Hello to those of you who are still reading this blog, wich I believe probably nobody is.
Now that most of you know that I am back in Canada. !!
Well. To summarize the last 7 months in Africa:
1. Amazing.
2. Life-Changing.
3. Just the right amount of time. Even though there is still so much to see, it was time for me to go home. I'll be back another year. Maybe next year.
So. HOME. That 4 letter word. Where is home? Is it your house? Where you grew up? Where your family is? Where your heart is? Well, I can't tell you. lol. I felt at home in Jeffreys Baai, South Africa and I feel at home here at my house in 108 or Kamloops, wherever. At the moment my home is 108.
As for culture shock, I dind't experince it as much as I thought I was going to. Perhaps it was because I freaked myself out so much about going home, I thought it was going to be the worst thing, that when I acctaully did get home, it wasn't as bad as a siked myself out about. I adjusted well back into so called 'life' in this western void. I'm not back so much as to the point of conformity, but so that I am not so much freaked out, just accepting. The problems here are too big for me to tackle on my own, I have other things to do first. Changing a peoples mindset probably will never happen.
Materialisic, money-loving (even if you don't think you are), comfort-minded people. Many people agree with that statement, and beleive they are like that, yet what are they going to do to change? nothing. And thats the thing. Where is the motivation? Why do you even need something to motivate you? Well, .... selfishness, ignorance, and denial are all things of this western world. And those are the things that get me the most when I come back.
The fact that a child tragically drowning in BC gets more news coverage and sympathy than the 1000's of motherless, starving and homeless children that die every day is beyond me.
Its the world we live in.
And it sucks.
But other than that, Canada is a beautiful country, and we are very blessed to live here. Very blessed. Please take advanatage of and don't complain about the health care. Explore the beauty of this country.
I missed bagles, the lake, and snow the most. haha. other than my friends and family. Sometimes. :P
So, it is nice to be back!! It is ... as I look forward to my next journey.
Thanks for tuning in every once and a while, I enjoyed writing these and and as I bring a close to this chapter of my life and start another one I just have to say.....
"just do it.
listen to God.
and learn about this world, its HUGE!
oh yes, and love your country of Canada ... well, the good things anyways, which we do have alot of. And don't take it for granted.
THats my rant.
thanks for listening.
God Bless and keep you
Tierney.
!!!!!!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
JBAY
Hello.
SO was in Tzaneen for a bit, guess what, while it is 25degrees in the summer back home in lovely Canada, its 9degrees here in winter. 9-11 dregrees in Tzaneen!!! Crazy!! but it was beautiful....very tarzan jungle-like, with lots of monkeys and tea plantations, and i saw the biggest tree IN THE WORLD. its a huge boabab tree with a bar inside of it (people are werid). So iwent inside the tree it was pretty sweet. Very nice to see myra and her family and it was nice.
THEN went on a crazy 16 or so hour BUS RIDE from johanesburg to PE. left at 5:45PM and arrived at 9:30AM the next day. All my luggage had to go at my feet because there was no room underneath or uptop, so it was very squashed and uncomfortable. but i sat beside a cute little 13year old girl. and she bought me a chocolate bar because i lent her my pillow and jacket. long ride.
Now i am back in Jeffreys Bay where I have lived the 1st 3 months here in SA, and is pretty much my home. It felt soooo nice to be back and to go to the beach again. :)
I am staying in a room all by myself, witch is kind of weird...
And all the staff are bugging me to stay on here as a staff member, and you have no idea how much i would love to do just that. but i know that i have to go home first. ...
so it is very nice to be here home in jefrreys bay :)
I"ll be making a road trip with friend Steve to Cape Town sometime soon here for 5 days or so, then hoping to be back for my birthday on the 25th.
however, i will see you in Augest !
SO was in Tzaneen for a bit, guess what, while it is 25degrees in the summer back home in lovely Canada, its 9degrees here in winter. 9-11 dregrees in Tzaneen!!! Crazy!! but it was beautiful....very tarzan jungle-like, with lots of monkeys and tea plantations, and i saw the biggest tree IN THE WORLD. its a huge boabab tree with a bar inside of it (people are werid). So iwent inside the tree it was pretty sweet. Very nice to see myra and her family and it was nice.
THEN went on a crazy 16 or so hour BUS RIDE from johanesburg to PE. left at 5:45PM and arrived at 9:30AM the next day. All my luggage had to go at my feet because there was no room underneath or uptop, so it was very squashed and uncomfortable. but i sat beside a cute little 13year old girl. and she bought me a chocolate bar because i lent her my pillow and jacket. long ride.
Now i am back in Jeffreys Bay where I have lived the 1st 3 months here in SA, and is pretty much my home. It felt soooo nice to be back and to go to the beach again. :)
I am staying in a room all by myself, witch is kind of weird...
And all the staff are bugging me to stay on here as a staff member, and you have no idea how much i would love to do just that. but i know that i have to go home first. ...
so it is very nice to be here home in jefrreys bay :)
I"ll be making a road trip with friend Steve to Cape Town sometime soon here for 5 days or so, then hoping to be back for my birthday on the 25th.
however, i will see you in Augest !
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Mom Trip
so! last time i left off i belive was with graduation and mom coming here. well today is the day she left, so its been 2 weeks, and i can try to put those weeks into a nutshell here: okay. and (ps the shift button dosn't work, so no capitals, its not my fault. i usually do have good grammar haha)
so after chinsta and the durban fiasco...
st lucia.....beautiful place. Stayed on the outskirts of town, in the jungle pretty much. youcan litlerally walk out of your door and into a hippo!! (we talk from experience!) soo.....did some shopping, went on a sweet cultural tour the sencond day.
now this was interesting.....my mom and i had our own personal tour guide, bringing us through traditional Zulu culture. so....we started at the orphange (at our request) it was a bonus gift from God, because my mom so badly wanted to go to one. we had alot of fun with the kids. then she took us to a 'sangoma' - a traditional 'healer'. we went to his hut house, wich had dead leapord skin on the wall, spears and things, and weird herbs, and he told us about healing things...it was acctaully kinda sketchy. but interesting.
then we went to a sweet zulu village and she taught us things, and then the fun part. my mom and i got dressed in traditional Zulu clothes, and then after that got a performance from some awesome zulu dancers and singers. then the funny part. we got to dance with them. and it was embarrasing haha. iM sure they all laugh at us after, but it was fun. i'll put up pictures later. my mom hurt her leg for a while after that hardcore zulu dancing lol.
we also went on a night tour and saw crocs and hippos and bush babys and chameleons. it was exciting seeing a hippo walk. right infront of us too. and into our backpacker area. its quite normal for them to walk in the town.
then our next nice stop was Sabi. a small town. very fun though! we went caving the first night, by cadellight, it was very very cool. again, pictures coming.
we also did a day in kruger park, and saw all the animals ever, except for leapord and hyena and rhino. there were lions sitting right in the road, and baboons just like, pretty much jumping on your car, it was very very amaizng. excecpt for mycamera battery died on my first pic, so i was very angry. but got over it, and enjoyed the day thourouly.
then......yeah......bus to j-berg, mom flies out after what feels like 5 or 6 days, and here i am all alone now, besides my fellow backapckers. i am staying in a ..... nice.......no its acctaully creepy....part of johanesburg. for 3 days, till i catch a bus to tzaneen to visit my friend myra.
overall, its been a great time, being a tourist for real this time haha. wow....it was fun though, learned alot and got to see the other side of the country. very cool. and warmer. :) beautiful.
yaw....so....happy times, can't wait to see you all face to face!
God bless eh....
Romans 8;28-onwards i belive:
we know that in all things God works forthe good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. those God forknew, he also predestined to be conformed into the likness of his son, Jesus Christ.
those God predestined, he also called, those he called, he also JUSTIFIED, and those he justified, he also glorified. what can we say in response to this? if God is for us, who can be against us???
so after chinsta and the durban fiasco...
st lucia.....beautiful place. Stayed on the outskirts of town, in the jungle pretty much. youcan litlerally walk out of your door and into a hippo!! (we talk from experience!) soo.....did some shopping, went on a sweet cultural tour the sencond day.
now this was interesting.....my mom and i had our own personal tour guide, bringing us through traditional Zulu culture. so....we started at the orphange (at our request) it was a bonus gift from God, because my mom so badly wanted to go to one. we had alot of fun with the kids. then she took us to a 'sangoma' - a traditional 'healer'. we went to his hut house, wich had dead leapord skin on the wall, spears and things, and weird herbs, and he told us about healing things...it was acctaully kinda sketchy. but interesting.
then we went to a sweet zulu village and she taught us things, and then the fun part. my mom and i got dressed in traditional Zulu clothes, and then after that got a performance from some awesome zulu dancers and singers. then the funny part. we got to dance with them. and it was embarrasing haha. iM sure they all laugh at us after, but it was fun. i'll put up pictures later. my mom hurt her leg for a while after that hardcore zulu dancing lol.
we also went on a night tour and saw crocs and hippos and bush babys and chameleons. it was exciting seeing a hippo walk. right infront of us too. and into our backpacker area. its quite normal for them to walk in the town.
then our next nice stop was Sabi. a small town. very fun though! we went caving the first night, by cadellight, it was very very cool. again, pictures coming.
we also did a day in kruger park, and saw all the animals ever, except for leapord and hyena and rhino. there were lions sitting right in the road, and baboons just like, pretty much jumping on your car, it was very very amaizng. excecpt for mycamera battery died on my first pic, so i was very angry. but got over it, and enjoyed the day thourouly.
then......yeah......bus to j-berg, mom flies out after what feels like 5 or 6 days, and here i am all alone now, besides my fellow backapckers. i am staying in a ..... nice.......no its acctaully creepy....part of johanesburg. for 3 days, till i catch a bus to tzaneen to visit my friend myra.
overall, its been a great time, being a tourist for real this time haha. wow....it was fun though, learned alot and got to see the other side of the country. very cool. and warmer. :) beautiful.
yaw....so....happy times, can't wait to see you all face to face!
God bless eh....
Romans 8;28-onwards i belive:
we know that in all things God works forthe good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. those God forknew, he also predestined to be conformed into the likness of his son, Jesus Christ.
those God predestined, he also called, those he called, he also JUSTIFIED, and those he justified, he also glorified. what can we say in response to this? if God is for us, who can be against us???
Thursday, July 3, 2008
LONG TIME NO BLOG
Hello everyone who is faithfully reading my blog.
it is harder for me to type after no computer for 6 months, except for randomly, so this is going to take a while, also, its been a month since writing anything,and alot has happend!
I shall spare you the nitty gritty details......
So after Cape Town we went and did some farm ministry in Ashton and Worchester (Pronnounced "Vusta") haha. Yes. It was great, annd its acctaully all a blur to me, i only will share a few highlights....
Ashton - Amazing prayer-time in a old building that is used for drugs/sex/toilet/who knows what else. We decided it is going to be either a YWAM base or YWAM hospitality house, or an orphanage. :) Powerful stuff.
Fun going out to the farms and the farmschools....makes me want to teach out there! SO so beautiful, as well as in need of teachers.
Mossel Bay we did a sweet drug protset thing with the youth and got sweet neon green shirts. That was my hightlight haha. Oh and we saw a whale in the bay.
In Worchester we worked with the crech, and all the little children..they were crazy, i got attacked by 4 year olds and needed someone to pull them off me more than once. I got some battle wounds that week, those crazy kids. I bought them a soccer ball.
THEN!!! We had a week of debreifing, in which we did NO ministry, we were in Vlesse Baai, (dunno how to spell). And we were stuck inside all week, (well 3 days) Becuase it was SO windy, i thought there was a hurricane. We were staying at a friends place rigtht on the beach, and the sea was like, .... so angry and scary and it was windy, so we stayed cooped up inside. So that was a week of de-berifing the last 3 months of outreach! It went very well, our team loves eachother, thanks to Gods grace. :)
THEN GRADUATION!!!!!
Back into Jeffreys Bay, got to connect with the Swazilan/Mozamique team, did some much needded catching up and started to plan for our grad in 4 days.
My MOTHER showed up day of graduation, yes, all the way from CAnada!!! YAY! Praise the Lord, He answered prayer.....:) so it was lovely having her there, and we hung out on the base for a few days. ...
Grad was awseome, we all dressed up, graduated, i shared a testimony of my life and Gods goodness, it was so so good. I love everyone so much.
THEN!! Everyone Peace's out and my mom and I take off up the East Coast.
Its been so good so far. First stop in Chintsa...a nice place on the beach, the second night we were woken up by monkeys on the roof. It is beautiful there.
THEN wow, long story here.....sho, well, we didndt get on our bus out of there, so we had to pay a crazy amount to get a personal taxi to the next big town 45 minutes away ,East London, and then catch like a Greyhound type bus to Durban - our next desination. (Where we needed to be to continue our trip) SO. Luckey for us this bus going to Durban is 5 hours late! So we hop on this bus just in time. Thank the Lord the bus was 5 hours late haha. Then i think it was just a slow driver, cuz it then took is more then 8 hours to get to Durban, and we arrived at 2:15 in the morrning. So here we are at this bus stop at 200 AM. Alll alone pretty much. Waiting for our taxi for 1 hour. Get into the backpackers at 3:30AM. Get up 3.5 hours later at 7:30Am to get the bus out of there to our next stop. Hectic,, but fun.
Okay, i'm in my last 5 minutes on the comp, so i'll go now, and write more later!!
Back in Augest.
Love. God Bless. Love.
Tierney. :)
it is harder for me to type after no computer for 6 months, except for randomly, so this is going to take a while, also, its been a month since writing anything,and alot has happend!
I shall spare you the nitty gritty details......
So after Cape Town we went and did some farm ministry in Ashton and Worchester (Pronnounced "Vusta") haha. Yes. It was great, annd its acctaully all a blur to me, i only will share a few highlights....
Ashton - Amazing prayer-time in a old building that is used for drugs/sex/toilet/who knows what else. We decided it is going to be either a YWAM base or YWAM hospitality house, or an orphanage. :) Powerful stuff.
Fun going out to the farms and the farmschools....makes me want to teach out there! SO so beautiful, as well as in need of teachers.
Mossel Bay we did a sweet drug protset thing with the youth and got sweet neon green shirts. That was my hightlight haha. Oh and we saw a whale in the bay.
In Worchester we worked with the crech, and all the little children..they were crazy, i got attacked by 4 year olds and needed someone to pull them off me more than once. I got some battle wounds that week, those crazy kids. I bought them a soccer ball.
THEN!!! We had a week of debreifing, in which we did NO ministry, we were in Vlesse Baai, (dunno how to spell). And we were stuck inside all week, (well 3 days) Becuase it was SO windy, i thought there was a hurricane. We were staying at a friends place rigtht on the beach, and the sea was like, .... so angry and scary and it was windy, so we stayed cooped up inside. So that was a week of de-berifing the last 3 months of outreach! It went very well, our team loves eachother, thanks to Gods grace. :)
THEN GRADUATION!!!!!
