I have an accent...

I'm spending the day at a school, helping sort donations and getting to know kids who come to spend time in the classroom. At the moment I have 12 7th grade girls in the room with me making scrap books. The children quickly recognize that I don't talk right, and ask me where I'm from. I've never been called "maam" so much in my life. I love being within the people here...not just an observer, not just a tourist as I have been in the past on my travels. I love knowing that the entirety of my time here will be spent with the people.
While I quickly adjusted my body time, experiencing no jet lag, it's hard to accept the falling temperatures here in South Africa. Driving to the school this morning I stared at the thermometer that read -5 degrees celcius. Winter is only just beginning and I regret that I didn't pack more layers.
It's my fourth day in Africa and it feels like I just got here. There have been changes to my schedule from what I originally thought and next week I will be living in a township, working with the J-Lifers there. Each week thereafter will see me in a different part of ministry, from working in an orphanage to helping lead a short-term mission trip with a team from Texas at the end of July. Throughout my time here I will be working closely with Adam, a man I began dating last year, and who has been living in South Africa since the beginning of this year. It's definitely a blessing to have a familiar face to help me adjust and bridge the gap between myself and J-Life and I begin building relationships with them.
Thank you for the continued prayers and support. I can already see God working in and around me.
It's official...I love being in Africa. :-)