Chelsea Short First Year Missionary -

She had a beautiful smile...

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

April 5th I received a call from one of my students telling me that there was an accident. Three of my students along with a local South African friend were driving in a car from Port Elizabeth to Jeffreys Bay for the day. They only made it as far as Greenbushes. The tire on the car blew out and the car flipped over twice. My immediate reaction was to get in the car and start driving. The Jeffreys Bay leaders, two of my best friends, and I were in Port Alfred for the weekend. Frantically we packed are things and jumped in the van. Words could not even come out of our mouths. I phoned the office back in the states, so that they were aware. Death was never even a thought in my mind. During the two-hour drive phones were ringing like crazy with updates and questions. For a short period we lost service in our phones. The first call I received after being out for a few minutes, was from one of my co-leaders. Sarah Buller died in the hospital that afternoon, within two hours of the accident. I felt frozen, thinking that she was joking. Could this really be happening? Did she really just die?

The next few hours and days were a blur. I began to hate the ring of my phone anticipating more bad news. At home we had nine very broken students and three very lost leaders. How can a family truly recover from something like this? This is a loss like no other.

Sarah was supposed to turn nineteen Wednesday April 8, three days after the accident. She was only eighteen years old and she came to Africa to serve the Lord. On her birthday we had a memorial to remember who Sarah was, and she blessed our lives and the lives of others. One of the students shared about what Sarah meant to him. Of the many things he shared he remembered how as a team we just read the book "Don't Waste Your Life". He atated that Sarah didn't waste hers. How many of us will die, and others around us will know without a doubt that we didn't waste our lives?

Dwight and Peggy Buller have been the two people that have given me the strength in this situation to continue to trust and praise the Lord. Sarah's parents are like no one I have ever met. Their hearts are larger than any of ours. So large that just a few years ago they adopted four children from Guatemala, while they already had five of their own. After the death of their oldest daughter they were checking to make sure that Sarah's team and family in Port Elizabeth were doing okay. In this time I am learning to praise Him in the storm, because Dwight and Peggy can do it. I am so thankful to have had the privilege of meeting the Bullers only a few weeks earlier when they came to visit Sarah.

Sarah is a girl that I will never forget. Her impact was great while she was here in Africa. One afternoon after the accident three of us leaders stopped by one of Sarah's ministries called Isithembiso. It is a transition home for babies and toddlers who have been abused and abandoned. Agnus is the main caretaker of these children. There was a bond that had formed between Sarah and Agnus. Sarah was not a girl of many words, but Agnus felt her presence. When we broke the news to Agnus that afternoon she could barely hold herself together. Her tears made me so proud of the way that Sarah reached out to Agnus. Agnus camed to South Africa about a year ago, from Zimbabwe to make money for her family, and her daughter. She lives at Isithembiso with the babies and does not have a life out of the home. Volunteers come in and out of the home and most of them want to hold the cute babies, but Sarah reached out to Agnus and she touched her heart. In Sarah's quiet way she knew how to reach peoples hearts. She reached mine and I am blessed to have been a part of her last year on this earth.

Don't Waste Your Life

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 This is a verse that runs through the minds of many believers of Christ. We hear versions of it in sermons, songs, and discussions. Is this a verse that we actually follow? In everything we do, do we bring glory to God? EVERYTHING. I don't think we have to go into the definition of that word. It's rather large.

As a team we have been reading "Don't Waste Your Life" written by John Piper. John Piper emphasizes how everything we do should bring glory to God. In all that we do we should be bringing glory to God. As human beings it is almost impossible for us to always follow God in all that we do, and the reason is that we are selfish. Our nature tells us that we deserve to have a nice house, a big family, money, a comfortable life, a fashionable car, etc., basically "the American Dream". A lot of our struggle to completely follow the Lord comes from our desire to be liked or wanted by people. I like how Piper puts it in his book, "You may not be sure that you want your life to make a difference. Maybe you don't care very much whether you make a lasting difference for the sake of something great. You just want people to like you. If people would just like being around you, you'd be satisfied. Or if you could just have a good job with a good wife, or husband, and a couple of good kids and a nice car and long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement, and a quick and easy death, and no hell-if you could have all that (even without God)-you would be satisfied. That is a tragedy in the making. A wasted life." I don't want to waste my life and I want to glorify God in all that I do. But I know that each day I have to wake up and remind of self of what Jesus did for me by dying on the cross for my sins, and I have to remember that God placed me on this earth for one purpose. That purpose is to bring glory to Him! In Psalm 19 David wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork". God has created this earth to remind me how amazing he is. He has created the smallest snails in the ocean to the galaxies. Each day I look out the window, which gives me no excuse to not be reminded of how magnificent he is, and he deserves all the glory.

On Monday part of our group went to a men's prison about ten minutes from our house. Upon entering the doors we were a little shaky, uncertain of what we were about to encounter. Our friend Cathy Vimpany from Britain brought us there. Cathy is a bold lady of about 70, and she loves the Lord with all her heart. Cathy has been ministering to these men for the past 15 years, and she wants to make sure they all have a chance to know the Lord. As the eight of us trailed Cathy through the corridors of the prison, we felt nervous. They brought us to a stone courtyard full of men in orange jump suits. All we brought with us was a guitar. Sara brought it out and we began to sing. I felt as though we were a traveling choir worshipping the Lord, but it worked. The men gathered and were excited to worship with us. Cathy is well known amongst theses men and they respect her to the highest degree. The group kept growing and the dancing began. Here we were a bunch of Americans singing songs to God with a bunch of men in an African prison. It was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had. Tears came to my eyes as the songs came out. These men need and want God. Their lives in the past were wasted and they don't want to waste the future. Cathy shared the Word of God and prayed for the men. We all moved again as a group and did the same thing two more times. It was powerful. I have been so blessed with the life that I have been given. It would be tragedy to not constantly share God's love with people. They deserve to know how much he loves them, just like these men in the prison deserved it.

