Things This Side

Alright, finally I will update everyone on life this side!

I was able to go home for Christmas this time around and was so blessed to spend a lot of the December holidays with my family. I was able to drive down to my younger brother's university and check out his campus and meet his roommates and friends while getting some girl time with his amazing girlfriend! We went with my dad's side of the family to my favourite place, Dillon Beach. I was able to spend time with my mom's side of the family who is now spread through Ohio and Missouri. My mother, of course, fattened me up with the most amazing meals! Needless to say, it was wonderful to be with family and visit old friends. 

This year has been somewhat of a blur. I can hardly acknowledge that it is almost June and halfway through the year. I will be honest and say that I had expected a much more positive start to the year but I truly should have no complaints because it could always be much worse. During first term of the school year I was teaching grades 2-7 music, theology(bible) and preventative counselling life skills. I really enjoyed teaching even though their was many a time when I thought I might explode from the chaos and lack of discipline in some children! This term I am helping with the after school tutoring program where we break up into groups by grade and teach the kids that are struggling with english and maths through games and lessons. This I have found very challenging as there will be a huge gap of intellectual functioning between kids of the same grade/group and there is only one of me. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays(occasionally a Sunday too) I am working in Wells Estate where we have our new community centre Siyakhula(We are growing). We do tutoring on Mondays, home visits on Tuesdays, tutoring on Wednesdays, Jr. Youth on Thursdays, Sr. Youth on Fridays, Soup Club on Saturdays and a partnering pastor from the community holds a youth church service there on Sundays. My heart continues to burn for the community of Wells Estate. I really wish I could go so much deeper with the community. I have dreamed for so long to live in Wells and become a part of the community. I won't talk more on this for certain reasons but will share more on this when I feel the time is right and that God is closer to making a space for me there. The community is so excited for when that day comes and is fully supportive of it- which brings joy to my heart. It really is truly amazing how the acceptance and friendship the love of God brings when you are willing to be vulnerable and venture out from your comfort zones. When I first started doing ministry in Wells many of the kids and adults would call me "umlungu" (white person) when calling me or referring to me or asking for money only seeing me as a benefactor. This year it has been so amazing to hear all the children referring to me by name and the adults referring to me as "mama" or "sisi". Now, when a new person comes to meet meet me and calls me "umlungu" or asks for money there is a number of children or adults who will reprimand them, telling them to call me "Mama" or "sisi" or "Madi", and when they ask for money they will explain that we are on the same level and that not all white people are like what they think. I am so thankful for God creating this kind of relationship of respect and unity between such different cultures and backgrounds. 
Wells Estate and the farm school both have lots of things to improve upon, but ministry is becoming so much more fruitful as we deepen our roots with these communities. I look forward to future ministry and my personal future dreams for Wells Estate. 

My personal life hasn't been crazy exciting lately but that's quite alright with me ;  ) i have played some gigs here and there, still enjoying playing in the worship band for church(we got an awesome new drum kit that is so sweet to play!), help lead a life group and I have been spending A LOT of alone time late into the night with Harry... Potter! Haha I have been on a Harry Potter craze and have been reading the books. I LOVE HARRY POTTER. Really though, the magical world of wizards is such a neat place for your imagination to visit! -I know that there is a lot of Christian controversy on these books but honestly guys, when you are walking with people through some of the most depressing, hard, frustrating and complicating life situations, a book that can take your mind away for a little bit and provide you with a bit of relaxation and de-stressing - that's gold. Yes I love Harry Potter and find it interesting and intriguing,  yes I still love and follow Jesus and no I do not have some demon inside me or am I under the influence of witch craft. You would be surprised at how many Christians condemn me for reading a fictional book. -I do understand where they are coming from though. 

Thank you for those of you who have continued to support me through prayer and finances! I have just recently started giving a few private music lessons, It has been so awesome to add chicken into my weekly diet! I also love teaching the things I love so it is a win-win. 

I do have a few prayer requests if any feel up to it!

1) We have some really horrible cases of child abuse and there is not enough resources to get these kids the help they need. If you could pray with us for the safety of the kids and women of Wells Estate and for a Safe Home in the community which is a HUGEEEE need. 

2) Please pray for our team and our unity and compassion towards one another. This kind of work easily chips away at our selflessness and love for one another. 

3) Please pray for our families as we continue to live and work so far away from them- including the South African and African volunteers. 

4) Please pray for our spiritual discipline as we can easy let that fall slack. 

5) My visa expires this December and I am trying to organise a longer period of time to be back in the states to work ad raise money and renew my visa. There are a lot of complications with this!

Love you guys! Will try to update you all again soon! 

Mama Den & Mama K

A lot of things have happened since I last shared. Too much that I haven't fully processed and trying to write about all of it has been way too overwhelming. So to be truthful, I have actually been avoiding blogging. I will write up an actual update tomorrow and post it. I am still in Port Elizabeth, still working for One Life and still helping with Westside Family Church. Times have been crazy and confusing and more things than I can't even put words too. But this post it not about me it is about my mother.

