Second semester has started and I couldn't be more excited to get in the swing of things. Last week was quite difficult as we had to say goodbye to our other teammates. Our team of 50 was split into 3 teams, one going to Swaziland, one went to Port Elizabeth, and my team stayed back in Jeffrey's Bay. It was not easy to say goodbye, we had all become like family and I couldn't help but feel left behind as the other teams were going off to new exciting locations and we were left in the same spot just with less people. There was a heaviness in the air for the first two days but the mood quickly changed as my team members returned from Holiday. When Amber, Aaryn, Alexis, and Ellen entered, the house was filled with laughter and joy again. I don't think we have stopped laughing since. My new team consists of 13 girls, no boys. At first I felt as though we got the short end of the stick as a team, we got no boys, the smallest team and only two leaders. This week as we spent time together and began figuring out our ministries I can see I was totally wrong. It is very evident with each moment that passes that God had his hand in picking this team. We may be a small team of females but God has big plans and I think we're going to cover some major ground. It's amazing to see how each of the girls on our team has such strong passions about certain people and ministries and yet they're all different enough so that we will be able to pour into many areas.

I am going to continue working at Ithemba, the after school center that I have been working with all year. The kids there are one of the main reasons I decided to stay in Jbay. The kids have stolen my heart and just three weeks without them has made me miss them so much. I feel like big things are going to happen there. We have two new members of our Ithemba crew and I feel as though they are a perfect addition to our team. Trinos, the leader of Ithemba has a lot of vision for this year and although I do not know exactly what that is I have a feeling it will be good.

Not only will I be working at Ithemba but I will also work at the orphanage here called 7^th Heaven. During the break I spent some time there just for fun and I have fallen in love with it there. 7^th Heaven is run by an amazing woman of God named Nelly. She is a single lady who has an never ending supply of love pouring out of her. She has an open house to children who need a place to stay but there are 7 kids there that are consistently there. The children range from a 10 month old up to a 13 year old. Linda is the oldest girl. She's 13 and the sweetest thing ever. Her and Tessa the 10 year old are like little mothers. They love to care for the babies and you practically have to pry them out of their arms. I am excited about the girls as I feel as I could be a big sister to them. I would really love to pour into Linda especially. The next child is an 8 year old boy named Renaldo, he had 6 year old Cornelius are best friends. They're always dancing around together pretending to be the guys from High School Musical 3. Lady is the newest addition to the family. She is two years old and just about the cutest little thing. She's always at my heals blabbering in Afrikaans, I just respond pretending as though I understand her. The babies are Blessing who is 14 months and Angel who's 10 months, both of which were found near starvation. When they were found people didn't think they would even make it they were so malnourished, but with Nelly's love and care they are now bouncing bundles of joy. All of the children adore them, even the boys wake up early in the morning so they can have a chance to help care for them. I just can't get enough of this family and I have been going there in my free time to be with them. Just Saturday I took all of them down to the beach. I don't even feel like they are my ministry but rather that they are my family here. I love to just sit and talk to Nelly, I think she could teach me so much.

I am really excited to see what God is doing right now as I see him stirring something up in my heart. Since last year he has brought a bunch of girls along my path and has been continually tugging on my heart about them. I have met each of them in different circumstances but all of them are about the same age. I don't think it's a coincidence that they're all about the same age and I have such a strong feeling about each of them. I am trying to pray and see what God is saying but I am thinking of leading a Bible Study on Purity with them. Please pray as I would have to come up with it completely on my own.

So that's a little update on life here in Jbay, I will keep you all posted on what happens as I feel God is about to do something big! God bless!