I want to leave you with a story that I shared with my team on Monday. As I read it to them it brought tears to my eyes. This is the story of a man names Joseph who used to be a vicious warrior. But God had something else in store for him. After you read it I want you to ask yourself if you are willing to do what he did?

One day, Joseph, who was walking along one of these hot, dirty African roads, met someone who shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with him. Then and there he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The power of the Spirit began transforming his life; he was filled with such excitement and joy that the first thing he wanted to do was return to his own village and share the same Good News with the members of his local tribe. Joseph began going from door-to-door, telling everyone he met about the Cross of Jesus and the salvation it offered, expecting to see their faces light up the way his had. To his amazement the villagers not only didn't care, they became violent. The men of the village seized him and held him to the ground while the women beat him with strands of barbed wire. He was dragged from the village and left to die alone in the bush. Joseph somehow managed to crawl to a waterhole, and there, after days of passing in and out of consciousness, found the strength to get up. He wondered about the hostile reception he had received from people he had known all his life. He decided he must have left something out or told the story of Jesus incorrectly. After rehearsing the message he had first heard, he decided to go back and share his faith once more. Joseph limped into the circle of huts and began to

proclaim Jesus. "He died for you, so that you might find forgiveness and come to know the living God," he pleaded. Again he was grabbed by the men of the village and held while the women beat him, reopening wounds that had just begun to heal. Once more they dragged him unconscious from the village and left him to die.To have survived the first beating was truly remarkable. To live through the second was a miracle. Again, days later, Joseph awoke in the wilderness, bruised, scarred-and determined to go back. He returned to the small village and this time, they attacked him before he had a chance to open his mouth.

As they flogged him for the third and probably the last time, he again spoke to them of Jesus Christ, the Lord. Before he passed out, the last thing he saw was that the women who were beating him began to weep. This time he awoke in his own bed. The ones who had so severely beaten him were now trying to save his

life and nurse him back to health. The entire village had come to Christ.

Pictures of the PE Team

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The leaders are ready for BINGO!

Malvin and Me (My Fiance :)

A team night of Cops and Robbers

Control

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

    Why do we always have to be in control? In all of our lives there are things that we just seem to cling to, and are unable to surrender them to the Lord. Some of these things are money, comfort, friends, home, tv, food, etc. We have all decided that we need these things. But who told us that we needed them? Does it say in the bible to cling to the things of this world? In fact the bible tell us the exact opposite, one example is in Luke 12:33, it says: "Sell your possessions and give to the poor." Somewhere along the way we have decided that no longer applied to our lives now. Not only do we try to control the physical things of this world, we try to control our lives. We plan our futures, not God. We decide who we are friends with and how we act with them, not God. We decide what is best for us, not God. How have we become a culture that needs control? Most of us want to make sure our lives have a few bumps as possible, so we limit God. In Crazy Love, Francis Chan writes, " Christians today like to play it safe. We want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe "even if there is no God." But if we truly desire to please God, we cannot live that way. We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more worth it in eternity." These are the thoughts that are penetrating my thoughts as the base in Port Elizabeth, South Africa is underway.
    It really has been quite and adventure and a blessing being the first AIM team in PE. God has really revealed to me that it is all out of my hands and I have to let him control everything here. I am one to make sure that all is done to perfection. Upon arriving in PE it was apparent that only God could make this semester perfect and not me. I have seen his glory and power in only a few short weeks here. Doors were opened for ministry locations with very little search. People really greeted us with open arms and provided all that we needed all because God is on our side.
    When we arrived at the PE house almost four weeks ago all we brought with us were beds and one fridge for fifteen people. One afternoon we sent the students out to meet our neighbors through a game called bigger and better. Each team had a paper clip, their objective was to meet the neighbors and trade the paper clip for something bigger or better. Our expectation was that the neighbors and students would have a good laugh from the things that they were trading. Little to our surprise God had more in store. At the end of the day the students came home with things for the house that we did not have. People began to ask what were some things that we needed in the house. From the neighbors to generous people at Lighthouse Family Church we now have couches, tables, a fridge, a microwave, a hot pot, a toaster, curtains and of course the skate board. I was blown away by the way that God provided just when we needed.
    As the students have begun to split into their ministries I can see that God orchestrated this team in his perfect image, and I can't stop feeling the joy from this blessing. God is in control.

