adventures in dicoccoville

The Gorilla Stories - in Rwanda and Rockford

2012-01-30T08:04:00.018+02:00

Last July/August, when Billy and I talked about living in East Africa for a season, we looked dreamily back to our days we visited Rwanda as a family in 2006 and remembered fondly all the things that made that season so beautiful. It's strange to think that Avery was only 6 years old then! Harrison 8 and Maddie 10. They were so little and had such a fresh and joyful way of experiencing everything that was totally new to all of us (except Billy who had been back and forth a few times before). We beat on drums and chased chickens and danced with widows and played soccer with street kids. We ate goat meat for the first time, collected bottle caps from all our Fantas, visited our World Vision sponsored child and made some really good friends we still love deeply. Those two weeks were just about as lovely as they could have been.

At one point, we were on an adventure, and stopped for a cold drink at a famous hotel. The same hotel Dian Fossey often stayed at as she researched the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda for 18 years. And it was then that we realized for the first time, there were opportunities for regular people like us to go into the mountains and see gorillas. It was expensive, and only 80 government permits are given out each day so you must apply months in advance, and children can't go.... But now, as we were considering living for a season in East Africa, Billy and I remembered. We remembered the gorillas and the mountains and we knew we had to figure out a way to visit.

So we scrimped and we saved and we (will continue to) happily eat beans and rice 4 days a week. We researched tour companies and found one called Rwanda Eco Tours that is very involved in the communities around the mountains (in addition to the other work they do, part of every tourist's fee buys a goat for a local family) and on Friday last week, we went to see the gorillas.

Our driver came to pick us up at 4:30am in Kigali. A 2 hour drive into the rural lands, brought us to the base camp where all 80 permit holders from various tourist companies were separated into groups of 8, given a briefing on the specific family we would be visiting and the rules of engagement. Our group was chosen to visit the Susa family - the largest in Volcanoes National Park with 34 members. 3 silverbacks and a host of babies. The Susa family also has two sets of surviving twins - a rarity in gorilla life as the mother normally gets so overwhelmed she abandons one. (Do any parents of twins want to comment on that??)

Another hour's drive down 4x4 roads, and then all got out, tightened the laces on our boots one last time and began walking. An hour long hike up the cultivated mountain side, past potato farms and grazing cattle. Seriously. Straight up a mountain side. At that point, I was already light headed from the uphill trek - and then, as we round a corner, I saw cows eating as lazily as a Saturday morning, women working hard in the fields, children scrambling up the steep hillsides with sacks of potatoes on their heads. That was a bit humbling, them going about their day as if all was simple and light as I was gasping for air just from the walk.

Finally we arrive at the stone wall of the Volcanoes National Park. Again, a briefing - if we cough, we have to turn our heads away and cover our mouths to keep the gorillas from getting sick - from here on out we can only whisper - stay behind a guide at all times - we have no idea how far into the forest the family has traveled. Sometimes people hike for 20 minutes to find them, sometimes 4 hours- but there are trackers in the park following our Susa family so we know they are nearby. Perhaps less than an hour trek through the dense hills.

Through bamboo and then bushes and thin foot paths through vines and thick reeds and stinging nettle. At times, the person in front of me took a turn as I was untangling my feet from the vegetation and when I looked up again, I was utterly lost. As if the overgrown forest had swallowed them, not leaving a clue of their passing. Through this we walked as silently as possible. The gorillas were somewhere among this snarl of greenery. We could see signs that they had been exactly where we were now stepping some time earlier that morning.

Suddenly we reach a clearing, and the Susa trackers are there, telling us we are very close. We must leave our backpacks and our walking sticks and follow them as gently as possible. As we take a path to the left, our guides and trackers begin to make soft noises, greeting the gorillas and communicating ease.

And then we saw our first one. Lying under a bush, fast asleep- a black form tucked in by unending greenery. Cameras began to click, violently disrupting the peaceful air, but the gorilla slept on, completely undisturbed by our intrusion. Just a few yards away, our second encounter was a mother with her 1 month old baby. She watched us for a moment and when we began to approach, she quickly snatched her little bundle up and in one fluid movement, baby was on her back and she had disappeared. But we could not be disappointed, because within a few moments we realized, we were surrounded by these lovely creatures. All were busily gathering and eating and resting and watching.

Often they communicated with each other, children bounded and wrestled, at one point there was a bit of an altercation as the dominant silverback reprimanded one of his family, and the offending one crashed away in a hasty retreat. We moved along with the gorillas - whose 200kgs furry black masses could easily navigate through and hide behind so much tangled green. We listened to their voices and noticed how tender they were with each other, how intentional their choices were as they picked through the leaves, and often we locked eyes with one or another as if we both looked deeply enough, we would find answers about life on the other side of our similar species. I know we were supposed to be whispering, but I giggled. A lot. It was all just too much.

And then, as suddenly as it began, our hour in their presence was over and we said a reluctant goodbye to these beautiful animals. And we began our trek back down the mountainside - bursting with appreciation - giddy with our blessings.

Later, back in Kigali, we got this video that Harrison made on his cell phone at school that day. Apparently we weren't the only ones to experience Gorillas on Friday. Crazy funny. I'm glad ours weren't as angry as the one in Rockford - but then again, I don't think they have much foliage inside the school so he was probably just cranky from being hungry. We learned that a gorilla needs to eat 15% of his body weight every day. That's 60 pounds of fresh greenery for an adult silverback like he saw, and in a school full of 14/15 year olds, I don't know that the cafeteria stocks that much salad. Now, if gorillas ate french fries, he would have been all set.

The video is hilarious when you think about Harrison showing up at school on Friday morning thinking of Billy and I visiting the gorillas that same day and his mind spinning into creating something like that. It makes me miss my kids, and the incredible, witty, people they are - all the more. The only thing that would have made our trek into the mountains of Rwanda more perfect is if they are here with us experiencing it all too.

a little Kigali loving.....

2012-01-27T04:06:00.002+02:00

We are so enjoying our few days in Kigali. For the past two days I've been out photographing vocational training centers and widowed grannies raising orphans in their homes. I even got to visit a brand new baby in the hospital. Oh sweet cheeks. Kigali has changed so much since I was here in 2006. The streets are bigger and paved- there are malls and supermarkets - I could even buy bacon and oreos and fancy cheese if I wanted. We'll talk more later. I just wanted to say hello and that we are thinking about you too. Be home in Bujumbura next week and back to our every day posts.

On the bus to Kigali

2012-01-24T07:25:00.000+02:00

Hooray! We've packed out hiking boots and my camera gear and some tiny bananas for the road. Billy (who has done this before) suggested Dramamine, so I brought some just for today. So when we meet our friends on the other side we'll be fresh and happy and ready for a fabulous week. Right now as we sit waiting for the bus to fill so we can leave, we are surrounded by hawkers - selling water and flashlights and used men's belts, cologne and Obama bags. We dont need cell minutes and will wait to change money till we get to kigali. We passed on the made-in-china hatchet/multi-tool. We bought some fruit flavored suckers out of a cardboard snack tray. Oh, this Africa. We do love you.

back on the road

2012-01-23T14:01:00.003+02:00

We had a nice weekend, here in Bujumbura. Quiet. Breezy. Ice-cold coke-y. We watched our Ray VanderLaan DVD and episodes of our other right now favorite TV shows. We splurged and bought ground beef at the shop - and Billy even found some cheese. We used our giant avos from the market and had a mexican fiesta with new friends. Oh, it was good.

Today I am packing because tomorrow, Billy and I leave for Kigali. We are taking the bus (along with some dramamine) and spending the week in Rwanda. Billy will spend some time at World Relief and I'm heading out to the hills to do some photography for another organization. Then on Friday... well, I'll let that be a surprise for when we get to talk again. It's gonna be good.

I'm not sure what my internet is going to be like in Rwanda - but I'll pop in if I have the opportunity.

so tell me....

2012-01-20T19:52:00.003+02:00

If I told you that we have enormous, fresh-from-the-tree, completely organic, two-handed avocados like this one that came from the local market today (actually, we got FOUR)

...then would you jump on a plane and come visit us in Burundi?

I'm thinking we are going to have some serious guacamole this weekend.

You are welcome! You can bring the chips.

A cow and her family

2012-01-19T06:34:00.003+02:00

Another postcard from the road- although after we wrap up today's family visits, we'll start heading home- 4 hours up, down and around windy mountain roads.

Visiting families is a special treat on this trip. This organization I travels with has a special focus on children. By providing opportunities for children to thrive, the entire family, and community get good benefits too. Here, we've spent time with a family who completed an education cycle on childhood nutrition. The organization identifies malnourished children in the area and works with the mothers to help teach about the most nutritious food available in their area (where everything comes from the local soil) and monitors the children's growth. This family has also been given a cow so everyone can drink good, fresh milk. Their cow has given them a calf- so the cycle of goodness continues forward.

When you sponsor a child, you are providing for a community. I'm seeing first hand, how beautiful that is.

Postcards from the field

2012-01-18T06:50:00.001+02:00

While i have a strong enough cell signal, i thought i'd check in and tell you I am not only safe but meeting the most beautiful people and having a ball (and exhausted at the same time). We've visited schools & clean water projects; Food security and nutrition; families who benefit from your sponsorship into this well known international development organization.

We are staying in nice hotels too- last night they brought a fresh pail of water to my bathroom so I could "shower". Let me say, it was a good shower too. I was filthy!

I've been listening to Willow Creek's -A New Liturgy - each morning before we head out and again in the evenings while I'm editing our images from that day. Inspiring, life giving.

Oooooh you love your children, all your children.
Every faith & every tongue.
Oooooh you love your children, all your children.
Help us see you in each one....

and with this, I sign out

2012-01-13T16:25:00.002+02:00

I'm off on an adventure next week,

You'll remember to keep praying, right?

I'll see you again next Friday - with bells on my toes, a smile in my heart, and more images of this beloved country than I'll have opportunity to share (don't worry, you'll see my favorites for sure!)

and as we drive through these beautiful countrysides I'll be meditating on this:

Psalm 34

I will thank the Lord at all times. My lips will always praise him.
I will honor the Lord.
Let those who are hurting hear and be joyful.
Join me in giving glory to the Lord. Let us honor him together.
I looked to the Lord, and he answered me.
He saved me from everything I was afraid of.
Those who look to him beam with joy. They are never put to shame.
This poor man called out, and the Lord heard him. He saved him out of all of his troubles.
The angel of the Lord stands guard around those who have respect for him.
And he saves them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who goes to him for safety. You people of God, have respect for the Lord.
Those who respect him have everything they need.

this is me today

2012-01-12T14:21:00.002+02:00

.. just taking a quiet day to read and listen to podcasts and Skype with my mom and Harrison. I missed Avery because my internet went out with the storm that rolled in-- but then I did get to watch the birds taking a bath in the puddles that were left behind.

I haven't been feeling great this week, so I'm glad I've had yesterday and today to spend time resting so I can have enough energy for 5 days of travel next week. I'll be going upcountry with an organization to do some photojournalism of a few of their projects. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful country, and to use my camera to help this organization tell it's story in a way outsiders can experience the good work they do. But I'll also be honest, I'm a little anxious about traveling into the rural lands without Billy. Just keep praying for good things with us... will ya'? For great stories and faces filled with the joy of humanity because of the life Jesus give us. Pray that I am able to tell the story of the clean water or eduction or health care they are able to receive and how lives are blessed because of sponsors to this organization who believe in being a part of something they can't see or hold but somehow they know they need to be a part of. And pray that these images make it clear that their sacrifices are truly making a difference in the world and inspire them to do more. Pray for safety for me and for the staff that will travel with me, there are not so nice things going on in Burundi that I honestly don't want to come across at all. And pray for my spirit, for my health, for my technical game to be right on target, and for my eyes to be able to see clearly God's big heart for each individual we meet on the road. I don't know why this one is making me anxious. Maybe it's just the first time I'm traveling alone in a country I don't all together trust. I've read too many stories I suppose. But i have to remember that in the month I've been in Burundi, I've never felt unsafe here. And that there is something so much bigger at work than me. I am honored to get to be a part of that. The work God is doing here in this country.

I had someone say to me the other day that even though Rwanda and Burundi are twin brothers, and they share the same history - in fact the genocide began here a year earlier and civil war lasted a decade longer - Rwanda is famous to the world and no one has heard of Burundi. My friend cupped his hands together like he was holding a tiny sparrow and said "I believe God has hidden Burundi so that he can do his healing work here without the influence or agenda of outside churches coming in to change the essence of who we are. So that His brilliance will be the only thing we shine with once we are healed. I see Him working now and Burundi is ready to shine. And then the world will know Burundi, not as a torn and limping country, but as a strong nation: the story of God's light to Africa."

lending groups

2012-01-11T13:19:00.002+02:00

Yesterday we went out to visit a repayment appointment for one of Turame's lending groups. We pulled up in our vehicles, past the mechanic's garages, past the seamstress district, past the small local outdoor factories where people sat grinding dried cassava tubers into flour. We pulled up to a modest concrete home belonging to one of the members of the group as they gathered to sing a song of welcome to our international guest, Peter Greer of Hope International. Peter has a long history with micro finance and is a co-author of the book "The Poor Will Be Glad - Joining the revolution to lift the world out of poverty" a book that really explains micro finance in understandable terms.

This particular lending group has been together for 4 years, continuing cycles of borrowing and repayment lasting for 6 months. They entire group gathers every two weeks to make their payments toward the balance of their collective loan, divided out between the individuals.

