This Chapter is Coming to a Close...

This chapter is coming to a close. I can NOT believe that I am leaving in just 4 short days. I have learned SO much here and absolutely fell in love with the babies. God has shown me amazing things and I am so excited to tell all of you. The picture below is of Shadrack...such a cool picture because he is looking at the door of hope pamphlet and if you look closely it says: "In Johannesburg alone at least one baby is abandoned every day"

Well after working five days straight, I am worn out. You never realize how much work it is until you do it non- stop. I am now an expert at: changing nappies (diapers), changing their outfits, feeding them their bottles, washing dishes, and basically anything a mom would do times thirteen. We now have twelve babies because one of our babies was adopted. However, three total of our babies were adopted yesterday. One was from big babies. (the section I work in) One was from Starfish. (Special needs) And one was from Baby House 2. It was a bittersweet day because we love those babies and are going to miss them but we know that they are finally getting a home where they will be loved and cherished everyday! It was so cool to be able to see Luke off. We prayed and he was just smiling and smiling. He is about 10 months old and is going to be a ray of sunshine for his new family. We have a couple more babies being adopted on Friday.  This is also very bittersweet. God is going to protect every single one of those babies and we are SO excited to see him at work. 

I love the aunties! We have had some GREAT times with them and the stories could never end. They are so much fun and I know I will miss them a lot! We have had some crazy photo shoots and heard some pretty intense stuff but to be honest I have a learned a lot from them. Here is just two of the aunties that I have grown to love!

I had my first day off yesterday and we went to the market. What an experience:) It was so fun! I just love everything about South Africa. However, I know that God is calling me to missions but I am not sure it is to South Africa. I will hopefully be able to explain more when I am home! I am having a great time and seriously learning so much! Melissa and I started reading a little section of radical last night and just really made me think! It made me realize that God is SO powerful and so many times we diminish that in the Christian life. Honestly, I could go on and on about everything that God has done and shown me here but I will save that for when I am home.

So for my last blog from South Africa! I really am thankful to all of you that made it possible to come and I know that God’s hand was in this whole trip! Please pray for my trip home on Sunday night and that I won’t get lost in the airport! Haha But I will see you all when I’m home and hope to tell you all the amazing things I have learned!

Much love all the way from South Africa for the last time here! :)

Time flies: 2 weeks left.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

What a verse. God has really been stretching me in SO many directions. He is truly amazing. This past week I do not even think I can put into words. We received thousands of DOLLARS worth of donations on Saturday from a company. We also had many answered prayers. Received food when we did not think we had enough. And the list could just keep on going. This is truly been quite an experience for me.

As I said in my last blog, Shadrack one of our kids, is VERY sick. We found out on Saturday that he has tonsillitis and his mouth is infected while he is teething. It is so hard to see a YOUNG child go through that type of pain without understanding what is happening. As I was just watching him try to eat he was so confused on what was happening and he was just in so much pain. Well Melissa brought to my attention how similar that situation is to how adults go through things. When we are going through pain or hardships and we just cannot figure out why it is happening. Some day (if he remembers this) Shaddy will understand what the pain was he was experiencing. And I know that the hardships that we face every day here or even at home are all for a reason. God has His hand in EVERYTHING. Without explaining the whole entire story, one night I was reading a book that my sister (Jessica, thank you so much) gave to me right before I went on this trip and I opened it and the page I opened it to was EXACTLY what I needed to read. I then shared with Melissa and Kelley. We were able to rejoice and grow together. It was amazing that God is so good. I am so thankful for those two girls. I am so glad God brought them into my life.

Here is a little update about all the babies. They are doing WONDERFUL. We just had 2 NEW babies come in this last week. One baby is only 8 days old. His name is Cozi. The little girl who came in is now 10 months. She was severely malnourished because her mother was not sure how to take care of her. Her mother is only 14 years old. Well she brought her to the hospital and Dudizulle and she was there for 3 months as the doctors took care of her. Her mother would come and visit when she was able. Well the hospital/ Social Worker then released the baby to Door of Hope without telling her mother.  So be in prayer as the mother may show up at door of hope any day and want her baby back but we are not allowed to give the baby to her. Dudizulle is in “isolation” right now because of a cold but she is such a beautiful baby and will be out within the next week or so. As I said Shadrack needs prayer because he is just SO sick and we want 

him to get better. He is SO close to being adopted.

