official last post from this side: coming your way just now. :)
to my stateside friends, you'll be happy to know i'm headed your way. will be back in the country 8am Eastern on the 17th. will get home sometime that evening. to my Africa friends, i miss you already! so much of my heart is staying with you.
just finishing up debrief in the HOT country, and flying out tomorrow 5:30 our time (8 hour time difference) feeling a lot of different things, a different emotion for leaving and coming home. it's crazy. anywho, i love you all beyond belief and i'll have much more to say very soon.

<3

cheerio,
Sarah

just a quick note to say camp was AMAZING. God is so good! :) many new brothers and sisters in Christ. yay. :D i am flying to TZ tomorrow afternoon @ 3pm our time; having a hard time-too many goodbyes! but i'll be alright. just remember me in your prayers. i love y'all. see you soon!

last '"words"

a picture's worth a thousand...

wild.

kfc.

jump.

hillsong.

camel.

joburg.

thanksgiving.

6 December 2008
10:30 am
Joburg

Good morning! :) It’s one of my last few days here; we are leaving for youth camp on Monday, which I am very excited about. :D It has been a crazy and eventful last few weeks; I am sorry to not have written in a while, it’s just been busy. I’ll write more stories and put up tons of pictures once I’m home. But for now, I’ll say a little before I sign off from this side.
The past three weeks or so have held quite a lot for us. We’ve visited the apartheid museum, had a sleepover with nine (extra) girls in our apartment, seen Hillsong in Pretoria, visited with locals, worked youth fundraisers, had an African Thanksgiving, gone shopping at the market, seen an informal township, and continued our usual ministry. :) phew. Quite a lot, eh? I cannot believe I will be home in about a week and a half! I’ve been a big ball of emotion lately; I am excited to be home and see everyone, but also overwhelmingly sad to be leaving this place I have come to love so much. Anyone who has spent this kind of time overseas will understand what I mean; it’s hard. But, I am so thankful to God for not only this opportunity, but all He has done in and through me. His work has rearranged my world; not only how I see my world, but myself as well. And I love Him more all the time for it. I wish I could put it into adequate words, but my mumbled praise will have to do. I have learned more than I thought possible in the past four months, and this is a never-ending journey! My Saviour and Lord is holding me in His hand all the way, no matter where I am. “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalm 27:1, NLT) His word has spoken more to me in these days than ever before! I have been a child of the King for over a decade, but have never experienced His love and grace and mercy the way I do now. One thing is sure, I will appreciate this Christmas more than ever before, because I have experienced Christ anew in my heart.
I want to thank you all for your tremendous love and support these past months. I love you more than you know, and praise God for who you are in my life. I can’t wait to see you face to face, and hug your necks. :) Please continue to pray for me as I finish out my term with youth camp and debrief, and fly home on the 16th and 17th. I will have much to tell when we next meet. Again, I love you and thank you. You’ve been such a gift and blessing to me in this time, and I hope to be just as much to you in the days to come. Until I see you, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Cheerio,
Sarah

P.S. Happy birthday Lauren! I love you girl. <3

hello!
:) wish i had time to write lots; i will before the week is over. but at the moment, i am headed to thanksgiving potluck at the Baptist mission. :D anywho, have a great weekend and i'll talk to you later! to my church folks: i wrote a new prayer letter. it'll be out sunday. :)
<3 love y'all!
Sarah

just wanted to say hi since i haven't written in a while. :) will write more early next week.
love you guys! <3

LMCO

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good evening. :)
it's summer in johannesburg! sunny and hot. not quite the same as november in NC, eh? :) ah, i hope you are all splendid and keeping warm. only four weeks left, i can't believe it. i love you all and will write more soon, i promise. for now, please continue to pray for youth camp preparations and that i would know how to pray. later, friends.
cheers,
Sarah

Psalm 42:10

one last thing-
i posted new pictures from vacation. :) link # 3.

