Melissa is on a plane right now on her way to the States. Please keep her in your prayers!! She's going there for her sister's wedding. It's a short trip... she'll be back home on Tuesday, September 7th. This will be the longest time I've stayed by myself since I got here, so please keep me in your prayers too! It's cool, in a way, but it's quiet! And I don't want to get lonely! This coming week looks to be a fairly normal one (although, anything would be normal after this past week ... some of you know what I mean by that... haha). Girls club on Monday, teaching on Tuesday and girls club on Tuesday after school. *insert fun event - Survivor night with friends, woohoo!* Teaching at Lawley on Wednesday. And teaching Thursday at Diepsloot. I only have 2 more teaching weeks left until Zimbabwe. I can't wait!!
Good night, and thanks for checking in on me!!
Cheers!
Bonnie

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

Wow, has is really been a week since I last wrote? I guess so... Not much has changed. School is still going about the same, and I'm still leading the girls clubs after school on Mondays and Tuesdays. I can't believe I only have TWO more teaching weeks until more time off! Woohoo! There are actually more weels of schools, but on September 12th I am going to a journeyman retreat in Zimbabwe! Very exciting. :) I am helping to plan and lead praise and worship at the retreat, so you know I'm happy about that! I'm also looking forward to seeing my two roommates from back at the Missionary Learning Center in Virginia. I'll also get to meet lots of other journeymen from other regions and countries in Southern Africa. Tomorrow, Sunday, Melissa flies to the States for a little over a week. She comes back the following Tuesday. This will be the longest time I've had to myself since I got here. I'm looking forward to it, but I also think I might get longely!! Please pray that my South African friends will be there for me this week so I don't feel too alone. :) We've just started watching Survivor: Allstars here, so we have a weekly Survivor night that I can look forward too. We'll see what else happens this week. Well, I'm off to some kind of event tonight at church. I have no idea how to say it, let alone spell it, and I really don't know what it is... But it is something cultural, and so they say I must be there! I'll have to let you know what happens!! Thanks for checking in on me!
Cheers,
Bonnie B.

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

The weekend! Hooray! I'm writing this Saturday night after I just got back from a very cool event. The BYSA (Baptist Youth of South Africa) Young Adults planned a big "hang out" event tonight in Jo'burg. It was cool... very chill... some bands played, and the Nancefield worship band was scheduled to play for a little while. Their style is way different than the rest of the folks there, since just about everyone else there was white (not everyone, just MOST!). Well, as they were going up to play I wished them well, and then they started saying I should sing with them! I had not practiced at all with them, and was nervous about singing in front of people I didn't know. But Sean encouraged me to join them too, so I finally agreed. I'll be honest, I felt really cool. hehe I was the only girl singing with them. It was very chill and free flowing... I felt honored that Sean felt I could handle that and do well enough to not make them look bad! Seriously, I feel weird saying that I felt cool, but it was this dimly lit area, the band was playing really cool rhythms, and I had this mic on a stand all to myself. I felt like a chic in a boy band... what the heck? It was cool though. I'm glad they convinced me to sing! Anyway, I also met up with some other young adults that I'd met occasionally before, and maybe I'll get to see them again in the future. I really like knowing people. I never realized that in the States, but being here makes me grateful for the people I do know and can call friends!! So yeah, a fun Saturday night! I need more of these!!

Cheers!
Bonnie

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

BIG NEWS!! Melissa and I found our flat today! We are so excited. It's a big, two bedroom apartment... it has an awesome kitchen, and big living room (lounge) area, a small (but nice!) back yard area, and a patio with a BUILT IN braai (bbq) pit ... oh yeah, lots of parties at our place! It has a cool bar area connecting the kitchen with the living room. Both of the rooms are big, and there are 2 bathroom... a definite plus when there are TWO girls in one apartment. :) They will let us have Laura's cat when she goes home. It's in a safe area, and there is a 2 car garage, so our cars will be safe from theft (big plus in Jo'burg!). I can't think of anything else. But we love it! I'm so excited about knowing where I'm going to be living soon. I can't wait to finally have our own place, and be out of other people's houses. HOORAY!!!! Praise God for such a great place!
Cheers~
Bonnie B.

