The End To A Great Week

Last night we stayed out way too late! The soccer game was the craziest thing we have ever experienced. Think HBCU homecoming at Freaknic during Mardis Gras. C R A Z Y. There were people everywhere dressed up, blowing horns, wearing wigs and trying to snatch our tickets from us. We had to have a few men in the group walk behind us to make sure we weren't too badly harassed or mugged. When we got inside there were not concession stands, instead people were frying chicken and steaks in gas powered frying pans. They looked like woks on a stand with a tank attached. The food actually looked and smelled really good, but we were cautioned not to eat it. Snack vendors walked around selling things like granola bars, onion flavored chips and the most hilarious, fried chicken flavored potato chips. We didn't try them.
There was one section of Sundowns fans who stood up throughout the entire game singing and playing African drums. There was so much excitement in that stadium. We loved it! Final score, Sundowns 0, Pirates 0.
Waking up this morning was nothing short of painful. We were exhausted and the forecast called for 90+ degree weather, clear and sunny. We stuck with the medical team and went back to the same site as yesterday. When we arrived we realized that one of our tents had been stolen. Since were one tent short we had to set up the meds. in the luggage compartments under the bus and work from there in the hot sun. It wasn't fun but we managed. We filled a few hundred prescriptions today and at times it was very busy.
We were able to spend about an hour working with the shoe ministry. It was a deep cover operation to scope out kids and adults with no shoes and inconspicuously pull them aside to wash their feet and fit them for shoes. As we washed their feet we talked to them about Jesus and explained that we were there to show the love of Jesus by serving them. It was powerful. We gave away several pairs but we just couldn't provide shoes for everyone. One little girl went home to tell her mother ad her twin sister about her shoes. They returned wanting shoes. The mother said the second daughter had been crying because she didn't have a pair. We had to turn them away. It was so hard.
Speaking of shoes, Connie now has a brand new pair of tackies (gym shoes). We saw her at church tonight and she was so anxious to show us. Someone from the shoe ministry hooked her up. She was so happy.
We shut down the clinic around 4 pm. We were somewhat encouraged that only twenty of the seventy five people tested for HIV were positive with none of them being children. Yesterday over half of those tested were positive.
We ended the day with worship at Charity and Faith. After worship we gathered outside where about 80 people were baptized. It was very exciting and such a blessing to witness.

We had dinner under a tent where we met our host families to say our goodbyes. It was good to see Lebo again. She has such a fun-loving spirit and she made it so hard to say goodbye.

Tomorrow we will go to an African market and then to the airport.
Our work is done in Mamelodi, but just for now. I have a feeling we will be back.

We will be home soon............