Update 3

Greetings from SA!




We have now been here for 6months and are still enjoying it. Just before the holidays we were given a puppy from our adopted grandpa on the farm. Dave had prayed for it and we were very blessed to receive it. It’s a Jack Russell mix and loves going to work with dave. Her name is “Shumba,” which means “lion” in Xhosa. Grandpa Atsy, who gave us the dog is the most amazing man and has really adopted Dave and I. He has been preaching to the black community since he was young. He is such an inspiration and strong man of the Lord. Grandpa Atsy is the only person we have met here that truly loves the black community and has a heart for them. He lived among them for years and years and is very respected by them (which is not that common). He has more love in his heart than anyone that we have ever met. We thank God he is in our life!

We had our first Christmas away from the states and it was very beautiful. We missed sharing the time with family and friends, but did enjoy the hot weather sitting by the pool on Christmas day! Dave had 3 weeks off of work and I had a break from school. We spent 10 days camping at the ocean and then spent another 7 days in Durban with Jed’s family. While in Durban we drove a few hours away to where Jeds brother works and went on a safari!! It was amazing. We saw everything from lions, elephants, rhinos, etc. We were in the midst of an elephant pack, walking right by us! We then were 10 feet away from a lion! It was definitely something we will not forget.

Dave is enjoying his job and making great relationships with the workers. He is managing a big dam (we call them lakes/ponds) being built for a farmer. It’s quite a big job and they are doing excellent work. It will be a several month process. I think they have 8 big machines pushing to get it done. His heart is so alive working with all this equipment but even more alive spending time with the children. He will be expanding more on his work here in the next email.

I am not at the school full time, but am substituting with them. They are begging me to stay full time but we feel God leading us elsewhere. We know God wants us to take some time and learn “Xhosa,” because I need to be able to communicate with the children. Its a very difficult language to learn, but I am praying that it happens! I will need this to incorporate more programs for the kids. Dave needs it as well to communicate with the workers.

We are continue to spend time with the people here and are trying to build relationships. It can be a hard wall to bring down, but they are really responding to us well. We spend a lot of time which different children either orphaned or in Shayamoya (the poorest section of town). Over Christmas we brought home a student of mine, Nomagugu (gugu for short) whose mother was away. Her father is dead and she and her mother live with her two sisters in Shayamoya. Gugu is only able to go to the school I volunteer at because her mother cleans and cooks there. Her mother might make $100-$150 a month. She is the sweetest and smartest little girl I have ever met. Gugu means the world to me. She did not speak a word of English when she started 1st grade this year. I came half way through the school year and the lady I taught with said she would repeat grade one because she could not even communicate well enough for 2nd grade. The teacher kept holding her back, but I just saw something special in this girl and decided to really push her. Two weeks after the teacher told her mother she would repeat the grade again, she started to catch up with some of the others. By the end of the year Gugu was the 3rd student to complete her grade level, made the highest honor roll possible, and received the highest award in the school of achievement and success. People didn’t believe in her because she was a little girl from Shayamoya (unfortunately most people do not believe in them) and she is now one of the top readers and is entering 2nd grade at the top of her class. Amazing little girl!! Gugu has blessed my life so much! She and Dave have a very good relationship and love being together. They are so cute to watch!

We could tell story after story of how blessed we have been from people here. Knowing them has changed our lives and shaped our hearts. We recently visited a TB hospital in a town about an hour away. It is a place that no one goes and it is HORRIBLE! Words can not explain to you how horrible this facility is. It is full of AIDS patients with TB because most people with aids actually end up dying from TB, not AIDS itself. Their immune systems are too weak and once they get TB they can not fight it off. We saw something you only see in movies. The skinniest, sickest people you could imagine. Only bones remained of most of them. Some could walk around and were sitting outside, but most new it was only a matter of time before they were bed ridden as well. People couldn’t understand why we would want to be there, but we wanted to visit the patients and just pray for them. Dave had our camera and asked the head nurse if we could take a few pictures and she agreed. About 10 men were sitting outside and asked the nurse in Xhosa if we would take their picture (most of these people have never had their picture taken. They CHERISH pictures here!). As they stood up they asked her something else and she said “Ill see.” They were asking if they could touch us, shake our hands. We were a bit nervous at first because of the sickness, but instantly said “sure.” We shook all of their hands and spoke to them in the little Xhosa we know. They all began smiling in amazement and became giddy as they were speaking. We asked what they were saying she said “They can’t believe they got to touch a white person. They have never touched one and they are very grateful.” They were especially shoked that I shook their hands, because they didn’t think a white woman would do that. A lot of them will die soon (the nurse said that the AIDS patients do not last long), so it was a VERY humbling experience. These people really touched our hearts.

There are two separate countries inside South Africa. We visted one, Losotho, a few weekends ago. Everyone needs passports to get into the countries, which seems strange that the South Africans are required to do so as well. These two countries have their own king, currency, and traditions. Losotho was the most beautiful mountain country we have ever seen. There are NO tar roads, only gravel/ dirt roads up and down the mountains. The people there where blankets and ride horses. It’s a very, very simple life, but so beautiful. We went with Jed, Jenna, and Jed’s brother and his wife. We left thinking we could find a Bed and Breakfast to stay at (Jenna’s dad said it would be fine), but packed a small tent just in case. Dave and I rode in the bed of a truck for 5 hours straight and then another 2 after lunch. We were extremely burnt, so we were looking forward to a shower and a bed, but when we finally found the place after 2 more hours they said “sorry we are full.” So 6 people slept in a very tiny tent with 3 blankets and a few pillows. It was hilarious. Such a fun night and awesome experience.



The community of Shayamoya in Kokstad that we talk about is actually somewhat “famous” because one of Oprah’s schools is built in the center of it. She came here when it opened a few years ago.

Our grandpa here, Grandpa Atsy (we spoke about him before) has taken us with him before when he went preaching at a black church in Shayamoya. It was the MOST incredible experience! These people KNOW how to praise the Lord. I have never seen so much life and people who are living and depending on the Lord for their strength. We spoke a bit the first time and fellowshipped with them. They greeted us with such open arms and claimed us as their family. They were so thrilled to have people from America with them, ha. God has been stirring in Dave’s heart to preach about a year ago and things are starting to come together. They asked both David and I to come back with grandpa Atsy and preach. We thought we would just preach for a few minutes, but we were the only preachers! David and I both preached and it was an amazing experience! Our time here has been such a blessing for Dave and I and we look forward to preaching more wherever God wants to use us. We were able to pray with a lot of people and see God work in big ways! We love our family in Shayamoya!

Now that the blog is up we hope to post updates as often as we can. Have grace with the responses to emails, because we can not always get back. Technology here is excruciatingly slow and painful! Our lack of internet has really been an adjustment, so we will keep in contact as much as we can.

Take care!

Many blessings

David and Molly