Molly's place and more

Hello everyone! I pray this finds you all well and blessed were ever you may be!

Things are going well here in South Africa - Most everything is really different then I expected it to be, but God has been working everything out in a far better way than I could have ever imagined! It is almost too overwhelming- in a good way, but I'm just praying that He can help me to understand and absorb everything - it hasn't even been a full week yet!! The Lord is really showing and teaching me so many new and wonderful things, though some are very heart pressing. I am just so amazed by Him and His willingness to love and teach His children!

Wednesday was kind of rough - I haven't cried so much in a while... I went to Molly's place on Wednesday and was planning on staying there in the house until Friday... Molly has at least 6o children permanently living there during the week and upwards around 85 on the weekends because their mommies spend their Friday pay checks on alcohol and get drunk over the weekends - how horribly sad! When I first got there in the morning, the only children there were the babies (about 6-7) and gradually, the older kids (the oldest is around 17, but they are mainly younger children) came home after their schooling (with 5-6 "nannies" to watch after them all and Molly of course). It was fun to play with them and get to know them, and I feel so blessed by Him to have had the opportunity to! However, they are very different from children in America because the cultures are so different - I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is just so much yuck and corruption engrained in Africa in general that it pours (not trickles) into how these kids opperate and it just becomes a vicious cycle, passing from generation to generation. Not to say that the rest of the world, especially America, is void of these faults. There is just something very different about Africa. I've heard it said that Africa is called the "Missionary Grave Yard" - let yourself get past the physical meaning and try to think about this in a spiritual and eternal sense and believe me this title for Africa makes sense completely! I can see it in the eyes of the people - hopelessness. They are so lost and controlled by centuries upon centuries of their tribal satanic rituals and ancestoral worship (among other things) that it is so difficult for most to get past everything they have made their world to be in order to see the Truth and the Light of their lives! Please, just pray and support God's work for Africa! I know and see that God is moving in this place in His own way and according to His own perfect timing - And this just makes me rejoice, but there is still a ton of work that needs to be done!

Anyway, back to Molly's place... :o) These kids were sort of undisciplined and unruly doing mainly whatever they would like because their just isn't enough people to look after them all and make sure they are doing what they should instead of hitting and kicking each other or calling each other names and so on... They would listen to Molly real well, but she wasn't there all day because she needed to take one of the little girls to get blood work done at a hospital in Port Elisabeth. It was really really difficult to see them in the conditions they were living in. They-at least 65 people- live in a cramped, 4 or 5 bedroom, small kitchen, and a tiny bathroom house that is completely and overly cluttered with old, dirty furniture and toys and cluttery things and the smell is not at all pleasant. On Monday, Rufus Luttig got some kind of rash from an insect bit after sitting in one of the chairs in the house (he has mostly recovered), so the conditions are not at all health for the children either. And the worst part about this situation to me is not only that there is so much wasted wealth in this world that can and should be available to help them (they should not have to live like that!!!), but that there is even a need for it at all. It is so heart breaking to think of how far fallen this world really is... It is amazing though how God has blessed Molly and this ministry for those kids for the past 17 years or so! He is preparing a greater way for them and it has been wonderful to hear some of what is to come for them by His glory! I broke down in tears several times because of all these things as well as other reasons and just had to pray and lift them all up to God. At one point, I had to barricade myself in the room I was to stay in to protect myself from the violent rants of a 5 year old stocky boy named Joshua (Hebrew pronunciation), who was really a very handsome little guy but very, very vicious toward everyone, including children who were younger than him. I later found out from Molly when she returned home that he is a Nigerian, who are supposedly very violent and barbaric people - this just made me feel even more horrible for this poor little boy, because he has been exposed to so much wickedness at such a young age and he hardly knows anything different. He has been deprived of what life truly needs and what it is all about - God's love!!! - until now that he is Molly. I was so overwhelmed and I couldn't imagine not being able to get away from it, even if it were only a few hours to be able to process everything and find rest/peace in Him. About mid afternoon, I decided to call Almarie to come and get me. (Before hand, Almarie kept asking me if I was sure about doing this since I had seen it only once before and gave me a cell to call her whenever for anything. I continually assured her that I would be just fine - Little did I really know what I was getting myself into...) I will go back, but not to stay there. Almarie said the best thing to do with Molly's Place is to take it in doses and I agree!

When we were leaving Jehovah Jireh, Almarie decided to take one of the babies with us who has been keeping Molly up in the night. So we (Almaire and I) took care of little 5 month old Trinity Esther at the Luttig home for the last two nights while the men (Rufus and Brian) were out hunting somewhere. ;o) Guy stuff! Trinity is so adorable and probably the happiest baby I have ever seen! Well I got to run - I will fill you in on her story a bit later. We are all going to the Luttig's ranch for the weekend and then we will be doing a week (mon-fri) of ministry in the Transkei. Please pray for us and the people we will encounter! May God do a mighty work! Got to run, but I love you all and you are all in my prayers!

Sending my love and blessings,
Sara

I'm Here in South Africa

Hello friends and family!

