Thursday News

Hello!
So, I am able to update a little more now that I'm feeling better! (Sorry 'bout the random links in the post- don't know what happened there. Don't click on them)

NEW ADDRESS!!!!!! (Nothing should be sent past April 18th, giving it 3 weeks to reach SA.)
Paige Jennings
Cornerstone Christian College
524 Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne
7780, Western Cape
South Africa

Work sites:
Monday we had a great day at the work site. We planned a picnic and the women were SO responsive! We taught them how to make Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and they thought it was so weird at first but eventually thought they were alright. We cut up apples and took them all out and laid out blankets, ate, did a mini-talent show as we started singing and some women didn't mind the spotlight :) They tricked me into leading a song which is so humbling when their voices are AMAZING! But they don't even judge if your voice is "good" or "bad" so that's nice. They just want to hear you sing. We played dancing/singing games like "Jiggalo" and different games that most of us played on the playground. We even did the macarana! (sp?) That day was so successful and fun at the women's shelter.



At the school I was interviewed by a 4th grade class as to how America was like. it was so fun! We had over an hour of back and fourth discussion. I talked about SO much from the weather, celebrities and how they're not ALL OVER America, cars, my family, our school system, Obama (popular topic!), dating (they giggled), animals (laughed that we don't have monkeys. one girl asked SO many questions about dogs and cats! it was so funny!), parenting (here in Africa there is communal parenting that deeeefinitely is not in America!), how we have 50 states (they all gasped!).... etc. etc. etc. It was a great discussion and I felt like the class learned a lot!!

Tuesday:
At the women's shelter this day was a dud. It was hard following one of the most fun and successful days like Monday. The mood was really mellow and everyone was dispersed in the house and just chilling. We had planned "Speed Friendship" (like on the movie Hitch how there is speed dating- a few minutes with one person then you rotate to get to know each other better) and that definitely flopped. BUT even though our day wasn't "productive" per-say we definitely learned a lot in a simple conversation. Ashley and I sat down with two women and asked them about the house. They opened up and said they are so unhappy, that they don't like the leadership in the house, how they are discarded when they leave and have no where to go. I think this was a HUGE shock to both Ashley and I as we realize we've been here 3 weeks and did not even realize the severity of the problems we have been facing. So this next week, being our last week, we are coming on full force. We are doing interviews with all of the leadership positions to find out what the goals are for this house and how they're being maintained. We're doing small groups with the women separate from the leaders of the house and finding out the problems so we can address them and have the group address them with each other. Etc. etc. We are realizing we have one week left, 3 visits, and have so much to do. We're planning and praying like crazy. There's so much work that needs to be done that I haven't even shared. So we are working out butts off to make this possible.

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The school was ok this day too. Lauren and I went into a 5th grade class and had a harder time because the teacher led the interview so the kids didn't get to ask many questions you know they were SO curious about! So I'm going back next week to answer more questions because the time ended and we had more hands! So I'm excited about that :) I've been trying really hard to both give America justice for the awesome country it is but not idolize it and make it sound like it's PERFECT and full of celebrities and money. I try to relate it to places I've been to in SA so they can understand what it looks like.

Auntie Ashleigh and Uncle Dave tired after the school!
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Tuesday night was the chapel which I talked about and when I got sick.

Wednesday I laid low and hung out and slept.

Today I am in class for until 4:30. Tonight we're doing a ladies' worship night which I'm excited about :) Gotta love girl power! ;) Haha but it's funny because we only have 9 guys so it seems super exclusive. I don't think they mind though. I'm feeling a lot better physically so that's great too.

I can't WAIT to listen to Dad's sermon online... I've heard awesome feedback about it :) I love hearing Mom and Dad's voices on there! It makes me feel closer to home. I was able to use Skype to call Brookie on her phone yesterday while she was tanning by Mom and Dad's pool which was fun. She was so surprised to get that call! :)

Although I love and miss home like crazy I really see the need for me to be here for the remaining time. In some aspects I wish I could stay longer to make a larger impact. I can get so frustrated with the problems I see that I feel I could help fix but have to leave and not finish my work!

But through all of this I can see why God has dropped us into these situations and takes us out quickly. I think we have all learned SO much about time management, the realities of making positive changes and deep relationships, and how NEXT time when we enter into situations how we can initially approach them: asking tons of questions, getting informed, making good plans, but still totally going with the flow and praying a TON!!

So those are my random thoughts :)