Outstretched Hands

5/24-5/26

Over the past few days our team has been quite busy with out first outreaches.

On Friday we started the day by finishing our personal and missional preparations. We enjoyed an enriching time of worship/prayer and an educational Bible study where we learned a technique on how to deliver a productive group study.

In the afternoon we traveled to a local township that holds residence of our organizations "Praise House". The Praise House acts as an after school program for children who have a rough home life. During our time there we were able to provide a few hours of joy and laughter as we simply loved on all the kids.

Including myself, there are three people who are in nursing school on our team. And on Saturday the three of us had the chance to use some of the skills we have been learning in class. While the rest of our team spent their time in kids ministry we were helping to run a vision clinic. This clinic was structured to reach those who do not have the resources to have their eyes checked and get glasses. What was supposed to be a four hour clinic turned into an eight hour day where we saw 106 patients, handed out 100 glasses, and provided the resources for many people to see clearly for the first time in their lives. Although it was a very long day, it was such a blessing to be apart of such a wonderful ministry!

Today (Sunday), was our rest day before heading to a community which is a six hour drive tomorrow. So, we began the day at church, followed by going to the mall to pick up some last minute travel items, and then we each spent the rest of the day enjoying different activities around our base.

A couple of my friends that live locally came over in the afternoon and a group of us enjoyed a few hours of volleyball games. To me this was the perfect way to end my first week back in South Africa, being outside surrounded by a gorgeous view, laughing and enjoying fellowship with many friends.

We have now been last minute packing as we're all get ready to pack into our cars in the early morning and make our drive to a place called Somerset East. This coming week we all know will be very rewarding but also very physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining. But we are so excited for what God has in store.

Praises:

• For a successful first week in South Africa

• The 106 people who received glasses on Saturday

• All of the children we got to love on Friday at the Praise House and Saturday during the kids program

• All of the team bonding we have been able to do/ the growing friendships amongst all of the team members

• New friendships being made with people here in South Africa

Prayers:

• For all of the children that we loved on this week, that the Lord would just continue to pour blessings upon them

• That we would have the opportunity to do another vision clinic and reach even more of the community that had to be turned away due to lack of resources and time

• For safe travels on our drive tomorrow (South Africa is having their main government election on Wednesday and their is expected to be voting traffic as people travel back to their home towns to vote)

• For safety during the election

• For our upcoming ministries this week

• That we would see the Lord work in abundance in Somerset East