My new address is:
Chelsea Short
19 Trichardt
Parsons Hill
Port Elizabeth
South Africa
6001

Team Blogs

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here are the blogs of the students on my team and my fellow leaders:

http://andrewanderberg.myadventures.org

http://deedeehuey.myadventures.org

http://jessicaemerson.myadventures.org

http://johannasharp.myadventures.org

http://kevinking.myadventures.org

http://lisaderrah.myadventures.org

http://meghanjarrell.myadventures.org

http://nicoleeckenroth.myadventures.org

http://rebeccaarnold.myadventures.org

http://sarapatterson.myadventures.org

http://victoriatrefry.myadventures.org

http://sarahbuller.myadventures.org

God of this city

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Growing up in America there are so many things that we take for granted. I have come to realize this as Africa has become a second home to me. Transportation is a huge privilege for any one that has it. My family owns two very nice vehicles that allow us to go where we want, when we want. There are times when it seemed hectic to coordinate two vehicles with six people, but now I see it as two vehicles as more than enough. In Ocean View, one of the townships in Jeffreys Bay, that mode of transportation that people use is walking. For many the fee to take the bus, or as it is called here "the taxi" is too much for people to spare. As I look at my life I think of all the times I complained if I had to walk home from a friends house or school. Would I have complained if I didn't have a choice? Would I have complained if walking was how I traveled everywhere? Would I have complained if I knew the money I used for the bus meant I couldn't eat later?

These past few weeks we have been studying "Searching for God Know's What" by Donald Miller. As the book came to an end we challenged the students to look at their view of the world and how it has been changed since coming to Africa. I was greatly impacted by one of the girls and the words that she had to share. She reflected back to America and how coming from there she felt so blessed. God has really blessed the people in America by all that he has provided for us. She felt that the way in America was really the only way and she pitied the people of other countries. After living in Africa for a few months she began to wonder, "Are we really blessed in America?" We have all that we need, but we are never happy. People here have nothing compared to us, but they are so blessed in the Lord. The people here need God, the people in America don't need God. She then played a song by Chris Tomlin that brought me to tears. Here are the lyrics:

You're the God of this city

You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city

My heart was broken to see that God is so visible here in Africa, but not in America. I also really have felt blessed by the Lord lately in bringing me to Africa. He has taught me lessons I never could have learned staying in America. Jeffreys Bay has become my home over this past year. But as it has become my home I am always reminded of how blessed I am to have a family that truly loves me and wants me. As the Christmas season is coming, I keep thinking about my family and how I will be away from them. In America this is a time for families to come together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas is coming that we anticipate, and look forward to all year long. As my heart yearns to be home for Christmas to be with my family, I am excited as to what God will reveal to me in a place where the holiday is not so commercialized. It will be back to the basics. I know that I will long for Christmas carols, snow, and fellowship with my family. But God is the God of this city Jeffreys Bay as well as he is the God of America.

If you think of me and would like to send me some Christmas wishes, I will eagerly await them. The address is:

Adventures in Missions

Attention: Chelsea Short
PO Box 921
Jeffreys Bay
South Africa
6330

Merry Christmas!

Even if he doesn't...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

About two weeks ago our team spent a week fasting and praying. I was really focusing on the location that I would be going on outreach next semester, and the students that I would be leading. I saw the Lord answer prayers in awesome ways and really give many of the students' glimpses of hope. Towards the end of the week one of the students felt she needed to pray for healing over another students. In her obedience and excitement she immediately went and prayed over this other student. The following day the girl who was prayed over felt the Lord telling her that she was healed. Praise and glory was immediately given to the Lord, this was unbelievable. The smiles were unstoppable! As the day went on the same student who received the healing started to feel the symptoms again, signaling that she was not actually healed. I watched as this whole chain of events went on, and doubts in the Lord arose. I realized that this was still an awesome opportunity to praise the Lord. It reminds me of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the book of Daniel.

"13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

These three men said that even if God did not save them from the firery furnace they were still not going to bow down to other gods. I could see this in the story of these students. That even though the Lord did not heal her at the moment, she would still not bow down. Our God is good even when he doesn't heal us. And I know that our God is a God of healing, and one day she will be completely healed! Let's praise him until that day, and all the days after.

Pictures

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

African Dance Fundraiser at Ithemba

Nomsa singing with the creche

Halloween in Jbay

Pastor Gundu's Daughter Mketwa

Girls at Johnson High School during Beat the Drum

A view of Somerset East from Johnson High School

Somerset East

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Last week God sent us to Somerset East South Africa to share with his people about AIDs and abstinence. South Africa has the highest percentage of people who are infected by HIV and AIDS. God sent us to Somerset to shed light on this situation, and to show the people how they can stop it. I spent the week teaching in a high school. We showed the movie Beat the Drum to the students the first day, and every day after was a chance to teach them about HIV and AIDS, and how it is possible for them to abstain from sex. I had the chance to teach with my friend Ricky from Zimbabwe, Pepsi from South Africa, and Sarah from America. Each day we sought the Lord and he gave us the words to speak to these students. There was so much brokenness in their lives that no one knew they could choose to abstain, and actually make it. God broke down some awesome walls in the student's lives, and he gave them a second chance in the ways that they will live their lives. On the last day of the week they had the chance to get tested for AIDS, which was an overwhelming experience of emotion. Awful anticipation, powerful rejoicing, and confusing let downs. God was there for the students who were negative, and the ones who were positive. As a dropped a groups of girls off at their school after their tests, on girl came to the car window and took my hand. She said thank you for bringing us this message. She said they didn't know that AIDS was such a problem and they were excited for the ways theirs lives would change. They told us to keep doing the work we were doing. God rocked my world this week by showing me how much he listens to us and longs to answer our prayers. When prayer becomes our center focus, he is ready and willing to answer. My heart remains in Somerset with the lives that were changed, but I thankful for the light the Lord sent us to shine.

Beat the Drum

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Adventures in Missions is joining with other Jeffrey's Bay, South African organizations, churches and friends to bring Beat the Drum to Somerset East and WE NEED YOUR HELP. Our team will be going from October 12-19.

