Well I have been back from South Africa for a week now, although it seems like much longer. Getting back into my routine makes it seem like I never left. It was a really good trip though! It was great to be able to offer our time to the people at Bethesda, and to be able to have the opportunity to give some love and attention to just a few of the many orphans in South Africa.
I was able to learn a lot more about the ministry of Bethesda Outreach. The children are placed into homes with Christian couples that are willing to be like parents to them. There are five families living at Bethesda, and it was so much fun to be able to meet them and get to know them. There were several work projects that our team worked on throughout our two weeks there. A sprinkler system was installed as well as a new basketball hoop, floors in the school were scrubbed, and I spent most of my time helping paint the outside of one of the families homes. Let me just say, that project turned out to be much bigger than we thought it would be!
We had a lot of fun playing with the Bethesda kids. I personally have a favorite, and her name is Pienkie. She always called me “my friend,” because according to her, my name “is not simple!” She was so much fun.
We also spent time in a township called Stinkwater. We brought lunches for them, as many of them go hungry a lot of the time, as they lives in child headed homes. We also took activities such as bible stories, face painting, and relay races. It seemed that the kids had a good time, and loved the attention. There was one little girl who held on to me and didn’t want to let go when it was time for me to leave. I wish I could have brought her home with me!
We also got to spend a day shopping at a market where I got to practice and perfect my bartering skills! Later that evening we got to go on a safari, which was amazing. We got to see lions, elephants, kudo, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, and more. It was everything I could have asked for in a safari. I just wish it hadn’t been quite so cold. :)
Overall it was a great trip and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot, and it gave me a lot to think about. Bethesda Outreach is a wonderful organization. I wish there were more places out there like it!
