Our God Redeems! (Week 43)

On Monday, I had a meeting with some MYC staff and trustees of the girl's home board about Tenele. It was found out that Tenele is again pregnant. She was taking to the clinic and found out that she was 7 months pregnant and due in June! So, in the meeting we discussed the ramifications of how that would effect the home and what would need to be done. It was suggested that Tenele go and talk with a counselor about being pregnant again and her life and the possibility of living with her mother again, which she does not have a good relationship with. I'm still not sure how I feel about this idea but I took Tenele on Friday to see the counselor and the counselor shared that Tenele blames herself for everything that has happened in her life. She said her mother doesn't love her and she really has no self worth. She has a lot of bitterness towards her mom and it will probably take some time to work through that. My heart breaks for her. She is a beautiful girl and has a beautiful heart. She knows God loves her but now she needs to let go of the shame and blame from her past! It's a hard thing to do but God is a God of grace and love and mercy and redemption! I have great faith that he will Redeem her! God is in control and I feel very at peace about the situation, knowing God has a plan. So I would just ask for prayers for Tenele as she goes through this next phase in life and that she would feel the love and support around her.
On another note, the girls ended school this week and on Thursday, we got to take them and some other kids from MYC to Mlilwane, to swim and play and have some lunch. They had a good time and I felt like it was a nice way to end the term for the girls. They have 3 weeks off of school so it will be interesting to see how they do living with each other and being together a lot of the time. Luckily, two of the weeks there will be a holiday program through MYC and they will be able to play games, do art, etc. I'm excited to enjoy the last few weeks I have with the girls before I head home at the beginning of June!

Week 1 of the Litsemba Lemphilo (Hope for life) home (Week 42 overall)

The home has now been open for a week! I started to feel much better midweek about being in the home and adjusting to living with the girls! The girl's are loving it and enjoying their time together. But, of course, they are girls and have had their arguments amongst themselves, which is normal. Things were going well up until Thursday when their was a concern from the office. Two of the office staff went up to the home and found Tenele and Lucia, her baby, in the home. They called me and were upset that they had not been informed of her staying there. I shared that I had gone through the proper channels as they had told me to do. I went through our Social Welfare Department and the Department in Manzini. They raised a lot of concerns and I shared that I did not agree with them and believed that she was exactly the kind of girl we should be helping. They had some other concerns which were discussed and now we have to have a meeting next week with some of the board. So, Thursday was an emotional day for me! Actually, I was really upset. Tenele has been through so much and this could potentially be another thing to go wrong in her life. On Friday, I had individual meetings with the girls to see how things were going and ask them some questions. I asked Tenele what her goal in life was and she told me her life was a mess, it was nothing, that she had no goal. It broke my heart. This girl, needs this home, the love of Christ. We were called to help the broken and hurting. She is broken, she is hurt! She needs to know that God loves her and that she can have a goal. And Mary-Kate can attest to this, Tenele has felt God's love and has changed in so many ways and I know whatever happens God is in control! He will take care of her so my prayer is that God will work everything out and this won't be an issue! I pray our meeting this next week goes smoothly! I seriously, felt like my feet were just swept up from under me on Thursday morning. Things had been going well the home was finished and we were all starting to adjust to living together. It was like things were too good and something had to be disturbed. (Side note: Tenele doesn't know anything about the situation, which I think for now is good!) But I know God is in control and I am trusting Him to walk me through this time, especially as I get ready to leave and head home in 6 weeks.
On Friday, however, was a holiday, the King's birthday. We spent the time at home and it was nice to hang out with the girls, watch movies, play games, dance, etc. I had a really good time with them and enjoyed the day. It was a much better day then the day before. It nice to be reminded why you are doing what you are doing. These girl's are great and I see great potential in them. God is going to do great things in their lives! Yebo Jesu!!!!
(Pictures to come soon hopefully!)

The home is finally open!!!!!! :) (Week 41)

This week was crazy, trying to get everything ready to move into the home on Saturday. We bought the last of the furniture we needed. I got some strong men to help me move the furniture around the home to where it was to go and bought food for the home. Saturday after lunch, I picked up Ayanda from Mangwaneni and then the two girls, Nonhlanhla and Sindisiwe, from McCorkindales, (I had shared at in a previous blog around Christmas time about some orphans that had been found, these two girls were apart of that family). We arrived in the home and got settled in and found out that we had no electricity because of work being done on the electrical lines. I'm told by Ayanda that I need to share this story...Since we had no electricity we had to use candles and we put them on plates by putting wax on the bottom and sticking the candle to the plate. So, it was stuck there for awhile, sitting on top of my dresser, when I opened my drawer and it fell over onto the rope I had laying there and I quickly blew it out but according to Ayanda I should have picked it up so that the candle wouldn't have to be lit again. (Ayanda thinks I'm a baby because I did this!) So it was a very nice evening, we had rice and fish for dinner. Then, headed off to our rooms. I had a very interesting night. Within an hour or so I had 4 cockroaches in my room that I had to find and kill!!!! Because I have linoleum flooring it sounded like there were mice in my room! Not a very fun time! But after killing them I was able to sleep just fine!

