Happy New Years!!
In a little over a year I will ring in the new year here in Jo'burg with a few fellow journeygals. We went to montecasino tonight for dinner, and now we're back home watching movies.

Anyway, today we went to Brahmfisherville, and the club went VERY well!! There is a new church forming in the area, and they had gone to a great deal of work to invite children. We had plenty of people to transate today - yay! It was very cool to meet the people in the church. They might be interested in me coming out there to lead a youth Bible study... so that's a possibility.

I would write more, but I'm thoroughly exhauted! Tomorrow we're going to Sonderwater, so be in prayer for that! Thanks!

Happy 2005!
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

FYI - I just added a new photo album where I'll put all the pictures I take during the holiday Bible clubs. Please take a look at them! I always find that I can pray better when I can picture what or who I am praying for. Thanks!!

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Today we went to Dhlamini, Soweto and did a little back yard Bible club with the neighborhood kids. We didn't have a translator, which made things quite difficult because lots of small children came, and usually they don't speak English yet. But it was ok! We broke the volunteers in with the hardest day first! Tomorrow we'll have a translator - yippee! Today was fun though, and I think the kids had a good time, even if they didn't understand us. I am most excited about what God was whispering to me almost the entire time. It was as if He was gently whispering, "you can do this... this doesn't have to stop today." So... I'm gonna do it. The field we met in today was right behind Lilydale Primary School, so I know the area well, and the kids know me. I plan to recruit some of the older, more mature (is that possible in a 7th grader??) girls from the girls club I plan to do on Mondays, and I am hoping these girls will help me with a community after school club once a week in the field. They speak English and Zulu, so they can help me translate if little ones come. God only knows where this will lead! I would love to see it lead to helping me form more relationships with adults in the community. At least this will get me out of the school, and more into the community, and I am SO excited about this!! Please pray that God will continue to reveal His desires for me in all this. As I have said before, I only want to what HE is guiding me to do!! Also, pray for the children who came today, and for the adults we had a chance to speak with. Pray that God will continue to work in each of their hearts to reveal Himself more and more everyday!! Thank you for your prayers!!
God bless!
Bonnie B.
Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Happy late Christmas!! I hope everyone out there had a great Christmas, celebrating however you did. I had a really wonderful Christmas, even though I was not with my family. I was too busy most of the time to think about missing them too much! On Christmas Eve I went to a service at Ridgecrest Family Church. I helped with the worship. After the service, I headed to the Saner house (my friends, Heather and Roger's family). I had a blast! After a nice dinner, we all gathered in the lounge to begin a crazy night of opening presents. And when I say crazy, I mean it! (I mean that in a nice way Heath and Rog!) I had a great time opening presents from home that my family has sent, as well as gifts that the Saners had bought (how sweet!). Check out my pictures online to get a better idea of what it was like for me on Christmas Eve! I spent the night at their house Christmas Eve and then on Christmas day I went to BIMS to have Christmas dinner, as prepared by American missionaries! Good stuff!! We had lunch there, then hung out all day playing cards, talking, and just hanging out. Then later that night we all had left-overs for dinner - just like in America! :) I stayed as long as I could, because I figured if I stayed busy, I wouldn't think too much about what I was missing back home. But I did finally come home at about 9pm, and then later that night my family called! It was so nice to get to talk to all of them on Christmas day! By the time we all finished talking, it was quite late, and I was exhausted, so I went to bed! Thus concluding my Christmas celebrations.

Now some more craziness is happening. Lots of things are going on in Jo'burg right now. There is an MK (missionary kid) camp this week, and a lot of journeymen are in town to be counselors for that. There are also other missionaries coming into Jo'burg for their team prayer retreat, so hopefully I'll get to see some of the jmen from those teams too. My flat is serving as a bed and breakfast for some extra people who needed a place to stay, and tomorrow (Wednesday) 2 journeygirls and their sisters are coming to stay with me for a while! Crazy I tell ya! There are also 3 volunteers coming in tomorrow who will be working with our team this coming week. They will be leading in children's evangelism in the townships. That's gonna be insane, so PLEASE pray that it will all work out! I'll be honest. I'm a little nervous about how things are going to go in the townships, as many things are quite unorganized right how. PRAY! Thanks!

