it's really winter :)

Hello again! Happy Saturday!

Although life moves at a much slower pace, somehow the days are still flying by faster than I can hold on. It’s been another wonderful week full of loud wind, louder children and even louder vuvuzelas. Here is a recap with a few reflections of my journey in Africa so far.
Let’s go back for a second. I finished my last final on May 10, started packing on May 11th around midnight and left the States at noon on May 12. Needless to say, my packing left something to be desired, especially winter clothes. When BRH came last year during May it was perfect weather every day so I assumed that the winters here were warm from beginning to end. Wrong. It’s now the middle of winter, lots of the country is covered in a dusting of snow and I am definitely wishing that I threw in more layers than the one long sleeved shirt I brought with me.

I woke up early Tuesday morning to tornado-like winds throwing branches, nuts and even a pair of ravens on to the tin roof above my head. My room doesn’t have a ceiling—just the tin—so you can imagine just how loud that was! Yikes! The wind continued blustering all day tearing off shingles of some of the houses and even blew over a tree blocking the dirt road to Rehoboth. If I hadn’t grown up in Amarillo, I probably would have thought the world was ending. (Shout out to “Doppler” Dave Oliver at News Channel 10.) As you’d expect, the already spotty electricity was gone all day. When I tried to explain that to my preschoolers, Simlindile asked, “Who stole it?” ha! Anyway, the single-digit temperatures with that nasty wind made for a freezing night because we don’t have central heating (or any heating). I humorously slept with my jeans on under my pajamas and both of my fleece jackets, too. I also kept my hair dryer next to my bed and would use it to heat up every time I woke up cold.

Speaking of hairdryers… after a month without my hairdryer, straightener, curling iron or diffuser, I finally gave in and spent 630 Rand to be able to dry and straighten my out-of-control-curly mop. Some of the moms didn’t recognize me with straight hair and many yelled “haibo!” (in this way that only Zulus can say it) whenever they realized who I was. Haibo loosely translated means “hell no!” haha

Aphiwe continues to encourage me each day. (Aphiwe is the blind little boy that I do therapy with each day.) This week at devotions Busi Precious led the singing as usual but Aphiwe soon took over. Zulu music is basically one person wailing on top of the group with their ad-libs. At the age of four, Aphiwe was able to lead a room full of adults singing “This Little Light of Mine” and another song called “All Over Me.” The kids were all sitting on the floor while Aphiwe stood in the middle dancing, jumping and singing. What a blessing.

Aphiwe has been improving so much in therapy. I’ve been teaching him basic shapes by doing a puzzle of 3D shapes and talking through what he is feeling (or seeing) with his fingers. On Wednesday, I wanted to chart his progress and see if anything was getting through to him so I tested his learning by doing an ITT like I do every day with Adam back in Waco. (Shout out to Kendra and Hannah.) In a very fast series of questions, I gave him three different shapes and then asked for him to give me the square etc. To my amazement, he gave me the correct shape more than two-thirds of the time. In ABA we always reinforce the behaviour that we are working on—it was to no surprise that singing is his “highest reinforcer.”

I’ve had a few people ask for specific prayer requests for Rehoboth...

Because so many of the kids have been sexually abused, many of the older boys (7-13 years old) have been struggling with their sexuality. (can I be any more vague?) Despite giving them good counselling and therapy, they are still struggling. The problem got so bad last year that Rehoboth actually had to buy a separate house for those boys to protect the girls here. Please pray for their healing.

Rehoboth started laying foundation last week for the second children’s village! We are all thankful for God’s provision. Please pray for the finances and the decision-making for this village that will house and care for 50 more children living with HIV/AIDS.

Pray for the strength and the patience of all of the workers and volunteers here that we may learn how to love and serve the children better.

As for me, please begin to pray for my transition back to America. It will be a hard and fast transition for a couple of reasons. I expected that leaving the kids would be miserable and terrible. I did not expect to love the African way of life so much. I am nervous to give up this simple life and return to my fast and stressful life as a student. It’s hard for me to put into words the peace that I feel here and I know that it will be difficult for me to keep this peace whenever I’m back to a world with not enough time, not enough graciousness and not enough
understanding.

Hope you are all having a great week and cannot wait to see you!

Miss you and love you!
"auntie brichen" as the kids call me