Matthew 5
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

this week we finished the service sites part of our semester. we ended on wednesday by taking communion at walk in the light as a group. Walk in the light has a separate piece of property across the street from the main property. This land overlooks all of pietermariztburg. it can be seen from anywhere in the city. it touches the township of haniville. Bruce has set up a trust with the land. the land is for the people of Haniville. he has a vision for this land. Eventually, if God wills it, it will be turned into a community center. God has so clearly anointed walk in the light. it is his ministry. that is his land. i am praying for continued divine appointments for the people of haniville. i pray that the spirit will continue to move across the township. as we stood on the hill and prayed over haniville as a group i was overwhelmed with the hope that Jesus has promised us. he promises restoration, healing and strength. he is in haniville. he was there long before i ever arrived and he will continue to be there. He has equipped Neels, Bruce and Phindile to do his work in unimaginable ways. God is so clearly the center of Walk in the Light.





Mandla
Mandla is HIV positive and has TB. Two years ago he was stabbed in the back by his daughter's boyfriend, and since then he has been paralyzed. For the past week and a half, our group of 24 have been working on building him a new house. Mandla is an incredible man. his story is a story of forgiveness. he still lives with his daughter. he is not bitter towards her at all, even though her boyfriend is the man that took away his mobility, his freedom. he has chosen to forgive her and to love her.



this is mandla's older house. we added on to this one because it faced the wrong way. the door of mandla's old house faced the weather ... when it rained his house would. we added on a whole other house in front of this.









playing with mud :)
part of the process of building a house like Mandla's is digging up the dirt, then making mud. we started by clearing the front yard, then using all this dirt to make the mud that eventually covered the walls. in order to create mud, we made big holes then added water and mixed. we mixed the mud by getting barefoot and stomping around in the mud. we had a lot of fun making the mud, clearly ...









Senior Youth:
i have so much fun with them. i feel like i have moved past just seeing the youth on weekdays and just spending time with them because they are at my service sites. they are my friends. i would hang out with them regardless of location, regardless of circumstances. this week tanya and i gave them journals before we left. we put in different bible verses, notes and pictures for the four boys (sihle, tash, njabulo, and snash). As we were making these journals, i was taken aback by how deeply i have grown to care for them. i have grown to really enjoy their company. they have become good friends. we pray for each other and with one another. we laugh. we hang out. it has been such a surprise. i did not anticipate growing so close with them so quickly. i am humbled by their friendship with one another. i humbled by their hope and their willingness to continually find God in every situation.. they listen earnestly to the voice of God and they respond to it. i am going to miss them while i am gone the next 5 weeks in capetown! i cherish my time with them.







senior youth girls


senior youth bonfire.
last friday we met with the senior youth again. we came together and talked about the things that are holding us back from truly experiencing God's love, the burdens, the pain, the people we have yet to forgive, the strongholds in our life. We all wrote them down, then came together and burned them together in the fire, then worshipped and sang with one another. it was a great night. there was no difference between the APU students and the walk in the light youth. we were a group of senior youth. we sang in zulu and english. we prayed in zulu and english. God transcends all barriers. i am so amazed at these youth and their stories. their strength and perseverance continually surprises me and challenges me.




