Weekend FriendS

Did you hear the sound of my last weekend friend? This weekend was spent with a few more friends.

Last weekend I spent countless hours with my weekend friend, Duplo. This weekend I got to spend most all of my Sunday hours with 12 of my friends collating what Duplo and I had spent so much time printing last weekend. Yes, that’s right, Cassie and Aimee who work in my Leadership Summit Department, along with our 10 amazing, servant hearted interns collated 5,000 books! Walking ‘round and ‘round the horseshoe tables, picking up 37 pages, stacking each one carefully on top, proved to be quite a good time….you make the most of it and we all did!

I enjoyed spending my Sunday with all of you! Thanks for collating all those books!

Bring on the Rhino Rally!

A wide known Jenn fact: I LOVE MOTORCYCLES!!

Much to my mother’s dismay, I fell in love with motorcycles when I was a wee little girl. It was subdued for quite some time but it came barreling to the surface when I rode with my friend on a Harley Fat Boy for hours and hours one weekend driving down A1A through the Florida Keys. By the end of that ride, I declared, “Someday, I will have my own motorcycle! I Love this!”

Months later, I was enrolled in a motorcycle riding course and passed both my driving and written exam with flying colors. I actually did the best in my entire class! From class to home, I went to the DMV and got ‘Class M’ put on my driver’s license. I rented a Buell that same day and rode for hours and hours. When I returned the bike 24 hours later, the man asked, “Did you ever get off this thing?” “Nope” I replied, with a huge smile all across my face…and probably a few bugs in my teeth.

Three months later I was in California ready for an “after school/weekend job” to save money for my very own motorcycle. 5 months later I had a wad of cash ready to spend on my motorized two wheels. I picked out a nice purple one, purple rims and all – I could sit on it and touch the ground with both feet at the same time – Perfect. Ahhhh my sport bike; a ‘93 Yamaha FZR 600. But wait……”I see another one…..” A cruiser – a ’94 Yamaha Virago 1100. I worked a deal for both of them – a sport bike and a cruiser – and left with two Yamaha's…..and not much money left in my pocket. I got two helmets thrown in and a special delivery of both bikes right to my front door.

I have some awesome memories on those bikes. I loved them. I rode and rode and rode them, loving every moment! Fast……slow…..in and out of traffic (always safe)……up and down mountains……curvy roads and flat straight-a-ways……….I loved it! I still do!!

I don’t have a bike here; in fact, I had to sell one to help me get here to South Africa. My dad is keeping the cruiser company and we have convinced my mom to not only let it have a warm dry place in the garage, but she even lets my Dad drive it to work on warm sunny days. That brings a huge smile to my face! Thanks Mom!

So, this weekend, I got to indulge myself in some motorcycle love! Bring on the South Africa, Harrismith, Rhino Rally……………

I VOTED!

I was patriotic today…..I voted!

Advantages to being an overseas missionary during an election year:
not having to wait in long lines ……
not having to figure out those silly little chads ….
and being able to vote whenever you want!

Thapelo Thapelo

We have several new coaches that have joined our group and they love teaching the students. Here I am with two of them, both with the name Thapelo, which, in Sesotho, means Prayer. It’s great to be surrounded by Prayer!

They both are doing a great job as our coaches-in-training and have had great testimonies to report:

Tall Thapelo (also know as, TP, as per his request) .....who is actually sitting down in this picture, says:

The learners always praise and pray with one and have pure hearts, they understand and see the importance of communicating with God through prayer.

Learners realized it is important to ask God’s guidance in their lives in order to live a life that will reflect His greatness.

I enjoyed lesson one because it encouraged learners to invite you in their plans and decision they made should bear good truths and to honor God with their lives.

Through God we are getting somewhere with learners building friendships that bring us closer to mighty and they also play a vital role in my life to press on.

Always smiling Thapelo (the one in the hat) shares:

I thank God that through Summit the learners realized the power of prayer that God can prevail and to others it opened a new perspective of life into a better person.

I am grateful on this day because learners know now that we need to ask God for guidance in order to achieve our goals and He also provides tools for us in order to accomplish them and no matter what problems we encounter we do not have to give up.

I reckon that God is going to make a miracle because there are some learners who are willing to go the extra mile and the way they are responding towards me, there is going to be a great impact in their lives.

I am so proud of our Thapelo's!

Weekend Friend

What I did this weekend........



Spent many, many hours with my weekend friend, Mr. Duplo, printing 370,000 pieces (37 pages, double sided (74 pages), 5,000 of each page) of paper that will comprise our Break the Silence curriculum that the students will go through next year. It's taking a little less than an hour to print the 5,000 pieces per page, so looks like Dave and I will be doing this for more than just our weekend. It's good fun though - turn up the music and sing a little louder...... and perhaps even dance a little.....

Sweet Dreams

How could I not have sweet dreams in our Durban flat while sleeping in this amazingly colorful pastel room? Where does the wall end and the bed begin?

.....and oh, it was a bit noisy with the plastic sheet covering the mattress. Guess I had the little kids' room. No wetting the bed for me!

Durban Leaders

Last weekend we all went to Durban not just for warmth, sunshine, and fabulous beaches, (thanks Jody for the pictures!) but to learn more about Leadership through the Global Leadership Summit Conference put on by Willow Creek. I have a lot to learn about leadership. Now, more than ever, I enjoy learning and soaking in as much as I can about leadership, as I know it is a necessary and criticial component to what God has called and required me to do. I took away several "nuggets" - reminders, statements, and questions - this weekend ....

