08-21-08

Our last FULL day at Bethesda :(

Kate helped at school all day today, she even brought home some homework to finish. Actually, she helped the teachers with some grading. Kate sat in on the grade 1 and 2 class today, helping with both math and spelling. Her favorite was story time, where the children acted out the story as it was told. Children everywhere have wonderful imaginations, I wonder where we lose that in all our growing up? After lunch, Kate moved to grade 4 through 7 where they were learning the skeletal system in science class. It was the last day of that system so the teacher had them write three things they learned and three questions they still had. Kate helped answer the questions the students still had about the skeletal system. She did have cadaver lab last summer :) Kate loved to be able to explain how the body works to the students.

Andrew had the opportunity to see Bethesda's purpose and mission statement in action this morning. Bethesda exists to equip CHURCHES to be involved in the orphan crisis. Ebenezer Bible Church is just a few kilometer down the road and they are planning on starting an orphan ministry, they are already well underway with the construction of a few beginning buildings right there on the site of the church. It was so great and encouraging to be able to hear the Bethesda staff training and equipping others to help meet the needs of orphans here in Hammanskraal. Topics ranging from Biblical communication to proper nutrition.

Right after Andrew got back, Lois was able to take both of us to see how bad the orphan crisis really is. She took us to Stinkwater, a township located ten minutes from Bethesda. Where some of the children staying here at Bethesda came from. She introduced us to a woman by the name of Suzanne who is working at a church providing what could be compared to in the US as an after school program. These children have no where else to go to and for some of them the meals that are provided three times a week (that's right a week) are the only ones that they will get. She told us a story that one boy after not eating for a couple of days only had the strength to follow someone peeling an orange and throwing the peels on the ground. This boy followed and ate the orange peels off the ground. The children there are so skinny and in need of help. It was so good to have the opportunity to meet her and see first hand the work that she is doing in her community. Bethesda is ready to build a new home, just as soon as all the hoops are jumped through and she could fill all eight of those beds without a second thought. Suzanne, also showed us the garden that she grows to be able to provide these few meals for the orphans that come to her for help. It was a beautiful garden, she was telling us that some of the beet root would be ready to eat this weekend. We thank God for men and women like Suzanne, please pray for her ministry that lives will be changed not only by the physical food that she gives but that others will taste and see that the Lord is good and become disciples of Jesus Christ.

When we returned the power was out and rather than wait and see if/when it would return the Mixon's took us out to dinner. In a sense it was the capstone of our trip. We summarized many of our lessons learned and what God is even now how God is stretching us and growing us. We were able to share highlights from our trip and look forward together about next steps and future ministry possibilities. We are EXCITED to see God directing and leading!

After dinner we played aggravation with Tonya, Heather, Alyssa, and Meredith. It was good to spend some more time with all of them on our last night here in South Africa. We will miss our new friends.

Kate's cold is doing much better than yesterday. Praying that a good night sleep will refresh her even more.

We started the packing process tonight before bed and we are sure glad we didn't wait until tomorrow to get going on that. We have the morning to wrap everything up here and will be departing for the airport around 1:30 in the afternoon (that's 7:30AM for all of you on the east coast) and will be flying out of JoBerg at 6:30 (right around lunch time for you).

We ask for your continued prayers as we have to say good-bye and as we travel for the day and a half. Looking forward to seeing all of you and sharing with you in word, picture and video when we get home.