Tonya Small

Easter Weekend

tlsmall — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:42:02 +0000

Easter, as it probably should be for all Christians, is a HUGE deal in South Africa, particularly in African culture. Local churches band together during the Easter weekend to put on a large Easter Conference. This is a time for great celebration, evangelism, baptisms take place, communion is taken, it is altogether a time of remembrance of Christ and celebrating all that He did on the cross. This Easter, Heather and I had the chance to bless one of our Bethesda families and make their participation in their Easter conference a bit easier and more effective by taking their four youngest children off of their hand for the weekend. These conferences often mean long days, short nights, and a lot of sitting still. That kind of schedule can be a bit challenging on toddler and Kindergartners…cue Aunties to the Rescue!

Lesego (11 months), Tsholo (18 months), Dipuo (5 years) and Bridget (6 years) were all able to spend the extended weekend at Auntie Heather & Auntie Tonya’s house. Joining our party for the weekend were also Auntie Gabby (celebrating her last weekend in Pretoria) and Auntie Gabby’s mom, Mama D. It was a very fun weekend. The girls were able to go to the Lion Park to see some animals, play games, watch movies, eat in a restaurant, and take Auntie Gabby to the airport and see planes for the first time ever. Over the weekend the littlest two were busy working on a lot of things. While I was busy teaching Tsholo to say “Auntie T”, Bridget and Dipuo misunderstood that I was saying “T” as in the first letter of my name and thought I was calling myself “Auntie Tea” as in the drink I like to have. Both girls then immediately deemed that Heather must be named “Auntie Coffee” to go along with “Auntie Tea.”

Enjoy some photos from the fun weekend!

Bethesda’s Got Talent

tlsmall — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:21:05 +0000

Some of our interns and guests got together a few weeks ago and coordinated a talent show for our children. It was a wonderful night to showcase the gifts God has blessed our kiddos with.

For now I’ve just uploaded some photos. Hopefully some videos will follow.

Click to view slideshow.

Morning Duty

tlsmall — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:25:13 +0000

The most hilarious start to the day-As “acting principal” (me in Shann’s absence today) I walk out to the play ground to see how an extended impromptu morning duty went for the student teachers and our wonderful volunteer, Fran. As I walk out, the girls tell me, “everything went well except for one lost shoe.” Puzzlingly I look and them and am directed to the fact that there is a shoe on the roof of the school. One of the little girls had done a cartwheel and her shoe flew off mid-turn. Casually I walk back to the classroom to fetch a chair as I hear other teachers discussing all the random things that happen on morning duty because earlier another child had attempted to fly like Superman and flown off the merry-go-round. At this point, I off the cuff reply with, “like a shoe on the roof?”, and carry on with chair fetching and shoe retrieval, as they debate the merits of what was actually happening. I climb up onto the chair on the playground in front of all 81 students attempt to use a broom to get the shoe down. At which point I knock the shoe off the roof and get it stuck in the gutter. Do I stop there and give up until maintenance can bring a ladder, of course not, I am a single and resourceful young woman who needs no assistance from anyone and can problem solve on my own(insert your own note of sarcasm here). So, I step off the chair, give the worthless broom and my cell phone to the student standing next to me and begin to look around for the tallest, skinniest, not afraid of heights student I can think of and I spot Peter. I call peter over, check if he is afraid, pick him up and put him on my shoulders, climb back on the chair, and have him rescue the poor grade 1 student’s shoe from the gutter…priceless!

Bethesda February Newsletter

Mikel Berger — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:54:45 +0000

Enjoy Bethesda’s February newsletter

Working Moms

tlsmall — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:24:41 +0000

I must admit that after this week, I have a new respect for working moms. Due to some unexpected family emergencies for one of our Bethesda families, Heather and I have been looking after two of our Bethesda kiddos since Wednesday this week. We have enjoyed basically every minute of it, but WOW…it’s hard work…not a shock to most of you I know, but it has been a new experience for me. Added to the blessing of having the girls at the house this week, we also had 2 house guests staying with us as they finished up their last course of the counselling training classes held at our church and the two gals that have been staying with Heather and I for a month or two, and you see we had quite a full house this week.

Each day has been a new adventure for all of us. The girls come in to the classroom after school, work on their homework and wait somewhat patiently for it to be time to go home. We come home after a stop or two if there are errands to be done, check over homework, help with homework that wasn’t understood, prepare lunches/snacks for the following day, fix dinner, eat dinner, give baths, prepare for bed, do devotions, say prayers, tuck in, leave the kids to sleep, attempt to get our own school work done and visit with other adults, then crash and wake up the next morning to begin the process again.

Wow…how do some of you do it every day?

Bethesda January Newsletter

Mikel Berger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:40:47 +0000

Enjoy Bethesda’s January Newsletter

Newsletter 41

Mikel Berger — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:24:38 +0000

Here is the back to school version of “Talk from Tonya.” I hope you enjoy meeting the students in this newest newsletter. Praying this note finds you well and growing in your knowledge and understanding of our great God!

Tonya’s Newsletter 41

Bethesda Direct Debit Form

January and February Children of the Month

Mikel Berger — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:39:12 +0000

Bethesda’s January child of the month is Mike and February child of the month is Lawrence.

Random

tlsmall — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:55:45 +0000

I will hopefully be writing an actual update this weekend to fill everyone in on the start of school, but I had a few candid shots that I wanted to throw on here as a good teaser for what is to come. Heather and I have been busy behind the camera these last few weeks so hopefully update writing will be that much easier this week!

Bethesda December Newsletter

Mikel Berger — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:37:19 +0000

Merry Christmas from Bethesda Outreach. Enjoy Bethesda’s December newsletter.