love you all. <3
Sarah

beautiful.

good afternoon from johannesburg! :)

hope you've all had a wonderful week so far. we are definitely in the home stretch; i will be home in less than five weeks! i cannot believe it is mid-November already; where did the time go? i am really feeling the crunch; it's a wild emotional ride at the moment. anyway, i'll have lots to tell come Christmas. :)

we spent the beginning of this week on holiday, around two hours away from our home. we packed (or squished) seven people and their luggage into an SUV-type thing called a Condor. and off we went. :)

we stayed in a nice little chalet, complete with rain spiders (four inches across, common here) and monkeys wrestling on the roof. :) it was great fun. we went on multiple game drives, both morning and evening, and saw all sorts of wildlife. This included giraffes, all types of antelope (kudu, impala, springbok, steenbok, riverbuck), rhinos, an elephant, hippos, african birds, turtles, and LIONS. :) we got up at 5am both mornings, so i came home and slept half a day. :D it was absolutely amazing! ... but the animals were not the greatest thing God showed me on our trip. to share that, i'll give you a bit of background info.

Pilanesberg National Park is situated in an extinct volcanic crater, and is quite large. i'd venture to say we drove several hundred kilometers through the park, and only saw a small part of all that was there. there are savannas and lakes and forests and mountains; it is beautiful! as i've told some of you, Africa has more of a 'dry and rainy' season than summer and winter, which means we had no rain for two months but now have storms almost daily. these are not quiet rain showers; the electrical storms here are intense! these, added to dry terrain, make it easy for fires to begin and spread quickly. such an incident recently happened at Pilanesberg, as a fire burned through acres of grassland and trees in no time. this was in August, only around three months ago! yet, as quickly as the fire cleared the land, life returned. the burnt land is chock full of nutrients, and the ground is quickly covered in a bright green blanket. but, more astonishing than that are the trees. trees on the grassland are thin and small for the most part, suited to their environment. they're not particularly hardy-looking, they look scrawny! but they are the most awe-inspiring green things i have ever seen. <3
the skinny little trees were black- for the most part. though they had been burned and 'oppressed' and beaten down, they refused to give up. through the black branches, sprouts of green popped out. some even had a whole side that was green! it was amazing. i took several pictures, so have a look at one.

the moral of the story is: God can restore anything. No matter how much something (or someone) has been hurt and abused and rejected and persecuted, God can bring her back to glory. what a wonderful God we serve. <3

alright, well it's nearly time for Friday night youth. i hope you all have a fantastic weekend, and i will write more soon. :)

to end, the words of Isaiah:

“Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you. I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done this wondrous thing. Shout for joy, O depths of the earth! Break into song, O mountains and forests and every tree! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and is glorified in Israel. This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer and Creator: “I am the Lord, who made all things. I alone stretched out the heavens. Who was with me when I made the earth? I expose the false prophets as liars and make fools of fortune-tellers. I cause the wise to give bad advice, thus proving them to be fools. But I carry out the predictions of my prophets! By them I say to Jerusalem, ‘People will live here again,’ and to the towns of Judah, ‘You will be rebuilt; I will restore all your ruins!’ (chapter 44, verses 21-26)

This is what the Lord says to his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again. This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. (chapter 45, verses 1-3)

:)

just a quick note to say i won't write again till late next week, as we'll be out of town. :) have a great weekend!

