Oh my gosh! The last two weeks have been so crazy and full that I have not been able to write a blog. We had two amazing weeks with Timion and even still more adventures with the team, Anita and Wendy. Great learning experiences and hard goodbyes. New formed relationships and new conflicts to work through. Life has truly been loved on this trip and God worked through it beyond my imagination. I learned what my name actually means in the eyes of God for me and was able to grow my relationship with Him which is the most important thing. I was able to help bring new friends closer to God as well!
Timion has been an absolute blessing to us all. It is a Christian nonprofit organization that has shown me God in a new way. Everything they do is geared to expanding Gods kingdom. They reach out to communities that otherwise might not be reached like the townships and then not only give them an income but a community that is for Jesus. We have got the chance to do worship, Bible study groups and prayer groups with this company and community. It has been an extreme example that God is all over the world and that He works all over the world, even in Africa! Making relationships with Sakhile, Lusanda, Toby, Hannah, Moses, and all the guys and also hearing their stories was amazing. We were able to listen to them and let them know that they are seen. They allowed us to pour Jesus into them and they also poured so much Jesus into us as well. I also got to work with the Donkeys and share my horse knowledge with Timion. Not being a donkey fan they actually grew on my and I grew to enjoy them. I advanced their training and got a Halter on the wild boy Bobby! We also got new life! Ruth had her baby while we were at Timion. Let me tell you… baby donkeys are sooo cute! With all the highs there was also the low of saying goodbye. They had so many sweet things to say as well as gifts to remember them by. We sang my song (on page 96 Wahamba Nathi. There is a story behind it??), prayed and said goodbye:(. Such a beautiful chapter closed and came to an end.
Along with the people at ministry we also got to meet new somewhat locals. Haha. They are a bunch of surfer guys in which 3 of them are from Cape Town and 2 of them were from Tennessee, visiting the others. We got to invite them over for dinner, have a game night with them, see a local waterfall and also pour Jesus into them. I will say I definitely prayed about the relationships I was supposed to have with them abs the only clear answer o for was that I was supposed to be a light for Jesus. Be something in which they can recognize that they are missing something. They all knew the Lord, however, did not have a true reality ship with him and so I showed that to them. God put things on my heart to tell them and I did. One thing in particular was psalm 136. On the trip our team wrote our own psalm 136 abs so I shred it with one of them and encouraged him to write his own and it’s amazing what God has done. He used me to start a ripple effect in the group. They now are doing a weekly Bible study! Praise the Lord! I’m definitely excited to see where the Lord takes them abs also the relationship that are formed out of it as well. Out of all the relationships formed in Jefferys Bay Wendy, Roger and Anita have been so significant. I know we have been with them for the last 2 months but everyday just kept getting better and better with them. Wendy and Roger really made us feel so loved and accepted into their lives. They were our host parents abs the best we could have ever asked for. I will deeply miss their smiles and joy. I would have to say that these goodbyes were definitely the hardest goodbyes in Jefferys Bay. I will miss them greatly abs I am so thankful for all the moments that they spoke Jesus into my life.
On the happy side, the adventures we had were just as good as they have always been. We went surfing multiple times, I might even be a pro now HAHA, on boat rides and got to experience 3 of our girls as well as one of the surfer boys get baptized! It was beautiful! We all got up early so that we could worship and let them make the change of a life time in the rising sun of the Western Cape of South Africa. Tears of joy were shed along with many hugs! I am so happy for them and the beauty I got to share with them. We also had some relaxing weekends! Oh and we also got to have lunch with one of the surfing instructors we got close to here in J-Bay (we called him William the Surfer??).
Exciting things definitely happened abs it would be impossible to write about all of them. Especially when it comes to what I have learned about God! This trip has been a true testament to the importance of Gods timing. He has a plan and his plan is good! Not only does he have a plan for you but God also cares about your desires in life as well. His plan takes that into account which is so beautiful. I am back in the states now and soon to be back home! If you guys want to hear more about what the Lord has done for me abs ways He moved in Africa I would love to talk more about it. It’s my favorite story because He deserved all the Honor and the Glory. Until I see you all (in a few days) again I love everyone and am so excited to see you!
Timion- the donkeys!
The Workshop!!
Surfing in J-Bay!!!
Boat Rides in St. Francis
Catching Rides with Roger and lunch with William the surfer AND relaxing weekend!
Travel Day