Sihle
i have blogged about him before. i am thankful for him. i am thankful that he is in my life. his story is incredible. i have never met anyone that is more of a testament to faith and hope. Sihle's dad died when he was 7, and his mom died when he was 13. After that he moved in with his older sister and brother in Haniville. He stayed there for a bit, but they always told him that he was a nuisance and that they didnt want him. one night his sister locked him out of the house. it was raining. he had no where to go. that night he slept in the toliet outside. as he told me this, he couldnt look me in the eye. i could see the pain in him. after that he moved in with his grandma. Because Sihle lost both his parents, he received a grant from the government. His grandma took that grant money to build an extra house. While he lived with his grandma, she would cosntantly watch him and monitor his actions. he was only aloud a certain amount of food. he said he hated living there, he would invite friends over but would not even be able to offer them a glass of juice. his grandma was constantly telling him that he was a bad kid, that no one else would ever want him, that he was lucky she was around. eventually Sihle got sick of it, and moved in with his aunt and cousins. The same sort of situation happened at his aunts house. we was shown no love, constantly told that he was unwanted. His aunt moved into a new home, and did not invite sihle to join. that left him completely alone. he has no one. he moved in with his best friend, njabulo and his family. Njabulo gives Sihle half of all of his meals. they share a bed, they have become brothers. my heart breaks for sihle. he has never been shown real love. he does not know what the love of a family should look like. he has only been told that he is not worthy of love, that he is not good enough. the other day i was helping him fill out an application and there was a line that said, who is your parent/guardian...he turned to me and said, allie i dont have either. what am i supposed to say for that? no 19 year old should ever have to say that. no one should ever be alone like that in the world. the thing that has transformed me the most and challenged me the most is sihle's attitude towards this. he keeps telling me that God has a plan, that his suffering is not for nothing. he chooses to believe that God's love is bigger and will overcome his pain. i dont understand how he can choose joy each day. he is an incredible man of God. each and every day i am amazed at who he is and i thank God for putting him in my life. the other day we were talking and he said, "i have come to realize that God is creating a new family for me, he put you in my life allie as my sister, and njabulo is now my brother." i am privileged to know him. if you get the chance, just lift him up in prayer. pray for opportunities. i have no doubt that God is shaping him in this way for a very specific reason. he has an incredibly beautiful plan for Sihle's life.








njabulo and tash



Njabulo is a joy. his name in zulu means happiness. he brings so much joy everywhere he goes. he is 19 years old. his mom works at walk in the light in the fields. Njabulo is a natural leader. people listen when he talks. he has so much potential. his friendship and loyalty towards sihle has humbled me. he gives everything he has to his friends, and he does it all for the glory and praise of our Father. he has taught me a lot about being a light, and shining for God. i am always laughing when Njabulo is around.




Tash:


Tash is a singer. he is so wise. he has taught me about what it means to sit and listen. he is a deep thinker. sometimes while we are all talking i can tell that he just escapes into his head. i am proud of the man that he is. he was telling me a little bit about his life and he was saying that everyday is a struggle for him. he grew up without a father. he adores his mother. he says that it is only because of her that he is doing something with his life. he was explaining to me how hard it was for him to learn what it meant to respect others because he never had the man figure in his life. this is the story for so many south africans.



last week i had a very interesting conversation with some of the boys about relationships. there is a very sad outlook on relationships within haniville. as i was talking to the boys about the relationships in their life, they explained to me that they are dating girls because they do not cheat on them, and they dont ask for things. that to them is a catch. that is what they expect. that hurt my heart. they have no idea what they deserve. they do not love the way it was intended. there is such a twisted idea of love here. there is a huge fear of being alone as well. there are deep insecurities within many of the south african communities.

Sipho:
sipho is an incredible woman of God. i am amazed at her story and at her joy. she is 18 years old. she lives in Haniville. Her mom died when she was 16. Her dad died years ago, but she never really knew him. She lives with her older sister, 2 younger syblings, and 2 orphans her mother took in while she was still alive. Sipho devotes all of her time to these kids. she is the mother of the house. she is 18 years old. she is still a child herself. when i was asking her about her daily routine, she said that she woke up, got the kids ready for school, did the laundry, if there was food, she would cook it for the kids, if not, then they would wait for tomorrow for food. she said this so nonchalantly. "if there is food." my heart sank. i have never had to question where my next meal will come from. i am amazed at the woman of God that Sipho is. she is beautiful. she has an incredible mind. she wants to go to university and study business but she has no money. Money is what is stopping her from her dreams. i have heard so many stories like this one, yet they still break my heart. i am amazed at the hope and the faith that these senior youth choose. they choose to see God in their circumstances. I am so excited to spend more time with Sipho. She is so full of life and joy.