<3

this side of the world. :)

hi again! :) early updating this week; it's only friday! hope you all are fantastic. i wanted to write a bit about life on my continent, since i haven't done that in a while. so here goes, have fun. :D

life has been busy and crazy here lately, but wonderful! :) God is absolutely rocking my world, and changing my life in the most amazing ways. two young girls have accepted Christ at our orphanage, which is a huge praise! :D please pray for them as they begin their walk with Jesus; that they would find Him more all the time. we have been consumed with work for the Lord, :) preparing for youth camp and engaging the community more all the time. i am so looking forward to camp; you'll be sure to have me talk your ear off about that. :) continue to pray for fundraising and prep work with the youth; we have multiple events coming up soon, and that is what much of our time is filled with. the next several weeks are going to be a blur; we have a million things on our schedule. we are taking a holiday next week, Monday to Wednesday, to visit a game park (:D) and relax a bit before everything ramps up. pray for our safety and for good fellowship with my team.

another awesome thing God is doing in our lives is wrapped up in a wonderful new friend of mine: Stacie. :) Stacie is here on a two-year program, after already spending two years in Botswana, Africa after college. she is amazing; and we love her. <3 God is using her as a light here, as well as a coordinator for our program in the entire region. she's a pretty awe-inspiring person. please begin to pray for her now, and continue as time goes on. i know she's going to do great things.



as i said before, God is teaching me and changing me every day. i wish i could just pour out what He is showing me; hopefully, i will be able to in the future. i have never experienced His love and faithfulness the way i am now; i will not come home the same person i was when i left in August. i literally cannot put it into words, i will just have to display it as best i can. :)

to close, i'm adding a few scriptures and a song or two that have spoken to my heart recently. i love you all, and am praying for you with all my heart. keep seeking our King. <3

In You
MercyMe
I put my hope in You.
I lay my life in palm of Your hand.
I'm constantly drawn to You, Lord-
In ways I cannot comprehend.

It's the Creator, calling the created.
The Maker, beckoning the made.
The bride, finding what she's always waited for-
When we find ourselves, that day.

In You- the hungry feast at the table.
the blind frozen, find colors in their view.
the lame will dance, they'll dance for they are able.
and the weary find rest,
oh, the weary find rest, in You.

It's no secret, that we don't belong here.
Those set apart by the grace of You.
And we look for the day, when we go to a place,
Where the old becomes brand new...

In You- the hungry feast at the table.
the blind frozen, find colors in their view.
the lame will dance, they'll dance for they are able.
and the weary find rest,
oh, we will find rest, in You.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. I John 4:4 (NLT)

"Yours is the Kingdom. Yours is the Power. Yours is the Glory. Forever!" Chris Tomlin

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:11-14

God of Ages
Hillsong

God of ages! Bringing glory here!
You are good, You are good.
Son of righteousness, You are all I see;
With all my heart.

Giver of life, hope for the lost is in You!
All of the earth, shines with Your light, Your glory.

You are the God who lives, You are the God who heals!
You are my hope; my everything.
You brought salvation to us; offered Your peace to the world.
You are my Lord, my everything.

In Your promise, and Your faithfulness,
I will trust all my days.
King forever; great in majesty.
Be glorified!

Giver of life, hope for the lost is in You!
All of the earth, shines with Your light, Your glory.

You are the God who lives, You are the God who heals!
You are my hope; my everything.
You brought salvation to us; offered Your peace to the world.
You are my Lord, my everything.

I'll trust in You, I'll trust in You,
I'll trust in You with all my heart. <3

culture day. <3 18 october.

the little guy, Mubonga, was just baptized this past Sunday. :)

hello again. :)

ice skating in Africa. <3



a call to the nations: Greg style. :)

never mind. :D

okay, since africa's internet doesn't like me today, we'll be waiting for the rest of my updates. :) i love you all. talk to you soon.

happy tuesday! :)

hello again. hope all is splendid where you are. :) i'm going to post videos now; new pictures are already up. might write more if time allows. :D
have fun! <3

hello again. :)

sawbona. :D (that's hello in Zulu)
hope you've all had a splendid week. mine has been crazy, and busy! again, i have nothing written beforehand, and today's post will be even shorter than last week. i'm sorry. :D i'll do better whenever my life calms down, which may be never. :) for now, the ministry is looking basically the same, and so are the prayer requests. i have just over seven weeks left here; i can't believe the time has gone so fast. i am looking forward to being home and seeing everyone, but i am getting really sad about leaving here, too.
okay, well, i will talk to you all soon! love you.
Sarah

just one last bit to say i wrote a new prayer update. :) if you'd like a copy, email me and i'll send you one next chance i get.
have a great week!
<3 you,
Sarah

