(This Blog posted on behalf of Rachel by her parents from an email recently received from her)

Well, we all got into Jo-burg just fine. Everyone had their luggage just fine.  We had a super long layover in Frankfurt, and it was really long. But, there were showers there so we all took showers because they were the only warm showers we had been in contact with (our showers at camp were just a hose.... COLD!). 

Then we took off to Jo-burg. and it was long but I took some Nyquil and slept for a lot of the flight. And we got in and it is really warm here in S.A. Everyone drives on the left side of the road and it's awesome. So we rode for about an hour to our camp called Alabanza. It's pretty nice. There
is a barn where everyone eats and hangs out, and a pool (kinda dirty, and freezing, we only stick our feet in it.). There is a coffee shop where all the money raised from it goes to this one lady's ministry, and there are a few people's houses on the property, they are the leaders homes for the FYM's that stay here in South Africa. And there are a few cabin type things, which is where the j.bay (Jeffrey's Bay) girls are staying and our J.bay leaders are in a cabin. There is a big house also, that is where the J-Berg Africa team lives and is where the j.bay guys are staying.
 

Where do I begin to tell you how awesome this is. Well, we got in and we got settled. We have been learning a lot about the power of prayer and the power of God. In America, Satan is very subtle, but here he is quite overt, so I know that I can sense the spiritual warfare constantly going on. But, we have been learning about the power of the Lord and that we have power over our enemy. God has done miraculous things even just in a week. One of our girls, Raelynn, was really sick and had to go to the hospital. She had a stomach virus and a rash on her chest and arm, but the next day, after she had payed for meds, everyone prayed for her and she wasn't sick, and the rash was completely healed. It's amazing. Then we prayed for one of the girl's brother to come to know Christ, and that night he accepted Christ over the phone when he was talking on the phone with her! There are so many more miracles and I am so amazed.

We have been doing ministry at this community center called Refilwe. There are four groups and each group goes to different ministries. My group goes to Refilwe. We have mostly been doing manual labor and my back hurts like crazy. But, it has been very humbling and amazing. Tonight we are having a youth group event at Alabanza. Everyone on the South African team planned it and I'm praying that it will be awesome.

      Next week we are going to Swaziland!! It's going to be super intense. They were briefing us on the culture last night and it's going to be crazy. We will be working at feeding points in the townships, and at the clinic, and I think that's about it. Swazi is hugely affected by aids. There is one hospital in the whole country and it only has 12 beds! We will be in Swazi for at least 7 days. Then we will come back and be at Alabanza for another week and then head for j.bay on October 13th.

      I am so excited for this year!!! Sometimes I sit back and think, "I can't believe I'm here!" My leaders are so awesome. They have been with us the whole time, but they left this morning to prepare the house and stuff for us in j.bay. We miss them already.
      

God is doing a mighty work in me and I am so thankful. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I am sure I'm in yours. I'm trying to think if I'm forgetting anything. The food is fine, we eat quite well.

I love you! And I miss you! I will try to email again soon, but if I don't I probably will not call you till I get to j.bay. It's really hard to email or phone right now where we are at. We will be in Swazi next week so I probably won't e-mail.  But I will send a detailed email and call as soon as I get the chance.

Everyone here is wonderful, I love my team and my leaders, and the South Africans. I'm getting a pretty sweet tan too! OK, I have to go now. Internet isn't very cheap here.  Have a great week. 

Love,
Rachel

p.s. Please ignore all spelling and grammar errors, I'm in a hurry.

psalm 3.

:)