kristiapplesauce

HELP! Yes, you.

I know that there are quite a bit of you out there that are musically inclined. Me, not so much. In fact, I have zero talent when it comes to anything that has to do with rockin out, except just that, I can rock out...but not really...I can't really er, rock out. Never-mind. What I am getting at people is this: We need a theme song here at Oceans of Mercy. Something fun and simple that I will be able to teach the kids in a fairly timely manor, with a catchy tune, and lyrics that are easy and that of course rhyme. Okay ready? Send them in, or post them here. Please...okay go!

Um, okay, one more thing. My idea was that it would go to a song that I already knew so it wouldn't be that hard for me to teach to them since I really, really don't know music that well at all. I am not kidding on this one...but the kids really do love to sing. Okay? Okay. That is all for now.

No, me!!!

I love my Mom!!!

NAKED!!!!

I have said it once and I will say it again...there is something wonderful about naked babies!!! There is something magical about naked babies in a bathtub. Mama likes to bathe them all at the same time- okay...3 at a time. 3, then 3 more. I got to help yesterday with camera in hand and yup, it was a good day indeed.

I

am

soooooo

going

to

get

fired.

Today, this means more

Here, have a dollar, in fact no brotherman here, have two Two dollars means a snack for me, but it means a big deal to you Be strong, serve God only, know that if you do, beautiful heaven awaits That's the poem I wrote for the first time I saw a man with no clothes, no money, no plate Mr.Wendal, that's his name, no one ever knew his name cause he's a no-one Never thought twice about spending on a ol' bum, until I had the chance to really get to know one Now that I know him, to give him money isn't charity He gives me some knowledge, I buy him some shoes And to think blacks spend all that money on big colleges, still most of y'all come out confused. Go ahead, Mr.Wendal. Mr.Wendal has freedom, a free that you and I think is dumb Free to be without the worries of a quick to diss society for Mr.Wendal's a bum His only worries are sickness and an occasional harassment by the police and their chase Uncivilized we call him, but I just saw him eat off the food we waste Civilization, are we really civilized, yes or no ? Who are we to judge ? When thousands of innocent men could be brutally enslaved and killed over a racist grudge Mr.Wendal has tried to warn us about our ways but we don't hear him talk Is it his fault when we've gone too far, and we got too far, cause on him we walk Mr.Wendal, a man, a human in flesh, but not by law I feed you dignity to stand with pride, realize that all in all you stand tall Mr.Wendal, yeah yeah yeah, Lord, Mr.Wendal.

The best part of any day.

Isipho (E-See-Poe)...the newest edition to our Oceans of Mercy family. He came to us at 3:30 pm today. Thank you Father for another baby for us to love. Yup, this one rocks my world. He came without any extra clothes or diapers...but it didn't matter. I also had to carry this 3 week old all the way home...and that didn't matter either (see privious posts). We are so blessed and I am honored and humbled that God called us here to love and care for those whom people have tossed aside. Yay for kids. And yay for loving what we do. I can't imagine doing anything other then this.

Our support letter

                                                                                                 

August 10, 2007

Four months, but a life time. It seems like forever ago that computers and coffee filled our lives and now our days are flooded with orphaned babies, hungry kids at the soup kitchen and community projects.

Since we began establishing our home in South Africa, we have been able to place 4 more kids at Oceans of Mercy; Luthando – 2 years, Nomaxabiso – 9, Nwabisa – 4, and Thozama-2.  That brings the total number of orphans up to 16. Who would have thought that we would be “parents” to 16 kids, wild huh?

We are also responsible for all of the transportation, grocery shopping, maintenance around the property, schooling, medical care and whatever else a parent is responsible for- for 17 kids. People ask us all of the time if we are ever going to have children of our own, I always respond with “We already do! They are: Phumlani, Xolelwa, Athobela, Sinoxolo, Unakho, Bongeka, Lilitha, Aphelele, Lisakhanya, Phaphama, Philasande, Siphokazie, Luthando, and the three sisters." (previously named)

In 105 days we have been able to see the Child Sponsorship Program – CSP (the program that allows people from America to “adopt” a kid for $30 a month to feed and clothe an African child for school) increase from about 55 to over 200. We support the program on this side and make sure the kids are being taken care of.  Yay for feeding starving kids!

Along with the kids at Oceans – we have been able to partner with some other ministries here that have allowed us to see more and more of the beauty and wonder of Africa. We have been to the Transkei -  where we met an amazing village of people trying to make it on their own; East London – where we partnered with 2 other orphanages that house 54 and 62 children respectively; Cape town – where we took one of our kids to the hospital and saw the baboons, penguins, and whales along the coast; and then for our 3 days off we got to travel to Alexandria to see a game park where the elephants, zebras, giraffes, spiders and lions tried to eat us.

Each day brings new challenges and responsibilities, but we are feeling more and more comfortable and confident with what God has sent us here to do. The challenges we face are: sometimes a breakdown in communication with the Xhosa people, the constant nagging in our hearts when we see or meet the hungry, fear about not being “enough” out here, culture clashes due to traditions and what the local residents think of Americans, and of course our battle with time… it is always against us here. The days are too fast and there is always more to be done.

We rely on and appreciate the communication from “home”. Mail, e-mail and phone calls have kept us encouraged and not feeling isolated. We are so thankful for those of you who have partnered with us to feed the people in this hungry place with physical and spiritual food. So many times we have sat in some American church and prayed for the missionary presenting their story and now we realize how incredible that gift truly is. We value the prayers and support from our friends and family more than could ever be measured.

