A year gone boom

Guys, seriously!!!  The year didn't just go by, it went BOOM with a BANG.  Like "wow".  Some of it felt long, some of it felt short, but after being in South Africa for a year, we marvel more than ever at the work of God and His ability to reach out, save and transform lives.   

This is no joke, we (you all included) serve a God who is alive, He reigns over all the earth, calling His creation back to Himself.  AH!  We are so stinking privileged to serve Him, and our family is so privileged, by His grace, to be in a ministry in South Africa where we see His hand moving daily. WOW.

Mike has been teaching Faith Discovery group every six weeks since February, and then every Wednesday he teaches a follow up class with these same students.  He almost always starts off the classes with an opportunity for them to share what God has been doing in their lives.  It never ceases to amaze me the stories he shares about how God changed the students lives during their time at Hope Africa.

• One student shares how God has changed their attitude to enable them to let go of their anger.   
• Another student shares how God has helped them forgive someone they never thought they could forgive.  
• Another student testifies to how God has healed their lungs from lifelong breathing problems.   
• Another testifies how God has given them a passion to know Jesus.   
• Another testifies how for the first time in their life they felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as they gave their life to him!

And that's just one week's worth of testimonies, this happens every Wednesday.  And that is entirely based on the work God has done, and we get to be a part of that.  

Mike says: 

"I now come to Faith Discovery Group weeks with huge expectations about what God is going to do.  I know that the students will have gone through severe trauma and struggles in their lifetimes.  Before every week starts, my co-teacher Mawande and I, spend a lot of time praying for what God wants to do.  I know that on Monday as Mawande and I share our testimonies, God will open the doors for our students to open up about their life stories." 

There are always 2 groups of about 15 students taking the class at a time.  We now know ahead of time that in each group:

• Many will share about not having enough food.
• 14 of the 15 of them will have no fathers in their lives.
• 7 or 8 of the 15 will have one or both parent(s) dead.
• 3 or 4 will have been rejected by not only their father, but also their mother and that they were raised by a grandma or aunt.   
• 1 will share about being raped, and as she shares, another 3 or 4 will start deeply weeping immediately as she says the word.

Mike says: 

"But we also know that God is the good Father.  And as we begin to teach about God, the good Father, who is forgiving, just and loving, we know that through the Holy Spirit there is freedom, there is healing, there is power to forgive others, there is the forgiveness of sin.  Through Jesus, we can be made right with God again, restored according to His plan from before creation even began!"

He continues: 

"This past week in Faith Discovery Group, God blew me away yet again!  And as I heard the students testimonies in our follow up from our last week of class, I think about their life stories they shared last Monday and I am so deeply humbled.  I am so humbled by their authenticity, by their openness, and by their hope in spite of despair all around them.  I am so humbled to see God working through our ministry. 

In particular I am humbled by being used by God last Friday, when I was able to go around and pray with 7 students.  When I came to the first student, I asked him what God had been teaching him last week.  He said, “I want to respond to Jesus’ call and follow Him.”  So I talked with him about counting the cost and making sure this is really what he wants, and as he affirmed it, I lead him in a simple prayer of repentance and turning to Jesus. 

I proceeded to talk to the next student and she tells me that she actually gave her life to Jesus for the first time while I was reading Isaiah 53, and as she did that she felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in her life. 

The next person asks me to pray for them as they are struggling to forgive the deep hurts from their abusive father. 

The next two students I talked to, also make first time commitments to Christ.  And then 2 more, asked for prayer for various struggles and hardships.

For those that know me personally, sometimes I think that driving Camaros or Arctic Cats, or playing hockey is fun.  But there is nothing like watching someone experience the joy of salvation, never mind four in one day!  This makes me so deeply humbled to be used by God is this way."

An odd time for tea

On April 15^th, I had the chance to join the women’s ministry ladies in Niverville, Manitoba (Canada) for a Spring tea event...  at 2:30 in the morning (my time)! I overcame my sleepy head, fixed my bed hair, slapped my cheeks a few times, and “voila”, I was ready to share with them about the topic:

Surrendering our lives to God- in missions and in everyday life

I first brushed my teeth, so you they wouldn’t have to smell my bad-middle-of-the-night-breath while I Skype with them.  I’m smart like that.

Then the funniest thing came to my mind...  I’ve never spoken to a group before without them knowing for sure whether or not I was wearing pants.  Turns out I was (for the record), my PJ pants :)

As I prayed the week before about what I should share with these wonderful ladies, God really challenged me to just be open and vulnerable, something I don’t do very easily, especially not in front of a big group, on Skype, at 2 in the morning...  But this is the topic of SURRENDERING right?  So I didn’t really have a choice.

So often we do what we THINK people expect of us instead of what God has planned for us. 

 

I told myself that the ladies would really like to hear what God is doing in our ministry here and I wanted to make it all exciting and have all of them sign up to do mission, ...  Mostly because it would be fun to have them all come to South Africa!!!  But God is teaching me to surrender to Him and share about what He wants me to share, my story of continual surrendering.

(Mike would say that as a French Canadian, this should come pretty natural...  This man I tell you!)