HISTORY OF BEAT THE DRUM

The horror of so many millions of souls currently under the curse of AIDS has been seen. The movie "Beat the Drum" was the catalyst for our response. A multi-faceted approach was developed that continued with a massive campaign to train young people in AIDS prevention, mobilizing people, volunteers from Africa and the US to break up into teams to go into high schools to train the learners in biblically-based AIDS prevention under a brand new project called, Beat the Drum.

Why Somerset East?
In early 2008 George and Michele Mwanza took a team to Somerset East for outreach. They spent three days prayer walking through the community. Through this prayer walk God introduced them to many influential leaders and opened their eyes to the need for change and growth within this small community. George knew that the town was ready for Beat the Drum it was just getting influential leaders on board. On Friday May 23rd six leaders went to present Beat the Drum to different representatives of schools, businesses, and churches. The response was amazing. God was so evident in that room that day. They are ready for Beat the Drum to happen tomorrow. God is telling us that it's time to move in to Summerset East and open their eyes and hearts to the ways of our Lord.

PRAYER NEEDS:
*Continued prayer is needed for the whole week of community outreach week.
*Families of the community
*Finances
*HIV/AIDS positive people in the community
*Home Visits
*For the volunteers
*Curriculum facilitation
*Lasting impact and real value
*For God's spirit to be poured out on the people attending
*Opening of their eyes to the knowledge and truth with understanding
*The Truth of the Word of God
*For the overall smooth running of our programs

FINANCIAL NEEDS:

Vehicle rental/Gas for transporting teams from J-Bay to Somerset East (100 people/3 hour drive)
Curriculum-Our target is 6,000 books which will cost $.80 a book which equals $4,800.
Any additional food that is not donated by the community

MISSION
To serve the Somerset East Community by bringing primarily the message of abstinence through Beat the Drum project and giving hope through meeting felt needs in the community.

EXPECTATION
To see the movement of God
To see believers, Churches and ministries join hands in unity to serve our community

PURPOSE
To educate on HIV/AIDS
To prevent and STOP HIV/AIDS in the community
To care for our community

If you would like to help go to ...

www.adventures.org/give

and type BTD Summerset in the Staff name Block

Email: Holly at holly@tagandholly.org

We need your support to make this happen! If you have any questions please feel free to email me. chelsea.e.short@gmail.com. When making donations follow the directions above and don't put it into my account! Thank you so much.

Home Sweet Home Again

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Arriving in Jeffreys Bay has been a dream. Only a week ago we arrived at the Port Elizabeth Airport with forty-one American missionaries and six leaders. We survived four airports, 21 lost bags, and a lost passport. Life here seems so familiar yet slightly different. When I walked through the gates of Ithemba many familiar faces ran towards me screaming something that resembled Chelsea. I accepted each hug as though it were the most precious gift of the day. Once again I felt right at home, I knew that God had called me to be here in Jeffreys Bay and work for Him once again.
    Getting to know the students has been so much better than I ever could have imagined. Each of the students has such special gifts and brings something special to the team.   I feel blessed each day by the lessons that they have to taught me and the ways that they love the Lord and long to draw closer to Him. Watching them build relationships in ministry and give all they have really speaks to my heart. It encourages me that they really long to serve while they are here. I ask that you can pray for continual direction and protection over their lives. They are really an awesome team.
    Relationships have really been the biggest blessing in coming to Jeffreys. Running into people on the street has been such a joy, and makes me realize that I can be at home here. When I left Jeffreys Bay in May I said goodbye to many dear friends, with the intention of not coming back anytime soon. I feel loved by the excitement in their faces. Seeing Nomsa really made everything worth it. My co-leader Aaryn dropped me at the gate of Ithemba the first morning and I saw Nomsa through the window of the van. She ran through the gate and literally jumped into my arms, almost knocking me over. I am so thankful for the relationship that God has built there, and he has maintained. I am so excited for my leadership team. There are such strengths in all the leaders, and I feel blessed by each of them.

A Change of Plans

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Every day I left the house with five of my teammates in Jeffreys Bay and we would walk 2.2 kilometers to Ithemba, the after school program where I worked. There they were waiting for us with their little arms poking through the bars of the gate. Many eager arms reached out to be picked up or just hugged. The children longed for the love and attention they knew we would give them. I eagerly expected Mbulelo to run to me when we arrived. Without fail he would be wearing his faded blue corduroys that always seemed ready for a flood. His head would be a little sweaty because his sweater brought extra heat during the eighty-degree weather. He would wrap his little arms around me, and hold tight until I had to pry his fingers off of me. Queen, Lusanada, and Nomsa would already be buttering the bread for lunch, while laughing and speaking in Xhosa. These ladies are the heart of the Ithemba After-School Care, and they became my friends.
This year has changed my life forever. I almost learned more from these women and children than I did in my four years of college. Each day their knowledge expands because they live by necessity. All they can hope for is enough food for the next day. I went to help the kids and encourage the ladies, but in the end I think they taught me more than I taught them.
As the year ended and it was time to leave, my heart was broken. How could I say goodbye to these people that have become like my family? Most didn't understand that I would not be coming back soon, and that financially it is not very easy to fly to Africa for a visit. I cried after each goodbye, so thankful for the lessons they taught me, and the ways they loved me. It was time for me to return home and find a teaching job. I had already decided that I would go back to Africa one day, but only when I thought it would be "realistic".
    Life back in America was still going the same pace as when I left. I felt like I had jumped onto a merry-go-round that was already moving. But as I tried to readjust to life, there was this little tug on my heart, telling me to go back to Africa. I pushed the thought away and continued on, until it came again and again. God decided that my time in Jeffreys Bay was not finished. He placed it in my heart to contact Adventures in Missions and see if I could go back.
    So here I am, heading back to Jeffreys Bay, South Africa in September as a leader to the First Year Missionary Program, in which I was a participant past year. This time I will have the opportunity to lead and encourage students in the same work I did, while still pursuing my relationships with my friends in Jeffreys Bay. My hope is to take the visions I had for Ithemba last year, and have the first year missionaries execute those visions. Going back is something that I cannot do on my own. Many of you helped to send me the first time, and I can't thank you enough for that. I am writing because I need your support.
    As a full time missionary I have to raise about $10,000 for my living expenses, food, bills, insurance, and shots. You can make donations through my blog page by going to the words that say support me!
       I ask that you prayerfully consider supporting me this year. Missionaries are only able to do what they do through the people that support them. This support makes you a part of the work that I do. Ghandi said "Be the change you wish to see in the world." You and I have the opportunity to be that change. Thank you for your prayers and thoughtful consideration.

