some orientation...

As I stated in my last blog, this was the first week of our school. Orientation week. It mostly consists of info about the next three months; about small groups, local outreach, work duties, etc. It was a good week. There’s a lot of meetings and gatherings for both staff and students so that everyone can get to know each other. Actually, 4 out of our 5 students already knew each other. And the other student knew the Hodges. It’s kind of nice that there are already those connections because the first week is usually filled with (somewhat) awkward small talk. :-)

We had a little switch around during the first week. Originally, the single girl students were living in the housing above the school room, along with the married couple (also students). But the school house isn’t surrounded by the electric fence that surrounds the property. The school house does have an alarm but we decided that it might be better if the single girls move into the Hodges house and the single guys move into the school house. So we made the switch. Now Rich Hodge lives with 8 females. Poor guy… he-he!

for those of you that know me really well, you know how i like to play with my food. When i'm done eating, that is. Well, here's a beautiful dish all the way from south africa... :-)

This is our front yard. we have a bunch of lovely flowers...

discpleship training school a.k.a. dts...

This week is the orientation week of our DTS. There's not a speaker, just the staff explaining and sharing about things that we will be doing for the next three months. Such as small groups, local outreach, work duties. So it's a week full of info, but so far so good. Our students are kind of quiet right now but that's how it always is in the beginning. :-) Last night was our first 'family night'. Every Wednesday we, staff and students, will have dinner together and hang out afterwards. Last night, after din, we played Nertz. it's an ultra-fast card game. i love it! and my team won! woo-hoo! Afterwards we watch The Philadelphia Story - one of my favorite movies of all time!

This is one of our new students, Jordan. We come from the same home church, New Hope. We just happen to be wearing very similar outfits, so we took a picture...
This is our first 'family night' dinner. Yep, one big happy family...

This is a picture that i painted for rich and lynn. they really didn't bring any (hanging) pictures with them, so it's the first piece of art in their new home...

i was so excited…

We went to Kruger National Park! Oh, it was so great! Me and the Hodge family spent last Saturday at the park. We saw quite a few animals,but i'll let the photos speak for themselves...

… we also saw a leopard but weren’t fast enough with the camera. I think (and hope) we will go at least one more time before I go!

recap of things past...

Well, after a 17 hour flight, a night in Jo’burg, and a 4 hour bus ride, we finally made it our house. The first days consisted of shopping, shopping, and more shopping. You see, the family that I’m living with, the Hodges, have moved here for the next few years. Have you ever had to furnish and equip a completely empty house in a few days? Now I can officially say that I helped. And it’s not easy! By Sunday we had a fairly “live-able” house. We did have to pick up gas for the stove and living room furniture on the way home from church. Church, by the way, was fun. :-) We visited a local one that someone recommended to Rich (Hodge) – he wants to connect with pastors while they are in South Africa (SA). The music was really great! The preacher started off in English and would translate some in African. But as the sermon progressed and the more passionate he got, the less he spoke English. Oh well. :-)

Monday morning was our first DTS staff meeting. It was nice to start getting on the same page as everyone. We had some prayer & worship and then we started handing out jobs to do before the students arrive. And guess what I ending up doing?! Shopping. Again. :-) We had a lot of things to get like food, welcome baskets, dishes, all that kind of stuff. So Monday afternoon, all of Tuesday, and Wednesday morning consisted of shopping too.

Tuesday was the first day it has rained since we’ve been here. Apparently this is the rainy season, but until Tuesday you would’ve had no idea. Tuesday was also the first day that the power went out (that we know of). Jeremy and Jen warned us that the power might go off every day at some point in time. (just like India!) You really just don’t know when it may happen. That’s always fun.

Yesterday was a good but busy day. Not only did our students arrive, but it was Lindsey’s (fellow staff member) birthday. Plus I believe it was a little thing that most people call Valentine’s Day… Most of the day consisted of getting ready for the new students. We spent the morning organizing their kitchen. We did take a break for lunch to take Lindsey out for her birthday.

On a sad note: Rich Hodge had his backpack stolen out of his car. It had his passport and a fairly large sum of money in it. He had left their camera and laptop home so they were safe. It’s really sad and frustrating but we know that God can work things out. It’s really His money always.

After lunch we ran to get groceries for the students and then headed back to help finish getting their house set. We were done about 5 and the students arrived around 7. (We are still minus one; she arrives today the 15th.) We had the students over for dinner before they went to their house the crashed. It’s a long flight.

Below are a few pics: me with my new temporary phone. Me, Rich and Lynn all got the same phone so i decorated mine with High School Musical stickers so we can tell the difference!

This is my room. It's VERY blue. But i like it.

Pictures from South Africa...

So, here are my first pics:
This is kathryn, heidi and me on the plane. we stopped in Dakar but didn't get out of the plane. The flight crew comes thru and sprays this stuff, and it's gross.

Woah! check out all that luggage!

This was our last leg of our trip. It started with an 17 hour (DIRECT) flight. We spent the night in a guest house in J0hannesburg. Got on a 4 hours bus ride to Whiteriver. Then, finally, Jeremy and Jen picked us up and we drove 15 minutes to our house. Whew....

This is the view from Heidi and Kathryn's room. It's quite lovely! The weather has been pretty nice too. February is the last month of summer here. So, I'm hoping that it will only get cooler from now on. :-) But you know me; I don't care for hot weather...

how to know that you're not in the states anymore...

...when you see a sign indicating that hippos may be crossing the road. apparently they migrate from pond to pond at night. who knew?

here...

We're here. In South Africa! We made it safe and sound. And when i say 'we', i mean me and the Hodge family. We stayed last night in a cute little guest house near the airport. After lunch we will take a 4 hour bus to White River where our friends will pick us up. It was cloudy when we got in yesterday but it's a beautiful day today! That's it for now; more to come...

rainy days and… monday

It has been pouring for most of the day. And I’ve been out in it. I ran a few errands and a saw a movie with a friend. I’ve changed my pants twice today because they keep dragging in the rain. Oh well. What can I do? I already packed my galoshes. Actually, I’ve packed most everything. It’s hard though. Somebody is moving into my room after me, but I’m still here till Monday. So, I can’t pack all of my winter clothes yet. And I’m still using my bed. Anyhoo, I have to finish soon; did I mention I was leaving on Monday?!?