So that's it.... We've said our goodbyes and all 6 English Roses have been reunited with their families, life has returned to normality.... except the 6 best friends who returned are not the same as the 6 strangers who left Heathrow all those months ago. We have had an incredible time in South Africa but its impossible to forget the harsh realities. Just because we are no longer there doesn't mean that LI aren't working with those children day in day out, Amaoti is still there-a community full of people who just want to be able to support their family but due to the unemployment level are unable to, a place filled with schools run by teachers who care more about the money than their pupils and a community where far too many children are in abusive homes. But, despite the darkness in Amaoti its a place that has such a sense of community, its a beautiful place.

While in SA we heard a lot about light and dark, about 'shining like stars in the dark world' (Philippians 2:15), it seemed to be an ongoing theme, with the soundtrack of Build your kingdom here

Build Your kingdom here.
Let the darkness fear.
Show Your mighty hand.
Heal our streets and land.
Set Your church on fire.
Win this nation back.
Change the atmosphere.
Build Your kingdom here.
We pray


I hope that for the time we were in Amaoti we were lights to the community, like a city on a hill (You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden- Matthew 5:14) On our last day Theo mentioned how the people of Amaoti are talking about us, they cant believe that 6 white girls would work with them for so long and would live in the community for a week. I would like to think that during our 6 months we've challenged the people of Durban about their attitude towards Amaoti and Phoenix.

We lived a much simpler live in our 2 bedroom house in Phoenix, its seems weird to come home to my own bedroom which is full of a lot of rubbish! Small things like hot water, tin openers and carpets are luxury and as Abi said when we all got very excited by comfy beds when we went on safari- I never want to stop being so grateful.

We have learnt that poverty isn't just materialistic, yes that is a huge part of the problem but spiritual poverty is an aspect we had never considered. One of our team phrases was 'you live in freedom', in our final weeks we went on a prayer walk in Amaoti and prayed for so many people, alcohol and drug abuse are huge problems in the community and we prayed for people to realise that they don't need to rely on drugs and alcohol but that they can find a freedom in Christ.

One of the main things I learnt was to trust God with everything, I have heard people say this before after doing similar trips but never really realised the extent some people trust God. The staff of LI are such an inspiration- never in the UK would you try and run a holiday club for 700+ children with a zero budget, we had to fully rely on God to provide food for 5 days, the staff are trusting for salaries at the end of the month and we are still praying for breakthrough with the vehicle situation. They don't give up but continue to pray and worship, they have a passion which is inspiring and through it all there is a sense of joy.

We never imagined that it would be so hard to say goodbye, we have build such strong relationships with the staff that saying goodbye was a tearful occasion. Even as I write this I am chatting to friends from SA! In our last week we popped round to the Browns several times just to make the most of our time with them, we couldn't have felt more welcomed into their family, they are incredible!

Its been 6 months where I have been constantly pushed out of my comfort zone but its been incredible to see all of us grow, if you had given me a huge group of Zulu speaking kids when I first arrived I would have had no idea what to do but now I just get on with it, even if our Zulu singing isn't the best!

Our hearts have been broken for the people of Amaoti and the thousands of miles between us and South Africa aren't going to stop us praying for the people we met and getting involved from here! Rend Collectives album was often blasting in our car and the lyric 'you're not finished with me yet' seems appropriate, God has bigger and better plans for Amaoti, LI and the 6 of us, by Gods power Amaoti can become a place of hope and where children have the same opportunities as those born in richer parts of Durban.

This is probably our last blog post, there are so many stories we could tell you that never made it online so ask us questions, the more interesting the question the better! 'How was it' is quite hard to answer!

Loads of love

Catherine
(on behalf of all the girls who are far too far from me!)

Emma's blog!

Hello!

As I begin to write this blog we have ten days left in South Africa, I have no idea how and I can’t even begin to understand leaving. Even as I am writing this Cathy Keys is in the bunk bed above and we are reminiscing on life, torn with leaving this place and all that is here which is now a regular conversation in team life and one that is becoming an ever closer reality.

As I reflect on our African adventure and look back on this journey I think I now realise it has been a call to live out of my comfort; to step beyond and into a place where only God can carry us through. We’ve been so pushed beyond what normal life is- living in a two bedroom Phoenix house as our little six, bungee jumping, or even teaching “zumba” at holiday club! God is in the areas that don’t rely on us, where we step out of the boat and focus on Him- going through challenges, being at Brookdale reading with teenagers, working in Amaoti One with uncooperative teachers or in a crèche without any sort of system.

Stepping out of myself has allowed God to truly break my heart for the community of Amaoti- a place so lacking and in need but also brimming with life and hope. Poverty is no longer a distant picture full of nameless people but it is where we live and who we serve. It’s a boy who was found unloved and uncared for as a vulnerable baby wrapped in newspaper, living in a home where the family only “keep” him because of an orphan grant- a case so regular when the desire of money beats family and love. It’s the friendship I have with that child who has eyes so full of joy and innocence but are also so lost in neglect. And that is only one vague story of the many people we have met and love. These are the people who we serve, people that are broken and alone and the people that break me as we say goodbyes...this is what poverty is.

I have struggled a lot with the division in South African society- take a 15 minute drive out of Amaoti and arrive in Durban North- a place of overwhelming affluence with people blissfully unaware of what life is for the people of Amaoti, their wider community. It’s a divide that can never be justified, it’s the difference between children only getting the food LI provide at aftercare and the existence of Wakaberry (a frozen yoghurt shop) being everywhere. As much as I still struggle with it, if not more than ever, I feel it is a another way that I have needed to be out of comfort; to be uncomfortable with the poverty, division and brutality of life. I want it to mould my decisions and to move me to speak up for these beautiful people. It gives me a passion to see God’s Kingdom here, and to see glimpses of this deepens this passion- seeing God’s power through prayer when we went on a prayer walk in Amaoti, 900 children attending the LI holiday club and also seeing our team form strong bonds with the people we work alongside and who we serve.

I feel like my heart has been stolen by Amaoti and its people and so to not tell their story is an injustice to them. They are a community with horrible contrasts- a place of poverty, broken families and violence but also a place filled with hope, joy in celebrating life and a real sense of community. At the weekend we had a goodbye braai in Amaoti with the LI staff filled with African dancing, loud music and laughter. It tears me apart that we have to leave these amazing people who we work and serve with but it has made me feel truly blessed that we have journeyed and shared life with them.

What I have realised over this trip is that it is a real blessing to be placed out of comfort, to live in a place seeing the Kingdom being revealed and seeing God working in the greatest of ways. It really is going to be hard to leave this amazing place and return to Northern Ireland life but I am excited for what is still to come!

Lots of love,
Emma xoxoxooxoxoxox

Hey

We are loving life and will blog at some point but for now is a link to a blog written by Nate from our home group about us!
http://www.therock.org.za/church/community/

Enjoy
:)http://www.therock.org.za/church/community/