...And lived to tell about it. On Monday we went to a Lion Park and I held a baby lion who was 2 months old- but still ferocious- and it bit me. No, no blood, but still a real live lion bit me in Africa, what now? I saw some big ones like Mufasa though! I was about ten feet and a car wall away from a lion with a giant mane ya, sweet, I know. We also fed some giraffes. Their tongues are ridiculously long and their slobber is sick. My hand was full on wrapped in a giraffe tongue and in a giraffe's mouth. Their fur, or whatever you call it, is really scratchy and not all that fuzzy and soft- I wouldn't cuddle one.

Happy Thanksgiving! (I'm writing this at 11p.m. on Thanksgiving)

Ok so this week was our last week of ministry in this part of South Africa (we're leaving for Jeffrey's Bay on Saturday). I was able to go back to the hospital and wrestle with God a little more on this whole healing thing. Tuesday I went back and visited with all the mothers and their children. I also went back to the children's cancer ward and talked and played some games with the beautiful girls there.

            Wednesday was our last day and that morning I was really just praying that God would move. It's been really hard because I know God is moving, but I want to see it. To be completely honest I was getting really frustrated with God. I asked Him why He hadn't healed Samuel, who isn't getting better. My heart was frustrated and God gave me the verse "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6. When God speaks- He speaks with a force. God just gave me a peace that day that He moves and I am not meant to understand it. When His name is called on- He moves. His promises were made "Yes" in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). He gave me a peace and settled my heart that He will and has moved in the hospital. So I went to the hospital and saw Samuel, who isn't getting worse, but not necessarily better. But I know that God will heal him, even if I don't get to see it. Then one of the moms gave her life to Christ (Praise the Lord!!!). Katie, a leader, had introduced Christ to her the week before and this mom was so eager. So when I went and talked with her, she was curious and we read parts of the Bible together. It was really cool, I think God is showing her a lot about who He is and giving her a curiosity.

            After that I went to the cancer ward and just hung out with the girls and talked to Faith some more about what she was reading. So ya I didn't see a miracle, in the definition of a crazy cool healing. But then again, I did. God started showing me how He moved, in the way He wanted to and I began to see the miracles that He planned. He changed and healed hearts. In the cancer ward most of my time was spent playing card games, but they heard the name of Jesus. This is going to sound so cheesy and cliché- but get over it. Nonhlanhla has cancer and only one leg and she can go out of her ward, when someone takes her out. When she smiles it brightens my day because she doesn't smile just to smile. She only smiles when she really means it. She also doesn't speak a lick of English so she doesn't smile because of anything I said, but of something she sees. That's just my thought. I'm going to miss those girls, but I know that God has not forgotten them and hasn't finished grabbing onto their hearts. Please continue to pray and praise God for His work in Tebogo, Faith, Nonhlanhla, and Samuelkisiwe.

            Thanksgiving was awesome. Yes, I miss my family, but God has given me an amazing family here. A dad of one of the Real Life Swazi team members (another AIM program) sponsored a Thanksgiving lunch for the Real Life team, FYM Kenya and Swazi, the Swazi discipleship team, the Alabanza staff and other people in this community. It was a total blessing. We ate turkey and mashed potatoes and cranberries and pumpkin pie (Yum!). God really blessed us today. It was just a good day of coming together and my table did the whole "what are you thankful for" thing.

            Today we were also able to hold another school assembly at the school we've been going to. We told them about Thanksgiving and then put on possibly the funniest Christmas program ever. Those kids are really cool and it was just a blessing to be able to bless that school.

            I really just want to praise Him. He also provided us with another Kenya leader. Cassie, one of our leaders right now, feels called to lead us in Kenya. This is a total blessing because she's basically amazing and it's cool to know and have a leader here that we'll have in Kenya. So praise Him! He provides more than we need and He is always good.

            My prayer request this week is just that you will join me in praising Him. Even when it doesn't seem like it, God will do what's good, what brings the most glory to Him and isn't that what we live for?

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Blessed be His name!

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Blessed be His glorious name!

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be your name.

Thank you so much for supporting me and reading these. 3 weeks and I'm home, which is crazy. Then I leave for Kenya in January and I'm so excited! I hope everything is well wherever you are- Thank you again! (I'll post more pictures when I can)

P.S. Totally forgot to write about this- We were able to go to a church in Atteridgeville, a local township. It was awesome. African churches are VERY different. They told us we spoke way too quiet. Please pray for Pastor Peter's church, he is from Kenya so he also came and told us about it. I'll share more about it later. Bye!