At one point, Peter asked what the best part about their Turame experience has been and one lady explained how good it has been to have the funds available for her to borrow, pay back and borrow more the next time. There is satisfaction in that and a feeling of accomplishment as each cycle is complete and they are once again trusted to borrow more money to further grow their businesses.

There were stories of fixing a home that had been crumbling, of sending children to school, of having more capital for their business making it easier to bring in a profit.

But after we left, I kept remembering the look on the woman's face as she spoke of the trust a bank had in her to borrow and repay. And how much she honored that responsibility because of the value behind it.

That statement just reemphasized that so often the issues of poverty are not steeped so deeply in material wealth as we tend to believe, but in self dignity.

Turame is working hard to not only feed into the financial needs of the vulnerable in Burundi, but also teaching spiritual, business and community values. They recognize that micro finance is a great tool, but can only take a person so far in their journey - because the root of humanity is woven together with something of such deeper value than just resources.

while we are talking about family....

2012-01-10T18:10:00.002+02:00

This last month has been lovely, Billy and I together after 3 months on separate continents. My heart aches knowing that our kids have missed him as much as I did before I got to travel this way, and still are. And now, he and I are both in Burundi, glad to be together but missing our kids terribly. It's a paradox to be sure. But we will enjoy the season we are given- this season of him and I. In our 17 years of parenting, we haven't been good at spending time just the two of us.... and I kind of like him. I am missing my children, but these days of only each other are special in their own way too. That's a really really beautiful thing after all these years.

family

2012-01-09T20:46:00.003+02:00

I'm just missing my kids today and thought I'd share this picture they took over Christmas break with some of their cousins.

Yesterday our sweet Madyline celebrated 17 years of life and adventures and growth.

We love you Maddie Grace. All the way across the ocean and back again.

a gallery of faces

2012-01-06T11:56:00.006+02:00

this weekend i leave you with a gallery of faces to gaze into.

to understand that each of these faces represents a woman, in so many ways just like yourself -

a woman with a family, with a home, with dreams for her children, with the struggles of making her household run smoothly, with a deep love for God, with questions, with heartaches and with an impeccable sense of style.

I encourage you to take some space now and pray with me for each of these women, and if you will, for the many like these, who are now running small businesses of their own with the loans they've borrowed from Turame Mircofinance bank.

She may be selling bananas at a roadside stand or sewing dresses in her home. She could be making charcoal from local trees, cut down and buried with embers under the soil to smolder. She could own a small shop and serve the best goat stew lunch plates in the area. Small business are as unique as the gifting and dreams God has given each of us.

Maybe one face in particular strikes your heart.... you can pray for her specifically - even feel free to ask me for a larger version of her photo so you can print it out and put it in your bible or on your fridge and remember to keep praying. It's a beautiful thing we get to do here - to be a part of something so much bigger than ourselves. And you are a part of it too - as we continue to journey together in Burundi.

just a glance

2012-01-05T14:13:00.001+02:00

another day without electricity...

but I thought I'd jump online with my battery back up power to share this picture with you.

It's the little baby looking at Billy that makes me laugh every time I see him.

a few words

2012-01-04T07:50:00.004+02:00

Sorry I couldn't meet ya'll here yesterday. We were out of electricity for the day- which isn't unusual. In the afternoon, I hand lunch with Billy and some colleagues from the office. I caught a table full of guys across the patio from us taking our picture with one of their cell phones. They were instantly uncomfortable I had spotted them. Being a photographer, I've done the exact same thing. Then I went to the Turame office hoping to charge the battery in my laptop and use the internet (and got stuck there till 7 - ah, the life of an IT guy) but for some reason when I logged in on their line, everything was set to "french" and at this point, I actually know more words in Kirundi than I do in French. In absence of seeing the word "neuvoux" - which in my 80s music mindset must mean "new" in french - to know where to go to put a new post up.. I just scrapped it and read my ebook instead.

Did I tell you that I can use my michigan library card to download ebooks off of their website? While I don't love being strapped to my computer (although my laptop is still new enough that I am thrilled every time I open it!) I do love having books to read with Billy at the office all week (and sometimes for a few hours on the weekends too).

Great news though - I just began a conversation with another well known NGO here in Burundi about spending some time with their organization. Not that I don't love Turame as much as Billy does, but... honestly... while it serves into the poor to provide opportunities for short term loans to help build businesses - it is , in essence, a bank. And in absence of any monetary skills - there's not a lot for me to do there except work on my Kirundi greetings.

Here, would you like to learn* some too:

here are some words I use every day

(*spelling not guaranteed)

karibu - welcome (in swahili)

Mwaramutse - good morning

Mwaracomeye - how are you

ego, namwe - yes, and how are you

sawa - good

amahoro - peace

urgenda rwiza - safe journey

muracoze cane - thank you very much

coka icanye - a cold coke

ishusha - hot (which i usually say to mean "man, it's hot today, isn' it?)

Today's pictures... kids. Of course. Because they are the funnest even when you don't know much of their language. And they would be able to follow the randomness of this post quite easily.

we are gonna' talk a bit about micro finance this week

2012-01-02T10:54:00.007+02:00

(ps- i have no idea what is going on with my font size today.. it's being stubborn as blazes. So I guess set your screen on enlarge and laugh with me, okay?)

so, you know that Billy and are spending this year at Turame MicroFinance in Bujumbura, Burundi. But we still get lots of questions as to what a micro finance bank actually is. I know is a bit of an anomaly to some of us in the United States with no real understanding of how micro finance works. It's a bank - yet it's somehow tied to an NGO -

this week let's visit again what microfiance is and how it helps the people here in Burundi coupled with photos from a lending group I was fortunate enough to visit. Today I'm recopying a description I found on MarsHill's website because I think it explains the concept very well - so forgive me if you've read this already... but I thought it well worth the reading to offer again.

In Burundi, Africa, one of the biggest hurdles in alleviating poverty is lack of capital. Yet, after a decade-long civil war, only a small percentage of people in Burundi have the collateral required to obtain it. Sitting at 166 out of 169 on the Human Development Index [which ranks countries by health, education, and income], the Burundian people are near to the world’s poorest.

Yet, there is hope. Turame Community Finance is a microcredit institution with pre-credit preparation trainings designed to increase a client’s capacity for credit policies and procedures. This training, combined with a social guarantee between members of the same group, serves in place of collateral, to open up the opportunity to obtain a microloan.

The loan application process begins by a potential Turame client submitting a business idea. Those who are approved receive a small amount of funds [typically around $60] to help build their business and generate a profit. With the profit earned, clients are not only able to pay back their loans but also provide for the needs of their families. One small loan impacts multiple lives.

Microloans provide the poor with the opportunity to work themselves out of poverty. Their small businesses are a permanent, sustainable means for independence instead of on-going reliance on external aid. As businesses grow, livelihoods improve, new opportunities are realized, and dignity is restored.

the price of food

2011-12-30T16:17:00.003+02:00

So today Billy and I went on an adventure. For the first time since I arrived in Burundi, we went to the grocery stores to see what is available here and to compare prices between the three main "muzungu" stores. I wasn't brave enough to take pictures inside the shops - but don't think Meijer - think walking into a 7Eleven - that's about the right size for these stores. Most people do their shopping at the local market or buy from street kiosks. We've found it is easier to send someone else to the market for us with a shopping list - prices seems to be lower when you are local in a system as fluid as the marketplace.

So, if you are interested, here's about what things cost here in Bujumbura::

small jar of peanut butter (imported)- $5

250g butter - $3

2.5lb chicken - $16

small bag pasta (imported)- $5

regular sized tub of ice cream (imported)- $22

pineapple - $1

large bunch of bananas - $3

1kg white rice - $1

1kg risotto rice (imported) - $9

box of cornflakes (imported) $10

1.5liter (recycled) bottle of local honey - $8.50

6 limes - 50cents

1kg fresh peas - 50 cents

1kg onions - $1

coconut - $2

single cookie Twix bar (imported)- $3

bottle of Malibu (imported)- $33

1kg dry beans - 90cents

1kg potatoes -$1

1kg green beans -$1

1 large avocado- $1

jar of nutela (imported) -$9

local eggs- 19cents each

loaf of homemade bread- 60 cents

deli ham , two large sandwich slices - $5

So, obviously, we are sticking with fresh local produce we can buy (or have bought for us) at the market. Lots of rice and beans instead of going for the imported things ...

it means our meals are simple. A baked potato with a side of peas for dinner. Mango, bananas and pineapple for a breakfast plate. Often times we go out for lunch to a local restaurant. For $2 we get a big plate of beans, rice, spinach and potatoes. It fills us up so much we just eat some popcorn for dinner.

I will admit though, last night I had a dream that my dear friend, Jen, came to visit me - and she brought cheese - and I couldn't have been happier. Funny.

this mama

2011-12-29T12:56:00.002+02:00

While visiting the meeting of a local lending group in Getega, Burundi, this mama really wanted a picture taken with her child. As she sat in her group, she signaled to me a couple of times and held her darling boy up - but each time, as soon as I picked the camera up to my eye, he burst into tears, terrified at the attention this white stranger was giving him. I get that reaction a lot in the rural lands especially. Places where little ones haven't seen such pale skin. As I sat in the shade during the 2 hour loan repayment process, I saw this mother walking her baby down the small path behind the lean-to we were using as a temporary bank. I love this image (and the one immediately following it where the little one notices me and starts sobbing again) and am excited for her to get a copy.

*Sometimes the things you don't plan, come out so much nicer than the ones you try so hard for.

making a living

2011-12-28T14:21:00.001+02:00

Christmas Goat Bbq

2011-12-26T17:15:00.002+02:00

Christmas in Burundi is a lot like Christmas in the States -

a special time to come together as a family - share your blessings and joy - and eat lots and lots of food.

We were super glad to be invited to share the special day with friends of ours living here in Burundi.

We laughed a lot, drank tons of Coke and Fanta Citron, and ate so much goat bbq with fried bananas (not the sweet kind, but the bready kind called ibitoki) and cabbage salad... which is what salad is here, cabbage and carrots soaked in a lemon mayo with big hunks of tomato and avo and sometimes boiled egg sitting prettily on top.

We danced - on the playlist were such varied hits as Randy Travis' "I'm Going to Love You Forever" and "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett - the theme from "Staying Alive" and great African hits like "Bread and Butter" (which we all danced the most joyful to) and "SawaSawaLe" (which we are not allowed to watch the Congolese video of unless you are over 21, and even then it's not a great idea).

Billy and I came home around 6 and skyped with the kids and the rest of our family. We had talked to them late the night before. In Michigan they were putting the finishing touches under the tree, and in Burundi we were beginning our Christmas morning with thankfulness for all the blessings we have. Then, we skyped again a very few hours later as the kids were all waking up to raid their stockings. It was a very good day like that. Lots of conversations, we got to be a part of lots of giggles and our family took lots of pictures make it seem we hadn't missed it after all.

Noel Inziza -

2011-12-25T20:16:00.001+02:00

Merry Christmas from Burundi

love, Billy and Trace

2012 - days and weeks to discover who you really are

2011-12-23T09:02:00.006+02:00

"You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle." Paul Coelho

I woke up at 4 this morning. Thin foam mattresses and itchy bites and guards patrolling past my window; I'm not sure what woke me, but I stayed awake, and once again found myself wandering through the pictures of the past few weeks I've been back in Africa. Seriously, sometimes I'm amazed that I get to live this life. Apart from the sadness of being away from our kids this season, apart from the finances and medical issues and the fact that I'm betting the farm every day that none of the 48 mosquito bites I currently have were given to me by a tiny lady also sipping out of the malaria jug..... even as we live through all that, we are constantly aware of our blessings. We get to live HERE. We get to work at a micro finance bank in Burundi and see men and women whose lives are changed with an extra $50 to supply bananas for their market stall. We get to buy those bananas for our breakfasts, or take that bicycle taxi ride, or purchase a sack of homemade charcoal on the side of the road, and experience, first hand, the circle of sustainability in a country of poverty.

Last night Billy and I were dreaming and wondering again - how in the world did we end up here? You know, those questions that are laced with amazement and thankfulness, but still filled with wonder. How did we come to live a life where the next natural step was to move to Burundi? Of course. And we are reminded, it is the same life that we chose years ago - by committing to listening intentionally and just saying "yes" to the next right thing. Each day, unique in its opportunities to do what is right, even if it isn't easy. And each new day, God has given mercies to take that small step leading us on a path that winds into the most beautiful places - beautiful mostly because He is there with us.

One day. One choice. A simple "Yes".

So, this morning, as I was going through my images again, I put together a weekly calendar for all of us to remember these moments all year long. Through the sloggy winter days in January, the daffodils peeking up in March, as we enjoy the bounty of our own farmer's markets throughout the summer months and in the autumn watching the leaves turning into brilliant hues matching the fabrics of the African women - we will remember. And we will remember that each new day is a fresh opportunity to experience God's goodness in the exact space we are in. Each day is an opportunity to listen for his voice and make a choice to say "yes"- and then turn around and be a blessing in return.

The 134 page calendars are available for purchase at blurb.com (and you can preview it in the link below) $10 of the purchase price comes back to us so we can invest it in a Kiva loan to benefit another group of Turame clients and/or help pay Samkelo's school fees during the upcoming year (he's the little guy on the back page - Hi Samkelo!). I guess it depends on how many calendars get sold, but there are plenty of places even $10 can go to make a world of change.