Back into Jeffreys Bay, got to connect with the Swazilan/Mozamique team, did some much needded catching up and started to plan for our grad in 4 days.
My MOTHER showed up day of graduation, yes, all the way from CAnada!!! YAY! Praise the Lord, He answered prayer.....:) so it was lovely having her there, and we hung out on the base for a few days. ...
Grad was awseome, we all dressed up, graduated, i shared a testimony of my life and Gods goodness, it was so so good. I love everyone so much.
THEN!! Everyone Peace's out and my mom and I take off up the East Coast.
Its been so good so far. First stop in Chintsa...a nice place on the beach, the second night we were woken up by monkeys on the roof. It is beautiful there.
THEN wow, long story here.....sho, well, we didndt get on our bus out of there, so we had to pay a crazy amount to get a personal taxi to the next big town 45 minutes away ,East London, and then catch like a Greyhound type bus to Durban - our next desination. (Where we needed to be to continue our trip) SO. Luckey for us this bus going to Durban is 5 hours late! So we hop on this bus just in time. Thank the Lord the bus was 5 hours late haha. Then i think it was just a slow driver, cuz it then took is more then 8 hours to get to Durban, and we arrived at 2:15 in the morrning. So here we are at this bus stop at 200 AM. Alll alone pretty much. Waiting for our taxi for 1 hour. Get into the backpackers at 3:30AM. Get up 3.5 hours later at 7:30Am to get the bus out of there to our next stop. Hectic,, but fun.
Okay, i'm in my last 5 minutes on the comp, so i'll go now, and write more later!!
Back in Augest.
Love. God Bless. Love.
Tierney. :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
uhh....wow.
HELLO fellow friends;
so, this past weeks.....we have been in cape town. Stayed at this wonderful place on the hill overlooking the ocean, it was so beautiful. We really acctaully didn't do too too much, we rested and caught up on quite times and sleep haha. mm....the hightlight ministry time was when we did random evengelism in this guy we are staying with, his butchery shop. We played guitar and sang and prayed and talked, and it was quite fun.
We also went to a few orphanages and thigns and we just helped clean up and stuff, didn't do much with the kids acctaully.
The church we went to the 2 weeks in Cape Town was hectic, like, powerful. Its acctaully called, "Power Ministires" and this pastor it like, wow haha, just really in tune with God. Our team got to witness like, miraculous healings and crazy moving of the spirit, and casting out of demons, and it was hectic cool. Like nothing i've ever thought possible even today, or ever thought i could see or experience, and it was a real growing and learning time for all of us, and we were really blessed those weeks acctaully. More details to come when i come back home. :)
Speaking of home, went to Home Affairs today, here in Worcester, (Pronounced; "Voo-Sta") ((Yes wierd, i know)), and got my visa extention!! YES! So I am now offically leaving Africa on the 1st of Augest, 2008. Up for more adventures......but do look forward to the coming home part. :)
So anyhoo, here we are in Worcester, (Vusta, how i want to spell it, haha). We are with this like, African amish type thing, its quite cool haha. Like the whole communitee works for the good of the community thing.
We are working with this boys club, and it really is sad. Like.....these are all young boys....age 8-15 i'd say. Some of them have been involved in gangs, and this phase they recently had with killing cats. And the boys would go around killing animals, they were just violent and angry because of the broken and abusive homes they come from. They are all so ... young...but look so grown up because of what they have been through.
We walk through this town and the little kids are playing with bare feet in broken glass and stuff, and just running looose and crazy, and ... .yaw its sad, but.....ya.
I have been helping out at a pimary school, and the other day we were chatting with the principle about things, and he asked us to make an important phone call for him. He needed to talk to this importatnt guy, but he wanted us to call because we were white, and had an english accent. He went on to tell us how the last time he had white people with him, the people listened to him straight away, where as when he was by himeself, they totally disregarded him. I was so horrified, like what?!?! how can people be so blind and stupid like that??? That colour is still such an issue like that!?! Its horrible.
Oh yes, and this town, Worcester/Vusta, is very segregated. There is a road that divides the town, and the whites are on one side and the colours and blacks on the other, and even the churches find it hard to cross the line. Very sad fact. So another thing is that it is such an important thing, even us white people here just walking in the streets here in the township, (cuz we are staying on the 'non-white' side). It makes a difference, just showing the kids that there is no colour barrier and that we are just the same as them. It makes more of a difference than we know. Esspecially in our team, as our team is a white/black mix, they see us interacting normally and HUGGING even wow, haha, and its just a good small thing that makes a difference, so its good. :)
Well, Its late and bed time, i am tired and sore. Back in Cape Town me and a few girls decided to climb Table Mountain, and me and Tash decided to run down. Run down this like, straight cliff side pretty much...dangerous, but...whatever! haha..so now my legs are like, killing me and i can only sit for so long before i seize up.
Well, miss ya'll, and see you soon enough.
Tierney.
"The Lord works all things together for the good of those who love Him."
-Romans something.
so, this past weeks.....we have been in cape town. Stayed at this wonderful place on the hill overlooking the ocean, it was so beautiful. We really acctaully didn't do too too much, we rested and caught up on quite times and sleep haha. mm....the hightlight ministry time was when we did random evengelism in this guy we are staying with, his butchery shop. We played guitar and sang and prayed and talked, and it was quite fun.
We also went to a few orphanages and thigns and we just helped clean up and stuff, didn't do much with the kids acctaully.
The church we went to the 2 weeks in Cape Town was hectic, like, powerful. Its acctaully called, "Power Ministires" and this pastor it like, wow haha, just really in tune with God. Our team got to witness like, miraculous healings and crazy moving of the spirit, and casting out of demons, and it was hectic cool. Like nothing i've ever thought possible even today, or ever thought i could see or experience, and it was a real growing and learning time for all of us, and we were really blessed those weeks acctaully. More details to come when i come back home. :)
Speaking of home, went to Home Affairs today, here in Worcester, (Pronounced; "Voo-Sta") ((Yes wierd, i know)), and got my visa extention!! YES! So I am now offically leaving Africa on the 1st of Augest, 2008. Up for more adventures......but do look forward to the coming home part. :)
So anyhoo, here we are in Worcester, (Vusta, how i want to spell it, haha). We are with this like, African amish type thing, its quite cool haha. Like the whole communitee works for the good of the community thing.
We are working with this boys club, and it really is sad. Like.....these are all young boys....age 8-15 i'd say. Some of them have been involved in gangs, and this phase they recently had with killing cats. And the boys would go around killing animals, they were just violent and angry because of the broken and abusive homes they come from. They are all so ... young...but look so grown up because of what they have been through.
We walk through this town and the little kids are playing with bare feet in broken glass and stuff, and just running looose and crazy, and ... .yaw its sad, but.....ya.
I have been helping out at a pimary school, and the other day we were chatting with the principle about things, and he asked us to make an important phone call for him. He needed to talk to this importatnt guy, but he wanted us to call because we were white, and had an english accent. He went on to tell us how the last time he had white people with him, the people listened to him straight away, where as when he was by himeself, they totally disregarded him. I was so horrified, like what?!?! how can people be so blind and stupid like that??? That colour is still such an issue like that!?! Its horrible.
Oh yes, and this town, Worcester/Vusta, is very segregated. There is a road that divides the town, and the whites are on one side and the colours and blacks on the other, and even the churches find it hard to cross the line. Very sad fact. So another thing is that it is such an important thing, even us white people here just walking in the streets here in the township, (cuz we are staying on the 'non-white' side). It makes a difference, just showing the kids that there is no colour barrier and that we are just the same as them. It makes more of a difference than we know. Esspecially in our team, as our team is a white/black mix, they see us interacting normally and HUGGING even wow, haha, and its just a good small thing that makes a difference, so its good. :)
Well, Its late and bed time, i am tired and sore. Back in Cape Town me and a few girls decided to climb Table Mountain, and me and Tash decided to run down. Run down this like, straight cliff side pretty much...dangerous, but...whatever! haha..so now my legs are like, killing me and i can only sit for so long before i seize up.
Well, miss ya'll, and see you soon enough.
Tierney.
"The Lord works all things together for the good of those who love Him."
-Romans something.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Back into South Africa
Hellloo,
So Swakopmend was a really great time, we wern't rushed or anything and had alot of free time. We stayed with this amazing lovely missionary family with their 5 kids. It was really nice, and we learned ALOT from them!! Something we weren't excpeting, but it was so very nice. The hostel was a very scary place....very run-down and like, scary....water dripping from the roof and stuff. The kids were coming on monday, so we had the weekend to do as much as we could. We painted and cleaned and things. But there were some rooms, specifically down in the basement, where there was such a spirit of oppression and just a heavyness. You just walk into the room and its almos tangible...very weird and not happy feeling. We also did alot of praying in that place.
Another highlight from Swakopmend was the dunes!! We went sandboarding and we climbed all the way up Dune 7....the highest around or something like that...it was really quite a challenge, i loved it so much. Sandboarding was just like sledding, just on sand, so it wasn't allll thaaat exciting...i rather would have went REAL sandboarding..like snowbaording where you stand up. BUt it costed alot of money. It was just soo beautiful though...the dunes are amazing, im sorry i can't put up pictures again, i am trying.
On our way back to South Africa we were driving in the dark almost at the Border and this HUGE Kudu jumped infrot of us, and just stood there. These things are like the equivelent to a moose in Canada...huge and dangerous to hit. So anyways, it was RIGHT infront of us, Natasha put on the breaks as much as she could, but there was nothing we could do, we were going to hit it, it was nuts!!! Natahsa just threw her hands off the weel and screamed bloody murder "JESUS HELP US!!!" and the next thing we know the kudu is jumping off the road to the side and the tip of its huge long hornd brushed the side of the vehicle. WOW. THANK YOU LORD. It was quite an amazing experience. We should have hit it, but thanks to God, people were praying.
So we arrived in Cape Town a few days ago, and we have a few days off again. However, I am looking forward to the work we are going to be doing. Yesterday we went to the beach, and the person we are staying with took pictures of us posing as surfers for her website, because she is a surfer teacher. It was so much fun, i loved it.
And not much else that I can write now, sooo i God bless!!
TIERNEY
So Swakopmend was a really great time, we wern't rushed or anything and had alot of free time. We stayed with this amazing lovely missionary family with their 5 kids. It was really nice, and we learned ALOT from them!! Something we weren't excpeting, but it was so very nice. The hostel was a very scary place....very run-down and like, scary....water dripping from the roof and stuff. The kids were coming on monday, so we had the weekend to do as much as we could. We painted and cleaned and things. But there were some rooms, specifically down in the basement, where there was such a spirit of oppression and just a heavyness. You just walk into the room and its almos tangible...very weird and not happy feeling. We also did alot of praying in that place.
Another highlight from Swakopmend was the dunes!! We went sandboarding and we climbed all the way up Dune 7....the highest around or something like that...it was really quite a challenge, i loved it so much. Sandboarding was just like sledding, just on sand, so it wasn't allll thaaat exciting...i rather would have went REAL sandboarding..like snowbaording where you stand up. BUt it costed alot of money. It was just soo beautiful though...the dunes are amazing, im sorry i can't put up pictures again, i am trying.
On our way back to South Africa we were driving in the dark almost at the Border and this HUGE Kudu jumped infrot of us, and just stood there. These things are like the equivelent to a moose in Canada...huge and dangerous to hit. So anyways, it was RIGHT infront of us, Natasha put on the breaks as much as she could, but there was nothing we could do, we were going to hit it, it was nuts!!! Natahsa just threw her hands off the weel and screamed bloody murder "JESUS HELP US!!!" and the next thing we know the kudu is jumping off the road to the side and the tip of its huge long hornd brushed the side of the vehicle. WOW. THANK YOU LORD. It was quite an amazing experience. We should have hit it, but thanks to God, people were praying.
So we arrived in Cape Town a few days ago, and we have a few days off again. However, I am looking forward to the work we are going to be doing. Yesterday we went to the beach, and the person we are staying with took pictures of us posing as surfers for her website, because she is a surfer teacher. It was so much fun, i loved it.
And not much else that I can write now, sooo i God bless!!
TIERNEY
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
dust and no internet for a long time
Hello!!
Wow, so i guess its been like 2 weeks or somethng since we have had internet access, and it has been an amazing 2 weeks.
Were in Ongwadiva way up in the very north of Namibia for a week and this past week has been spent in Okondjatu. They are both very remote villages with limited electricity and no running hot water. Oh ya...it was very fun having my first shower in 2 weeks last night!! Felt very nice...my legs are no longer green. no joke. haha.
so where do i start???
In Ongwadiva we tented in a church-yard - a baby church which was a tent. We had kids programms and door-to-door visits. All our stuff was in this one room and 3 boys got into our stuff on day and stole a cell phone and a camera. We talked to them and told them it was wrong and about sowing good seeds and reaping good things and about Jesus and stuff, and then they participated in our programm and gave back the stuff. They are so cute, and yet it was so sad because when we went to the police and to their house, their parents were so mad and yelling and this one woman was just beating her son infront of us, it was horrible. It is a common problem in these villages.
Ongwadiva is very hot and we stayed inside as much as we could.
I fell in love with Okandjatu. We were there from mon-fri and everyday we did devotions with people from the community and we worked in the church garden weeding and planting. I enjoyed it alot. But my favorite part were the afternoon house visits. We take a translator with us and go to houses and pray and tell them about Jesus and stuff, and it is always a rewarding time. It is not like in North America where when people come to your door you tell them you don't have time, or shut the door in their face or get all skeptical and stuff. No, here hospitality is of high value, and they will take out the chairs right away and sit down to listen to us. They are always open to prayer even if they arn't christian because they are aware of the Spiritual, and aware of a higher power. Whether it be God or not.
At this one ladys house, man, well these houses are just like a shed to us, thrown together with a mattress or something if they are luckey. Anyways, in this house she had like, 8 kids from the age of 2-10, all orphans, and she just chose to look after them cuz no one else would. And she was also sick, but what else could she do?? I gave her some money and i was just so touched by her. In this one room home with everything she owns in it - 8 kids, a dirty matress, a cat, some food, a lamp....
I loved the place. We cooked over the fire everynight, and the girls made us fresh chicken. it was very tough though....i was unfortunate enough to walk around the cornner just as they were killing it, and i pretty much puked and cried at the same time,. haha. We stayed at the pastors friends house for that week, 3 of us in one bed and another 3 in another room on the floor, and the 2 boys in the combie. Squished and dirty and no showering for me!! It was fun though, a beautiful land. Wish i could put up pictures, but can't yet.
So!! We are now in Swakopment, on the coast of Namibia, we are staying with some missionaries right on the ocean pretty much, and it is very nice!! We get meals that consist of meat, we all get our own bed, and hot water from the tap! It is a nice treat. :) we are enjoying ourseves. Working at a childrens hostel this week. Cleaning it up....painting...scrubbing...dusting...clearing...stuff like that. its fun.
Don't have much internet time, sorry for the fastly thrown-together thing here,
Hope it made sence.
To my Family, I really miss you alot, and it costs $15/minute for the phonme, so thats out of the question. Love you so much, talk when i get to South Africa in about a week.
