GOD IS GOOD!!

Hello Family!

So I don’t even know where to begin. So much has happened since my last update. Sorry it’s been so long since I personally updated, I am just super busy here. Anyway, I wanted to keep you all up to date with what’s going on and how God is working. All I can say is that God is so good!
As you all know, I have been going into the schools as an LSE to help teach life skills to kids in primary school. As much as I love the kids and playing games with them, I am not passionate about teaching. I have really been struggling with that and just feeling useless and ineffective because I have never had any training on how to teach. I have been trying to learn by watching the other LSEs but when some of the classes are in Afrikaans it makes that hard to do. So anyway, I ended up scheduling a meeting with my supervisor last Friday to talk things over with her. My supervisor is Avril Thomas and she and her husband, Pastor John Thomas are the ones who started Living Hope. Anyway, they are a really neat couple and she’s a very awesome woman and very open to listening to others. So we sat down and I told her my frustrations and everything that was happening and told her I really wanted to do what I felt I was called here to do-sewing and soccer ministry. As it turns out, I found out from Mike Talley that I would not be able to have any involvement with Khumi’s bags like I had hoped and originally felt called to do. With her passing away and lots happening, they are struggling with finding a local South African to run it and keep it going. He appologized and felt really bad that I wasn’t getting to do any of the ministries that I was called here to do. Anyway, Avril told me that there is a women’s support group that meets on Tuesdays in Capricorn and the women are learning how to sew there. So she made a few phone calls and made it so I’d be able to go to that. February 23 was such an awesome day and was one of those days where I could say “Oh, so this is why God called me here”.
So although I am bummed that I don’t get to do anything with Khumi’s bags, I am so excited for this new opportunity to teach sewing; and not only do I get to do that but I get to design the stuff that the women will be making!! PRAISE THE LORD! I finally get to do something I am passionate about and in an area that God has gifted me. The first thing I’m designing are some simple bags. After that I need to figure out how to pattern skirts and tops for all the different sized women. Not quite sure how I am going to do that. This is when I feel inexperienced in my field because I’ve had no industry experience, but I am trusting the Lord to help me figure it all out. Anyway, I got to have some great conversations with some of the women yesterday and two of the ladies that head it up are really excited to have me here and said I’m an angel sent by the Lord. So for right now the sewing is only once a week (I don’t go into schools that day), but it looks like we might end up doing sewing two times a week. So if that happens I will do sewing twice a week, schools twice a week, and then continue to go to kids club every day and hopefully within the next two weeks Kevin and I can get our soccer programs going. Next week I have the opportunity to go with Kevin to Ambassadors of Sport which is a week long, extremely intense soccer coach training program that also teaches you how to evangelize. It’s a Christian run program, so I am a lil intimidated by it but really excited.
God has really been at work in my heart and has been reaching into the depths of my heart. It’s been wonderful having so many people encouraging me along the way and saying prayers on my behalf. Thank you so much for those! Please keep them coming!
I’ve made some really good friends here with the other volunteers and I just love them! We hang out every weekend and usually do something on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday because we don’t get to see them much during the week. Lately I have had some really good conversations with two of the LSEs that I’m friends with and getting to know better. It’s fabulous!
Some exciting news is that we finally got our dog!! ACTS paid to get a dog as a deterrent from unwanted people getting onto our property. So we got him last Thursday and I got to meet him when I got home. At the time he was really upset because he’s 3 years old and has never been away from his owners. But when I walked in the house and went to him and talked to him and pet him, he calmed down almost right away. Everyone was like whoa, so you’re like a dog whisperer huh? HAHA So funny! Sambuka and I have really bonded, so much so that he literally follows me every single place I go-he’s practically attached at my hip. AND he makes such a great running buddy, so now I’m even more safe. I can run with him not being on a leash and he stays right by my side, so it’s great because no matter what speed I run, he’s right there. No matter if I have a good day or a bad day he’s there. When I stopped to think about that, God gave me a revelation of.....Oh my, that’s just how God is. It doesn’t matter what I am going through because He is always by my side and will never leave me. It was a great moment!
Well if you made it this far in this blog, GREAT!! Sorry it’s soo long, but there was just soo much to tell! I love you all and thank you for your prayers and support! One more thing, if you think of it, please pray that I start sleeping straight through the night. I am sleeping horribly and feel exhausted.

FOR HIS GLORY,

Amy