Pictures

Sat, 3 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Siyena working on his t-shirt

Nomsa and her daughter Candy

Sima, the cutest cubby thumb sucking baby!

Lompi painting his t-shirt

Its almost over

Sat, 3 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There are two official days left in our ministries. I can't believe the time is really coming to an end. Right now I can't imagine myself leaving Africa; my heart is here. I have fallen in love with the children, the singing, the beauty, the people, the culture, and the lessons I have learned. This next week is going to both emotional and exciting. We are having a carnival for Ithemba on Monday, at Deo Doxa the church Ithemba was planted by. We will drive the kids from Ithemba to Deo Doxa where they can play games, jump on the moon bounce, slip and slide, have their faces painted, eat popcorn, and get balloon animals. The money to fund the carnival came from people at Harvest Christian Center and from Rachel Wright's supporters. I am so excited for the carnival but nervous at the same time. I want things to run really well and I want the kids to have an experience they have never had. Pray that things will go well and the weather will cooperate. We have spent hours planning, raising money, getting donations, shopping, and preparing. When I am at home and have free time I am constantly thinking about what to do for the carnival. Remember me on Monday and pray that the kids will have en experience they will never forget.
On Tuesday this week we had one of the most hectic days this year. It seemed that we were all suddenly being attacked by the devil. When I walked in that day two of the kids were dragging another kid on the floor for fun, or so I thought. I was helping dish the food for the kids, when those same two kids started screaming for the ladies to come. Nomsa ran as quick as possible to find the child not really responding. He could only look out of the corner of his eye and his body was limp. He said he was hungry but he threw up continually. Luckily someone with a car was visiting that day and she quickly drove him to the doctor with Nomsa and Trinos. The doctor said that there was nothing he could do he had to go to the hospital. At the nearest hospital they said he needed to go to a bigger hospital because they couldn't give him the care that he needed. While all of this is going on we are making phone calls like crazy at Ithemba and Queen is searching for this childs mom. What breaks my heart is the fact that without my phone we would have no contact, and without our vehicle it would have taken a lot longer to get the child to any care, and without our money he could not have gone to the doctor. Without us there would have been no help for him. But we aren't going to be here forever. Keep this child in your prayers, his name is Lanki and he is about 8 years old. I have not heard word of how he is.

For Real

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

    Currently right now we are still in Jbay. I know I said we were really leaving for Lesotho but it seemed like the Lord had other plans for us to stay here. As we were preparing to leave all of the plans seemed to be not coming in line. Our leaders felt at peace that the Lord wanted us to stay in Jbay, and this gave us a chance to stay in our ministries for the next two weeks.
    This week we have been painting the classrooms at Ithemba which has been a really fun project. The color used to be peach and we are working on creating an ocean mural. The ladies are all really excited about the change and I am excited to bless them with the change.
    We also went on a surrender hike yesterday which was really amazing, and God really spoke to me. I was able to reflect on all of the things that God has taught me this year. In order to get up to the mountain you had to climb through thorny bushes. As I started walking through the bush I thought I had chosen a good path, but it seemed to get harder and then end seemed farther. As I stood in the middle of the bush I looked around and felt desperate to get out! Why God did I choose this path. But when I made it through the bush I realized how there is nothing that we can't handle. God can teach us in every situation. Up on that mountain I was able to surrender my past and see how God brought me through it. God has really blessed me this year, and I am so excited for the lessons he is going to teach me.

The Real Lesotho

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So I know that posted saying that we were going to Lesotho, but there was a major change of plans and we are now going to Lesotho tomorrow. There was a major mix up with our visas and it required that we leave the country when they visas expired. The Lord worked it all out but the plans were still changed. The past two weeks we have spent hanging with people from our ministries and taking a little spring break. It has been a really relaxing two weeks and it has made me realize how much Jeffreys Bay has become my home. One of my favorite moments was sleeping at Nomsa's house in the township. It was really awesome to see how she lives her life and how I take so much for granted. Water is a luxury in the shack houses. Everytime I wanted to brush my teeth, wash my hands, wash my face, or have a drink, the water had to be brought from down the block and then boiled to purify it. Nomsa did all of those things for me as though it was no big deal. I really appreciate our friendship and the way she was willing to invite me into our home. It is hard to keep the noise out when the walls are made of plastic and wood. I could hear the neighbors music all night along with the mice that were eating away at the walls. It was nice to spend the night away from the craziness of the house.

