Hey Everyone! Happy December and Merry Christmas.

Hey Everyone! Happy December and Merry Christmas.

There is not enough Christmas music that I can play that can convince me that Christmas is 14 days away. A hot Christmas season is the weirdest thing. Since most people who live in Johannesburg are from somewhere else, in December this place turns into a ghost town while everyone returns to their home towns for the holidays. I am looking forward to open roads and empty stores, which is very opposite to what it would look like in California.

  I have some pretty exciting news to share.

In the last three weeks we have had two adoptions! On the 22nd of November my precious Big Girl went home with her forever mommy, forever daddy and Cousin. I think this will be one of the hardest adoption I will experience. I am so happy for her and her family and believe that this is where she

was suppose to be but it doesn’t make the whole is my heart any smaller. She was such a big part of my life at “work” at the baby house and on my days off. Three weeks later and I still have moments where I see something that reminds me of N and my heart aches a little. She is such a sweet and special girl, I cannot wait to see her on the other side of eternity and hear all the amazing things God has done.

On the 25th my little Chubby Cheeks went to spend her first Thanksgiving (if they celebrated it here) with her forever Mommy. She did so well and even had some special cuddles for mom when she was handed to her.

 I”m excited about some great new news!!

 When I first got here I felt strangely at home. I wasn’t expecting such confidence this being my first

experience in a new country and being so far away from my family. I believe it has been a true gift from the Lord. In His kindness he has helped me make many tough transitions. It is awesome to know that I am exactly where God wants me.

There are many confirmations that show me that I am exactly where God wants me to be. Even after being here for only a few weeks I was considering staying on and extending my time here. It seemed to fit.

So, my last piece of exciting news is that I have decided to stay for another 14 months. 

When I first told my family that I wanted to make South Africa my home for a while - They were not surprised at all! As a matter of fact, they had already discussed that I was going be out here longer and knew it all along. Its kinda funny they knew what I was doing with my life before I did. How awesome is that? 

At this time the rough plan is for me to fly out June 17th! Ill be back in California for a couple weeks then return home to South Africa for another 8 months. I am hopeful until about March 2015. I was able to get some time off of school until April 2015. I will need to be back if I want to continue to be enrolled as a student and finish my final year.

 In as much as plans change, I would like you to consider extending your support for me both financially and in prayer. God has changed my world view completely and I want to be a part of what He is doing here!

 I have look at my finances and have found that I have used less that I had planned - I’ve been pretty frugal! I have calculated what I will need to continue on here in my current capacity as well as adding some additional work.

The Plan!

At the present time there are many of you that have helped me out with one time gifts and there are others that have committed to support me monthly.

I am very grateful for that. 

 I am asking those of you who are supporting me monthly to prayerfully consider continuing your

support. If you are able, then I will simply need an additional $5,000.00 total to continue my journey here for the next 14 months. For those of you who are math challenged like me, that is only an additional $357 a month!

Is it worth the investment? 

This support will allow me to continue to love on the babies at El Roi, volunteer at the clinic delivering food to small local communities, as well as invest in the community of Joe Slovo. This allows us to continue to our goal of fulfilling Matthew 25 in ministering to the least of these - Those that cannot help themselves. I love building relationships with the families in our own backyard!

A special project I’d like to accomplish. 

I want to tell you about Maria and her daughter Akasiah. Maria is a caregiver at the clinic and has a 3 year old daughter named Akasiah. Akasiah lives in Joe Slovo with Maria and her father and attends the preschool at Refilwe. Back in August God put on my heart to help Maria and her family. After much prayer and thought I would like to anonymously pay for Akasiahs preschool fees for the next

year. Its 3000 Rand (about $300) for the year. Akasiah is so spunky and loves singing about Jesus just like her mama. She is so clever and has so much love to give. After I had finally made up my mind to pursue this hope of mine I found out that Maria is pregnant and expecting her second child in June! I am very honored that I will be able to help this wonderful family and see what God will do in the future. Part of your support funds will also help me accomplish this! It is something that I have been praying about for sometime now.

The most important support - Prayer. 

Over the last 6 months I know that I could not have survived without my friends and family supporting me in prayer to our heavenly Father. This journey has been so very hard both physically and emotionally and spiritually. There are many light days but there are also many heavy days too. The immense pain of loving these babies and giving them my heart knowing that God is using me to prepare them for their forever families is so very hard. This has only been possible because our Abba Father has given me the strength to accomplish it. Thank you for praying for me lifting me up!

Please continue to pray for me. Right now I covet your prayers! 

That I would continue to keep my eyes on Jesus.

That God would provide for me and for His wisdom in my life.

That God would provide for the Baby House and for wisdom as we expand to 12 babies in 2014.

And to top this off that God’s Holy Spirit would give me sensitive ear to His directing.

