Lincoln and Jenny - Missionary Associates to South Africa

Thursday, August 24, 2006

4 Month along

Here is a picture of my expanding belly. I am finally starting to look like I am pregnant, not like I am just eating too much cake (although I AM eating too much cake!) I had an ultrasound today, and the doctor is 95% sure that we are having a baby girl! We are excited about having another girl. Everyone here has little boys, so it will be fun having a baby girl. (We won't get as many hand-me-downs though!) I have been feeling so much better lately, the morning sickness (that I get at night) is finally almost gone. Thank you for all of your prayers for me and the baby. Posted by Picasa

Monday, August 21, 2006

Happy Birthday Dr. Neil!


I've written a post on the shelter blog about Dr. Neil's birthday party at the shelter. Click on the link at the top right of this page to go to the shelter blog and read about it.

Friday, August 18, 2006

A gift from God

8/18/2006
Lincoln here. Yesterday I visited Freedom Park with Nate. We didn’t have a whole lot of time, so we only visited two homes. As we were leaving I was thinking about how that is a highlight of my week. I always enjoy ministry there so much. That made me think about how God has changed my heart in that regard. When I was in college I had to do a pastoral internship. Part of that was visiting people in hospitals and nursing homes with Pastor Anar Ohlin (who I came to love and respect for his love for people.) I hated hospital visits. I hated nursing homes. I’ve always hated visiting hospitals. Those situations have always been so awkward and uncomfortable for me. I never know what to say or how to act. To be honest, sickness and death is not fun, I’d rather go climb a mountain and experience life. So it is ironic that God has brought me here to serve the sick and dying in Freedom Park, and he has changed my heart to not just endure it, but enjoy it. God is good, and he gives good gifts to his children. Sometimes those gifts are not material items, but a new heart.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Wires, Wires Everywhere!

This is a picture of one of the two single (as in 1 plug, not 2 like most outlets in the USA) outlets in our bedroom. You can see the extension cord with the red end plugged into the outlet. We had a South African helping us build the flats a few months ago who told us that in a bedroom all you need is 2 outlets, one to plug a lamp into and one to plug an alarm clock into. (HUH?!?!?!?!?!?) So, we have extension cords plugged into extension cords running all over our bedroom (and all other rooms in the house - there are only 3 single outlets in the kitchen.) You can also see a mirror leaned up against the wall. This is because it is illegal to put outlets in the bathroom here (above mentioned South African said that it is because too many people were injured or killed while blow drying their hair in the bathtub.) So, I have to do my make-up (we also have no mirror in the bathroom - most bathrooms are tiled floor to ceiling, some including the ceiling, so it is difficult to hang a mirror on the wall) and hair sitting on the bedroom floor near the outlet. This is the first thing you see as you enter our bedroom. Very lovely! Posted by Picasa

Monday, August 14, 2006

Stinky Pete


I had an interesting conversation with Noel, the South African youth pastor that I go to freedom park with. We were talking about stereotypes. He said how when he visits other countries people expect that as a white South African that he is a racist. I said how I used to have a stereotype of what people from Canada were like. When I visited Canada I was disappointed to find out that they didn't all say "take off eh" at least every two minutes. I was honestly surprised that they acted and talked just like Americans. He said that he had a stereotype of what people from Colorado are like. When I asked him to expand he said that his stereotype of us is the character "Stinky Pete" from Toy Story 2. In his mind we all wear wide brimmed hats, with the front bent up, wear over-alls, and carry prospectors picks. (Obviously he knows that isn't true, but that is what comes to mind.) I thought that was hilarious. Nate was with us, so he asked what Noels stereotype of people from Oklahoma is. Noel said, "they all sing and dance on a stage." Stereotypes can be a funny thing.

Lighthouse Blog

Jenny and I are now responsible for updating a blog for the shelter. It is lighthouseshelter.blogspot.com. I've put a link to it at the top right of this page. Now that we are posting to two blogs, you may want to check both blogs. We won't always duplicate the blogs, so there may be stories or pictures on one blog that the other doesn't have. Also, the shelter website is nearing completion. There is also a link for that at the top right. You can check that out for pictures and info. about the shelter that you haven't seen before.

Baby Adoption



















Today I, Lincoln, was able to take part in another adoption.

This was a special one, because Jenny went to the government hospital to pick up Suzie (not her real name for privacy reasons) shortly after we arrived in South Africa. So, we have been a part of Suzies life since two weeks after her birth up to her adoption. That is special to be a part of the whole process. Suzie is now around 4 months old and has gone to live with her "forever family."

