This trip we are doing eye clinics in the schools, providing eyeglasses to children in need. In addition we are doing AIDS/HIV teaching as well as teaching about Jesus. BMI is also currently working on a project to build housing for orphans using low-cost prefab housing units called an Abod. A team is coming this July to build the first set of these houses. If you're interested in this trip, check out this link for more information. You will be staying on the farm where I am currently living (although not in the Blessman's home) and traveling to the worksite each day.
BMI is starting to expand into other southern African countries by providing food to starving children. Currently they are working to get food to Madagascar and are looking to expand into other countries as well. God is definitely on the move with BMI!
One of the reasons I like this ministry and the work we are doing is that we are here to connect with children. Many times in medical ministries, we work long days to treat as many people as possible for their medical ailments (and there's nothing wrong with that) but you don't get to connect with people much. BMI's philosophy is that you spend as much time with a child as you can and just pour love and encouragement into them. And as an aside, they get glasses if they need them.
So during our first day of eye clinics I met a 17 year old girl named Yoliswa. I knew after talking with her that she may have been the very reason I came on the trip (a divine appointment as one of my teammates called it). I started off getting to know her a little, talking about eye glasses and miscellaneous things about school, etc. And as I built trust I started asking her more personal things about her home life and I found out that she is an amazingly gifted young woman living in circumstances we would never have back home.
Her mother was murdered in 2006 and her father died of AIDS last year. She has no siblings and none of her family would take her in. She has been living by herself (I'm not sure where) with no means of support. She gets one meal a day at school thankfully but on days where there is no school, she doesn't eat. Sometimes she says a friend will bring her some food but many days she has none.
When I asked her what the hardest thing was about her life, she said it was being alone at night. She was scared in the dark and often didn't sleep. I think about her every night as I go to sleep wondering if she's scared.
The amazing thing about this girl is her determination. God has given her many creative gifts - she sings, she writes poetry, she draws and she wants to be an accountant (hmmm, not sure how all those go together but she thinks they do:). When I asked her what she does in the night when she's scared, she pulled out a notebook full of writings. And she read to me some of her poetry. I couldn't believe it...I thought she had copied it out of a book, it was that good. I told her I thought she would be a famous writer someday and that I would tell people I knew her when she was a young girl!
The other thing amazing about her is that she is disciplined in her studies. She described her day to me and she goes home every day after school and studies and does her homework because she wants to go to college. What 17 year old would do that if they didn't have supervision?? She has no money and no one supporting her but she still believes she will go to college. She also volunteers 3 days a week at her church working in the children's ministry.
I spent an hour with Yoliswa, just pouring encouragement and love into her. Affirming her dreams and her gifts and assuring her God really had a plan for her life. I think it's probably the best, most amazing conversation I've ever had and I'll never forget it. I've been praying for her everyday and ask that you would also pray for her.
Here's a picture of Yoliswa and me:
On a completely different note, here is a photo taken by Kelsey Blessman of a little boy looking at a picture of Jesus (little cards we handed out at one of the schools). No reason for showing it other than I think it's a great photo!
Last thoughts for this post. I know I keep saying how great it is to live on a game farm but I have to say it again. Yesterday when I was out for a walk, I ran across a herd of Sables. I knew I would find them because I was walking to where they are fed (the farm has a breeding program for them) and they all lined up to look at me. But today, they were in the front yard of the neighbor's house, just grazing. Pretty cool.
And also yesterday I was sitting on the deck studying for a physiology exam and heard rustling in the trees. I looked up and the house was surrounded by monkeys! They were in the trees and running down the road. Eventually they ended up in the backyard by the hottub. 
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