Bittersweet feelings

Bittersweet feelings as we are headed to our Florida home.  Many great memories and blessings.  Many Ntshongweni family members to miss until next time.  A beautiful family and friends to return to in Florida.  Here are some of the memories and blessings from these past 10 days...

The church preschool.  A hundred children doing what children anywhere do.  Playing, laughing, acting up...  The preschool teachers love, teach, coach and prepare these kids for education.  They share The Gospel with them every day.  My biggest blessing; having one of these kids who is now 8 years old tell me that she still has a picture of me holding her when she was 4 years old.  Highlight for sure.  Telling these kids UJesu uyakuthanda (Jesus loves you) and have them tell you the same thing later, maybe years later.

Visiting the Duma family.  Here's Jessica hugging Nobuhle while holding her son Mphilo.  Highlight- playing for some time with Mphilo with tennis balls, toy trucks and coloring books.  Taking time to look over Nomfundo Duma's grave behind the house and saying a prayer for her siblings.  I know she's looking down from heaven and we miss her.  As we go to depart, having little Mphilo say as clear as a bell - "Goodbye Jessica,"after speaking isiZulu the entire time.  Definite highlight.  Seeing Sanele Duma progress at University for Journalism - blessing X 10!

Gogo = grandmother in isiZulu.  With an entire generation absent from the community, Gogos have stepped in and become mothers and fathers for many children and young adults.  Gogos provide orphans with the support they so desperately need.  So what a blessing to do a Gogo lunch and give these ladies a break.  Great idea Nomthandazo Thwala! They loved it.  Joking with them and hearing their stories = highlight.  They are living this verse everyday: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

James 1:27 NIV

http://bible.com/111/jas.1.27.niv

We use a local builder- Johannes and his helpers to build homes for families that couldn't get help elsewhere.  Here's Gogo Rosemary's new home that needed some paint.  When we arrived she and her neighbor had removed everything from inside and prepared for a few coats of paint to help seal the plaster.  Such a blessing to see it progress with many hands making for little work.  Highlight- watching Alex help Rosemary put her kitchen back together.  Also, having Pride and Prosper come home to a freshly painted house.

Highlight- walking home through the valley with Jessica.  Seeing people along the pathway and in their homes and stopping to talk with them. "Sawubona!" I see you - being the isiZulu greeting.  It doesn't take long for people to figure out we aren't fluent, but I think people appreciate us trying.

Getting to do new things!  A boat ride with 29 kids and chaperones.  Hearing the kids sit on the bow and yelling like they are on a roller coaster ride as we exit the inlet in 8-10 foot swells.  Going to the beach and seeing the kids play soccer, throw each other into the ocean, jump waves, laugh and share friendships.  Seeing Alex play with his Ntshongweni family that he's known for the past 6 years like he's been living here the past 6 years.

That Toyota Quantam taxi is smooth.  Especially with 861,000 km or 535,000 miles on the odometer.  Especially considering the type of duty these babies do, the roads are challenging and they spend some time off-road.  Sorry Mr Khoza, I never quite got 2nd gear perfectly without a littl grind...

Worshipping with our Ntshongweni family reminds me of; “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.””

Revelation 7:9-10 NIV

http://bible.com/111/rev.7.9-10.niv. Hearing The Gospel and singing in isiZulu reminds me of this day when every people group will be on their knees before The Lord; powerful and definitely a highlight.

Seeing our Ntshongweni family make progress with the help of The Lord and Pastor Thwala, His light on a hill in this community.  Imagine, Pastor has hundreds of children that are without their parents and God has prepared him to be father to many.  He helped Sindisiswe get her state identification.  Something she couldn't do on her own without her parents.  Pastor made it happen by cutting through large amounts of red tape.  She held this ID like it was gold, she's so proud of it.  Amen pastor, you remind me of this verse;  “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

http://bible.com/111/gal.6.9-10.niv

Here's Sindisiwe's Gogo, when we met her a year ago she wept as Jessica held her.  Streams of tears as she did what she could to support herself, Sindisiwe, and others. She reminds me of this scripture; “But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.”

Mark 12:42-43 NIV

http://bible.com/111/mrk.12.42-43.niv

Playing every free moment...  Jessica definitely has the touch of bringing joy to these kids...  You guessed it, reminds me of this verse; “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16 NIV

http://bible.com/111/mat.5.16.niv

We are so blessed that we are saved by faith in Jesus and our salvation doesn't depend on us...

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV

http://bible.com/111/eph.2.8-10.niv

In response to that grace, what has God prepared in advance for you to do?

 Hamba Kahle (go well)

I will not leave you as orphans...

A blessing to be back with our Ntshongweni family.  Here are some words in red that we can all remember;

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

John 14:18 NIV

http://bible.com/111/jhn.14.18.niv

Whether we are in Florida or the land of 1,000 hills in South Africa, Jesus will not leave us.  He gives us all that we need to glorify His name in all the world when we listen to the Word and pray daily for guidance.

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

John 14:13 NIV

http://bible.us/111/jhn.14.13.niv

Here's Jessica meeting up with some old friends:

Here's pastor helping our university student with his school equipment;

God's plan is for faithful people to bring Him glory on earth so that more may know Him.  This way, more knees will bow before the throne when the final day of judgement comes.

