Greetings from Africa! :)

G’day mate! (Sorry, I have yet to learn another greeting in Afrikaans)

I’m proud to say that I’m safely in Pretoria, staying with a lovely family who is taking me in for the next few days before my first programme, The Ultimate Goal Challenge, begins on the 7^th.

Thank you to all of you who came to the airport to send me off yesterday,

Jollyn, Rachelle and Shermine – Thank you for coming down and for the lovely gifts. I really do like the hairband, it’s s adorable :) Thank you for the lovely notes and photographs too, AND THE HEART-SHAPED THINGY IS SO COOL! It’s awesome, thanks guys :) Jocelyn, it’s okay. I know you’d have been there if you were well :) You take care and get well soon!

Angelica, Steph Yeo, Pei Hsin, Zer, Jude, Xioa Hui – I actually haven’t really spoken to you guys since we’ve graduated, other than maybe Steph and XH. Thanks for coming down to see me off, and for that excitement-inducing Star cushion hahaha. You guys are the sweetest. And the whole airport knows you guys came to send me off hahahaha. And thanks jelly for the face mask, I do believe I’ll need it at some point in time… Although it is not my preference for the African community at large to see me walking around with a mask on my face. Hehe.

Firdaus and Shu Ying – You guys are so sweet, seriously. I’ll miss hugging you SY! And just talking to you. And you too Firdaus! Your laughter is so funny that I think sometimes I actually end up laughing like you and then I think to mysef, eh sia la I sound like firdaus! Hahahaha jia you for your As, persevere though it may be tough, I’m still supporting you from across the world :)

Uncle Eddie, Aunty Betty, Gan Ma, Aunty Doris, Uncle Meng Kim, Aunty Gladys, Uncle Owen, Aunty Mui Hong, Uncle David, Aunty Jo, Uncle Kenneth, Uncle Jason (funny chicken), Ps Josh – Thank you all for coming down despite having to work the next day. I really appreciate it, appreciate your support and your prayers too :) Thank you!

To the Kias (this will be long) – Kim, Amanda, Samuel, Yao Qi, Duane, Aaron, Melvin, Glenn, Jeremy, Sam Lemon (hehe), Shaun, Daryl, Jeff, Melissa, Dawn, Ron, Andrew, Marianne Lee, Jon Ma, Desiree, Cheryl, Emerlyn, Moses, Chris, Marilyn (I’m cracking my brains to remember who came, if I forgot any names, I’m sorry! You know I love you still…) – You guys have been my greatest supporters all these years, in prayer and just in general. I’m glad to have grown up with you guys, to be able to see you all each and every week at KPC, to enjoy outings and learn the Word together with you all. I know you’ll be praying for me, and I thank you for that :) will miss you guys tremendously, hope you will too ah. And thanks for all the gifts and cards, they’re gonna be a huge source of encouragement to me in my down moments :)

* Especially Melissa, thanks for the booklet in which you got all the kias to write. It’s simply wonderful and I really appreciate it dear! :)

Dad, Mum, Justin – I will miss all the mundane yet humorous everyday occurrences with you all. I need not spell it out to the world here, but you know what I’m talking about ah. Hehehe. Miss me much at home please, I’ll be missing you all too. I love you all! :)

To those who couldn’t come, it’s okay! :) I’ve got your love in sms form, all stored up in my phone too. Thank you for the encouragement and for being there for me while I was at home too :)

Okay! Just so you know, I’m behind time. S Africa is 6 hours behind Singapore so let me know what goes on in the future so I can prepare for it. I’ll reply emails whenever I can, although probably not for the next 5 weeks when I’m at the Ultimate Goal Challenge.

And! At touchdown, it was 6 degrees Celsius outside. Shiok only! Like natural air con :) Still loving the weather although my nose is probably the coldest and I’m not sure what I can do about that… Going out with one of the Snyders daughters tonight to catch a movie :) At least that would keep me busy for a bit. Haha.

Started on my book too, as dad’s suggested. I’m pretty excited, now that I’ve started writing… Hehehe. Just so you know, my lingo here and in the book are pretty different. I can be bimbotic and all here (I do not try to, but I think sometimes I’m so happy and all that I sound bimbotic?! LOL) but not in a book…

So anyway, I’ll be keeping you people at home in prayer, so do pray for me too. I’m not exactly sure what my role is as a guest in a home, so pray that my actions and words will be appropriate and pleasing to my lovely hosts. And also that I’ll continue to be excited about my journey and rely on God’s strength to see me through :)

Till next time, take care and I love you :)

Marianne