Snash
he is one of a kind. Snash speaks the least English, but i have found that i have learned the most from him and his actions. He doesnt need to talk much. He is a light. I see Jesus in him. He earnestly seeks out God. he strives to imitate Christ daily. He grew up in the more rural areas of south africa. his dad died when he was 2. He moved to Haniville in 2005, which is when he begun to attend walk in the light. i have learned alot by watching snash and the way he treats the people around him. he always makes himself available to his neighbor, he always puts others ahead of himself. the other day we had been working all day at Mandla's house and he didnt have any lunch, so i gave him an extra muffin. he didnt take it for himself. he split it up into 12 or 13 small pieces and passed it out to all of the children. i have countless stories like that about snash.



i have been learning more and more about the power that lies within each of us. God has created us with a plan and a purpose. our heart, our brokeness, our pain is a beautiful thing when used for his glory. our stories are his testament of grace, faithfulness, hope, and love. the people of haniville have reminded me of the sovereignty of our creator. i am continually so amazed at the ways God works within and through his children.


some pictures from the last week and a half...


as we built mandla's house, the kids would come by and help out.
Felicia and Sane











Phindille and I. one of the most incredible woman i know






Durban. i just love each of these girls





l

promise of restoration

jeremiah 32:37-41

I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul."


Jeremiah 33:

While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time: "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

.... I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.


" 'Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.'

"This is what the LORD says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without men or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither men nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying,
"Give thanks to the LORD Almighty,
for the LORD is good;
his love endures forever."
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.

every emotion you could think of in a week.

it has been about a week since i last blogged, but it feels like forever here. i feel like each day holds an incredible lesson to be learned, and i have been learnig a lot this week. I dont even know where to start about this week. it was our second full week at walk in the light. we have been digging out in the fields with about 12 women that work here at walk in the light. we are clearing out some land to make into a garden that people from the community can come and plant their own vegetables. We are also creating an irrigation system that runs through the field so that the women do not have to come each day and water all the vegetables by hand. let me tell you, it has been hard work. i have no idea how these women do this each and every day. all of us were sore all week from the work. we have had so much fun though together. i am blessed to be serving side by side by individuals who are teaching me so much more about life and about the way that God works through people so uniquely. Each day feels like a week at walk in the light, and i love it. i am amazed at how quickly my passion for walk in the light has been growing. each day i am learning more and more about Haniville and with that knowledge, my love and passion for the individuals i am living with is growing. i wake up each morning so excited to get back to the place that has stolen my heart.

part of our community engagement course is about building up the community and equipping them with different tools to do so. we have been meeting with the group of ladies that work at walk in the light every tuesday and thursday. this week we had our first two meetings with them. we did this thing called the river of life, which is where each person draws a river and writes their highs and lows and life. it was overwhelming to hear their stories. there is a lot of pain within haniville, and within these women's stories. hearing the pain and the heartache that so many of these women have gone through made me angry, it made me frustrated and pissed off, then it brought me to a deep sadness for the brokeness that surrounds our world. our time with them was so blessed though. the holy spirit was guiding us through those meetings. we were able to sing and dance a bit with the women, which was incredible. everytime they sing i get chills. In the Zulu community dance is a big part of every day life. they have this dance, which is called zulu dancing, and you basically lift your leg up real high then slam it down. that description is not doing it justice. obvibously they do all of this with incredible rhythm (granted, rhythm is second nature to most individuals of the community.) As i was listening to them sing i was once again just overwhelmed, but this time i was overwhelmed at the power of the Holy Spirit. God transcends every barrier that should separate people. we could not understand what was being said, but we were all worshiping the same God. God transcended the cultural, economic, racial and language barrier, and he has been doing that every time as we enter into Haniville. We played signs with the women, which was so much fun. we all had a blast. there was so much laughter. joy filled that place. One thing that really humbled me and encouraged me was that during the river of life we talked about the joy and struggles of haniville. every single women said that they have found joy through the things bruce has done for their community and for their own families. every one of them praised Bruce and the things he does for Haniville. One man has impacted countless lives in that community. He has so clearly listened to the call on his life and has obeyed that calling. He has brought more joy and hope than i could have ever imagined that one individual could do. i am so humbled by Bruce and the way he runs his ministry. i have never once heard him brag, complain, show pride,give himself praise. nothing. it is always about God and about haniville. he is incredible. he has shown me what a true humble servant of God looks like and what one man can do for his neighbors.