And who is my neighbor?

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind', and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"..."And who is my neighbor?"

Goodness at Fawncastle

God has a habit of working through the unexpected; as with Jacob (who received the blessing, though he was not the firstborn); Moses, who would lead his people despite "his faltering lips"; David, the eighth son of Jesse; the apostles, a motley bunch of uneducated fishermen and a tax collector; and Paul who persecuted and sought the execution of Christians.  No, if you want to see God at work, don't  look for an earthly king with a mighty army but rather a humble servant who puts others ahead of himself.

As I look at all the suffering around me, I find unexpected good Samaritans at work.  First off, all the Gogos who take in orphaned children and care for them as if they were their own.  Then, as Jessica was sharing her pictures of Ntshongweni with Goodness, who works at the B&B where we are staying, Goodness recognized Sindisiwe and said that she had helped Sindisiwe make a trip to the beach (among other things) even though Goodness barely makes enough to support herself.   Thirdly, the Muslim man at the uniform shop who goes above and beyond to help Pastor Thwala obtain uniforms for needy children...

"Neighbor" Busisiwe

...Our new friend, Busisiwe (Blessed), who helped us identify and deliver food to needy families.  Also, Rosemary who assists Gogo Zulu with her meager earnings as a seamstress - please see the picture below of our awesome Gogo pinafores, courtesy of Rosemary :) ...

Joyce at her tuck shop

...And Joyce who owns a tuck shop and goes out of her way to assist her community... Even Americans who have heard the cry of the orphan and widow in Africa and have obeyed God's command to "love your neighbor as yourself."

New Gogos Valerie, Susan & Jessica with Rosemary & Gogo Zulu

Which of these was a neighbor?  "'The one who had mercy on him.'  Jesus told him, " 'Go and do likewise.' "

Luke 10: 25-37

Joys and Sorrows

What an amazing couple of days we have had in Ntshongweni. So many emotions tugging at my skirt hem.  Yesterday's "walking with Pastor" brought us to the home of the Gumede boys.

Visiting these three brothers who have been without parents for several years makes my heart so happy.  Their home is immaculate - the beds made to military standards, floor clean and dinner on the hot plate (and no, they didn't know we were coming).  Outside the garden flourishes and plants grow landscape-style up against the house; the oldest brother is making his own concrete blocks so he can build a separate room apart from his brothers.

Then a sad dose of reality.  Pastor and the boys discuss the challenges of acquiring ID cards.
Without ID cards they cannot obtain postsecondary education or hold a job, among other things.  Forget that they don't have birth certificates, they don't even know their own birthdays!  They seem fairly sure about the years that they were born, but have no clue about a date.  Without ID cards, these wonderful young men with so much to offer don't even exist as far as the government is concerned.








Today was food delivery day and more "walking with Pastor".   There is so much joy in an old Baba who is moved to tears by the gift of flour, sugar, cornmeal, rice and a few other staples - and so much sorrow in the stories that are drawn on his face.  And his story is repeated over and over, not always the same, but everyone has a story.









It was so joyful today to see a smiling and laughing Gogo Busisiwe who just a few months ago had nothing but sorrow to share.  Perhaps the arrival of monthly food provisions has lifted enough of her burden that she is free to laugh again.  But sadly again, the lack of documentation provides another stumbling block to the ID process for one of the many girls in her care, Sindisiwe.  At least in this instance, Sindisiwe has a birth certificate.  However there are other hurdles - Pastor Thwala will assist on her behalf as well.



Alas, the Lord has done great things for these beautiful souls and "those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting."  (Psalm 126:5).  The story isn't over yet...

Many are the Plans

How many ways do we keep our schedules and appointments?

1. On our iphones
2. Wall calendar
3. Evernote
4. Outlook
5. Daytimers
6. Franklin Planners
7. Sticky Notes
8. Google Calendar

We don't do that here.

We do a review the night before, we have a "plan." But we all know, and have come to believe in the - COP - Change of Plans.

Wondering what would happen if our calendars at home were free, available and ready for COPs?

Mxolisi and his uBaba.

The plan was to go visit our friend and brother Mxolisi and his family. Mxolisi is an unbelievable artist. If you have never seen our previous pictures of his work, please take the time to click through to see at PicSpeak Pencil Art.

His mother has passed away recently, and we were going to visit for a service in the home and a tribute to the family. 

Mxolisi's dad - what a beautiful spirit.

What a beautiful family. We finished our time together, enjoyed our fellowship, and were headed back to Ntshongweni.

We were going to spend the rest of the day in the creche, playing with the children. But as usual, God's plans and thoughts are different then ours, Isaiah 55:8-9. Instead we head to Durban after receiving a call that one of our children is in the hospital. He was at university, and was experiencing back pain. Turns out, he was in a taxi accident last Wednesday on his way to school. He was sitting in the back seat, when they were rear ended. 

We finally find him there, and Pastor calls a doctor in Hillcrest who has agreed to see our children for emergencies. We drive there and wait to be seen. Are finally seen, get our prescriptions, drive through KFC, as he hasn't eaten all day, and head back to Ntshongweni. 

