we're back...well, most of us

Today the majority of the group returned to New York. Trey and Sherry extended their trip in East London to do more service work, and Elizabeth headed to Mozambique to visit her friend in the Peace Corp. Pray for their safe return later this week.

Our trip ended with us not wanting to leave, but we finished with a bang. We closed out Friday's Holiday Club with 87 kids who each had a lot of energy. At recreation, we ended the week with water games...let's just say I walked away the wettest (thanks to Elizabeth turning her team game into "get Jeremy"). The week was a huge success in thanks to the fantastic partnership between the Journey and First City. Can't wait to hear about all of the great things that will continue to emerge afterwards.

Friday night we headed to the local rugby game, and then back to FCBC for a braai (a cookout for us Americans). We celebrated a week well done, and then prepared for our 24 hour journey back to the States.

Now that most of us are back safe and sound and ready to head to work tomorrow, we are grateful for the time spent, your support and the overall experience of the trip. We can't wait to see what God will do with the time and resources we've invested. Thank you for sharing this journey with us.

Man there are a LOT of kids here!

Yesterday our team had the privilege of visiting King's School--and seeing where some of the Journey's special offering was designated. We met with Tracy King, the visionary missionary who is serving the informal township up from her home. She and her family have literally transformed their own home and garages into school rooms to educate the children who live in the township. Since opening the schools, their family has expanded into two classrooms and has plans for many more.


They also have four infants (under the age of 9 months) who have been abandoned at their doorstep (these 4 are part of 16,000 abandoned children on the Eastern Cape of South Africa each year. To check out more about the King's ministry, go to: www.sponsoranangel.org It's truly amazing what they're doing. The picture below is of the newest schoolhouse on their property (partially funded by the Journey).


We also have been continuing our Holiday Bible Club, which has been increasing in number each day to reach more of the inner city kids. We're about to head out to survey the local community of Southernwood (a neighborhood in East London) about their greatest needs so First City Baptist Church has a good pulse on where they can serve the most. The photo is of the recreation time at HBC.



Finally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEREMY---It was amazing to see the kids sing to Jerms in English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa.

Church and Cheetahs

That's right...Sunday was filled with spending time with the locals...people and animals. Sunday morning kicked off with us visiting Grace Community Baptist church-a traditional black African church. We were blown away and inspired by the worship and message in a very humble setting. The experience has strengthened the fire behind our team.




After church we headed to First City Baptist (our host church) to prepare for Holiday Bible Club (aka Vacation Bible School, VBS, in the States). While there we toured the local ministries the church offers, including the Sophumelela Centre (an AIDS clinic largely funded through the US gov't), a dignity house, Work for All (a professional skills program that serves the community) and Little Sparklers (a daycare and future school for children who are patients at the aforementioned Centre). All of these ministries have grown past expectations in their short time in existence, and there is still a lot of need. Pray that they will have the resources to continue to impact this community.






On Monday, after add'l prep for HBC, we had the privilege of heading out to Inkwenkwezi, a local game reserve, for lunch and an afternoon game drive. We were blown away by the site of impala (not the chevy), elephants, giraffes, lions and cheetahs. I (Jeremy) almost lost my shorts to an ostrich on the drive (I'll prove it to you on video when we return).

Today we kicked off HBC with 51 children...off to a great start, as they will bring their friends as the week goes on. We're off to lunch, and then headed to the local park in Southernwood for a cleanup project and playtime with local kids.

Photos of everything to be added soon...forgot the cord! Over and out, Anna, Jeremy and the rest of the team!

Fort White Rocks

For the first two days we were here, our crew did demolition work, painting, and organizing donations for a future school, clinic, and community center for local villages near East London. The site where we worked was called "Fort White" a former black theological college. We worked with an amazing missionary family, the Fudges (whose culinary skills were also quite appreciated) who has moved here from Texas to show God's love to the amazing people of their surrounding community--one whose unemployment rate reaches almost 80% and where AIDS affects 25-33% of the people. It will be awesome to come back and see the school and clinic open in January.

Here's two photos--one of Jeremy, Sherry and Trey with their demo gear on and one of the whole team in front of the school that was partially transformed in the inside (just like us so far).

New York Takes South Africa by Storm

This is the team that travelled 1/2 way around the world last Wednesday. 8 New Yorkers and 1 South Caroliner (yes, EM)

We got here safe and sound...only 17 hours from New York to Johannesburg...and 5 hours of laying over in Joburg 'til East London. Jeremy and I (Anna) hacked a bit...rest of the team rested so that we were ready to work as soon as we got here.