We look forward to coming home in December for our one month furlough – we already have close to 2,000 photos and multiple tales in tow and can’t wait to share. If you know of any churches, small groups, or individuals who would like to hear our story and the burden God has placed in our hearts for the people of South Africa, please let us know. We would love to visit and share. We will gladly go where there is any open door to communicate the need.

With love and friendship,

Daniel and Kristi Fair

 

Personal correspondence: Daniel and Kristi Fair C/O Oceans of Mercy P.O. Box 29027 Sunridge Park 6008 Republic
of South Africa

E-mail: Fair_dan@hotmial.com; Kristiapplesauce@gmail.com

Blog: Kristiapplesauce.typepad.com

To contribute: Oceans of Mercy

P.O. Box 860143
Shawnee,KS
66286

MO24 in the memo line

We sent this out to those who are on our mailing list. But I am so scatter-brained. I think that I missed 1/3 of who I was supossed to mail it out to. So if you didn't get one, but was supossed to or want to or was thinking about wanting to... please e-mail me and I will get you on that list. No, silly, we do not put you on one of THOSE mailing lists. :)

 

 

Yeah...like I said, friends rock!!!

Looky what came in the mail from people we never met before....yeah, bloggers, friends, random people that drop into our lives ROCK!

Thank you so much. You made our day!

And then this dropped by. It didn't rock.

A reminder

Today we went again to Motherwell - to take pictures and sign more kids up for the Child Sponsorship Program. When we write the kids names down, we have this small white board that we have to easily wipe and write the next persons name that we use to match with the person’s picture. We also take pictures of the child’s care giver so to document whoever is going to be picking up the food parcels (so there isn’t ever a discrepancy or chance of mix-up). So we were at a little girls house whose parents had both died of AIDS and were there to take her and the designated aunt’s (who was the care giver) picture and we got the paperwork and got ready to take the photos all in about 3 minutes because by now Daniel and I work pretty quickly as a team (I am kind of happy about that fact). So the little girl was all smiles. She was a little shy, but sweet and dirty…like most of the kids we see. And then the aunt. When we went to take her picture she was kind of tired, her hair was out of sorts and she was a little dirty too. Then I started thinking of her life before this baby became her responsibility and how she was being roused from her couch to get her picture taken and for what? For us to hurry up and erase her name so that we could write the next person’s name down. As soon as I wiped her name I forgot it and it was like a bullet ran through my system.

I kind of felt like I erased her.

Seriously, I will try my best to remember all the care givers I meet from now on. I promise you that. I promise them that.

Prison

Sunday mornings are a horrible situation for a lot of people. So many of us fight with our loved ones-scream at the kids-speed and drive like maniacs to make it on time...okay ready? Act normal! Walk through the door, put on your happy face and "fine, you?" with your fake smile and wrinkle free suit. So stupid!

For Daniel and I, we were so "lucky" to be free of that "fake" the last year we were in Kansas. We had found a real church family that really sought us out and looked past our Sunday morning fights and awkward behavior. Our small group circle actually hung out -out side of our designated Monday night time slot and pushed through the hard questions and "uncomfortable". They were stable and real. The church inside the building and out was solid in Biblical truth and doctrine. I can not tell you how incredible and important both of those things really are.

We have now been in Africa for about 4 months and have been in Sunday church most of those...we have yet to hear a Godly message. Harsh but true. Yeah, there are pieces here and there. We get a glimpse of truth, get hopeful but then like an explosion-a bomb will go off with something somebody says. Today at the church we visited the guy speaking said (and I quote) "It is not about scripture, it is about how we feel, what is in our heart's...."WHAT????? Seriously! If it isn't about scripture, the infallible word of God, then I must have been mistaken these past 16 years. Dang, my bad. I wanted to scream. I needed a shot in the head. Last week the same guy said that the church in Jerusalem (back in Bible days) needed to be allowed to die because if it didn't then - by now it would have been corrupted...that is why churches have a life cycle. I didn't follow that logic at all. I thought he needed a shot in the head.

Bla bla bla. So I guess in telling you all of that, I feel that in all the times that I just struggled to get in the door back in the States, I never really struggled with doctrine or truth. I mean there were somethings that I questioned or maybe things that I didn't agree with that people said in the pulpit...(that I brought up in conversations later) but that is iron sharpening iron right? Non-essentials. Here, we can't even find a safe, sound, doctrinally true church. One that will preach (or teach) the gospel without diluting it. Where is it? Because it isn't here in these plastic chairs with people whooping and hollering, waving their flags and telling me it is about their feelings and not about scripture...this is the um-teeth church we have visited.

I am a pretty out of the box thinker and worshiper. I don't have to sing the same boring songs and sit in the same boring seat every Sunday...but I do expect those who are called to be preachers and teachers to preach and teach. Seriously. What are they doing up there if not that? Then to rightly divide the Word? Don't get me wrong...I am not saying they have to do it the way I want them to do it...but I do expect it in a way that doesn't contradict the Bible. Seriously. I am not all about compromise and these people seem to think that wherever "the spirit" (which spirit, I don't know) leads is what everybody needs to be doing. There is no rhyme or reason to any of it. it is a free for all.

I am so lonely for solid communion with the body of believers. Where is the church in South Africa? please God, please God send, lead, guide. We need to corporately worship.

We can't even contribute or serve here. We are hungry to minister to the body and our hearts and hands are tied there as well.

Please...something.