It will be exciting to see how things continue to go at the home. Today, Sunday, we moved in another girl, Tenele and her baby, Lucia. And, later on today we will add another girl, Dlalisile, who was apart of a scandal with her former high school principal. He was sleeping with the girls who couldn't pay for their school fees.

I'm excited to be in the home but anxious because I only have 7 weeks left! I'm actually kind of freaking out! It will definitely be an adjustment living in the home and not always having my own space, which I am used too. I am needing to learn to set some boundaries. So, it will be a growing and exciting next few weeks before I head home. Continued prayers as the girls, the house mother, and myself learn to live with each other would be much appreciated!

A rollercoaster of a week (Week 40)

Nothing is easy in Swaziland. I had mentioned in my last blog that I had gone last week on Thursday to pick up my visa/work permit and was unable to. So, on Tuesday I had to go again to pick it up and the network was down so I couldn't pick it up. Then, on Thursday I went back again and at first the network was down again but the others who were with me had to do some other things so while I was waiting the network came back up, but then they couldn't find my file because they had taken it to a meeting to change the amount I owed because they had me paying E600 and not the E300 I owed for the 3 month visa. As I was waiting for the others do their things, I finally got my file and the gentleman kindly let me pay without waiting in the long line. But then they lost the stamp to stamp our passports. They had to order a new one and it wouldn't be in until the following day! So I had gone to the government offices three times trying to pick up my visa. Needless to say, I can't wait to not have to deal with those offices again! It made me really realize how far behind Swaziland is from western society in many areas.
The other two days were much, much more productive! I bought furniture for the girl's home and got it delivered! We are almost ready to move in. We are now just waiting on the office to talk with the house mother who will be moving in and have her move into the home so that we are able to then move the girls into the home. I'd like to say it would be this week but I am not sure! The way things have been going I think I will just not give a projected date and let you all know when I'm in the home! On that note, however, I can't believe the home is actually going to open soon! I'm a little nervous because I've been waiting so long for this to happen that now that it's so close I'm not sure I'm ready! But I know God is good and he has given me the skills to do this. He is the one who deserves all the glory for this project because without him I know that none of this would be happening right now. I wouldn't be here right now. I am trusting him to work everything out. I just need to keep pushing through the nervousness and fear and God will provide!

"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10
 

Easter Week (Week 39)

The home continues to slowly get closer to being done. I feel like it still is a battle to get anything done. Monday and Tuesday some more renovations were being done and bunk beds were being moved in. Wednesday morning, I asked for a check to buy the remaining items for the home so that after Easter the girls could move in. But I waited all day for the check and was unable to cash it by the time I had gotten it. Then, Thursday, I had to go and pick up my visa/work permit, which took all day and in the end I didn't even get it and have to go back on Tuesday. It was a very frustrating two days. Plus on Thursday most places closed early because of Easter. Luckily, I was able to chas the check for the furniture on Thursday, while I was waiting on my visa. So Saturday, I purchased the mattresses for the beds. But backing up to Friday, Friday was much better than the previous two days. I was able to relax and even though I have all these things to do I realized I wasn't going to be able to do them so I decided not to worry about it and enjoy the day! Which is what I needed I think. I am starting to realize I have only two months left. I still feel like I have so much work to do. Knowing I only have a little time left makes me feel stressed and frustrated when everything is taking forever to get done! I think that was why Friday was so important for me to just take time to relax and spend some time with God. God showed me that I needed to just slow down and not be in such a rush all the time. He showed me how easily I've been getting caught up in all the drama and petty little things going on. I need to fight against the negative and the drama and remember why I am here. I have two months to go and I want to glorify God in all that I do from here on out!
On another note, Easter was really good but it was also hard being away from home. I realized how much I love Easter time and going to church and having fellowship with other believers. I am excited to come home and have that constant support from other believers. It's hard to be on your own in your beliefs sometimes but God is there for us and I have learned to trust in him a lot more than I ever have before!