Well I have been in America for a total of 11 days!

I would have not idea how long it has been if it were not for the calendar keeping track for me.
Time is such a strange thing. I don't know if you have ever felt this way but it seems to be something that I just continue to be confounded by.

I made it safe and sound to American ground, and have had not problem with jet-lag at all after a nearly 30 hour trip.  I was able to make all my flights and I know that was a gift from God because there were some "close one's".

I was excited to walk down the escalator and see my family. I was excited for the familiar faces, hugs and places! The faces and hugs stayed a welcome comfort as we headed home from the airport, but as we drove, the things I was counting on to be familiar were no longer familiar- known, but not familiar. I was surprised by the speed of culture shock.

I had heard about this thing called culture shock and experienced it at certain levels, but this all is new to me.

I have been home for 11 days, 11 days and thousands of aches missing the kids I love.

One day to travel seemed far too short comparing my life there to here. It only took me one day to get here? But it feels like a whole different world! One day to go from the warm sun, to snow days, one day from not being able to understand barely anyone at the supermarket, to Walmart where you can understand everyone and they have 17 different brands of corn chips. One day to go from being a mother figure to 15 different children, to hanging out in my own whole basement with no little hands patting or chattering for my attention.

I am truly thankful to be united with my family and friends once again! I feel so loved. I would be lying if I said it was easy though. I believe God has but me in a very unique place intended only for my good and His glory, but I believe also that this will be the hard part of this missionary.


But I pray that this type of culture shock would not leave me broken but evermore thirsty for HOME- heaven.

Poor Attempts to Update

I am attempting to write once again.
Currently, I have five drafts since being back in the states. I have tried to come up with the words to just say that I am home, but in many ways I stop before I can form any thoughts. 
Most areas in my life have been along the same levels of attention, and that being very weak. 
Maybe I could be said to be coming off a little flaky on this side of the globe? .

I have now banned myself from going near any Targets after a two hour wandering session through the shampoo isle... after which I invented a new term called culture coma...  Feel free to imagine,  the most exaggerated and you'll most likely be the most accurate. 
 Having not ever truly experienced such a feeling I decided to do a little "researching" to see how google would define this thing called culture shock. And yep, I think I have it!


Culture Shock
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture%20shock

NOUN: A sense of confusion and uncertainty, sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation.

Even as funny as I am sure I look and act in this "new

environment" -after I get over the amazement that there are 17 different brands of corn chips on just one shelf- I still feel a strange sense of disillusionment and lostness. I sit back on my bed with the strangest of feelings trying understand how all the sudden I am in this new world/life wondering if this is where I should be. 

Coming home to my family was LOVELY! I had dearly missed seeing them face to face, and it was a great joy! But the feeling I was most expecting, that feeling of familiarity and sense of home was not there. I am not sure how to explain it all and have hesitated in even trying, for sometimes there are just no words to explain the throb in ones heart. 

 Sometimes only the voice you have is the salty water running down your cheek, and knowing that those are the words that anyone else will be able to hear. And this odd little mama has been speaking those salty words quite a lot. 

I still am not quite sure what day it is, or how long it has been since I have been wherever I am, but I know the hints are fading, and new phases of strange are still at hand.  It's hard. Real hard, but I am comforted by One who experienced the greatest "culture shock" and made way for us to really come HOME. Jesus Christ came down to the world from heaven, to give us a reason to live and love. I find comfort in Jesus, the only home who will satisfy! Just ponder that a bit!

So, that is a start I guess. :) 

Soak it up!

Only two more real days, and I have been trying to soak up the time as much as I can!

This week I have been going back and forth from houses mothering this week. I am pooped, but also so thankful for the extra time with the kids.
I can't believe my time is up. There has been many tears so far this week and am sure there will be more to come.
My bags are packed, and I am all but ready to come home. TJO. I know God has so much for me these next couple day and the months to come and can smile at the future, because my God has proven Himself faithful over and over again.

Everyday this week Tumalo in broken english has been asking if he is coming to America with me.... :(

Letaro

mmm-bah! Means kiss is Sesotho 

Haha, what a keeper. Tumi striking a pose on a hot hot day. 

Sthembile

Ntseekilalo

Please be praying for me as I say goodbyes, and then leave on friday. Pray for safe travel as I fly, and that I will rest in the grace, truth and mercy of Jesus Christ. 

Counting on My Hands...

Only 10 days...
I am now able to countdown on my hands the number of days until I fly across the ocean. I feel like I did before I came, a bit scared, and sad to leave my home.
I have said it a million times, but I CAN NOT believe how the time has flown.
In many many ways this place has become my home. And my heart is invested in so many places.
The goodbyes have started, and I am nearly always a few snaps away from tears. I am usually not one to be classified as a crier (well, it depends on who is judging I guess :) but I think South Africa has indeed made me much more of a crier. I cry because of the blessing I have received. I have heard it said, that "you cry when you come to Welkom, and you cry when you leave." And I think I would have to say that that saying is proving it's self true to me.

It never really was my plan to come to South Africa again, especially for almost a year. And thinking back on the year it all came together very fast. And what I have learned this year that has made me so close to tears these last couple of days are lessons and experiences of sweet sweet GRACE.
Being here has been such a gift!

At this point I have been doing a lot of reflecting over the last eight months, and have experienced an out and overflowing feeling of joy and amazement of all the things the Lord has provided for me.

Now I am not going to make everything sound like heaven, it has not always been easy here. It has not always been fun, and there were times that I was ready to come home. But looking back, I see eight months covered in GRACE.

No Worries.
I have been extraordinarily blessed to not have had to worry about finances. The Lord provided for me all the way through! I have never gone hungry. I wasn't sure how it would all work when I was first asked to come to SA, but God provided people to give, and take care of me. I have been provided for not only in financial ways, but in spiritual ways that feed me much more than food could. Now that is something that really has been such an underserved blessing; and I am truly thankful for! I haven't had to worry at all. I praise the Lord for those who were involved in the gift and grace God gave me.


 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindnessto us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.- Ephesians 2:3-9

Faithfulness!
You know, I came here thinking I would minister to people, but I have felt like I am the one who has received such a deep encounter of mercy ministry.
I have had people invest in my life in ways I was so surprised and blessed by.
Above everything and anything I could have done, I have experienced God claiming my heart, and wanting more and more of my attention, and worship. He has worked in mighty ways in my heart and shown me how He wants to work in my heart!  He has reminded of His faithfulness in the past, the present and the future. I am learning that when I am most satisfied in Him, ministry is effortless because it is the work of the Lord.  No good work I could do would mean a thing, but it is God who works in me and through me that makes this life worth anything. It is only when I, Mallory, decrease; and Christ increases that I am able to be apart of God's work in others lives. I am just a servant, and one who abundantly has received grace upon grace. I am sinful, and God is full of mercy.

^"13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,who is a pattern of the one to come.
¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."- Romans 5:13-21

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. -John 1:14-17

And I am overflowing.

And have become a crier.

:)

My Buddy From Church- She has one of the cutest giggles. 

She is Tumi's friend too :)

Enjoying some time my friend DJ, who has been on break from university and working at The Village. 

Peter O'Tool has been a fun kid to have around. 

Modiehi

Miss Meredith O'Tool

Ntseeki is a little cheese ball.