Two Updates!

Scenery from the ride

Our guide, and view from Whitney's horse when he wouldn't cooperate

Duncan and Whitney (how gorgeous is this?!)

Whitney on horse #2 after first horse became obstinate

Whitney on horse # 1

Beautiful scenery from horseback ride

Local shepherd

"God Help Me Pass" where we went horseback riding

Duncan and his horse

Duncan playing soccer with Youth from Christ

Our little friend (in next photo) took this photo. Impressive, no?

Our friend who is going to live in Canada very soon!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Today was amazing! We drove through the incredible Lesotho mountains to go horseback riding. These mountains are breathtaking, even in winter. We were told that in the spring they are green, full of life! But as we road these Lesotho ponies through the countryside I kept thinking about how big and awesome our God is to create something so grand.

I (Whitney) have had a rather accident-prone kind of day, which started off with trying to dodge the scalding hot water in the shower and smashing my ankle into the side of the shower. But, at least there is a shower and hot water! Then at the horseback riding venture, I had to dismount my horse on an incline as it has become obstinate, and fell while getting off. Add another slip of the foot later, my body has taken a beating, but all my own fault. Oh wells, I recover quickly J You’ll notice in the pictures that I had to switch horses half-way through the ride. The original horse refused to move after a certain point, so the guide let me ride his horse, who I affectionately called Tiny Dancer.

We saw more of the Africa I think we were all expecting today. Driving through the more rural areas allowed us to see how life is lived day-to-day: small houses, women out in the fields or working, young boys herding cattle or sheep, clothes out in the sunshine to dry. It was both heart-warming to see the joy with which people smiled and waved at us and heart-breaking to see a school composed of four tiny shacks. We laughed that in America you would be arrested for allowing your five-year-old to herd sheep all day—how we would never let our children do something so dangerous—yet here, that is just a way of life. Incredible.

Tomorrow we experience church and meet the teenagers with Youth for Christ that we have been anxious to connect with. Please keep us in your prayers, we have felt them thus far!

Whitney

July 25, 2010

Went to church this morning—an international church that is led in English. I even knew most of the songs we sang. We met up with the Dimmocks (the North Avenue missionaries) again and spent some time with some of the children who are being adopted (three who are currently living with the Dimmocks before the transition into their new families), and one in particular who is being adopted by a North Avenue family. He fell asleep while I was holding him—and cried when the Dimmocks took him to go home. I think he’s just so excited to be with his new family, whom we represent. It was a really tender experience.

After church we grabbed some lunch and took stock of everything we transported on the plane. It’s rather amazing how much we were able to pack in the checked luggage! Art supplies, more than 200 blankets for the kids, socks and undergarments, and five guitars.

After that work time, we went and met the teenagers from Youth for Christ and spent two hours hanging out with them—what awesome kids! We played soccer and ultimate frisbee with them for a few hours. They were loving and full of life. They’ll be with us at the orphanage this week, and hopefully will carry on a loving relationship with the orphanage long after we are gone.

Now we’re headed to grab some Chinese and then to spend more time with the Dimmocks. Tomorrow we begin our work at the orphanage and will surely have more to report!

Thanks for all your prayers!