Well that went quick : )

We're in Johannesburg waiting to board for Amsterdam. I can't believe how fast time passed or how much happened in such a short time. The building project is well under way, and we believe God has now given us a long term strategy for the school. It's funny thinking back to the doubt and confusion we had for the first 2 weeks we were here...trying to decide whether to move on from the school simply because someone else had supplied a classroom. We were in so much turmoil because we wanted to be sure that what we were doing was the right thing to do. One night as we were agonizing verbally to our friend, Rolf, he simply said "guys, those kids still have nothing. They still stand in the rain to eat". That was all it took to get us on the right path again. By this time next week, the kids will have some shelter to stand under. It is only Phase 1, but it's a good start. Thanks everybody who has supported this project......especially our wonderful church family at "The Village Chapel". It is well worthwhile. Unfortunately we only have pictures from the first day of work. Anton will email us photos of the finished project next week.
ps; No internet at the airport........will have to wait and send from Amsterdam : )

5 more days until we leave for home!

In some ways it seems we've been here forever, but in some like we just arrived. The system here is hard to understand and even harder to work within. This morning we spent almost an hour just trying to pay for materials for Anton! You really don't realize how easy life in America is, until you try to do ordinary everyday things in a country like South Africa. I think if there are certain demons or spirits that influence a region, Confusion has to be assigned here!
Once I get home and can clear my mind.....I'll explain : )
Now for the positive. These people are the sweetest I've ever met. They are full of joy in spite of circumstances and understand fellowship at a level I don't think most Americans "get". They are warm and generous, and I can honestly say I've seen hospitality
lived out, as it should be, through believers. I really hope I can carry a piece of that home with me. At Rolf and Lizzie's (where we've been staying), the house is never too full for one more to sleep on the couch or floor, the food is never too little to invite..... whoever just dropped by...... to stay and eat, and there's always enough time to minister or encourage someone who needs it or just sit and have a great conversation! It's wonderful! A glimpse of heaven (I hope). Wed. night there were 60 people over for dinner and what an amazing time! A group of Catholics from California who had been studying Apartheid had come to South Africa and somehow had ended up at Rolf's house. Some of his Youth For Christ staff were there and were able to tell first hand stories of living under that terrible system. This video starts with us driving through a township, watching Anton our builder get started and the Wednesday night gathering with all the kids from CA. It's way awesome here....you should come sometime!!!! Keep praying for us....We love you and miss all of you!!!

It's Time....

At last.....the project is underway!!!! After almost 3 weeks of deliberation, prayer, and looking at several other opportunities, we found ourselves right back at the little farm school, wanting to help those kids in some practical way. We spoke to the headmaster, and together with the the rest of the staff, we (and they) decided what they needed most right now, is a place to get in out of the rain while they eat. So on Thurs. morning, our builder, Anton, will start putting up a shelter right next to the little "kitchen". Hopefully, we will see it completed by the time we leave on the 18th and be able to post a picture for you to see.
Thanks for your prayers. This has been a very confusing time for us. We're sure the devil hates to see anything happen for these poor kids that might, in some small way, help them eventually break the cycle of poverty in their lives. This little shelter probably doesn't seem like much to any of us, but maybe just being able to stay dry while eating lunch might help a kid stay in school and become more than he would have otherwise. Who knows?
Pictures coming soon...

Worship in Africa

I got an opportunity to play with the worship band at Rolf's church Kaleidoscope. It was quite an African experience, a lot of fun and dancing.....check it out.

Update from Nance

Well, the roadblocks continue, but we can feel the prayers from home and confusion is lessening somewhat.
Our school shoe drive idea, was a good one, but unfortunately, our timing is terrible. We met with the principal of a large white school today, and found out that because of the xenophobia, everybody is collecting for the refugees. As we walked in, there were bags and bags of clothes, blankets, and shoes, already collected. He was very sorry, but didn't think he could possibly ask the parents to give again so soon.
In case you didn't read Mike's blog about xenophobia, it's the hatred for, or fear of, foreigners.
About 2 weeks ago (coincidentally, right as we arrived, the township people rose up against the foreigners and began killing and beating them, and destroying their homes. They were fleeing by the thousands, but here's the worst part......they have no where to go. Most of them are refugees, who have come here to escape some worse place! I went to one of the non-denominational churches that had taken in about 900 of them. It was amazing to see the volunteers and the wonderful organization all in the name of Jesus! I couldn't believe the amount of food that had been donated....it looked more like a grocery store than a church! The newspaper actually did an article on this church saying that the refugees that found themselves there were the luckiest of all because not only did they have an abundance of food, clothes, and blankets.......they also had 24 hour medical assistance. This is really important because many of the people are HIV positive and on top of that, TB and meningitis are breaking out!
So now.........what to do? Again, the needs are everywhere, but we are determined to do what we're called to do.
Our hearts are still fully toward our little school and tomorrow we will go out there and once again try to get a CLEAR vision for what God wants. Right now we think the most pressing needs are warm clothes and shoes for the kids and/or some sort of structure that will help keep them warm and dry. It's been raining now for a couple of days so tomorrow we'll get a better idea of what the kids deal with on a regular basis.
Thank you for your prayers and for bearing with us as we move from one idea to the next trying to find God's heart.

30 years

Nancy and I have been married for 30 years today. That's crazy! We still feel like we are 20 years old.... to bad the mirror doesn't agree with me....but it does agree with my wife!!!! She is still that young girl I met in Dallas.....Anyway, we are going to take a little time for ourselves today. Blessings on all of you.....
ps. Please read the last 2 posts for an update on what's happening here...

From Nancy D.

Hi everyone!
Sorry communication has been so sparse. I did send a prayer request a few days ago, but just saw that it didn't go out. Oh well. You realize when you're in a place like this, how convenient everything is in America.
Never in my life have I experienced the level of attack by way of confusion that I have here. We thought we had a clear vision when we arrived, but soon found out that things have changed considerably. We drove up to the school and found the place in much better shape than it was 6 months ago. We found out that all major companies here are required to invest in poor local communities. A cement company had put up a classroom in the last couple of weeks, and promised 2 more. This really is great news because we can move on to other needs, but I must confess, it threw us for a loop. They still will need a large multi-purpose room at some point, but that's a lot of money. Also, there are many other things that we could do for the school....fix their drainage problem or build an overhang so they can get out of the rain while they eat (standing next to the building because they don't have a lunch room). See what I mean? It goes on and on. Obviously, we desperately needed to hear from God. We had a prayer retreat over the weekend and came away convinced that the school is still where the Lord wants us to invest......but maybe more in the kids themselves first..... rather than the building. These kids are the poorest of the poor and have need of so many basic things. This is predicted to be a very cold winter for them and they have ragged clothes, worn out shoes with the toes cut out to make room for growing feet, and of course no heating of any kind. We've decided to do a shoe drive first. We're going to go to all the wealthy schools and ask them to collect old school shoes for us to take to Vissershok.
This will be something they really need that we can do for them with no money. Also please pray for:
1) Donations to come in easily. Everyone here wears uniforms to school, so there should be plenty of outgrown shoes we can have.
2) We're going to check on the possibility of someone giving us a good break on school uniforms. So many of the kids are really in rags, and to see them in new uniforms would be a dream come true.
3) Please pray for us. We really are under attack. Confusion, discouragement, doubt (are we hearing God?) cultural misunderstandings. And of course........safety. The constant topic of discussion and determining factor in just about every step you take here.
Thanks friends! We love and miss you but are trusting we are where we're supposed to be!!
Mike and Nancy