Hello Friends!  I just wanted to let you know that I just got off the phone with Donovan, and he wanted me to tell you know that the team is doing very well and working very hard.  In fact, they have been working so hard that it has been difficult to find the time to post an update on their own (the computer room is not always open when they return from their days of building and the internet is VERY slow).  However, the team will be doing some traveling this weekend and hopes to have more reliable internet access then, which means that we may be hearing from them again on site in a couple of days.  In addition, they were able to buy some calling cards today, which will make it easier for team members to call home from now on.

From what I understand, most of the time so far has been taken up with fairly long, hard days of physical labor building a preschool.  Donovan reports the team is working and bonding well together and having a good time getting to know each other.  In addition, last night the team spent time getting to know the kids at the orphanage and tonight they will be putting on a Teen Program for the oldest 20 kids, ages 15-19.  Tomorrow they are headed to a southern town called Port Shepstone (right on the Indian Ocean) to visit with a missionary family and attend an African church.

Please continue to keep the team in your prayers, for energy with a busy schedule and hard work days, for effective ministry with the kids at the orphanage and a good response to the stories, testimonies, and gospel message shared at the Teen Night tonight, and for continued team unity and safety (some people have asked about the recent violence in Johannesburg, but the team is completely removed from that and there is absolutely no concern that will affect the areas they are staying in, which are about 350 miles away from the trouble spots).  Thanks much for your continued prayers!

Rebecca for the Team