Monday, August 13, 2012

Doused with Love and Spackle



Today started off with five women from our group venturing off to the Creche for the first time since we’ve arrived in South Africa. The rest of the group stayed behind at the work site to complete the rest of the walls so we would all be ready to spackle when the fabulous five women returned from the preschool.

We arrived at the Preschool and were greeted with wonderful warm welcomes from the teachers. They encouraged us to take pictures and dive right into playing with the kids who were out on the playground when we got there. This has been the moment I’ve dreamed about since finding out that I was going on the trip. I’ve been a teacher at Maranatha Christian Academy in Coatesville (a local Hopewell mission) the past eight months and children are my passion. I’ve been so excited to share what I’ve learned and my enthusiasm for Christian education coming to South Africa. The children were so giggly and smiling at everything we said and every picture we took. Hearing them singing on the merry-go-round and playing patty cake put so much joy into our hearts, it was overwhelming. After playing with them for a while we were then able to join them inside for music and lessons.


A special moment for me was when I was given the opportunity to teach the children a couple American songs and I chose the song “Jesus Knocks”. After we finished the teachers all smiled at me and said “Oh Miss Donna taught us that song last year” and I was ecstatic to reply “She’s my mom!” The teachers screamed with delight and it made me feel so good to know that each previous group that has come has made an impact on these children and teachers. 

After lunch, it was time for spackle! We quickly learned that some in our group were blessed with the unique gift of spackling while others…..got extremely dirty trying?! Our critic, Tony, was very specific in Meyer’s demands to leave the walls smooth with the dugga spread on not too thick and not too thin. It took a lot direction and spilled dugga, but we finally completed one room to perfection! We pick the task back up on Wednesday which is the next time we’re on the work site. Tomorrow we have an educational day with a trip to the Apartheid Museum and a tour of Soweto. We have a 6am start so goodnight Hopewell-ians! I miss you!


P.S. Notice at the end of each blog there is a link to leave comments. We are not feeling the love when we check the blog each night and no one has commented! Come on!!!!!
<3 Libby Hepner     

5 comments:

  1. Libby - great picture! take lots of them. how cool that you picked the same song as your mom. glad to hear all is going well. keep smiling and working hard. jan smith

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  2. LIBBY!!!!! ELIZA!!!! :) We read your blog and we love it and we are so happy to hear that you are doing well and that everyone else is doing well! That's so cute that they said "Miss Donna taught us that song" haha go Don-Babe and Libby Lou!! We miss you so so much and LOVE you!!!! :) Can't wait to hear more about the trip through the blogs and can't wait to see ya :) We are so happy you are doing what you feel the Lord is leading you to do and listening to His voice. Keep showin those cutie kids God's love as well as everyone around you. WE LOVE YOU!!! mwauh xoxoxo

    Love,
    Molly, Laura, and Mom :)



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  3. So your blog post got me all teary-eyed! Thanks a lot girl! haha. I'm SO EXCITED for you and I'm SO glad you are having a great time! I knew you would!! Keeping posting those beautiful pics and keep singing His praises!! Praying for you all!
    ~Kristin Smith
    PS - I was terrible, terrible, terrible with dugga....maybe we redheads are only meant to hang out with the little ones! :)

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  4. Libby! Reading this post and seeing that image truly depicts the woman you have become. By spreading God's word and further growing into the woman you were driven (and meant to become) has touched not only the lives of those here but now abroad. I am so proud of the mission that you embarked upon and am convinced that this can only lead to more fulfilling and wonderful experiences in the future. You are truly amazing and I cannot wait to hear every detail when you return. You're constantly in my thoughts and my prayers.

    Rich :)

    ps. Miss Donna is officially famous!

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  5. Way behind on my reading Libby - you are soooo amazing!!!!!!

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