July 28

I am so thankful for the safety and freedom we have in America! We can drive safely; walk (many) streets at night safely. Be thankful!
The weather is PERFECT here- cool at night and in the morning and beautifully sunny in the 70’s during the day.
I woke up a million times last night, had "cream of wheat" (made by their live-in maid/housekeeper, Eunice) with Muesli (that's the way you do it here) for breakfast , and was driven to Focus on the Family (Focus on iThemba) at 8am. I met up with Shanno (a woman) who is in charge of interns (I guess that is the closest category I fit into) and we went to a prayer meeting, then at 9:30 am I met with the Curriculum Manager of the No Apologies abstinent program and we discussed what I will be doing for the next 3 weeks. Everyone is VERY nice, helpful, and accommodating. Transportation is a bit tricky because I have to be driven everywhere (I can’t drive stick-shift and no one has automatics) and public transportation is not an option. I don’t think they were expecting a naïve-looking blonde girl! I was able to look through the abstinence curriculum today and to also speak with some of the educators. All that did not take very long though. I also got 3 tours of this place- Focus is in an old Bible College and it has a lot of land with several houses (where they hope to house foster kids and parents), old class and dorm rooms, a radio station, and then the main offices. I am so glad to be seated at an office desk with Internet. I feel like I did my first day at Dallas Fan Fares where I sat and stared at a computer screen in between figuring out something to do with myself.
They drink tea all the time and it is quite lovely. Also, the “compound” backs up to a gorgeous valley where all the poor shacks are. “Bev” from the bookstore took me home and we stopped at clicks (South African Walgreen’s) for her to pick up a few things and then I was dropped up. Bev reminded me of all the safety issues I have been hearing about. She is concerned when she has to stop to make turns because she is weary of car jacking. Everyone reading this- thank God that you live in America (if you do, I don’t think I have any international readers… yet). I can’t imagine living without the safety (which equals personal liberties) we have at home. I am hoping I don’t go stir crazy in 3 weeks not being able to walk or run anywhere outside the home or office.
When I got in only Jade was home so we chatted over tea (of course) and waited for Sarah (17, junior in high school, who goes to boarding school, M-F) and her dad to get home from the city where her school is and Tim to come back from tutoring a kid whose teacher comes to school drunk. We had Pizza for dinner and ice cream with Milo on top. Milo is like Ovalteen or Nesquick- interesting. The children are very talented- Tim is an amazing artist and Sarah is very musical, perhaps I would have been more talented if I stayed inside my house and if we didn’t have cable.
I was told tonight that “so fun” is not proper- its “such fun” which is a bit of a problem because I am all the time saying “so- whatever.”
I wasted some precious minutes on my expensive international phone to check my voice mail on my cell at home and it was SO great to hear 3 messages from friends (thanks Emily and Katie!) It made me feel loved and missed and it was just great! It is Friday night and Sarah is practicing on the piano, Tim and Jade are packing to leave for UCT, David (the dad) is on the computer, Janet (the mom) is in Durban on an overnight mission, and I have retreated to my room (thank goodness I have my own room to retreat to). I am sorry if I am making this experience sound negative. It is not at all, it is just stretching me out of my comfort zone, but its not too far stretching (it is only my first real day), it’s pretty easy all things considered. And I am so glad to have this opportunity and experience