Being so far away I am so sad that I could not be with her for Mother's Day. My mother has one of the most amazing spirits I have met. I think that Jesus and I have a special agreement worked out. I know that Jesus honours and sees the sacrifices we make for Him. I know the only way I would want to be honoured by Jesus is that through His care of my family. So when I invest in the lives of the families in our ministry I know that Jesus is investing in the lives of my immediate family. For Mother's Day I chose to take the money that I would spend on my mom and put it towards one of the mama's I work with. If you have seen any of my recent facebook posts, you will see that this mama has been very sick for a very very long time. At any moment really she could die because of her sickness. She has three young children and no family or friends in her area. She only has myself and One Life for support. This family has lived in a little shack made of old tin and wood and only last year finally got their government house. This has been the best thing of their lives! They now have a very small two bedroom house with a little kitchen with a sink and a bathroom. Transition from their previous dwelling they do not have much to fill their house with. Things like silverware, glasses, tables, clocks, oven etc that we take for granted, they do not have. So my mother has now blessed this family with her love and has shared a special day with this mama who has never got a mother's day present in her life! A woman who has not celebrated her birthday or any special day for her in over 20 years and probably her whole life. When I asked about her life and birthday last month she actually had to go check her birth certificate to see when it was only to realise it had passed two months prior. 

The text below is the same text that is in the card I made for Mama K and my mom(Mama Den)with the Xhosa translation as she does not speak English. It is such a neat experience to be able to connect with people on such a deep level. It brings so much more meaning to your ministry when you give the opportunity for relationships like this to form. Anyways, mom this one is for you! I love you more than you will ever know!!!!

"My mother’s name is Denise Brandt. She lives very far away across the world in California. That is where I am from. My mother is one of the most selfless people I know. She pours her life into our family and does everything she can to love and provide for our family. She has a heart that has no depths for those who need love. Her compassion knows no culture, no race or class but only that of those who breathe. Her life gives me a standard to strive towards. She is a leader by nature and because of this, people in all areas of her life gravitate towards her optimistic and accepting spirit. I am so proud to be a daughter of this powerful and selfless woman. 

A lot of what I see in my mother, I find in you as well. I have never seen a woman fight so hard against so many hard circumstances in her life, and do it all for her children. Your body may be weak, but your love is far stronger and holds on when you cannot. Since I have known you mama, I see that every breath you take and use is for your children alone. I am amazed by your ability to serve your family while in such pain. Although at times you may not feel it, I know that God is watching over your family and is pleased with the way that you love your children. Jesus has many many rewards waiting for you in His kingdom and cannot wait to comfort you when you get there. Only in Christ, do we find true rest, unending joy that does not fade and peace that we do not understand. You are an amazing woman Khunjuzwa, and are a true warrior.

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Since I have lived here, I only get to be with my mom and my family one time a year. Family is the thing that I value most above all else. It is very hard for me to be away from them because I love them so much. I am so glad that I am able to have you and your children as part of my family as well. When I spend time with you all I feel that Jesus takes a bit of my love through that and gives it to my family. I know that because I love you as my family, He is blessing my family and sharing His love with them even more because by that, He is blessing me. Jesus is taking care of my family when I cannot and for this I am so grateful. 

This gift is meant for two amazing mothers who both fight for their families with all they have. I know that if my mother was in my shoes today, she would be doing the same thing. She cannot help but love people. I pray for you often and tell my family about how you all are doing very often. Thank you mama for taking me as part of your family, you are surely a part of ours. Instead of giving something directly to my mother on this day, I am giving this gift to you and your family. This I feel is so much more meaningful to me and my mother. I hope that you know that you are loved deeply by your children, myself and my family, and most importantly by Jesus. I hope that someday my family will be able to meet you. Happy Mother’s Day mama!!!!!

Igama likaMama wam nguDenise Brandt. Uhlala kude eCalifornia, kule ndawo ndivela kuyo mna. Umama wam ngowabanye abantu endibaziyo abanobuntu. Usebenzisa amandla kunye nexeshela lakhe lonke kuSapho lwethu kunye uwenza yonke into ukusibonisa uthando lwakhe endlini nokusipha izinto esingenazo. Unentliziyo ogcwele luthando ongapheliyo for ababakudingayo. Uthando lwakhe abulwazi tlanga, bazi umntu ophefumlayo. Ubomi bakhe bundinika amandla okuqhubekeka. Uyinkokheli, nabantu bakwindawo ezinintsi ebomini bakhe bathanda ubumnandi bakhe nakunye umphefumlo wakhe. Ndiyaziqenya ngokuba ngumafungwashe womama onesipho esikhulu kunye namandla avumelekileyo. 

Izinto endizibona kumama wam ndizibona kuwe. Zange ndadibana neqhawekazi elomeleleyo ngaphandle kobunzima obuse bomini bakhe. Yonke into oyenzayo wenzela abantwana bakho. Umzimba wakho awomelelanga kodwa uthando lwakho lwomelele ukuqgitha. Oko ndakwazi mama, ndibona ukuba umphefumlo owumphefumlayo, ubusebenzisa kwabantwana bakho qha. Ndimangalisiwe bubumkani bakho bokunceda usapho lwakho. Ndiyayazi ukuba uThixo ukujongile kunye nosapho lwakho and uvuyiswa ngentandiso yakho kwabantwana bakho. Uyesu unentsikelelo ezinintsi ezikulindeleyo ezulwini lakhe, ulindele ukukonwabisa xa ufika pha. Sifumana uukuzola kuThixo kunye nobumnandi obungapheliyo. Ungumfazi olungileyo Khunjuzwa kunye neqhawekazi elilungileyo. Happy Mothers Day Khunjuzwa. Ulonwabele usuku lwakho mama"