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

Good afternoon friends! I just wanted to share some exciting news. Melissa and I are finally getting to SEE possible flats (apartments) that we'll be moving into soon. We went to see one today that we really really liked. It was nice and spacious, in a great area, safe, AND they'll let us have a pet! We may be inheriting another journeyman's cat, Macy, when she goes back home in November. You know that makes ME happy!! Anyway, just wanted to share my excitement. :) Love ya!
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Link to pictures:
http://community.webshots.com/user/bonnieb81

Howzit!? I hope everyone's doing well. I'm doing alright around here... I've got my good days, and my bad days... just like you, I'm sure! Today was actually a good day. My kids were not as evil as they were last week - praise Jesus! Life's been pretty crazy lately. After the team left, one of the girls, Esther, stayed for a couple extra weeks to work with us. She left on Friday. On Saturday my friends and I went to a Jars of Clay concert here in South Africa. It's really cool to see a Christian band like them... in AFRICA! It was awesome, and we had some rockin' seats. On Monday, another volunteer, Ariane, arrived. She's staying and working with us until next Thursday, August 19th. She's really cool. Well, I'd write more but I am really tired. I definitely took some medicine to make me sleep tonight! Allergies are kicking in with the changing of the seasons again, so breathing is an issue sometimes... no worries, nothing some benedryl can't handle. :) I'll try to update again SOON! Thanks for checking in on me!!
Cheers!

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

Well, seeing that it is almost 2am, and my friends just recently left my house, I'd say that the dessert/coffee night was a success! I am loving having friends. We had a nice mix of American and South African goodies, and a wonderful array of American coffees and flavored coffee creamers (they don't have those here). Much fun was had by all. :) We also played Cranium... my team won. Then we all sat around and chatted for a while. During part of the time, they discussed important political matters... during which I felt lost and confused. Ahh... it's nice to have friends. God's really blessed me, that is for sure!!! Next week I am going to see Jars of Clay with these crazy people! Very exciting. :) Well, I do think it's bed time. T'was nice of you to check in on me!

Cheers!

I know, I know... long time no update. Sorry, again. But here I am once again. :) Life has been quite hectic lately. I don't know where the month of July has gone.  Man, I have to send out another newsletter soon.  That doesn't seem possible!  Yikes, I'll be going home before I know it... scary thought.   It seemed like I was waiting for July for so long, and now it's almost gone already!!  It was a wonderful month though.  My birthday parties, a trip to Swaziland, and most importantly, the visit from the Summit Church.  It was such an indescribable blessing to have 8 people from my home church spend 10 days ministering alongside the team here.  It was really hard to see them off, but God's been very gracious to me in helping me deal.  Thankfully, the day after the team left, Kerryn, a South African friend of mine, called and invited me to a "stir-fry" night at her flat (apartment).  It was a small gathering of about 6 of us.  It was really cool... they had put a table top on bricks and put thin mattresses on the floor for us to sit on.  The room was all lit with tea light candles, and they had even bought fortune (more like "proverb") cookies.  After dinner we all played a game and then just sat around and chilled for a few hours.  Man, that was wonderful... exactly what I needed to get my mind refocused on being in South Africa!  I am so fortunate to have some friends here.  I seriously thank God for blessing me with a couple girl friends, Kerryn and Heather.  I need them so much here!  It's cool to know people my age, who I don't feel like I have to minister to!  I can just relax and be myself!!  This past Monday and Tuesday night I had to sing at church.  The juniors team was scheduled to sing for a week of  MARRIAGE seminars!  Well, actually we just had to sing for the first 2 nights, but I just think it was funny that we, the single people, had to sing for the married people.  We had fun both nights retreating to a room in the church to listen to music and chill while the married folks learned stuff about being married. haha :)    Wednesday night, last night, I went to Heather's flat for dinner.  Can I just say again how great it is to have a friend like that!?  Someone I can just go hang out with, for no real reason at all.  God is so good.  Well, now it's Thursday (which is like a Friday for me since I don't teach on Fridays).  Pay day is tomorrow - halleluia!  Tomorrow evening we are having a desert and coffee night here for a few friends.  We were blessed with about 12 bags of chocolate chips from the Summit, and once I told some of my South African friends about it, they insisted that they be put to good use. haha  Most of my SA friends have either spent some time in the USA or are good friends with an American (other than me), so it's cool to hear what they like or miss from the US.  Anyway, my internet minutes are ticking away... and therefore my paycheck is slowly diminishing as well.  Thanks for checking in on me!!
Cheers,
Bonnie B.