God Bless!!!!
Can't wait to tell you all more, there is just so much.
:)
Wow, so i guess its been like 2 weeks or somethng since we have had internet access, and it has been an amazing 2 weeks.
Were in Ongwadiva way up in the very north of Namibia for a week and this past week has been spent in Okondjatu. They are both very remote villages with limited electricity and no running hot water. Oh ya...it was very fun having my first shower in 2 weeks last night!! Felt very nice...my legs are no longer green. no joke. haha.
so where do i start???
In Ongwadiva we tented in a church-yard - a baby church which was a tent. We had kids programms and door-to-door visits. All our stuff was in this one room and 3 boys got into our stuff on day and stole a cell phone and a camera. We talked to them and told them it was wrong and about sowing good seeds and reaping good things and about Jesus and stuff, and then they participated in our programm and gave back the stuff. They are so cute, and yet it was so sad because when we went to the police and to their house, their parents were so mad and yelling and this one woman was just beating her son infront of us, it was horrible. It is a common problem in these villages.
Ongwadiva is very hot and we stayed inside as much as we could.
I fell in love with Okandjatu. We were there from mon-fri and everyday we did devotions with people from the community and we worked in the church garden weeding and planting. I enjoyed it alot. But my favorite part were the afternoon house visits. We take a translator with us and go to houses and pray and tell them about Jesus and stuff, and it is always a rewarding time. It is not like in North America where when people come to your door you tell them you don't have time, or shut the door in their face or get all skeptical and stuff. No, here hospitality is of high value, and they will take out the chairs right away and sit down to listen to us. They are always open to prayer even if they arn't christian because they are aware of the Spiritual, and aware of a higher power. Whether it be God or not.
At this one ladys house, man, well these houses are just like a shed to us, thrown together with a mattress or something if they are luckey. Anyways, in this house she had like, 8 kids from the age of 2-10, all orphans, and she just chose to look after them cuz no one else would. And she was also sick, but what else could she do?? I gave her some money and i was just so touched by her. In this one room home with everything she owns in it - 8 kids, a dirty matress, a cat, some food, a lamp....
I loved the place. We cooked over the fire everynight, and the girls made us fresh chicken. it was very tough though....i was unfortunate enough to walk around the cornner just as they were killing it, and i pretty much puked and cried at the same time,. haha. We stayed at the pastors friends house for that week, 3 of us in one bed and another 3 in another room on the floor, and the 2 boys in the combie. Squished and dirty and no showering for me!! It was fun though, a beautiful land. Wish i could put up pictures, but can't yet.
So!! We are now in Swakopment, on the coast of Namibia, we are staying with some missionaries right on the ocean pretty much, and it is very nice!! We get meals that consist of meat, we all get our own bed, and hot water from the tap! It is a nice treat. :) we are enjoying ourseves. Working at a childrens hostel this week. Cleaning it up....painting...scrubbing...dusting...clearing...stuff like that. its fun.
Don't have much internet time, sorry for the fastly thrown-together thing here,
Hope it made sence.
To my Family, I really miss you alot, and it costs $15/minute for the phonme, so thats out of the question. Love you so much, talk when i get to South Africa in about a week.
God Bless!!!!
Can't wait to tell you all more, there is just so much.
:)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
the only white poeple in oshakati
Hellooo.
Wow its hot. We arrived in Oshakati 3 days ago, we are here for a few more days. It is in the very northern part of Namibia. We are saying at a place that is connected with YWAM. It is very hot and dusty, we stay indoors during the day with the fan as much as we can. Also the cold showers, we don't even have a warm water option. :) There are also nice big spiders in the room to keep us company.
So on sunday we went to a 4 and a half hour church service. It was very nice though, a few of our team members spoke, and there was some baptisms. The singing though is so beautiful, the natual harmonies of their voices is just man, i got tears in my eyes at one point lol. I recorded some so those of you who know me well will be priveledged enough to hear some.
On monday morning me and Natasha went out with some pastors to a village way up right on the Angola/Namibia border. It was so beautiful, with the traditional mud huts with thatched roofs and stuff. We met with some of the residents and prayed with them, it was so very nice. We had a traslator with us as their language is only unique to that one part of Africa. Language is such a cool and cultural valuble thing....it makes me want to learn another language.
On tues we did a 'door to door' prayer thing. We split up into groups, and it was more like, walk from feild to feild, from mud hut village to mud hut random house in the middle of nowhere for 3 hours. haha. it was VERY cool though, i loved it. My group of 2 with a young boy translator found about.... 5 or 6 houses. One of them being a group of people mourning the death of an old ladies husband... wow. That is somehting i will never forget. There was 4 of them to start, just sitting on the dirt. I went up to the now widowed woman and prayed for her, and i just started to cry beacuse, i just felt for her. And then the other women started crying, and more women showed up and they just sit on the ground infront of the widow and full out wail and cry so loud, it was somehting else to be there with them. It was beautiful. At another place there was a woman who looks after 8 orphans. She asked us to pray for her because of her poverty. We did, and I asked her if she wanted new shoes. (Because her shoes were tied together with wire or something, with holes) And she said yes, but can't afford it because she wants to send all her kids to school. And so I gave her my sandles, and she was soo happy!! She smiled and laughed and slapped them together, and i told her that God provides. :) The one i was with, Myra, (my teammate) also gave her shoes to the girl there who looked our age. It was a very rewarding, learning, nice day. And it was hot. and the ground was prickely when we walked back.
We also had a nice evening service for the youth here at the church. They dont usually have one in the evening, but we put on one. We sang, and i played guitar, and we did a drama and it was so much fun. In this one other church we were at (imagine a concrete building with a dirt/dust/sand floor) we sang and danced and it was getting dark and the dust was flying in the air, and i have to get allergy stuff cuz i think the dust may be getting to be. But it was so much fun, and i am always amazed at the singing of these Africans. So beautiful.
We go to bed at about 8PM every day because we are so tired and its hot hot hot. Starting today we will be tenting for a bit. .... mhm. I am also spending alot of money on water.
Pray for strength and energy and safety.
I love you all!! Since being on the road i miss home more. But i am still loving it here.
Shout out to my sisters, i love you and miss you.
"...those who sow in peace will reap a harvest of righteousness."
-The bible
Wow its hot. We arrived in Oshakati 3 days ago, we are here for a few more days. It is in the very northern part of Namibia. We are saying at a place that is connected with YWAM. It is very hot and dusty, we stay indoors during the day with the fan as much as we can. Also the cold showers, we don't even have a warm water option. :) There are also nice big spiders in the room to keep us company.
So on sunday we went to a 4 and a half hour church service. It was very nice though, a few of our team members spoke, and there was some baptisms. The singing though is so beautiful, the natual harmonies of their voices is just man, i got tears in my eyes at one point lol. I recorded some so those of you who know me well will be priveledged enough to hear some.
On monday morning me and Natasha went out with some pastors to a village way up right on the Angola/Namibia border. It was so beautiful, with the traditional mud huts with thatched roofs and stuff. We met with some of the residents and prayed with them, it was so very nice. We had a traslator with us as their language is only unique to that one part of Africa. Language is such a cool and cultural valuble thing....it makes me want to learn another language.
On tues we did a 'door to door' prayer thing. We split up into groups, and it was more like, walk from feild to feild, from mud hut village to mud hut random house in the middle of nowhere for 3 hours. haha. it was VERY cool though, i loved it. My group of 2 with a young boy translator found about.... 5 or 6 houses. One of them being a group of people mourning the death of an old ladies husband... wow. That is somehting i will never forget. There was 4 of them to start, just sitting on the dirt. I went up to the now widowed woman and prayed for her, and i just started to cry beacuse, i just felt for her. And then the other women started crying, and more women showed up and they just sit on the ground infront of the widow and full out wail and cry so loud, it was somehting else to be there with them. It was beautiful. At another place there was a woman who looks after 8 orphans. She asked us to pray for her because of her poverty. We did, and I asked her if she wanted new shoes. (Because her shoes were tied together with wire or something, with holes) And she said yes, but can't afford it because she wants to send all her kids to school. And so I gave her my sandles, and she was soo happy!! She smiled and laughed and slapped them together, and i told her that God provides. :) The one i was with, Myra, (my teammate) also gave her shoes to the girl there who looked our age. It was a very rewarding, learning, nice day. And it was hot. and the ground was prickely when we walked back.
We also had a nice evening service for the youth here at the church. They dont usually have one in the evening, but we put on one. We sang, and i played guitar, and we did a drama and it was so much fun. In this one other church we were at (imagine a concrete building with a dirt/dust/sand floor) we sang and danced and it was getting dark and the dust was flying in the air, and i have to get allergy stuff cuz i think the dust may be getting to be. But it was so much fun, and i am always amazed at the singing of these Africans. So beautiful.
We go to bed at about 8PM every day because we are so tired and its hot hot hot. Starting today we will be tenting for a bit. .... mhm. I am also spending alot of money on water.
Pray for strength and energy and safety.
I love you all!! Since being on the road i miss home more. But i am still loving it here.
Shout out to my sisters, i love you and miss you.
"...those who sow in peace will reap a harvest of righteousness."
-The bible
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Namibia
Arrived in Namibia 2 days ago. Today is the 16th. wow....I am exhausted!!
We have been busy, and driving alot the past few days...lets start at the begninng.
Left South Africa, drove and drove up up north to the border. All of us got through OK except for the 3 Nigerians on the team. Something happend with the visa's or something, and Namibia acctually dosn't like Nigerians coming in because they usually come in as criminals, so there was a huge thing. Ended up the nigerians had to camp out at the border while we went on to Windhoek, (the capital of Namibia) to sort this all out. The first night we stayed at a pretty nice hotel, well....it wasn't 'nice' but it was expensive....we had at least 5 beds and a shower!! So that was nice. However, we couldn't sleep because the misquitoes were so bad. We were fighting them off all night, and so at 4AM i finally got up and sat in the bathtub with my sheet around me and managed to kill off all the mosquitoes in the bathroom to sit quitely!! So that was nice I suppose....had a nice early start to my day!!
Oh my goodness.....Namibia is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I am falling in love with this country, I feel like i am now experiencing the real Africa....it is desert and the sky is HUGE and BLUE and the clouds are like real clouds!! They are flat on the bottom and fluffy on top, and i felt like i was in a cartoon, no joke!! Eveyone was laughing at me because i was excited about the 'real' looking clouds. and man, its just amazing, the place is goegrous...!!!!
So we arrived in Windhoek at 12:30AM. We had to stop along the way a few times to cool our engine down......i don't know what is wrong, but the radiator or something is blocked, and the water or something in the engine was boiling it was so hot, and so we used up all our drinking water to cool it down. This was at like, 10 at night. Soo took us a while, but the road isn't a busy road, even though its the main highway. We are staying at the YWAM base here in Namibia for a few nights....we got the visas sorted out today and the nigerians are on their way! Then we head off to the desert to do some stuff..haha.
Um so i am verry tired, i don't know what else i wanted to say excpet that the bugs here are like, oversized...they're huge!!! man....these locusts hit us when we were driving, and left huge marks on the windsheild..and big scary-looking weird things....i'll get a picture sometime up.
What else........i raelly love this place, its beautiful.
Update again later!!
Tierney
We have been busy, and driving alot the past few days...lets start at the begninng.
Left South Africa, drove and drove up up north to the border. All of us got through OK except for the 3 Nigerians on the team. Something happend with the visa's or something, and Namibia acctually dosn't like Nigerians coming in because they usually come in as criminals, so there was a huge thing. Ended up the nigerians had to camp out at the border while we went on to Windhoek, (the capital of Namibia) to sort this all out. The first night we stayed at a pretty nice hotel, well....it wasn't 'nice' but it was expensive....we had at least 5 beds and a shower!! So that was nice. However, we couldn't sleep because the misquitoes were so bad. We were fighting them off all night, and so at 4AM i finally got up and sat in the bathtub with my sheet around me and managed to kill off all the mosquitoes in the bathroom to sit quitely!! So that was nice I suppose....had a nice early start to my day!!
Oh my goodness.....Namibia is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I am falling in love with this country, I feel like i am now experiencing the real Africa....it is desert and the sky is HUGE and BLUE and the clouds are like real clouds!! They are flat on the bottom and fluffy on top, and i felt like i was in a cartoon, no joke!! Eveyone was laughing at me because i was excited about the 'real' looking clouds. and man, its just amazing, the place is goegrous...!!!!
So we arrived in Windhoek at 12:30AM. We had to stop along the way a few times to cool our engine down......i don't know what is wrong, but the radiator or something is blocked, and the water or something in the engine was boiling it was so hot, and so we used up all our drinking water to cool it down. This was at like, 10 at night. Soo took us a while, but the road isn't a busy road, even though its the main highway. We are staying at the YWAM base here in Namibia for a few nights....we got the visas sorted out today and the nigerians are on their way! Then we head off to the desert to do some stuff..haha.
Um so i am verry tired, i don't know what else i wanted to say excpet that the bugs here are like, oversized...they're huge!!! man....these locusts hit us when we were driving, and left huge marks on the windsheild..and big scary-looking weird things....i'll get a picture sometime up.
What else........i raelly love this place, its beautiful.
Update again later!!
Tierney
Friday, April 11, 2008
first 2 weeks of outreach experience!
So the first two weeks of outraech are over! Wow, and my oh my we have been blessed.
It was kind of like, BAM. We are now on the giving side after receiving receving receiving. But i love it, i love sharing what i have learned.
We are on our way to Naimiba, we were in Port Eliz. the first week and George this past week. You may have seen the pictures of how we are travling/....in the 12-passenger van (the combie)...with the backseat down, luggage paked in, matresses on top and then 3 or 4 girls lying ontop of the matrseses. haha...its crazy but fun. - so far.
We are staying with families here, so we get home-cooked meals and a bed with a matress and covers and it is very nice!! We really are blessed so far.
Although it is getting very cold....i am in Africa, and i bought a scarf and gloves yesterday. I also get dressed in my sleeping bag, its THAT cold!! Man....well in the morrnings and eventnings, in the daytime its quite warm still. But i definatly have climatized, because its still like, 18 degrees....crazy hey.
So the first week we did the soccer camp, wich was fun, i think i alraedy takled abuot that.
Then this past week we haev been doing a programm with 2 different groups of kids, one at Rosemore church where we went to a Xosa church service, which was very cool! Man, it was small, and they sing so so well, they don't have any instrements, and they all harmonize, and it is just SO beautiful. The service was in 3 languages...Africaans, Xosa, and English - very cool. They are very old traditional - the men sit on one side and the women and children on the other. I shared a bit about my past and how God has lifted my burdens, and it was very good.
