You get in the car on the left side…

So I've had quite the adventures since I wrote last. Sunday I was able to go to church at RIverside Community Church and it was wonderful. I don't get to leave the home very often. Not because they have me hostage here but because we don't have a car. Luckily one of the local volunteers offered to drive myself and two other international volunteers to church. It was nice just to get out and see the city a bit while driving on the opposite side of the road. I will learn one of these days that I don't get in on the side of OUR passengers side. Geez laweez. I try to play it off like I am getting in the back seat but its really awkward when the car doesn't have a back seat door. 

Anyway, I really enjoyed church. It had great contemporary worship, like I am used to. They played familiar songs and some I've never heard. The message was amazing. The associate pastor (who is Cheryl, the Door of Hope's founder) son, really challenged me. He talked about Acts chapter 13-14 and how we should be sharing the Good News way more often than we do. Good grief, isn't that part of our Christian walk? Shouldn't we go and WANT to share the Good News on how the Lord changed our lives. We were lost and going straight to hell and Jesus saved us by taking on all the sins of the world, dying and rising again. Praise the Lord. We had communion and it was just the same as having it in the states. It was just a beautiful day and wonderful to be around other believers.

Off we go….

To the clinic. So on my days off I usually go to the Glen to get groceries. This week I had no need to go because I had enough groceries to hold me over until my next day off. We have been short handed a bit so I was asked if I could take one of the babies to the clinic for their check up. I said, of course I would! I went with one of our managers, Rosette, to take two precious babies to the clinic. We suited up. Walking shoes, breathable clothes, stroller, baby bag packed full of all the essentials. (Baby milk, nappies, dummies, toys, and anything else that might distract a child who screams in the Dr. office.) Rosette lead the way and we walked through neighborhoods and past an elementary school and then we were there. It was eye opening to say the least. We walked in and there are nothing but chairs lined up. Basically instead of standing in a line to wait your turn, you sit in a line. So it's like musical chairs without the music and without the excitement. When we basically sat in every chair in the place and I had gotten a workout from sitting and standing (seriously I started to squat and flex my core muscles, might as well make the best of it) we went in to see the Dr. She was a stout, round, beautiful, black lady. The one who would reek havoc on the precious little angel that I was holding. After she asked a few questions, Rosette sat down with one baby and gave her some drops of medicine. Then here it comes. The big one. 3 shots in the thighs. In those sweet, fat, round, chocolate colored thighs. Bless. Her. Heart. I was just thinking geez laweez that poor child. Then I thought, well better her than me. Right? Ugh. Shots are the worst. Then BAM these babies are slammed with 3. After baby girl got her shot, Rosette said she would wait outside for me and my baby. I was like wait, I have to hold him while he gets a tranquilizer dart in the thigh 3 times? Oh. My. Goodness. Is this real life? So I sat in the chair with this sweet, tiny baby boy whose thighs are half the size of my wrist. The Dr. asked me to hold his leg down and make sure he didn't move. Well, since I was stiff myself and freaking out all at the same time, she had to tell me again. I said ok, yes ma'am. I held his leg down thinking, I can't show him my face when we leave. He can't remember me as the one who held his leg down while Dr. Rough and Round shot him with 3 shots. I cringed every time. Poor little fellow I think it was harder for me to hold him and see it happen than it was for him to get the shot. Yeah, feel sorry for me. He just had the shot…I had to be the bad guy and hold his leg down plus watch. 

So the clinic was dramatizing as well as an adventure. On the way back, I sang a little bit to bring entertainment to Rosette and the guys who were working on the street and water lines. Lots of weird looks guys, lots of weird looks. So the moral of the story. Hire someone to take your kid to get shots.  

Today was super special…

I am here, loving on these children who have been abandoned. I am able to love them like Christ loves me and because He loves me, I am able to love them. I got to experience something most volunteers probably do not get to experience today. When I was here a year ago I was able to love on this sweet baby boy who stole my heart. He had the biggest dimples and had such a capturing smile. He got adopted a couple of days before I got here so I wasn't able to see him. I was so sad when I heard I missed him. Until today he came for a visit with his new family. It was so special for me to see because that is what I prayed and pray over all of these sweet angels. That the Lord would provide them with loving, Christian homes. I got to see one of the sweet babies I prayed over last year being held by his new family. Jesus gave me such a gift in that. I am crying thinking about it now. Please continue to pray for these sweet little angels. Jesus has a forever family for them. Hand picked and just for them to be loved and love. My heart is so full thinking about Jesus answering my prayer for that sweet baby. Thank you Jesus for providing that sweet angel with a forever family who will love him the way he should be loved. I'm so glad I am able to share this great story with you. 