Lesotho

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our team will be leaving for Lesotho this weekend and we will be gone for the next few weeks. We will have no water, no electricity and definitely no internet to be in contact. When I get home I will update my blog from the time there and also what has been going on at Ithemba the past few weeks.

Egg Babies

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My kids are at the age where their bodies are starting to transition from children to teenagers. Sex is a topic that is avoided by most schools and families in this area of the world. It is easier for people to avoid the consequences that come along with choosing to have sex. AIDS is so rampant here that people have started to think that it is so normal. Nomsa and I decided that it would be important to have the sex talk with the students. We split the kids up by boys and girls, and talked about sex. It was pretty hard to start the discussion, and the girls were slightly embarrassed, but once it got going it was apparent that they had many questions. We had the girls write any questions they had about sex, AIDS, boys, or puberty. While we were discussing Nomsa felt like it would be important for the kids to feel like they really had a baby. She decided that we would give each child an egg and they take care of it for a week. So they next day I brought in three-dozen eggs, and they kids went to town painting their "babies". It has humorous to watch the kids come in each day and tell their stories of broken eggs, or to see the kids with their egg wrapped in a blanket with a bottle. When the week was finished there was only one egg left, but the kids realized that their whole life changed when they had to carry around a raw egg with them all the time. Raw eggs cannot be easily left next to the fence when you go to play soccer, just the same with babies.
If you are looking for some way to support me, or these kids, they could really use hygiene products. Things like deoderant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine products, and even soap. These are some things that we take advantage of in the states, we assume that we will always have it, but these kids don't have the same resources. I would love to be able to provide the kids with these things while showing them how important their hygiene is. Also if you could pray for me right now that would be great. I am waiting to hear if I got the leadership position for a team that will come here in June. This will give me a chance to stay in Jbay for another three months! But right now it is really up to God.

Happy Birthday Lusanda

Sun, 2 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the ladies that we work with at Ithemba told us a few weeks ago that she never had a birthday party. On Wednesday night we realized that her birthday was on Thursday. Automatically we started planning a birthday party that would be special for her and fun for the kids. We baked 90 cupcakes, made a banner made play dough, filed water balloons, and planned a few games. Two of the girls took her out to lunch while the rest of us set up the room for a birthday party, sort of like the ones that we have in America. They arrived with Lusanda just at the time when the kids were sitting down to pray before lunch, and we had them sing happy birthday to Maga Aya (Lusanda's formal name in Xhosa). She had such a big smile on her face, and it was only going to get better. We had a water balloon toss, which f course turned into a fight, we played our own African version of pin the tail on the donkey, and then there was a limbo contest. Lusanda had such a blast and she said that the day could not get any better. She told us that no one had ever planned anything for her birthday, and we really made the day special. The day was such a blast and I went home wet from the many water balloons that hit me.

Join the Awakening: Discipleship & Missions

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Awaken to the Adventure

Disciples aren't born; they're made. It's a process that takes time, discipline, and God. In reality, it looks more like waking up than attending a class.

As part of The Awakening, you can undergo a discipleship program like no other, experiencing four months of intense training in another country to prepare you for the ministry that awaits you for the rest of the year.

Join The Awakening

Your mornings will be spent in training and your afternoons ministering in local communities, activating what you've learned. In the context of experiential learning, you will be discipled by mentors who want to see you grow deeply in your faith.

You will be part of a community of other individuals who share your passion and desire to come alive in Christ. This time will challenge and stretch you in new ways, and you will never be the same.

Become a part of The Awakening in either Latin America or Africa and discover your role in the kingdom of God.

You were made for greatness, to experience the abundant life and freedom that Jesus promised. As they awaken, current participants are saying:

I don't think that I will ever have such an opportunity to give up all of myself and all of my expectations as I do here. (Emily Tissot, Latin America)

The Bible study has... turned into a church. So, we have church at noon Tuesday-Friday under the tree in front of the market. I love watching as people just bring their stool/chair/water container... and join in the singing. We are going through the book of Galatians, and it is cool to see how freedom is effecting their hearts. (Denise Eckert, Africa)

For more on The Awakening, visit the First-Year Missionary website.