one of my favorite parts about my time at walk in the light over the last 2 weeks has been the senior youth. i was talking to my friend tanya last night and we were both saying that we truly do love them, and we have no idea why God has placed such an intense love on our hearts for them, but it is there. i find myself in constant prayer over them. The growth that has occurred in so many of them since the last time i was here is incredible. they are a beautiful group of students. their inner strength amazes me. each of them is so beautifully made in God's image. a lot of them have been going to walk in the light since they were much younger. they have grown up together. they are like a little family. they know one another inside and out, they have been the support for one another through hard times that most of them do not receive at home. their stories are so incredibly beautiful. God is working them. The strength that they show is unreal. each one of them has been through things that no human should experience. A lot of them have buried parents. Some are watching their younger siblings and are in charge of the house. Some of them have never experienced the love of a father. Despite these things that could so easily make them bitter, they choose joy, they have chosen to press on and love through the hard stuff. i have been blessed to just be able to come into this community and just observe the love that is within it. i am amazed. i am encouraged. i am humbled. each day 5 of the senior youth boys have been coming to walk in the light and helping us out with translating and working. I am growing so fond of each of them. Snesh, tash, njabulo, alfred and sihle are quickly becoming friends. i would consider them friends. i love that. i enjoy spending time with each of them.

every friday night we meet with the highschool/young adult group. this week we met again and it was great. my desire to get to know them grows more and more each day. i am constantly amazed at the passion God has put on my heart for them. alfred preached on friday to us on friday about relationships. then i shared a few bible verses and some thoughts about dreaming big and embracing the gifts God has equipped us with. after that we split into smaller groups to talk about what our gifts are and our dreams. i had alfred, njabulo, tash, sindi and sambile in my group. it was really cool to hear the dreams and aspirations the youth have. we were able to talk a little bit about the things that were holding them back. each one of them brought up finances. that broke my heart. i have been so blessed. when i dream dreams they hardly seem out of my reach. i know that with enough work, i can accomplish them. i have been given opportunities that these kids only dream of, and it is all based on the fact that i was born into a family of privilege. it is such a weird thing to feel, knowing that my own wealth is something that i did not choose but is something that has shaped so much of my life.


meet tanya and snesh. they are both great. snesh marches to the beat of his own drum and i love it.




we play games alot on fridays.


njabulo and tash playing soccer.



i have really enjoyed spending time with each one of the senior youth. on Saturday we brought all of them over to AE for the day. We played soccer, slip'n'slided and then had a braii (bbq). i had so much fun. we were all able to just hang out with each other. real friendships are being formed. God truly does transcend all barriers. walls are being broken down. the growth i have seen in the senior youth from the last time i was here is unbelievable. last time i was at WITL it was almost impossible to get all of the senior youth to fully engage. This time, they are the ones initiating and actively engaging in the activities. i am seeing the seeds that past semesters have planted now being sown. i am thankful to be here and be able to see the transformation that has occurred and that is still happening each day. i am really excited to spend my summer here getting to know each of them better.

nosipho and i.




slip n slide





some of the beautiful girls from the senior youth...











i have been so blessed by friends here. i am thankful for the people i am surrounded by daily and the ways in which God is challenging me through them.


i am learning alot more about the Holy Spirit and what it means to pray boldly in the spirit and allow the Spirit to guide me. it has been transformational. i dont even know how to explain this, i probably will later on, once i process it more. i feel much more equipped though when i enter into Haniville. i know that i am being guided, i know that i am being used as an instrument and my words are not my own. i am experiencing a joy that i have not felt before. on friday ten of us walked through Haniville with Phindile and did home visits. We visited 8 different homes. each home was full of pain and hurt, both physical and mental. it was a lot and it was heavy. we visited a couple different homes where the people could not physically move because of the toll HIV has had on their bodies. as i was walking through haniville and as i visited these homes, i was overwhelmed by the presence of the holy spirit. i felt the presence of the holy spirit in the homes we visited in. i was able to speak boldly in truth. i felt equipped with the tools that God has promised us with. Ephesians 6. despite the hurt that i saw, i was joyful. i have never experienced that joy amidst the hurt before. i saw God shining through, i saw the redemption that was going on in some of those homes. even amidst the pain, God's light was shining through so brightly.