As always, we love it that we get to do this together. Thank you for all you do to encourage and join us. Merry Christmas. All thing are certainly new, every morning, by God's loving nature. Even here. Especially here.

2012 ... each day is another precious opportunity by Trace DiCocco - www.dicocco.com | Make Your Own Book

back from Gitega

2011-12-22T14:25:00.003+02:00

Yesterday, Billy , Daniel, Immanuel and I took the drive "up country" to the beautiful area of Gitega. There we visited a Turame office in the city and one of the lending groups even further into the countryside. I was there to take images of the lending group meeting together to make their payment on their loan... which I will show you in the days ahead. It really was quite beautiful.

But, oh my sweet stars, how could I resist these

little precious-ness' ??

Merry Christmas baby Jesus

2011-12-21T06:11:00.000+02:00

We are on our way "up country" till tomorrow. Pray for safety and that our meetings with the Turame office there goes well. See you tomorrow. Xxx

faces

2011-12-20T09:56:00.002+02:00

This is Pascal

I think he has a pretty sweet name.

He's one of the "make it happen" guys for Turame.

He runs errands, drives people around, is in charge of vehicles, he gets stuff done....

an easy weekend

2011-12-19T13:12:00.004+02:00

We had a quiet weekend here in Bujumbura. Billy says that he is finding that, as lovely as it is, it takes a lot of energy to get through a week. Communication hurdles and language learning and cultural nuances and simply the exhaustion of navigating the unfamiliar... it is all part of living here in Burundi - and although we are joyful for every experience, it also takes some good time resting over the weekend to refuel.

This weekend we refueled with friends at a local pub eating Muchopo (spelling is my own). Part of the muchopo experience is the hour+ it takes to prepare after you have ordered, a great time to build friendships while sitting together with some drinks around a table. We played cards and welcomed new arrivals, told stories and ordered another round of drinks. (cold coke for me- somehow coke just tastes best out of a recycled glass bottle - don't you agree?)

While we visit and laugh and enjoy each other immensely, our muchopo is being slowly cooked. Small pieces of goat meat with slivers of sweet onions. Cooked until their own natural sauces are sticky and fragrant and the meat is soft (well, as soft as goat meat can be). it is served in the big metal dishes it was cooked in, along with either dense flavorless bananas or a sticky bready substance made from the cassava plant called ubusquage (again, my spelling). It is gummy and dense and they say if it is well made and wrapped in banana leaves, it can stay fresh for 100 days. We break off small pieces, mold it in our hands till it becomes like a small spoon and then scoop up our meat and onions between the starchy ubusquage and our fingers. The slightly sour taste of the fermented cassava and the richness of the slow cooked muchopo (with the splash of lemon we''ve just squeezed over the top of the entire dish) is really a nice surprise. Adding that to the special time with friends... and we are dreaming about muchopo long after the night has ended.

Turame

2011-12-16T21:47:00.004+02:00

- Billy and Alex -

I've been slowly getting to know the team at Turame MicroFinance bank. The group of people Billy has been working along side for the past 4 months. They are a special gathering of people to be certain. These are the men and women who spend their every day working as accountants, tellers, human resource professionals, data entry clerks, loan officers, logistics, branch coordinators, managers and , of course, IT guys... holding the pillars of this micro finance bank in place so that Turame is able to provide loans to men and women who use those funds to build the small businesses allow their families to live. We have a few transplants, but most of the people working here are local to Burundi - and hold the beautiful hospitality so dear to this part of the world. I'm thankful for their welcome - Mwaramutse, Karibu.

- the team at Turame -

finding friendships

2011-12-15T08:42:00.002+02:00

Billy's first three months here in Bujumbura, Burundi have been rich in so many ways. He loved being back in the IT field - having challenges thrown at him every morning that he has to use the far corners of his brain and ninja-tech skills to solve. But even more than problems to solve, Billy values relationships - people to live out this big beautiful life with. It's amazing how God has continued to introduce us to people in our story that just "fit" - people who quickly become dear friends and confidants and share comfortable laughter with and who don't think a second thing about eating off your plate at lunch. It's a beautiful thing - especially so far from home - to have friendships.

making it up to you

2011-12-14T07:17:00.004+02:00

Welcome to Burundi - Karibu

I've decided to make up for my absence in our shared space here in dicoccoville by spending the rest of December and January meeting you every day in picture blog of our moments here in Bujumbura. This will help me to 1.be brave enough to get my camera out every day even though I don't currently have any 'assignments' and 2.give us things to talk about together, about life and culture and beauty. Billy goes to work every day in an office - and office that provides loans to the poorest margin here in Burundi - I'll share moments in that environment and also share with you every day moments of what life is like here in Burundi - for us and hopefully for the majority.

Nearly every day we walk to a small cafe, not far from the office in downtown Bujumbura, for lunch. The food is simple, and always the same, but hearty and good. Beans, rice, lingalinga (which is a bit like spinach), boiled potatoes, and a single cube of slow cooked meat served in a pool of sauce. Billy orders his with ubugali , a sticky mound of bread dough made from wheat and cassava. He tears off pieces with his fingers and molds it in his hand to use as a spoon to scoop up his lunch.

Tomorrow I fly to Burundi

2011-12-06T14:56:00.002+02:00

But in the mean time, I've been having a lovely time here in my other home - South Africa. We've had sleep overs and picnics and long walks and longer chats and even played with baby lions.

I've so enjoyed my time here in South Africa. In many ways it feels as if I never left. But then I'll be at the store and think "Oh, I can pick up cream soda cuz Maddie likes it" and then realize, she's not here with me. Or as I'm driving home from a day in Zandspruit, I'll think "I wonder how the kids have been all day. We should take a walk when I get home." As much as I'm loving my time, It's hard being here without my kids around. That is true.

I've talked to them, and to Billy, a few times in my time here. My internet is sparse so it hasn't been as often as I'd hoped. I'm thankful for Skype though. And for email and Facebook. I don't know if I could do this without all those connector points. Billy's reports from Burundi are good. He is continuing to thrive in Turame. The reports from the news continue to speak of violence though - and that really does mess with my head and my heart. I know that my response should be to bump up my prayers - but often times, my prayers turn to mush when my heart begins to get fearful. Right now I am praying though. Praying for all this to turn into no-big-deal and for us to experience only the richness of the east african culture and have the opportunity to spend ourselves completely in love and God's goodness.

So, keep praying with me. All shall be well. It already is.

and we'll talk soon - from Burundi.

(PS) I've been trying to upload images for you to enjoy - i've taken such fun ones of some of the kids here I love so dearly. For some reason my speed is too sluggish and you aren't getting to see them. Huge disappointment to me. But hopefully soon.

xxx

Look here what we just did

2011-11-16T20:57:00.005+02:00

So we've been talking a little bit about Burundi - and about micro finance.

It just so happens that our home church in the states is in the middle of a great endeavor - partnering with the very organization that Billy and I are now working with. Turame MicroFinance Bank. The idea is that all of us working together can build something big. A group of individuals coming together in Africa, requesting a loan to raise their businesses to the next level. A group of individuals coming together around the globe to pool their resources providing the capital for this loan. By lending $25-$80 (which you will get back in 6 months' time to put back into your pocket, or to reinvest in another lending group)

Look here what we just did!

Billy and I just became lenders to this group of entrepreneurs in Burundi!

Here is one lady's story from our group...

Odette is a 32-year-old merchant who lives in the town of Mumuri in Gitega Province, in the middle of the country. She has been doing commerce in bananas for three year. She is also a farmer.

Odette has attended school and reached the 9th grade. She is married to Faustin. Together they have five children, of whom three are in primary school.The Kiva loan of 100,000 Burundi francs that she obtained has enabled her to increase her capital to buy large amounts of bananas to resell, so as to make a large profit and to increase her savings.

She is a member of the community group "Tambuka".

-------------------------------

Do you know why I chose them? It's because of that woman on the left. Seriously. Who wouldn't love to support her? And the babies... so many babies. All of that, and the one woman's story that was told out of this group on the weblink ... I love farmers, I love bananas, and the boy we sponsor through World Vision is named Faustin too. That clinched it for me.

Now I we have a little bit of a fun circumstance that we are right there in Burundi with these lovely people (or about to be - i leave in less than a week to meet Billy!) i wonder if we'll get to meet them during our time at Turame - wouldn't that be amazing? But whether I meet this group exactly, or another with similar stories - i know this loan and this program are changing lives . Real people's lives.

If you want to support a group of small people - giving opportunity for a loan that will provide capital to build their business and support their families - join us at www.kiva.org - or perhaps even join the exact group Billy and I are a part of sponsoring

It's another great example of what we've seen so often - it just takes each of us doing our small part to accomplish big things - and make the world a better place - indeed.

some thoughts on Burundi...

2011-11-10T20:24:00.007+02:00

again, sorry for my absence. Readjusting to life in the states, getting my kids balanced here again, visiting with dear friends, and preparing my heart and my details to return to Africa in a few weeks, has taken just about all I've had - and I'm not sure you'd really find any value in my leftovers... or that I'm in a good place to coherently share them. Mini-panic attacks over leaving my kids. Frustrations over legal arrangements and provisions. And then there's the daily things like Halloween parties and cross country meets and walks in the woods. All good things that make up life - for all of us - and since i haven't had any extra energy to share them in good ways (seriously, all my friends are so much funnier than I am - it tends to give a tired soul a bit of a complex) , I've been quiet.

But from now till my departure - on November 22 - let's talk about Burundi.

Today's excerpt is taking from www.marshill.org - specifically based around micro finance and the lending bank : Turame : that Billy and I are a serving in now.

starting this Sunday, at MarsHill, we have the opportunity to share in the micro-loan process. We can provide the capital for a real someone to borrow from - an opportunity to seed their small business, giving them the resource they need to follow their dream to become a business owner - and earn an income to buy food and clothing for their family, send their children to school, build their business into something they can be proud of - and learn business and life skills along the way.

You can find out more at www.marshill.org and actually join with someone that Billy and I could possibly be meeting while we serve in Burundi with this great organization. That's kind of sweet.

this weekend

2011-10-04T13:26:00.003+02:00

The past few years, when we've been able to visit the states, I've coordinated portrait weekends as fundraisers to cover expenses while we are home or to help toward the cost of plane tickets. It's always been a sweet time to connect. But this year, since my focus is helping to settle the kids into a place where I can feel comfortable leaving them here while I join Billy in Burundi - my weekends look a lot different. Madyline, Harrison and Avery are all in school during the day, so weekends are our time together and even though the weather is lovely and the leaves are perfect for a Saturday of photo shoots, I am just not in a space to be the one to take them.

In steps Lynell from Lizzie Photo. Lynell is a professional photographer here in Grand Rapids, Michigan who's signature style sparkles in her weddings and family portraits. Her photos are playful and full of life - capturing nuances of personality and whimsy. I love her work. I love seeing the joy and beauty and real life in people through her images. In fact, when my nephew, Pierce, was born in January this year and I couldn't come home from Africa to shoot new family portraits for my sister, it was Lynell that I called. (the picture in the postcard above is from that session).

Lizzie Photo has offered her giftings to us. She is willing to book out sessions this entire coming weekend on our behalf. Each 30 minute session will include either an 8x10 or three 4x6 prints of your choice and an online gallery of images you can order (at really great a-la-carte rates).

And all the session fees will come directly back into our fund to help purchase a plane ticket for me to return to Africa at the end of the month. And seriously guys, I miss Billy.

So let's join together and make a beautiful gift out of this lovely offer

- book a session
for your family
for your christmas cards
for your best friend that just got engaged
for your neighbor that had a baby last month
for your high schooler that is always covering facebook with pictures of her and her friends
for your parents who still have that portrait of themselves from 1984 hanging on their wall
for that person that has just been on your mind lately
for yourself, because you are the one always behind the camera and never in the photos

lshooks@gmail.com or 616.241.2795

who knew helping a missions family get to Africa could be so much fun?

Turame - Restoring Burundi

2011-09-27T00:20:00.000+02:00

So, I went out looking for a video about Burundi - we are going to learn about this place together since I've not yet been. What a fun surprise to find this one, made especially for Turame Microfinance Bank - this is exactly the project we are working with now. Billy has been inside the bank now for the past three weeks - using his ninja skills in computer network systems and cleaning up servers and battling viruses and untangling issues. Soon they will hire a local Burundian that Billy will begin to train to run the IT department.

I won't say much right now, he has his own stories to tell, but for today, let's all sit back and watch this video about the Turame project in Burundi and feel a little closer to this beautiful concept of microfinance and the beautiful country we are now calling home.

the epic story - part 2

2011-09-26T01:32:00.005+02:00

So we are sitting in our home - our home in South Africa, grieving that it is truly time to leave - our hearts seizing up when we think of what it is going to feel like to say goodbye - excited but anxious at what it might be like to move back to the US again, when this email comes inviting Billy to spend a season at Turame Microfinance Bank in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Billy's first reaction is a wistful joy. He'd love to go, he's had a longing in his heart to spend time living into that project since we were first approached with the opportunity in 2007 - and even before that, when he visited Rwanda for the first time in 2005. He loves the great lakes region, he loves the culture and color and smell of rich earth - and he loves IT systems and networking and going in to a mess with the challenge of cleaning it, streamlining it and teaching other people to use it best. he loves that. But he knew he wouldn't want to move our kids to Burundi - not now, not as teenagers, not with the recent civil unrest, not for only 6 months, just long enough to settled and then get uprooted again. So he had a moment of dreaming, and then smiled sweetly and dismissed the idea.

