I have a constant craving for adventure.  It's an unquenchable thirst that runs through my veins.  You'd think flying across the world and living in Africa amongst a continent of people I've never met, submersed in a culture that I am unfamiliar with would be enough, well not for me.  Life has been getting too comfortable and so the restlessness of my soul began.  "I need to do something, I need to get my adrenaline running" I thought early friday morning.  Thank goodness that I have friends here with that same desire because shortly after thinking that my friend Alexis proposed an idea.  "Let's go to Port Elizabeth tonight!"  I thought she was crazy...how in the heck would we be able to go all the way to Port Elizabeth with no means of transportation.  Well if there's a will there's a way and Alexis had the will so the way was formed.  So friday night me and 4 of my friends rented a car and took a trip to Port Elizabeth to see Hillsong in concert.  Now normally just traveling to another city wouldn't be that much of an adventure but when you have a car full of unexperienced American girls driving a stick shift in Africa (where they drive on the opposite side of the road!) adventure shows its true colors.  As we drove there was an assortment of exclamations.  Alexis who was driving was quite nervous and trying very hard to manage driving a stick shift which she isn't quite used to and so we were stalling quite a bit.  Gail in the front seat kept her calm collected voice of encouragement "Alexis you're doing great, okay you're not actually on the road right now and you almost just hit a man but don't worry you're doing great!"  Ellen in the back seat was flipping out clutching on to whatever she could grab and screaming when a near death experience would flash before our eyes (i'm slightly over exaggerating it really wasn't that dangerous) Bri in the center seat kept her calm quiet self and had a continuous smile on her face while all along i think she was praying to make it out alive.  Then there was me...sitting in the back laughing hysterically unable to do anything else.  Needless to say we made it there and back safe and sound and had an amazing night.  The cravings were quenched momentarily so we'll see how long that lasts before we have to strike again. 

 

Well that story was just for fun but as for an update on ministry (which we do do I promise!)  Things are going wonderfully.  There is never a dull moment teaching a class of little Xkosa first graders.  THe other day all I had was 6 kids but that day earned them the name "the satanic six"  I don't know if they learned anything that day as I had two boys in a time out most of the class period...little Asamahle running around crazy and hanging upsidedown from her chair.  The only ones who managed to behave were Marcellen and Suka who sat like angels in their seats...Marcellen near tears at the state of our class.  Don't worry its not always that bad...thank goodness because the following day my six children were replaced by a class of 22!  It's quite difficult to manage a class that big when they do not understand most of what you are saying to them and you do not even have a class room so they are quite distracted by the commotion of people constantly walking through out "classroom" (which is a corner of the church).  Ministry is actually going really well though.  I love it so much and I am so overwhelmed with love for these kids.  If anyone is interested at all in helping out in the ministry we could REALLY use teaching supplies.  I have a couple of workbooks and thats it...any type of preschool or kindergarten learning materials would be great.  I'm trying to teach them their shapes, letters, numbers, colors, and basic addition.  Its hard to find creative means of doing so when you have a complete lack of materials.  Write me if you are at all interested. 

 

Oh I haven't shared with you yet that I found out where my location will be next semester.  I get to stay here in Jeffrey's Bay!  I am so excited!  I was praying about it alot because I have already invested so much in building relationshps with people here and I just couldn't leave them and start all over again.  So I get to continue pouring into these people's lives.  I have a dear friend and ministry partner here named Nomsa who is a local, she has aided me greatly in learning the Xkosa culture.  I am so thankful for her because without her I would be a naive American girl offending people left and right.  One day she was baking muffins in the kitchen at the church for some occasion and she offered me one.  Trying to be polite because I didn't want there to be a shortage of muffins, I told her no thanks.  Well I came to realize that is very offensive in Xkosa culture.  You never turn someones offer down.  Also I learned that if you are eating anything in front of people who aren't eating its very rude not to share.  So even if you have just a tiny bag of chips you offer it to everyone around you!  Oh there is so much to learn but with the help of Nomsa's culture lessons and Shadrack and Wawa's language lessons (two little boys at Ithemba) I'll be a pro in no time (ha! not!)  But I am beginning to learn some basic phrases in Xkosa which helps me out quite a bit.  I learned things like "Mamela oomna" (listen to me) "tulani" (quiet) "ezapa" (come here)  " un-cho-jonny-gay-see-xkosa"(how do you say in xkosa) and of course "oom-say" ( you are beautiful) which is always a great one when you want to please the ladies! 

 

Oh yes life is great here i don't know how I could be happier.  Thank you all so much for your prayers and keep on praying your prayers mean alot.  I love you all!  -Sama