Mount Everest and The Lion King…

On my days off I usually walk to The Glen. The Glen is the mall in Glenvista. Glenvista is the area of Johannesburg where I am staying. Walking to The Glen is great and refreshing. When we get there we usually run a few errands, window shop and then go to the grocery store. Its a bit confusing in the grocery store. In Africa they obviously call things something different than what we call them. Like the cracker isle will say biscuits. That threw me for a loop. I am able to eat most of the same things I eat at home. I eat peanut butter and jelly or ramen noodles for lunch and chicken and some kind of veggie and starch for dinner. Breakfast, when I have it, I eat cereal, toast or yogurt. I feel like one of those people who instagram their food right now. Sorry guys if you are annoyed. Surely you are curious about what I eat everyday. (sarcasm) So, on the way back from The Glen is where the Mount Everest part comes in. Yeah, remember when I said it is so refreshing and great to walk TO The Glen? 

Walking back is a different story. Going to The Glen is completely downhill. You can imagine what it is coming back. Completely UPHILL. This isn't like our hills, where it is basically a small little hump. This is where my foot is completely as far up as it can go and my calves are burning like no other calf exercise I've ever done. I feel as if I need a hiking stick, a canteen, a 12 exercise classes to prepare me for the trek. When we finally get back to the house I am so exhausted I look as if I just ran a marathon AND did a Richard Simmons video all at the same time. The Aunties laugh at me when I walk in the house.  Oh, and did I mention I have a 23lb book bag on, carrying all of my groceries as well as a bag in both hands weighing about 7lbs a piece. Yeah, throw me a pity party right now. 

Today I got my hammock out and hung it up on the play set outside and did some reading. It was very relaxing and nice. Just like Buddy the Elf smiling is his favorite, well, hammocking is mine. So tonight we are watching The Lion King. How appropriate. This is just perfect. Tomorrow is another day in paradise. I miss the babies on my days off. Goodness I can't wait to get back in there tomorrow and love on those sweet, beautiful angels. 

Day in the life of an Auntie…

Well, here at the DOH that's what we are called. Aunties. It makes it easy because if you can't remember another Auntie's name…no worries. Their name is Auntie. Sometimes, ok maybe all of the time, I crack up because of the hilarious things going on around me. I am about to explain all of these things I get to enjoy everyday. I will do it in a list form because, well, that is easier for me.

Cons (which aren't really cons)

1. If something stinks, don't go looking for it.

2. Vegetable day, is the day where Jesus said, "I shall test your patience."

3. Different colored socks are cooler here than in the States. (No, not really, it's called being lazy because there are 1,000,000 pairs and it would take all day to find the matching one.)

4. During feeding time everyone opens their mouths and chews. (Even the Aunties that aren't eating) Why do people do this? Does showing what the babies need to do with their mouths help? 

5. We watch the Tweenies (a really terrifying/enjoying show) 1,897,345 times and run to find the remote to turn it off when the babies are put to bed.  

6. Dried snot, food, drool and baby puke are apart of our attire. If we don't wear one of these a day, we aren't doing our job. If we ARE wearing one, we wear it proudly. (it probably was an adventure to get their in the first place) (its kind of like a girl scout badge)

7. A towel is our best friend. When the puke comes flyin, the towel comes to save the day (saving the blanket they are laying on, and our clothes and the babies clothes)

8. Ridiculous talk: means we say the babies names 300 times in the weirdest sweetest way possible to make them do what it is we need them to do. (calm down, eat their food, play nicely, or just to love on them)

9. Our break: a time where we eat everything we can get our hands on because we are starving and crash for about 1 hour.

10. When all the Aunties get together they have very high loud voices. (much like a lot of Canadian geese flying home for the winter)

Pros (these are just a few)

1. We get the first smiles/giggles of the morning. (this is seriously my favorite time of the day is waking them up)

2. Tummy time (watching them move around like fish out of water)

3. Making them laugh (all of the babies have their own laugh and its so sweet to hear)

4. Bath time (this is so fun because the babies enjoy it. They splash, freak out if water gets on their face, coo, smile and cry all at the same time.)

5. Feeding time (they are like hungry wolves ready to bite our hand off right before we give them their bottle.)

6. Growing up (while we are here we get to see them grow up)

7. We get to meet so many local people who come in and volunteer throughout the day.

8. Being able to love on the babies and help them grow

9. Praying over them throughout the day (while changing, feeding, giving them baths or just holding them)

10. Just being here is the biggest blessing. The Lord has made the desires of my heart a reality for me. Thank you Jesus.

their schedule…well, and mine….

