I tend to take my days in stride, taking on both the expected and unexpected as they come. It's amazing what quickly becomes "normal". I continue to learn and grow, becoming daily more accustomed to the work and ministry here as well as the subtle-and not so subtle-differences involved with living in Africa. However, it's come to my attention that regardless of my family and friends' general understanding of my work and ministry, and my (hopefully) consistent emails and updates, very few really know what's involved. I was recently brought up short when a couple friends and acquaintances asked what a typical day looks like for me here. After I finished laughing my head off, the thought struck me that it might be fun to share a day-to-day look at what a "typical" week is like for me. Because basically, anything can happen! So here's a look at recent one...
Monday-26/04/2010
Pretty standard. Did some admin at home and picked up 2 car seats Baby Safe purchased. PRAISE GOD! We've been sharing 1 between the three of us as need arises and it's become ridiculous. Today Bethany and I had our regular Baby Safe meeting over lunch at a favorite spot, The Farm in Noordhoek. By some miracle I'd completed most of the tasks I've been working on and B had few to add, which means I'll have lot's of leeway for anything that comes up! And things do come up…
I am the Baby Safe safety family coordinator, so after lunch I ran to our office at King of Kings Baptist Church (praying for an office of our own soon!) to use the phone line in order to make reference calls. We have a new family willing to take the potential long-term placements with children who come our way that may need longer care. I had no idea how soon this might be necessary though!
Tuesday-27/04/2010
Today is a public holiday-no one here knows what for! For me a day off means I can get stuff done. But most exciting, today I meet one of my TOP clients from last week who changed her mind and is keeping her baby! So I picked her up and took her to the prayer room at Africa House-because of course EVERYTHING else is closed-to listen to her story, assess her needs, and explain how we can help. Moments like this make everything else worth it! I helped her make a resume to find a job, explained our mentoring program and that we'll be matching her up with someone, encouraged her, prayed with her, and shared the love and hope that is Christ.
That night there was a massive braai at our friend's the DeHaans, with all the longtermers and the CPx teams who are doing Outreach Phase in Cape Town. In these gatherings we both share inspiring stories concerning ministry, or try to talk about anything but! ;) There's no end to food and laughter though. I must say a braai is one of my favorite South African traditions and we indulge often.
Wednesday-28/04/2010
This is always my crazy and draining day, but I love it. Wednesday morning is TOP counseling at the Hospital, but this day is unlike any other! I had 2 girls too far along, one in crisis mode and the other comes in and says, "I want you to help me place my baby for adoption." Then, I have one tender young woman change her mind when I sense her uncertainty and explain how Baby Safe can help. The rest are on the fence and I go in to full-on ministry mode exploring every feeling, circumstance, and option. Throughout all of this, the Baby Safe phone keeps going off (I'm on call this week) concerning an abandoned baby and I'm taking information and calling Bethany in between clients.
That afternoon is my regular meeting with Nichole, a young girl who placed her baby for adoption and who I am now pursuing a mentoring relationship with. It is always the sweetest time, her heart is so tender toward the LORD. We have coffee and cookies, talk about her thoughts and feelings, read the Bible, and pray together. In a situation where so many women and girls struggle to cope, Nichole simply asks Jesus for understanding, and thanks Him for the joy that He has given her. Amazing!
During this time, B called to see if I will take the abandoned baby for the night before we take her to a safety family in the morning, so after I drop Nichole off she brought Abigail over. The poor baby was filthy, fussy, had a cold, a fever, and the runs. Everything I've ever learned in caring for children was put into practice that night and then some. When I bathed her I discovered a talisman bound around her waist, which got flushed and thoroughly rebuked! By the end of the evening I was covered in poop, pee, formula and vomit, baby wash, and my own dinner (trying to juggle). But I got her bathed, fed, medicated and sleeping, while managing my own shower, all this time praying over her in the Spirit, praying scripture, and interceding for her life and destiny.
Thursday-29/04/2010
Discovering new levels of utter and complete exhaustion. Abigail literally woke up once every hour, sometimes twice, coughing and crying and needing nose-wiping, meds, formula or fluids. I never made it past a semi-comatose state and when I dreamed I dreamed about Abigail. But she got COVERED in prayers. I never knew it was possible to pray in the Spirit while sleeping but I did! As soon as we were both ready for the day I took her to the safety family I'd recently followed up on and gave instructions to have her taken to the clinic.
The afternoon was both a disappointment and a relief. Thursday and Friday are my Vulnerable Children days, and Thursday I meet with one of my girls to teach english. However, after driving into Masiphumelele, making phone calls and waiting for an hour, I had three no-shows. TIA!! However, at that point I felt sick from exhaustion, so took it as God's favor and went home. My house church group were apparently all in the same state because that got cancelled as well and I went to be at 8:30.
Friday-30/14/2010
Today is the regular bi-monthly Vulnerable Children meeting with all of us who volunteer in our "free time" to make up the team. Today's subjects are many and varied, and as I am the administrator I have to take careful notes in order to organize information and tasks and email everyone later. Two key subjects of interest today are as different as they are important. One is the possibility of changing our structure and support system with the ministry and seeking to double our sponsors. The other is that there have been several rapes and sudden deaths in Masi recently, so don't go into the Wetlands alone!
That afternoon I have another cancelation. My friend Thandi and I are doing a Discovery Bible Study with a family in Masi, but today she is sick. As the family is predominantly Xhosa speaking and Thandi is my translator, I shoot them an sms to reschedule, pray they get it, and go home to get a jump start on the VC admin. This consumes my time until I go back in to Masi at 4 for Kids Club. Every Friday we gather all of our Vulnerable Children for an hour of songs, games, a Bible lesson, and prayer. It is organized chaos but the kids love it! We teach them our songs and they teach us theirs, now they've learned to sit quietly for the story and answer questions about it, afterwords they offer their prayers to the LORD themselves.
The Weekend!!
Great is Thy faithfulness! Because of our crazy schedule and workload Baby Safe allows us to take both days off instead of only one, and Vulnerable Children accommodates this. If they didn't I think I would swim home at this point. These are my days to sleep in, do laundry, get groceries and run errands, and have fun! This usually involves braais and dinner with friends, movie nights, excursions around and outside of Cape Town, or cloistering myself in my flat for some R&R. Sundays my friend Alison comes over in the afternoon for coffee and tea, rusks, and accountability, prayer and visiting together. It's usually just enough rest for me to prepare and start the week all over again!
