Highlights from the Past Few Weeks

God is faithful. He is able. He is doing so much, even when we don't see it or feel it. That's how I feel about this summer (winter) in Jo-burg. Although I don't understand what is happening at this point, I am praying for clarity to take from this what He wills.

At TWR, I have been getting to know employees more and more and am blessed by their friendships. People come by my "office" to talk, speak words of encouragement, and to pray with me. They have showed me around different areas of Johannesburg and taken me in as "one of them." That has meant so much.

Work-wise, I have been doing much of the same: writing proposals and researching. I was able to visit a charity organisation and talk with them about funding one of our projects, then come back and write a proposal specifically for them. It is exciting knowing that a proposal I wrote could be used to raise funding for a project that will improve people's physical lives and spiritual lives as well. While I could spend time explaining everything I have been doing to you, I think it's better to focus on the few significant things that have happened.

For one, Winfred and I visited St. Frances Care Centre in Boksburg, a place of hope and healing for people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. St. Frances is a nice facility that is well-organised and structured. Many of the South African orphanages, foster homes, and care centres I have visited previously are old, worn down, and run by very few people. The atmosphere is depressing at times. At St. Frances, however, the buildings are newer, there are decorations on the walls, the medical facilities are well-done, and everything is organised. The service so many people - currently, they service over 5,000 people - over 1,000 people receive ARV's (anti-retrovirals) and 140 of those are children. They provide a hospice for those at the terminal stages and counseling for those at all levels. Winfred and I came on behalf of TWR to bring a selection of our Christian programming for the leaders to sample. After they have listened to the programming and approved it, TWR will install speakers into the facilities for patients to listen to. The programming covers anything from HIV/AIDS to Through the Bible instruction to Children's programming. I look forward to hearing how all of this comes together.

During our tour of the centre, my favorite areas were for the children. The first building we visited was for children from ages 3 to 7. Many of them are AIDS orphans, but all of them come from unhealthy family situations, leading them to reside at St. Frances until they are provided with a better situation. During the week, they receive basic schooling and counseling. On the weekends, these children go home with a loving and healthy "foster" family so that they can experience what a healthy home looks like. Later on we visited the babies and toddlers building, where we were greeted by dozens of sweet little ones who smiled, screamed, and ran at us the minute we walked through the door. They wanted us to pick them all up - they tugged at our pant-legs, reached their hands up, and some even cried. Winfred and I couldn't help it; we picked some of them up and just held them. You could tell they were so happy just to be held. The little girl I was holding, although she was small, spoke excellent English (as they are taught in English by the workers). She pointed to parts of my face and asked me, "What's this? What's this?" The nurse worker informed us that 16 of those toddlers were HIV+, only 5 were not. How much I wished that we could stay longer! These children are precious; I thank God that they are in a nice, warm, place where they are loved.

Apart from work, I have been keeping busy as well. Sounds just like me, right? =) Last weekend, a group of us took a trip through Sandton, Soweto, and a fan park at Melrose Arch. We rode the Gautrain ("how-train"), the new above-ground metro in Jo-burg, into Sandton and looked around Nelson Mandela square and the mall at Sandton. Then we rode a taxi into the city center, hopped on another taxi into Soweto, and met up with some friends there who toured us through the area. We saw a lot of historical places: Walter Sisulu square, Nelson Mandela's home, the Hector Pieterson memorial, and the church where Mandela and others met to discuss politics and plan. It was a wonderful experience. We even ate at an authentic African restaurant where we ate meat, pap, chakalaka, and acha. Then in the evening, we went to Melrose Arch and watched the Germany vs. Uruguay game at the Fan Park. There were tons of people and excitement as everyone was rooting for Germany. We were so thrilled when Germany won the match for 3rd place in the World Cup!

Also took a trip to Swaziland with five other people from the Jo-burg office. We visited the TWR office in Manzini, met the staff and toured the transmitter site. It was amazing to see the giant transmitters and learn about how they work and how far they broadcast. Some of the antennas broadcast all the way from Swaziland to unreached areas of the world! I pray that God uses His Word to bear fruit in the lives of people who have never heard. Swaziland is a beautiful country full of rolling mountains covered with African villages. The people are friendly and the food is excellent. There is great need, however; of the small country's population of 1 million, over 1/3 are living with HIV/AIDS. One tenth of the population are orphans, and over half were orphaned from AIDS. Statistics say that over 3/4 of the population is "Christian," but the people need to become empowered to live out God's commands and live. Please pray for the country of Swaziland - for the church leaders and members, for Truth, for salvation, and for AIDS to be stopped.

