I don't blame my fiancι, Piet, when he says he is a confused young man. He's been through a lot in his short life, but has a beautiful story. God has truly rescued him.  Beauty and redemption are woven into the fabric of his life.

Piet has two families, one biological, one adopted (unofficially). His adopted parents are lovely people, and to him, they ARE Mom and Dad. The way their family operates is also quite beautiful. They have brought in multiple children that are biologically not their own, but have become a part of their growing family.

When adopting a child, it is not uncommon to change their name, and certainly not uncommon to change their last name. Though there is no blood relation, the adopted child is just as much a part of the family as any other member of the family. In the same way when I join Piet in marriage, I will be adopted into his family. I'll change my name, leave the home from which I came (though I've already done this), and become an official part of his family. Everything he has, I'll have access to, and vice versa.

                       

We have officially had three "Saturday Live" youth programs in these last three weeks. As an outsider coming into Refilwe trying to involve myself in these young people's lives has not been easy. In fact, the first two weeks of youth, I would come home at 4:00 after we had finished, climb into bed feeling very overwhelmed and defeated, and not really move from that spot for the rest of the evening. I didn't realize the extent of the hurt and brokenness these teens, who are essentially children, were feeling. They have been rescued from very painful homes and backgrounds, brought into loving families, but practically had Christianity forced on them. God wasn't exactly something they chose into. Some have even been bold enough to say that they didn't care about having a relationship with God. The memories of previous lives are still very much a part of them. The ways of the world are all they know, and breaking down these walls takes a lot of time and love.

Since we've begun, we have been discussing healthy relationships and what it means to be a godly man or woman. Despite their extremely skewed perception of marriage and dating, they have shown a longing and a deep desire to know more, and even to hear what God says about these things. We've learned that putting them into discussion groups keeps them talking and interested in the topics at hand.

This past Saturday, August 7, I left youth with a smile on my face and my heart not only in peace but with spirits lifted. I was so proud of our youth. They are making progress. They are grasping what we are trying to get at - and they are excited about it!

We split them into set up teams; setting up chairs, instruments, making food, etc, and they did their jobs so well. I was thrilled. Another trick we've learned is to keep them active. They don't want to sit and listen and be treated as if they are in school, they get that enough 5 days a week. And, as someone mentioned to me just today, these kids are all "preached out"; and it's true. So, we play lots of games and do fun activities with them. They really like performing and enriching their skills.

Even though these kids are so different from my beloved youth in Port Elizabeth, they deserve the love of Jesus just as much, and perhaps they need to understand it more. I am realizing how much additional effort I have to put into these youth, but it's ok; it's worth it.

Heidi Baker, the founder of Iris Ministries in Mozambique, has a saying that I think is very appropriate: STOP FOR THE ONE. Instead of being overwhelmed by reaching out to the 25-30 youth we have each week (and praise God for that, hey? It's not often that you have so many when you are just starting!), I must reach out to the ONE. The ONE whom God has placed on my heart for that moment. The ONE who needs a hug. The ONE who needs a listening ear. We are doing Kingdom building when stopping for the one.

I apologize for not explaining the where and how donations can be given. Because the vast majority of my readers are overseas, the easiest way to give is financially.

There are two ways to do this, depending on your need for tax deductions. Firstly, you can filter the money through my home church and they will cut me a check; the details are at the bottom of this page. Secondly, you can give directly into my Bank of America account. Any Bank of America employee can search for me by first and last name.

Any way that you choose, you can be assured that the money will be used for our youth. Just be sure to let me know that money is coming through.

If you read my last blog, then you know that we are starting up YMS (Youth Mission Solutions) youth group this Saturday. It is a lot of work and energy starting from scratch, but we are very excited about it. We have learned a lot from the past weeks in our holiday program which will help us create a successful youth program.

The structure of our youth will be very similar to our holiday program, but adding a few elements. One exciting thing we will be doing is feeding the community each week. We will serve polony on rolls and juice to all of those that come to attend the youth. This is also a great way to reach out to those in our surrounding communities and motivate them to come.

YMS is currently busy writing our proposal to make YMS an official program underneath the Refilwe umbrella. Eventually, the goal is to be fully funded by outside donors (YMS does not currently have a budget). This is exceptionally difficult when starting from the ground up, but we are trusting the Lord that he will bring the funding.

We are well aware that sometimes it is easier for people to get involved when they know exactly what their money is going towards. If there is any interest from your side, we have put together a list of things we need donated/funded. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

General Youth Group Needs:

It is an unfortunate reality that the youth of this generation grow up in families that are unstable or broken. YMS sees young people hurt from abuse, neglect or need on a regular basis. It is a value of YMS to see these young people rise above their situations and backgrounds. One of the ways YMS has been able to do this is through the YMS youth house.

The youth house, which is within the Refilwe premises, is home to YMS youth leaders and students. This house serves as a safe place to stay for those who have fallen subject to an inhibited upbringing. We have seen the potential in these vulnerable students from the community and would like to train them as YMS leaders to serve their community.

There are currently 3 guys staying in the house and when it is completely finished, the youth house will be home to 12 leaders/students. The house is not in the best shape at the current moment and needs a lot of work. Here are a number of things that we also need donated or funded.

