While all you people at home enjoy your warm spring approaching, we in Kimberley are seeing the first signs of autumn. It’s still pretty hot most of the time but the nights are getting cooler and rai...
While living and volunteering in Kimberley, I have been witness to beautiful images. Through individuals here I have seen and felt strength, perseverance, hope and triumph. However, like many places ...
The last few summers at my parent’s house I remember there being a lot of woodland creatures. Huge increase in the chipmunk population. There are none this side, no squirrels either. However, once a ...
Actually, every day is eating day, but Sunday meals are my favorite. Coming home from church around 9:30 the kettle immediately goes on for our second cup of tea or coffee. We also set the rice on th...
At the end of February, I was able to get together with the others volunteers again. I first met up with some of my girl friends in Pretoria, helping out at a crèche one day, exploring the city and h...
During the last six months in South Africa I have had the privilege to travel in seven different provinces, surrounded by locals in buses and kombis. Many times, in my experience, the travel from pla...
Many YAGM alumni that I spoke to before coming to South Africa shared the journey that lead them to find the right fit in their volunteering. Some said that they only found their volunteering placeme...
Before leaving for our respected countries, all of the YAGMs received a booklet full of readings, reflections and poems. The cover of the booklet says that these are to accompany us during our journe...
The following reflection is kind of a story that’s been told a lot- “The true meaning of Christmas”. I don’t mean to write this with the impression that it’s the first time this is occurring to me or...
Since coming to South Africa there have been a few times that I have made the mistake of thinking that I am someone coming to help. People at home sometimes think the same way- “Wow, how great of you...
During the last week in November myself and the rest of the South African YAGM’s got together for our first retreat. I remember leaving for Kimberley in the beginning of September thinking that three...
During the week I spend the majority of my time at my two placement sites. The kids at Re Tlameleng School are finishing up their year and I won’t be back with them until January, after their summer ...
This month I’ve had the great opportunity to visit two other YAGM volunteers at their placement sites in South Africa. From the communication I’ve had with the others, it had seemed as if our sites v...
Before leaving for South Africa people would ask me what types of food I would miss the most. I would normally say mini corndogs, meatballs, appetizers in general. Well, take a look at what I’ve been...
Help me always to speak the truth quietly,To listen with an open mind when others speak, And to remember the peace that may be found In silence -Cherokee prayer From the moment I arrived in Kimberley...
During the Chicago orientation in August we had a session and a few discussions about self-care. I found this information extremely important in this time of being thrown into the unfamiliar and unkn...
I spent my first full day at Re Tlamelang School for children with disabilities, primarily deafness and blindness. I have a feeling that you’ll be hearing many great stories about my time there. I me...
The now well-known band Needtobreathe was unfamiliar to me until I heard them open for the ever-amazing OAR at Summerfest a few years ago. With special thanks to my sister, Chelsea, for both taking m...
On September 5th I left Pietermaritzburg with my fellow MUD4 girl, Krista. We traveled by bus to Bloemfontein where she will be living this year. After spending the night there, I traveled another ho...
During our first week as a group in Pietermaritzburg, MUD4 was able to go to two church services. Our first Sunday was spent in the chapel at LTI (Lutheran Theological Institution). It wasn’t a huge ...
M.U.D. 4 in Chicago YAGM orientation started on August 17th in Chicago. The week was set up so that the 50 of us were able to have daily sessions discussing things such as interfaith dialogue and cro...
One day… here we go. Packing is just now starting to get organized. I have taken over my parent’s living room laying out what I think I need, weeding out what I realize I don’t and trying to stay con...
Part of my preparation over the last four months has been my commitment to fundraising a percentage of the Global Mission cost to send me to South Africa as a YAGM. The amount at first seemed a bit d...
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