That's about it for now... thanks for checking in on me!
Cheers,
Bonnie
Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

What a day!! Today I went to Gold Reef City (an amusement park) with my friends. When they invited me, I declined because I'm running quite low on rands this month! But then they told me they'd pay for me... as a Christmas present. :) How sweet! So today was quite fun. I got drenched many times in the water rides. (Note: For future reference, don't wear jeans if you plan to get soaked on the rides!) I also got to ride on the Jozi Express, the newest roller coaster, and I got to ride in the very front - a first for me, and quite a rush! We rode all the big rides, and a few smaller ones too. We rode the Giant Wheel, other wise known as a modern day ferris wheel... I may have been the only one who enjoyed it though, everyone else was clinging to their seats and wishing for the ride to be over! But I LOVE ferris wheels, so I was having a blast! :) After we'd spent the better part of the day at the park, I came home. Then I went to the gym tonight and attended the power boxing class again - go me! Needless to say, after walking around all day and then going to a power boxing class, I'm exhausted! It's time to cuddle up on the couch, watch a movie, and then go to bed. :) I'm loving this "holiday thing." hehehe
Cheers!
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Merry Christmas to ME! hehehe I just got 5 packages today from my family for Christmas!! Unfortunately, the boxes contained WRAPPED presents, and I promised I'd leave them wrapped until Christmas morning. It's fun to see presents under my tree. I don't have much of a tree... it's a little wire/beaded Christmas tree that someone here made... But nevertheless, my presents are under it! :) I've put a few pictures of my tree on my weshots photo site, under the album heading of "Christmas in Jo'burg." As I do more Christmas stuff, I'll put more pictures there, but for now, this is all I have. Hope you're all having a splendid weekend before Christmas! Get that shopping finished. :)
Love ya,
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

I'm home! This morning I drove back from Swaziland... Back to the big city. You know, I have always known that I am not a city girl, but this past week has confirmed that! There's no way I could live in Jo'burg for the rest of my life (as much as I love it for now...). I loved being somewhere quiet and peaceful. The window in my bedroom (at the Allen's house) looks out over the mountains. Talk about an amazing place to have your quiet time. It was hard for me to make myself leave Swaziland, but alas, God has called me to be HERE, in Jo'burg, for the season of my life, and I'll make the very most of it while I am here. Don't get me wrong... it's not that I don't like Jo'burg, it's just that I often feel overwhelmed by the masses of people and cars and buildings. God's got me here for a reason, quite possibly to stretch me! But I hope and pray that He calls me somewhere a little more quiet next time! I had an amazing time this past week spending time with Monica, Steve and Lacie Joy Allen. Lacie Joy is 6 months old, and she is such a cute baby!! Soon I'll post a couple pictures of her on my photo albums. I didn't do all that much... I just used the time to relax and enjoy time with the missionaries. I hope I get to go visit them again in the future! They're such a great family!
Goodnight for now - Thanks for checking in on me!
Cheers,
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Howzit!? I don't know if I'll be able to update much this coming week because I won't be in town. I am going to Swziland tomorrow morning and coming back sometime on Thursday. I am looking forward to some time away from Jo'burg! I'm going to spend some time with Monica and Steve Allen (and their baby Lacie!!). They're a young couple, and Steve's from NC! He went to Southeastern... It's always nice to know people who are from the same place you are. :) They even know a few people from the Summit! Small world. :) If you want to know something about Swaziland, here's a link to some info: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/wz.html

Ruth Anne is going to watch the kittens while I'm gone. :) I'm sure she'll enjoy that! But I will miss my kitties!! Please pray for safe travel to and from Swaziland! I've been before, but I've never driven myself. I'll make sure to take lots of pictures and update this blog when I get home!
Love you!!
Bonnie
Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