Anyways, so God has really worked through us this past week to these kids....it was the first time a group has EVER come through and did something likethis, so thye were raelly blessed, but so were we. We would play games and worship and do a drama every day...They are just so cute...the ages were from 2-17, and they all had fun, and all learned something. I really really enjoyed myself....the kids just love getting hugged, i think my and their favorite part of the day was the end where we say goodbye and hug them. And its not just a quick hug, its a long meaningful hug, and its real sad, cuz its probably the only hug like that they'll get in a long time. On the last day we did a hectic drama, that was just very powerful, about Jesus taking the hurts of others onto the cross and stuch - and i played Jesus haha. Anyway, then we had a prayer time and all the kids came up fpr prayer, and it was amazing. Some of them were crying and they told us storys of how they get beaten, and the most common story was their parents drinking. Alcoholism is a HUGE problem in the townships. So it was very a very productive and meaningful encouraging week. Our taem is raelly in awe of how God works.
On wed we went out to a chicken farm house place. It was acctaully my dream house...it was a total hippy house! - A chickn farm turned house, all done up beautifully!! I loved it..i want to live there. Anyhoo, we did a church service there for about 10 people living there, and it was very good. People live there who have just got out of prison with no where to go, and a christian family kind of helps them.
Well....overall this week has been a week of blessings, learning, and loving.....
I love my team. We are all so different, and we are learning to love eachother more and more. :)
We leave for Namibia on monday. There are heavy rains there right now, so a few of us have to take malaria medication, and i am not looking forward to it.....
Thank you for your prayers, and for reading my blogs. :P
Prayer request is for me to be able to get a Visa extention without much trouble or money. !!
Love you all, keep movin forward.
xoxox
Tierney.
"Trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding,..in all ways aknowlege him, and he will direct your paths."
It was kind of like, BAM. We are now on the giving side after receiving receving receiving. But i love it, i love sharing what i have learned.
We are on our way to Naimiba, we were in Port Eliz. the first week and George this past week. You may have seen the pictures of how we are travling/....in the 12-passenger van (the combie)...with the backseat down, luggage paked in, matresses on top and then 3 or 4 girls lying ontop of the matrseses. haha...its crazy but fun. - so far.
We are staying with families here, so we get home-cooked meals and a bed with a matress and covers and it is very nice!! We really are blessed so far.
Although it is getting very cold....i am in Africa, and i bought a scarf and gloves yesterday. I also get dressed in my sleeping bag, its THAT cold!! Man....well in the morrnings and eventnings, in the daytime its quite warm still. But i definatly have climatized, because its still like, 18 degrees....crazy hey.
So the first week we did the soccer camp, wich was fun, i think i alraedy takled abuot that.
Then this past week we haev been doing a programm with 2 different groups of kids, one at Rosemore church where we went to a Xosa church service, which was very cool! Man, it was small, and they sing so so well, they don't have any instrements, and they all harmonize, and it is just SO beautiful. The service was in 3 languages...Africaans, Xosa, and English - very cool. They are very old traditional - the men sit on one side and the women and children on the other. I shared a bit about my past and how God has lifted my burdens, and it was very good.
Anyways, so God has really worked through us this past week to these kids....it was the first time a group has EVER come through and did something likethis, so thye were raelly blessed, but so were we. We would play games and worship and do a drama every day...They are just so cute...the ages were from 2-17, and they all had fun, and all learned something. I really really enjoyed myself....the kids just love getting hugged, i think my and their favorite part of the day was the end where we say goodbye and hug them. And its not just a quick hug, its a long meaningful hug, and its real sad, cuz its probably the only hug like that they'll get in a long time. On the last day we did a hectic drama, that was just very powerful, about Jesus taking the hurts of others onto the cross and stuch - and i played Jesus haha. Anyway, then we had a prayer time and all the kids came up fpr prayer, and it was amazing. Some of them were crying and they told us storys of how they get beaten, and the most common story was their parents drinking. Alcoholism is a HUGE problem in the townships. So it was very a very productive and meaningful encouraging week. Our taem is raelly in awe of how God works.
On wed we went out to a chicken farm house place. It was acctaully my dream house...it was a total hippy house! - A chickn farm turned house, all done up beautifully!! I loved it..i want to live there. Anyhoo, we did a church service there for about 10 people living there, and it was very good. People live there who have just got out of prison with no where to go, and a christian family kind of helps them.
Well....overall this week has been a week of blessings, learning, and loving.....
I love my team. We are all so different, and we are learning to love eachother more and more. :)
We leave for Namibia on monday. There are heavy rains there right now, so a few of us have to take malaria medication, and i am not looking forward to it.....
Thank you for your prayers, and for reading my blogs. :P
Prayer request is for me to be able to get a Visa extention without much trouble or money. !!
Love you all, keep movin forward.
xoxox
Tierney.
"Trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding,..in all ways aknowlege him, and he will direct your paths."
Friday, April 4, 2008
more stuff i left out
i forgot some stuff in the blog about outreach!
I think its cuz i get to used to it, but in the place we are staying there are little gecko lizards everywehre, grandma wilson, you would hate it!! They just run out from behind htings and stuff and they are so cute. ALSO oh my GOODNESS. Rain spiders. They are HUGE. the first time i saw one i totally FREAKED out man, they are SO big, and the south africans were just like.....what?? its harmless.....and its not that big. but i'm telling you it was huge, i almost crapped. like haha, they won't bite, but it could fit around your upper arm.
so that was a cool story.
ummm ya, and the other day we went to the hospital to pray for people, and we went to the cancer ward. it was very very....interesting. Different hospital atmosphere that in canada. This one lady i prayed for had just lost her leg to cancer. and there were a few otehrs...they were all so open to prayer and this one guy started crying and...it wasjust very touching and humbling. i enjoyed it very much....and i know they did too.
Anyways, we are off on our way today, we are all packed up and stuffed in the van.....alrighty.
I think thats it for now, talk later!!
I think its cuz i get to used to it, but in the place we are staying there are little gecko lizards everywehre, grandma wilson, you would hate it!! They just run out from behind htings and stuff and they are so cute. ALSO oh my GOODNESS. Rain spiders. They are HUGE. the first time i saw one i totally FREAKED out man, they are SO big, and the south africans were just like.....what?? its harmless.....and its not that big. but i'm telling you it was huge, i almost crapped. like haha, they won't bite, but it could fit around your upper arm.
so that was a cool story.
ummm ya, and the other day we went to the hospital to pray for people, and we went to the cancer ward. it was very very....interesting. Different hospital atmosphere that in canada. This one lady i prayed for had just lost her leg to cancer. and there were a few otehrs...they were all so open to prayer and this one guy started crying and...it wasjust very touching and humbling. i enjoyed it very much....and i know they did too.
Anyways, we are off on our way today, we are all packed up and stuffed in the van.....alrighty.
I think thats it for now, talk later!!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
OUTREACH
so we have started on the outreaching, 'making God knowen' part of the YWAM time. I don't have much time on this internet, so i will try to make it fast. We left on friday to Port Elizabeth, and are here for the week. We are busy everyday and we are tired!! But its good. We went into a very poor township with food parceles on sunday and it was a very experience. All the little kids running around in their bare feet and little kids carrying little babys, where are the mothers??? where are the fathers?? There was a huge line up for the food, and not everyone got some. It was crazy though, everyone was talking and yelling and getting food, haha it was fun though. we went for a walk through the township and looked at the houses, and the one water tap that they have. The kids are so cute. This one little girl had 6 fingers, she was about 2?? And yaa....anyways.
Then we are doing a soccer camp with this church for a bit, and its SO FUN. We get to play soccer!! And worship!! and talk about God, and its so mmuch fun, i love the kids and its agraet group of people. I met robert munch. or a guy that is like him anways. So i think that i am very lucky to be playing soccer this week, its going to get more intense as we go on.
We will arrive in Namibia in about 2 weeks. !! :) i am very excitted to see what lays on beyond Port Elizabeth.
So we are working hard on our dramas, and on our team dynamics. The team is great i love everyone, however we need to love eachotehr and be patient, and its hard sometimes, esspecially with the high emotions this past week.
I was VERY sad to have left the other half of our team. They are going off to Mozambiqu and Swaziland. My taem is 8, and the other is 9 or 10 with the leaders. But i really do miss the other half of the team so much.....all the girls that were in my room area there, and it was hard leaving them. But man....i am learning alot alraedy. God is really working in us, and me......i am a peacemaker in my taem - that is my role appointed me by God haha. I bring the peace, and i keep the peace. it is very nice, and it is just so interesting how the team is split in such a way that... its just how God put us in each team in a way that chellenges us to grow and i can't explaine, but the personalities just are so that we compliment eachother and challenge eachother, so its going to be good. I am raelly descovering WHO i am and WHAT i have that other epople don't. I keep the peace because i have a thing wherei get along with everyone haha, and i bring us back to the issue if people are getting off focus because i am impatient. lol. Its just a good time, i love these girls as my family, because we ARE a family in this time.
Another thing, those of you who know me will be surprised to hear that i am very expressive with my emtions now adays lol. If i am mad, i will be so mad, and if i am happy, well then....i just express myself, and it is a very good change.
Nayho, guses i can go now, its been longer than i thought.
God Bless and i will try to keep updated/
Love!!!
1 Timothy 2:4 : ."..for our God who wants all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth..."
Then we are doing a soccer camp with this church for a bit, and its SO FUN. We get to play soccer!! And worship!! and talk about God, and its so mmuch fun, i love the kids and its agraet group of people. I met robert munch. or a guy that is like him anways. So i think that i am very lucky to be playing soccer this week, its going to get more intense as we go on.
We will arrive in Namibia in about 2 weeks. !! :) i am very excitted to see what lays on beyond Port Elizabeth.
So we are working hard on our dramas, and on our team dynamics. The team is great i love everyone, however we need to love eachotehr and be patient, and its hard sometimes, esspecially with the high emotions this past week.
I was VERY sad to have left the other half of our team. They are going off to Mozambiqu and Swaziland. My taem is 8, and the other is 9 or 10 with the leaders. But i really do miss the other half of the team so much.....all the girls that were in my room area there, and it was hard leaving them. But man....i am learning alot alraedy. God is really working in us, and me......i am a peacemaker in my taem - that is my role appointed me by God haha. I bring the peace, and i keep the peace. it is very nice, and it is just so interesting how the team is split in such a way that... its just how God put us in each team in a way that chellenges us to grow and i can't explaine, but the personalities just are so that we compliment eachother and challenge eachother, so its going to be good. I am raelly descovering WHO i am and WHAT i have that other epople don't. I keep the peace because i have a thing wherei get along with everyone haha, and i bring us back to the issue if people are getting off focus because i am impatient. lol. Its just a good time, i love these girls as my family, because we ARE a family in this time.
Another thing, those of you who know me will be surprised to hear that i am very expressive with my emtions now adays lol. If i am mad, i will be so mad, and if i am happy, well then....i just express myself, and it is a very good change.
Nayho, guses i can go now, its been longer than i thought.
God Bless and i will try to keep updated/
Love!!!
1 Timothy 2:4 : ."..for our God who wants all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth..."
Thursday, March 27, 2008
THE NEXT HLAF
Hey!!
So I am at the internet cafe writing this instead of at the base, so i'm not writing this on word, so dont mind the spelling mistakes as i try to write fast.
We are down to the last 2 days before outreach, so we have been busy preparing, doing last miunte planning things, and paking up. WOW. Its acctaully intense...I am very sad about leaving half the team as they go off to Mozambique and Swaziland, my team of 8 is heaing up to Namibia now instead of Israel. I was a little disappointed at frist, but i am very very happy to be staying in Africa to tell the truth - Israel can come later. :P So I have no idea at all where EXACTLY we will be going, but we will be staying with some bushmen apparently for a little while, so that wil be very cool.
I am going into this expecting alot acctaullly. I am expecting God to challenge me with my faith - I am going to have to stretch my faith and wow, just keep positive! These last few days have been so amazing, i am totally just enjoying life. I have no reason to be down or to frown, because well, God rocks. I am just completely happy and content and its an amazing feeling guys!! However, i do know that outreach is going to be something different...but i am going to love it.
We won't have internet that often, but i will post when i can, and call when i can as well. :)
This last weeks teaching as been on Family and family life and such...it has been very good. My family has really been placed on my heart, and I realize that i can't forget about them, because they are a part of me, and family is the most important thing. I realize i have to pray and interceed for them and just love them!! And ya guys, my family really does rock even though sometimes they really don't. haha.
so ya!! I am just smiling and laughing and having a good time, at the same time learning alot, and discovering alot about myself and WHO I am. When i look back on the last three months i am amazed at how far i have come. People on the base comment, - Tierney, you have changed since the begnning! I"m like, Ya i know! hah.
Sooo.......the plan is.....leave tomorrow for cape town or port elizebeth for a week and .... ya thats all i know so far. Keep ya updated.
Hope everything is going well in Canada culture....don't work to hard and don't watch too much TV. that is my advice for today. :) Keep your mind open, not closed on the things of the world.
Expand your territory.
Sorry, i don't have a verse for today.
BUT i do have something cool to say, i found out what my name means!! And i dunno if my parents knew this, but it means:: - "Graceful Spirit." COOL EH, i totally suit my name. I love my name.
Okay, well enough of this, i'll write another blog later, the time is really adding up here.
Love you all, God Bless.
Tierney
So I am at the internet cafe writing this instead of at the base, so i'm not writing this on word, so dont mind the spelling mistakes as i try to write fast.
We are down to the last 2 days before outreach, so we have been busy preparing, doing last miunte planning things, and paking up. WOW. Its acctaully intense...I am very sad about leaving half the team as they go off to Mozambique and Swaziland, my team of 8 is heaing up to Namibia now instead of Israel. I was a little disappointed at frist, but i am very very happy to be staying in Africa to tell the truth - Israel can come later. :P So I have no idea at all where EXACTLY we will be going, but we will be staying with some bushmen apparently for a little while, so that wil be very cool.
I am going into this expecting alot acctaullly. I am expecting God to challenge me with my faith - I am going to have to stretch my faith and wow, just keep positive! These last few days have been so amazing, i am totally just enjoying life. I have no reason to be down or to frown, because well, God rocks. I am just completely happy and content and its an amazing feeling guys!! However, i do know that outreach is going to be something different...but i am going to love it.
We won't have internet that often, but i will post when i can, and call when i can as well. :)
This last weeks teaching as been on Family and family life and such...it has been very good. My family has really been placed on my heart, and I realize that i can't forget about them, because they are a part of me, and family is the most important thing. I realize i have to pray and interceed for them and just love them!! And ya guys, my family really does rock even though sometimes they really don't. haha.
so ya!! I am just smiling and laughing and having a good time, at the same time learning alot, and discovering alot about myself and WHO I am. When i look back on the last three months i am amazed at how far i have come. People on the base comment, - Tierney, you have changed since the begnning! I"m like, Ya i know! hah.
Sooo.......the plan is.....leave tomorrow for cape town or port elizebeth for a week and .... ya thats all i know so far. Keep ya updated.
Hope everything is going well in Canada culture....don't work to hard and don't watch too much TV. that is my advice for today. :) Keep your mind open, not closed on the things of the world.
Expand your territory.
Sorry, i don't have a verse for today.
BUT i do have something cool to say, i found out what my name means!! And i dunno if my parents knew this, but it means:: - "Graceful Spirit." COOL EH, i totally suit my name. I love my name.
