WE ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eckkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Alas we are here!!! :) :) :)

We hit a few bumps along our travels through the airport, like not knowing that in Jo-berg we had to get our bags off the conveyor to put onto the next plane, so we had to go through the back passages with a worker, waited for a long while and we were afraid that we would miss our flight, but we didn't! I also thought that I had forgotten my meds at home and kinda freaked out at O'Hare. But good news: Rachel found it for me! ;)

Our second flight, that was supposed to be from DC to Jo-Berg, was actually from DC, to Dakar, Senegal, then down to Jo-Berg, so it was a little longer, but I don't really remember much of it because I took those Tylenol PM and slept almost the entire time-- so like 17 hours or so. I woke up to eat, but that was about it. Thanks Kyra for the travel packs of Tylenol PM and thanks to James for the magazines- that I read while I was awake!!!!!

After 21 hours on a plane and 36 hours travel time total, we arrived in Capetown, exhausted, but stoked to finally be here!! We arrived in the night so the girls didn't get a great view, but they are already seeing why I'm in love with this place! :) Sorry Mom, I think Rachy may have caught the Africa fever! :)

Coming back to Grabouw feels like going back home. I know where many of the places are, not all of course, and getting to see familiar faces, especially of my babies, has been absolutely wonderful. We have met a bunch of great people and kids that just melt your heart. We've heard some sad stories. It's so interesting to hear and see how the girls on my team react to seeing the slums for the very first time. It is such a hard thing, but at the same time a great reminder of all we have to be thankful for. Even though our house is freezing and there is a draft through the bathroom (yeah we DO have running water!), we are always reminding each other that it could be worse. We could be outdoors, with only a tin roof or tarp walls. We were blessed that another team left their bedding so we have double while most have none.

We are each taking a turn going to each of the schools this week, as their are 4 schools, and 4 of us. The next three weeks, however, the kids go on winter break. Wish I would have known that in the planning, but their are all kinds of things to do outside of the classes- like spending our days at Asiphe` House- the home for children with special needs. :) We already visited and my little Katherine clung to me---- I can hardly wait to go back!!! I want to bring her back with me soooo badly!!! I will post pictures when I figure out the internet in our house.

It is even harder to see how different things are for kids with special needs here compared to the US. One little boy, named Clayton, ( I met him last time I was here :) ) who lives at Asiphe`, is blind, except for a little bit of light that passes through. He is always clinging to someone, and climbs on you like a monkey. Some of them said he was annoying them and to just put him down and run away. At first it was frustrating that he wanted all of your attention, but then I realized that he probably doesn't get that much attention, because his needs are so small compared to many of the other kiddies. The staff also doesn't have the knowledge or training to understand why he does some of the things he does. He needs some serious oral stimulation- and we need to stimulate his other senses - and I plan to help this little man out. There are also some cognitive issues, but I'm up for the challenge to help this little man out. When I picked him up he stopped squirming and melted in my arms. He just wanted to be held. I also got him to laugh- which one of the other volunteers had never seen happened. He normally walks around with a scowl.

I'm so glad that we are serving a Father that loves us and doesn't put us down and run away when we are needy. I'm sooooo thankful that instead our God picks us up, loves us, and gives us joy.

Look for more postings, more often. I have an internet stick, called a "dungalow" here, so hopefully we will be able to blog more.

All my love <3