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Jenny is starting to show

Hello everyone, Jenny here. I have been extremely sick and have not posted for quite a while. I am feeling much better now. Several people have asked for a picture of my new self. This picture was taken about 2 weeks ago (when I was 3 months pregnant). In the week before we took this picture my stomach just suddenly popped out. Overnight I was not able to wear my normal jeans anymore! I will post a new picture every month so that you can watch me grow! Posted by Picasa

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Kyler's Party


Today was Kyler’s 4th birthday party. The theme was Thomas the Train. It was a lot of fun. Kyler was giddy with excitement. We had 6 of Kyler’s friends over to our house for the party. Our children’s pastors Adrian and Vanessa provided some entertainment. They did such a good job. Vanessa did face painting and Adrian did a magic show, as well as 2 characters- a bird trainer ventriloquist show, and an Italian chef that makes biscuits (another magic show.) He was so funny, all of the kids loved it. Kyler got his first bike, which he was thrilled about.

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Magic Show Pictures


Kyler loved being the star of the show. Usually he is so shy, but he really came out of his shell today.
Adrian is so talented with his magic show and as a ventriliquist. I think that the adults enjoyed the show as much as the kids.
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Kyler's Birthday Pictures




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Thursday, August 03, 2006

Imagine!

August 3, 2006
Yesterday I visited Freedom Park again. I hesitate to share some of the stories we encounter because I don’t want this blog to depress people. On the other hand, I wish the world could see what I see, and hear what I hear. This is one story that I feel worth sharing. We visited a child run home yesterday. The “man” of the home was a 16 year old boy. He has a twin sister (who we didn’t meet) and they have a 4 year old little brother. The mother died 2 years ago; the father has been gone for years. The 16 year old boy attends school at the crèche (the catholic run school in freedom park that is very basic, and extremely overcrowded.) He doesn’t have money to pay for next years school, so he was planning on dropping out next year; so Noel agreed to pay for his next years schooling, as well as for the 4 year old to attend crèche. We asked what the 4 year old does during the day and they said “he’s just busy going around to the houses here.” This means that the 4 year old is on his own all day just wandering around the neighborhood. The family has no way of making any money. They don’t receive grant money from the government because they don’t have South African citizenship. Their parents were illegal immigrants, so even though the children were born in South Africa they don’t have birth certificates because the parents were afraid of being exported. So even though the children were born here in South Africa, they can’t prove it and are therefore illegal. You literally can’t do anything in South Africa without an id book (your proof of citizenship.) You need your id book for almost any business transaction. You can’t open a bank account, you can’t receive any government services. You basically don’t exist if you aren’t a citizen. The sixteen year old sister is not in school. Later when talking to Noel about it we figure she most certainly is selling her body for money. There is no other way for the children to earn money. And they clearly had money coming from some where. Can you imagine if you were in their shoes? Parents die when you are 14. You have no job, no skills, no education, a 2 year old brother to care for, as far as the government is concerned, you don’t exist; and if they found out about you, you could be exported. How would you view the future? What hope would you have? Imagine that you are a sixteen year old girl that has to sell her body just to put food on the table. Can you imagine?

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Miracles



August 1, 2006
This is Lincoln. Johnny, (not his real name for privacy reasons) is one of our precious little boys here. His mom died from AIDS shortly after he came to Lighthouse Shelter. He is now 4 years old. Johnny has really bad problems with his skin drying and cracking because of the medication that he is on. He has excema from head to toe and he has to wear gloves so that he doesn’t scratch himself. Yesterday he broke out in blisters on his hands and arms from some sort of an infection. The poor little boy was in so much pain his whole body was shaking. He looked so pitiful. I took him to see Dr. Neil yesterday and he got some antibiotics for the blisters. We all felt so bad for him and we’ve all been praying for him. This morning in our weekly staff meeting Sophie and Nomhle our shelter directors told us that they could hear Johnny all the way from the office this morning yelling. “I’m healed, look at my hands, I’m healed.” It was so cute. Later in the day I was working in the shelter and Johnny came up to me to say, “Daddy, take me again. Take me again, Daddy.” He loves Dr. Neil so much, he actually wants to go to the doctors office. To me this was such a perfect example of how God uses people to be his hands, and to perform his miracles. It is nothing short of a God given gift and a miracle for God to send Dr. Neil to help heal our children.