Thanksgiving…

So it's that time of year. The time where we give thanks for all that we have. Even though we should be doing it everyday. It's still nice to have one day designated for giving thanks and celebrate by being with family and friends. 

I am extremely thankful for the people who funded me coming here to South Africa. I knew after the first moment I arrived here on December 28, 2011 that I would be back for a longer period. I just didn't know when that would be, Jesus did. 

I want to say thank you for the people who are praying for me. I know that I am being prayed for because at times when I feel I can't go on, Jesus gives me the push I need to persevere. I know that's from people praying. It's been a humbling experience for me. Knowing the supporters I have back home cheering me on and giving the praise to God. Thank you. You know who you are.

I want to say thank you to my best friend and partner in crime, Krista Miller. You pushed me in the times where I wanted to give up and throw in the towel. Everyone needs a friend like you. Someone who prays fervently and passionately for them, a person who you can be yourself around and there is no judgement, a friend who you can talk to about anything and know that they will always be there for you. I know without you, I would not be here. Thank you for being the best friend Jesus intended for me. 

I want to give a special thanks to my beautiful parents. Momma and Daddy, if you had not been the most supportive, caring, loving, Jesus pointing parents, I would not be here where Jesus wants me. Growing up I knew my family was different. I knew I had two of the greatest parents I could have asked for. I just didn't thank the Lord enough because I took it for granted. Yes, I still do take it for granted (but not as much). Thanks Momma and Daddy for bringing me up in church so I could know Jesus at an early age. Thank you for making me feel prized, special, cherished and upheld in a way that I strive everyday to remain in. Most importantly thank you for your love. I know without a doubt that I have always been loved by the both of you. 

In saying all of this, take time to thank the Lord for all of His blessings. Thank Him for His death, burial and resurrection.  Thank Him for the sun, moon, stars, things in nature, your family, friends and finances. He deserves our thanks.  

Two Names…

Before we are born our parents think long and hard about what we are to be named. They might fuss about one or two names but finally come to an agreement on the name they think is perfect for the special little child they will have soon. 

The Door of Hope allows long term volunteers to name the babies that come to us without a name. Since I am considered a long term volunteer, I figured I would be able to give a name to a precious little one when my time came. 

I have a weird obsession with names. I've always enjoyed knowing the meanings of names. Example my name means worthy of love. BOOM. It was a very big deal in Jesus' time to have meaning in the names someone would choose for their baby. I also think it's very important. I have had a boy and girl name picked out for a while so I could be prepared to name a baby.

Today was the day. I was actually sending my mom a voice message on Voxer when Nadene, our baby house manager, came to my room and said she had a baby for me to name. I was so excited. When I got there and told her the name I wanted to give him (which is two names) she said he already had a middle name and so having three names and his last name would be too much. So I gave him the name that fit best with his middle name.

There was another baby boy who needed a name as well and since I was not able to name the first baby the double name I wanted to give him, Nadene gave him the second name I wanted to give the first baby. 

I got to name two precious baby boys. Talk about a highlight in my time here. Names are very important to me as well as their meanings. These names and meanings are perfect for these sweet babies that the Lord rescued. I'm so blessed that I was able to name these two angels. 

*For the safety of the baby I cannot tell you their names. Just that I got to name them. That's exciting in itself! 

Swaziland…

Remember when I told you guys I was going on a "new adventure"? Yeah, well that is the half of it. I've known for a while that the Lord was not done with me here. I prayed a lot about how I was going to be able to stay longer. I asked for His knowledge in this. I also asked for others to help me pray for discernment and guidance in how to make this happen. I knew to stay longer, I would have to cross the South African border and come back into South Africa to get my passport renewed for three more months. The problem was, who was going to take me? I did not have enough money for a plane ticket and I also did not know of anyone who could pick me up and I could stay with. I wanted to be safe about it. (Jesus did give me common sense.) 

Our volunteer coordinator prayed over the situation one morning and the Lord gave her a word from Titus. She knew she needed to help me so she prayed over who might could take me. The Lord brought to her mind a woman. So she called her and the lady said she would be glad to take me and another volunteer. 

So Friday afternoon we were taken to her office and waited for her to finish a meeting. She joked about Hannah and I helping her drive. (Her joke was actually serious.) We drove to the Petrol station and fueled up the car to make the 5 hour trek to Swaziland. I prayed before we left because after I realized she was serious about Hannah and I driving, I knew I needed to. We both explained that even though we knew how to drive, we did not know how to drive manuel. Also, we drive on the opposite side of the road on the opposite side of the car. There was NO way Hannah or I were driving. Oh yeah, and fun/important fact we don't have our international drivers license. 