Okay, well enough of this, i'll write another blog later, the time is really adding up here.
Love you all, God Bless.
Tierney
Monday, March 17, 2008
Duuuuude. The first weekend in March I was at the beach, and was just me and some girls, so we had out shirts off to tan our stomachs, and it was only for like 1 hour or so. And I thought, oh I don’t need to put sunscreen on my stomach cuz my shirt won’t be off long, and it wasn’t, but I got the worst burn I’ve ever had on my stomach! Like, I’ve never actually burnt there before, its quite weird, and stupid, like in Canada, I never would have burnt like that, in some places my skin is like, crispy hahaha, so not good for me …African sun I warn you if you ever come to Africa to wear sunscreen always.
Tonight we are doing an ‘open Heaven.’ We have the lounge open alllll night and we sign up for a time; there will be people praying all night long , just for whatever, but a focus on the community here and stuff. Myra and I are on the 12AM-1AM shift. So I’m trying to stay up till then. Steve, Tim and I have just finished making our team T-shirt design.
This weekend I went to Port Elizebeth with some friends, Natasha is from there so we stayed at her place. It’s about 45 minutes away from Jeffrey’s Bay, and it was really nice. She has a nice house and lovely parents, and the bed was soo nice to sleep in, my goodness. It was a nice change.
This weeks lecture is about performing arts, and it’s absolutely amazing. This is all about what I want to do with myself…..the first day we learned a dance and a few sweet dramas. The second day we split into groups, one to make a drama, one to make a dance and one to write a song. I was in the song writing group and together we wrote a sweet kick-ass song. (Am I allowed to say that?) haha, no, we are actually going to record it. So…it is so much fun, I am THOURALY enjoying myself. I love expressing myself through dance and music and the arts. So there is a group starting in July that will be doing something similar and I am very thinking about joining them…writing songs and dancing and teaching people?? How amazing?? So this week is defiantly one of my favourite weeks.
I would have to say that so far this month God has been challenging me with prayer. Prayer is an amazing thing…!! Conversation and communion with God. Interceding. I learn that God hears EVERY prayer no matter what I might think or feel. And seeing the effects of prayer is such a cool thing. I’m starting to see answers to my prayers, or if I’m not, I keep at it, and learn that its not just words. PUSH. – Pray Until Something Happens.
Yaw….there’s just so much going on and so much I’m learning that I can’t type it all, haha, I could also just write a sermon lol. :)
You’ll just have to see when I get back. … also see the 10 or so pounds that I’ve gained haha. SO THERE to all you who said I couldn’t gain weight haha. :P
Funny.
Sooo!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A SUPER AWESOME DAY.
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live…and find satisfaction in all his toil -- this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
Let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on JESUS, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, and the shame, and sat down at the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition so you will not grow tired and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Tonight we are doing an ‘open Heaven.’ We have the lounge open alllll night and we sign up for a time; there will be people praying all night long , just for whatever, but a focus on the community here and stuff. Myra and I are on the 12AM-1AM shift. So I’m trying to stay up till then. Steve, Tim and I have just finished making our team T-shirt design.
This weekend I went to Port Elizebeth with some friends, Natasha is from there so we stayed at her place. It’s about 45 minutes away from Jeffrey’s Bay, and it was really nice. She has a nice house and lovely parents, and the bed was soo nice to sleep in, my goodness. It was a nice change.
This weeks lecture is about performing arts, and it’s absolutely amazing. This is all about what I want to do with myself…..the first day we learned a dance and a few sweet dramas. The second day we split into groups, one to make a drama, one to make a dance and one to write a song. I was in the song writing group and together we wrote a sweet kick-ass song. (Am I allowed to say that?) haha, no, we are actually going to record it. So…it is so much fun, I am THOURALY enjoying myself. I love expressing myself through dance and music and the arts. So there is a group starting in July that will be doing something similar and I am very thinking about joining them…writing songs and dancing and teaching people?? How amazing?? So this week is defiantly one of my favourite weeks.
I would have to say that so far this month God has been challenging me with prayer. Prayer is an amazing thing…!! Conversation and communion with God. Interceding. I learn that God hears EVERY prayer no matter what I might think or feel. And seeing the effects of prayer is such a cool thing. I’m starting to see answers to my prayers, or if I’m not, I keep at it, and learn that its not just words. PUSH. – Pray Until Something Happens.
Yaw….there’s just so much going on and so much I’m learning that I can’t type it all, haha, I could also just write a sermon lol. :)
You’ll just have to see when I get back. … also see the 10 or so pounds that I’ve gained haha. SO THERE to all you who said I couldn’t gain weight haha. :P
Funny.
Sooo!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A SUPER AWESOME DAY.
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live…and find satisfaction in all his toil -- this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
Let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on JESUS, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, and the shame, and sat down at the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition so you will not grow tired and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Friday, March 7, 2008
not just another blog
March 5th 2008
Not just another blog
So, a lot has happened since I came here 2 months ago. I don’t know what I’ve written in my previous blogs, I just write them and post them.
SO. 2 out of 6 months in YWAM have come and gone. I have learned a lot and have changed a lot in those months. I still have a lot of time to go and 3 months of outreach which will be really challenging and a whole nother aspect of learning and changing.
Some examples of change:
--I have taken off my western worldview glasses, and put on a more culturally sensitive, open pair of glasses that allow me to see the world in a different light. A more knowledgeable and sensitive light; I continually try to see the world how God see’s it: not only broken and needing more love, but also a beautiful place, with mericals happening everyday before our eyes: we just have to learn to see.
--I have thrown off, or I mean, Jesus has taken off the load of burdens that I have been carrying, enabling me to move forward in life, feeling much relieved.
--I know that my future is in missions…and I know that there is nothing that can hold me back from that no matter where in the world I am going.
--It may sound weird, but I have discovered that I am a person. I have value! I’ve learned that it is one thing to hear something and know it in your head, and another thing to believe it and know it in your heart. Do you believe you are a person? Do you believe you have value? Do you know you are loved? Well it’s true. When I found that out I cried and cried and it was just overwhelming! So now that I know I am a person, I have more self-confidence, yes more self-confidence then I had before, haha. I also know that I can make a difference every day. And that my opinion matters. I am a person.
So this DTS has a focus, and that focus is ‘children at risk.’ Now…I’m not a huge fan of kids. They are miniature, dirty, not-intelligent, attention-seeking things. It was okay at first cuz the kids are all so cute, then it got hard cuz then they were annoying. But I ask God for a heart for kids…I realize that God loves these kids and he uses them. We watched this movie about children in India who are impacting people so much with their prayers. There are ‘untouchable’ street kids in India who’s lives are changed, and they change peoples lives with their incredible prayers, and it was amazing to watch. Plus its not these kids fault that they are kids, they have to grow up, haha. So I understand that we have a chance to bring love into these kids’ lives. Kids love to come to the base mostly because maybe they don’t get hugs at home, they don’t get love, or they don’t have a male figure in the house to look up too. When we did KIDZONE today it was so much fun, the kids’ just love hanging off us and playing with our hair. And they were so surprised when I was kissing them…It’s just weird here that a white person would enter the black community let alone kiss a black kid. So I love loving them because they don’t get a lot of it. In this community the reality is that more than 90% will grow up either with a physically absent father, or an emotionally absent father – in other words detached and abusive. Many of them, both little boys and girls, will get raped by either a family member or a friend, or a complete stranger, but it’s not uncommon for a family member to abuse a child like that. South Africa has the highest percentage of rape in all the countries of Africa. It is just sad to see these kids….God is continually breaking my heart for them…they are just kids…today when we were walking to the KidZone community center a little girl, probably 2 years old was just wondering in the street, and she almost got hit by a car twice, and she was just wandering. So some friends and I picked her up and found out where she lived and took her home. I’ll share a story I shared with my mom the other day about a situation that is very common here:
There are 2 kids, 8 and 10 who were getting looked after by their grandmother because both of their parents have died. They both have aids, and our base leader brings them food packages sometimes. The other day she found out that the grandmother died, and the kids are on their own. They may be getting sent to their aunts farm, which is not a good environment – exposure to alcohol and abuse ect. It breaks my heart to think that the kids that we are playing with on the base, or kids we pass everyday in the street, or who we minister to and play with during KIDZONE are these kids that come from painful situations like that. It makes me want to love them and never leave. That in itself is a change for me as I used to not want to go play with the kids, because they sometimes are annoying and they want attention always, and they fight with eachother to hold my hand or sit on my lap. But they need love, and God loves them, and we need to show them Gods love, and they have a good time.
This past weeks lecture topic was about spiritual warfare. I really learned a lot about prayer and what it’s about and stuff. I read my friend Steve’s description about explaining what spiritual warfare is, and I liked it, so I am going to try and copy it here, he won’t mind J :
So God is real.
Satan, the Devil, is real.
Heaven and Hell are real.
The devil is not red and pointy horns; he used to be an angel: he is just twisted truth.
God created Satan.
Satan thought he was better than God, and fell from Heaven.
They are at war.
We as Christians are a part of Gods army.
There is so much more to say, and so much more that goes along with that but…I’ll leave it at that.
Um…ya so, we also learned about Intercession and what that means and it was so cool and something the speaker said that sticks is something like ‘prayer is tapping into the spiritual realm.’
Cool hey.
So it’s been great.
Really great.
Soooo I’ve been really developing my artistic self. I have continued painting while I’m here and I’ve been taking a lot of super awesome pictures. J I can blow up a picture to A4, which is like bigger than an 8 by 10 photo, AND get it laminated for 12 Rand, like 3 Canadian dollars, and I can get an 8 by 10 photo laminated for 6 Rand. So I’ve done a bit of that, and obviously I play guitar and keyboard as often as I can, keyboard not often…I still miss my piano. I’ve also continued writing and am discovering that I am an artist J before I came here I wanted to teach English to foreigners somewhere, now I want to teach art.! How amazing would that be? So great.
What else? I am putting on weight. Hahahahaa. HAHAAHHA. Yes, it’s true. :D laugh it up, just wait till you see me, its not too too noticeable now, but we shall see in the next few months what happens during outreach. :P
So God has been doing amazing things here…all of us on the team have been touched in some way by God, and we have all been blessed. One girl came here with no money and now not only have her school fees been paid, AND her outreach fees, but she also got a ticket to go to America for a conference/school or something. Its just amazing the stories we hear about things God’s done…even on this base alone. The founders of this base told us about how 8 years ago they were fighting off the dogs, and cleaning out the cockroaches, and just how the neighbourhood was so sketchy. There are still drunkards and fights outside the base, but not as bad as it was 8 years ago. The other day someone was chasing someone else with a bottle, and some nights we hear people walking by like chanting weird things but God has this base under control, and this community is changing because of it.
YWAM –
“To know God and make him known”
It is a place to discover yourself, and to develop spiritually and mentally in an encouraging family atmosphere away from most obvious distractions and temptations.
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones, and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart, Rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!
Psalm 97.
Not just another blog
So, a lot has happened since I came here 2 months ago. I don’t know what I’ve written in my previous blogs, I just write them and post them.
SO. 2 out of 6 months in YWAM have come and gone. I have learned a lot and have changed a lot in those months. I still have a lot of time to go and 3 months of outreach which will be really challenging and a whole nother aspect of learning and changing.
Some examples of change:
--I have taken off my western worldview glasses, and put on a more culturally sensitive, open pair of glasses that allow me to see the world in a different light. A more knowledgeable and sensitive light; I continually try to see the world how God see’s it: not only broken and needing more love, but also a beautiful place, with mericals happening everyday before our eyes: we just have to learn to see.
--I have thrown off, or I mean, Jesus has taken off the load of burdens that I have been carrying, enabling me to move forward in life, feeling much relieved.
--I know that my future is in missions…and I know that there is nothing that can hold me back from that no matter where in the world I am going.
--It may sound weird, but I have discovered that I am a person. I have value! I’ve learned that it is one thing to hear something and know it in your head, and another thing to believe it and know it in your heart. Do you believe you are a person? Do you believe you have value? Do you know you are loved? Well it’s true. When I found that out I cried and cried and it was just overwhelming! So now that I know I am a person, I have more self-confidence, yes more self-confidence then I had before, haha. I also know that I can make a difference every day. And that my opinion matters. I am a person.
So this DTS has a focus, and that focus is ‘children at risk.’ Now…I’m not a huge fan of kids. They are miniature, dirty, not-intelligent, attention-seeking things. It was okay at first cuz the kids are all so cute, then it got hard cuz then they were annoying. But I ask God for a heart for kids…I realize that God loves these kids and he uses them. We watched this movie about children in India who are impacting people so much with their prayers. There are ‘untouchable’ street kids in India who’s lives are changed, and they change peoples lives with their incredible prayers, and it was amazing to watch. Plus its not these kids fault that they are kids, they have to grow up, haha. So I understand that we have a chance to bring love into these kids’ lives. Kids love to come to the base mostly because maybe they don’t get hugs at home, they don’t get love, or they don’t have a male figure in the house to look up too. When we did KIDZONE today it was so much fun, the kids’ just love hanging off us and playing with our hair. And they were so surprised when I was kissing them…It’s just weird here that a white person would enter the black community let alone kiss a black kid. So I love loving them because they don’t get a lot of it. In this community the reality is that more than 90% will grow up either with a physically absent father, or an emotionally absent father – in other words detached and abusive. Many of them, both little boys and girls, will get raped by either a family member or a friend, or a complete stranger, but it’s not uncommon for a family member to abuse a child like that. South Africa has the highest percentage of rape in all the countries of Africa. It is just sad to see these kids….God is continually breaking my heart for them…they are just kids…today when we were walking to the KidZone community center a little girl, probably 2 years old was just wondering in the street, and she almost got hit by a car twice, and she was just wandering. So some friends and I picked her up and found out where she lived and took her home. I’ll share a story I shared with my mom the other day about a situation that is very common here:
There are 2 kids, 8 and 10 who were getting looked after by their grandmother because both of their parents have died. They both have aids, and our base leader brings them food packages sometimes. The other day she found out that the grandmother died, and the kids are on their own. They may be getting sent to their aunts farm, which is not a good environment – exposure to alcohol and abuse ect. It breaks my heart to think that the kids that we are playing with on the base, or kids we pass everyday in the street, or who we minister to and play with during KIDZONE are these kids that come from painful situations like that. It makes me want to love them and never leave. That in itself is a change for me as I used to not want to go play with the kids, because they sometimes are annoying and they want attention always, and they fight with eachother to hold my hand or sit on my lap. But they need love, and God loves them, and we need to show them Gods love, and they have a good time.
This past weeks lecture topic was about spiritual warfare. I really learned a lot about prayer and what it’s about and stuff. I read my friend Steve’s description about explaining what spiritual warfare is, and I liked it, so I am going to try and copy it here, he won’t mind J :
So God is real.
Satan, the Devil, is real.
Heaven and Hell are real.
The devil is not red and pointy horns; he used to be an angel: he is just twisted truth.
God created Satan.