I wrote an email to my sister laughing at the new thing that had gotten thrown into the mix of "oh my goodness, we don't know what is coming next" ..... and within a few hours, my sister was on the phone with me saying "We think the kids should come live with us while you and Billy are in Burundi- all of them - we've already figured it out and it will work just fine."

and she really meant it.

Prayers, discussions with our life-long friends who journey this thing out with us even from far, so many tears, so many questions, so many "what if? .... " how can?...."

but deep in our spirits, we knew this was our path. We knew that we could say no - we could take the easy road and simply go home to Michigan as a family, find a job, buy a car (knowing that nothing would be as simple as it has seemed in our romanticized visions of home we've carried for the years we've been away). But we also knew that doing that would damage something inside our souls - the part that has committed to the promise of always listening - and always saying yes to that next right step. The part that led us South Africa in the first place, and now was leading us away. That voice of God we depend on so greatly.

so we said yes

we said yes and a whirlwind occurred. Our goodbyes and packing up 4 years of a life in Africa would have to be quick for use to make time lines work for the kids to start school at the beginning of the Michigan school year, for Billy to join Turame when they were asking for him to arrive. Within 3 weeks of finalizing that decision, we were on a plane home. Three amazingly full weeks of hosting an international friend, mourning the death of our favorite mama, stepping away from projects and responsibilities, making arrangements for things to carry on in our absence, being intentional with our goodbyes, packing up our house, sorting out things for traveling and for arriving in America and Burundi. Three weeks that are kind of a blur in my memory, but a beautiful blur filled with goodness and love and family.

I flew first, arriving at JFK with the kids and stayed for a week with Billy's dad and sister and dear friends. And over Labor Day weekend, we filled my sister's van with 5 adult sized people, 1 baby, 2 dogs, 9 suitcases, 4 carryons & a dog crate and drove from New Jersey to Michigan.

By that time, Billy was already in Burundi, beginning a new season in our lives.

... more of the story to come tomorrow

the epic story- part 1

2011-09-24T01:19:00.007+02:00

Do you know how sometimes the world begins to move at warp speed and you have to just buckle up and hang on for all your worth? And do you know how during those times all the "extras" of life are put aside for awhile so that you can simply live well in the moments ahead?

We had a couple of months like that. Literally. Some of you know the story because you are a part of this journey through our monthly storyletters - you are welcome to join us in these storyletters - just message me with your email address and I'll send you the last one we sent out with the bigger version of our move and then the next time a letter gets sent, it will be waiting for you in your inbox. Go to "join us" page and follow the link to our email.

People often asked us "How long are you going to stay here in South Africa" and our answer was always the same : " when we moved to South Africa, it wasn't because we had a deep desire to save the world - it was because we have a deep desire to be obedient to whatever we feel like God is asking us to do - and this was what He was asking us to do. I think that our leaving will be the same. It won't necessarily be anything but God's clearly inviting us to go home again."

We knew the time would come someday - but 'someday' can be as far off as a dream.

So, we've known for some time that God was busy doing something new. We dreamed and we prayed about what that might be and all the while continued to live life fully into whatever we were doing in South Africa - because for all the things we don't know, one thing that is absolutely, solidly true is that we are called to simply say "yes" to whatever we are meant to be doing today. That is true whether we are in Africa or Michigan or tucked inside with our family on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

So after months of "what do you think is going on?" and weeks of "I'm not sure, let's pray about it" and dreams and ideas and opportunities and speculations and things going opposite how we thought they should and tears and surprises and gifts and confirmations and peace

- we were ready to admit that the time had come to say goodbye to the country we have let ourselves love so deeply.

We didn't know where we were going next or what was in store for us, what we did know was that we had to give notice to our landlords that we were leaving and beyond that, we assumed we were heading back to the US - and yet....

the very next day, Billy got an email from Turame MicroFinance Bank - an offshoot of World Relief , in Bujumbura, Burundi. Remember last year when Billy spent a week in Burundi helping with a team that came from our home church in Michigan to work on the computer systems for Turame? Same place - and the email went something like this "I know you are happily serving in South Africa, and I don't mean to overstep my boundaries here, but I was wondering if there was any way you'd consider spending 6-ish months here in Burundi helping us with our IT department: cleaning it all up, writing manuals and training a new local person to run it. "

and Billy's heart lit up.

.... story to be continued tomorrow -

our family - including Amos - who didn't get to come home with us

i spent my saturday

2011-08-01T21:49:00.002+02:00

with some of the most adorable kids .....

I'm still editing images , but here's a few I can show you right now.

Precious Hearts Preschool - Deipsloot

my love and I - back to school

2011-07-29T09:07:00.005+02:00

A photo taken from the Kingsway Gala's sweet little photo booth last week.

Class pictures. Love it.

What you can't see is my beautiful, silky, African dress - or my toe, which, at this moment i did not yet realize was bleeding all over the floor as I sat and smiled so sweetly for our portrait. We figured that out a few moments after the shutter clicked and spent the rest of the night trying to doctor it with bandaids found in the bottom corners of ladies' party purses.

A dear friend of ours is visiting this week and next, putting together a video about our family and the life we have chosen to live - and giving his gift of photography to a couple of organizations. Yesterday we spent time at a Grannies and Grandpa's club inside Zanspruit and he took some stunning portraits of everyone.

photo by Joshua Tyron

(Here's a link to his page - you need to go see these for yourself!)

We are so chuffed that he's sharing his best with us. I can't wait to deliver these images to the grannies and grandpas next week. They are going to be blown away. They are BEAUTIFUL.

I only wish we could get some frames sponsored. Wouldn't that be special?

I'll see you on Monday - with a pocket full of pictures from a talent show in Deipsloot, an afternoon with my sweet friend, Dikeledi, and a jaunt to the rooftop crafters market.

Right now I find myself with an uncommonly quiet morning - with Josh still sleeping and Billy at a breakfast meeting that seems to be lasting through lunch. I'm off to drink a warm up of chai (a gift from our Michigan home) and thaw my fingers so I can play a little on the piano before the kids come back from their school day.

What would you do with an unexpected quiet winter morning?

guys

2011-07-27T20:19:00.000+02:00

the community speaks - part two

2011-07-25T11:59:00.009+02:00

-painting Masekane school

-Zandspruit 23 July 2011

the community speaks

2011-07-25T10:33:00.003+02:00

It seems these days as if Zandspruit is famous.

Lately, Billy will mention the community we love so deeply, and people from all walks of life will say "Oh, Zandspruit? I saw them on the news! That's a really dangerous place!"

This video, posted by TimesLive was taken in March during some rioting that took place while my parents were visiting. It was a bad day - a rough day, true. But this isn't the whole story of Zandspruit. Not even close. This is 200 people out of thousands.

In late June/early July - a day of "striking" once again drove everyone inside their homes for fear of being caught up in the violence of the few. Police don't tend to stop and ask if you were on the streets to visit the toilet or get food for your family, they just shoot rubber bullets or tear gas at anyone they see out of their shacks. We had to cancel Thursday's holiday club with the kids at GoLang Education Center (where I was busy working on art projects with the kids) and early on Friday morning, some unhappy residents petrol bombed the computer center in the local primary school, burning it completly down.

Now, why, if your main complaint is that there aren't good services, education, homes, ways to grow, would you go and destroy your children's opportunities to learn? But, that's not my question to ask here. The rioting was on the news. The petrol bombing was on the news. GoLang went ahead with it's scheduled 10th birthday party celebration, and the police made their rounds making certain the (much less than normal) crowd of GoLang partners and friends were safe despite the hot tempers in the community.

This is all sad and unfortunate, not that the protestors don't have valid hurts and complaints - but the violence that continues to rack this community is really perpetrated by a small percentage of the community at large. Yet, they say the speak for the entire community.

On Saturday this past week - another part of the community spoke.
"This far and no further. We value our community. "

About 40 volunteers arrived on the campus of the local primary school with brooms and brushes and hoses and ladders and buckets & buckets of paint - and by the end of the day, the school that had just been burned a few weeks ago was shining and new.

The media was called and told about the restoration. They were invited. They were asked " please come and share the rest of the story of the people of Zandspruit".

They didn't come.

But we were there - and we know the truth about the people of Zandspruit - so much more than the media wants to show. Zandspruit is filled with thousands of amazing people, beautiful people, make the world a better place people. And we are privledged to know them - to celebrate life with them and to be loved in Zandspruit.

photos of the restoration following in another post -

you are invited to celebrate Zandspruit with us.

celebrating Kingsway

2011-07-22T21:39:00.009+02:00

Last night we gathered in a beautiful hall to celebrate Kingsway School - and raise money to add to the new school's building fund.

my favorite little painting I showed you last week got auctioned off for R11500 (US$1700) !!

Well, I think they were actually bidding on the box of 16 bottles of fancy wine that came with the painting, but I'm going to stick to my story that it was the monkey painting they wanted and the wine got thrown in as a bonus.

Bongani, one of the Kingsway graduates, told his amazing story and we celebrated together how Kingsway has given him a foundation that has literally given him wings.

And the African Children's Choir performed - what a stunning honor to have them with us!

And Elvis Blue - SA Idols winner - an amazing performer and very deep and lovely guy.

it's always amazing to see my photography printed on canvas and larger than life. I think the images we chose really shared the story of Kingsway - the joy and learning and "ah-ha" moments and special tender times.

ke a laobga means "thank you" in tswana -

the rest of the pictures are on flickr - head on over and take a peek

(the link is offically fixed - sorry about that - now, click away!)

Winding our way home

2011-07-18T16:35:00.001+02:00

We've crossed the border back into South Africa and are pushing to make it back home today, even though that will mean 16 hours of driving. The truck we are driving goes really slow on hills, and we see nothing but mountains ahead of us. But somewhere over those mountains and further down the road is home.

When you live as a missionary, home becomes kind of a relative term. Home is the place in Johannesburg where my paintings hang and our beds are just right and our dogs are waiting for us. But home is also Michigan where our bigger family still loves us and the leaves turn a thousand different welcoming colors and Marie Catrib will make me a sandwich. Home is NewJersey where Billy grew up, just across the river from the energy of NYC. Bagels and pizza and strong coffee and his father who he misses every day.

We also find scattered pieces of home at a backpackers along an isolated Mozambique shoreline - like shells to be picked up along the beach and celebrated as beautiful. Camping with friends who share the deep and the hard and the joyful. Friends who talk late into the night and celebrate the moment we are all in as much as dreaming toward the future, as precarious and delicate as that future seems. Home is whenever we are together as a family. Not just in the same room, but in the same heart. Watching our teenagers - alive in their freedoms; going to the market on their own, exploring the beach for hours, playing soccer with local children.

Home is so much more than where we plant our garden, I think it's more about who we share it with.

Where do you feel at home??

We'll be seein y'all

2011-07-08T07:41:00.000+02:00

Billy is home after a month away, the holiday club marathon is over and the DiCocco kids are on school holiday for another week- so we've packed our junk food and sleeping bags and are heading out camping for the next few days. We've got lots to catch up on - and lots to live out together - and honestly, some forward stuff we need to have space to process and pray about with clear minds. Nothing clears our minds like being out of the city.
We'll be seeing you after another week. Love and campfire dreams to you all.

Kingsway Gala Event

2011-07-06T16:49:00.004+02:00

Adorable, right?

I know.

This is one of 20 canvases that will be auctioned off at the

Kingsway Gala Event

I honestly thought about keeping this one - hiding it away and finding it "accidentally" on my wall at home. I LOOOOOVE this sweet little monkey - and the little monkey who painted it is precious too.

23 Canvases that were painted by our first grade class and the first grade class of Maragon Private school will be available at the event, along with sets of custom greeting cards. This has been what our Monday afternoons for the last two months have all been about. A way for these kids to be part of the building of their new school. The school many of these little ones will have the privilege of graduating from high school from, and benefiting from an amazing eduction.

And oh, how sparkling these first graders are.

Kingsway has the unique opportunity to move right into the neighborhood that many of their kids live in. Land has been given, walls have been begun - and now we wait on the funding to finish building the new school.

On July 21, Kingsway is hosting a gala event

the African Children's Choir will be there

South African Idols winner Elvis Blue will be there

Billy and I will be there along with with

art work from our favorite first graders.

Tickets are R400

We'd love to see you there too!

Invest in the South Africa's future by investing in these kids'

www.2022.co.za

holiday club wrap up

2011-07-04T11:26:00.004+02:00

the rest of this week went fantastically -

although I will admit I was spent by the end.

still am if you ask me twice.

Dividing up and meeting the kids where they are was a ton more work, but brilliant. Watching the teenage leaders take ownership of each venue and personal investment in each child, it was a sight to see. We are raising a generation of leaders - of vibrant and solid young leaders. Love them all.

Just some images from the week - Wednesday I'm going to show you something from Kingsway that will melt your heart. So I'll see you in a couple of days - and maybe I'll have had time to catch up on my sleep (or whatever it is I'm lacking) before then.

guess who is home

2011-06-29T19:38:00.000+02:00

we are HOLIDAY CLUBBING

2011-06-27T18:03:00.009+02:00

Every year, our church opens it's doors to hundreds upon hundreds of kids from our area for a week of fabulousity. The past few years, we've grown - grown to numbers topping 1000! That's a lot of kids for one little church to host. And we are keenly aware that those numbers are only limited because of transportation for many of the little ones. Every year we see kids walking 3KM or 5Km - or even further - following the bus after it was too full to carry everyone who had been waiting.

