slowly and most surely

We’ll get there with this store. It just takes time. It takes time to find artists, to build those relationships, and the building itself isn’t even finished—so I don’t know why I’m acting like we’re behind on anything. I think I’m just excited and anxious to see this vision, held by so many, become a reality.

We’ve been here two weeks now, and things seem to be happening for the store, finally. On Saturday, Dawn and I went to Refilwe’s (“Reh-feel-way”) Open House event and made a contact to order local honey and peanut butter. They also had Christmas cards with pictured of the kids there on them (adorable!), and we got on of each of three to see if they will sell. The group coming for The Awakening will leave right before Christmas (just a few days before we do) and the timing works out well for those. Refilwe’s goal is to break the cycle of poverty here, and they do this through several ministries and projects, one of which is taking in some amazing kids. Yonela is one of the funniest girls you will ever meet and she was being discipled by Becky, one of Dawn’s friends who was here earlier this year. She and her friends who live at Refilwe want us to buy them beads so that they can make necklaces for the store.

We’ve got those tablecloths I mentioned before, the purses are set to arrive Friday (the day the building is scheduled to be completed), and Monday we took Dora and Mama Lizzie to the fabric store for supplies for them to get started. We have leads on crafts and artists and I just pray that we follow His lead in this and don’t let Saturday’s opening dictate any decisions this week. This store exists to change lives and does not simply exist to exist.

The money has run out at Alabanza and there is still no espresso machine or solid plan for the coffee shop. We prayed one in yesterday and today received a text that one is being donated. I don’t have specifics yet, but I hope it is just as it said. I was about to have Mom send my meager espresso machine from home—the one that takes 10 to 15 minutes to make one drink! And since I’m a Starbucks barista in my other life, I’m becoming the “go-to” girl for coffee-shop questions. I’m finding that God is redeeming all of those lost hours I spent in coffee shops all over Austin as well, and I’m able to explain several different methods for running a coffee shop. All that sitting and staring and espresso is good for something! Yay!

Dawn and I are also struggling money-wise for the gift shop. We were anticipating a certain sum of money to start the store, but it seems that money was spent in the building of the new structure, and we are using our own limited budgets to get this thing off the ground. We also did not realize how much petrol (gas) we would go through in the driving to artists, research trips, supply trips, etc. We know He will provide and that this store is completely in His hands, and we continue to pray (and ask you to join us) in trusting that He will and is providing.

We have a lead from a guy that works at our gym who says that his brother-in-law does amazing wood work (for Mom—our room and board was 200 Rand cheaper per month than anticipated, so we joined the gym for that same amount per month because of all those freakish carbs we were being fed—the 6:30am workouts are going well!). His name is Justice, and he said he would bring us pictures tomorrow and show us, then if we’re interested he can take us there this weekend.

That’s pretty much the update on the store. Mom said she wished she could come for the opening—and I wish you all could come, but in your absence, I will take plenty of pictures! But in case you were wondering—there are free beds here in my house and I know the way to the airport, so let me know when your flight gets in ;-)