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

Hello out there to all who check this web-log! I know I have not updated recently, but that it because I have been insanely busy! As I type this now, the Summit ladies are waiting on me. I did try to update it earlier, but the internet went wacko on me. The team leaves tomorrow (expect a sadder side of Bonnie 24 hours from now!). I'll take time to write a good update during my greiving proccess. ;) Love you!
Cheers,

Bonnie


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

Hey! Not much time to update right now, but the team from The Summit all got in safely yesterday morning. It was more than wonderful to see their faces and hug them! They brough many MANY goodies for me from my Sunday School class back at The Summit, and wow... I have been so spoiled by them! I also got lots of cool birthday presents from family, so that was fun as well. Today we prayer walked an area that has a new Mormon chapel there and then another area called Mofolo South. Both areas are in Soweto. Tomorrow (Thursday) we're going to a place I've never been to... I can't remember the name, and then back to Mofolo South to lead a Bible Study. Pray that all goes well. I'm having a great time with ALL my friends (old AND new!). Cheers!

BonnieB.

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

Hey out there! I know it’s been a while… sorry!! But here are some highlights of things that have happened since I last wrote.

*My birthday!! My actual birthday was on the 1st, which was a Thursday. That night I went to worship practice, where I was introduce to a South African tradition… kissing the birthday girl! It was definitely a shock to me at first, but I got used to it. At least they were guys from church, and not some strangers! haha
The next night, Friday, I had a small braai with some of my new friends. Most of my friends from church do not have cars, and when the one guy with a car couldn’t come, none of them could come, which was sad, but I had a good time with my other friends! It rained like crazy, which is not normal for a South African winter… maybe God just wanted me to feel at home, since it IS normal for it to rain in NC in July! Thankfully the rain slowed enough for Sean to get the charcoal lit, and we were able to have a successful braai. My friends gave me some cool gifts, and Melissa made an awesome cake for me! It was really fun hanging out with them in the comfort of my own home.
That following Sunday, some of my friends came home with Melissa and I from church to help us finish the birthday cake. So, really I got to hang out with all the friends I wanted to, just at different times! I’ve got pictures of both events in my webshots photo albums.

*Swaziland! Monday, the 5th of July, Melissa and I headed up to Swaziland, a country north of South Africa. There are some missionaries up there, and they had a July 4th get together, and invited the journeymen in the area to come. It was so much fun, and Swaziland is so beautiful!! We also went to some fun shops and I got some Christmas shopping for my family done. I’m sending it all home with The Summit team, which will be here in about 14 hours!!!!

*The Worship Team – The team I am on, the “Junior” team, is in a rebuilding process. We lost a few people, one of the being the only other girl on the team. She sang melody, so it’s been important for us to find and train some new folks who can sing her part. We had a training/practice with one of the girls on Saturday, and she’s good! I’m so excited to be working with her. There’s another girl too, who hasn’t been able to meet with us, but I should get to meet with her tomorrow night.