The babies schedule is very strict. They wake up at 7:00 and have a bath, change diapers and put on clean clothes. Then they are put back into their cribs until all of the babies have had all of the following done. Then after all of the babies are ready to go we take them one by one into the living room and put a bib on them. After that we have one auntie stay with them while the other fixes the bottles. As of right now I have 10 babies. All of them have different formula, milliliters of formula, milliliters of water and different bottles. We keep up with all of it by a chart that is on the wall. The chart changes as the baby gets older. So when the bottles are made we go and distribute them accordingly. The older babies we make hold their own bottle and the smaller babies we assist them and try to teach them to be independent as well. The learn so fast. Some of the babies are much like myself and are very lazy. They refuse to hold their own bottle. I'm sure they have figured out that if they don't they can ride out the lazy train longer. Smart kiddos. After their first bottle feeding they are able to play and have tummy time for a little while. After tummy time the smaller babies are changed and put into bed for a nap and the older babies are fed their cereal. This is always an adventure. All of the babies have their own personality. It shows very clearly during this time. There is a trick to feeding the babies their cereal or baby food. You have to set them in your lap, put their arm closest to you under your arm pit and do not let it escape, while holding their free arm down with one hand and the spoon with food in your other. It's a process and if not executed correctly you will have cereal or baby food from the spoon to your face to the babies face to the kitchen to Timbuktu. While we feed the babies one at a time the others who are waiting watch Praise Baby DVD. It so fun because they really enjoy it. I don't know this because they tell me, I know this because their legs are bouncing like they are racing Michael Phelps in the 100 meter freestyle. After our break we wake the babies up, change them, take them to the living room and repeat the process as before. This time they get baby food instead of cereal. Now this is super tricky. They HATE their vegetables. This we have in common. So I have a lot of grace during this feeding. Seriously if you gave me butternut squash and roast beef I would probably try to see how much I could spit out as well. It's like the babies play a game to see how far they can spit it, how much they can get on their clothes, how much they can get on you and how much squirming they can do before you finally give up. Love is a battlefield? Try feeding a baby butternut squash and roast beef. After that they go down for their afternoon nap. In other words its Aunties afternoon break/lunch time. After that we wake the babies up one last time, feed a bottle and play with them until the night Auntie comes in. My day starts at 7:00 and ends at 5:30 with 2 breaks in-between. So it is a fairly solid day. Your day may be filled with working on a computer, teaching a classroom or dealing with the general public. My day consists of giggles, smelly diapers, spit up, gummy smiles, cooing, crying, army crawling and snuggling. I love everyday and cherish everyday because these babies are here for a short amount of time and I want them to know how loved they are so they never remember how they were abandoned. 

I will not be able share the babies name or pictures of their faces. I hate that but it is for their safety and a legal thing as well. That is just a side note. 

my first full day…

I was so exhausted from traveling so I slept so well my first night. I was hoping I wouldn't have any trouble and I did not. I have adjusted so fast because I am not tired at all and I'm feeling very rested and well. It's all Jesus! Thanks for the prayers in that! I woke up around 9:00 and Philippa who is a volunteer from New Zealand asked if I could work because they were short handed. She and Nadene had to take four of the babies to the occupational therapist to be checked on. So I, of course, gladly volunteered. It was such a good first day. I was able to learn all 10 of the babies names right away. They aren't easy either. I have a way of memorizing names very quickly. I guess working camp for so many years has paid off. After the babies went down for their morning nap, a lady came by to have bible study with us. Her name is Sharon and she is from a local church. Since the Aunties are not able to go to church every Sunday, this is a way they can still be taught scripture and be in a christian community. Sharon takes what she has learned from her pastor the Sunday before and comes every Thursday to teach it herself. She prints a handout and we follow along. It was very good this week because she spoke on having the armor of God. We answered questions and discussed a few then prayed. It was very short and sweet, yet challenging and encouraging. While the babies sleep we have a break. Usually on my break I just do this. Blogging. If I am not blogging I am eating, reading or spending time with the other volunteers. I enjoyed working my first day so much. Learning all the babies names and loving on the Aunties. It was a very good day.

arriving…

So here I am! The place I have been waiting to be since I left! When I arrived I was nervous because I didn't who would be picking me up. So I was franticly looking for a young girl and a black baby or the people who I knew were here. At last a man came in with a Door of Hope sign. It was Marcelle's husband who I met last time I was here. Marcelle is the volunteer coordinator here. I got in his super tiny space car and we made the trek to baby house 3. 

