LUO on TV...

For all you LUO fans...check out the good deeds story done on CBS Atlanta ;)

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/20071996/index.html

So proud!


More to come,
Becca

Grateful Hearts...

Wow...

I can't we left Jeffreys Bay a week ago today. I still keep looking back through our pictures and reliving the moments...wondering where the kids are...how they are doing and praying their future will be different because of the work Ithemba is doing.

I think a few of us are planning to go back...maybe in February...wanna come?

Honestly, we've come home with a few projects we've decided to adopt - so I plan to keep the blog going to help those interested stay updated on what we're up to.

Here are few needs we'd like to conquer:

- $3500 for furniture (beds, linens, tables, chairs, etc) so that we can move 16 kids into the Safe House.

- Crocheting hands...the Party Animal Animal Party was a huge hit with the kids...so much so that we need to make 40 more to make sure every kid in the morning sessions get to have one...so if you can make 'em...let us know. If you'd like to send an animal to Africa - $50 does the trick:)



- Auction items for a fundraiser to be held in Atlanta in October.

Let me know if you want more details on how you can help!

XoXo,
Becca, Rich & Matt

Monday Maddness...

Today we're headed home...we'll have a short stop off in Port Elizabeth to check out an African Market...then it's Port Elizabeth...Johannesburg...DC...Atlanta...Please pray for safe travels!!!

We don't want to leave...but can't wait to share our stories when we get home!

XoXo,
Becca, Matt & Rich

Sunday Service...

Sunday was our final full day in Africa - hard to believe our time here has come to an end so quickly. We know we've all made fast friends.

Today we went to the church that partners w/ Ithemba. Gavin and Lindsay were honored along with Rhea...they announced the upcoming completion of the safe house.

I think the best part of this day was the worship. I always love it when you get to watch another culture embrace this art...we started w/ Come Now is the Time to Worship - an old favorite of mine...and then jumped in to some Tomlin, Hillsong and Redman...mixed in with some songs in Afrikans. It was awesome.

The pastor spoke on leadership and the importance of empowering the next generation leaders...it was a new concept for them to consider...which was thought provoking in it's own right. I have been around this type of thinking for so longer, it was good to be reminded that some people don't naturally see the importance of legacy leadership, intentional apprenticeship, and empowerment of good ideas...failing forward if you have to do so.

My prayer is that the leaders of this church will embrace the opportunity they have to change the culture in Jeffreys Bay by serving one another regardless of which township one lives in...that is my hope...that they will embrace and continue to empower others to meet the needs - both financial and education - of the kids at Ithemba and the township they live in.

Matthew 5:
¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Shine,
Becca, Matt & Rich...

Lions, Giraffes & Tigers...Oh boy!

Today was a fun day - to rest, relax and process all that we saw this week...and of course to take in some of the local atmosphere...and all things Africa :)

The boys got up early and headed out to catch the "best waves" and then came back in time to pick the girls up and head downtown for a fabulous brunch at inFoods...the best coffee in town. We then trekked out to a Lion Park and drove through "the wild."

It was super cool - we will definitely have to post some pics. I think the Lions and the Giraffes were crowd favorites, but we also saw a baboon, wildebeest, warthogs, tigers, and zebras, springboks & deers w/ stripes (not sure what those were.) Some of us even braved the lion pen and played with the animals (supervised of course...so fun!) However the funniest site is fitting 8 of us in a hatchback wagon...we definitely look like a clown car :)

We ended the day we a great Greek inspired dinner and a good conversation. We have definitely all made new lifelong friends on this journey.

Tomorrow we will head to church to worship with our new South African friends.

Til tomorrow...

Becca, Matt & Rich

Least of These...

Friends,

Our time at Ithemba is coming to a close - but as a group we have decided this is not "goodbye"...instead it's a "til next time."

Our time here has been truly life-changing. I don't think any of us will walk into a Target, or grocery or department store, or even our own home with the same eyes we came with...there has definitely been an internal shift - a change of mindset. I hope that when we find ourselves wrestling with contentment, we now have a name and a face of someone we've met that is currently living with so much less and has a joy and peace that is contagious.

