This week was full of so many different things that I thought I would just give a description of each day.

SUNDAY we all went to different churches. I went to Pastor Peter's church in Atteridgeville. Pastor Peter is a pastor from Kenya who serves a new church in the township where we have all been ministering. Some of my teammates met him the other day and he invited them to church. We were excited to make this friendship with this man from Kenya. This service was amazing. The church is in a little yellow tent that has a big tree under it in the heart of Atteridgeville. There were probably about 30 people there and it was very much alive. It started with amazing praise and worship and prayer, and then Pastor Peter introduced us and let us lead the service. J.B., Chelsea, and I shared a little about what the Lord has been doing in our lives, and then Michelle and I took the kids outside for children's church (which we just decided to have) while Michael preached. Children's church was amazing and we learned about the love of God and what that means for us. After that we went back and Pastor Peter preached a little, and then we prayed for individuals in the church. It was so awesome to see this little church grow in number of believers as a man named Victor accepted Christ. We then asked if the kids could come up and present what they learned. So all the kids came to the front and sang "My God is so BIG so STRONG and so MIGHTY, there's NOTHING my God cannot do for YOU!" And also shared their memory verse which was 1 John 4:19 "We love because God first loved us!" They are such awesome children! t was such an encouraging day and I was so blessed by the fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

MONDAY we went to a Lion Park. We had planned to go to Sun City, but at the last minute changed plans. This is a place similar to a game park where you can drive through different sections and see lions and zebra and giraffes and all types of animals. Then you also get to go into an area with baby lions and pet them. This was pretty cool even if you could only touch their backs and tummies (a.k.a. don't pull their tails or pick them up...etc.). It was a pretty day and it was nice to relax and do something different.

TUESDAY I went back to the hospital and visited Vanessa and Victoria again. I just got to sit and encourage them. Victoria is such a beautiful baby girl and I just pray that the Lord will heal her. She is still not doing well and requires oxygen. The doctors have not been able to figure out what is wrong with her and so she was supposed to be transported to a different hospital on Wednesday. I brought Vanessa the Bible that I had promised her and we talked about different scriptures and about what the Lord had for her. Please just pray for truth in her life as there are areas of ancestral worship that are still a vital part of her beliefs. Vanessa was very tired and so I watched Victoria for a while so she could take a break, and I just got to hold her and sing praise songs to her, and pray for her. It was a great time! Then right before visiting hours were over, Victoria's father showed up and I got to talk with him. He was very curious as to what I was doing in Africa and why I was so excited about the Bible. He believes in God but doesn't think that the Bible is God's word or that Jesus did all that he said he did. It was a great conversation, and I challenged him to simply ask God to show him the truth. I said what does he have to lose? I think he thought I was a little crazy, but I also think he respected what I had to say and what I was doing. This conversation also allowed me to more directly speak to Vanessa about her beliefs, something that had been complicated by various distractions during our times together. So I praise God for all that he did in this relationship, and trust these three to him, asking that he move in a powerful way. I really hope to stay in contact with Vanessa and can't wait to see how the Lord reveals himself!

WEDNESDAY I learned a few dramas for our ministry in Kenya. Angel taught us some new ones that have worked really well in different locations. One is about the battle between Jesus and satan, and I am an angel in this drama. The other drama is about a girl who is in chains to sin and then how Jesus sets her free. In that drama I am a demon. They are going well and we continue to practice the other dramas we have learned in the past. Doing dramas is definitely not my strong point, but I am excited to get them good so that we can use them in Kenya, where the people really like them.

THURSDAY was a wonderful Thanksgiving day! It started very early for a few of us who were doing a program at the elementary school that we have been visiting. I got up at 5:15 to get ready (there were about 100 people on the property and I just wanted to get ready and be out of the way of other's preparations). I finished getting my thoughts together, and then, Allison, Amber, Chelsea, Rice, Angel, and I headed off for school at 7. The program, we thought, was going to start at 8 but ended up being at 9. So we got some kids to give us a tour around the school, had some tea in the teacher's lounge, and got to talk with different kids. It was a lot of fun just to hang out with the students. The grade 7 girls asked a million questions about America and loved seeing my driver's license, student ID, passport, a dollar bill etc. Then we headed in to the assembly ready to start our program. They led some songs (which was amazing to see all the kids singing and dancing to these great songs) and then gave out the end of the year awards and did birthdays. Then we did a program. I started by explaining a little about what was going on in America on that day, and gave a brief history of Thanksgiving. We all shared what we were thankful for, and then Chelsea transitioned into Christmas by saying how thankful we were for Christ. Yes! We did a Christmas program on Thanksgiving! We then learned our memory verse, which Amber taught us, followed by Rice and Angel leading a few songs. Then we acted out the nativity story with a few of the students. I was a donkey (how do I always get these parts?), Allison narrated and was the inn keeper, Chelsea was a shepherd, Amber was a wise "man", and Rice was an angel. Angel then talked about how Jesus was the ultimate Christmas gift. We ended singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" (and missing our families a little because of singing it!). Then their program ended with a house cup... yes Dad... they have houses at this school and they get a cup based on how many points each team has earned. There are the green and yellow houses. I can't remember which house won but it was cool to see the kids so excited. That was the program. We all rushed back to the house and then got ready for a wonderful Thanksgiving. Corrie's (a Real Life Swazi participant) family flew in to surprise her and then took us all out to this restaurant where they had prepared Thanksgiving for us. It was awesome. There were about 80 of us from FYMs to Real Life to Alabanza staff, area kids, and the Discipleship team from Swaziland (Ncobile, Zwagale, Cynthia, Musa...), it was great! After that, we just got to relax and catch up with our friends who have been in Swaziland. I even watched "Father of The Bride" last night!

We are going to Jeffery's Bay on Saturday and please be in prayer for us as it will probably be at least a 20 hour ride. Please keep in your prayers our vehicles as we have had major issues with these combies since we have been here. While we're in J'Bay, we will be receiving teaching and training on leadership or discipleship. I have been placed on the leadership track and can't wait to start this program. We will also be doing a lot of ministry there, but I'm not sure what that will look like! We are excited, and I can't wait to update you from J'Bay!

EXCITING NOTE! Cassie, one of our leaders here, has decided to be our female leader in Kenya! We are all so thankful and excited about this, so please keep her in your prayers. Our other two leaders in Kenya will be Scott and Connie so pray for them as well, and we are excited to meet them in January.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for your support, for my amazing family back home, and my new family here. The Lord is too gracious, the blessings overwhelm me!

And to all you Auburn fans reading this: War Eagle! I say fear the second hand pretty confidently, I hope I'm right!