Dear Ithemba,
Really all I can say is thank you.
Thank you for teaching me about love. Thank you for showing me what joy looks like. Thank you for changing my heart, for moving me in the deepest of ways.
To the teachers, you taught me more than just the shapes and days of the week in Afrikaans. You taught me about laughter. You taught me patience. You showed me how important it is to love a child while they’re so young. You loved my team and I in a way we’ve never experienced before. You gave us hope and smiles on even the hardest days.
Mieta, my second mommy. Thank you for telling me so much of your testimony and loving the 3 year olds so well. Thank you for holding me the day I was grieving something hard in your classroom. Natasha, your laugh and your dance moves brought endless joy to my days. Kelly, spending your first months as a teacher with you was so special. Making name tags for the kids and hearing about your life is something I’ll cherish forever. And this is only three out of many teachers that have impacted me greatly.
To the kitchen staff, some of the strongest women I have ever met with the biggest hearts I have ever seen. I will never forget all of the giggles and joy every morning as we come through the kitchen to hug you and tell you to have the best day. I will cherish the memories of trying new South African foods you’ve made. I remember the first day walking into that kitchen, I felt so intimidated in such a new
place. Now I walk in, dancing and laughing and hugging my many new mothers and sisters and friends.
To the children. Oh my sweet beautiful children. You have touched the deepest part of my heart. The part that brings tears to my eyes when I think of you and the love I have for you, but mostly the love He has for you. Thank you for seeing me on my hard days. For snuggling in my lap and giving me the biggest hugs. The Jesus in you always knew when that was just what I needed. Thank you for showing me how to be childlike again. Who knew my spiritual maturity would grow the most when I was brought back to the simplicity of being a kid. My sweet children, I pray blessings over your lives. That you keep believing you are more than capable and worthy of learning and growing and discovering. Leaving you makes my heart ache, yet I am so excited for you. The Lord is holding you in His hands, keeping you close and leading you forward to the rest of your life.
I’ll miss so many things about this special place. Dancing fridays when we all worshipped the Lord together. Birthdays when you kids got to eat cake with your bare hands with your faces covered in icing and beaming with smiles. I’ll miss recess where I walk up and you come running to hug me then you all beg to play with my hair in a matter of minutes. I will miss praying with you before every meal.
But my favorite moments are the ones that you realized you are capable and strong. I remember the day you were in tears because you just couldn’t understand how to write your name. I also remember when you ran up to me on the playground, ecstatic to tell me you had finally learned how to do it. My little girl, I will never forget the first day you ever talked in class after a month of silence. My sweet boy, you know the day you got so frustrated when you couldn’t write the number 2? We sat together and took turns writing it, and the moment you finally did it we got so excited, fist bumped, and you finished your worksheet all by yourself.
Ithemba is a place of hope. Raising up children as beacons in Jeffrey’s Bay. Children that are more than worthy of all challenges and triumphs.
School is a place to learn, yet I found myself learning more than just some Afrikaans phrases. With each meal I served, every bowl of porridge and rice I got to hand to a child I learned about gratitude. Every recess we got to laugh and play I learned about joy. The colors and shapes and days of the week we learned together taught me how education truly is a gift and convicted me of how much I took it for granted.
So here I sit. Moving on to the next chapter of these 9 months. I will never forget you Ithemba, you touched my heart more than any words I could ever write will be able to explain.
Bye for now,
MG
Sweet, loving, beautiful MG…
I have always enjoyed reading your blogs. The insight you share is so profound and convicting. However, this one hits differently. Even after spending just two short days, at Ithemba with your team, I can whole-heartedly feel your love and heart through your words. As I witnessed you ladies love the children, and staff, I watched you all be the hands and feet of Jesus. You poured your servants heart into this school daily. It will be safe to say that God used you in a powerful way that will impact the lives of everyone you interacted with. Your spirit re-energizes me. I love you, sweetie!
I am wrecked as I read this!! Moved to absolute flowing tears of joy, sweetness, and love!! How incredibly beautiful to hear your heart as you pour out your gratitude to all these beautiful people that have forever impacted your life and how amazing is our God, who allows our experiences to not just touch, impact, change us but effect others in our lives as well. Thank you MG for committing to this journey, for making yourself vulnerable to all the experiences that are before you, and for sharing them with us!!!
I’ve read this through several times now and I’m brought to tears every, single time because I got to witness just a small taste of this while we were there. The deep love that I feel for those women and children after only 2 days of spending time with them is a fraction of what you experienced in 2 months. My heart ached telling them goodbye and I find myself thinking of them and praying for them constantly. My heart broke watching them tell you goodbye. The most beautiful moment that is etched on my heart forever, is when you were being hugged by one while another prayed and looked to the heavens in tears. That moment was such a beautiful God, glory moment. You and your team had such a huge impact on them as they did on you. The love that you all shared was so obvious that you could just feel it. I know this momma cannot thank those precious women enough for loving, protecting, and cherishing you so beautifully. They are true examples of women walking out their calling as the Jesus in them shines so brightly. And to those precious, precious little children that lit up when they saw you, I pray will they will always remember the beautiful part you played in their lives. Every memory spent in South Africa especially at Ithemba, will be held so closely to my heart and never, ever forgotten. Oh, the lessons those women taught me were many but most importantly that Jesus is all that matters, to dance, sing, & be filled with joy despite your circumstances, love others well, your family is most important, to be thankful in ALL things, and we are all one family-brothers and sisters-in Christ. Thank you for sharing your ministry with us, sweet girl. We’re forever grateful. Keep shining that beautiful light of yours and sharing Jesus with the world! I love you so much.
“who knew my spiritual maturity would grow the most when i was brought back to the simplicity of being a child” YEAH. convicted & sitting with joy overflowing all at the same time. you teach me new things everyday sweet MG! praying over your last country (what a crazy thing for me to type???!!!)
Sweet precious MG….. so much love you have shared in your actions and your beautiful words. You are a precious girl after God’s own heart; touching the lives of precious children and sharing His love is a mighty calling. God bless you sweet one on your next journey. Thank you for bringing us along with your photos and words. Love u
So happy for you all you got to see MG in SA!! God is good.