We walk into the gate at Ithemba and all the little kids run to us.  For the next three or so hours we are their jungle gym, their friends, and their teachers.  It's a beautiful thing, to be able to love on those kids.  The Lord sent me to this place about two years ago to intern as an FYM.  I fell in love with it then.  It was always on my mind and heart while I was serving in Georgia.  I wondered if I was ever going to see those kids again. If I was ever going to be able to hold them and tell them that the Lord loves them.  Or if I was going to be able to play with them.  So I consider myself very blessed to be able to be back here with my family at Ithemba.

This morning was my ministry teams first day of  putting on and running a program at Ithemba.  It is a holiday right now which means that the kids aren't in school so we are doing a holiday program.  My team is teaching them all about the fruits of the spirit.  They did great.  It reminded me of how I felt my first week at Ithemba.  The nervousness.  The excitement.  But in the end the Lord took care of all of those and that is what happened today.  There were a couple of bumps along the way but Ryan, Kayla, Ellen pulled it off. 

Oct. 3rd

So today I went to Ithemba the whole time and hung out with the kids and students.  It was so good to be back in the run of things.  (This week I have been sick some and had errands to do and such so I wasn't at Ithemba everyday) I played soccer with on of the boys and one of the directors for quite a while.  I was tired. But is was so much fun.  I think I had forgotten my love for the place and the children.  Which shocked me a little.  After all this was my home for 9 months not to long ago.  And when I left Ithemba back in May of 07 I left part of me there.  I had poured all I knew and could into those kids and that place.  I had a piece that it was time for me to go but it was still hard.

    Coming back has been great.  I am able to pick up where I left off and now I have new things to share with them and more work to do.  I love it that the Lord has put me in this place again.  Yeah it's hard but it is so good.

    Today Mama Queen (one of the ladies that runs the program we work at) gave me a Qhosa name.  Lisakhanya.  Which means still bright, never changing, the light as not left me.  She told me that she gave me this name because I am the same as when I left.  At first I wasn't sure what to think of that.  I don't want to be the same.  I want to change and become more like Christ.  I want to be a better person.  But what she was saying is that the Lords life is still on me I am shining.  Which is a huge compliment.  So thank you Queen for my new name.  I will try to remember it this time.