. I am currently at 57%.

Beautiful Sunset at Lily

prayer items

- Education at Lily currently and future plans

- God to work in people’s hearts to partner with me in finances to get to 100%

- My visa application meeting on October 29th

- Thanks for continued peace from God

His Timing Is Perfect - September Update

My last three months have been busy. I have been working taking care of this sweet little girl. During my extra time and in her nap times I have been organising and meeting with people to invite them to partner with me as I get ready to head back to South Africa. 

This time has been stretching as I have set goals but can’t always reach them. I have been learning that God’s timing is perfect, even if it is not what I wanted. I believe I have been doing what I can to contact people and share my heart for the kids at Lily of the Valley; where I will be going back to serve for the next 3 years. However, praying and asking people to partner with me is all I can do; the rest is in God’s hands. I have been learning to wait, wait on the Lord. He is the one who will work in people’s hearts to partner with me in prayer and financial ways. Thank you to those who have been willing to partner with me in prayer and financially; this is so special.

View of Lily and the outside play area

I want to give an update on where I am at for financial support. So far God has provided 56.33% of my monthly support, along with many one-time donations to cover costs which need to be covered before I leave! God is good! My goal is to be at 100% monthly support and have all my one-time costs covered by October 1^st. If you are not yet partnering with me and want to help me get to this mark, the link below would help you get to the SIM giving website. 

https://www.sim.ca/missionaries/Davies   - Canadian Link

https://www.simusa.org/give?id=047821-001&name=Davies&dsg=support - USA Link

There are so many things I am looking forward to as I get ready to go back to Lily. One of the things I am most looking forward to about being back with the kids is tutoring. I thoroughly enjoyed the tutoring times with the grade 8 boys. Monday to Thursday the boys would come for an hour giving them a quiet space where they come to do homework. Myself or another volunteer or staff would be there to help if they had questions about any assignments they had. Even if I sometimes had to use YouTube videos to help explain or even refresh my own memory of how something worked; it was always a way to connect with these boys. 

The education the kids at Lily receive is not ideal. They have been attending public schools in the community; as it is what is close by and what is affordable. They often have over 80 students in one class with one teacher trying to get them to settle down and listen. We strive to help each student pass their grade, but not just pass but to have them actually understand the concepts of what they are learning. This happens through tutoring, reading and opportunities for hands on learning.

Prayer Items 

-Education at Lily currently and future plans

- God to work in people’s hearts to partner with me in finances to get to 100%
- Thanks for the people and the finances he has already provided

A Way Forward

There are less than 3 months before I go back to Canada. Parts of me are excited to go and see my friends and family and other parts of me are not excited to leave at all. Lily has become a second home to me. And you could ask anyone who has come to visit me or knows me here and they would agree with me. These kids and teenagers aren’t just 'Lily kids and teens’ to me they are ‘my kids and teens’.

As I type this up I realize I sound like the classic missionary everyone expects me to say, but its true. Each one of these kids has a grasp on my heart and won’t let go. I also have friends I have made that I will never forget. Its going to be hard to leave them.

This all being said, as I have finally told my family and gotten their opinion, I have been taking steps to see what it means to come back to Lily to serve longer. I believe God is calling me to come back and continue to serve here at Lily. I have been looking to in options with MCC and another organization called SIM. I am still in the applying stage but if anyone has any questions about me coming back I am happy to answer. When coming back with SIM, I will be raising support. So I ask that you would come and pray along side me as I take these steps, asking God to provide a way and answers for me as I go along.

Okay, on the Lily side of things…I spend almost everyday with the kids and know each of them in different capacities. My favourite days are actually getting kids of all ages to participate in a game together. 

Being the beginning of August, it is also time for sponsorship reports. Over the past 2 years I have taken over a lot of the writing for sponsorship updates as many of our kids are sponsored to help with financial costs here at Lily. The money goes toward the basics of food, water, electricity, school fees, clothes etc. (If you are interested in sponsoring, check out http://www.loveusa.org) These updates give me the great opportunity to take pictures and capture each of these beautiful kids in their everyday lives. Along with asking them questions about who they really are and want to be. I get to know them better when doing these reports. I am so thankful I have been able to have these opportunities to interact with them better.

Until next time, say hello to your neighbour.

Boys playing with the race cars!

Bootcamp day

Soccer at iKhethlo Children's Village (Lily kids won)

Evening Photoshoot with teen boys. :)

Mom and Dad's Visit

Okay I am really terrible at this! I was planning on writing a blog about my time with my parents right after they left…and look now its been 2 months….and I still haven’t. I am sorry to all those who faithfully were reading my blog and I just messed that up.