So this year, we do like you do in South Africa ... and we "made a plan". Bussing is one of our biggest expenses, and it limits how many kids get to come join the fun. So we've decided instead of bringing the kids to holiday club - we'd bring holiday club to the kids. 6 separate venues - partnering with local churches and organizations who maybe didn't feel like they could swing an entire production on their own. I'll be popping in and out of the six locations - and then leading the art program at GoLang in Zandspruit.

6 locations - 6 sets of young adult leaders - made up mostly of kids from our Friday night youth group at Community Ministries. It's amazing to see these teenagers taking charge - getting the kids enthused - leading them in games and songs and bible stories, keeping order, sharing love. I'm crazy proud of them! And super excited for the rest of this week.

sweetest thing I heard today in art class: I was busy spraying hairspray on the kids' inked papers today, so that tomorrow when we start layering on the glue, their letters don't smear. There was one particular little one who was standing downwind, just breathing deeply the mist from the spray. I was worried for a moment until I hear a tiny voice say "this smells just like my momma at Christmas."

-precious

Michelle Obama, GoLang Education and the Kingsway School connection

2011-06-24T17:09:00.011+02:00

VISIT OF USA FIRST LADY TO GOLANG PRE-SCHOOL

(taken from http://www.2022.co.za/)

On the 21st of June Michelle Obama, her 2 daughters and mother visited our Golang pre school. After 3 weeks of planning and security checks, the big day finally arrived. 10 black Hummers a helicopter and sharp shooters on the roof of the building was the announcement that someone very important is coming. 20 press people ran from the cars and then Mrs Obama and her family entered- with big smiles and warm hearts. They took our breath away. They hugged every single child and all the teachers. They participated in all the songs and games- even grandmother was swinging her hips. Mrs Obama then read a story-the cat in the hat- to all the children. The US team also donated books for our library. We felt so very blessed by our special visitor and see it as God's amazing gift just a week before our 10th birthday.

Yes Golang Outreach is 10 years old this year and we are having a celebration on the 1st of July. Visit our website for more info: http://www.golangoutreach.co.za/.

Many people ask us what happens with the beautiful kids in our preschool where do they go when the leave the safe, nurturing environment of Golang. We are sad to say that without our direct intervention most of them go to the local overcrowded public school, where they will be one of 70 in a Gr 1 classroom container with no lights. The good news is that there is hope and that is in the form of a private school called Kingsway. This school has a heart for the community of Zandspruit and has been serving their children for the last 20 years, but they are far and children need to be bussed at expensive cost to the property in Randpark Ridge. They are also small because of limited space.

A few years ago though, Kingsway was donated a property in Zandspruit and plans have been drawn up to build a top quality school for our little kids- for 1500 of them. But we cannot do it without your help. We need your financial support to build this dream school and to change the future of the Zandspruit kids and to help change the face of poverty in this community, Good quality education is the only answer to turn poverty into potential.

Please support our fundraising initiatives and help where you can.

WE NEED YOU! THE CHILDREN NEED YOU!
Marietjie Steyn (Golang Founder)

*photography of Michelle Obama at GoLang preschool

courtesy of the Randburg Sun and GoLang Education

together we make big things happen

2011-06-22T13:00:00.003+02:00

pajama party

2011-06-20T21:16:00.002+02:00

I am Samkelo and I can read!

2011-06-08T20:49:00.002+02:00

Yes - it's time to celebrate!!!
What a great day!!

We talked a few weeks ago about my friend, Samkelo.
He's just about the bestest kid ever - 12 years old and new to Kingsway school, Samkelo and I get to hang out two times every week to play around with letters and words and sounds. He's a lot like me and always wants to pick a spot in the sunshine - even though it's winter here and around 40 degrees in the mornings. I usually bring hot tea for us to share - but Samkelo only likes it when I make tea sweet with sugar.

While Billy is in the states, he is collecting early reading books from a few of our dear friends, and another has provided us with some JumpStart computer games to work from, and another gave us a huge Amazon gift card that I bought a lot of teacher resources with - and a few reading books as well. It's just amazing when you think about it, that Samkelo's journey into being a reader - a journey that will absolutely shape his life - is being joined by us all. It's just like the best things in life - different ones of us sharing what we have to make the world a better place. All the little bits add up to a GREAT BIG WONDERFUL world.

It's true. And thank you.

One more thing I'd LOVE to have for Samkelo is the PBS series, Between the Lions.
If you have some old copies you can share - or even wanted to set your DVR to record and then send us burned DVDs every few weeks, it would be a treat! I've been scouring the internet and a full season is hard to come by.

Our last story letter was about the value of reading-

*(if you don't get our monthy-ish story letters in your email box, we'd love to include you, just let us know!)

one of the things I that struck me in the book "Shaped by the Story" was a unique validation of raising a generation of readers - especially readers that come out of violent, impoverished backgrounds -

"the process of developing internal images and meaning in response to words in the basis of imagination... The capacity for imagination ha profound implications, not just for academic learning, but for behavior as well. Several recent studies have shown that children who lack imagination are far more prone to violence. Such children can not imagine alternatives to their immediate perceptions of anger or hostility; they're able to react only to what they believe is the situation in front of them. On the other hand, children who posses imagination have a very different experience. they can be exposed to the same hostile situation as an aggressive child, but with their ability to imagine, different solutions can be reached."

I think of the recent strikes (rioting and violence) that have plagued our community. I think of the abuse and neglect. I think of the lack of forward vision or cause-and-effect understanding. I think of the lack of trust toward outsiders and insiders alike. I think of the vast number of uninformed people, both inside and outside of our community, and all around the world. Not uninformed because of a lack of media information, but uninformed because a bigger world view hasn't had the opportunity to influence their experiences and offer alternatives. We live this life all the time when we believe in stereotypes, when we fail to see the individual humanity that weaves through other cultures, when we simply fail to look outside our own worlds into the big one God created.

Eugene Peterson in "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places" says

"Story is the most natural way of enlarging and deepening our sense of reality, and then enlisting us as participant in it. Stories open doors to areas or aspects of life that we didn't know were there, or had quit noticing out of over-familiarity, or supposed were out of bounds to us. They then welcome us in. Stories are verbal acts of hospitality."

Our ministry here is relational. It's journey-ing life together. It's storytelling and story-living and pouring ourselves out over and over again in an invitation for the people around us to participate in a deepening sense of reality. We pray to live our lives as God's acts of hospitality.

Matthew 5

"You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. ........

—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. "

today at kingsway

2011-06-06T20:21:00.002+02:00

painting butterflies

2011-06-05T17:35:00.004+02:00

This is where you'll find me on any given Monday.

Bet you kinda' wish you were here now too...

Sharing a birthday

2011-06-02T13:27:00.004+02:00

Today we get to celebrate Billy. And Phidile. And yesterday was Orapeleng's special day.
A spontaneous gang gathered at Motswako Pot to enjoy pap & chakalaka & meat. To enjoy time together.

We are Thankful for community. For friends. For Billy.

Tomorrow Billy gets on a plane to fly to the US for a few weeks leaving the kids and I here in South Africa. Don't worry about us. We've got lots to do and lots of people who love us. Pray for Billy's time in the states with us though. In addition to visiting family and eating as much Mexican food as one person can hold, we need to raise some substantial new sponsorships to keep alive our living and ministry here in Johannesburg. If i sit and stare at the number we are praying for, it seems like a crazy number, a number bigger than God will ever raise up. But it's one we've come up with through a lot of prayer, seeking advice from mentors and friends, and looking through our budget. One that will both keep us here, and allow us to live generously.

Next week we are going to offer a couple of ways you can get involved if you have found yourself falling deeply in love with this place and the relational journeying we do here - like we have.

Or if you'd like to jump into the pond and become one of those monthly sponsors we've been praying will raise their hands during the month of June- all you have to do is click on the picture to the right that says "you're a part of this story too" and it will zip you over to our page at CTEN - our mission organization - with easy ways to contribute through credit card or they'll even set up a monthly with drawl.

It's so humbling, and also so exciting to be completely funded by the generosity of our friends and community. People knowing the value of our lives here. People wanting to be a part of something so big and so delightful and so messy. It costs all of us something, and that's actually the beautiful part of it. Because it matters. Not everything we do in our lives can hold to that claim. We (not just DiCoccos - but all of us, all of you, engaged in this space through our hands and feet) are doing something that matters. Something much bigger than any one of us - that can only work with all of us together.

Thank you.

Teacher Palesa

2011-05-31T13:49:00.005+02:00

sometimes it's fun when you know someone to try and picture them in their professional career. What must they be like at work? Does my friend the doctor tell the same lame jokes in his office that he does around his living room? How does my favorite hobbyfarmer look all dressed up in a tie acting the part of a professional all week? What would it be like to watch my girlfriend in a broadway play and see her as someone totally different than I know her to be?

Well, from a life-time of darting under the radar- being a mom and a backup vocalist and a helper in classrooms, shelter and centers around the world... and the girl behind the camera - I find myself up in front for a season. Actually doing a job that has a title. I am an art teacher. It's only for a few weeks. I've been getting the first graders of Kingsway School ready to paint on canvases that will be auctioned off at a big gala affair in July. This week we used paints for the first time. Oooooh. Beautiful. Messy. Enlightening. Darling. Messy.

I actually wondered... what I must look like as a teacher? I've never been a teacher before, and the thought is kind of curious to me - so since I had my friend, Morne, along with me for the afternoon - I asked him to take a picture of me being a teacher so I could see for myself.

And there you go.

samkelo is going to be a reader

2011-05-25T08:54:00.000+02:00

I'd love for you to meet my friend, Samkelo.

He's recently been moved from his own home into a children's center - and because of that, he has the opportunity to go to school at Kingsway, the private christian school that serves kids in the settlement we've talked so much about before.

Samkelo is in grade 4 but when he came to school a few months ago, had to begin at the very beginning - by learning to write the letters for his own name. His teacher has done an amazing work this far, but now, I get to join her in his life. I'm coming in twice a week to pull him out onto a patch of grass in the sunshine and we talk about life and letters and words and numbers. He's a clever kid. I have faith that the lights will begin to turn on and he'll find that place of learning and will shine.

Last week as a special treat I made him a little book titled "Samkelo's Cat" with our first 10 sight words. We talked over the first 5 words and then I brought out the little book. He could have fallen over with giddiness and giggles. On every page he just said over and over "Oh, what a lovely book!" "this book is about me!" "I am going to read so I can read this wonderful book!" Later on, when he read an entire page by himself (It is in a basket - with a picture for the word basket) he was so excited to be a real reader now! With each success we celebrate, he will grow one step closer to becoming a reader, and his whole life's opportunities will open and change with that ability.

Yup, Samkelo is a special kid, and I'm honored to be asked to develop a relationship with him and excited to sit beside him as he learns all he's missed out on. Pray with me for Samkelo, will you?

2011-05-23T19:41:00.000+02:00

boys

2011-05-20T19:58:00.006+02:00

So, I was in Zandspruit a few weeks ago, and I glance across the street to see this little cluster of seventh grade boys just hanging out waiting to catch my eye. You know the way 7th grade boys hang back even though they really want to be a part of what is going on. Too cute, but I'd never tell them they are still too cute. They want to be "sick" - which is apparently something good. Sometimes I think "sick" is good too, because it means I get to stay in bed all day and nap and drink hot tea. But I don't' think that's what they mean.

Anyway, I walk over to say hello and after all the greetings,

they say "We want to come to your house"

Now, what in the world would they want to come over for? There's a pool in the house we are staying in now, and I've had them over for swim classes before. I know they loved that, but it's winter here and much too cold to swim. "We just want to visit" says one and another chimes in with "And while we are visiting, we want to sleep over." HA!! I could just die with how fabulously adorable that is.

I'm looking at these photos now and remembering I need to plan that night with their families because really, how many more years, or even months until these 7th grade boys are too "sick" to have relationship with an American missionary - (or adults even).

One of the many moments like this that I'm glad for the relationships we've spent ourselves on here.

Say What You Will

2011-05-18T19:33:00.000+02:00

There is nothing I want you to see more than this -

settle in with a deep breath and open your heart to the South Africa that we love.

Cooking

2011-05-16T08:15:00.000+02:00

Sometimes I don't understand how to cook here in Africa. Even after three years, I still don't really "get" the whole high altitude thing that flattens my cakes or why sometimes when I melt cheese, instead of turning to creamy goodness, it just separates into two separate forms, hard stringy curd and watery milk.

Beans are another mystery. After soaking these all night, they were still hard as... Well, hard as dried beans. So I put them on the stove top with a little baking soda (a high altitude trick I learned) and within 20 minutes, turned around to find this slathering cauldron boiling over the top of my pan. Uhm, ick.

So, i guess what I'm saying is that if you are coming to my house tonight for dinner, bring money to take us out to pizza. Please.

Buyela and GoLang

2011-05-13T19:25:00.003+02:00

Buyela and Matla

2011-05-12T14:40:00.000+02:00

Matla is the rural school in our wider community I was at a few weeks ago with the Vulendlela team for a career day. We do a lot with Matla, it's where a lot of our kids from community ministries go to school.

