jbay!

Let me tell you a little about Jeffrey’s Bay,

it’s a place so beautiful my soul couldn’t help but fall in love.

As I walk through town i see people I’ve come to know and love. First I go to the convince store to buy some snacks and a cold water. Heart is the clerk, he’s from Bangladesh. He is kind and funny, working to support his family back home.

Once we talk to Heart for a while we’ll walk past some parking guards to say hi and ask how they’re doing.

If it’s a weekend you’ll most likely find me at Salted surf shop. This is the next stop, William. William is a kind man that always makes us laugh and has made surfing a HUGE part of Africa. He is funny, enthusiastic, and will make anyone’s day better.

Then I’ll walk a block down to the water! Sit down on the hot sand and touch my toes to the water. The chances of seeing a sea creature are always high. We’ve seen a shark, sea lions, dolphins, fish, and jellyfish bigger than my torso. Once I put on sunscreen I run into the water to catch some waves and meet some friends I’ve been meeting in the water. Mickey and Angelo work at a different surf shop up the road and always make surfing a better day. Another surf instructor that I see every week is at the Olympic qualifiers right now! One time we caught a party wave and it is a core memory. Meeting people in the water might be one of my favorite things on earth.

After a while we’ll get hungry and take a trip to the cupcake lady. She is compassionate and full of love, always telling us the latest news of the town.

We’ll make our way around shops, and eat yummy food as we see familiar faces.

If it’s a weekday, I’ll get on the school bus at 7:20. Words cannot describe how much I love these kids. We spend our days eating home cooked meals and learning how to color. We aren’t allowed to share any pictures of them, but believe me they are adorable. There is a kid from Lesothu who doesn’t speak Afrikaans and has really been struggling, but this week he laughed for the first time and even played with the other kids!

At 11:45 the kids eat one last meal before they go home. The government gives all the schools money to help feed the kids when the parents can’t. This is a moment I get to go see Faith, Gloria, and Josephine in the kitchen. These women cook for these kids every day and are so full of love! They only speak Xhosa but somehow I understand their words and love to spend any spare moments with them!

At 12 the kids leave and we sweep and mop the classrooms before we leave. I love this school and the people! The Lord is there always and I never want to leave.

I love Jeffrey’s bay, and I think you would too. Every spare moment I have I come up with a new idea of how I could come back. Everyone else seems ready for Guatemala but I am devastated to leave these people.

South Africa is beautiful and its people are kind.

Jeffrey’s Bay I love you always ❤️