I have finally arrived in South Africa after two and a half days of traveling! The plane rides where exhausting, and I am so excited to sleep lying down instead of sitting up in a claustrophobic airplane seat. Besides all that, I was able to pray a lot for this trip and seek out the Lord for guidance and also just get to know Him more by seeking Him out through His wonderful Word. I also had the chance to meet new people (those sitting next to me on the plane) and hear about their lives and even share with each of them some of my own adventures with the Lord. When we (Brian- the man I travelled hear with- and I) finally arrived in Port Elisabeth, SA around noon here, we were greeted by Almarie and Rufus Luttig (the family we are staying with). They are truly such kind and loving people! I had met Rufus once before in the U.S. but I had only heard of Almarie, who is such a strong woman of faith! I look forward to getting to know them both as well as Brian so much better while I am here. We all had lunch together and then they travelled us around for several hours to show use a few of the ministries they are addimatly involved with here in SA as well as to keep us from falling asleep. ;o) Their faithfulness and desire to see these ministries flourish in the best way possible according to the Lord's will is so astounding and a blessing to see! We saw Molly's Place, which is like an orphanage/daycare, and we also visited a Bible college. It brought tears to my eyes to see 50 plus children, mainly under the age of 10 years, in such poor living and playing conditions - Their need for hope and love is so great! They were all so precious and beautiful! I look forward to helping out more over there in the next several weeks! We plan on seeing these and more ministries for a longer period of time while we are here. I will keep you all updated as best as I can and I will try to get pictures up too!

Prayer Request: I found out from Almarie and Rufus that orphanages are illegal here in SA, so places like Molly's place and the daycare type centers that the Luttigs want to build in the Transkei (poor area of SA) are constantly being monitered by social workers and government (mainly the black government) officials. The Luttigs are doing the best they can to help get these orphaned and abandoned children off the streets and into a Christian and loving environment to better their futures, but it is difficult to get the government to allow them to do so. The government has also not presented a reasonable explaination for not allowing orphanages in SA. They trust that God's will will be done and their heart really desires that children would not die (especially from HIV) without knowing Jesus. Please pray that the Lord would soften the government and that he would guide the Luttig as well as others who are helping them in this process.

I must get some rest so I can be ready to go tomorow, but I want you all to know that I love you and that you are all in my prayers! I will post again soon!

In the Lord's service,
Sara

13 days and counting...

Ha Ha - Okay I realize that I am horrible at keeping this thing updated, but I would rather not get "addicted" to it... ;o) *sigh* Last Saturday night at church, I was reminded that I was leaving to South Africa for a month in 21 days (well today, about a week later, is 13 days)! Wow, God is good! I am still baffled and humbled that God would choose me to go. He is clearly setting everything in place for me to go while all along assuring me that this is His will for a portion of my summer. (Praise Report: God has allowed about half of the finances for the trip to come in so far! Please pray that He would continue to provide for this trip as well as bless those who are able to give financial and/or prayerful support!) Lately my heart has been overflowing with all the things He has been teaching me and showing me! Even just being able to realize how God is working everything out for good by making myself step back and look at things through God's eyes has been a big one. I feel like the list of preparation for Africa keeps getting longer and the days just keep getting shorter and going by in super-sonic-hyper-speed! Yikes - sssssllllllooooooooowwwwwwww dddoooowwwwnnnnn, please?! :0)

Last week on Wednesday, I found out that I needed to get all four of my wisdom teeth extracted from my mouth before I go to South Africa. Well, I just got that procedure done this last Friday and it went pretty well. It was such an acquired experience. They put me under anesthesia (which I have never experienced before), but I was aware of what was going on the entire time, except my brain was a bit delayed in comprehending exactly what was happening. I knew that I was getting my wisdom teeth pulled out, but I couldn't control what I was doing very well. Hee hee, I remember at one point that my forehead was itching and that I was trying so hard to slip my limp hand out of the arm restraints so I could scratch my forehead, all the while telling myself that I couldn't touch my mouth because something important was being done. I remember hearing the doctor telling the nurse to hold down my hand and all I could think was "If I can't scratch my forehead, can someone else please scratch my itch?" :0} Anyway, now my face looks pretty weird, my cheeks look like squirrel cheeks, and it looks like I need to wipe my mouth because I have an odd looking bruise on the right corner of my mouth and, of course, it hurts rather annoyingly - I just want to rip out the stitches sometimes, but I let the temptation pass eventually! :o)> ... One thing done, nearly a million more to go (a slight over exaggeration, but it sure feels like its true). I'm so glad that is all over and God has allowed me to function well afterwards, while still on strange medications, so I can accomplish His will for here and now, like studying and taking my college exams, finishing up alot of papers for classes, getting needed things and packing for South Africa, etc. - all which needs to be completed in a day shy of two weeks!! *sigh* I know that everything will be completed in His perfect timing - I just keep having to remind myself of that most beautiful fact and let go of the worry and stress I allow to creep into the mixture... Please pray that God would grant me a peace and an unending trust in Him, as well as a strong perserveriance to complete the tasks that He lovingly places before me!

O, how I love Him so! I just feel so blessed to have the honor of striving to live out a close and trusting relationship with Him! He never fails me and I know He never gives me more than He can handle! I'm still learning to surrender all things and every piece of my life over to Him, but I think this lesson takes a lifetime to learn and get down completely... I'm just so thankful that He is patient and compassionate toward me, and that He uses my weakness and worthlessness to bring glory to Himself! He is so much more worthy than anything we could every give Him, but He still chooses to be sincerely loving towards us all, even when we blind our eyes so we cannot see Him and His goodness! He makes me stand in awe, and I am completely speechless and dumb-founded by His infiniteness... I am so glad that I serve a God, the One and Only true living God, that I can trust in faith and that I will never be able to fully comprehend or fathom!

I pray you all have a most wonderful Sunday and the rest of the week! I love you all and I hope you know and hold fast to the comforting fact that our God loves and cares for you more than anyone else could ever be capable of! :o)