We started the day as we have many others - playing with kids - just lovin' on them, playing beauty parlor, pool, kicking the ball, throwing football, hula hoops, etc...but something was definitely special about today knowing it would be our last...bittersweet. I spent most of my time playing with Asum, Mary & Lisacahze - they are some of the ones that have captured my heart. Unfortunately, it was too wet to do our fun day/field day - so we left the toys w/ the teachers to do when it warms up. After we put the kids down for nap time, we headed over to SuperTubes to watch the waves roll in and pick up some lunch.

After lunch, we headed back over to Ithemba to play games and say our goodbyes. A couple of the boys, Simphiwe and his cousin, gave us a tour of the township where they live. (The city is divided into three - the whites, the coloreds, and the blacks.) They live in the black community which is the poorest of the three. I can't begin to put into words what we saw. As we walked, we handed out sandwiches we had made to the kids we met and I prayed alot as we walked the area. I know our God is good and He is Sovereign, but sights like today still wreck my heart with questions of mercy and justice. I think the hardest part was knowing that Precious, an orphaned HIV positive kid that goes to Ithemba, was running into one of the shanties we walked by. I just wanted to scream out her name, scoop her up, and take her home. (I will post a pic of her later that will melt your heart.) Leaving her behind was hard.

Another moment that will be forever etched in my mind was Matthew walking up to this cute little boy, laying on his belly with his head propped up on a picnic table bench just staring at us as we walked by - and as soon as he saw Matt's hand out with a sandwich just for him, he's eyes and body perked up and he jumped down and took it and then smiled at Matt and gave him a high five...and then took a big bite. As his sister, it was a very proud moment. The smile on Matt's face was just as precious as the kids...so rewarding to have witnessed it...for that I am grateful.

My Richie Rich moment of the day was watching him with as many kids as could fit in his lap watching cartoons off in the corner with some of the afternoon kids. He was just giggling along with 'em - very cute.

I am not quite sure what to do with all we have seen and heard today. I take comfort in the fact that safe house is almost done and some of the children will have a place to go to and perhaps have a chance at a life of possibilities and choices.

For now, I am just pondering what these verses and hoping God will continue to show us where and how to stand in the gap and do for those who can't do it for themselves.

Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

With grateful hearts,

Becca, Matt & Rich

Thursday...a little delayed...

Hi guys...

Sorry I wasn't able to update the blog yesterday...I was down and out with a mild case of the flu and didn't get a chance to post. I am feeling MUCH better today. However "Londsay" is still battling a major case of the flu mixed with a bacterial infection...so we spent most of yesterday resting while the rest of our team spent the morning at Ithemba and the afternoon assembling the pencil kits we bought for the kids.

As I had closed the previous blog...it was wet, windy, & cold here and we were wondering how the kids were surviving the night. Well, Ithemba was pretty vacant on Thursday. A lot of the kids didn't have dry clothes to wear and usually spend the day after the rain helping their parents get the water out of their house. It's typically a low attendance day. I just can't imagine it. Wait til you see the pics we've taken. There are no words...just heartache...and a longing for justice.

The shining moment that everyone came home talking about was the fact that the car we are riding in died...and so the guys had to push start it with the help of some kids from Ithemba. Finally, a good Samaritan that lived in the township wanted to help them. After trying to help them push start it, he drove back to his house and picked up jumper cables and finally got the guys going. The team was so grateful.

I think that one moment illustrates to me how I wish the world was. What would it look like if we all just took a moment to stop and meet the needs of the person right in front of us? It's so easy to go on with our busy lives and just easier pretend we don't see it for fear of having to get involved in something that may take more of our time, money, energy, effort. Who knows...but if we all just did it - I think the world would be a much better place...and in that simple act of selflessness, we would learn more about ourselves, our God, and humanity in the process.

For not feeling my best...God sure did show me a great lesson. I am thankful for Thursday.

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)

Grace and Peace,

Becca, Matt & Rich

PS - Please pray that God will heal Lindsay aka Londsay.