08-08-08 Our First Day

Today could be entitled "Welcome to Bethesda: 101". The day started at 7:00 and we got to experience milk from a box on our O-tee's (similar to Cherios). It was different, but not bad. The orange juice is really good (you'd like it Dad Dodd!). If we had our suitcase, multiple layers would be warm since it starts in the low 40's (some of the other girls here lent Kate some clothes so all was well). By mid morning it was already feeling like a summer day in Michigan (even though it is winter here the temp topped out in the low 70's). We took a walking tour to start the morning with Roger Cryan, and we met all of the full time staff. We feel so overwhemed with names and faces. It was also neat to meet all the houseparents and we can't wait to get to know them. We got to see the current buildings including the school, homes, and the new administrative building. They also explained future plans of growth and development and our possible future role in the ministry here. It was exciting to see all the great things that God has done in the 8 years here at Bethesda, and looking towards the next 8 years and beyond. To God be the Glory Great Things He Has Done, is a phrase that was repeated and seen multiple times today.

We were taught the core values, visions, mission statement, and why they do ministry like they do for most of rest of the day. It is a comprehensive Biblical response to the impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and the orphans that are left behind by the epidemic. They believe that a relationship with Jesus Christ modeled in a Christian family is the best and only way to fix the problem. One of the major ways this is fleshed out is by modeling what a Christian family looks like. This is why Bethesda links 5 sets of houseparents with up to 8 orphaned children in each home. Bethesda is intentional about equipping and empowering these houseparents with tools and knowledge to raise these children in Christ centered homes. We spent our morning and afternoon in orientation about how Bethesda is run. We also got to meet lots of children throughout the day, they are so cute and have so much energy. "Mister Dodd" as they called him, is going to have a hard time with all these new names.

Bethesda's ministry relies on houseparents, those in the office and maintence, as well as their interns. The interns are people who typically come to Bethesda for six to twelve months and fill various roles throughout their time from teaching and tutoring to painting and childcare (babysitting the kids when a houseparent is away). Right now Bethesda has 2 interns that are Kate's age and we spent the remainder of our afternoon and evening with them. It was neat to see how Kate shares a lot in common with Meredith.

Here's a special shout out to Katie and Daniel Horton, we played a rousing game of aggrevation tonite with the Cryan's, the two interns Alyssa and Meredith, and the two American teachers Tonya and Heather. Tonya was SO excited to get to use her own brand new marbles that a friend of her's made who blows glass, they were cool! It was fun to play games and get to know the people here.