Satan thought he was better than God, and fell from Heaven.
They are at war.
We as Christians are a part of Gods army.
There is so much more to say, and so much more that goes along with that but…I’ll leave it at that.
Um…ya so, we also learned about Intercession and what that means and it was so cool and something the speaker said that sticks is something like ‘prayer is tapping into the spiritual realm.’
Cool hey.
So it’s been great.
Really great.
Soooo I’ve been really developing my artistic self. I have continued painting while I’m here and I’ve been taking a lot of super awesome pictures. J I can blow up a picture to A4, which is like bigger than an 8 by 10 photo, AND get it laminated for 12 Rand, like 3 Canadian dollars, and I can get an 8 by 10 photo laminated for 6 Rand. So I’ve done a bit of that, and obviously I play guitar and keyboard as often as I can, keyboard not often…I still miss my piano. I’ve also continued writing and am discovering that I am an artist J before I came here I wanted to teach English to foreigners somewhere, now I want to teach art.! How amazing would that be? So great.
What else? I am putting on weight. Hahahahaa. HAHAAHHA. Yes, it’s true. :D laugh it up, just wait till you see me, its not too too noticeable now, but we shall see in the next few months what happens during outreach. :P
So God has been doing amazing things here…all of us on the team have been touched in some way by God, and we have all been blessed. One girl came here with no money and now not only have her school fees been paid, AND her outreach fees, but she also got a ticket to go to America for a conference/school or something. Its just amazing the stories we hear about things God’s done…even on this base alone. The founders of this base told us about how 8 years ago they were fighting off the dogs, and cleaning out the cockroaches, and just how the neighbourhood was so sketchy. There are still drunkards and fights outside the base, but not as bad as it was 8 years ago. The other day someone was chasing someone else with a bottle, and some nights we hear people walking by like chanting weird things but God has this base under control, and this community is changing because of it.
YWAM –
“To know God and make him known”
It is a place to discover yourself, and to develop spiritually and mentally in an encouraging family atmosphere away from most obvious distractions and temptations.
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones, and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart, Rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!
Psalm 97.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
febuary happenings
Hello!
I believe this is my first February blog. I suppose I have been busy or something. The weather hasn’t been all that sunny this month so far, it seems like the weekends have been cloudy or windy so that’s too bad. But we had a sweet lighting storm the other night, it was so neat to watch. It was different from storms back home in that there was no rain and hardly any thunder, it was just lightning lighting up the clouds, and it was so nice.
On Valentines day we had a nice dinner and we all dressed up, it was a lot of fun, I have pictures on facebook.
We watched an amazing video called indescribable, about the huge universe and how earth is less than a molecule pretty much compared to the universe. It was amazing, and very humbling. “We are a ball of dust suspended in a ray of sunshine.”
Um what else? This past week was called plumbline. It was an intense week where each of us told our life stories, all the details. The purpose is to get everything out in the open, not to get to know each other, although it helped, but so that God can uproot everything in our lives that we are hanging onto, or just to speak/confess things that we needed to say. It was really amazing…There are some crazy stories. I went the 1st day, and found out things about myself that I didn’t know about. I suppose I can say it in here for the world to see, seeing as how it’s out in the open. For the past oh, 4 years, I have totally disregarded myself – I have made myself nothing and instead took on the problems of my family and cared for them above myself. As a symbolism thing john the speaker told me to walk around the hall with a heavy backpack on and then take it off and give it to him as Jesus, and it was so emotional. The whole week was really good.
ALSO we found out where our outreach phase is going to be.
Duh duh duuunn….ready for it??
I, Tierney Funk, am going to be going to ISRAEL!! :)
Amazing hey?? Israel!! I am soooo extremely excited!! I always knew I was going to be heading to the Middle East area sometime, but I didn’t know so soon! We do not know all the details yet, but I will keep ya’ll posted. I just know that something special is going to happen there, and I have a part in it, I am very…excited. Our team will be splitting into 2 teams, and the other one will be staying here in South Africa/Swaziland.
Yesterday (Wednesday) I was in a drama we did for some kids at KidZone. We were supposed to go inside a church, but we didn’t have keys or something so we were outside with all these kids, and it was soooo incredibly windy, the sand was blowing EVERYwhere. Anyways, so in this play I got beat up, and so when Joseph came to punch me I made it so real and I threw myself around onto the ground and it really hurt cuz we were on rocks. And now I have these scratches all over my one side of my face, and it hurts to smile. It was fun though, and it was the most amount of kids we’ve had. When I got back to the base it took like 18 Q-tips to clean my ears and man, there was dirt everywhere, let me tell you…and when I washed behind my ears the next morning, well it was gross. Haha. It was fun.
So that’s so far……..nothing too too else interesting has been happenin.
I miss my piano SO incredibly much….playing it is therapy for me and I need it. L Someone send me my piano please?
Everything is going well otherwise…Ummmmm….yeah I love it. This morning when we ran down to the beach, it was so amazingly beautiful, and I just stayed and ran and danced in the water, it was gorgeous, so much fun. I decided I must live by a beach.
Oh ya, and for Easter weekend I am going to be going with my friend Nikki to her hometown of George, to spend Easter with her and her family. It is about 2 hours away I think, but we will be staying at this place on the lake and she has a boat and skis!! I am quite excited, something that will defiantly remind me of home.
Hope everything is well over in Canada… I love you all.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ…I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
Philippians 3:7-8
One thing I do: Forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead. I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
I believe this is my first February blog. I suppose I have been busy or something. The weather hasn’t been all that sunny this month so far, it seems like the weekends have been cloudy or windy so that’s too bad. But we had a sweet lighting storm the other night, it was so neat to watch. It was different from storms back home in that there was no rain and hardly any thunder, it was just lightning lighting up the clouds, and it was so nice.
On Valentines day we had a nice dinner and we all dressed up, it was a lot of fun, I have pictures on facebook.
We watched an amazing video called indescribable, about the huge universe and how earth is less than a molecule pretty much compared to the universe. It was amazing, and very humbling. “We are a ball of dust suspended in a ray of sunshine.”
Um what else? This past week was called plumbline. It was an intense week where each of us told our life stories, all the details. The purpose is to get everything out in the open, not to get to know each other, although it helped, but so that God can uproot everything in our lives that we are hanging onto, or just to speak/confess things that we needed to say. It was really amazing…There are some crazy stories. I went the 1st day, and found out things about myself that I didn’t know about. I suppose I can say it in here for the world to see, seeing as how it’s out in the open. For the past oh, 4 years, I have totally disregarded myself – I have made myself nothing and instead took on the problems of my family and cared for them above myself. As a symbolism thing john the speaker told me to walk around the hall with a heavy backpack on and then take it off and give it to him as Jesus, and it was so emotional. The whole week was really good.
ALSO we found out where our outreach phase is going to be.
Duh duh duuunn….ready for it??
I, Tierney Funk, am going to be going to ISRAEL!! :)
Amazing hey?? Israel!! I am soooo extremely excited!! I always knew I was going to be heading to the Middle East area sometime, but I didn’t know so soon! We do not know all the details yet, but I will keep ya’ll posted. I just know that something special is going to happen there, and I have a part in it, I am very…excited. Our team will be splitting into 2 teams, and the other one will be staying here in South Africa/Swaziland.
Yesterday (Wednesday) I was in a drama we did for some kids at KidZone. We were supposed to go inside a church, but we didn’t have keys or something so we were outside with all these kids, and it was soooo incredibly windy, the sand was blowing EVERYwhere. Anyways, so in this play I got beat up, and so when Joseph came to punch me I made it so real and I threw myself around onto the ground and it really hurt cuz we were on rocks. And now I have these scratches all over my one side of my face, and it hurts to smile. It was fun though, and it was the most amount of kids we’ve had. When I got back to the base it took like 18 Q-tips to clean my ears and man, there was dirt everywhere, let me tell you…and when I washed behind my ears the next morning, well it was gross. Haha. It was fun.
So that’s so far……..nothing too too else interesting has been happenin.
I miss my piano SO incredibly much….playing it is therapy for me and I need it. L Someone send me my piano please?
Everything is going well otherwise…Ummmmm….yeah I love it. This morning when we ran down to the beach, it was so amazingly beautiful, and I just stayed and ran and danced in the water, it was gorgeous, so much fun. I decided I must live by a beach.
Oh ya, and for Easter weekend I am going to be going with my friend Nikki to her hometown of George, to spend Easter with her and her family. It is about 2 hours away I think, but we will be staying at this place on the lake and she has a boat and skis!! I am quite excited, something that will defiantly remind me of home.
Hope everything is well over in Canada… I love you all.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ…I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
Philippians 3:7-8
One thing I do: Forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead. I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Frist Month Highlights
ALREADY the first month is over…wow.
Wow. Where does the time go?
Some First month highlights:
Meeting the people. Team and Staff, we have a really nice diversity of cultures, nations, and personalities. It is very good. Australia, Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, South Korea, Germany, Mozambique, and Argentina all here on the base. J
Everything I have been learning about Hearing God, Worship and the people here.
Hearing God through prayer
Running on the beach in early mornings
Our first KidZone activities. – Dancing with the kids.
Amazing worship nights
The most relaxed day I have had in the history of my life: Saturday Feb 2nd. –No feelings of I have to do something or be somewhere, and nothing holding me back from Just. Feeling. Good.
Some first month stories:
One of the girls fainting and cracking the toilet seat with her head
Seeing dolphins
Stepping on jellyfish and collecting shells
I am looking forward to the outreach phase; I can’t wait to find out where we are going. I hope it’s somewhere hardcore. With no flush toilets, scary food, and no or little comforts. That is when it will get interesting! Of course is it interesting here…but I am used to it as the norm now I think….I am used to sleeping through people shouting and talking, dogs barking, power outages. The power goes out twice a day, three or so days out of the week. It is part of a power-sharing plan in the country or something like that. Used to cockroaches and hand-washing my clothes…it is very nice. Oh ya, and I eat a lot…haha…since we have a girl on our team appointed to make breakfast everyday we either have oatmeal or ‘pap’ which is like oatmeal, but smoother and whiter, its made from crushed corn or something, and it is very good…since I don’t have to make breakfast, I eat a lot of it haha. And we are always welcome to eat bread, so I have taken to eating toast a lot throughout the day. But I make up for it with running everyday, so I am allowed. J
It is hot. Hothothoththot. Hot in the dorms right now. If we open this one window the wind blows the stench from the garbage keeping place right next to our dorm comes inside, and it’s gross.
A voice says, “cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All men are like grass and all their glory is like the flowers of the field…The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:6-8
Isaiah 59:1
Surly the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
Wow. Where does the time go?
Some First month highlights:
Meeting the people. Team and Staff, we have a really nice diversity of cultures, nations, and personalities. It is very good. Australia, Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, South Korea, Germany, Mozambique, and Argentina all here on the base. J
Everything I have been learning about Hearing God, Worship and the people here.
Hearing God through prayer
Running on the beach in early mornings
Our first KidZone activities. – Dancing with the kids.
Amazing worship nights
The most relaxed day I have had in the history of my life: Saturday Feb 2nd. –No feelings of I have to do something or be somewhere, and nothing holding me back from Just. Feeling. Good.
Some first month stories:
One of the girls fainting and cracking the toilet seat with her head
Seeing dolphins
Stepping on jellyfish and collecting shells
I am looking forward to the outreach phase; I can’t wait to find out where we are going. I hope it’s somewhere hardcore. With no flush toilets, scary food, and no or little comforts. That is when it will get interesting! Of course is it interesting here…but I am used to it as the norm now I think….I am used to sleeping through people shouting and talking, dogs barking, power outages. The power goes out twice a day, three or so days out of the week. It is part of a power-sharing plan in the country or something like that. Used to cockroaches and hand-washing my clothes…it is very nice. Oh ya, and I eat a lot…haha…since we have a girl on our team appointed to make breakfast everyday we either have oatmeal or ‘pap’ which is like oatmeal, but smoother and whiter, its made from crushed corn or something, and it is very good…since I don’t have to make breakfast, I eat a lot of it haha. And we are always welcome to eat bread, so I have taken to eating toast a lot throughout the day. But I make up for it with running everyday, so I am allowed. J
It is hot. Hothothoththot. Hot in the dorms right now. If we open this one window the wind blows the stench from the garbage keeping place right next to our dorm comes inside, and it’s gross.
A voice says, “cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All men are like grass and all their glory is like the flowers of the field…The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:6-8
Isaiah 59:1
Surly the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
second week...ups and downs
So I was actually wrong about the showers, there is a hot water tap that I didn’t know about at the top of the tap, so I was showering in the cold for a little bit, but I don’t mind, it builds character!
This weekend we finished up the Family Festival at the church, it was fun. I made friends with theses two little girls over the 3 days, they were my dancing partners. The one was so cute she has the biggest smile, and she stood out to me because she was very giving and sharing. I also gave away my sandals to a girl who didn’t have any, and then found out that we were going to walk home. But don’t worry, I borrowed guy’s shoes, and he walked in his socks. Check out some of the pictures on my facebook.
Our first lecture of the week was very good, a guy talked to us who is from the Congo, and he had a very very powerful testimony. I won’t repeat it all, but he talked to us about how he was a child soldier and how he made his way on foot from the Congo all the way to South Africa. (It’s a very long way, just look at a map) The things that he saw and went through are amazing, and it was very touching to personally hear from someone who experienced the things he has. And to see where he is now and how he has been changed by God is very inspiring.
I am finding my hidden talent in playing guitar. Since we are all together on this base it is very hard to find alone time – much needed alone time. And since I am a girl I can’t go out alone, so I go find a place to sit down and play guitar by myself and make up a song or whatever, since I do no have a piano, and I really miss my piano, but guitar is working for me for the time being. J It’s amazing how music can change around a mood in a second.
Today (wed) we had a really good teaching about worship and different kinds of worship, and I just want to share some things…
People are created to worship, and everyone worships something or someone, even if you don’t know it
Don’t worship worldly things – what you worship you become like
Worship is NOT all about music...do not start worshipping the instruments.
Worship comes in different forms – if you start worshipping a form you get stuck
Real worship cannot be explained, it is experienced
Worship is life
Some pointers that I thought were good.
Today we also did a kidzone thing, and there were a lot of kids! We have a team from Germany here doing some outreach for a week or so, and so they did some songs and stuff. It was so brutal walking around the community gathering kids…it was SO hot out it felt like we were walking forever. Then it was so hot in the building as well. But fun overall, I met the same girl from the church that I met on the weekend, so that was so nice! We had the evening off today, so I played some volleyball before dinner and beach after dinner, so that was fun.
This weekend we finished up the Family Festival at the church, it was fun. I made friends with theses two little girls over the 3 days, they were my dancing partners. The one was so cute she has the biggest smile, and she stood out to me because she was very giving and sharing. I also gave away my sandals to a girl who didn’t have any, and then found out that we were going to walk home. But don’t worry, I borrowed guy’s shoes, and he walked in his socks. Check out some of the pictures on my facebook.
