Weekend Get Aways

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to let you know what we are planning to do and what I've been up to the past couple weeks:D I'm so incredibly sorry how long this is! Please forgive me for taking forever to update you guys on my where abouts, but I have been really busy! And I apologize for my writing style. I like to write with smiley faces (those are the sideways semi colons and parenthesis for those who don't understand - you can look side ways if it help) because that is just how I feel. ANY WAY, please enjoy. (might wanna get a coffee first) :)

Friday: (nov. 2)

We got an update on what we will be doing for outreach!

We will be working at a camp from Dec. 1-19 near the Drakensburg. We will be working with teenagers from 7th grade to 12th grade that are from the higher economic population. But as my leader let us know, "the gospel is not just for the poor or the rich; it's for everyone!". We will be working with small groups, and I am hoping to be apart of either the games or worship team :D But we shall see! :)

Here is a video of what it is: http://www.suis.co.za/?camping

I think I'll have fun! But it will be hard, because we will be working straight for almost all two weeks and maybe...MAYBE a break on the weekend :)
Then January 2nd we will be spending two months in Lesotho and Swaziland.

Friday night we went to Westville Presby for the young adults service and had a good time of worship, teaching, and fellowship.

Saturday:

Woke up around early packed Jacques' brother's car (his brother let us borrow it for the weekend very kind of him!) and left for Newcastle.

After driving for a really long time we finally got there! We went to his friend's house  where we had lunch. He actually calls his friends Mom and Dad because they are pretty much like his adopted parents to him, and they were a very cool family! So his dad took us absailing or as we Americans like to say rappelling off a cliff on his farm! He owns about 1200 acres about! and including his two brother-in- laws its about 5000 acres!!! pretty big property!

But it was really an incredible time! Just for bragging rights! First one down first one back up :) pretty proud of myself! We rappelled 15 meters ( about 50 ft.) then we climbed back up and then did it again but this time we rapelled 80 meteres ( about 263 ft.)!!! AMAZING!!! So incredibly blessed! :)

Later that night, after dinner, his dad took us for a night drive around his property :) we were hunting for coyotes and a small rabbit thing that has a really long tail :) idk what he called it because it was in Afrikaans. But we didnt shoot anything but we did enjoy a very nice night drive :D and I got to drive stick shift on the right hand side of the car!!!! late at night, on a dirt road, for 15 min, then on the freeway for another 5mins!!!! WHAT?!?!  and I only stalled it 2x!!! :) idk I'm pretty impressed :D

Sunday:

Next day we went to church and then to Jacques' real family's home and had a lunch at his neighbor's house. Lots of good food! :)

Monday:

We started Holy Spirit week. And our teacher, Paul Bevan, really enjoys practicals. So we would learn something and then practice it. Pretty neat stuff!

Tuesday:

We had a team come from Pretoria to live with us for a few days. They were going to a Todd White conference so Tuesday night we went to that at a church near here. Pretty cool stuff. Not to use to all the charsmatic stuff yet, but he used a lot of Scripture in context and really encouraged people to read their's.

Wednesday:

Paul Bevan spoke at the church and had just a time with the Holy Spirit. Definitely more charismatic than I am used to but I think God is really growing me in a lot of ways through this :)

Thursday:

Paul Bevan spoke again that night, but I was asked to bring my guitar. Really had a cool time allowing the Lord to use me through music :) Definitely my happy place :)

Friday:

Last day of Holy Spirit week, David our team member was baptized!!! :) super cool! Then after class we headed off to the Drakensburg. Our team consisted of Ash, David, Jacques, and I plus our two leaders Ben and his wife, Kirsten. We drove in our base leaders truck (or bakke as they call it here :D ).spent the night in the YWAM Drakensburg base.