**Follow Me [God] beyond what you can control....and you will experience Me, My love, My wisdom.

**Sometimes you have to create it.

**Perfecting comes through pruning.

**What is God trying to show me through my greatest limitation?

**Leading is engagement

**Refuse God in nothing. Be relentless. Do without delay.

Some reflection to follow....

Celebrating Thrive's 10 years

Last weekend not only did I get to cheer on our mountain racing interns, but I also got to celebrate Thrive's 10 year anniversary with the rest of the amazing Thrive staff. Niel and Alece treated us to a special 10 year anniversary staff get-a-way down the road at Quantani Resort. 2 days off, no work, relaxin' and chillin', a good combination and sure fire win for celebration.

The weather didn't want to cooperate and warm up; clouds rolled in, wind blew, thunder rolled, and the rain poured down, but that didn't stop our party! No sir, that is what waterproof winter jackets are for! Mine got full use and can proudly declare itself a real waterproof jacket as it endured the rain and cold and more than a few rides out on the jet ski for hours of fun out on the lake.

Full speed ahead I rode that jet ski (hence the 90's mom hair that I was told I had) and laughed and laughed (and screamed of course), but I didn't get too terribly wet. Off went the jacket to ride on the very back seat, backwards (SCARY!) with Niel driving (even SCARIER) small fast S's in the water, all to "buck" me off, making me scream even louder and loosing my breath when I flew into the freezing water...all in good fun of course. I didn't freeze to death, so on the tube I went! (The picture is actually Dave on the tube, but I was doing the same thing, and it's far enough away, so just imagine and pretend it was me). I screamed then too and had a ball!

I love the water, I love jet ski's, I love laughing and having fun, fun, fun! It was a blast! Thanks Niel and Alece for a wonderful Thrive 10 year anniversary! I love being a part of your team!



To read more about our 10 year annivesary celebration, go here.

Harrismith Mountain Race

One of these things is not like the other. Go ahead and sing it, I know you know the song from Seasame Street.

I'm sure it didn't take you very long, but yes, I am the one out of place. I am the one without the race number. I am the one wearing jeans. I am the one not racing. I am the cheerleader. I am the one yelling "You can do it! Go ______ (insert intern names (from left to right) Katie T, Crystal, Shannon, Matt P) Go! You can do it!"

4 out of our 10 interns participated in the 15K (9.3 mile) Harrismith Mountain Race last Saturday. It includes a run to the mountain, a 2000 ft. mountain climb, a mile flat top run, and then a run back down the hill. Pretty intense! Sure glad I didn't have to run it, but I really enjoyed cheering all of them on. Real proud of you Katie, Crystal, Shannon, and Matt!

Fire Season

It's fire season around here and it's a
bit scary. The spark ignites, the wind blows, and you have trouble, trouble, trouble on your hands.

Rebecca (another staff member) and I couldn't even get home from Johannesburg a few weeks ago after dropping off a mission team. The major highway (N3) was closed! CLOSED! Smoke covered the roads, and fire was so close, that they had to close the road and make us go nearly 100 kilometers off track to get back on track. 2 hours added to our already long 3 hour drive and we were so ready to get home!

These pictures were taken while on the many road(s) which eventually led us home. Yes, that is all smoke that you see! .... and Yes, I know, we are driving on the "wrong" side of the road.

Continue to pray for safety and protection for our Thrive Africa base and our 240 acres of land. There have been fires on each of the neighboring farms over the last month. We are still trying to recover from the destructive fire that burned our conference room and resturant in April of last year. Thanks for praying!

Short Short

Did anyone notice some bangs in the Leadership Day photos?

I've gone short short (yeah, I know, I already am short in height - ha ha - so funny) and done a little something different to my hair. Change is good, right? Change has been fun....including my David Bowe 80's spunked out hair (see last picture....which is horrible). All pictures are self taken, at night, after many hours of wind. Just keep that in mind as you browse through a week of me trying to figure out this new short short do. Every day has been different - both in styling and final product, but I figured you could only handle so much of me at a time. Enjoy.....

Celebrating Leadership

Here we are, all 278 students and 26 teachers celebrating our last Leadership Day of 2008!

Leaders Rise Up

Our last Leadership Day of 2008 was a huge success! The students loved their individual participation certificates and their own personal Bibles that they each received. The teachers were excited to get their own certificates and a goodie bag as well. It has been amazing to watch the transformation of students throughout the year as they apply the various leadership skills they have learned throughout the year. Student leaders from Qwa Qwa are rising up!

“Leadership Summit has changed the attitude of our learners, which has had and now the can even see for themselves that they have changed for the better and if they place God first in their lives they will always be the achiever and they will also put impact on other people’s lives.” – Motseneng, teacher – Dithotaneng

“I did not know that there are so many children whom can be transformed into good leaders, but now I know and with my leadership tactics I can now coach them.” – Sipho, grade 8, Clubview Intermediate School

“I have seen that I have grown so much in the things of God and I have been walking in love more than ever before.” - Motloung, grade 9, Clubview Intermediate School

“My life has changed and I am proud to be a future leader and to be more successful in my entire life.” – Mokoena, grade 7, Madiboho Intermediate School

“I’ve changed the way I look at my self. My self-esteem was very low, but now it is a whole new story because I am confident and I don’t let anything get in my way to stop me from reaching my goals.” – Mokang, grade 9, Mafube Intermediate School

I Scream

When I do almost anything that involves thrills and adventure, I scream! I scream 'cause I'm happy, I scream 'cause I'm having fun! I scream.......

Zip Line Fun - Take 2

(Just in case you think I scream only the first time around.)