If you would like to support me in this part of my journey

please let me know by emailing me here:

whit.eitzen@gmail.com

Please send checks to:

Whitney Eitzen

6140 Kavala Court

Pleasanton, Ca 94566

Please Make Checks Payable to:


Valley Bible Church - Leave memo line blank

All Checks are Tax deductible

Thank you, Whitney Eitzen

November Update

 I apologize for any weird spacing. It looked all pretty when i put it together, not so much when I published it.

The last couple of weeks have been incredible. There is no holiday out here between now and Christmas so the Christmas music is already in full force for me. The babies are doing so well and growing faster than I can seem to keep up with. I’m slowly becoming an African Mama and learning all the different cultural things. I can now carry a baby on my back and just last night I made my first batch of chicken and pap, which is the most South African dish anyone can make.

Baby T on my Back!

Party in the Kitchen and everyone's invited!

Our big girl is about to finish her first year of preschool. The transformation just from June is crazy, she is such a clever girl.
Rockstar has become a toddler right before my eyes. He loves to get into everything with his new walking skills.
Giggles has started to scoot. He goes backwards and spins in circles, the forward motion isn’t quite there yet.
Chubby Cheeks started cereal! She absolutely loves it.
Then, we are actively working with my sweet girl, teaching her to hold her own bottle and to strengthen her back muscles so she can sit on her own.

Add caption

She looked so beautiful

My dear precious Smiley, Baby A, has been united with her forever family. She looked so beautiful lavender dress and flower headband. This is my first adoption since I arrived 5 months ago.
I’m going to be completely honest. I am constantly having to check my heart and remember these babies are ultimately Gods children and not mine. The process is a lot easier said then done since I have such a close relationship with each of them.  I worried about not having her in my care and how the other children would handle the transition. I was concerned about her new family and if they would love her like I do and know all the little special things about her. When I saw the picture of the first moment her new mom and dad saw their new daughter, I knew she was going to be so loved and cared for. It makes the transition a little bit easier.

Adoption Day

Last full day at El Roi

I let her play with my phone the day she was leaving

I now have seen full circle what the baby house does with receiving babies and now seeing them matched with their forever families. It really is such a beautiful journey. We are waiting for a new baby to be matched in our care to love and prepare for his or her forever family. In this season they’re so many babies being abandoned. Please be praying for all the mommies out there who are deciding between life and death for their babies. We all so desperately want them to know that they can still choose life for their child even if they cannot care for them personally.

I am continuing to spend some of my time at the preschool. I really enjoy getting to be with the kids and introduce all the fun songs I learned back in America. I must be doing something right because in the last two months I have been handed a class 4 times to teach on my own while one of the teachers has been out. Three out of the four times the class has been very good.

Kids Club this last Saturday went very well. I am pretty sure we had record numbers, 82 kids! God is continuing to bless this program and provide volunteers, food and a solid number of kids were are able to feed and share Jesus with.

I just want to let everyone know that the weather and storms here are crazy! One minute its so hot then an hour later clouds have rolled in and rain will fall any second. Rain storms are not like anything we have in California. I have never witnessed so much lightening and intense rain fall in short spurts. It is my favorite type of weather so I am enjoying Gods creativity in every storm.

Sunset After a Crazy Storm!

Lightening at 11pm

Crazy random Hail

Pictures do not even capture how cool this storm was. Colors in this picture do not do justice. Rain in the Sunset

Being out here is hard. There is so many times that I forget God’s promises in my sinful nature. I feel weak and forget that the Lord has to be my strength and my reason for being here in South Africa. God is always reminding me that he is my support system out here, the one who loves me and sees my heart for this place.

A verse on my heart the last couple weeks:

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalms 76:26

Baby Profiles: Part 2

Baby A
Age: 11 months

Weight: 8.190 kg

Nickname:  Smiley

Favorite Toy: the caps off the bottles or my phone

Favorite Food: Peaches

Favorite Sleep Item: Pink Giraffe Lovey

About Smiley:  Smiley is our little princess. She is a super cute kid and she knows it well. She thinks that means she can be super sneaky and get away with it. When I have to tell her no, she gives me a look that says “I cant believe you said no to me”  and does a fake little cry in protest. She is very much a girly girl and loves earrings, necklaces, and will find any glitter or sparkly thing on you. She loves finding cell phones, I think thats her gift in life. If I put my phone anywhere she could get it, she will find it, even if I hide it. She loves details. She is the kid that finds every pieces of whatever is on the floor and has to put it in her mouth. Some days that drives me crazy. I can officially say she is walking and not just taking steps. She is so steady and can walk across the room without falling. Something that she has been doing for the last couple weeks is to stand beside me while I’m sitting on the floor and lay her head on my shoulder. I feel like sometimes its her little reminder she needs to say hey I’m here and I love you, its so precious. Her nickname comes from her awesome gummy smile that takes up her whole face! The gummy smile however is more of a toothy smile now since her first tooth is coming in.