This has been a fun, but long weekend. I’ve been so excited about the team coming, that I can’t think about much else. I’ve been trying to stay busy. Saturday, after practice, I hung out with my friends in Eldorado Park, then went to the young adults meeting that night. Yesterday (Sunday) I sang at church during both services, and helped Melissa cook a Mexican dinner for some of her youth that came home with us after church. Oh, and I’ve also been baking a little lately…mostly to kill time. Today I took Ruth Anne (one of the missionary kids) to see Spider Man 2. Mostly, I just wanted to see it, and I wanted to do something fun today to take my mind off of counting down the hours until the team gets here.

The team is scheduled to arrive at 10:15am, South African time. I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight or not! I just want them to get here now! Please keep the whole team in your prayers for the next couple of weeks. Also, please pray that I will have time to enjoy their presence, and not be so hurried that I don’t get to spend any quality time with them. Thanks!!

I’ll be in touch!

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

Rain rain go away!!!

I don't know what's come over the weather here in Jo'burg as of late. Jo'burg is notorious for VERY dry winters (hence the no snow winters). But lately we've had rain! Today we had one heck of a thunderstorm and dust-storm simultaneously. Talk about nasty weather. Ooooh... if it rains out my braai on Friday I'm gonna be a very unhappy young lady! And of course, when we do have wetness in winter, is it cold enough to snow? No way! I couldn't be so lucky. I keep hoping that by some flook of nature, it'll get really cold tonight and it'll snow JUST a little. Now THAT would be a cool birthday present from God. :) Hope you're all having a wonderful Wednesday!


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

Hey guys... I haven't updated this in the past few days because really, not much has happened! I am taking this whole "break" concept very seriously. ;) I got to spend some time with the Holidays today, which was quite fun, and very much needed. I'm getting to know them better. Even though we're from the same church, we really don't know each other very well, so we're working on that. Besides that, I've been relaxing and trying to go to the gym as much as possible. Friday's still a go for the braai, and I've got confirmation that my friends are coming, so I'm really looking forward to it! Other than that, I don't have much to tell you. Thanks for checking in on me though!!

CHEERS!

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

Good evening! Well, actually it's morning here now... just barely after midnight, so it's technically Saturday morning. I just got back from celebrating Heather's 22nd birthday. It was a lot of fun. I just enjoyed being able to hang out with them. And every time I hang out with them, I become more and more comfortable and more myself. Most all of them have said they can come to the Braai next Friday, so it looks pretty positive for a great birthday for Bonnie. Hooray!

I also got a wonderful package from my family today. The best thing in it was a video that they had made for me at a lot of different family functions. I miss my family so much, but being able to "see" their faces really helped!!

Alright, that's all your getting from me tonight. Blessings!!!

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

PRAYER REQUEST!!

PLEASE pray for Melissa. She's pretty sick... fluish stuff. Pray for speedy healing! THANKS!

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

Hmm… what to say, what to say… Honestly, I can’t remember what I said in my last update, so I’ll try to cover what I think haven’t yet. Well, it’s Wednesday night. Tonight Melissa said she'd make my birthday cake! I wasn't even talking about cake and she said she'd do it! Hooray for Melissa coming through for me. Now I just have to pray that my friends come. I'm inviting anyone I can think of... even if I hardly know them because this is the perfect excuse to invite them over! Melissa and I agree that if Sean thinks I have to have a bring and braai, then SEAN needs to do the braaing! Neither of us feels confident to do it, and when I went to the braai at his apartment complex, he said that the men do the braaing anyway. He seemed to enjoy himself that time, so hopefully he won't mind. That can be his birthday present to me. haha

My friend, Heather, sent me an sms about Friday. We're meeting at the mall at 6:30 ("half past 6" as they would say here) for coffee and then the movie is at 8:00 I believe. We're going to see Shrek 2 - it opens on Friday! I know I like these people - they're coffee people just like me! It's taken me 5 months, but I think I might finally be making friends that I can really call my friends... and not just people who I know from church... but NON-Nancefield people! Don’t get me wrong, I love Nancefield people!! But it’s nice to branch out some too. Hopefully after hanging out with them on Friday, I'll be confident enough to invite them to my place the following Friday for “Bonnie’s Birthday Bring-n-Braai.” (Wow, that’s a lot of B’s!)