I also was able to attend Berea Baptist Church on Sunday. The husband and lady who started that church were also the ones to start the Door of Hope ministry. It was an incredible experience and so cool to see people who do not have very much just praise and honor God for ALL that they DO have! I will have to tell you more about the church later. I also was able to see Baby House 2! It was beautiful. It is right behind the Berea Baptist Church. It was really great!

I have SO many MORE “God stories” but I definitely want to share them with you in person. Especially about a new opportunity that we have found, that I will definitely give you more information about as soon as I am able. I hope that you all are growing closer to God through this summer and that my blog is uplifting and encouraging. I would love to hear from you and if you have any questions about this ministry here pleaseeee ask.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. It is very much appreciated. I want to talk to ALL of you but as the internet is not working quite as well, I will be able to talk to all of you when I am home.

I want to end just with a quote:

'"When we can't piece together the puzzle of our own lives, remember the best view of a puzzle is from above. Let HIM help put you together."

Such a great encouragement. Thank you all again for praying. 

Im in love...with these babies!

Sorry this blog is going to be like three sentences. BUT I am doing SO WELL! I love it here and want to stay forever! I put a link below that you can hopefully be able to see the picture! I am not sure if it will work but its the only way I can upload things as of now! :) I will write a longer blog next time!

file:///C:/Users/Katlyn/Pictures/Africa%202011/Facebook/090.JPG

Day One!

Well I am finally here. This is like a dream come true! I have learned SO much already its amazing to see how much you can learn in just a few days. I have now been here for one full day and I really think its going to be great. At first I wasnt sure exactly how things were going to work out and what exactly was going to happen but now I know that NO MATTER what I am going to learn so much! The babies are great! They immediately just come to you and want to be loved! Which of course I love so much because I love to just hold and take care of babies! Tonight we are going to go out with some of the other volunteers we have met and get to know them! I am really excited and just so ready to work! I have my schedule which its like a three days on two days off type of thing. So I will be off on Thursday and Friday. The days that I am on  I will be working 7am- 6pm. Today is training day:) So I will be going back to the baby house in just a little while to be trained and love on the babies! Melissa and I went grocery shopping yesterday. Well let me just say it was not that best thing to do since we were both in such a daze and basically slap happy because we were SO jet lagged. But it was fun and got to know our way around a little bit. Then we got back to the house and this dog like came out of nowhere barking and looking like it was going to attack us so we both screamed and ran inside. haha Thats just one of the funny things that have happened so far. Some exciting news is that we will be getting a new baby at our baby house today. She is "graduating" from the baby house which is downtown. Mom and Dad, you will be happy to know that even though where I am not in the safest place. The downtown house is even more unsafe:) SO dont worry. One prayer request is that a baby was kidnapped over the weekend at the downtown baby house. They have the police looking for her so if you could just pray that they will be able to find a lead quickly and that there was no harm to the baby. Lastly, while I was reading in my devos I came across the verse Joshua 1:9,  "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid: do not be discouraged, for God is with you wherever you go." This really reassured me of so many doubts I was beginning to have. God really has given me a GREAT peace that is so comforting to feel.  Sorry that this blog is ALL over the place but hopefully my next  blog will be more understandable and not so scattered! I want to thank you again for yours prayers. This is definitely going to be stretching but so GREAT! If you have any questions or things you want to know just facebook me or comment on the blog and I will try to answer:) love you all :)

Well this is it.... the moment I have been waiting for!

I am SO excited to tell you that I will be on my flight in approximately 10 hours. I know that God is in all of this because I feel such a peace about going. God is amazing and has provided EVERYTHING I need and MORE! I cant wait to be able to update my next blog by telling you that I am IN Africa and I am sure there will be some stories to tell=) Thank you all for your support in prayer and financially. It has been a huge blessing.  Just continue to pray for safety and wisdom! I am really looking forward to just loving on these little kids. And being able to encourage the workers there. For now I will leave it at this but the next time I blog I will be there! Thank you all for everything! This verse (a very common verse) has been such a GREAT encouragement to me: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." So excited to see what God has for me to learn!