I have a little over two weeks left here, and I pray that the rest of my time is spent wisely and with discernment. There is so much to be done in Africa, and I just want to be used in some small way for God's kingdom. I pray that He leads me to know what I need to do, where I need to be, and what steps to take in order to get there.

At the Uche concert with TWR people.

Bruma market.

Kids at the community centre who acted out Dr. T Cell.

The volunteer tutor at one of the Open Schools projects. She is showing one of the teaching tools used with the children.

The "roof" (tarp) we put up for the children to have school under.

Time flies...

So much to say! I haven't written due to several reasons - but have finally sat down to write an update. Here's what's been happening on this end:

Was able to visit a nearby township through our partner programme, Open Schools. Open Schools utilizes local volunteers in townships to tutor children who aren't in school to a a third grade level so that they can get into school. The children listen to lessons provided by TWR, then work through a workbook with the volunteer "teacher." It's an excellent programme. We visited a woman's home who has so very little, yet she is tutoring over 75 children IN HER DIRT YARD. They meet in the afternoons and rotate between ages. The curriculum is faith-based and written specifically for children who need to be tutored. We went to help built a "roof" for her school area and basically to check in and see how she was doing. It was so heart-warming to meet this woman and see her dedication.

The township itself was so sad - people have made houses out of corrugated metal and scraps, there was no grass, and no toilets. We also were able to visit a children's home for orphans, neglected children, and children in dangerous situations. It was very good to go there, but again, very sad. These children have nothing, and not enough adults to take care of them. The centre was in great need of proper facilities and volunteers. I hung out with several girls for about 20 minutes while they played with my hair and held my hands and asked me all sorts of questions. When it was time to go, they were already sad - after only 20 minutes! One of the girls looked down sadly and said, "Please don't go." My heart was so sad...these children are in desperate need of parents who love them and will raise them according to the Bible. They also need someone to counsel them after the trauma they have been through. It is great that they have a simple shelter, but they need so much more than that.

My research on orphans has been shocking. There are over 14 million orphans in Africa, with an expected 10 million more within the next few years. These orphans are the result of AIDS, but also other sicknesses, poverty, and hunger. Let me get on a soap-box here for just a few sentences: the Church has GOT to do something about these precious children. It is not enough to come and speak to them about Jesus - they need a mother and a father who will show them Jesus. The Bible talks so much about caring for people in distress, especially orphans. James 1:27: Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." I myself am praying about how to help and I encourage you to do the same. Ok, now I'll step down off my soapbox...=)

Another place I've been able to visit is with another partner organization of TWR, Business Against AIDS. I went with the founder to a community centre to help with a presentation for children about HIV/AIDS. How it works is BAA teaches 5 children a drama called "Dr. T Cell" about AIDS where they act out different parts of the immune system and viruses. Then the children act out the drama in front of their peers - it's excellent. Seeing these children was special to me; many of them (again) are orphans or are bussed in from nearby townships. They are on holiday now so it's a great place for them to come for a meal (perhaps the only one they receive for the entire day) and some fun. With Dr. T Cell, they also are able to learn about HIV/AIDS.

At work, I have been doing a lot of things: research on Malaria, doing programme summaries, and brainstorming for possible new programmes. I've said it before, but it is SO true: I really enjoy my co-workers. Their love for the LORD is overflowing and unifying. Although there are people from all different denominations and socio-economic backgrounds, at TWR, everyone is seen the same. The ministry is run through a servant-leadership model, and it is wonderful.

Outside of work, I've been able to do some really fun things. I've watched so many soccer games (on TV or big screen, not live, although I'd like to see one live before it's over) and have gotten more and more into it. There is always a braai and a game to watch - food and fun! Now that RSA, USA, and Brazil are out, I'm pulling for the Netherlands. Go orange! I also went to the Bruma Market for some African crafts, attended a Live DVD recording of a popular artist here - Uche, and even went to a 4th of July braai today at a friend from work's house. I made an American flag cake, and everyone loved it.