So after I prayed we drove off into traffic. Poor lady was freaking out the whole time. Picture the worst driver you know and a 15 year old that is just learning and triple that. That's what was driving Hannah and I. I have never in my life been more stressed, worried, overwhelmed in my life. My organs felt like they were in knots and I was gripping the handle so hard I felt like the Hulk and I totally should have broken through it. After lots of near death experiences and a couple of police officers, we finally made it to the border. 

Her brother was meeting us there and I asked if he could drive the rest of the way. At that point I was just wanting my safety, I didn't care how rude I might have come across. So her brother drove Hannah and I to his house and his wife and the lady rode in their car. I felt so safe because he knew how to drive. Praise the Lord for good drivers. We went to the petrol station to fuel up for the two and a half hour drive to their mother's house, which was our destination. When we got to the petrol station and fueled up the car shut down in the middle of the road. The car would turn on but not go anywhere. It's super dark outside and around 10:00 at night. They call a mechanic and he comes. Drunk. Hannah and I are in the car and all I knew to do is read scripture. In that moment all I could do is read scripture. Jesus gives me the scripture in Matthew where He calms the storm. Oh, there was a storm there alright and Hannah and I were right in the middle of it. 

We pray. Over the car and over each other. For the car to get fixed and for safety because to be honest I did not feel safe at all. Two white girls just sitting outside on the ground waiting for a car to get fixed. Yeah, we stuck out big time. I've never wanted to be black so bad in my life. 

The mechanic decided he could not work on it that night (duh, you're drunk) and said he would work on it in the next morning. Well, the first thing that's thrown at Hannah and I was we would have to sleep in the car because she did not want to leave it in Sketchville Central. (Which is understandable, but my life or the car….hum, I'm going to go with my life.) So then there is a brilliant plan to tie the cars up and pull them to the brother's house. I would not even call it a rope. It was a string. It broke twice on the way to the house. Thank the Lord Hannah and I got in the working car. The second time it broke, Hannah and I were left in the middle of the road, pitch black dark outside with the window rolled down and the doors unlocked. This was my breaking point. I not only were we sleep deprived, I was scared for mine and Hannah's life at this point. 

The brother came back to get the car and drove to his house. Hannah and I were super tired and worn slap out from every negative emotion known to man. We walked into a room that only had a kitchen a bed and a small bathroom. It was a one room house. First thought that went through my head "Lord, I hope all 5 of us aren't sleeping on that bed." The brother and his wife slept in the car and Hannah, the lady and myself slept in the bed horizontally. Feet hanging off and everything. (Like a middle school sleep over at your friends house, but not as fun.) 

We woke up around 5:00 in the morning and the mechanic did not get there until 9:00. He said the problem was the gear box and needed to get the parts to fix it. So Hannah and I stayed at the house for a few hours until the lady and her brother wanted to go see some of their friends in a village near by. They asked if we wanted to come and we said sure. On the way there, Hannah and I saw some amazing mountains. The most amazing mountains I've ever seen. It was incredible. Jesus whispered in my ear "I made those." I started crying just looking at how beautiful the Lord's creation is. He reminded me that if He was powerful enough to make those mountains move, He was powerful enough to deliver us from the chaos we were in. 

We got to the village and we saw lots of people and chickens. We waited in the car because we did not know how long we might be there. Also, we wouldn't know what was going on because they would have been speaking another language. Hannah started talking about how homesick she was and I realized how homesick I was. We just wanted to go home (America) home in that moment. We were still scared and in shock of everything we had been through the last 24 hours. 

When we got back to the house the mechanics were working on the car. Everything was looking promising. The car would be fixed soon, we would drive to their mom's house and Hannah and I would be coming back to JoBurg the next morning. The more I thought about it the more I realized how much I wanted to be back in JoBurg right then. So with LOTS of courage and the Holy Spirit leading me I asked the lady where the nearest airport was so we could get a flight back to JoBurg. She said 30 minutes and her brother could take us. So when we got to the airport, it was closed but we were told that there was a flight heading out in the morning. So Hannah and I decided to stay the night in a lodge nearby so we could catch the earliest flight out. 