Now, though a little late, with some things rearranged, we are back on the plan - God's plan for our participation in James 1:27. So many times, people ask me and I sometimes wonder, "What does God want me to do? If He would just tell me, I would do it." The fact is - He has! Visiting with Gogo Constance, and sharing her burdens and joys is His will. And when you are in His will, there is nothing like it.

Enjoying tea with one of our favorite Gogos. What a special lady!

One of Gogo's grandchildren. What a blessing to be able to meet him! The generations blend together here in a way that is no longer as common as it used to be.   

We were able to share stories, joys, and sadnesses, walk through her garden, and see the new "bathroom" that she built herself. Gogo Constance rocks!

We are so thankful to supporters from home who sent coats, and to all the ladies at Mission Stitches for the dolls. This one was Valerie's favorite too!

Coming back year after year has allowed us to make friends and to have a level of trust and communication that is truly a gift. God's will is to put the lonely into families. So it seems one of the questions is - who is my family? Matthew 12:50

Joyce knows this. It is Susan's first trip and immediately Joyce gives her the biggest hug and says, "You are my sister!"

This is the will of God, and a COP everyday for me. To be reminded of His words, thoughts, and wants, and to in turn, give up my own.

Maybe our new catch phrase should be COT - Change of Thoughts. To take every thought captive - filtered, stirred, sifted and submitted. We will be thinking, adn praying about that today.

How about you? Any COPs or COTs in your life? We would love to hear about them! #loveinactionnow

Singing in Heaven by Susan

In Revelation 5:9 it says:

9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Getting ready before worship the little girl in front, Zeanda, cleaned all the pews. Boy was it sweet and she is so pretty. 

Gogo Shabalala and Gogo Zuma gather early to worship. 

I always thought that going to heaven to sit and sing all day, really didn't sound like my version of "Heaven." I can't sing, and I am really not sure that singing 24x7, is so appealing. This was until I heard all their voices today. Even though I could not understand the language, I could tell they were praising God. The harmonies were amazing and it felt like it was coming straight from the heart.

Next week, I am going to video worship, and you will see/ more importantly HEAR - exactly what I mean.

 After church we took the time to give out readers. Thank you to everyone who donated glasses. I know I can't see without mine and it was so cool to be able to watch our church family get so excited. They were SO appreciated, and it really felt like Christmas!

Jessica is playing with the kids. They were all having so much fun with the bubbles!

Loading up - I can't even believe everyone getting in the back of the trucks. Transportation at its best. Today I really felt like this is what church should be about. 

After service we walked the village playing, visiting with lots of new friends and meeting, new to me, but actually old Gogos. I am really looking forward to whatever God has in store for us this week. 

One Big Long Day

So thankful for one big, long, day to travel to a different country and yet to feel like you are going home.

We planned the flights a little well, too well, if that is possible. No six hour connections here. No, this time we were running between gates, finding a new air train, claiming and rechecking baggage and waiting in long passport ques.

Traveling with friends is always a special treat as you have so common past experiences which seen to translate to comfort and stability.

 Looking at one of the new houses that God has provided for. This one will be really neat to walk to as it is down the valley. A place I always thought it would be great to have a home there - except when you are bringing home groceries!!

 One of the joys of the first day is always to sort all the wonderful treasures brought from home to share. One of the books that has changed our giving is, When Helping Hurts. This book reconfirmed ideas and expressions that are buried so deeply in the American heart. There is a right way and a wrong way to give, to help, to share, and to provide. One that seeks to build the other person up to be everything that God prepared in advance for them to be. This is so important for us. God has prepared special works for each of us to do, and we must "walk in them." This is the secret to true joy and fulfillment.

 This time we come with medicines, school supplies, an unhealthy dose of sugar sweets, new shoes, socks, jackets, handmade dolls, fun tennis balls and games.










Getting tired of seeing Pastor always sporting Cardinals wear, Valerie even brought Pastor a Jags shirt.

Our end of the first day tradition is to go to Ocean Basket for dinner and kingclip - a white fish common here. Pastor got the 300gr one in honor of his umfowethu.

 Every time we come the group changes. It is so great to see how God puts it all together. We our definitely missing our friends and family who we have served with in the past. It feels like there are spaces at the Thanksgiving table which are - empty. There is a void, and yet you can go back to find memories to bring those special people along for this journey. Scott, Alex, Ginger, Rhonda, Zeal, Shara, Julia and so many more.

Because Scott is not here, Siyabonga - Pictured on the left,  will be part of our family this week and helping with transport. We studied isiZulu at dinner and talked about how words translate and how intricately language is intertwined with customs, history and understanding.

 -pheka is the root stem for "cooking." The picture below is from our last trip when we took all the children to to the beach and grilled out. You will need to stay tuned in for the word for grilling, but a braai on the beach we did have!









nad
We are so thankful for our safe travels, our families and friends back home who are supporting us and sharing their blessings. We are grateful for Pastor and his guidance and wisdom. The path is not always easy, the door is narrow, but we are looking forward to walking it - together.