On the sad side of things, one of our co-workers lost her seven year old daughter this week. She was in a bicycle accident and passed away Friday. Please keep the Heimann family in your prayers as they go through the loss.

Personally, I've been learning so much from God's word and in everyday circumstances. There have been several times where He has used His Word, song, and people to speak truth to me, and I am so grateful for those moments. I am continuing to seek Him for truth and direction. Please pray for me for wisdom during my last month here.

As music is very meaningful to me, I'll leave again with a song. This simple chorus has been in my head ever since I heard it two weeks ago. Whenever I sing it, it convicts me.

You won't relent until You have it all

My heart is Yours

You won't relent until You have it all

My heart is Yours

He is working on my life, even in hard circumstances, to bring to a place where I am completely His.

Arrie

Zulu dancers. The show was truly amazing.

The men wore the traditional Zulu costumes.

Learning the diski dance at work on Friday.

Celebrating SA's score against Mexico during the opening match.

Getting into the World Cup spirit. (L-R): Shane, Ryan, me (yes, that's me!) and Holly.

Lion and Rhino Park pictures:

A lion cub...very calm behind the fence, but once you enter into their territory, they are very scary!

The smallest cubs there...close to newborns

The braii area at the park. We are boorewors, pap (ground maize) with a nice sauce on top, salad, and steak. Mmmmmm!

Buffaloes walking our way. They were literally a few feet from our vehicle.

Mama and baby rhino.

Ke Nako! (It is here!)

It's only been another week but it feels like a month! I am continuing to adjust and learn; it is feeling much more "normal" here now. I am making wonderful friends at the office and it is great to see everyone's smiling faces everyday. At TWR we begin each day with morning devotions, which I love. It is so nice to begin the workday by dedicating it to the Lord. We sing songs, discuss a Bible passage, and close in prayer. My roomate Millie led devotions this week and asked me to play guitar for her, so I was able to lead everyone in some songs. One of the songs, "With All My Heart," has held special meaning for me since being here. It talks about surrendering everything into God's hands and simply knowing Him more.

This week I've worked on creating evaluation forms for an HIV/AIDS project Central Africa. I have also done a lot of research on HIV/AIDS and the statistics are staggering. There are over 33 million people in the world who are living with HIV/AIDS, and over 22 million of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa has the largest amount of PLWHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) - 5.7 million. It is so sad to hear about the statistics, yet it challenges me to do something about it. When I hear feedback from listeners who have written in or sent in an SMS (text) I am so encouraged; people's lives are changing and people are finding hope in Jesus Chris. To read some of these responses, you can go to: www.twrafrica.org and look under the Explore Tab - Share Your Story.

Friday was the Kick-Off for the World Cup and it was so exciting! At work we had a half-day and ended work with a braii. The staff room was decorated with all of the different soccer team flags and everyone sported colors of the team they are supporting. I didn't have anything to wear, so I pinned a South Africa flag to my shirt! We learned the "diski dance" (diski means soccer) which everyone knows here. It was hard and quite funny to try to follow.

The Opening Ceremony was at 2 p.m. and the other interns and I went to a church to watch it on a big screen. The spirit here is great! Everyone is so colorful and full of energy. Everywhere you go you hear vuvuzelas being blown (like a blow horn) - even while driving down the road! The church we went to was decorated, as were all of the 200+ people there (supporting South Africa of course). Since we were from overseas they had us sit on the front row to watch the Opening Ceremony and the match between SA and Mexico. What a game! SA and Mexico tied, which means they both are still in the running to proceed to the next round.

After the game, the church had dancers from the show "UMOJA" perform some traditional Zulu dances for us. They were in costume and very animated; it was really something. At one point one of the dancers grabbed the daughter of the people we came with and ran around the sanctuary with her - she was scared but very brave. =)

Yesterday was the first soccer match for the USA and they tied against England. I'm rooting for both USA and SA...hopefully they don't play each other or I'll be torn!

Tomorrow begins a new week and new opportunities. Winfred and I will be travelling to a nearby township to promote the Open Schools program from our department - this program seeks to integrate children who are not in school into school through a tutoring program. I'm looking forward to physically seeing how this works.

