East London, South Africa

wow, its been a while since i have posted something. I have been sooo busy lately. so, i left my children and Audrey on thursday night. I feel like a piece of my heart is missing. I miss them sooo much. I basically took them in as my own children at one point they called me mommy. They had many nicknames for me.  They are seriously like family to me and when i left you better believe that i cried my heart out. God definitely knew what he was doing when he put 6 children in my life. It was such an honor and a privilege to get to know them. Lord willing, one day i can come back to come see my children, Audrey, Nan, and my South African parents, Reynold and Rita and all the other amazing friends God placed in my life. What amazing people God has brought into my life.God taught me soooo much through all those people and i am blessed to know each and everyone of them. I am forever changed by What the Lord has taught me and done in my life. I am so blessed with sooo much and so often i take it for granted. Also, God definitely is such a provider. I look back on my mission experience in Cape Town and realized how much God provided for me in the littlest aspect of everything. I just love how much God cares about the littlest things. It just reminds me of the verse“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord "Isaiah 55:8. Gods ways are to even care for the small things. It has now been a little over 2 months that i have been in South Africa. I left Cape Town to meet up with a group from Spartanburg, South Carolina in East London,South Africa. I left Cape Town at 6:45pm. and arrived in East London at 7:45pm. It was only an hour flight which wasn't bad at all. I got to the airport about an 45 minutes before the group arrived in East London. Warren Baptist has joint up with First baptist Spartanburg (FBS) and worked together to build some foster care homes for the organization that i volunteered for in Cape Town called Home From Home. So its really cool to be able to see what the Lord is doing not only in Cape Town but also in East London for the Same ministry. The houses are built we are just going to do some finishing touches and in the afternoon do VBS with some of the children from the township. Also, its been cool getting to know people from FBS. Also, Tabatha McCormick ( a girl from augusta) flew down here to come paint some murals on the walls for the children. It was great reuniting with her here.  There are 13 of us here and we are going to start it all on Monday. We took yesterday and today to get the touristy things out of the way such as we walked on the beach,took pictures,went on an awesome safari, looked at the site we will be working at and went souvenir shopping. I absolutely loved the safari.I got to pet a cheetah and hug it and it was soooo sweet. It just fascinates me to look at how God made these amazing animals. I am excited for what the Lord is going to do in and through this us here. I ask that you would pray for us as we are trying our best to serve the Lord in East London. That God would have his will be done in and through us. Thanks so much for all the support and prayers.Lord Willing, I come home on the 28th of May. this is definitely way Bittersweet! But i am excited to see everyone again. Have a Blessed day!
in His grip,
Christine Harper