Whenever someone comes to visit us in South Africa, we spend most of our time at Ithemba- getting to know the children, helping in the classrooms, planning fun events (like field day!) and trying to show the kids how much we love them…and how much Jesus loves them.  But, we also think that it is important to understand where the children come from.  When you pull up to Ithmeba, you are greeted by mobs of happy, healthy children…children who are eager to give you a big hug and show you their amazing personalities.  We strive to make sure that the children at Ithemba are well fed, clean, clothed and happy…but when you see them like that…its hard to remember where they came from.  Its hard to imagine the way that they used to look…its hard to wrap your mind around the fact that they used to be malnourished, incredibly dirty, often very sick, and living in abusive situations.  Its hard to imagine that when these children leave the happy, encouraging, colorful, safe environment at Ithemba, they go home to a tiny (very cold at this time of year) shack.  So, we spend a day in the township that these children call home.

This day is one of my favorite days of each trip.  It gives people a raw, very real picture of life…the unpaved roads, the lack of plumbing, the houses built of tin and scraps, the piles of trash…the joy and brightness in spite of it all.  The hope that shines through the smiles of the innocent children.  The day in the township is powerful…and this trip was no different.

The experience of being in the township was powerful…and a LOT of fun!  It was raining, the roads were flooding and muddy…and a soccer game broke out.  Americans vs. South Africans…game on!

One of the girls in our group, Anna was willing to share her journal entry from that day, and some wonderful pictures that she took.  This is an excerpt from her journal:

The whole experience of walking through the township, and playing soccer with the kids was so amazing and eye opening.  While we were walking through, there were so many people coming out into the streets from these houses that were shockingly small. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that some of the houses had more than eight people living in them.

Even though those people might not be living in the best conditions, they have these smiles on their faces that could make my day at any moment.  Their personalities showed through and I loved taking pictures of them.  You could see so much love and compassion in the women’s faces when they smiled.  I just wanted to capture all of that in my pictures of them.

When we started playing soccer there was so much excitement between both of the teams.  It was a surreal experience for me.  To actually be able to play soccer with these kids in South Africa.  I just wanted to soak it all in- it was a once in a life time opportunity.  To see so much poverty around you, then be playing this game right in the middle of it was incredible.  I loved every minute of it all and can only hope to be able to be part of it again.

We have a group of awesome high school students from Tennessee in J’Bay right now.  The trip has already been amazing and they are working hard and giving so much of themselves to the kids that we serve.  Yesterday, they helped in the pre school classrooms tutored in the afternoon.  They put a new floor into one of the shacks in the community and they are starting to build personal relationships with some of the kids.  They are literally helping to change people’s lives…and their lives are being changed at the same time.

I am waiting on them to give me pictures of their trip so far (hopefully that will happen tonight and I will post them tomorrow) but until I get those pictures…here is a little sneak preview of their fun filled Saturday morning!  They are working hard…but having lots of fun as well!

To read about their bold South African eating experience, click here.