Saturday, February 12, 2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Feeling patriotic as the World Cup begins.  Durban, June 2010.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

prayers needed.

I want to take a minute to thank all of you friends and family for keeping up with my blog this long, especially since I have been home from South Africa for almost two months now. It was very hard to leave, and even taking the effort to choose a photo to post each day is almost heartbreaking.  But one of the best things about the Augustinian Volunteer program is its sustainability, and I took a lot of comfort in the fact that after Meg, Mary-Kate, Becca, and I left South Africa to come home, another group of volunteers would be taking over for us as the new year began.

Though I have only met Erika and Damien, they, along with Jenny and Tyler, are incredible young people with a passion for service that will do them well in their year ahead.  But unfortunately, this group of people has already encountered more hardship than I think I faced all year.
Your prayers are needed.

One of this year's volunteers, Jenny, who replaced me at St. Leo, is in the hospital and about to undergo very serious and risky open-chest surgery.

And in addition, Tyler, another community member, has a brother named Kyle who is currently in hospital in Johannesburg with a brain infection.

During my year in South Africa, I learned a lot about the unexpected turns that life can take, but I have to say that since being home, these tragic surprises have been much more numerous and much more unexpected.  We just have to keep trusting that we will be taken care of.

Please keep this AV community and their families in your thoughts for the next few days, and, most especially, in the next few hours.  Having a strong network of good people sending positive thoughts their way may just be the magic touch.  Thanks.



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Monday, February 7, 2011

Oh Bheki, how I miss you.  St. Theresa's, December 2010.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Early-morning coffee & rusks.  Mosethla Bush Camp, September 2010.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Friday, February 4, 2011

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Another amusing South African town.  South Coast, July 2010.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011