First day of School 2010

Here we are on our first day of school, January 18, 2010.  S is grade 4, A is grade 2 and W is grade R (or K as we call it in the USA).  We feel so blessed to have our school around these beautiful gardens.  It's exciting to wonder what all we will learn this year:   Life's lessons, how to read, long division, how to show more gratitude, the history of this land of South Africa, what is the difference between a frog and a toad?, how to sew, how tall am I in meters?,  boogie boarding, when to talk and when to keep quiet, why was the army afraid of Gideon?, bike riding, how volcanoes are formed, what are the effects of an oil spill, where did I come from?......    And that's what I'm learning, can't wait to see what they'll learn!!

math on the left, geography, zoology on the right

the space for art, experiments and woodworking

sometimes our work is soooooooo big we take it into the church!

always learning from each other!

how we feel at the end of a hard day of school!!

My funny hunny

Here's a few pics from the last year I thought I'd post.  

Working hard at the Bible Education Center!

Touring the canopy!

One of his favorite shirts from our friend Kellie 

Monty Python

but the locals don't get it....

His favorite BRIGHT yellow shirt!

Toes are feeling nice!

Love you!!

P2P (Prepare2Preach) Team January 2010

Cam was privileged to participate in his first P2P team this January.  Although he was only able to attend some of the local activities, he and the kids enjoyed experiencing the energy and bonding of being a part of this team.  People from all over the world came to South Africa to join together and work spreading the good news of the kingdom of God!  They started their touch and teach program at the Youth Week coordinating classes, games, music and fellowship.

Then it was on to Holiday clubs in Mariannhill.

and in Lamontville....

Visiting Happy's School for the disabled!

Here is one of the Bathrooms in the Boys dorms.  The handicapped students are wheeled in and deposited on chairs, and the shower heads turned on them.  The walls were concrete, grout and paint, which had fully absorbed urine.  Many of the volunteers had to duck out of the room a couple of times the odour was so bad.  This is what the students live with!  Cam was privileged to assist with the "tear-out" of the walls in this room.  

Their showers before - yuck!!

some of the work crew...

After many hours of work- the tiling job that was done  

while Cam was gone to Kilimanjaro...

Then they took the Happy's school kids to UShaka!

Nozipho, one of Cam's students

Here's a link to the team's video presentation compliments of Steve Le Duke

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA-kesnOuew

Praise God for this wonderful team of people touching lives and changing hearts!

Youth Week 2010

The 2010 project year has officially been "Kicked off" with the Start of the year Youth Gathering that occurred in Hebron Haven.  This years Hebron Haven Youth conference was amazing!  We had students between 10 to 20 years old attending on of three age-appropriate classes, and group classes, morning meditations, and evening talks and youth Survivor challenges daily!  Fun and Sound scriptural studies were enjoyed by all.  

My three favorite items were:
1) the Thursday night "Family" candle-light memorial...

2) Youth led devotionals

3) Survivor challenges and games

S had a great time!

Oops, I had the last two puzzle pieces in my pocket, says Mat. 

Is this why it's called survivor?  

Naahhhh, his team was very understanding ;-)  

The Scavenger hunt was very successful!

Many thanks to all the teachers, for the coordination, for the well behaved youth, and the Hebron Haven staff for all the support and dedication to make this such an amazing event!  This was an amazing beginning to a very exciting project year for the 2010 program!  Much more to come, too!

A's 8th Birthday in January

We celebrated A's birthday for almost 3 months.  The day of her birthday we made cupcakes and opened gifts.  In February we had her actual party.  Then in March, we had another party at my aunt's house in the U.S.!  Talk about a party girl!!  

On the day of A's birthday, we took some children from Happy's school for the disabled to UShaka Marine World.  It was such a fun treat to spend her birthday with all of these amazing children.  It was incredible to watch the wonder on their faces as they saw the dolphins and ocean creatures. 

 

A's new friend Kim

Our tour guides did a wonderful job of making her birthday feel special.  They made sure that the kids were chosen to be in the dolphin show!

Here are the tour guides - W was in love with them!

Close enough to touch!

We left Cam to take care of the bill - 

unfortunately he didn't have enough cash!

In February, our friend Carryn and her daughter hosted us at their home to have A's first summer pool party!  This is a really big deal when all your life your birthday has been in the cold winter!  The cupcakes she made were beautiful and the afternoon was filled with fun games.

Here were the dashing judges for the cannonball contest

S's cannonball in action