Well, I will write here about my time with my parents with lots of pictures and then I will try to do another one in the next weeks just talking about the last 2 months and how they went with the holidays and getting everyone in to the swing of school again.

So…..

Guess what!?! My parents came to visit me! It was a great experience. And I am so thrilled that I first got too share Lily with them and all the kids, teenagers and people who mean a lot to me. Secondly, I am so glad I got to have a holiday with them! Sharing the time in Cape Town was amazing and I am glad I finally got to go and have some holiday time.

The first week and a bit was spent here in the KZN province. Mom, Dad, Murray and Colleen got to do some touring around the local area and then most importantly (well to me anyway) they got to be and work at Lily with me. I wasn’t sure at first what I was going to have them do while here, but quickly thought of how great it would be to have them help us spruce up the library here. They quickly got to work cleaning it out; also getting to see how hot a summers day can get!  We all quickly started working on clearing out the books from the library and washing the walls so that the next day they came back out to Lily they would bring the paint and start painting right away. The work was done quickly and professionally ;)  While other were busy painting my mom and I sat and went through the books. Trying to decide what was worth keeping.

Today the library is used well and I have seen a huge difference in the way the kids respect the area. The kids love coming in and reading. It is a nice quiet space for them to get away from all the noise that is often around Lily. The kids and teenagers have really been enjoying all the books my mom brought which Red Deer Lake School donated to our library! Thank you Red Deer Lake School for helping expand our library.

Then came the holiday time. I was not really looking forward to actually leaving the kids for 2 weeks but it ended up being a great time with my parents. We drove from Durban to Cape Town and back. This was a long trip but the time and memories along the way were great. We went to wineries, walked with elephants, went up Table Mountain, ate great sea food and met some really great people along the way. Here are just a few pictures of what we got to do…

Plettenburg Bay - Elephant Sanctuary

Eating at Oscar's Cafe in Hillcrest

Aquarium in Cape Town

Mom, Dad and I at the beach

Money and Me

Beautiful view on a tour bus around Cape Town

Sunset on Signal Hill

At the tip point of Cape Point with Dad

Getting to penguins...Probably my highlight!

Thank you Dad, Mom, Murray and Colleen for coming and sharing this experience with me. Its nice to know there are just a few more people back in Canada who can have a little bit of a reference of where I am and who I am talking about then I mention peoples names.

Until next time….read Hebrews 12: 1-2

“ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race makes out for us, fixing out eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning in shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Better Late Than Never

Prisca, Laura and I in Drakensburg (Spelt wrong I think...)

Dear Friends and Family,

Drawing during activity time

I want to apologize. This past year I have not been good at communicating how serving God has been going for me. There have been lots of struggles and many happy times as well.

There have been so many blogs I have started and wanted to post…I am determined to post this one today.

I am sorry to those who have been praying for me regularly and I have been terrible at telling you how things are really going here. My hope is that over the next 10 months I will communicate better. Even if it is just a few pictures of the happy things that are going on around the children’s village.

2016 was a long year but generally went by pretty fast for me. I have stayed in 4 different places since the beginning of the year. But what I am most thankful for is God helping me to be able to be back here at Lily fully. There was a few months February until August that I was staying at another children’s village and then driving into Lily 4 days a week. Than from mid August until end of September I was living with the Occupational Therapist from Lily. And we would drive in together everyday. Jemma and I got along well.

Ice skating with the teens

There were many ups and downs through this time as I missed out on things that were happening in the village in the evenings like youth, teen movie nights and volunteers get togethers, different things like that. But through it all I know God was in it. He was teaching me patience and so much more. Which I don’t have it all figured out yet. God is faithful. I was also able to make connections with people that I wouldn’t have if I wouldn’t have moved. I thank God for those friendships that I made over this time.

Than September I moved back onsite. I have now been living with another volunteer named Christy for 4 months. Slowly making the house we are living in homey. We often don’t have water but it will often come on in the evenings for a while and thats when we fill up all our 5 litre jugs. Bathing with 5-10L of water is fun…you should try sometime! ;) Its a daily occurrence here! With our washing machine not really working and the water often not on I have been learning how to wash my clothes by hand. I actually don’t mind it.

A meal with friends before Tyla left

When it comes to work and being here onsite I have struggled a bit. I am so happy to be here and get to see the kids and wake up to them being so goofy outside the houses. It can some times feel like the there are not many things for me to do, but then I look around and realize the relationships are what I am here for. Not the actual physical labour of doing things. For the longest time I thought serving and missions was supposed to be doing, building, fixing something you can see, but its not. Its actually furthering God’s kingdom by showing his love. And sometimes that can be shown in the physical things. Often what is needed is being able to sit down with some of these kids and teens one on one to play a stone game or uno or letting them talk while you listen. God has been challenging me in this the whole year. 

