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.
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| Boys playing with the race cars! |
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| Bootcamp day |
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| Soccer at iKhethlo Children's Village (Lily kids won) |
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| Evening Photoshoot with teen boys. :) |
