“We have a choice. To become bitter, cynical, jaded and hard. Anybody can do that. A lot have. Hatred is a powerful, unifying force.  And there is a lot to be repulsed by. Or, we can reclaim our innocence…We can insist that hope is real and a group of people who love God and others really can change the world.” - Rob Bell

Hello again!

Yes, it’s true.  The South African weather is warming up and we’re heading straight into summer (the Southern Hemisphere - who knew?).  Imagine my dismay when I realized I was missing the entire FALL SEASON.  If you’ve ever been around me in the fall, you know that I would be listening to Christmas music right now, so.... the hot weather is really cramping my style.  The Americans of our group even put on a “Fall Festival” in honor of our roots -- complete with pumpkin desserts, games, and a bonfire,  but it’s just not quite the same in the middle of spring.  

But alas, things are going well here in Cape Town, and I can’t believe we’re in our fourth week of classes. We live in Muizenberg, a wonderful little neighborhood that is a 10-minute walk to the Indian Ocean and just a 20-minute walk to Capricorn, a township consisting of 20,000 Afrikaans-speaking South African tribal groups and a variety of immigrants from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and the Congo. HIV/AIDS infection is at 37% and unemployment is at 85%.  The townships that surround the more affluent areas of Cape Town are some of the residual effects of apartheid, during which the black South Africans were forced to leave their jobs and homes and move to the outskirts of the city.  The shanty-towns that remain are incredibly poor, characterized primarily by drug and alcohol abuse.  And even though apartheid ended fifteen years ago, the stigma remains.  

We have partnered with Clinton Losper, who is widely known and respected in this community, to pray every Monday inside the township. Some within and outside the community have joined us and we hope they will continue to pray and see fruit after we leave.
 
Recently, three friends and I have created a proposal for a photography class with children from Capricorn called “Drawings of Light” with the goal for children to use photography as a tool to explore the world around them. We want to create a safe environment that will encourage creativity, foster commitment, and inspire purpose in their young lives. While many children in this community are expected to live a life of little significance and could easily fall into the cycle of poverty, we desire for the students will begin to dream of possibilities to impact their community in a positive way. We have been visiting local businesses and photography shops asking for donations of products or services.  You can visit our blog and follow our class at: www.drawingsoflight.wordpress.com.  

If you’re interested in giving funds to the class via PayPal or supporting us in prayer, please go to my personal blog {www.psalm119thirtytwo.blogspot.com} to learn more.  

Thank you so much for walking this road with me.  Through your love and support we believe that people in this community are hearing the Gospel for the first time, encountering the revolutionary love of Jesus, and turning their lives around with new purpose.  

Please pray for:

   1. Increased opportunity in Capricorn and in our neighborhood.
   2. Fruitfulness in my one-on-one times.  I spend time each week with five of the girls here.  I want to challenge them, encourage them, and spur them on towards a more intimate and fulfilling relationship with Jesus.  Please pray that I’d stay filled myself so that I have something to give!
   3. That our class, Drawings of Light, would raise our needed funds and be able to teach these ten little ones!

With lots of love and thankfulness,
Anne