Hmm... what else haven't I told you? Melissa and I didn't go to school today because one of the guys who works at the school said that the kids haven't been coming since it's the last week of school (yeah, this is Africa, remember?). So, I'm not planning on going tomorrow (Thursday) either. It's a 45 minute drive both ways, and I hate going when things are not normal (which at that school, is just about always). Did you read in my journal about why we didn't go last week? There was taxi-violence, and they closed the major street that we take to get there. So, I haven't seen my kids at Diepsloot in a while, but in all honesty, I'm not all that sad about it. All my attention is on Lilydale right now. Oh, Chantal DID come with me on Monday and Tuesday. I picked her up Monday before club. Club went very well. We had snack (as always) then played a get to know you game. Then I talked for a while about how easily it is for us girls to let what guys think about us determine what we think about us. I sang the song "Plain"... the one I originally was going to do for the musical. I hadn't planned to, but the CD was in the car, so I did it. Then I read an excerpt from a book I have. It's a love story, written about falling in love with this wonderful man named Jesus. It's really cool because it never says His name or blatantly says who it's about. So the girls were all into it because it's wonderfully written. Then I asked them, "who would like to fall in love with a man like that?" And most of them raised their hands. They were somewhat surprised when I said who the story was about. It was a great way to talk about really growing closer to God in a personal way.

After club, Chantal and I quickly came home, I changed clothes, and then we were off to the East side of Joburg for Mexican Night at BIMS!! Did I ever mention that to you? I can't remember. Close to BIMS there is a "Mexican" restaurant, and many of the missionaries go there. The owners are really cool, and often take suggestions that we offer. So... the BIMS people planned a night for the missionaries to all cook some Mexican food (the way we eat it in America!) and 5 of the Banditos people came to taste our recipes! It was awesome... and SOOOO delicious! Earlier on Monday, Melissa and I went to the Holidays' house to help cook. I made a soup that was quite delicious. At the dinner, we had a discussion time, and someone asked the owners if they tasted anything that they thought they might incorporate into their menus, and they said my soup!! YAY! Go me. That was also Chantal's first taste of Mexican food. Boy did she get a treat! After we ate, we stayed at BIMS to talk to a friend of mine. Remember the LSU team? Well, 3 of them stayed in Pretoria, SA for 3 extra weeks. They were all at BIMS Monday night because their plane was leaving on Tuesday. So after we ate, Chantal and I went to Brandi's room and we all talked until about 10:30pm. It was so nice! After that, we came back to the house and crashed! Tuesday Chantal and I went to school at Lilydale. They took an exam I had made for them and Chantal and I attempted to grade them... wow, that's going to take me forever!! Then we had club again, and it went about the same as on Monday - very well. After that I took Chantal home. Then I came home and crashed on the couch for a while. I finally convinced myself that I really needed to work out, but I was too tired to take the energy to go to the gym. So I did some Tae Bo in the living room. I've not done too much today. Slept in, and then watched a movie while I lounged in my pjs. Then I did go to the gym today for a total work out (weights and cardio). Then Melissa and I FINALLY went to the grocery store, so we have food now. Then we got dinner at KFC and brought it home to eat while we watched some TV. I'm getting used to this whole idea of break!!

And now, here I am… enjoying some time on the internet. I promise that I DO work, but hey, when you get a break, you enjoy it, right?? :) Right. Goodnight everyone!





