A Little Bit of Everything

Well I have settled in nicely to being home and actually really love being able to spend time with friends and family. Despite the cold winter fast approaching, I am throwing myself into life here and trying to adjust as quickly as possible. It seems so weird to come back to the place you grew up and that you used to call home, and have to work at making it home again. I do have to say though, I am so excited for Christmas this year! I loved spending Christmas with the kids in South Africa but Christmas in a warm climate just doesn't work for me. I don't enjoy the cold but if definitely makes it feel more like Christmas! Not to mention all the decorations everywhere you go, the Christmas music playing everywhere, and the Santa Clause Parades and Tree lighting's. There is just nothing like a Christmas at home!

Since being home, I went down to North Carolina to visit Beth. Beth was my roommate in South Africa and the one who took of my role as Baby Care Manager at the Door of Hope. She was home for a few weeks on leave and so I flew down to spend some time with her as well as to catch up with two other friends that I had met at Door of Hope when we volunteered together. It was a very busy but wonderful week and I was thankful for the time that I had down there.

I have applied, been accepted, and registered for school and I will start my studies in January. I'm not really excited about going to school but I know it is what I need to do to get to where I want to be so I will do it! Thankfully I have people here who are so supportive and willing to help out in any way possible. It makes such a difference when you have people supporting you in what you do!

I am also preparing for a speaking engagement on Dec 8th where I will share with people all about my time in South Africa and hopefully encourage them to get involved. I have also been given the whole church service on Jan 2nd to share with the church and to thank them for supporting me. I am so excited to share about my time in South Africa and I am hoping that through me, other will want to get involved some how.

On the Door of Hope front I don't have great news to report. The funds have run out almost completely at Door of Hope and so we are having to close down our toddler house. It is extremely sad to have to uproot these kids from what they know as home but DOH is trying to do it in the best way possible causing the least damage as possible to these children. Please pray for the kids as they move to new homes on December 1st.

Door of Hope has also had to let go of all our contract workers as well as 8 of our full time staff. this break my heart that right before Christmas these ladies are out of work with no money to support their families. The children also have to suffer because the ratio is now 1:6 or 1:8. There are homes that run on this little of staff but we have always seen them more as an institution rather than a home. We never wanted to prop feed our children or have them laying in bed longer than necessary but it because much harder to maintain that quality of care with such few staff at a time. even little things like the weekly menus that we had made have now been put aside for the cheapest food option. We never wanted Door of Hope to be another Children's home, we always wanted it to be a family. I am just praying that we continue to trust God in this time, knowing that these are His children and that he loves them more than we ever could. He is holding each one of them in the palm of his hand. I know He will not let them suffer.

If there is anyone out there who would like to get involved, who would like to make a difference in the lives of these of these awesome children, please do! Door of Hope has a new website and you can get more information on giving at http://www.doorofhope.co.za/