i had a hard day last wednesday. one of the little boys i knew from last summer came to the youth program. i think he is around 9 years old. Both of his parents died of AIDS and he is also HIV positive. last year i knew that he was hiv positive but i couldnt tell by looking at him. i saw him on wednesday and he is visibly so sick. he is tiny now. he has sores all over his head. i dont know how to process this. honestly, i am angry about it. i am angry that children have to suffer for no reason. i am enraged that this disease is destroying an entire community. i am frustrated that this cycle of HIV doesnt seem to have an end. i was thinking about the funerals i will attend this summer. how many of them will be children? how many of these children will bury their parents this year? i am overwhelmed. i have no idea what to think, or how to process any of this.

i am praying that i will purely be a vessel. I have no wisdom or words of encouragement to offer most of the people of Haniville. all i can do is offer to sit in the ashes with them.

ephesians 3
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints...

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."

What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love ...
we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

habakkuk 1:5
"Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe, even if you were told."

"There is so much more" by Brett Dennen
I wonder how so many can be in so much pain,
While others dont seem to feel a thing
Then I curse my whiteness,
and I get so damn depressed,
In a world with suffering,
Why should I be so blessed?

I heard about a women who lives in Colorado,
She built a monoment of sorts behind the garage door
Where everyday she prays for all whom are born
And all whose souls have passed on
Sometimes my trouble gets so thick
I can't see how Im gonna get through it
but then I'd rather be stuck up in a tree
Then be tied to it

There is so much more.

I don't feel comfortable witt the way my clothes fit
I cant get used to my bodys limits
I got some fancy shoes to try and giggle away these blues
They cost a lot of money but they arent worth a thing
I wanna free my feet from the broken glass and concrete
I need to get out of this city
Lay apon the ground stare a hole in the sky
Wondering where I go when I die
When I die.

i have listened to this song a lot lately. i like it.

You’re the God of this City
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are

You’re the Light in this darkness
You’re the Hope to the hopeless
You’re the Peace to the restless
You are


For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City


There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God


For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our God


Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

at the end of the day, i am reminded that our God reigns. he is aware of the hurt, he is aware of the brokeness and he is victorious, despite the things i see. he is bigger.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete."

II Corinthians 10:4-6

hamba ekukanyeni

we started service sites on Thursday this week.
i dont know where to begin to describe the last two days.

it was incredible being back at walk in the light. it feels like home there. i am so excited to be back and i am excited to see what God has in store for me over the next 5 months.

last summer while i was here i saw a lot of brokeness throughout Haniville. i am still seeing that brokeness but God has been so faithful in providing me with an unexplainable joy and hope. i have seen so much joy and hope in the last two days.

on thursday our group spent the day weeding the rose geranium plants. the rose geranium is one of the bigger income sources of the ministry. we worked with about 10 of the ladies. after that we spent the afternoon just hanging out at walk in the light, getting to know the ministry a little better. there are 19 APU students working at walk in the light for the next 3 1/2 weeks. we have split into three groups of 5 and one group of 4. each day one group will go on clinic runs with phindile and bruce while the others work around the ministry. Mason's clinic is at the bottom of the hill of the township. it provides medical care for HIV/AIDS and TB patients. each day Phindille, Bruce, or Neels drive patients to and from the clinic. Clinic runs are what expose us to the most. it is during this time that i found myself asking God where he was the most last summer. we pick up patients dying of AIDS. it is really hard. it is a lot to take in. These drives are also some of my favorite moments. it is a time where we get to interract with the community. i spend alot of the time praying during clinic runs.

