Reunion

Coming back into Bulembu and seeing everyone was pretty exciting. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss someone until you see them again. I was so busy in America that I didn’t really miss people all that much…but then you see all the people again and it’s so wonderful! We actually didn’t get in until kind of late Friday night….it was HECTIC. On Friday, someone was meant to pick us up around 10 a.m. from the hostel. We had to leave the room by 9 or they’d charge us another night. So we left our stuff in their office (which wasn’t locked and there were people in and out) and went to find a phone to call our ride and make sure they were coming. No answer-left a message on the mobile phone. We talk to them at 10ish and they say it’ll be half an hour. They had not been to the place we were staying, but Candice had given them directions and it was right off the main road anyway. Well at 11:15 they still weren’t there, so we called again. Said they couldn’t find us and went to run an errand and it would be an hour. About 12:30 (we’ve been waiting 3 and a half hours at this point. Just sitting outside the hostel with our luggage in the Africa heat waiting) we talk to them again. They had a flat tire. Then the girl’s purse got stolen out of the car. Then they went to the police station, etc etc. So to make a long story shorter, we waited 7 HOURS. Sitting outside of the hostel for 7 hours. I was impatient. But anyway, we made it back safely and that’s the most important thing. Saturday was super fun because I got to see ALL THE KIDS. The girls from Jacaranda house, the ABC ministry kids, everyone. Plus all of the teachers and other people in the community. It was wonderful reuniting! I am all settled in to my new house now. There are 5 of us instead of 4 because Kara’s friend is here for 2 months. There is Julie from Georgia, and Kara, Gennie and Cass from Boston. It’s a fun house. The only problem is that we have rats. We have been putting out poison and they ate some, so maybe they are dead now. We are not sure.
We’ve been super busy working to get the school and everything ready for Monday the 5th. Unfortunately, things in Africa don’t usually go as planned or expected, so the desks we need for our new teaching and learning system weren’t even put in by the workers until Thursday and Friday…and they weren’t completely finished and done right. So basically we will still start school officially on Monday, but this week will be more like a summer camp program because we can’t use our classrooms right now. So we’ll be doing sports, swimming, team building, hikes, relays, etc. It actually will be way fun, so I’m looking forward to the week. It’s crazy hot though!!
Monday we had a big braai and I think the whole town was there! It was super fun. All of the kids were there and just loads of people. I enjoyed spending time with the girls. I feel like my relationship with these girls is deeper now-since I left and came back. They just seemed closer to me and were talking so much and staying really close by and wanting to sit together and everything.
In the month that I was gone there were 2 babies born and Megen and Carl’s baby is due in 3 weeks!!! It’s awesome. It’s actually shocking how much has changed though. So many people coming and going. Several people have had to move and we have some new families in as well. Very interesting. It is sad though because the people that have left/are leaving were a great part of the community. It’s too bad things have to change in that way sometimes. I suppose that’s how life goes.
We still need about 15ish scholarships for our kids…they will come to the school but we are hoping to see this money come in. It’s a lot of money-about $600 each for the year on this new Accelerated Christian Education program. It’s subsidized for the students, but that is what the actual need is for the curriculum, pay for the local teachers and monitors, and for the school and materials. So please keep us in your prayers! Be blessed.