part two

I apologize for so abruptly ending the last blog, but i will continue from where i left off. 

After a wonderful weekend, we began one of the hardest weeks of my life, emotionally... yet one of the best. I don't even know how to explain it, but it's a crazy mixture of emotions!

But, Monday was pretty normal- Muizenburg (to work at Living Grace) and then back to Mountain View for Kidz clubs. 

Then Tuesday came the tedious tasks...

We have been building a shelter for the kids in Red Hill (one of the townships) so that the kids would have a place to play when it rained. 

I thought it would be an easy task... well... lets just say: we had 3 shovels, a pick ax, and a half broken rake. So we had to use just those things to completely clear out and level a piece of land that was previously just a trash dumb. (We found an old mattress underground as we were digging!)... but thankfully, by the third day we received more help and more tools, so that was nice. :)

But that afternoon, at kidz clubs, i had to begin telling all the kids that i was leaving this upcoming Tuesday. 

Gosh.. that was one of the hardest things i have done in a long time. i have become so close to these kids and i don't even know how to begin to explain how hard that situation was... it breaks my heart to leave them, more than they will ever know. They have made me feel so loved and i pray that i have made them feel the same. 

Wednesday: 

It was my last day of working in Red Hill, and we got SO much accomplished! We had more help than usual, because halfway through working a group of college students (from Georgia), that work with Campus Outreach, came and joined in on our efforts. They were a great group of people, and (a little fact to show how small this world actually is) one of the girls on the team is actually really close to jamie dorris (my d-group leader) and she read at her wedding- which margaret, sam, and i were honorary bridesmaids for!! how crazy is that?! 

Needless to say, we had a very successful day!

Wednesday afternoon:

There was absolutely no way to prepare for this part of my day. It was my last day, and it was one of the saddest and most humbling days of my life. 

It was hygiene day- basically they decided to start doing hygiene days once a month to help encourage the kids to stay clean and give them an opportunity to get clean. So we had stations set up for washing hair, brushing teeth, cutting nail, etc. 

I was planning on just walking around, taking pictures, and talking to all the kids for the last time... but then one of the life-skill educators asked me if i would be willing to wash the kids feet. 

As soon as he said those words my mind immediately went to the Passover where Jesus washed the disciples feet. And i know i'm not Jesus or anything, ha, but i couldn't help but try and put myself in His shoes as i went about this task. 

I honestly never really fully understood the big deal about Him doing that. I mean, i knew that it was technically a job for the servants and that their feet must have been nasty, but i could never really picture it... until now. Here i was, having to scrub the feet of children who run around barefoot, all day, in the dirt... some one them had sores and cuts, all of them had grime under their toe nails, and it was honestly just... well, gross. i have no idea where their feet had been.. and well i think you get the picture. 

So, in a nutshell, that was just a really humbling experience for me, because it not only allowed me to be servant to these kids, but gave me a more enlightened perspective on the servant hearted task Jesus carried out. 

After this was the goodbyes... and honestly, i can't really talk about those because it makes me feel sick. I already hate goodbyes, but this was awful. These kids opened up to me and loved me and let me love them, and now i am just up and leaving them... and they don't really understand why. but i need to move on before i get upset again. 

so, Thursday:

This truly was an unbelievable day! My spirits were so lifted from the sadness of the day before... and i'll tell you why. :)

Margaret and I were asked two weeks before if we would cook lunch at Living Grace this thursday for all the homeless. We said yes, not knowing at all what we would cook, but having faith that somehow we would pull it together... and we did! We made a stew- a really good one might i add :)- that served over 85 people! (the most people they have ever had come!) They all seemed to really enjoy it and i felt so blessed that i got the opportunity to do something like that. It was an awesome experience! 

But, the day didn't stop here. In fact, it got even better. The shelter- the one in Red Hill- was completely finished that morning while margaret and i were cooking, and so we were to have a celebration party that afternoon/night. So, we all went up there after lunch and it was incredible! The shelter was seriously beautiful... especially compared to how the land looked before we touched it, and by evening it was crowded with kids, teens, adults, and all those who helped build it. It was a blast! We danced and sang and painted faces and the whole place was seriously booming with joy! I will continue to praise the Lord for His goodness, and for blessing each and every person there with the fullness of joy and grateful hearts. 

And Friday- today:

My official last day of working... it pains me to write those words. I don't know how it could possibly be over! It has been a great day as well- worked in Muizenburg- but again, i had to say those dreaded goodbyes. I will miss every person that has walked into that shelter, but will miss those i worked alongside the most. They taught me so much about Cape Town and the culture, but most of all about loving people. Loving those that are hard to love and even those whose ways you don't approve of... everyone needs love and deserves love, and so despite of who they are and how they live i will love them... because if Christ can love disgusting, cheating, perverted sinners like us (it's harsh but true), then i can love them, because i am no better... even if they have wronged me- no matter how hard it may be. 

ok... sorrry, i will get of my soap box now. ha. 

But i have to run because we are about to have a brye (a.k.a. BBQ) that Mike and Mike are throwing for our team! 

I will see you soon! gosh i can't believe it has gone by this fast.. 

i love you all! :)

amy