Our first lecture of the week was very good, a guy talked to us who is from the Congo, and he had a very very powerful testimony. I won’t repeat it all, but he talked to us about how he was a child soldier and how he made his way on foot from the Congo all the way to South Africa. (It’s a very long way, just look at a map) The things that he saw and went through are amazing, and it was very touching to personally hear from someone who experienced the things he has. And to see where he is now and how he has been changed by God is very inspiring.
I am finding my hidden talent in playing guitar. Since we are all together on this base it is very hard to find alone time – much needed alone time. And since I am a girl I can’t go out alone, so I go find a place to sit down and play guitar by myself and make up a song or whatever, since I do no have a piano, and I really miss my piano, but guitar is working for me for the time being. J It’s amazing how music can change around a mood in a second.
Today (wed) we had a really good teaching about worship and different kinds of worship, and I just want to share some things…
People are created to worship, and everyone worships something or someone, even if you don’t know it
Don’t worship worldly things – what you worship you become like
Worship is NOT all about music...do not start worshipping the instruments.
Worship comes in different forms – if you start worshipping a form you get stuck
Real worship cannot be explained, it is experienced
Worship is life
Some pointers that I thought were good.
Today we also did a kidzone thing, and there were a lot of kids! We have a team from Germany here doing some outreach for a week or so, and so they did some songs and stuff. It was so brutal walking around the community gathering kids…it was SO hot out it felt like we were walking forever. Then it was so hot in the building as well. But fun overall, I met the same girl from the church that I met on the weekend, so that was so nice! We had the evening off today, so I played some volleyball before dinner and beach after dinner, so that was fun.
So I was actually wrong about the showers, there is a hot water tap that I didn’t know about at the top of the tap, so I was showering in the cold for a little bit, but I don’t mind, it builds character!
This weekend we finished up the Family Festival at the church, it was fun. I made friends with theses two little girls over the 3 days, they were my dancing partners. The one was so cute she has the biggest smile, and she stood out to me because she was very giving and sharing. I also gave away my sandals to a girl who didn’t have any, and then found out that we were going to walk home. But don’t worry, I borrowed guy’s shoes, and he walked in his socks. Check out some of the pictures on my facebook.
Our first lecture of the week was very good, a guy talked to us who is from the Congo, and he had a very very powerful testimony. I won’t repeat it all, but he talked to us about how he was a child soldier and how he made his way on foot from the Congo all the way to South Africa. (It’s a very long way, just look at a map) The things that he saw and went through are amazing, and it was very touching to personally hear from someone who experienced the things he has. And to see where he is now and how he has been changed by God is very inspiring.
I am finding my hidden talent in playing guitar. Since we are all together on this base it is very hard to find alone time – much needed alone time. And since I am a girl I can’t go out alone, so I go find a place to sit down and play guitar by myself and make up a song or whatever, since I do no have a piano, and I really miss my piano, but guitar is working for me for the time being. J It’s amazing how music can change around a mood in a second.
Today (wed and thurs) we had a really good teaching about worship and different kinds of worship, difference between worship and praise and stuff and I just want to share some things…
People are created to worship, and everyone worships something or someone, even if you don’t know it
Don’t worship worldly things – what you worship you become like
Worship is NOT all about music...do not start worshipping the instruments.
Worship comes in different forms – if you start worshipping a form you get stuck
Real worship cannot be explained, it is experienced
Worship is life
Some pointers that I thought were good.
Today we also did a kidzone thing, and there were a lot of kids! We have a team from Germany here doing some outreach for a week or so, and so they did some songs and stuff. It was so brutal walking around the community gathering kids…it was SO hot out it felt like we were walking forever. Then it was so hot in the building as well. But fun overall, I met the same girl from the church that I met on the weekend, so that was so nice! We had the evening off today, so I played some volleyball before dinner and beach after dinner, so that was fun.
i am getting to know the people on my team more and more each day, and it is really nice. :)
Enjoy the cold. Sorry, I can't help but say that. :P
This weekend we finished up the Family Festival at the church, it was fun. I made friends with theses two little girls over the 3 days, they were my dancing partners. The one was so cute she has the biggest smile, and she stood out to me because she was very giving and sharing. I also gave away my sandals to a girl who didn’t have any, and then found out that we were going to walk home. But don’t worry, I borrowed guy’s shoes, and he walked in his socks. Check out some of the pictures on my facebook.
Our first lecture of the week was very good, a guy talked to us who is from the Congo, and he had a very very powerful testimony. I won’t repeat it all, but he talked to us about how he was a child soldier and how he made his way on foot from the Congo all the way to South Africa. (It’s a very long way, just look at a map) The things that he saw and went through are amazing, and it was very touching to personally hear from someone who experienced the things he has. And to see where he is now and how he has been changed by God is very inspiring.
I am finding my hidden talent in playing guitar. Since we are all together on this base it is very hard to find alone time – much needed alone time. And since I am a girl I can’t go out alone, so I go find a place to sit down and play guitar by myself and make up a song or whatever, since I do no have a piano, and I really miss my piano, but guitar is working for me for the time being. J It’s amazing how music can change around a mood in a second.
Today (wed and thurs) we had a really good teaching about worship and different kinds of worship, difference between worship and praise and stuff and I just want to share some things…
People are created to worship, and everyone worships something or someone, even if you don’t know it
Don’t worship worldly things – what you worship you become like
Worship is NOT all about music...do not start worshipping the instruments.
Worship comes in different forms – if you start worshipping a form you get stuck
Real worship cannot be explained, it is experienced
Worship is life
Some pointers that I thought were good.
Today we also did a kidzone thing, and there were a lot of kids! We have a team from Germany here doing some outreach for a week or so, and so they did some songs and stuff. It was so brutal walking around the community gathering kids…it was SO hot out it felt like we were walking forever. Then it was so hot in the building as well. But fun overall, I met the same girl from the church that I met on the weekend, so that was so nice! We had the evening off today, so I played some volleyball before dinner and beach after dinner, so that was fun.
i am getting to know the people on my team more and more each day, and it is really nice. :)
Enjoy the cold. Sorry, I can't help but say that. :P
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Week One -The 1st full week
HOT week…it’s hot!! South African Summer. I am very glad that we are near the ocean, so we get an ocean breeze most of the time. I look at myself today, and I have defiantly put on some weight. We really do eat good here…
And the crickets here are so nice, they chirp so loud it is so beautiful to listen to at night.
So this is what an average day here would look like here on the Jeffreys Bay YWAM Base:
Get up at 5:55AM. Go for a run.
Breakfast at 6:30-7AM.
First Lecture starts at 8:30
We have a few stretching and ‘processing’ breaks,
Then lunch at 1:00PM.
Then we have work duties which ranges from working in the garden or maintenance, cleaning toilets, prepping for lunch or dinner or clean up, whatever. I have maintenance, so I start at 2PM till about 330 or 4.
Dinner at 5:30.
For this week we had evenings off but soon we are going to have to start practicing dramas, or doing homework, or outreach prep which we do not know what that is yet.
So then its lights out at 10:30PM, but I have been going to bed as early as I can. :P
Today (the 22nd) we were all eating in the eating area and some kids were looking over the edge of the wall, just watching. I felt so sad, my heart just was breaking for them, I felt bad that I had food and he didn’t, I hate that feeling. The one kid I recognize; he is around the base often, and he wears the same clothes everyday that I have seen him. He looks about 6 or 7, he keeps a very stern and angry face, and I have never seen him smile. The kids that hang around here are from the poor area of town, because we are located pretty much in the middle, but nearer the poor area. I don’t know if I explained before about the town here; it is split poor and rich – the poor area the blacks, and the rich area mostly whites. We are located near the poor area with close access to town; the town kind of separates the poor and rich areas. Anyways, the kids that live in this poor area come from usually broken families, and it’s just so sad because they are so rough with eachother. They also usually get beaten and neglected, so we all love to hug them.
We do this KIDZONE thing once a week where we go out as a team and play the guitar as we walk all over the community picking up kids who will follow us to come to this building and we sing songs and play games and then we memorize a memory verse. They are aged from as young as 2 to 13 I’d say. It’s really fun because its different kids everytime, and they love to play with us, and they are all so cute.
On Thursday a group of us went to a community church where they speak Afrikaans, but this time they spoke mostly in English so that was nice. I’m not sure if it was because we were there or what, but it was such a fun church, it was a black Pentecostal church; so we sing so loud and sway and dance and the preacher was just so fun to listen to.
Friday we did another kind of kid thing, there was adult worship or meeting thing at a church, and we played with the kids. We did a drama for them about the Walls of Jericho coming down, and we sang songs. The kids are just so fun, they run up and hug you, hang off you and they fight to hold your hand. I love to dance with the girls, and they love it too, just grab their hand and start dancing, it’s so fun. They also love to play with my hair, and one girl was putting my hair on her head to see what it would look like, and when I looked at her she was embarrassed, it was so cute! They are precious.
Romans 12:2:
No longer conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
And the crickets here are so nice, they chirp so loud it is so beautiful to listen to at night.
So this is what an average day here would look like here on the Jeffreys Bay YWAM Base:
Get up at 5:55AM. Go for a run.
Breakfast at 6:30-7AM.
First Lecture starts at 8:30
We have a few stretching and ‘processing’ breaks,
Then lunch at 1:00PM.
Then we have work duties which ranges from working in the garden or maintenance, cleaning toilets, prepping for lunch or dinner or clean up, whatever. I have maintenance, so I start at 2PM till about 330 or 4.
Dinner at 5:30.
For this week we had evenings off but soon we are going to have to start practicing dramas, or doing homework, or outreach prep which we do not know what that is yet.
So then its lights out at 10:30PM, but I have been going to bed as early as I can. :P
Today (the 22nd) we were all eating in the eating area and some kids were looking over the edge of the wall, just watching. I felt so sad, my heart just was breaking for them, I felt bad that I had food and he didn’t, I hate that feeling. The one kid I recognize; he is around the base often, and he wears the same clothes everyday that I have seen him. He looks about 6 or 7, he keeps a very stern and angry face, and I have never seen him smile. The kids that hang around here are from the poor area of town, because we are located pretty much in the middle, but nearer the poor area. I don’t know if I explained before about the town here; it is split poor and rich – the poor area the blacks, and the rich area mostly whites. We are located near the poor area with close access to town; the town kind of separates the poor and rich areas. Anyways, the kids that live in this poor area come from usually broken families, and it’s just so sad because they are so rough with eachother. They also usually get beaten and neglected, so we all love to hug them.
We do this KIDZONE thing once a week where we go out as a team and play the guitar as we walk all over the community picking up kids who will follow us to come to this building and we sing songs and play games and then we memorize a memory verse. They are aged from as young as 2 to 13 I’d say. It’s really fun because its different kids everytime, and they love to play with us, and they are all so cute.
On Thursday a group of us went to a community church where they speak Afrikaans, but this time they spoke mostly in English so that was nice. I’m not sure if it was because we were there or what, but it was such a fun church, it was a black Pentecostal church; so we sing so loud and sway and dance and the preacher was just so fun to listen to.
Friday we did another kind of kid thing, there was adult worship or meeting thing at a church, and we played with the kids. We did a drama for them about the Walls of Jericho coming down, and we sang songs. The kids are just so fun, they run up and hug you, hang off you and they fight to hold your hand. I love to dance with the girls, and they love it too, just grab their hand and start dancing, it’s so fun. They also love to play with my hair, and one girl was putting my hair on her head to see what it would look like, and when I looked at her she was embarrassed, it was so cute! They are precious.
Romans 12:2:
No longer conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Weekend
This weekend was HOT.
Saterday we went to the beach in the morning, walked at least 25 minutes along the beach in the sand to this place where we could BBQ, then decided not too, and bought hot ready-made chicken and bread and stuff instead. It was a long walk; me and Emily (the other Canadian) got pretty burnt. I have the worst shorts tan EVER! I could walk around naked and it would still look like I am wearing shorts. White shorts. Even my lips are sunburnt which has never happened to me before. Luckily on the way back we walked on the road and someone the staff member knew picked us up and we rode in the back of his truck back to the base. Then I slept the rest of the day.
On Sunday me and Emily, Sabina (from Germany) and two girls from SA went with Jonta (who is on staff here and leads worship at a church in the community) walked to his church which is located deeper into the poor community. It was a pretty nice sized building, but a kind of small congregation. Anyways, Emily and Sabina and I were the only whites, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. It was a great worship time, and a very intense sermon. The preacher was so passionate that sometimes I thought he was going to pick me up and throw me, haha. It was about in 2Kings where the man with leaprosy was told to wash in the Jordan river 7 times before he would be healed, and how sometimes we have to wait that long before something happens, we can just expect healing or answers after asking 2 or 4 times. It was a very powerful church.
Afterwards the preacher came to talk to us white people and he said, ``You want to know how to make a difference, well I tell you that just by walking in our streets and worshipping in our churches, that makes a difference more than you could ever ever know.``
And he told a story how when he was a kid and a white man touched his head, or smiled at him, he would run to his friends and say ``guess what, a white man was nice to me!`` And his friends would say, ohh no way, and obviously that was way back in apartheid days, but still it is a big issue as people are getting out of it. Another story he told was when him and a few people from a YWAM team went into a house of a sick man, and the man said, `now I can die in peace because white people have entered my house.` Now that may sound a little extreme, but I took it to mean he can die in peace because black and white have some together in his house.
Anyways, what he was saying is that our presence in their community and church really means a lot, more than we know, and that was really cool to hear…it made me sad actually, but also happy that even if unknown to me, I am making a difference. ! J
Saterday we went to the beach in the morning, walked at least 25 minutes along the beach in the sand to this place where we could BBQ, then decided not too, and bought hot ready-made chicken and bread and stuff instead. It was a long walk; me and Emily (the other Canadian) got pretty burnt. I have the worst shorts tan EVER! I could walk around naked and it would still look like I am wearing shorts. White shorts. Even my lips are sunburnt which has never happened to me before. Luckily on the way back we walked on the road and someone the staff member knew picked us up and we rode in the back of his truck back to the base. Then I slept the rest of the day.
On Sunday me and Emily, Sabina (from Germany) and two girls from SA went with Jonta (who is on staff here and leads worship at a church in the community) walked to his church which is located deeper into the poor community. It was a pretty nice sized building, but a kind of small congregation. Anyways, Emily and Sabina and I were the only whites, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. It was a great worship time, and a very intense sermon. The preacher was so passionate that sometimes I thought he was going to pick me up and throw me, haha. It was about in 2Kings where the man with leaprosy was told to wash in the Jordan river 7 times before he would be healed, and how sometimes we have to wait that long before something happens, we can just expect healing or answers after asking 2 or 4 times. It was a very powerful church.
Afterwards the preacher came to talk to us white people and he said, ``You want to know how to make a difference, well I tell you that just by walking in our streets and worshipping in our churches, that makes a difference more than you could ever ever know.``
And he told a story how when he was a kid and a white man touched his head, or smiled at him, he would run to his friends and say ``guess what, a white man was nice to me!`` And his friends would say, ohh no way, and obviously that was way back in apartheid days, but still it is a big issue as people are getting out of it. Another story he told was when him and a few people from a YWAM team went into a house of a sick man, and the man said, `now I can die in peace because white people have entered my house.` Now that may sound a little extreme, but I took it to mean he can die in peace because black and white have some together in his house.