House Olympics

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Community has been one of the most challenging and fun experiences that I have had in Africa. Don't get me wrong, we all have those days where we just have to go into our rooms, well actually our bunks, and pop our earplugs to have some alone time. Today was one of those days that I was so glad to live with eighteen people. Every Saturday night we have a "family night". This is where we all get together and do something fun. Activities can be bowling, movie night, a picnic, a Halloween party, football at the beach, or a dinner out. But this Saturday was by far my favorite. House Olympics 2008 was the theme for the night. For those of you who don't know me I am very competitive person. I always want to win, even if it is just a game of tic tac toe. I think I picked this trait up from my brother Cletus, who is probably the most competitive person I know. Before we started the night, I prayed that I would not be too competitive because then I tend to take my anger out on my teammates. God went ahead of me in allowing each event to be with a different team or just by ourselves. This allowed me to ignore the idea of the points we gain. God has really been working on me to accept the fact that it is okay to lose sometimes, and it is even greater when other people can win. The games were all over the place; there was a three legged race, a ping pong tournament, a paddleball tournament, an egg race, an eating contest, a candy bar guessing contest, and an interesting game of spinning and jumping (you will have to ask Matt Spainhour if you want more details). It was great to laugh and have fun with my team. I never would have imagined myself living in Africa after college having an egg race with my teammates in my front year, the year after I graduated college. When I look back at this year, I can barely remember the hard times because the amazing times seem to be so much greater.
Ministry also went well this week as well. The students in my class were able to make scrapbooks with pictures of themselves that I have been taking all year. They loved to see themselves in the pictures, and it was so cute how they decorated the pages. We also had quite a dance party at Ithemba, where the kids dancing skills never cease to amaze me. If only I could move my body like they do with no effort. Thursday was a sweltering day, so at the last minute we decided to take the older kids to the beach. Jenny, Rachel and I rounded up the kids, but Nomsa did the directing (it helps a lot when you can speak Xhosa). The walk to the beach seemed to take forever, but the jump in the water was so worth it. I love how kids in Africa can go to the beach in their school clothes, swim in their underwear, and walk home completely barefoot. I had a blast, as the kids were calling my name left and right, so they could show me how good they were at diving into the waves. I really love Jeffreys Bay, and when I leave a little bit of my heart is going to stay here.

February in Jbay

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Aaryn, Chelsea, Cassie at Supertubes

Matt, Chelsea, Cassie, Aaryn Valentines Day 2008

Nomsa and Chelsea

Maraina and Chelsea hanging out on a Saturday

Nomsa's Daughter Candy, Chelsea and Druckie

Playing at the Park

My class at Ithemba

Valentines Day

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have loved how lately my relationships are growing even deeper with the people I have met here in Jeffrey's Bay. Nomsa is one of the women that I work with at Ithemba and she has become one person that I always look forward to spending time with. Yesterday I took her out to a Valentines Day lunch, and it was one of the high lights of my week. I love the time we spent together walking and talking. She is one of those people that you have a lot to talk about with, but it is also so great when you can just sit in silence. Sometimes I think she has impacted my life more than I have impacted hers. When I think about leaving in May, my heart breaks at the thought of leaving my friend behind. Nomsa has taught me so much about the culture, and the ways of life around here. Her life has been full of struggles, but she has taken all of those things and used them for good. I admire the mother she is to her daughter Candy, and the two other girls that are not her own. She is only 26 and she has much more knowledge then people her age in America. I have grown to love her daughters as well. On Saturday Nomsa was sick with a stomach virus that was going around so I took the girls for the afternoon. They came to our house and hung out all day. We watched a movie, listened to my ipod and spent time at the park. The way that Nomsa has raised them is apparent in their actions and manners. Although they are not all sisters they treat each other as though they are.
Valentines Day was a great day this week at Ithemba. We decorated cookies with the kids, painted rocks, made cards, and at the end of the day we had a dance competition. The kids were all dressed in their best red and white outfits. When I went home I was covered with paint and frosting, but I loved it. I love those kids so much. I love that being here has just become a part of my life. I feel so comfortable in my house and in my ministry.

The Downhill Car

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Friday is always the day that we have off. When walking is our only mode of transportation, we often spend the days downtown or at the beach. Today I had the chance to go with two friends to Port Elizabeth, the closest city to Jeffrey's Bay. Being from Chicagoland area I often miss the feel of the big city living in this small town. The three of us climbed into the volkswagon chico and got on the road. As we were climbing a hill out of town the car suddenly stalled. Their seemed to be nothing that could get the car to start, many adjustments under the hood, but still nothing. In my mind I am thinking of all the ways we should get back to town, or who can pick us up. But it was really a matter of praying that God would start the car. So while the car is still not starting we turn around to go back down the hill. As the car starts rolling it just starts. It was honestly one of the most confusing and cool things that has ever happened to me. Of course I should have trusted that God would start the car if we prayed and believe. In America I have grown up with the mindset that I need to do what I can to take care of myself. But here in Africa there is such a faith that God is capable of anything and everything. Little by little I am learning how amazing God is and how much he can do for us!

An Early Morning Super Bowl Party

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

    The change in the weather has been a really nice blessing the past few days. During the day the weather is still warm and sunny, but the nights are cool. I am reminded of what August feels like when I am in Holland, Mi. All I can hear right now are the few conversations that are taking pace throughout the house and the crickets outside. The fact that I have not had to experience more than a month of the Chicago winter this year was really a bonus. I was able to appreciate the cold and snow for a short time and then come right back to the summer.
    On Sunday we had a super bowl party at Deo Doxa, one of the churches that we are involved with. The party started at one in the morning! Each cooking team made two dishes to share, and we all climbed into the vans with our pjs on and our pillows in hand. Many people on the team took naps for a few hours but I could not get my body to fall asleep. This was probably the first year that I really paid attention to the super bowl, probably because there were a few of our African friends who were not sure what was going on. When the game was finished the sun had already risen, and it was time for us to go to bed. A few days later we are still a little thrown off from the lack of sleep but it was a good time.
    I have fallen in love with the kids even more after being gone for Christmas. The thought of leaving them in a few months is really hurting my heart. I am not sure how that adjustment will go. It has also been hard to get to know the kids more because they have a very little hope in their lives. There are very few parents that are good examples for their children. Yesterday we were talking about forgiveness in my class and the kids have no idea what that looks like. We started to talk about fights and how the kids should forgive each other and walk away. Walking or running away from a fight is not an option. The kids said that if they run home to their parents, they will send them back out to fight back. How can I teach them to forgive when they have never seen it done?