On a side note, I purchased a CD-ROM this week that will help me to learn more of the Zulu language. I am really looking forward to it; one of my personal goals for this summer is to learn more Zulu.

Unkulunkulu anibosise! God bless all of you!

"With all My Heart"

In this quiet place with You
I bow before Your throne
I bare the deepest part of me
To You and You alone
I keep no secrets for there is
No thought You have not known
I bring my best and all the rest
To You and lay them down

With all my heart
I want to love You Lord
And live my life
Each day to know You more
All that is in me
Is Yours completely
I'll serve You only
With all my heart

You faithfully supply all my needs
According to Your plan
So help me, Lord to seek Your face
Before I seek Your hand
And trust You know what's best for me
When I don't understand
Then follow in obedience
In every circumstance

The Beginning of a New Thing...

This first week has been a lot of adjusting. For one, I'm adjusting to a completely different experience in South Africa. The previous times I've come to work in villages or with churches, and this time I am working a 9-5 job with a Christian radio station. God is teaching me a lot about trust and waiting on Him - and it's only been one week!

Last Monday I began my internship at TWR. Most of the week was spent just learning about my department, reading a lot of information (on TWR and on the issues that Africa faces), and meeting people. Everyone at the office is very friendly! They have made an extra effort to make sure I feel welcome. The office is very international; people are from all over - I'm definitely not unique in that regard. There is so much to learn, but it just takes time. The most important characteristic I've seen at TWR is a passion for the Great Commission. Everyone who works there wants to see people come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. That passion is contagious and very motivating. I'm glad to be working with an organization that wants to glorify God the way TWR does.

As far as what I am doing, I am working in the HCY (Health Children and Youth) department on the creative end of the programming aspect. I will be working under Winfred and helping with different aspects in the complete process of a programme (by the way - they call it a "programme" here...haha). Basically, I help with either the creative end (thinking up a project), the middle aspect (monitoring the project to see how it's going) or evaluating the project at the end (feedback from listeners, leaders of programmes, etc.). I will also be doing research for the programming. The programmes I am helping with this summer are HIV/AIDs, getting children into schools, Malaria, to name a few. I'm also helping to create a new programme for Youth.

I haven't driven yet because I haven't needed to - plus, I'm a little scared! Driving in Africa is totally different than the States! The rules are bent a lot more! =) I ride to and from work with my roomate Millie or the Winfred and Juliet, who live right next door.

My roomate, Millie, is great; she is definitely a blessing from God. Millie came to SA in January and is serving with TWR for one year (or longer, depending on how God leads). She has always wanted to come to Africa but was prevented until now. She is a breath of fresh air and such an encouragement to me. She imparts wisdom to me all the time and loves to laugh!

I had a great weekend. Saturday was spent doing laundry, cleaning house, and resting. I went to a popular coffee shop chain to read called "Mugg & Bean." It was really neat to just sit and observe people. There are "American" looking people and also very "African" looking people all living in the same place. It is unusual, but nice.

Sunday I went to the famous Rhino and Lion park in SE Johannesburg. One of the TWR employees took me and the other two interns. We saw lots of animals, and four of the Big Five - Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, and Rhino. We actually got to play with lion cubs! It was not as fun as it sounds...those lion cubs were very rough and a little too playful for me. Their idea of playing left deep bite marks on another guy who was in the pin with us. The "guide" who was with us kept telling me to get closer and teased me because I'm American. He said even Oprah got closer to the lion cubs when she visited. WELL....=)

That's the update so far! I will add pictures soon .

Thank you for your prayers. I really do feel them. God is continually reminding me (and I continue to ask Him to remind me) that He wants me here for now. Last week I read Psalm 121 - I lift my eyes unto the hills; where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker heaven and earth...He who watches over you will not slumber nor sleep...the LORD protects you; the LORD is a shelter at your right hand. Those words are a great comfort to me. I can rest knowing that God has provided the way for me to be here and He has a plan in my being here. I am seeking Him for guidance and strength, and wisdom to know what His will is for the future.

I also read the book of Esther over the weekend, and God reminded me that He is in the details! He works everything out according to His timing just the way He wants it to be. So I am trusting Him that His timing is perfect and that my time here in Africa will accomplish exactly what He wants it to accomplish.

Cheers for now!