I just love Saturdays. You get to sleep in and enjoy life... well, at least that holds true for THIS Satuday so far. :) I slept in, and then when my kittens would finally let me sleep no more, I got up, read for a while (which I am loving, by the way) and had breakfast. A little bit later I was picked up by my friends Melissa and Heather and we went to the new mall, Clearwater Mall for lunch. Now I can say I've had a tramazeni (or however you spell it). Then we walked around for a bit and went to get coffee for the road. I was craving a Iced Mocha Freeze... mm mm good. Well, we walk into Seattle Coffee (the best coffee place in SA, at least from an American's point of view!!) and who was there but Kylie, Ronny and Daniel!! Crazy... I can't get away!! haha... not that I would want to get away from them or anything. So, since Heather and Melissa were just going to take me home and drop me off, I got a lift with Kylie and them. So we chilled at the mall a bit longer and then they brought me back here. Kylie and Ronny checked my place out, and then they all left to go back to BIMS. :( So fun getting to see random friends in random places. :-) Now I am doing some computer stuff, and I plan to spend a quiet night in with some movies or books.... my good stand-bys. Hooray!

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Ahh… another GREAT night with the missionaries. They have been the biggest blessing to me in such a long time. I’m sure that God knew exactly what He was doing when he sent these people to BIMS at this specific time. Actually tonight I got to spend time with my own missionary team, as well as the visiting missionaries!! Tonight I went out to dinner with my team (minus the kids!) for a little Christmas celebrating. Then after dinner I rushed off to Montecasino (again) to go see The Incredibles with the other missionaries. I got a bit lost, and more than a bit frustrated that I was arriving to the movie 30 minutes after the start time. But I’d already paid for my ticket online, and I didn’t care how much I missed, I was going to get there! Well, thanks to the obnoxious adverts and previews, I only missed maybe 5 minutes of the movie! After the movie, we got ice cream and hung out for a little while. We took a few pictures and said some goodbyes! I’m glad they are better, so that they can go home (they were here for medical), but I’m sad that they are leaving!!! They have been amazing. It’s been great hanging out with other young people who share my vision, my heart. They understand when I talk about missing home while loving this country at the same time. They understand me – PERIOD! That’s the biggy… It’s awesome to find people who truly do understand you. See why I’m sad that they’re leaving? But I thank God for the time we have had together. Now I must get back to my own life in South Africa! Actually, next week I am leaving South Africa. On Monday I am leaving to go to Swaziland until Thursday. There’s a missionary couple up there, and I’m going to visit with them and use the time to RELAX! Sounds nice, hey? Can’t wait! Wow… I’m sleepy. It’s been a long day… and the kittens kept me up all night last night! Just like having kids… ugh! Hehe Goodnight!
Cheers,
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Howdy folks! I had a great night tonight! I went to BIMS to meet up with the other young people there and then we went to Banditos, South Africa's clostest thing to a Mexican restaurant... not bad. :) Then the 4 journeymen -me, Jayme, Daniel and Brian (whom I just met)- went to Westgate mall (a mall on MY side of town!) to watch a 10 rand movie (that's really cheap). We saw After the Sunset, which turned out to be a pretty good movie. Then they came back to see my flat. I just wanted them to see where I live! They were pretty shocked at how nice it is... I felt kinda bad, but I'm not complaining. :) Oh yeah, all three of them are journeymen in Mozambique. Jayme is actually heading home to the US tomorrow! These journeymen keep finishing their terms and going home! It's so strange for me to keep seeing them leave... and no one new is coming!! Sad... :( Who's going to be here to tell ME goodbye? Well, they just left, and I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to bed!! Thanks for checking in on me! :)
Cheers!
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