Buyela spent the day visiting classrooms it was quick, 40 minutes to introduce yourself, establish who you are - why you are there - that you are relevant enough to listen to and genuine enough to trust - conversations, questions, the bell rings again and it's time to do it all over again with a new group.

The leaders at the school specifically asked Buyela to talk about sexuality or drugs - the two main issues they deal with at this school - and honestly - with most of the schools in this area. Our kids have too much growing up to do too quickly - especially in areas marked by poverty. Tough decisions to make. Tough examples to follow. But they are good kids. They are real good kids.

Mapule and the Buyela team

2011-05-11T07:24:00.000+02:00

Today's video courtesy of Billy's cell phone.

Later in the week, Team Buyela visited our own GoLang program inside Zandspruit. The one I've been involved in for these 3 past years - where so many of our favorite kids are a part of. You know it well too.

Our sweet friend, Mapule, was working in the kitchen making lunch for all the kiddos - but the music is irresistable and she couldn't help joining in .

LOVE IT!
and Love Mama Mapule!
I betcha' you'll be up from your cozy seat dancing too.....
team Buyela

Buyela and the shelter

2011-05-10T12:28:00.007+02:00

The majority of the first day I spent with Buyela YFC team was doing programs with the teenaged street boys that live at the shelter now. You could make a movie out of them… such history… such a life… such idiosyncrasies now because of their experiences. At one point the team did a drama that included a bullying that turned into a fight. The electrified energy that surged out of the shelter kids when the drama began was actually frightening. They were loving it - and I honestly thought they might jump in and make the play fight real just for the rush that was pulsing through them. Another time a siren went off and I tell you - they scattered - absolutely ran without a moment's hesitation. What Anthony and Pule and Rapule's lives must be like trying to provide consistency and growth for this group of boys - every single day. I had no idea. I mean, I've been there a few times before, but today was the first time I stayed long enough to actually see each boy for themselves - you know? I'm gonna have to step up my prayers for my friends.

So then at lunch, the neighborhood comes to Ikusasa shelter to have a meal. A smartly dressed woman with tears in her eyes and something heavy on her heart. Another, with that scared look to her eyes huddled off by herself not talking to anyone. A family who brought their dog. A friendly husband and wife. Men in their prime who have fallen on hard times. Old men who look as if they have seen many seasons on the streets. Everyone gets lunch, and friendship. Anthony says they feed about 100-150 people M-F.

Anthony, by the way, absolutely amazes me. He's young - not much older than the street kids he has such a heart for. Yet, he runs this center with precision and excellence. While he was explaining to the YFC team about their lunch time duties he said "We are young here - and many of these people we'll be serving are much older than we are. I don't care if they are belligerent, or filthy or so drunk they can't stand. We will treat each one of them them with respect because they are our seniors and they deserve that dignity."

One of the men called me over - saying he'd like me to take his picture - but first he'd like to take off his jacket. He fumbles with the zipper because one of his arms is casted up and unusable - so his friend comes to his rescue - unzipping the fleece to reveal a bare chest. Oh my goodness. We try to convince the man to keep his shirt on. It's cold. It's indecent. But he is insistent. He wants his picture with his shirt off. He's been assaulted. By white people. He's been to the hospital. He has a note. He wants a picture with his shirt off…

And ooooooooohhhhhhh - the face he pulled when I held the camera up to my eye.
Makes me laugh.

Believe it or not 9although I think you'll believe it), the rest of the time he was flirting and laughing and telling stories.
He wouldn't let me take a picture of that though…

the Buyela team

2011-05-09T12:21:00.005+02:00

So, last week was super busy over here in dicoccoville - but I'm gonna make it up to ya'll by posting every day this week. really, it's gonna be fun for me because I've got a lot of fun stuff to share.

Last week our church hosted the fabulously talented Buyela team from YFC-SA. A group of 12 college aged students who have chosen to give a year of their lives to traveling the country using dance and drama to earn a way into people's lives and talk about some pretty important stuff. Bullying, drugs, sexuality, hiv/aids, family relationships, fatherlessness - all of these are huge issues in our youth's realities - and all were spoken about with candid-ness, awareness and hope.

I was spoiled to spend a couple of days with them as they presented their programs. The first day in our friend's street shelter. Remember a few weeks ago when the 20 boys were dropped off by police? Same shelter. Ikusasa in Krugersdorp.

The team had a great morning hosting a class with a dozen of the teenage-ish boys who have to come off the streets to live at the Ikusasa. I've been to the shelter a couple times to drop things off or say hello - but spending the entire day there with Anthony and the boys has given me a whole new value to speaking my prayers for that space.

Here's a couple images from those moments... enjoy - and I'll see you tomorrow with the story of my new homeless friend.

be washed away

2011-05-02T15:46:00.007+02:00

All Who Are Thirsty
Brenton Brown

All who are thirsty
and all who are weak
come to the fountain
dip your heart in the stream of life

Let the pain and the sorrow
be washed away
in the waves of His mercy
as deep cries out to deep, we sing

come, Lord Jesus, come

.......come, Lord Jesus, come

CTEN - our mission partners

2011-04-28T12:41:00.000+02:00

It's been a while since we've talked about our mission partners (both times I've tried to write this now, my fingers have inadvertantly spelled "mission parents" - could also be true as we have been guided and encouraged by CTEN much in this journey - an organization that is more "family" than protical).

Today's video is one that our "hometeam" pastors put out last year to explain what it is they do. Thier full-time mission is all about pastoring missionary families.
I so identified with much of what they said here... about what it is like being a missionary across an ocean from home - feet in both worlds. Consistantly a mix between lovely and lonely. We are thankful for pastors like Jack and Carol, and the team at CTEN for their commitment to helping God's word go farther and deeper by supporting those of us living it out away from home.

I just thought you'd love to see their hearts - the heart of our mission organization - and meet our pastors. Another step into this journey of understanding.

Celebrating redemption

2011-04-25T13:01:00.003+02:00

This weekend, we not only celebrated the most fiercely beautiful event in history - our Jesus's death and resurrection - but also celebrated the most fiercely beautiful event in our own personal journey.

18 years of marriage.

To know our story means you know the truth about our brokenness even in the middle of a "good life". To know our story means you know the truth about redemption and growth and "all things new". We celebrate our love every day. Celebrate the truth - that it's only from God's big hands that we find our security, our purpose, and even the deep love we swim in for each other.

Redeemed Love

Today we went on a hike that turned out to be shorter than we had planned - after hearing what seemed to be the fevered chant of a sangoma swelling closer and closer to where we sat, sunning ourselves on a stone by the water. Billy says I panicked and ran, and he laughs.... I say I saved his life as we were alone in an isolated canyon with no one to hear our screams if the meeting proved unfriendly. You have to know, I'm laughing here too - but only because I know we are safe. I'd run again. Just saying.

ANYWAY- we hiked. We often enjoy the easiness and steady space that hiking affords us. To let conversation amble along following the journey as our feet step together through bush and stones and across water. To let silence be our friend. To wonder at the stunning landscapes or tender flower along side the path - equally worth our attention. To reflect, to glance forward, to hold hands and be thankful for the *now* .

To recognize who we are.

1 Peter 4:7

Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!

-the message translation

holy week

2011-04-24T07:43:00.001+02:00

Romans 8:31 -

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

-the message translation

holy week

2011-04-23T14:02:00.002+02:00

.
.
.
.
.
.Romans 4:19

Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right." But it's not just Abraham; it's also us!

The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.

-the message translation

holy week

2011-04-22T08:23:00.001+02:00

John 10-

"Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He's only in it for the money. The sheep don't matter to him.

"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again."

-the message translation

holy week

2011-04-21T08:33:00.002+02:00

John 12 -

"Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.

"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.

"Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? 'Father, get me out of this'? No, this is why I came in the first place. I'll say, 'Father, put your glory on display.'"

A voice came out of the sky: "I have glorified it, and I'll glorify it again."

-the message translation

holy week

2011-04-20T08:52:00.004+02:00

Matthew 5

When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

the message tranlsation

holy week

2011-04-19T08:48:00.001+02:00

I Corinthians 15 -

Death swallowed by triumphant Life! Who got the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!

the message translation

my boy

2011-04-15T12:14:00.010+02:00

So, this week must be about Harrison - with a picture of him on Monday and today as well. What can I say, he's just a super cool kid.

He's the kind of 13 year old boy who snuggles babies in church, chases around preschoolers on the playground, tutors kids his own age on the weekends, and holds intelligent (although somewhat mad-scientist-ish) conversations with adults when the opportunity arises.

He's the kind of 13 year old boy who goes for a run or reads a well-worn Calvin and Hobbes book or works out on the piano when he is frustrated or confused or bored.

He's the kind of kid who is busy writing an epic novel in his spare time; Who volunteers to do hospital visits with his dad; and who doesn't even notice that's he's popular.

He's the kind of 13 year old boy who wakes up in the morning, and before his eyes are even open, he asks "Mom, do you know how you can have all three forms of H2O in a single cup at the same time? " What? Was he dreaming about these things? One of my favorite Harrison early morning musings was when we were camping last year. Avery made a comment about his sleep-talking and he (eyes still closed) just stated please-as-you-may "The reason I talk in my sleep is because my super genius mind is constantly in process mode. Even when I'm sleeping, it is working. Sometimes, it's working on something so great, it just spills out of my mouth. The reason you can't understand what I'm saying is because your mind isn't complex enough to follow."

He's the kind of kid who would rather take a walk, or do a crossword puzzle with his grandma than hide up in his room playing video games (well, most of the time).

And he's the kid who, when they were told they had to do community service hours each term for school, I thought he could just take credit for the hours he already tutors. He wasn't satisfied with that though. "Mom" he says "That's not really community service. That's just... I don't know, it's just what we do." And he chose to spend two Saturdays at the local animal shelter last term to fill his hours instead.

I absolutely forever love this boy. Absolutely.

HopeWorldwide -

2011-04-13T10:14:00.003+02:00

Today's video is brought to you by Hope Worldwide - and organization that rents it's local officespaces on the campus of the commuinity center we often hang out at in Zandspruit.

The video starts out kind of bleak. I think they used the "let's show you how horrible this place is so you'll appreciate the contrast of our goodness" approach. Which isn't all-together invalid - there are many injustices and areas of neglect that are difficult to express. But soon after the beginning, they begin to show images and clips of the strength, joy and promise we find in our community every day. The Zandspruit we experience. The Zandspruit we love. And it's easy to fall in love with such a place - captured in the sparkles of a thousand eyes, living life in this beautiful and complex community.

Peeking into a moment

2011-04-11T17:04:00.001+02:00

Just a random moment on a Sunday morning.

I really do have the sweetest teenage boy ever.

Man, do I love him.

celebrating with Everest

2011-04-08T13:08:00.003+02:00

celebrating with Everest - his first term at bible school complete. Everest has been part of our family now for a long time - almost as long as we've lived in South Africa. He's had dreams of working with youth - especially in sports ministry but had to figure out his journey to get to that space. He's been employed at GoLang- the afterschool program for kids in Zandspruit that we also love to hang out with - but I believe God has more for him. And this year, he's had the opportunity to grow further into his dreams. He's been given opportunities to attend bible classes in the mornings and a high-school completion program in the evenings. And yesterday... yesterday he received word that his visa to live and work in South Africa has been approved. A year long process come to a happy completion. We continue to pray for Everest and his journey. Pray for finances and opportunities and support and brain power to complete his classes and spaces for him to be able to live out his dream of running a sports ministry.

it's a double feature wednesday matinee

2011-04-07T15:47:00.000+02:00

My dad just posted a couple videos celebrating thier time here in South Africa with us. We drove a few hours over to the ocean for a camping trip... and the beach was something worth celebrating for sure - as was our time together.

Thought you might want to share it with us too.

xxx

our gumboot boys perform

2011-04-07T10:05:00.008+02:00

Our guys had an opportunity to perform the other day at the grand opening ceremonies of a newly renovated road and overpass pedestrian bridge near the settlement. it was a huge production with local and national government officials. And the wife of the late Dr Beyers Naude** - who the road is named after. The boys smashed the house with their confidence and good nature and gumboot skills. I'm so proud of them. I know you will be too. I mentioned in our last newsletter (if you don't receive our email story letters and would like to... drop me a message. We'd love to include you!) we have room for a small team to visit this year still. You could come see our gumboot boys yourselves. I bet I could arrange a private concert - I know some people ;) Late in the summer August/September would be ideal for us. If your house church or family or even a gathering from your local church want to explore what it is to do ministry through relationships here in a settlement area in Johannesburg - let's start a conversation. it would be a joy to have you. . With much love on a day like today - trace . *** the cool story of Dr Beyers Naude - Born Christiaan Frederick Beyers Naude in 1915, Oom Bey as he was affectionately known was a minister in the South African Dutch Reformed Church and later joined the Broederbond as its youngest member. For 20 years he served various congregations, preaching a religious justification for apartheid. He began to doubt this justification after attending interracial church services. . The Sharpeville massacre in 1960 where the South African Police killed 69 black demonstrators protesting against restrictions ended his support for his church's political teachings. In the three decades after his resignation from the denomination, Naudé's vocal support for racial reconciliation and equal rights led to upheavals in the Dutch Reformed Church. From 1977 to 1984 the South African government "banned" Naudé — a form of house arrest with severe restrictions on his movements and interactions. This included not being able to be in the same room with more than one other person. . After his unbanning in 1985, he succeeded Archbishop Desmond Tutu as Secretary General of the South African Council of Churches and he continued his call for the release of political prisoners and for negotiations with the African National Congress. After his death at 89 in 2004, Nelson Mandela eulogised Naudé as "a true humanitarian and a true son of Africa." His ashes were scattered in the township of Alexandra , just outside Johannesburg .

matla career day

2011-04-05T11:44:00.013+02:00

Our guys at Vulendlela's biggest concern- or at least one of them- are the kids in our local high school. Matla is a severely under resourced school with a big heart. Placed in one of the most beautiful campuses I've walked through (think: a rich old farm with small brick buildings scattered throughout being used as classrooms) hundreds of kids attend this combined primary/high school - many from our own church neighborhood. In fact, many of last years' Vulendlela guys graduated from Matla. These are also the same kids that came to the matric classes last year during the teachers strike. We heard from the principal that the school was awarded as having the highest improvement rate on the matric exams in the entire district last year - and, in part, he credits Vulendlela's involvment at their school, including those three weeks when we carried on with holding an impromtu school and prepping the 12th graders for the upcoming exams. That's pretty big stuff. Especially, when you remember that Vulendlela is made up of guys having just graduated from that, and similar, high schools in our area.