Get off the Gate

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

    Being back at Ithemba this week has been better than I thought. The best part was when I would be busy playing with one kid and another would yell my name across the room. Having my relationships with the kids go deeper has really showed that my time at Ithemba has meant something. Seeing Queen, Nomsa and Lusanda again really topped off the experience. Those three women have become my closest friends in ministry and I have learned a lot from them. I am so excited for the fact that I have only spent two months with them and I have another four months to go. The number of kids has greatly increased this semester and it is very overwhelming but I am excited for all of the names that I have to learn.
    Today was the first day that we had language lessons with the students in my class. The size of the class was fairly small but it was really cool to spend some time teaching them. It took about an hour to learn five sentences but it encouraged me to see that the kids know a lot more than they think. So often the kids doubt their ability to read or write English because there are not a lot of people that encourage them. I am excited for the lessons that are to come in the next few weeks.
    I am proud to say that I learned a little bit of Xhosa this week. There is a sliding gate at the entrance to Ithemba and we often have to open it for the cars to come in. But the kids always want to stand on the gate because it is a fun ride. The problem is that they don't understand that the roller can go over their feet or their bodies can get smashed when the gate goes near the wall. I asked Lompi, one of my favorite kids how to say get off the gate. For some reason that is one sentence I can remember.

Pictures from Break!

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ce, Chelsea and Cindy (My sister and Mom)

My Brother Cletus's Wedding!

Chelsea, Meghan, Ann, Styna

Mariana the cutest little neighbor and flower girl!

A snowy New Years Day at my house

Ann, Kierra, Meg, and Chelsea

The Semester Begins...

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It has been one month and I am already back in Africa. I can't believe that a few days ago I was in a cold Chicago winter, and today I was at the beach with my team playing a few games. I am loving the weather here, it reminds me of Hope College in the spring. Spring semester was the best when the weather would start to change and we would all go outside to do our homework. People would be all over the lawn playing Frisbee or football, or just reading their books. Having my team come back together has felt like spring semester in college. We are all excited to be outside in the beautiful weather and spend time together.
   I am really anxious to get back to Ithemba and see all of the kids. I can't wait to hear about their summer holidays, and just spend some time with them. It is so strange that I went from my life in Africa to my life in America.
   Probably the biggest event of my Christmas break was my brothers wedding. Cletus and Heather got married on December 28th and it was a beautiful winter day. It was quite and adventure to wear a long formal dress along with my fur winter boots and a long puffy down jacket, while carrying a few bags of much needed supplies. The wedding turned out beautifully, and it was so nice to spend time with my family. I can't believe that my big brother who I have always looked up to is really married.
   I felt really blessed this holiday by the number of people that supported me. Many of my friends drove many miles just to see me for only a few days. Money seemed to come in when I didn't expect it, and God truly provided for me. I want to thank everyone that supported me financially. I really could not have made it back here without all of your support!

Home for Christmas

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In only a few days I will be heading back to America, and it is unbelievable. I can't believe that I have only been in Africa for three months. This past weekend we spent time debriefing about how the semester went. We talked about how God has worked in our lives and on the team. It was mind blowing to think about all that we have done this semester. I am excited that God has given us another chance to come back here and minister to the people. Just as relationships are building we will leave for a one month, but life here is so busy with the summer holiday that I am excited to be home for Christmas. I will arrive in Chicago on December 15 at 8:45 P.M. It is going to be quite the shocker to leave the 80 degree weather and enter the snowy winter. I have really missed the season changes and I am excited to bundle up in my sweats.

Christmas at the Beach

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

    Yesterday I was cleaning my classroom after the lesson that I had given on prayer. While putting crayons in boxes and cleaning scraps of paper, Homotso came in the room. He is below grade three, which means he is not in my class. I could tell that he was lingering around me while I was cleaning. Usually he likes to help me do things, but I could tell that he had something to say. Finally after a few minutes of silence he spoke. "Chelsea", he followed with a wavering voice, "I love you." I was sort of stunned by the words that came out of his mouth. Tears came to my eyes, because he is a child of few words. While holding back tears I replied, "Homotso, I love you too." Having those words come from his mouth meant the world to me. Slowly my work is impacting lives in this one small corner of the world. Another teaspoon of dirt was turned.
    Thanksgiving in Africa was almost as good as Thanksgiving in America, minus a few ingredients. Many of the dishes needed to be altered or scratched because of the lack of American ingredients here in Africa. Although it was not quite the same, I still did eat more than I would in America. Our cooking teams got excited about making the foods we eat at home, and the dishes seemed to add up. Our families were missed during the holiday but there was no lack of guests, a team of twenty is pretty large.
    This past week we had a Christmas party for the kids from Ithemba. We met at a lagoon, where there was food and gifts. It was great to see the kids out of their normal surroundings feeling as though they were normal kids for once. I loved being able to run around with them in the water, and see the joy in their faces. I can see the trust that they are beginning to build with me. When they arrived at the park they climbed out of the van and so many of them called my name and jumped into my arms. I am really going to miss them over Christmas, but I am excited for a new school year to start.
    In two short weeks I will be home for Christmas. I find that really strange because here I am laying out at the beach on any free time I get. The cold and snow is going to be quite a shock. I feel like I have been in a constant summer, and I am really liking it!