First four days

Praise God I am safe in Richmond! After two changes in my flight plans, only hours before I was set to leave Canada, I was thankful that all three flights went well. My first flight to New York had been delayed for three hours making my second flight impossible to catch so I was shifted to an earlier flight, and later to an even earlier one, giving me more time to get to my next flight on time. This change meant traveling in NY from the LaGuardia airport to JFK airport. It was a neat experience seeing some of NY, though they drive quite unsafe and I found myself holding my breath at times hoping we would not hit the car or person beside the bus. Being able to watch NY from the window was very enjoyable and the forty-five minute drive flew by. Though the next two flights were very long, and I was extremely sore from sitting, they went smoothly and I had no complications along the way.

After a day and a half traveling with strangers it was very nice to be picked up at the airport in Durban by familiar friends and we enjoyed some time in Durban before heading to Richmond. By the time we got to Ebukhosini Guest House I was completely exhausted after having very minimal sleep for two days. Around 8pm after unpacking and calling home I went to bed and while I woke during the night I slept in till 10am and felt amazingly better! I was awoken in the morning by the familiar cry of the Hadeda Ibis otherwise known as the Har-Dee-Dar bird, named for the sound it makes which cannot be missed as it is a very loud bird. It was  10 and church started at 11, I wasn't sure how long it would take to walk there but I was ambitious and got there in time, enjoyed a lovely African church service and spend the rest of my day settling in at the guest house.

In the past four days a striking experience for me was the love of a community I find myself in. Many of the staff of EWF or people of Richmond that I have met in the past have been so welcoming to me and eager to help me feel at home. I have only communicated with a few of these people in the two years since I have been away from Richmond and others I have just met this week.  I feel like there is a bond, a connection between us that causes us to pick up right where we left off two years ago and maintain a friendship or quickly come to know each other and form a friendship though we have only met just a few days ago. I believe this connection to be two things

One if a mutual bond we have in Christ. Being in a strange church felt welcoming and I love to hear the house keeper at Ebukhosini in the room adjacent to mine singing songs and hymns in a mixture of English and Zulu. The other bond I have identified is an identical goal that many of us are working towards. Those who work or volunteer in various positions for Emmanuel’s Wish Foundation are all working towards spreading the love of God, being the hands and feet of Jesus, and helping the people of Richmond to thrive were they are in their lives and in their health. I am surrounded by these people every day and count it a privilege to be working alongside them.

Today was a holiday in South Africa so we all got the day off. For me this is not as exciting as I do not have much to do other than the work with EWF. Despite this I have made myself busy with some things including writing a lot, both on the blog and to family and friends, prepping food for the week when I need to bring lunches with me, and trying to learn some Zulu though this last one is hard not knowing if I am pronouncing the words right. Tomorrow the workers at the hospice will have many questions from me about Zulu words so that I can get it straight! Take care for now.

Ngiyabonga (Thank you)

Laina