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

Monday Morning… LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!! Yeah, I’m just a little excited about that. hehe I’ve finished writing the exam for my Lilydale kids. All I have left to do for this week is prepare the story for Lawley on Wednesday and write an exam for my kids at Diepsloot. After Thursday I am on break and schools don’t start back until July 19th. The volunteer team from the Summit (my church) gets here July 13th and I can’t wait!! In the time between the end of this school term and the 13th, I plan to rest, and recoup! I’ll get some planning done for next term as well, but mostly I just want to rest and work on building some of the friendships with people I’ve met lately. God has been so good in helping me to meet some people who might actually become my friends! That’s been a real challenge for me since I don’t really do much with people my own age. Thank God for my friend Sean at church. Since he goes to the Baptist college, he has friends our age, and he’s been a blessing me helping me to meet people! And just in time for me to be able to have a lekke birthday next month – hooray! Well, today I’m going to girls’ club at Lilydale. Then I am going to the East side of Jo’burg (to BIMS) to enjoy some “Mexican” food! There’s a Mexican restaurant close to BIMS, and every time IMB workers go there, they give them pointers on how to really make Mexican food… since we live closer to Mexico than South Africans do!! So… they’re closed on Mondays, and missionaries are getting together and cooking Mexican dishes to show the restaurant employees what Mexican really is! I’m really looking forward to that. But now I must go make myself look decent for the day before I go. I hope you have a wonderful week!

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

Happy Father's Day! I got to talk to my Dad this evening (along with other family memebers too). Yay for talking to family on the phone. :)

The youth weekend went SO well this past weekend at Nancefield. God really rocked the house last night at the concert, and the youth pulled off a nice musical tonight. I think the highlights of this weekend were a bit different for me than for the rest of the church though. Both Friday and Saturday I got to go out afterwards with some new friends. Saturday night I went out to this cool coffee place with some people from Sean's band (also people from the Baptist college). My friend, Heather, was also there and we got to catch up. I already have plans with her and some friends to see Shrek 2 (it's just opening here now) since it will be her birthday. Then the next weekend, they are helping me have a "South African" birthday party! Wow... I have plans for Fridays already! Now, this is what I've been wanting. God is so good!

Tomorrow I have girl's club again. Please pray that all goes well. I'm not sure yet if Chantal is coming again, but I hope she is!

That's it for now. Check back later for more! :) Cheers!!

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

I must be quick. But tonight was a fabulous night! The youth service rocked. Worship was intense and quite lekke (really cool). Sean brought the Word like nobody's business... spoke on our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit... good stuff. Sean also brought a friend of his with him, Ralph. We hit it off right away and I knew we'd be friends because we were teasing each other within 5 minutes of an introduction. Then after the service, some young adults (some from Nancefield and some from visiting churches) went to hang out at McDonald's. Oh, the sweet fellowship around McDonalds' tables! hehe Good times... good times... I met lots of new people! But now it is late, and I'm freezing my fingers off typing this. So it's bed time for Bonnie! Goodnight!!

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

Howzit?! I am in a really good mood right now. Any guesses as to why? Here's a hint... it's Thursday night... I just got back from sangin' practice at Nancefield Baptist. This weekend is "youth weekend" so the young team is singing Friday and Sunday (and maybe Saturday too, I'm not sure). We had a grand time tonight getting ready for this weekend, and I'm so excited to have things to do every night this weekend! Hooray! We realized tonight that the next time we practice, two weeks from tonight, it'll be a special day! Anybody know why? Well, you should... it's my birthday!! Where better to celebrate than in God's house singing' His praises with some cool friends? :)

Well, today I didn't go to school/work. You'll never guess why... taxi-violence! Two taxi companies were fighting (like with burning vehicles and shootings... serious stuff) and they closed down a major highway, which meant I couldn't get to school! So... I got another holiday today. Only one more week of teaching and then I am really on holiday! I truly canNOT wait. I'm looking forward to the break and to my friends coming to visit! I have so much to look forward to.

Ok, time to be going. I'll write when I can!

Love you all!!

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