What a nice, relaxing week so far. On Monday I went and baby/kid-sat for the Lechners while Angie took Charlie out to lunch for his birthday. Janna Kay was there too. Joshuwa (JK's son) loves to play with Abby (Angie's daugher), so the two of them kept themselves occupied! Don't you just love kids? :) Then later that night I went back over to their house for cake and ice cream for Charlie's birthday. Hooray for birthdays! Yesterday I got to go to Carnivore to eat with a team of baseball missionaries that were in staying with the Holidays. (I didn't have to pay - yay!) Then I went with them to Bruma Market and bought a couple cute Christmas decorations. On my way home I stopped by BIMS and now there are 2 more journeymen there! I am LOVING all these great people being at BIMS. I guess being a Jo'burg missionary certainly has it's perks! I'm going back to BIMS to hang out with them tonight. :) Last night I went BACK to the Lechner's house to watch Abby,Luke and Coleson. Will is in the hospital!! He was pretty sick since last week, and he got dehydrated, so they had to put him in the hospital so he could have an IV. Yuck... poor kid. Anyway, I got to watch some movies with the muchkins and hung out with them till Angie and Charlie got back. I love my time with their family!! Ok, I'd better be going. Thanks for checking in on me!
Cheers,
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

*Happy Anniversary* No, not to me... but to my brother Brad and his amazing wife of one year, Cheryl. Today's not THE actual day, but it was this weekend a year ago that they were married. And since I never know when I'll get to blog, I thought I'd go ahead and make the announcement today. :)

Not too much has happened today... nice lazy weekend. :) I talked to my Mom for almost 3 hours today. I think we're still making up for the months we went without me having a phone line. haha! Really though, I'm so thankful to be somewhere with working telephones so that we can talk. I think I'd go crazy if I couldn't have my talks with mom! I've just been online a long time looking at touristy things to do in Sout Africa. Why? Because in TWO MONTHS my Mom and Dad are coming to visit! Hooray! I can't wait! :)

Cheers for now....
Bonnie B.
Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Another night at Montecasino! No, I didn't go gambling. I went to meet the missionaries who are (still) staying at BIMS right now. Kylie and I went to see Bride and Prejudice. Funny, funny... who knew it was going to be a musical!? hehe Well, I had planned to ONLY go see the movie and not go out to dinner with them because I have to make this paycheck last all month, and Jo'burg is not the cheapest place to live! Well... I got coaxed into going to dinner with them at the Japanese place. All was well, until the end of my meal when all of a sudden I had this strange, poking sensation in my mouth, and low and behold, there was a piece of METAL in my stir-fry!!! Wow... That was not cool. But what WAS cool, was that I got my meal free. I was almost finished with it anyway, so... hooray!! Then we went and got coffee and dessert, and because Ronny is such a cool guy, he picked up the whole tab! Amazing I tell ya. There need to be more Ronnys in the world! :) So, I made out nice tonight! Not only did I get to spend more great time with other missionaries (which is always fun and encouraging) but I didn't spend a fortune. Hooray!

Now I am off to dream land... wonder if I'll dream about Indian singing and dancing... That could be fun. :) Goodnight!

Cheers,
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

The latest piece of news is that I won't be teaching lifeskills at Lilydale anymore next year. The principle told me today, at the end of the prize-giving ceremony. So... now I don't have any schools for sure. But I do know that I will be able to do the girls clubs at Lilydale next year, even though I won't be teaching in a class. Guess there's no better place to start than back at the beginning! I'm sure God likes nothing better than a clean slate, and a willing heart! I'm working real hard on having a willing heart!! :)

Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Wow! It’s December already!! Crazy thought… A year ago I was heading home from the training center around this time to go to my brother’s wedding. He’s almost been married a whole year… wow, and now he and his wife are expecting their first baby – hooray! Today was a pretty fun day. I went to BIMS to watch a movie with Daniel, Kylie, and Ronny. It’s always fun to hang out with people who are a lot like me. They help me to see that I won’t be TOO out of place when I go back to America. :) Then I went to the new mall here in Jo’burg, clearwater mall. Wow… It’s so nice… And so classy! I felt like I was at home. hehe
Tomorrow I am going to the prize-giving ceremony at Lilydale. I get to see my kids again! Yay! Then I’m going out to lunch with the teachers afterwards. I’m a bit nervous about that, but I’m sure it’ll be fun.

Well… I don’t have much more to update you about. I haven’t been doing a whole lot. I’ve been reading a lot! I love having time to actually read the many books I buy.

Ok, I have to go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight since I have to get up early tomorrow and go to school.
Goodnight!
Bonnie

Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81