What the bleep?! South Africa?! Where'd that come from?!

I've been slow in getting onto a post about it all, but here it is!! 10:05am this Sunday I'll be flying off to South Africa for the next 2.5mths as a volunteer with TEAR/YFC

It's been my desire to go overseas and experience, imbibe and be a part of (however small) God's work in the developing world, and I've been lucky enough to have an opportunity to do so in South Africa

Most of the time I'll be at L'Abri, just helping out wherever (leading weekly bible studies, site maintenance, basic computer tutoring and assisting with the camps); the times where the camp is not active, I'll be spending with the Khayalethu street team :)

Since confirmation (in the last two weeks) it's been a non-stop organisational thing, arranging flights, vaccinations, travel insurance and all the like, and there's still so much to do!!

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The concept behind L'Abri was birthed out of the disunity of apartheid South Africa. A youth worker back in 1984 had a vision to bring young people back to the simplicity of a natural, balanced environment and guide them in a reconciliation process, bridging cultural and social boundaries.


L'Abri is situated in the Karkloof Mountain range, 50 Km North of Pietermaritzburg where the indigenous forest, scenic trails and waterfalls form the backdrop for people to discover themselves, and the potential of group productivity and companionship. 80% of the property is covered with indigenous mist belt forest, and has 5 waterfalls cascading down the Mshwathi River Valley.


AND the


Khayalethu Project serves homeless children in and around the city of Pietermaritzburg by:

• Providing street based outreach through Street Work teams with the intention of building trust with children and young people, encouraging them to return home or to move into temporary residential care



• Running a holistic, short term residential-based programme that provides for the basic needs of a child, giving opportunity for personal development and intervention with the family that serves towards reunification



• Providing aftercare services on agreed upon expectations with families who have been reunited with their child to provide support and monitor their stability after reunification



• Developing community based prevention programmes in communities where children are at high risk of moving onto the streets on a temporary or permanent basis, via drop-in centre programmes and direct family intervention with families in need of support and care