Tyla and I at the game drive

The elephant that tried to charge us and some giraffe friends

October came and that meant so did my friend Tyla! This was a great time! Tyla hadn’t ever traveled outside of North America. So she got to discover lots of things while she was here! She was great at interacting with the kids. She picked up on names so quickly! I was very surprised. Though I should have known as she is always willing to try and laugh at herself if she messes up. While Tyla was here we rented a car and drove up the coast to go on a game drive to see animals! It is a very white person thing to do, but we enjoyed it none the less. I actually got to see my first wild lion, which was exciting for me. We also got charged at by an elephant that wasn’t too happy but we backed away and everything was fine! (By the way during the game drive we had a driver in a big truck, not just us in a little car) Tyla also taught me how to drive standard in our rental car which was helpful especially because MCC was planning on letting me us a car to get around and it was a standard. (Now I am a pro, Thanks Ty!) I think one of my favourite times was when we got to go on a bike ride with one of the girls who had graduated last December, Nomali. Nomali and I have become good friends so having Tyla be able to come and meet her was good. I really enjoyed that they got along. Tyla might have better stories of when she was here.

Now Christmas and New Years have already come and gone as well. Both were really great and special. Christmas was almost perfect. Lots of money was donated and gifts were as well. This made Christmas and New Years celebrations possible. Thank you to everyone who was apart of that! We were also blessed with having extra hands around to help with the activities, most of the young adults who graduated last year and were all off being collage students came back for the holidays to be volunteers. It has been a blessing having them around again and to see how they have grown over the year. Here are some pictures of the holiday celebrations….

Some activities on Christmas Day.

Helping out with drinks Christmas Day!

After have 8 months without water we had a party in the pool!

Post matrics enjoying time together

Christmas Day Jumping Castle

Now it is January 20th, the kids are back to school and things are quiet. All of us are happy the kids are back. This means doing admin type work in the mornings, or prepping of the afternoon activities. Then the exciting rush as the kids all come home from school. Many of the kids and teens have struggled with school, we so badly want them to succeed. This year we really want to focus on reading and getting their reading to a level that is should be at using the resources we have and trying to encourage reading alone and with others. 

On a different note today being the 20th means only 9 more sleeps until I get to give both my parents a really big hug in person! Not only am I excited to be able to see them in person but get to show them around and introduce them to my ‘family’ here.

If you are willing somethings you could pray for would be:

• the kids motivation to try to get better marks or better at reading
• the plans for those who have graduated
• relationships between staff and volunteers to get better
• for the kids who have been reunited with family to be adjusting to life well
• the time with my parents to be good

Until next time…say hello the the person at the check out counter and ask them how they are doing.

Eish. (a South African phrase I have picked up)

Boys hanging out on the trampoline

We are always trying to get a good picture
of this girl!

March has been a difficult month.  I have been having a hard time getting used to being at Lily only part time.  I have so enjoyed my days a Lily.  Being with the kids, working on different projects and being apart of the community again.  Though leaving at the end of the day is still difficult.  I hate having some of the girls ask me over and over again "Are you coming to youth tonight?" "Is there going to be a movie tonight Miss?" "Are you going to stay for the dance party tonight?" Eish.  I don't like saying no each time.
I have also still been having a hard time connecting with the iKhethelo kids.  I know a big part of that is my heart is not here.  On the days I work at iKhethelo I often just spent time with the younger kids because they are easier to connect with.  Even so my heart is not fully in it.  And I feel bad that I don't try as hard as I do with Lily kids.  These kids are just as loveable and have gone through similar situations.  They are also children of God just as much as the Lily kids are.
The green beast (the Landrover I have been driving) has been giving me difficulties.  Which has added the stress on to getting to and from Lily.  Mike and Lori have been champions with being willing to come and pick Dominik and I up the last week.

Laura and one of the boys

Who doesn't love a pool noodle fight!?

On top of things here, my heart and head have been home a lot this last month.  With having my grandfather in the hospital not doing well.  He was struggling a lot with his lungs the last few weeks.  On the 25th in the early hours of the Saskatchwan night he passed to be with his Lord.  And is no longer struggling with each breath he is taking.  I had decided to stay here in South Africa to continue to serve, but have been struggling not being with my family as they prepared for his funeral that took place yesterday.  I do wish I could have been there to help celebrate his life.  Even so I have had a great group of people close to me to help comfort me during this time.