yesterday was an incredible day. i dont know where to begin to explain it. i wish i could explain the joy i have. i am exactly where God intended me to be. it is incredible. i feel so content. as i sit here typing, i am smiling. it is ridiculous. i wish i could begin to explain my passion for the people of Haniville. Yesterday we met with the senior youth (ages 15-21). it was wonderful. when i was here last summer we had a difficult time motivating the senior youth and they were closed off at first. the senior youth group has grown SO much. there were about thirty senior youth last night. we spent the night hanging out. there was a lot of laughter. we played games and talked and then worshipped. The holy spirit was there. God was moving. i was so encouraged.







i have been hanging out with one of the senior youth, Sihle, alot lately. i met him last summer. He is 19 and from haniville. he has been going to walk in the light for years. he was fired from his job a couple of months ago and has been doing nothing since then. he is so bored. this is the story of so many of the youth in the townships of south africa. he finished school, but doesnt have enough money to continue on to university. jobs are nearly impossible to find. people are bored. boredom leads to nothing good. eventually boredom will drive these individuals to do something negative with their time. i have been talking with sihle alot trying to figure out some options for him. yesterday we got to talk for a bit about life. i asked him what his dreams were and what his dream job would be if he had one. he turned to me and said, allie, i think that is the problem, i dont know what my dream is. no one told me to dream. that hurt my heart. i am beginning to learn that more about the community as i spend more time in south africa and i have discovered that that is one of the hardest challenges here among the youth. it is rare that they are told they are worth pursuing something bigger than what they see daily. they are never really encouraged to dream and to believe that their dreams are possible. i know that may sound corny, but it is so true here. they are not given the freedom we have to dream. the youth are not encouraged to see things outside of the routine. it is hard to see. my prayer is that i will purely be an instrument of encouragement to these youth. i want them to know their worth. i want them to know their potential and realize how loved they are by their creator. i want them to realize the power of the creator that lies within them. i want them to see how beautifully and wonderfully they were made. my passion for haniville and for the youth is growing more and more with each day.







i know that i have talked about Alfred before in this blog. He is one of the senior youth my team got to spend some time with last year. he is 21. well he applied for this program called foxfires in august and got it. foxfires is a ministry that sings/dances/preaches and does various ministries all over south africa. he is a foxfire now. so last night we went to his commissioning service. it was unreal. all he needed was one opportunity. he is doing incredible things. the transformation that has occurred in his life is beautiful. it is a testament to God. i was able to bring four of his best friends from haniville to come watch him. i was moved to tears multiple times throughout the night. watching them watch alfred was incredible. watching alfred perform and speak so boldly in the Spirit brought me more joy than i can explain. i wish you could see the smile he had and the joy that was flowing out of him. to see a guy who has experienced some heavy and painful things, find so much joy in Christ is such a testament to the power and redemption our God offers.




last time i was here we drove this woman, Zandille to the clinic to receive her TB and HIV meds daily. she was really sick. you could see every bone in her body. anyways, i visited her yesterday and i didnt recognize her at first. she looks incredible. she is healthy. she is fighting HIV. it was very encouraging to see the impact phindile and walk in the light has had within the community.

i feel like last year i saw so much hurt and brokeness and it was overwhelming. i had no idea how i was going to handle it again. i know that i will be seeing hurt and brokeness over the next five months, but i saw so much joy and hope yesterday. praise the Lord. God is so clearly moving in this community.

i am overwhlemed at his goodness. truly.

our group is going to spend some time rebuilding a house for a man named Mandla. Mandla was stabbed by his daughter's boyfriend three years ago and was paralyzed from that. we are going to be spending some time working on his house and getting to know him.

pray that we are purely instruments of God's goodness. pray that our hands are his and his alone and that they will be used to bring his healing. pray that our words are not our own, but that they are rather HIS. pray for a transformation and renewal of our minds.

i am just learning so much. i am experiencing so much. God is so present.

i am rediscovering joy in HIM.

i am learning so much about the Holy Spriit. i am speaking boldly in his name. i feel him. it is incredible.


i am blesed to be here.