Another day is winding down in East London, South Africa. We've had a busy few days, and we were unable to update you last night.
Yesterday's Holiday Club was exciting for us and the kids - we learned that God is our helper, using the story of Moses and the Red Sea. We had fun acting it out and covering "Pharaoh and his soldiers" with the red velvet sea.
One of our favorite parts of every day of Holiday Club is the music. These kids are amazing! They just keep singing, starting a new song on their own as they finish each one. Aunty Liz has been teaching them new songs and dances - they especially like her "Get it, get it" song, and they keep singing it on the playground!
After Holiday Club, we took off on our African safari. It was great to have a break from the emotional strain of learning about these kids' difficult lives. Even though it was cold and windy, and the animals were hiding in the deep bush, we had a great time and saw quite a few, including: a rhinoceros family, monkeys, wildebeests, impalas, African antelopes(?), giraffes, zebras, buzzards, and an entire pride of lions, including three little cubs. At the end of the game drive, we got to pet a family of cheetahs that have been raised at the game reserve since they were three weeks old.
We had an Independence Day dinner at a local favorite restaurant called Country Bumpkin, and we enjoyed our early night.
Today's Holiday Club theme was "God is my protector," and we used the story of Daniel in the lion's den. The kids really enjoyed making their lion pictures in craft time with Aunty Dani, using the circles we spent hours cutting out on Tuesday night.
After Holiday Club, those of us who are visiting South Africa for the first time (Christina, Elizabeth, Liz, Dani, and Paula) had the opportunity to visit local townships with BB, who has been ministering in South Africa for decades and is a wonderful tour guide. It was difficult to see the living situation that many people in East London experience. The impact of apartheid is still incredibly obvious, and seeing the racial division continue was difficult for us to understand. Many people live in shacks without electricity or running water, and families often share one bed. We saw many young children (some looked as young as 8 or 9), carrying their younger siblings on their backs.
BB told us that these shacks burn down about once every three years because their only source of heat is building fires. We could actually see smoke and smell fire, and we spotted one small brush fire. The current conditions (cold, dry, and windy) make it easy for fires to start and spread.
We met one family who lives in a house like those above, in a more rural community with cows, pigs, and goats roaming freely throughout the neighborhood. Despite their difficult circumstances, the family was happy, and they were proud of the house they have built and keep in beautiful shape.
It's hard to believe we have just one more day of Holiday Club before we leave. Tomorrow, we're learning about how "God is our Father," and we're looking forward to seeing the children, though we know it will be difficult to say goodbye.
Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers - we're looking forward to seeing you soon!
- Elizabeth and Christina (with help from Petina)
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