Room 1: Lounge

Room 2: Kitchen

 Room 3: Dining Room

Room 4: Bathroom

Room 5: Small Bedroom

Room 6: Large Bedroom

Room 7: Half Bathroom

•      Hand wash basin

Everyday Needs:

• Food, i.e. Bread, milk, eggs, maize meal, rice, soup, canned foods, etc.
• Toiletries, i.e. soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
• Cleaning Supplies

Seeing the needs of YMS can be very overwhelming. The above are some things you can be praying for us for. It is our aim that those who are aligned with our vision and values and see the needs of African youth will come alongside us with something small. Please contact me if you are interested.

In addition to these things, your prayer and support as we start this new youth is highly appreciated!!

God Bless you my friends!

Dear Friends!

Thank you for your prayers for our holiday program. After four long, tiring, and amazing weeks, we are finished!

The first two weeks with our under 12 kids was a bit of a challenge. The kids were very receptive to the message of love, and by the second day, we had about 30 children attending. Unfortunately, by day 3 the kids appeared to come only when they felt like it or not at all. By the end of the two weeks, we were down to about 12 children. Since YMS specializes in teens, we are hoping to now outsource holiday programs for the smaller children from here on out. The two weeks were filled with singing classes, drama, and dance, and the children also did community service projects one day each week. We loved working with these children, but it definitely wiped us out!

The following two weeks with the older kids was not only fun, but educational and fulfilling. As mentioned previously, we did the Beat the Drum curriculum with them. The youth soaked up the information and truly felt challenged. These youth have rarely, if ever, been exposed to topics such as marriage, sex, and HIV in healthy and positive ways. In government schools, they push condoms and safe sex, so abstinence is a somewhat new concept. At the end of the program, many made commitments to abstain, but others are still skeptical and need a bit more encouragement. Please continue praying for these teens!

YMS was fortunate enough to have a group of volunteers from the US during this time. The first group was a group of six ladies who worked in the surrounding community in the morning, and came and helped with Beat the Drum in the afternoons. We were so appreciative for their input and positive influence on the youth! The second group came about a week after the girls arrived, and also helped with Beat the Drum for a few days.

Everyone who participated in the holiday program, young and old, put on a performance this past Friday. The kids loved it and everyone did excellent. The program was packed with lots of dancing, lots of singing, a summary of what they learned from the holiday program, two dramatic performances, and even a rap!

Our weekly youth group will be starting up July 24, so please be in prayer for that as we work out all the kinks in the meantime. Our biggest challenge has been with our leadership team. We are so grateful for those that God has given us, but we are always in need of more volunteers that are committed to African youth!

God bless you all, faithful readers!!

With love,
The YMS team

A team of volunteers arrived from Alabama earlier this week and these are just a few of the tidbits and guidelines I gave to my new friends. I can remember being in the same boat when my feet first touched African soil. Everything was so new and I soaked up every experience trying to gain wisdom with each passing day. So much has become normal to me that I don't even realize it's different until I see the curiosity, inquisitiveness, and occasional confusion on the faces of "foreigners."

Week three of four of our holiday program is officially finished. We have had our bumps in the road for sure, but I would say it has been successful so far. The first two weeks with kids 12 and younger went pretty good, but we struggled with being a bit unorganized for sure. The theme for the two weeks was LOVE. We talked about respect, loving our families, friends, the way God loves us and we should in turn love him, and practiced love in action by picking up garbage in and around Refilwe. The kids did awesome. In addition, we had three music/arts classes and the kids each chose one that interested them: dance, drama, and singing.

We have just finished up the first week with our 13 and older kids. Our curriculum is Beat the Drum, a movie which focuses on relationships and staying abstinent, and it has been going great. They are really responding well and being challenged. I am so thankful for the 6 girls that are here because they have taken a lot of pressure off of us as leaders to try and run around before hand as well as teach from beginning to end. I am also thankful for their support because they have taken over my small group and drama class while I am out sick (yuck!)

I've been in Jo'burg now for a month, and it has been wonderful, but hasn't been smooth sailing. I've had my share of struggles and breakdowns trying to fit in while still maintaining a relationship. Please pray for me (and Piet as well) in this area. I can really feel satan's attacks very strongly. I know this is a time where we have to really press into the Lord because HE is our shield. If you would like more details on how you can pray for me, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Love to you all my family and friends,
it's LOVE that lasts.

I've been searching for a place to call my own for quite some time now. I grew up in Livermore, CA until age 18, moved on to Redding until age 23, and for the last two years have been living in South Africa. I loved South Africa from the first time my foot touched the soil. And God has continued to make it abundantly clear that this really is the place for me.

I was in the US for just over 3 weeks, and it was the perfect amount of time. I got to spend quality time with my family, catch up with old friends, and speak at a handful of church services. It's always nice to come home to people that are genuinely interested in my life. I was blessed to have many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with people that are investing in my long-term future.

Here is a picture of our YMS team:
From left to right it is: DeDe (Luckyboy), Simon, Canny, Leah, and Piet

Another exciting thing is that this is the first time that Piet and I have been living in the same area. We are able to spend lots of time together inside and outside of work and because I live in the next house down, his family has already taken me in as their own.

Often people will come to me and say, "Wow, you REALLY love Africa." Yes, it's true; I do. There is just something about it, from the smell of burning rubbish to the myriad of skin tones to the generous hospitality to the sounds of children that I just can't get out of my mind. It has come to define me. And yes, I REALLY DO LOVE Africa.

This is Africa. This is my home. This is my true love.