Anyways, what he was saying is that our presence in their community and church really means a lot, more than we know, and that was really cool to hear…it made me sad actually, but also happy that even if unknown to me, I am making a difference. ! J
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Getting Started
Heyy,
So I washed my own clothes a few days ago, and it was actually hard, I was working up a sweat. We fill a big basin/bucket thing with water and laundry soap and then squeeze and wash and rub and stuff and I felt like I was ruining my clothes but they are okay haha, we then hang them on the line and hope the kids don’t take them. Naw, it’s actually quite safe, but the kids like to run around here and try to get into the dorms and things. We’ve also had a few incidences with older guys but nothing major.
On the 18th we did this huge group prayer thing with all the DTS groups from the Sates and Hawaii and us, and we prayed for 4 African countries; Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and Kenya. It was really good, prayer in places like here and Guatemala are really loud and intense and anyways, we still don’t know where our outreach phase is going to be, but we are hoping to go to one of these countries. Personally for me, I would rather not Kenya because it is close to South Africa and I want to go to the North!!! It’ll be great though. Probably will not have internet, but we will see. I’ll keep in touch while I still can :P
So this first weeks topic has been about “Hearing the Voice of God.”
Wow.
Well now THAT is something worth learning!
I was feeling really down, like, man, I can’t hear the voice of God, who am I!? And after one of my teammates told a story about how she heard Him, and another teammate told a story about when she was little, and we are reading a book called ‘Is that you God?’ and it’s a true story about hearing the voice of God essentially, and so I was kind of feeling left out!
I have a story to tell, this morning (the 18th) during this prayer thing, this lady from the other team asked to pray for me, and she said, “now stop me if I’m wrong but I get the feeling that you feel distant, and feel like you are not good enough [to be used]” And it was amazing because that it how I felt, and it was just really great, you know…? I’m feeling in high spirits now.
Also in this afternoon we all went on a kind of, protest parade thing. The whole big group of us, DTS’s and staff walked around the poor area of the community holding a sign that read ‘Every War Has Its End.’ The night before there was a shop nearby robbed, and someone was shot as well. We walked and sang and played guitar and prayed and people looked at us and it was really neat to be a part of.
Then we walked to the beach and it was gorgeous, the sun was setting and the beach was almost empty, it was so nice!! We collected shells and we saw some dolphins, they weren’t all that close, but close enough that we could tell they were dolphins, it was really cool.
So now it’s the weekend!! We get weekends off so were are going to just hang out, catch up on sleep and hit the beach.
So I washed my own clothes a few days ago, and it was actually hard, I was working up a sweat. We fill a big basin/bucket thing with water and laundry soap and then squeeze and wash and rub and stuff and I felt like I was ruining my clothes but they are okay haha, we then hang them on the line and hope the kids don’t take them. Naw, it’s actually quite safe, but the kids like to run around here and try to get into the dorms and things. We’ve also had a few incidences with older guys but nothing major.
On the 18th we did this huge group prayer thing with all the DTS groups from the Sates and Hawaii and us, and we prayed for 4 African countries; Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and Kenya. It was really good, prayer in places like here and Guatemala are really loud and intense and anyways, we still don’t know where our outreach phase is going to be, but we are hoping to go to one of these countries. Personally for me, I would rather not Kenya because it is close to South Africa and I want to go to the North!!! It’ll be great though. Probably will not have internet, but we will see. I’ll keep in touch while I still can :P
So this first weeks topic has been about “Hearing the Voice of God.”
Wow.
Well now THAT is something worth learning!
I was feeling really down, like, man, I can’t hear the voice of God, who am I!? And after one of my teammates told a story about how she heard Him, and another teammate told a story about when she was little, and we are reading a book called ‘Is that you God?’ and it’s a true story about hearing the voice of God essentially, and so I was kind of feeling left out!
I have a story to tell, this morning (the 18th) during this prayer thing, this lady from the other team asked to pray for me, and she said, “now stop me if I’m wrong but I get the feeling that you feel distant, and feel like you are not good enough [to be used]” And it was amazing because that it how I felt, and it was just really great, you know…? I’m feeling in high spirits now.
Also in this afternoon we all went on a kind of, protest parade thing. The whole big group of us, DTS’s and staff walked around the poor area of the community holding a sign that read ‘Every War Has Its End.’ The night before there was a shop nearby robbed, and someone was shot as well. We walked and sang and played guitar and prayed and people looked at us and it was really neat to be a part of.
Then we walked to the beach and it was gorgeous, the sun was setting and the beach was almost empty, it was so nice!! We collected shells and we saw some dolphins, they weren’t all that close, but close enough that we could tell they were dolphins, it was really cool.
So now it’s the weekend!! We get weekends off so were are going to just hang out, catch up on sleep and hit the beach.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Eating Sand in the Dark
Hello!
We are 10 hours ahead here, so when your day is ending, mine is beginning, how neat is that.
On Sunday we had our kickoff to start the DTS, and it was very exciting! We sang, and when you sing here, it’s always with the drumbeat and clap your hands very loud and fast, it is very upbeat and fun. They introduced everyone and then we had cake and drinks. In this DTS there are 11 girls and 2 boys right now, and there are two more boys coming form Nigeria in a few days. I played with the kids for a bit during the day…there is a group of about 10 of them that like to hang around the base here, and 2 of the girls that are about maybe 10 in age are twins, and they are so cute. A little boy probably about 2 or 3 years old was trying on all the older kids shoes and walking around, he was adorable. Anyways, the kids crawl all over you, and jump on your back, its fun for a little bit. We were playing some game they made up, and the next thing I know, they are all jumping, and hanging on to me, and this little boy is crawling between my legs, and I am in a skirt here, so I was like OKAY NO, time to stop haha. But it was quite fun.
The showers are very cold. We have 4 showers in our dorm, but only 2 have shower curtains, I think that is because we had to move into the boys dorm because it was bigger. They’re cold enough that I can’t have my whole body under it at once, and my head freezes after a while, but its fun.
So the first few days have just been getting to know eachother, introductions and such, and it has been really nice, I can tell that this is going to be an amazing time.
The weather has been not sunny and very very windy lately. The wind can get very strong. This morning it was nice and sunny so some of us went to the beach after our lecture, but it got windy, that’s why I call this blog ‘eating sand.’ Haha…and some of the people from the DTS outreach team from Hawaii were trying to learn how to surf, and it was funny to watch, it looked quite frustrating. I notice that I am using the words ‘nice’ and ‘quite’ a lot…I picked that up form the South Africans.
The power is out right now, so we are all sitting in the dark, and some girls are watching a movie on their laptop. I don’t have internet connection; I write on word and then paste it later at the internet café. It also smelts like smoke, like fire smoke…we think that someone’s house is burning down. A house that we would call a shed or a shack, and it makes me sad to think someone’s home is burning down. In this town there is the touristy area, and the rich residential area, and the poor residential area. We are located more near the poor area, within walking distance to the beach, and also about a five minute walk to the shops.
Anyways, I have an assignment to do for tomorrow, so I will write later.
Have fun in the snow.
We are 10 hours ahead here, so when your day is ending, mine is beginning, how neat is that.
On Sunday we had our kickoff to start the DTS, and it was very exciting! We sang, and when you sing here, it’s always with the drumbeat and clap your hands very loud and fast, it is very upbeat and fun. They introduced everyone and then we had cake and drinks. In this DTS there are 11 girls and 2 boys right now, and there are two more boys coming form Nigeria in a few days. I played with the kids for a bit during the day…there is a group of about 10 of them that like to hang around the base here, and 2 of the girls that are about maybe 10 in age are twins, and they are so cute. A little boy probably about 2 or 3 years old was trying on all the older kids shoes and walking around, he was adorable. Anyways, the kids crawl all over you, and jump on your back, its fun for a little bit. We were playing some game they made up, and the next thing I know, they are all jumping, and hanging on to me, and this little boy is crawling between my legs, and I am in a skirt here, so I was like OKAY NO, time to stop haha. But it was quite fun.
The showers are very cold. We have 4 showers in our dorm, but only 2 have shower curtains, I think that is because we had to move into the boys dorm because it was bigger. They’re cold enough that I can’t have my whole body under it at once, and my head freezes after a while, but its fun.
So the first few days have just been getting to know eachother, introductions and such, and it has been really nice, I can tell that this is going to be an amazing time.
The weather has been not sunny and very very windy lately. The wind can get very strong. This morning it was nice and sunny so some of us went to the beach after our lecture, but it got windy, that’s why I call this blog ‘eating sand.’ Haha…and some of the people from the DTS outreach team from Hawaii were trying to learn how to surf, and it was funny to watch, it looked quite frustrating. I notice that I am using the words ‘nice’ and ‘quite’ a lot…I picked that up form the South Africans.
The power is out right now, so we are all sitting in the dark, and some girls are watching a movie on their laptop. I don’t have internet connection; I write on word and then paste it later at the internet café. It also smelts like smoke, like fire smoke…we think that someone’s house is burning down. A house that we would call a shed or a shack, and it makes me sad to think someone’s home is burning down. In this town there is the touristy area, and the rich residential area, and the poor residential area. We are located more near the poor area, within walking distance to the beach, and also about a five minute walk to the shops.
Anyways, I have an assignment to do for tomorrow, so I will write later.
Have fun in the snow.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Another Super Day
helloo
Yesterday 3 more team members arrived, Myra and kate from northern south africa, emily from abbosford BC, and tim from australia, and......another from germany. So taht is more then 3, guses i can't count, and i can't spell or use a keyboard either.
so we are all moved into our dorms, they are acctally very nice, 5 girls to a room, 2-high bunk beds, and it is quite large and very nice. :) it was so exciting yesterday to meet everyone, and we are all getting along great, it feels like we've known eachother for a long time, not just a day or so.
we went to church this morrning becuase it is sunday, and it was very nice, it was an english service, and i quite enjoyed it. I can hear myself pick up lingo from other countries, i say 'quite' and 'lovely' and 'fabulous'. haha.
UMM what else....the actual school dts will start tomorrow, and so we are all enjoying our time relaxing while we still can.
yesterday me and 2 of the girls, myra and kate, went shopping and i bought a shirt...the shops are so cool....everyone wears the billibong here, and the outlets are quite nice. oh yes, and i had some ice cream yesterday, something that i was hoping they would have here. :p
overall, everything is going super....can't wait to see what is going to happen once we get started.
My love,
tierney
Yesterday 3 more team members arrived, Myra and kate from northern south africa, emily from abbosford BC, and tim from australia, and......another from germany. So taht is more then 3, guses i can't count, and i can't spell or use a keyboard either.
so we are all moved into our dorms, they are acctally very nice, 5 girls to a room, 2-high bunk beds, and it is quite large and very nice. :) it was so exciting yesterday to meet everyone, and we are all getting along great, it feels like we've known eachother for a long time, not just a day or so.
we went to church this morrning becuase it is sunday, and it was very nice, it was an english service, and i quite enjoyed it. I can hear myself pick up lingo from other countries, i say 'quite' and 'lovely' and 'fabulous'. haha.
UMM what else....the actual school dts will start tomorrow, and so we are all enjoying our time relaxing while we still can.
yesterday me and 2 of the girls, myra and kate, went shopping and i bought a shirt...the shops are so cool....everyone wears the billibong here, and the outlets are quite nice. oh yes, and i had some ice cream yesterday, something that i was hoping they would have here. :p
overall, everything is going super....can't wait to see what is going to happen once we get started.
My love,
tierney
Friday, January 11, 2008
JEFREEYS BAY
WOW.
Well it is amazing here.
Greetings from The Canadian.
The plane rides were so long and tiring but I managed around the airports fairly well. My luggage was soo heavy and i had to drag it along, and my wrists and arms hurt haha, but it was totally worth it, as soon as i landed in Port Elizebeth i had a smile on my face.
When i arrived i met 2 of my team members - Sun Young and Sea hea, from South Korea, they are so nice, and funny and fun to talk to.
It is gorgeous here....warm - I am getting a nice tan, but it does get quite windy in the afternoons/evenings.
The staff here at the base are so nice ,there is always laughter and smiles and they are easy to get along with. They are mostly black, and speak good english, so that is good.
The last few days me and 'the Koreans' have just been hangin around, we go to the beach for a bit, eat, have an afternoon nap..it is very layed back as we wait for the other team members to get here, and the school part will start on monday.
The beach is SO NICE! HUGE waves and surfers.....I would love to spend more time at the beach, but i can't so much becuase I can't go alone because it is not safe. We were told where we can and cannot go in the town and on the beach, however is it safer then I was excpeting.
The converters i brought are wrong, and do not fit into the electical outets here, so i am looking for one here.....not sure if i'll find one so i am not sure how often i will be able to go on the internet, however i will try to update often....
In conclusion, i love it here.
:)
Well it is amazing here.
Greetings from The Canadian.
The plane rides were so long and tiring but I managed around the airports fairly well. My luggage was soo heavy and i had to drag it along, and my wrists and arms hurt haha, but it was totally worth it, as soon as i landed in Port Elizebeth i had a smile on my face.
When i arrived i met 2 of my team members - Sun Young and Sea hea, from South Korea, they are so nice, and funny and fun to talk to.
It is gorgeous here....warm - I am getting a nice tan, but it does get quite windy in the afternoons/evenings.
The staff here at the base are so nice ,there is always laughter and smiles and they are easy to get along with. They are mostly black, and speak good english, so that is good.
The last few days me and 'the Koreans' have just been hangin around, we go to the beach for a bit, eat, have an afternoon nap..it is very layed back as we wait for the other team members to get here, and the school part will start on monday.
The beach is SO NICE! HUGE waves and surfers.....I would love to spend more time at the beach, but i can't so much becuase I can't go alone because it is not safe. We were told where we can and cannot go in the town and on the beach, however is it safer then I was excpeting.
The converters i brought are wrong, and do not fit into the electical outets here, so i am looking for one here.....not sure if i'll find one so i am not sure how often i will be able to go on the internet, however i will try to update often....
In conclusion, i love it here.
:)
Saturday, January 5, 2008
One more day in wintery Canada
So I have one more full day in Canada, and I am very excited. :)
I left part of my family in 100 mile house today and started crying, I am going to miss them.
Got my visa papers on friday, so I am all set to go, packed and ready to fly out of Kamloops mon afternoon.
I am so extremely excited to get on that plane in vancouver, that even though the time up to this point flew by, now its going too slowly!
So I really don't have anything interesting to say yet.
...
...
I left part of my family in 100 mile house today and started crying, I am going to miss them.
Got my visa papers on friday, so I am all set to go, packed and ready to fly out of Kamloops mon afternoon.
I am so extremely excited to get on that plane in vancouver, that even though the time up to this point flew by, now its going too slowly!
So I really don't have anything interesting to say yet.
...
...
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