Hannah and I booked our flight that night with a debit card. We did not receive a confirmation email though. So we just prayed over it and said we would worry about it in the morning. I got so much sleep that night thank the Lord. We woke up in the morning and had breakfast. We were told we had a transport that would take us to the airport. The transport was an old rickety truck that only seated two people. The guy said he would take one of us and the luggage and come back to get the other. I said "No, you take both of us or we are walking" as I climbed into the back of the truck. So he took us and when we arrived at the airport we were told there weren't tickets available in our names. We would have to go to the nearest ATM to withdrawal cash and we would have to leave on the 11:00am flight instead of the 8:00am. At this point I didn't care as long as I knew we would be leaving soon. The lady said the ATM was not within walking distance.

Hannah and I walked outside and I prayed "Ok, Lord who can take us?" Jesus showed me a man who was dressed nice and talking to an elderly woman. I asked him where I could find a taxi or anyone to take us to the nearest ATM. He said he would take us. So Hannah and I got into this janky (yes that's a word in my vocabulary) taxi (which is really a van) and took us to the nearest ATM. We were able to withdraw money and come back to get our plane ticket for the 11:00am flight. 

We flew back to JoBurg and guess what? I got a stamp on my passport that says I can stay for three more months. The whole reason I went to Swaziland to begin with. 

I tell ALL of this to show how Sovereign God is. How faithful He is. How He protected Hannah and I through the darkest situations. I asked myself and Hannah numerous times throughout the weekend "What is God trying to teach us? What is He showing us?" In the middle of the trials I could not see how He was at work. During the darkness, I could not see the Light. I was so blinded by my faithless heart, worry and anxiety that I could not see He was there all along. Now, looking back, even though I would NEVER want to go through that again, I'm glad I did. I witness miracles, I experienced deliverance, I became strong when I needed to be and I cried out to Him more than ever. Jesus, allowed all of that to happen so that Hannah and I could see and share how good He is. Yes, it is a horrible physical experience I will never forget but also the best spiritual experience I will never forget. I learned that when I am in darkness, He is still Light and He is in me so I am never without it. 

New Beginnings…

A few weeks ago we received a young lady from China to volunteer at the Door of Hope. She came only knowing some things about Christianity. Usually you have to be a Christian to volunteer long term. It's part of the application. On her application she said she did not know God in a personal way. The leadership of Door of Hope prayed over her application and knew her coming was part of God's plan. So they allowed her to come and let the Lord lead. 

She came to my room a couple of weeks ago asking lots of questions. I was secretly freaking out because I had been praying for her since I found out that she was not a believer. I knew God had a purpose for her being here and knew she would come to know Him personally before she left. I had NO doubt in this. I prayed when she came into my room out loud that He would be in the conversation as well as direct it. So we had great conversation and read scripture and prayed. When she left my room there was so much peace, joy and hope filling my heart and hers. She said she wanted to think about it and make sure about this major decision she knew she needed to make.

That's when I asked everyone to pray and pray hard. I wanted her to understand the importance in her decision, how she would be living a different life. How she would have to turn away from things and run to the Lord in everything. Everything. So with all of your prayers….

She came into my room tonight and said she wanted a relationship with God. I freaked out (in front of her) and started dancing. Yes, I danced and clapped my hands. In that moment I didn't know what else to do. She laughed (because she knows I'm a little crazy) and got excited as well. She said she left her dinner cooking and needed to go finish cooking it and eat and would be back soon to talk about everything. 

Jesus knew I needed those extra 15 minutes to prepare. I prayed, sang and did a little dancing. I asked for His wisdom, strength and words. Jesus was all up in here! She came back to find me tear stained and praising Jesus with All Sons and Daughters playing on iTunes. We read scripture, prayed and talked about life and Jesus. It was amazing. You and I have a new sister in Christ now (as of an hour ago). Jesus is SO STINKIN AMAZING and I can't stop praising Him. I told her to GO AND TELL THE WORLD! 

Thank You Jesus for this life You have given tonight and thank You for letting me be apart of it. 

New Adventures…

So today, my friends, I am traveling to Swaziland. I am going with a lady and another volunteer just for the weekend. When I first arrived in South Africa my passport was stamped for 90 days. I tried to figure out how I was going to stay until January. I prayed, others prayed to figure out the best way to make this happen. The option was to leave Johannesburg and go to another country within Africa, so when I pass over the border, I am able to renew my stay for 90 more days. My volunteer coordinator prayed about it one morning and the Lord gave her a message from the Word. She then remembered a friend of hers that was born and raised in Swaziland. She called her and she said she would be glad to take me. Jesus worked everything out in His time. I want to thank everyone for their prayers in and through this whole process. In my heart, I knew the Lord wasn't done with me here, I just didn't know how He was going to work everything out. 

Praising the Lord for answered prayers today. He is sovereign. He is good. May His name be glorified.