When I got there I got to see an Auntie I worked with before. Auntie Celestine. She was so excited to see I was back and working for a longer time. Marcelle was there and she gave me paper work and my schedule. I broke a chair while I was there. Seriously…only have been there for 10 minutes and I broke a chair. Not by sitting in it, by running into it by tripping down the stairs. Yeah, those of you laughing…yeah I'm fine thanks. When we left there we went to baby house 1 where I knew I would be living. I unloaded my luggage and went inside to meet the sweet little angels I would be loving the next few months. When I came inside I almost cried. Being back is such a HUGE blessing. I felt as if I was home. The smells (good and bad), the noises, the sights and the weather. Everything is glorious and I am in love with this place. It's unlike any place I've ever been. It is more like a feeling than anything. I feel as if I belong here. I feel as if I am doing what the Lord has called me to do. Everything feels right. I did cry when I walked into the small babies room and saw two aunties I worked with last time. Auntie Vera and Auntie Margaret. Goodness, what a reunion. They screamed, I screamed, we all screamed (not for ice cream). It was wonderful. I was so happy in that moment! I missed them so much! I was able to meet some of the babies and love on them before I got settled in. I left after that and went to the Glen to get groceries and exchange money. 

The Glen, you will here me talk about it a lot. They do not have a Walmart here. So they have a mall that is within walking distance from the house. We walk there together to get food and just to get away. We do not have a car here so it's the only place we can go to get away. I was able to go to the Pick-N-Pay to pick up some groceries. It looks like I will be eating a lot of noodles, sandwiches, fruit, yogurt and cereal. I am totally fine with that because that's all I eat at home anyway. When I came back to the house I was able to visit a while with the volunteers. Two of the volunteers are from New Zealand and the other is from Mississippi. They are all great people and I've enjoyed getting to know them. 

oh that plane ride…

I was really nervous in the beginning because I just knew I would end up by a smelly, flirtatious man who wore a lot of cologne. Nope, not even close. I ended up sitting by a lady who was a Jehovah  Witness. She asked me where I was going and what I would be doing. At first I thought she might be a Christian because she had a name tag on that said "Speak God's Truth" and her phone that I creeped on while she had it out had bible verses on it. When she asked me why I was going clear across the world for months to work at an orphanage, all I could say was Jesus. She blankly stared at me. I knew then we weren't on the same page. It's strange to me that we are so passionate about our Creator yet she is missing the ultimate part of it. I prayed over her silently. I prayed that Jesus would become so real in her life that all the lies and false teachings wouldn't make sense to her. 

Continuing on…. I landed in Paris, France and was super nervous. I knew I would have to be there for 9-11 hours for a layover and I seriously had the hardest time understanding people. I decided then I probably wouldn't make friends with anyone in Paris. No one likes to be asked what they have said 900 times like I would probably ask them. (huh? what? i'm sorry what did you say? I don't understand. Yeah, that's annoying.) No friends in Par-reee for meee. While I was there sleeping on a bench and feeling like Tom Hanks from that movie where he sleeps in the airport (the name escapes me) I was throughly entertained. Let me inform you on my entertainment.

While I was in Paris, as I was laying on a bench, I got to watch a high school dance team from some part of another country dancing. It was hilarious. I tried to snap chat it and send it to everyone. I had to pay a small fee to use internet all day in the airport but my Facebook only worked for 30 minutes then cut off. Also, another way I was entertained was a man playing a bagpipe. I always see/spot the weirdest things. This man played the bagpipe for a solid hour. What are you doing man? You aren't in Scotland, no one is enjoying it, PLEASE STOP! Oh well, maybe his spiritual gift is playing the bagpipe. (yikes) 

Jesus did give me a HUGE gift while I was in Paris. When I boarded the plane, I sat by a sweet French couple. When the plane took off the pilot came over the intercom and said if you are sitting to the left of the plane look out the window. I was in an isle seat so I leaned over the french couple to join them in the super small window. As our faces are basically smooshed together in the window, the French man pointed and said something super excited in French. I knew I needed to check out whatever he was pointing at. It was the Eiffel Tower all lit up. I am not someone who has a love for Paris or anything to do with Europe but I will tell you, I was freaking out. WOW. What a beautiful site it was to see Paris at night all lit up and looking fabulous. Jesus really blessed my heart so much in that moment. I got to see the beautiful Paris, France, lit up and in the sky. Wow. Such a gift.

Well hello!

I will be leaving soon on this new adventure the Lord has prepared for me. It's going to be amazing, challenging, eventful, eye opening, life-changing, answered prayers and an adventure. So come with me and enter into this journey with me by following my blog. I will update it as much as I can. I want to thank everyone for your encouragement and prayers through this. If it wasn't for your support, I would not be doing this. Jesus used YOU to help me, be obedient and follow His plans.
Jesus, YOU are why I am doing this. Why I am going to change dirty nappies (diapers), wipe snotty noses, play patty cake, feed bottles and give baths to YOUR beautiful children. Thank You Jesus for choosing me to go on this glorious adventure. May Your name be lifter higher!  Ephesians 3:20.