Walking like a Pro!

She loves playing in the door way

Baby T

Age: 6 months

Weight: 8.86 Kg

Nickname: Chubby Cheeks

Favorite Toy: Crab Rattle

Favorite Food: Sucking on her hands

Favorite Sleeping Item: Paci and Noise Maker (There is no sleeping without either)

About Cheeks:  Oh Chubby Cheeks or just cheeks as we sometimes call her... She is definitely special. She has a spit fire temper and an independent personality. I think being the youngest for so long, she definitely got the short end of the stick with being picked on. Not being mobile, she was always being attacked by her eldest brother. She definitely has the mentality, you touch me or look at me the wrong way I’m going to scream. She is so funny because the way that she comforts herself is to shove her whole fist into her mouth. This can be quite difficult because of her large cheeks that pretty much take over her face. This explains her nickname chubby cheeks that she has had since day one. Being 6 months now, her temper has improved a lot. Just the other day I heard her really laugh for the first time. Her laugh has alway been this smile with a hum, its hard to explain. Her big sister was being silly and it was making her chuckle. It is so rewarding to see her grow, learn and develop her awesome personality.

 Baby H

Age: 6 Months

Weight: 6.19 Kg

Nickname: My Sweet Girl

Favorite Activity: Singing You are my Sunshine while she takes a bath

Favorite Toy:  She is starting to discover her hands. She likes to sit in the jungle bouncy chair and reach for the toys hanging down.

New Skill: She is doing so well with her tummy time. Her muscles are getting stronger and she is able to push herself up for short amounts of time. She may be 6 months old but because she is a preemie she is developmentally on target for a 4 month old.

About Baby H: My Sweet girl has me wrapped around her little finger. She is so sweet and pretty even tempered. She smiles and talks all the time these days. My favorite time with her is right before bed and just has she gets up from nap. I can get lots of cuddles as she talks away and tells me about her day. There are so many things I love about my baby girl, her deep brown eyes, her sweet gummy smile, the little sigh she does after she yawns and the way she grabs my shirt as she drifts to sleep in my arms. I spoil her so and I just cant help it.

6 month Photo Shoot Pic

Being such a big girl! 

Making sure I'm close while she sleeps

Baby Profiles: Part 1

My wish is that everyone could come to South Africa and meet the babies and everyone who has touched my heart. I have so many stories, memories and people I have met there is no way I would be able to write it all down. Since those options are not realistic, I am going to post some baby profiles so you can get to know some of my precious children that I get to be with everyday.

She likes to color

N

Age: 2 1/2

Nickname: Big Girl

Favorite Toy: Baby Dolls

Favorite Food: Anything with Cheese on it

Favorite Book: I Love you Through and Through

Favorite Topics: N’s Favorite thing to talk about it is the monkey’s and balloons

About Big Girl:  She is such a sweet big sister. She loves to kiss her brothers and sisters feet and helping during bottle time. She is definitely 3 because everything is why, why, why! She just moved to a big girl bed and works so hard to
get stickers on her sticker chart! N loves to be a big helper.
She always is telling me “Auntie Whitney I helping you”

Lunch Date with Auntie Whitney

Going to School

 Baby P
Age: 1 year

Weight: 8.865 Kg

Nickname: Rockstar

Favorite Toy: Ring

Favorite Food: Spinach 

Favorite Activity: Reading the books especially “Roadworks”  (lots of trucks)

About Rockstar: Rockstar is such a great kid! He is very determined and can be very impatient sometimes. He likes to be the center of attention and is the typical oldest and wants to be first for everything! He is such a clever boy and pays very close attention to details. He loves to copy our hand movements and different noises. He loves to read books even at such a young age. He will sit down for quite a while and just look through all the different stories. P definitely has his cuddle moments too. Right before bedtime I know I can always get some good cuddles where he likes to lay his head on my shoulder or sit on my lap while we sing. 

Watching the Construction Guys

Someone fell Asleep before nap time

Baby S

Age:   He will be 1 in a week!

Weight: 9.965 kg

Nickname:  Giggles

Favorite Toy: water filled teething ring

Favorite Food: Everything

Favorite Activity: Giggling and Clapping

Fun Story:
Giggles is such a sweet boy. He is very content in life which can also be on the border line of lazy. He isnt mobile yet but has learned to almost get around that. He is very clever, he has taught himself to pull the blanket that he sits on towards him to get toys closer. Giggles is working on crawling, right now its more of a spin in circles movement but we are getting closer. He really enjoys sitting on an aunties lap and touching our face or our hands. Giggles is such a good nickname for him because his laugh is about the cutest thing. If I can really get him laughing its this deep laugh and lots of snorts which is so contagious you cant help but laugh with him.

He really Loves the Water filled Rings Exhibit A ↑

Working on the leg muscles so he can eventually stand on his own