Hello friends! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement over the past month! Let me take a minute to share what has been going on here…

Easter

     Those of you who have stuck with me through this entire journey may remember some highlights from last year (lots of Xhosa food, super long services, seven sermons on the seven last words of Christ, and of course that unfortunate incident with the older Xhosa lady…). This year brought with it a whole new set of adventures, and I must say that after being here for over a year, they were all much less traumatizing than last year’s. I went with my friend Nosicelo (who I teach with) to Alicedale this year. We went out on Friday morning to catch the Friday services and stayed until Saturday. Highlights from this year include…

• Alicedale, as we discovered, is a ridiculously small town located at the end of a ridiculously bumpy dirt road. Sadly, this took a toll on my beloved car and we arrived there with a flat tire. A sad situation indeed, considering that Alicedale doesn’t even have a gas station, just one lone pump on a random corner. It was, as they say here, a “mission” to resolve that crisis, but with the help of my Xhosa friends, my faithful supervisors, and a random mostly-drunk man in Alicedale, it was accomplished.
   
• Upon arriving, Megan and I realized that this particular circuit of churches was much more formal than the churches we attended services with last year. The most visible sign of this was that everyone was in uniform (either suits for men or the always-becoming black and white “Baptist” uniform for the ladies). What this meant in practical terms for us was that we were the only two there that DIDN’T look like a pilgrim.
   
• I finally got to eat sheep-gut soup!! I say this with much rejoicing, only because I have been hearing about this soup for over a year now, and have felt somewhat left-out because the chance to partake of it had, until then, eluded me. It was really an altogether wonderful Africa moment, because I actually got to see the whole process. This included slaughtering the sheep, cutting it apart, cleaning (only some!) of the poop out of the intestines, and finally watching the whole mess being cooked in a pot (that smelled suspiciously like poop!) I then got to eat it for dinner. For a girl like me, it was a dream come true!
  

• Alexandria—I feel so blessed to be here! Things are going great, and I absolutely love teaching with Nosicelo. She has proved to be an amazing teacher and a very dear friend. I really do give God the glory for how great all of this has worked out. It is an amazing thing really, to love what you are doing!
   
• Victoria Primary—these girls continue to make me smile and bring me joy. It has been a particularly surprising blessing to get to teach with their 7th grade teacher, Mrs. Abrahams. She is a veteran teacher and has really taught me a lot and I am inspired by her love for the girls. I also really feel like the girls are opening up with me, and I am able to share God-centered answers with them on a variety of topics that they ask me about.
   
• GAP—this is the middle school youth group that we have started up this year. It’s really awesome, because many of my girls from VP are coming, and it seems that, at least for a time, this is the “place to be” on Friday nights. May we bring glory to God in how we use this opportunity He has given us!
   
• Scripture Union—this is the club that meets at Victoria Primary on Friday afternoons. I haven’t mentioned it in a while, but it continues to be both a challenge and a joy. :-)

Prayer Requests…

• Please continue to pray for the work in the schools. Pray that Nosicelo and I would have an impact on the kids in Alexandria. Pray that we would have increased opportunities to share the gospel. Also, pray that I would have wisdom as I coordinate with Megan and the principal of the school concerning a True Love Waits rally coming up in July/August. Pray for God’s leading as I look to what to do at the end of this term. We will be finished with our curriculum at the end of the term. I would love to go somewhere else. Possibilities are either a school closer to where Nosicelo lives or the Primary school in Alexandria.
   
• Please pray for the work in Alexandria. It looks like Mandla, a young man from the Port Alfred church who has just finished at Bible College, will be taking the position as pastor at the new church in Alexandria. Pray for him as he continues to work through this transition. Pray that we will have opportunities to work together and further the things that the Lord is doing there!
   
• Please pray for the VP girls and all the GAP kids. It is really awesome to see how God has orchestrated all these ministries so that they tie into one another. It is great to get to know the girls through class, Scripture club, and GAP. Pray that He will continue to give me opportunities to really share into these kids’ lives. Pray that they will see their need for Him and really pursue a relationship with Him (and not just the fun that comes with GAP and Scripture Club!)
   
• Please continue to pray for Lizzie, the young girl from the youth group who is fighting cancer. She recently went to have a check-up after several rounds of chemo and the results were very uncertain. She is feeling stronger, but please pray that she will be completely healed. Also pray that her and her family will totally trust in God’s sovereignty and take comfort in His goodness. Pray for their increased faith no matter what may come.
   
• Please pray for my personal relationship with Christ to be strengthened. God has really been teaching me so much lately, and I have been humbled to see just how far I am from really being like Christ, in my actions, my thoughts, my motives. Pray that God will continually be refining me to His image, for His good purpose.
   
• Also pray for wisdom on my part as I look towards what to do next. I have actually found and am considering a school that offers Bible classes and a degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (what I’ve been looking for!) Please pray for God’s guidance in all of this and for a pure heart as I seek His will.

     Once again, thank you so much for your prayers! We can be sure that God is waiting for us to bring our requests before Him, and that He delights in them. I am certainly thankful for your intercession.

     As always, feel free to respond, I love to hear from you guys! May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, may He turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

For God’s glory,
heather :-)

 

See Photos from Heather Here