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

Currently listening:

Light of the World
Watermark

Giver of creation, bringer of salvation
Word of God, eternal life
Praise the Son of God
Promised One of Heaven
To bring us to your Kingdom
Rescued us from darkness
Praise the Son of God

Jesus, light of the world
Shine on us, shine on us
Word of life, spoken for love
Breathe on us, breathe on us
Light of the world, King Jesus

Darkness will obey your voice
Weakness will in you rejoice
You have bound the broken heart
Praise the Son of God
Jesus
You have shown your father's heart
And to us you will impart
The holiness of all you are
Praise the Son of God

Shine, breathe, live through us
Shine, breathe, live through us
Shine, breathe, live through us
Shine, breathe, live through us

God's beating heart, live through us
Light of the world, King Jesus
King Jesus, shine on us, shine on us

Your Grace is Enough
Matt Maher

Great is your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters into mercy
And nothing can keep us apart

So remember your people
Remember your children
Remember your promise, oh God

Your grace is enough.
Your grace is enough.
Your grace is enough.
Your grace is enough for me.

Great is your love and justice God.
You use the weak to lead the strong.
You lead us in the song of your salvation
And all your people sing along.

So remember your people.
Remember your children.
Remember your promise, oh God.

Your Grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your Grace is enough for me

God, I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me


Something About You
MercyMe

Where, where do I begin?
How do I say what's on my heart with paper and a pen?
How, how can I describe
The God of all the universe and make it right?
I just wonder if it's worth
Painting You with so few words
Oh, with so few words

Still there's something about You
That keeps me in pursuit of who You are
I will spend my days finding ways to praise
The glory and the grace of who You are

Why, why do I even try?
If I could speak the tongue of every man, I'm still tongue-tied
What can I say about You
When everything I have won't do
Oh, it will not do

Still there's something about You
That keeps me in pursuit of who You are
I will spend my days finding ways to praise
The glory and the grace of who You are

As long as life runs through my veins
I will live to praise Your name
And if a hundred years I live
I won't even scratch, I won't even scratch the surface

good evening. :)

WOW. this week got away from me! :D we have been so busy, it is just crazy. i didn't write anything formal this week- i am so sorry. i'll try to come up with something brilliant off the top of my head, but i'm not making any promises. :)

we had a pretty normal schedule this week, nothing too much out of the ordinary. we did get to go to the movies over the weekend, which was a lot of fun. today was our day off, and we had a 'girl's day' which was much needed. :) we had a fantastic brunch at this cute little tea garden, not something i had a concept of before coming here, and will need to explain to my American friends. :) we spent the rest of the day looking through cute little shops and relaxing. it was wonderful. it has been kind of a taxing week, for all of us.

i don't have much fun to post this week, you'll just have to stay tuned for the happy things. :) for now, i am asking that you pray diligently. spiritual attack is real for devoted Christians anywhere, but is felt especially strongly in such a dark place, doing what we are doing. Satan doesn't just hit you in easy ways, either. he attacks you in your most vulnerable, painful places. pray for strength and wisdom and faith for us. pray that i would not seek just to serve God more and know Him more, but that i would love Him more. "with all my mind, soul, heart and strength..." pray for youth camp, coming up in December; it will be here before you know it! i want us to bathe that week in prayer, God is going to do mighty things! pray for our ministry with the youth at Lyndhurst and in our community, pray that we would be led by the Holy Spirit in all we do. pray that we would not ever become discouraged, but would always keep our eyes fixed on our Saviour and King. :)

alright, well i have a prayer letter to write, so i am going to sign off for now. i might post one or two more little things today, we'll see. :) i love you all so much.
<3
cheerio,
Sarah