March Update

Happy New Year in March! This year sure has started off with a bang.. Literally. I will now go down in Refilwe history for being the volunteer that burned the car.

On January 7, I drove to work at the baby house in Nicole’s car at around 6:30 am. There has been problems in the past with the car short circuiting as we drove on the dirt roads to and from Refilwe. As I went over a small bump, the car died and I thought it would restart like every other time but it didn’t. Instead, the car started to smoke and I couldn't get the key out or even put the car in park. After I made a couple phone calls and lots of smoke, my dear friend Kate yelled at me to get out of the car. I quickly grabbed my bags and got a safe distance away. I turned back and saw flames coming out from the bottom of the engine. Some people pulled over to help me and my friends (really family now) from Refilwe tried so desperately to put the fire out. The car was so hot nothing was helping so we just had to watch the car burn until the fire department arrived. Since nothing happens quickly here in South Africa the fire brigade didn’t show up till most 7:30am! To start my morning off right I had to throw a party so I invited the fire brigade, two fire trucks,and 4 police cars. I wasn’t injured but was pretty shaken up and cried many tears.

 God gives and He also takes away. The car was His beautiful gift and He took it back, I believe for His glory. With much prayer, God provided another car at the end of February. The Refilwe Holland team, who supports the baby house, raised enough money to buy the baby house a vehicle. Such a blessing.

So many things are happening here on a weekly basis it’s hard to capture it all. Our prayer in the baby house has been that we could have 12 babies in the house. So since January, we have grown slowly to a house of 11 and prayerfully waiting for that last spot to be filled soon. Our house now includes Rockstar, 18 months, Giggles, 17 months, My Sweet Girl, 11 months, Baby T and Baby J, 5 months, Baby S, Baby E, and Baby L, 3 months, Baby K, 4 weeks, and our two newest additions Baby H, 6 weeks, and Baby A, 3 week.

six of my nine children

Bongiwe and I

As I’m sure you can imagine, a house with so many babies can be a little crazy. I would like to give a shout-out to my partner in crime Bongiwe. She is the newest member of our Auntie Team and I have enjoyed getting to know her as we tackle the tasks of making sure every baby is fed, held, loved and that every nappy is changed.

Two toddlers makes everyday an adventure, then add 9 small brothers and sisters and you can imagine the non-stop activity that happens. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to play referee,or body guard. They’re so observant, and if in the mood, want to be awesome big brothers.

Their favorite song right now is Old MacDonald and they both walk around saying E-I-E-I-O E-O. It’s very cute! Rockstar is a master climber and as soon as he hears the Aunties leave to gather babies from nap-time, he springs into action. Within 10 seconds, this kid can climb up on the couch and balance on the arm to look at himself in the mirror. Trouble is what I call this...

My Sweet Girl is still so sweet. I fully acknowledge that she has me wrapped around her little finger. I love our night-night routine for her nap and bedtime, the sleepy cuddles are the best.

All of the small babies are developing their personalities and I will be posting some new Baby Profiles soon. The Joe Slovo community is still one of my favorite places to spend time with people. God is moving significantly in the way Refilwe is able to be involved within the community and it’s such a blessing. We have been neighbors for so many years and it is incredible to watch God tear down huge walls between us.

Some of my precious community Kids

 It’s crazy to think that I have been here for almost 9 months. In most ways it seems like the time has gone by very quickly then I look at the calendar and see that it’s March and I look back to June, when I arrived here, and it seems like forever ago. God is so evident here in South Africa. I can see Jesus which makes me all the more excited to be here. I still very much rely on your prayers for me. I have never experienced such a place that stretches my strengths and highlights my weaknesses.

Baby E

 I am coming home in May for a month to attend the wedding of my best friend and to spend time with my family and friends. It will be so good to see everyone and to catch-up on what everyone has been doing during my absence. It will be so nice to hug, laugh, and have long chats again.

 I will return in June to Refilwe to volunteer for another ten months.
 My monthly expenses are approximately $500.00 a month and I have raised half of the funds I will need to support me until April 2015. If you are able to donate to my support, I would sincerely appreciate your help. As always, your prayers mean so much to me.

 If you would like to support me in this journey please send checks to:
 Whitney Eitzen
6140 Kavala Court
Pleasanton, Ca 94566

Please Make Checks Written out to Valley Bible Church
Leave memo line blank
All Checks are Tax deductible

May the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Burger King Opened here!!!!

Preschool Times

Baby S

Big Boys (Rockstar and Giggles)

My Sweet Girl is Almost 1!!!!!

My Love

My Little Kiddos

Monkey's Like people food!

Baby L

First Rugby Game!

Nicole and I at the Rugby Game

My Sweet Girls First time with Baby Food

Handed out Black baby dolls to the community girls

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