Our church has dreamy dreams of opening a grade 12 school - specifically for these kids - after seeing the success of alternative teaching that we had last year with only three short weeks. Another thing we pray for a windfall of resources for.

Anyway, Vulendlela coordinated a "career day" for the kids at Matla. Student representatives from local universities & colleges came and talked to the grade 12s about their choices for next year - and to the grade 9s about their how their class path choices for grades 10-11-12 will effect their options for further study - and what they should be focusing on for different career paths. Great idea. It was so good to see representatives from our top universities and organizations out at Matla, encouraging these kids that they are smart enough and have access to resources to get them wherever they want to go. It's a message we all need from time to time.

what a time

2011-04-01T17:17:00.007+02:00

Thanks for allowing me some time to play hookey from dicoccoville and just soak in my parent's visit. We dropped them off at the airport last night - they are still travling, and I'm still a melencholy - but I'm so glad they were here. I was thinking last night, that as sad as I was, it's a special thing that we love each other as much as we do.

Here's just a few pictures just to give you a glimpse into our time together.

On Monday we'll jump back in to stories like normal. See you here.

(I think we wore them out... but oh, were we happy)

A family kind of pause

2011-03-24T17:15:00.000+02:00

I just realized that I've been away for so long! Just dropped off the blogworld radar- and for that, I'm sorry.

But it isn't without good reason.

My parents are visiting!
After three years of living in south Africa, my mom and dad are here sharing spaces and moments (and the flu) with us.

So, I've been a bit preoccupied in all the best ways.

Thank you for showing up and pouring in the love and resources for the 20 little boys dropped off at my friend's street shelter. Cutest little boys ever - and just being in that space made my heart alive with the desire I've had for years to open up our home to more. More little ones. More brothers. More family. More of God's redeeming all that's screwed up in this world and His turning it into something beautiful even in it's difficulties.

I'm still telling God -often - that my hand is up. I'm willing. My arms are already open.

These little boys got to all go together this week to a permanent childrens home. My friends at the street shelter say they are missing the boys fiercely - the shelter is so quiet now (with only a dozen full time formerly homeless teenagers and a full house every day for meals- haha).

I'll be back in a few days. Until then - spend some time loving on those you call family: whether you were born together or not. I'll try to keep my dad from being chased by hippos or carried away by these monkeys he's illegally feeding. And I'll soak up every moment possible with my mom. Every one of them.

Xxx
Trace

20 boys

2011-03-17T04:35:00.001+02:00

I'm awake at 3:00 this morning. I thought it was because of a pesky mosquito, but perhaps the mosquito woke me up so I could read this sms and share it with you before the world in the US goes to sleep & we here in South Africa wake up.

Last night (or this afternoon, depending on where you live) 20 little boys, about ages 4-9 were dropped off by the police at our friend's street shelter.

Twenty little boys

I don't know the story yet of how the police found them, or where and how they have been living. And we don't know how long These 20 little boys will be in the care of the guys at the shelter... We are told we can expect at least through Monday.

You already know of ikusasa shelter a bit. Remember my story in January about my sweet friend, Pule, going to join Anthony in running the shelter? This is where these boys will be. Living with Pule & Anthony & the guys there.

Ikusasa shelter is in emergency need of clothes, towels, toothbrushes, toys to keep them occupied all day - puzzles, coloring books and crayons - and food (like cereal, milk, fruit).

If you have a few dollars you can share- please click on the paypal button on the right sidebar - or in our "to join us" page above.

Any money you share in the next few hours and days will get used to shop directly for these boys' immediate needs.

Thanks for being a community that cares. In the face of so much shocking need (& recent tragedy throughout northern Africa & now Japan) it's easy to feel overwhelmed & insignificant. Here's an opportunity to live into that deep desire we have to be a force of hope & change.

20 real children. Right here, tonight, that i can touch with my own hands on your behalf, will wake up in a few hours with a new chance to live. I'm excited to be a small part of the redemption of their lives. Pray with me for their days ahead.

20 little boys.

his teacher says he "oozes". I hope she means "with talent"

2011-03-16T20:32:00.002+02:00

Oh my sweet Harrison.
Is there anyone more fabulous than you?

This week we watched Liberace on an old Muppet Show episode.
he played an amazing rendition of Chopsticks...
Harrison can't find it in sheet music anywhere, one web person suggested that there is none -
that the famous Liberace was so talented, he was able to make things that brilliant up as he went.

So Harrison has a plan to burn out our DVD watching the episode until he figures it out... measure by measure. Stay tuned. It could take awhile but I have no doubts he'll get it eventually.

But for today... for today, enjoy a real "boy" piano concert....
and the special boy who is playing.

.
and for your viewing pleasure....
Liberace on the muppets -

stories

2011-03-14T11:26:00.007+02:00

(photo by Avery - celebrating my super fun braids)

In the worship class I am teaching at church - we have been recognizing the importance of learning to develop character and integrity within our artistic temperaments. We've been especially focusing on not only the internal character issues, but how we can take all our individual strengths and preferences, and work well within a team. Great discussions. Yesterday, I divided everyone up into small groups and gave each group an identical list of completely random words. Working off the lists, each team had 10 minutes to write a story using as many of the words as possible.

10 minutes - Go.

It was faaaaaabulous to hear what came out of it. In addition to all the laughter as the stories were being written, the stories themselves were... riveting (to use a word that came up a lot yesterday). We had everything from the rock star Caterpillar Monkey Musical Worship band's catapult into success - to a beautiful devotional about cooperation with a moral at the end that would have made any sundayschool teacher proud.

Working in a team to write the stories brought ideas and a shape that wouldn't have come if I would have given the same list of words to each individual. We inspire each other. What was also interesting to me, is that each team had the exact same resources - yet, came up with a completely different story. I know there is a really great teaching on working well within a team and teamship identity somewhere... maybe someone wants to write it for me and I'll bring it to my group in our next time together.

Or maybe you want to write your own story...

The words we used are...

Beginning * Language * Proud * Monkey * Children * Guitar * Cold * Worship * Rain * Paint * Picnic * Heart * Clean * Teacher * Cooperate * Water * Music * Read * Thirsty * Caterpillar * Grow * Mountain * Neighbor * Share * Work together * Balloon * Song * brother * Shoes * play * sunrise

10 minutes.... go!

gumboot-ing boys

2011-03-09T09:45:00.003+02:00

These boys... I've been with most of them since they were in the 4th grade - tutoring in math and reading - playing on the fields - talking about school and life - teaching swim lessons to a few. Now they are grade 7 - top of the heap in our South African school system. Too cool for their own boots. Yet, they are not. They are friends. They come to me with their bravado, acting like they don't want to talk... but hanging around waiting for the moment to be right to start the conversation. It's cool. I'll wait around with them. I respect their 7th grade-isms. I get them.

I understand, having my own 8th grade boy who said to me this morning "mom, you'd better kiss me goodbye now" (they are all going to school camp for the next three days) "because you're not going to be able to kiss me in front of my friends once we get to school"

Our dear friend, Everest, has been working with these boys for the past year on a cultural art form called "gumboot dancing". The history of this dance style is interesting.

"Gumboot dancing was born in the gold mines of South Africa at the height of the migrant labour system.
The mine workers were not free to move around at will and were separated from their families for long periods of time. At best, working in the mines was a long, hard, repetitive toil. At worst, the men would be taken chained into the mines and shackled at their work stations in almost total darkness.

"The floors of the mines were often flooded, with poor or non-existent drainage. For the miners, hours of standing up to their knees in infected waters brought on skin ulcers, foot problems and consequent lost work time. The bosses discovered that providing gumboots (Wellington boots) to the workers was cheaper than attempting to drain the mines. This created the miners uniform, consisting of heavy black Wellington boots, jeans, bare chest and bandannas to absorb eye-stinging sweat.

"The workers were forbidden to speak, and as a result created a means of communication, essentially their own unique form of Morse Code. By slapping their gumboots and rattling their ankle chains, the enslaved workers sent messages to each other in the darkness. From this came an entertainment, as the miners evolved their percussive sounds and movements into a unique dance form and used it to entertain each other during their free time.

"Gumboot dancing has developed into a working class, South African art form with a universal appeal. The dancers expand upon traditional steps, with the addition of contemporary movement, music and song. Extremely physical, the dancing serves as a cathartic release, celebrating the body as an instrument, and the richness and complexities of South African culture."

*description found on the big www

a letter from my dad

2011-03-09T08:16:00.004+02:00

This morning, my parents get on a series of planes that will eventually (tomorrow night) land them right here in Johannseburg for a 3 week family festival of goodness. I simply can not tell you how excited I am. This morning, Billy finds this in his email inbox. Apparently, my parents are all set to come.... and are even bringing a little extra something along with them.....

*the Craig boy's refered to are my nephews - ages 7, 2& newborn

--------------------------------------

Just before we left, I checked to see if there were restrictions on how much food we could haul into there. Here is what I found.

What can I bring into South Africa? You may bring in duty-free gifts and souvenirs to the total value of R1 250 plus 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 grams of tobacco, 2 litres of wine, 1 litre of other alcoholic beverages, 50ml of perfume, and 250ml of toilet water into South Africa without incurring duties. Thereafter duty is levied at 20%. The alcohol and tobacco allowance applies only to people over 18.

I think we are OK with food, however, I did not realize that toilet water was so valuable there. I was thinking of slipping in an extra couple of gallons, for trade and bribes. Do you have plenty of water in your toilets?? Should I bring some extra, to add extra flushes?? We have plenty of toilet water here, in fact, it I can use all I want tor FREE .... Yes, I can have a flush-fest and not pay an extra dime to for the pleasure.

Also, as we are not travelling with anyone UNDER 18, we will be unable to bring in extra tobacco and alcohol ... but, it might be advantageous to bring one of the young Craig boys next trip to take advantage of their exemption of those limitations ...

Gonna go pack-up some precious toilet water and paste in in baggies on my body ... I will try to get only UNUSED toilet water ...

-- Dad

I happen to adore these kids

2011-03-04T21:46:00.004+02:00

and they happen to be some of my favorite photographers

--------------------------------

I have some rules when I share my camera

1. you must tell me something about yourself before I'll trust you with something as valuable as a nice camera - your name, where you go to school, how old you are - anything so we can know each other now.

2. keep the strap around your neck

3.only you are allowed to touch the camera

4. you may take any 3 pictures you want, choose anyone you want to be in the pictures, but then the camera must come back to me

5. When it gets too rowdy, It's time to be finished

being trusted is a beautiful thing. Responding with respect to that trust is a mark of growth in most of these kids. and being given the ability to create something artistic and lovely is invaluable - no matter who you are.

I adore these kids. I adore these images. I figured you might too.

(You've got to be kidding me... how perfectly adorable is this one?)

(for the rest of the series... visit my flickr page )

but maybe not till tomorrow... I'm heading to bed - good night my friends

the "someday" list

2011-03-02T15:08:00.002+02:00

If you are following us on twitter or friends in facebook land, you've seen me post little updates on where I am in my piano adventure. I've always wanted to play the piano. When Billy and I were dating - yes, even way back then - it was one of the things on my teenage version of my "someday" list.

climb a mountain
record a song
hike across Europe
go on a safari in Africa
play the piano
write a children's book
run a marathon

my "someday" list has ebbed and flowed as the years have progressed... oftentimes dreaming of a bit of the impossible along with the more realistic. Oftentimes my life circumstances makes the once realistic seem like it will be the impossible. Adopt a set of brothers seems like it's far from reach, and I have no desire to skydive anymore. But out of the 7 I remember from my highschool years, I've actually lived into 3. I'll let you guess which ones.

This year, with a refocus of my time, I decided to splurge and give myself permission to focus on a couple of those things that are on my current "someday" list. learning a language is one I'm stumbling through... running has been resurrected (although my goal is a 10K, not a marathon)... learning how to make a video is at least getting attention.... and playing the piano. It's actually been the one I've had the most fun with. And the one I'm most proud of. I think because it's been a dream of mine for so long. Now, keep in mind, I have less than 7 weeks worth of self-taught lessons under these fingers. But when you have that in your mind, I think you'll celebrate with me - because I'm doing it. I'm really doing it.

