Blog...Mattye Earle

So just as a side note, I will not be able to remember all our experiences and have so many more stories to tell. So I am completely in shock right about now. I didn't exactly expect anything that we have been through. First off I'd like to say that I am making Allen take us back here next year. Thats an order. So I was on the VBC team so that means we get to cordinate and plan crafts, games, activities, lessons, skits, puppet shows etc. and that also means that we got to be around the kids for four days pretty much all day. The kids were completely grateful and absolutely LOVED that we were there and playing with them. Although there was a bit of a communication barrier, I really felt like I connected with them and they responded to every bit of it. I absolutely loved seeing the children so happy and seeing something different about them that we don't always see in the states, and that seemed to be a genuine happiness and gratefulness and the presence of the Lord. Some of the children spoke English so they could translate for those who could only speak Afrikaans or Zorosa (spelling..?). On Friday we had to say goodbye to our children which was the hardest, most heart wrenching experience. I told myself all throughout the week that I wouldn't cry and that my children wouldn't mind us leaving. But Friday. I lost it, our kids chased after the combi's yelling and waving. Then they would ask "Tomorrow?" and we would have to say "No" and their faces dropped. A couple of the English-speaking children would say "Then I will see you in heaven" or "See ya in America!". We clearly impacted those kids' lives and I cannot wait to come back.
I have grown so much in the Lord and am as close as ever to Him. As a team we have grown together and are a little too close. I love everything about this mission so far (haha, so far..) and am so stoked in the Lord and all His works I see. Seeing the people of People's Church (where the band played worship and Allen spoke) worship and love the Lord shocked me, I don't think I've ever seen a body in the Lord worship the way they do. So enthusiastically and reverent to the Lord, I was simply overwhelmed.
We are leaving today (Monday morning) for the farm in Mousinburg (spelling..?). There we will be ministering to young teens living there, then we will leave there tomorrow.
I also can't wait to come home and share Gods works and all our experiences and show the change in us. This is a mission I will never forget.


Thank You all for praying as we can feel Gods presence and your support!!
Love you guys!
~Mattye