Papa and Mikaela (my sister)

Even through the difficult times during this month, I have had a gracious God who helps me see to see the good and beautiful things that happen around me.  He helps me to be able to put aside all the hard things after I have acknowledged them and to see be able to be happy and see the joy that is still in this world.  Things like teen girls learning how to sell and make pizzas and working together as a group; having one of the little babies be incredibly joyful and run towards me when she sees me (She call me "Ma" yesterday, Eish. She is stealing my heart); an opportunity for my whole family to be together and enjoying each others company; being able to be in contact with my family so easily; and there is so much more I have been able to see and enjoy over these past few weeks.  I have way more to be thankful for even if there are some difficult times.

Goggles!

Now as I head in to a new month, my goal is to refocus.  I have been selfish with my view point on how I think things should be, how I am feeling about what should happen with things at Lily, and so much more.  I am praying for God's guidance on things.  I want his guidance on how I should be interacting with my kids at Lily and at iKhethelo.  I am wanting to be his light in this world.

Getting away from the hot sun sitting under
the play structure 

Some of my prayer request for this time would be:
- A change in my heart, with helping me to have God's heart for all the people I come in contact with.
- Strength for my family and I as we deal with the loss of my grandfather.
- That conversations I or other volunteers have with each of the kids be uplifting and encouraging to be the best of who they can be.
- Not to be overwhelmed with the all the struggles that the kids have faced and are facing.
- Praise, that the holidays for the past 2 weeks have been good with the kids not having school
- Praise, that there has been safety at Lily.

Until next time, give someone a hug! (Only if they want one though!)

Update on my Adventures!

Dancing outside the 'Lily Market'

Friends and Family. Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything. This last month has been difficult and I wanted to wait until things settled down a little bit before I said anything.

While out with the MCC team eating lunch with the zebras!

As some of you may know just over a month ago there was a volunteer attacked at Lily.  This was a scary event for Lily and there were many security things put in place before and even more after this happened.  Rachel the volunteer who was attacked is doing well and recovering. Please continue to pray for her as she heals and works through things.

Because this all happened MCC decided Dominik (SALTer) and I would have to be moved off site way from the kids. There was under 3 weeks where we stayed in PMB where our supervisors live.  While there we did not do much, there were a few days of planned MCC SwaLeSA events so we took part in those.  Which was fun to be with the team again, and getting to welcome in two new Service Workers!

As of Wednesday the 24th of February Dominik and I moved to a sister children’s village of Lily called iKhethelo, which is about 30 min from Lily.  We will be working here one day a week and then 4 days a week we will travel into Lily to work. Then the other two days we have off.

This whole situation is going to be hard to get used to but most importantly we are able to still be at Lily at least 4 days a week, and this is better than not being able to see them at all.

My new room

The day we left Lily was really difficult. I knew I was going to be back, but I didn’t know in what capacity, either just to visit or to work or what. And saying bye to those kids sucked! The Thursday (25th) when we went back for the first time in over 2 weeks was the best! As kids came home from school and saw Dominik and I they were surprised! I was also ecstatic to see them all! One of my favourite moments was when some of the younger boys came back from school and Dominik went out of the office to see them they were excited and chatting with him; then I heard some of them ask where I was. So I peeked my head around the corner and some of them saw me and ran toward me.  Its one of the best feelings in the world knowing there are about 120 kids excited to have you back in their lives!

My new ride! Sweet 1996 Landrover!

I may be down playing a bit how hard the past few weeks have been. And how hard the next few weeks are going to be to adjust. I went through at lot of frustration and anger when I found out we were being pulled out and when we were actually pulled out.  I was able to work through it with the help of God. There are still times where I get frustrated at the situation but I know and understand why we are where we are. It is going to be hard to adjust to the new schedule as Dominik and I leave iKhethelo at 7 then get to Lily around 8 but then are not back to iKhethelo until around 7 in the evening. (side note: This also means I have been driving here in SA!)  Both Dominik and I had evening activities that we were involved with so getting used to not being there for those things will be a change.

Anyway, so the past few days being at Lily has been great! Spending time with the kids and having actual work to do during the day is nice. I love getting some baby cuddles in the morning and playing games with the younger kids in the afternoon and chatting and catching up with the teens. It is so good to be back!

Until next time…check out these cute pictures of some of the kids that bring the most joy yo me heart. (There are also so many kids who are not pictured who also have a huge part in bringing me joy each day as well!)

Colouring with 'Miss N'

Pool time! It has been really hot here! Going to get to plus 37 later this week!

Little parachute time! The kids loved it!

Hanging out during the afternoon!