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I just really suck at keeping up with a blog. TIME is the most precious we have here and it's going by so fast. 

This is a picture of Mpophomeni, at least a view from the house I stayed during this last week. I had an amazing opportunity, because of choosing to serve at Ethembeni, to be able to do a home stay. A home stay is where you go and live in the township with a member of the community of Mpophomeni. I am so very thankful I got to have this experience. It's one thing to go and work in a community and then retreat back to the campus or your home, it is an entirely different experience to be able to work and serve a community that you also are living in. It was eye opening and extremely different to the way Americans live. I believe that God met me in that experience because I had such a want to have an authentic experience while being in South Africa, instead of living inside our American AE bubble. People in the township (for the most part) live off what they NEED not what they want. Sarah and I stayed with Aunty Dudu and Gogo. It was so touching, after seeing what little they had in comparison to how I live back in the States, to know that they were so willing to share their food, time, and home with us. (If you have any further questions about my home stay time, I will be happy to go into more details)
(I will share this) My two favorite memories of the home stay were the morning walks to the family center with Ulwethu. He picked us up every morning to walk us through the community and he shared stories of his life and gave us a tour of the township. My other favorite memory was the last night at home stay where at least 11 kids from that neighborhood had came over to play with Sarah and I. They were so awesome. Words can't even describe how blessed I was by all their different personalities. They taught me hand games, isiZulu words, played with my hair, taught me dances, and I even got to teach them swing dancing. I wish I could relive that night a couple more times.

NOW down to business. It's my last week in PMB. It's my last week at Ethembeni. I have no idea how I'm even suppose to process and deal with those facts. I have fallen in love with this place and am not ready to say goodbye. It's even harder knowing I may have an opportunity to come back. I fear that I will lose relationships that I've made. It is a very real fear, that I'm sure a majority of us are feeling this as well.

I'll post something before I leave for Cape Town this Saturday until then:

Peace be the journey

Zano is at the bottom, Aunty Dudu is the in the top left, Neliswa pink shirt, Zam green jacket, and Minenhle white jacket. 

My favorite girls Neliswa and Minenhle.