Durban update number 2!

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Hello again from Durban!
So I have finished my 3 weeks working with RidgeCity.
I was sad to say goodbye to all the kids at Vullendella (the name of the children's home i was living at) and Eden (the care centre i was working at) I will also miss helping the ladies at the soup kitchen in marianridge! While at Eden, I was able to really take weight off the shoulders of the care centre runer, who looks after the 20 kids single handled, and loved getting to know the kids i stayed with at Vullendella… just helping them with their homework and life in general was such a blessing. I'll miss them as i formed great bonds with them, especially the older girls, but get to see them at church 😊

The house I am now at, known as the Balfour house, is a ten minute walk from the church - called His Church,and the local shops. The house is home to some of the workers at Kwacare ( the outreach organisation of the church), bible college students, and volunteers.

So far I really love it here. The people i'm living with are lovely. There is something about the house that whispers fond memories and echoes past laughter. In an exciting and noncreepy way. 😉
We have rabbits living in the garden (who stink!) and there are two little ones only a couple of days old.. I enjoyed my little embrace with them the most.
AND MONKEYS. they are everywhere! i was told some scary stories about the destruction they can enact! they turn up in groups of like 50 and wreak havoc. but the are oh so cute.

So while here, I walk to HisChurch each morning and attend worship at the Bible College at 8.30.. I also get to go to a few classes now and then, which i am so excited about. Its been cool to meet some of the students, who are all so friendly and make me feel at home! Their faith has challenged me to live with more integrity and diligence.. such an inspiring church body over here!
After that, I go to work at Kwacare doing a whole bunch of different projects. Like RidgeCity, they focus on communities known at town ships… the ones both organisations help in, are also home to a lot of the church members. The townships are made up of basic government houses- just basic brick rooms.. or make shift homes from metal or whatever. While some people are well provided for and living in ok conditions, a lot are struggling just to eat. Aids, crime and sexual abuse are also prominent. Kwacare give out food, work with orphans, vulnerable children, the sick, the imprisoned, single parents and anyone in need.

Some things to note about what I have seen of Durban so far:
The city is busy, crowded, polluted and colourful.. but in ways a lot like any other city. However, attached to the city are countless townships, where the huge majority of people live, often in much poverty, sickness and dire circumstances.
Unemployment is huge! And crime is a very real threat. Over half the people are unemployeed and in a population of about 90% black.. white people own 95% of assets... (estimates of a guy im working with). But from what i hear from the organisations i've been with, things are slowly but surly improving - such an encouragement.

Tuesday was a long day and a fun day. After worship in the morning, which is always such a beautiful way to start my day, I went with Colen, a guy who works full time for kwacare, to load up a truck with bread. One of the bread company's gives all its unsellable bread to anyone who will take it.. several churches and charities come and get the thousands of loaves. We crammed about 1200 loaves and packets of rolls into the truck.. which was hard work! We then picked up a few other volunteers and started the mission of distributing.

We went into Kwadabeka and I was struck by the simultaneous BEAUTY of where it is situated, and the poverty of the place.Like everywhere I have been, the scenery was amazing, with all the houses sitting in the hills and mountains… with such space and abundance of greenery!
There are chickens running around everywhere, and goats.. and monkeys.. and of course beautiful children.
We gave out bread to a few crisis centres, which basically house women who have been abused or people who have no where to go… or they offer counselling and support, to the food distributing place which kwacare runs everyday.. with ladies from the community volunteering their time and cooking skills… much like in Marianridge.. there is also a creche that runs there for free for mums who cant look after their babies, or for orphans who live with friends or relatives.
We then stopped on the side of a dirt road, where a line had already formed waiting for the food.. and we were able to give out bread to everyone.. we had much more than they usually have!
We then drove around and gave to people on the side of the road.. to people looking for work, to road workers or workers in other badly paid jobs. It was confronting as people got so excited to have a loaf of bread.. and at one point started to push towards the van to get the rolls… it was cool to see the community though.. everyone so eager to greet you and talk.. whether they know you or not! They were even nice to a white person like me!
There are huge piles of rubbish… the size of the houses... and glass and litter cover the place.. i wonder about all those kids walking bare foot.
The living conditions of some people.. are confronting to say the least. I did home visits today to check up on people who Kwacare have given rabbits to, for food and buisness means.

The abundance of languages has been music to my ears! I am more determined than ever to become fluent in another language. Its laughable to people over here that i can speak ONLY ONE language. I am trying to pick up Zulu! But usually my attempts are answered with laughter.

God has been so so faithful to me, providing for me and teaching me. He has particularly been teaching me of his caring nature.. and the way he looks after the smallest details of our lives. I have been relearning the significance of small things.
God does small things with the same incredible love that works miracles.
So God has been teaching me of His power.. and that I must ask to receive. So the smallest things that i need, or want, I offer to Him , and countless times He has been responding so quickly, as If to say, I was wondering when you'd ask me! Here, have it!

Which has been an interesting lesson, because at the same time, i am meeting people whose most basic needs are not being met.. and who are in very tough situations.. and God is still saying… I care about EVERY LITTLE THING. i keep thinking, If he cares about my little worries and seemingly insignificant needs, how his heart must long for the fulfilment of their many needs.

Esther, the lady who runs the care centre i worked at, was so inspiring (and funny) in this area. She would give everything to God.. as we blew up balloons and they started popping she asked the Holy Spirit to help her get the balloons right.. and He did.. when the music didn't work, again.. it was up to God. When we couldn't find string, she asked God to tell her, who knew where it was of course. She would always be proclaiming how good and faithful Jesus is to her! Its not a shallow faith, but a complete trust in God that is so beautiful to see.

What a weight off my shoulders to know, that I must simply trust Him.

Sorry for that epic read.. well done if you read it all!
I'll try let you all know how everything else goes here!

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