Saturday:

We headed off to the Drakensburg near Lesotho for our fitness accessment (they don't call it that but it DEFINITELY is that). We climbed 10km (approx. 6 miles) up a mountain w/ backpacks that weighed about as much as a child! Jacques' had the biggest one and we figured it weighed as much as me! I know it doesn't sound too bad but man it was killer! :) Sadly David hurt his back really badly in the first few ks so Kirsten and him went back down to go stay at the YWAM base. But when we got to the top and we found our home sweet cave :)

 

Then we went down to water fall in the nearest valley and washed up :) It was extremely beautiful and peaceful! We really had a good time as a team growing in unity. Lots of fun experiences and memories made :) But as you know what happens in the Drakensburg STAYS in the Drakensburg sooooo I won't tell too much :)

That night there was stars on our left and lightning on the right. God is great!!!! :D
 

Sunday:

We walked down and this time I was in love with gravity :) Instead of the 5 hrs that it took us to get up the mountain it took us less than 3 hours to get back down :) Very enjoyable!!! :) Got back down and Kirsten was not there yet which is unusual.

Finds out the bakke broke down and we had to get a towe from a friend who lives in the Drakensburg. While waiting for him to get there we went swimming in the river :) Very cold but very refreshing :D

 

Our friend came and picked us up (Hilton). He took us to his very large dairy farm/ house. Very nice family! Poor David had no idea what was going on because he was at the YWAM base in the Drakensburg and we were unable to contact him.

 

We spent the night at their farm house. Really enjoyed it!

 

Monday:

Next morning Hilton and his wife, Jen, sponsored us to go horse back riding in the nearest game reserve!!!! ( no cats so it was safe :D )

Best feeling of my life. I took pictures of the giraffes, but I took only a few and definitely could never capture how many giraffes we were surrounded by, how close we were to the pack of zebras, and how intimidating it was to be next to a rhino! :D

Plus my horses name was Aladdin! WHAT!? :D Totally singing "A Whole New World" as I was riding :)

Yep! Sadly though a warthog came out and spooked David's horse and threw him off and he hurt his back....again. So he went back, but we were able to continue (Kirsten, Ash, Jacques, and I -  Ben has an irrational fear of horses so he did not come :D ).

We are all experienced riders so after we got through all the giraffes and zebras, etc. we were able to trot, canter, and gallop even a little bit through the reservation! Best feeling EVER!!!!!!!! :D It felt so amazing to be back on a horse! Special shout out to Coach Sophie for teaching me in Equestrian class at SMA! You are amazing! Thank you :)

 

Afterwards, Hilton lent us their car to get back to Durban. Nicest couple ever! They blessed us way to much!!! I don't think I'll ever be able to thank them enough! :)

 

Tuesday:

We started class and it was on relationships. But not just "relationships" like we think of; it was God to God relationship (which is our example of how our relationships should be like), God to creation, mankind to creation, God to Mankind (this one determines our other relationships), Mankind to mankind, Mankind to self.

 

Friday: (Nov. 9)

I felt really really sick. I had developed a really bad headache over the week which eventually got to the point on Friday that I felt like throwing up or blackin out. Not fun. So for Friday's youth outreach instead of going I was told to stay home which I did and I got to sleep for like 4 hours (stunning!), worship, and got a skype call from good friends which all combined really made me feel MUCH better! :)

 

Saturday:

First time we have had good weather in I don't know how long! There is actually sun so I didn't know what to do with myself! There area we are staying in (Kloof) has been having a bad habit of being gloomy, rainy, foggy, and cold. Not cool! :)

Went out to breakfast as a team. Went to the mall afterwards and went to the book store and read for a while :) crazy thing we met a guy from a popular movie here called Spud. He played Gecko. Pretty cool.

 

Sunday:

Went to Westville Presby FINALLY after 2 weeks of deprivation :) Then after walked 5k or so to a country club/ community center with Ash. Got lunch together, went in the pool, went on a walk, and just tanned on the grass while reading my Bible :) Pretty good date I'd say ;D

 

So I'm sorry that this has been sooooooo incredibly long and congratulations if you read all of that because I don't even know if I would have! Thank you again for your prayers! Love you! And I promise to try and update more often so it's not as long!

God bless you guys!