What's on your "someday" list?
The impossible one..... the embarrassing one.... the one that maybe, just maybe, you can find space to take a step closer to figuring out and we can all celebrate together?
Let's cheer each other on.

trace

Scorched aware - Ted Loder

2011-02-28T07:15:00.013+02:00

O God,

I look,

and find you looking back

in the eyes of lover, child, enemy, friend, stranger,

in the image in the mirror,

i can scarcely hold watch or long bear that light in eyes

that peering of the soul

your secret hidden in us like a glowing coal-

a haunting, frightening, fascinating brand of Eden,

burning bush, empty-tomb holiness

I look, and am scorched aware of how fragile

and how precious is everything I love,

everything I am, have, do, give

I look, and you look back,

and in the lurch and tumble of your fire, I glimpse again

your power to work miracles

by turning the few loaves and fishes of my gifts, and me,

into food for some other lonely ones,

your power to ignite to flame

my look, my stretch toward you

and so to inspire to life

other wide-eyed seekers such as I.

In the light of such miracles, O God,

let there be community, the welding of love and courage

in me, and as far as I can see.

Grant me nerve to dare the wonder,

willingness to hold watch, to walk in the light-

that fierce, tender, terrible beauty,

of your looking, your beckoning-

that ever being burned to death, and life, by your gaze,

I may be saved, and sent again, and spent

in the sacred seek toward those I can never be with wholly,

nor yet be whole without.

-ted loder

wrestling the light

wandering through gardens

2011-02-26T08:17:00.005+02:00

I was asked to join my friend, Bongani, on a special project he's working on.

And I got to meet Jack - he's an herbalist. He understands that plants hold the keys to our health and he has this amazing garden in his yard that he works out of. He uses those plants and makes teas and powders and creams and knows what each plant does - how the leaves of this one builds your immune system and if you crush that one it will dissolve a headache and boiling a tea with another helps eyesight. It was so interesting to listen to him talk and for me to, once again, remember that God has set everything we needed for our health and wellbeing here tucked inside His creation. Somewhere along the line, we just got too smart and greedy and we lost all that knowledge. It was an honor to sit and listen to Jack, and crazy interesting... So much so that I am making plans to go back and photograph him and do some video as well so more people can see his passion and his knowledge. He's just one of those guys.

Anyway, so Bongani and I are talking to Jack - and the subject of my being American came up. After a few turns in the conversation - Jack says "what do you like to photograph most?" And i told him that my best work is when I am invited into a place to spend some time there, understanding it, and then I tell a story with my pictures about the essence of that place. He gets excited and starts telling me how he is going to invite me to the strangest thing he ever saw - this huge national gathering of white sangomas. He went on to laugh about how crazy it looked to have all these white guys holding sticks and wearing masks. Then he tells me - dog fights - I could go to the dog fights, ooooh there's stories there! "Uhm, Jack, I'm not going to a dog fight" and he says "Yeah, I suppose if the police ever saw your pictures they'd force you to tell them where you took them and it would be trouble. " (whew! ) then he starts talking about how if I wasn't white - and I wasn't a girl - he'd get me into the illegal underground miners - these guys are hired illegally, sent underground for 6-8 months, paid very very well (although everything they can buy, like bread, costs an insane amount of money that they have to give back to the owners) everything they mine isn't declared by the mine owners so they skirt around all the rules, tariffs and taxes that have been put into place. He keeps talking and eventually says "Whatever you want to do - we'll get you there! Won't we Bongani? We'll show you the real Africa!" to which I answered "With you, it sounds like it would be an adventure!"

just a tiny silly cellphone movie

2011-02-23T08:17:00.001+02:00

A couple weeks ago, we had our first rehersal of a new youth band. A band specifically to play on Friday night's for the new youth services. There's Jeff, Ian, Sbonile and Mandla, Lydia, Madi and Blazio - what a great group. On this, their third rehersal together we were laughing at the neighborhood children who were drawn in by the music. They danced for a good hour as the band practiced. That's the power of music. It opens up our spirits to experience. And there's really no other way to live a full, rich life than to let ourselves open to experience it. Sounds simple, but it can be so hard to live out.

In case you are curious - the words to the song ::

Iyo-yo-yo Hlonolofatsa
Iyo-yo Hlonolofatsa
Iyo-yo Hlonolofatsa
Iyo ka lebitso la ntate

(english) Iyo- yo yo bless
Iyo-yo bless
Iyo - yo bless
Iyo - (we bless) in the name of the father

Kingsway School

2011-02-21T16:17:00.011+02:00

" Imagine... a South Africa where our vast potential of human capital is optimally developed- where every one of our children will enjoy the benifit of the best education and opportunities we can provide.

... but too many of our children are crammed into poorly lit containers with 60 peers, no desks to sit at and no proper reading or math skills taught to them.

I also have dreams of becoming a pilot, a doctor, and engineer, a teacher one day. But I don't see how this is going to happen where I live.

Now Imagine - a top school like Kingsway Christian School in Randpark that has provided top education opportunities for the past 20 years, willing to relcoate into my community.

Imagine a school like this within walking distance from my shack.

Imagine a safe, caring environment where role models will journey with me from grade R to grade 12.

Imagine a sports field where I can play and learn about being part of a team and develop my skills.

Imagine a community taking hands and building a school where I can fufill my dreams. "

"Kingsway has taught me that it does not matter what kind of background you come from, you have a right to learn." -Gundo

"Kingsway School means everything to me because our teachers teach us how to learn,to respect other people and how to study" -Luthando

"This school makes me be a person" -Veronica

"The school teaches us to praise God and follow the right choices in life." -Anna

We can build a school for the Class of 2022

IF you can READ this you are

luckier than 70 % of the children in the informal settlement.

Show you are thankful by donating just R5

SMS "school" to (+27) 36012

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all text taken from http://www.2022.co.za - photos by trace for Kingsway School

Community Ministries

2011-02-16T14:06:00.001+02:00

I don't have a fresh video for you this week - so I pulled one out of the deep trenches of my computer. I haven't even watched so many of the videos I've taken - partly because they aren't really good because up until recently , I wasn't even trying to learn how to do this well - and partly because I didn't know how to format those files to be small enough to watch without locking up my whole system (I might be still using a computer we bought in 2003 - you can imagine).

This is from our VBS - we get about 180 kids coming to our church on any given weekend. Many of them walk in or catch the taxis with an older sibling or friend. Some walk in all by themselves. During Holiday Club (VBS) the numbers of children grow to between 700-1000. Insane and lovely.

Our church is this great little place, with a huge heart to really serve the community we are situated in. A few weeks ago, we leaders spent a weeknight praying for all the different programs run by people out of our church. We had slips of papers on tables spread throughout the large room and we were meant to wander to each table, praying as we went. After an hour... Billy and I realized we weren't even around half the room. So many grassroots movements - preschool teacher training -farming god's way - a pregnancy crisis center - a children's home - youth programs - tutoring . It's inspiring in so many ways to see people who are so committed to living out this life of following Jesus that they truly do lay it all out and make things happen.

One thing we really struggle with as a church though, is money. How is it that so many grassroots families (like us) and programs are doing amazing things, but limited because there aren't funds? if God owns everything, I don't understand. Especially when large churches where people sit prettily in their comfortable seats week after week, have money for new fancy buildings and private retreat centers and accessories to make them look even more beautiful ?

Anyway, one thing we really struggle with as a church is money. Money to fund all these amazing initiatives. Money to pay our staff enough that they don't need to double up with outside jobs. Money to take care of our own church family - many of who are in desperate need themselves.

I've been praying lately for three specific things. Maybe you'll join me?
* first is a church bus- actually two buses. This makes me laugh a little because i have visions of our church bus when I was a kid. It would take it's trip around to the poorer neighborhoods and just collect whatever kids happened to be there.Well, we have kids and adults and families and teenagers who would love to be at church from our area, who just need transport. Youth who can't go to a friday night meeting because taxis don't run that late. Kids who can't take a taxi by themselves. I have a friend who often walks the 8 km to get to church on a Sunday.

*second thing I'm praying for is an abundance of funds specifically for us to build a larger church building. Our babies are outgrowing their little baby room - the children have way surpassed fitting well in the building they are in (which is really just one big room - it used to be the old church building) and we need more office spaces for the different programs and professionals who are working out of our church. I'm dreaming of a new building for Sunday mornings - the kids can move into the building we use now, we can build rooms in the smaller hall for office space. Brilliant.

*and the third is more personal. I'm praying for another leader to share the job of worship coordinator with me. Someone who knows music well and has a passion for serving the Lord and training up worshipers. I am loving my role as the "mom" of the worship team (some would say shepherding pastor... but it's a lot like being a mom... which brings so much truth to the statement that being a mom is a ministry all on its own). but as much as I can Shepard a team of worshipers, I can't really be a good musical lead like I feel we need. Pray for this person to walk in with a sparkle in his eye. Will you?

I can share what I have

2011-02-14T16:39:00.003+02:00

Sick again. Raise your hand if you think I get sick entirely too much in Africa. Ridiculous.
Last week I got to spend a morning at Kingsway school. You remember Kingsway, we've talked about it a few times and I pointed you to the fundraising video a couple weeks ago - to build the new school inside Zandspruit. The kids here are so precious. Teacher was telling them a bible story this particular morning. A story about Jesus healing a blind man.
"Have you ever seen someone who is blind? Where would you see them?"
-(little voices) " sometimes on the street corners "
"Uh-huh." teacher says "How come they stand there?"
- (little voices) " because they need some money but they can't work"
"the exact same thing was happening in the bible. Just the same. And then Jesus walked by...."

She wove the story into a space where not only the children were captivated by the miracle of the bible... but delighted with recognition that they are living in a story similar.

"Now, maybe we can't heal the person like Jesus did - but what can we do to help someone who can't do something for themselves?"
(little voices) "We can take them shopping for clothes" "We can give them some food" "We can buy them some shoes"
"Absolutely! But what if you don't have extra money to buy them something they need? What else could you do for them? "

and the ideas poured out - washing clothes - reading a story - cleaning dishes - holding their hand so they could walk to a friends' house -

real life things that real life people can do every single day

I don't know if the teacher realizes the amazing gift she is giving these children. Being able to recognize that you have something valuable to give is an important key to not sinking into a poverty mentality. You are rich when you realize your ability to give. It's what the deepest spaces in our hearts were wired for - to take care of each other. To serve. To love God with all our hearts, our souls, our minds - and in that, because of that, through that, to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. It's what draws us together into the core of humanity and gives us the wealth of being able to actively participate in something bigger than ourselves and the here and now we find ourselves in. And these children, knowing and believing that is true, will carry their generation on the shoulders of something better than what has been.

fancy

2011-02-12T16:24:00.006+02:00

The Valentine's Dance was last night- Ah, all that is high school.

Harrison and Madyline (and Morne) all went together - Avery, Billy and I were at a party in Cosmo City. I'm not sure which of us had a better time. It's often interesting how this life we've chosen all fits together. Parenting teenagers, providing them with a basis for life that is both true to what we believe is the most valuable way we can live - that we are meant to live outward - and yet "normal" enough to let them be kids. I think as they grow, they need to also find their own ways and grow a sense of value in their own spirits outside of what we have taught them. It's part of being a teenager. We don't always do this parenting thing well. Especially parenting in another culture. I guess that's all part of being a parent though. It's all a process no matter where you live and what life you have chosen. So we dance together through all things. And hold on to the good times. And celebrate moments when we get it right. And sit back, amazed at the people they are growing in to. They are beautiful people to be certain.

for a full set of pictures, visit our flickr page....

movie time: Tswana 101 with Trace

2011-02-10T09:46:00.002+02:00

Today you get to share some couch time with me... I'm actually kind of excited about this since many of you that I love dearly, haven't seen my face in over a year (or even more). These videos are a fun way to feel closer. Now if we could only make that video interactive and I could see you too. Oh, wait! webcam - skype - hey, we should make a date! I'd love it!!

SO - Billy and I and a couple of friends have just started a class to learn to speak Tswana. Out of the 11 national languages of South Africa, Tswana is the home language of many of our friends. I think it's been hard to learn a language, because there isn't the same sense of language immersion here as in other countries with so many different words being spoken. It's especially difficult for those of us who's brains aren't already wired to be bilingual. But we have taken deep breaths and put our minds to it. I can now truly identify with my friends back home who are going back to university after a few years of parenting... or even with my Avery & Harrison who are figuring out this whole new way of learning curve.

Here's my little attempt to share the Tswana love with you. Maybe now when you visit, you'll know as much Tswana as I do.

xxx
trace

I Praise You for What is Yet to Be

2011-02-07T20:36:00.004+02:00

I Praise You for What is Yet to Be

Wondrous Worker of Wonders,

I praise you

not alone for what has been,

or for what is,

but for what is yet to be,

for you are gracious beyond all telling of it.

I praise you that out of the turbulence of my life

a kingdom is coming,

is being shaped even now

out of my slivers of loving, my bits of trusting, my sprigs of hoping,

my tootles of laughing, my drips of crying, my smidgens of worshipping;

that out of my songs and struggles,

out of my griefs and triumphs

I am gathered up and saved,

for you are gracious beyond all telling of it.

I praise you that you turn me loose

to go with you to the edge of now and maybe

to welcome the new, to see my possibilities, to accept my limits,

and yet begin living to the limit

of passion, and compassion

until, released by joy,

I uncurl to other people and to your kingdom coming,

for you are gracious beyond all telling of it.

-Ted Loder

Guerrillas of Grace