Anyway...  Here we go!!!

When we first got to Africa I felt a certain pressure, real or not, to find the ministry God had called me here to do.  Surely God wouldn’t have called me here to do the same thing I was doing in Niverville.  So I was totally open to whatever it might be, even though I knew my primary role would be at home with my kids.  

In the midst of that, I was really struggling with a fresh loss of identity as a person from having left my friends, family, church, moms group, community, ... I found myself having this need to reinvent myself, to plug in somewhere, to have a sense of belonging, a something that defines me.  

And add to that, I was feeling trapped.  When we first moved here there was this feeling of being trapped, by the security gates, the dangers, having to learn to drive in a different place (I get lost all the time), on the different side of the road, with the shifter also being on the left...  It was so overwhelming, almost paralyzing at times.  I really had to dig deep into God’s strength.

Oh no, I am on the wrong (right) side again...

I had to surrender my family’s safety.

One of the first things that God asked me to surrender to Him was control over my safety and the safety of my family.  This isn't a popular thing in a culture that teaches us: SAFETY first.  Actually, it's totally wrong.  God should always be first.  And it's much harder to do when you don't feel safe EVER.  But when there is nothing you can do to change a situation, then just give it up: onto Him.  

At first I had to fights fear really hard to be able to leave the house without Mike and had a hard time sleeping deeply at night too.  Living in constant fear was draining, and still is sometimes.  But I realized that no harm that could be done to me, or my family, would have any impact on my Eternal destiny.  I was secure in Christ, no matter what happened to us.  

Ok, one thing down right?  (sorta)  Now the longer we were here in Africa, the more anxious I got to find that special calling, that special ministry God had planned for me.  And then it didn’t come...

I had to surrender expectations

I wasn’t too impressed, having come all this way to be doing LESS Spiritual work (in my mind) than in Canada.  I was embarrassed, wondering what would people back home think, especially our supporters.

 

I had to surrender what I thought other people’s expectations were

Real or not, I had to let it go.  And stop caring, because this thing was between me and God.   If He called me all the way to South Africa to be a mom, so be it.  It was a GOOD plan, because it was God’s plan.  

The minute I realized that, people started finding ministries for me, and places I could plug in...  It was so strange, because I was now totally at peace with where God had me and I could with peace in my mind say: NO thank you.

The following week, a man of God came to me with a word God had given Him for me.  I wasn’t shocked that it was in regards to this situation.  God was saying “stop looking for other ministries”.  YIKES.  It’s exciting when others confirm something so important.  And that was confirmed again a few weeks later when an elder here was praying for me, saying I had to stop trying to find new creative ways to minister to people, and “just be”.

No, I don’t have a title for what I do here.  And that bothers me sometimes.  I bake for people.  I help out where I can.  I befriend people who dig in my garbage.  I visit the staff at Hope Africa.  I school my children.  I also take them out on many, many adventures.  I pray.  I write our blog.  I am where God wants me, completely surrendered and happy (most days).

And if I really wanted a title for what I do, I'd choose from this list:

Adventure-seeker-facilitator

Pom-pom educator

Life-cycle instructor

Art teacher

Recycled-craft-maker

Good-food-host

Anyway, I wanted to give you guys this message of surrendering expectations in case you didn’t get to attend the tea party, not because I think I’m so awesome and you’ve got to listen to what I say, but because I think this is one of those truth that applies to mission and everyday life.  We all put these expectations on ourselves and think others have these expectations when it really doesn’t matter at the end of the day.  Because every day I need to ask myself: “What is God’s plan for me?”   

So what is God’s plan for YOU?

Our first colored Christmas

In my last blog post I noted how our Christmas deserved it own post, maybe because I was hoping that the words would eventually come to me about what had just happened?!?  Either way, this was a unique Christmas for which I still don't exactly have words for!  I hope the pictures can help you get the picture. 

A white-Christmas: NOT
So we're here, half way across the world,  and all I can think of is "when is it going to snow?"  This whole warm Christmas is so confusing to our Canadian brains, we are still battling the thought that Christmas came and went.  We tried so hard: we played music (let it snow, let it snow, let it snow), we decorated...

My $2.50 tree...  not bad eh?

On Christmas's Eve I even made snow!  After all, it's not Christmas unless there is snow.

Snow cones?

Snow cold...

Christmas morning
On Christmas morning we read the Christmas story.

ok we read it after posing for this picture

Vincent was insistent on "seeing", but there wasn't pictures...

Then we opened presents

Dinos are a big hit right now

Some of us could use some help with wrapping

WHAT?!?  A dino car?

We also gave presents 

Our friend Mawande Mani actually clapped opening his Bible :)

New shoes for the beautiful Claudia

Then we opened our packages from home

Green tea excitement

And we ate chocolate

Braii time
Christmas day we also hosted the braii of the century (South African word for BBQ)!!!  We cooked, baked and BBQ for hours...  And all together had a wonderful feast with our African brothers and sisters.  

Our friends who have a pool let us use their house (they were not home during the holidays).  A pool party on Christmas.  I'm telling you, we tried... but it didn't really feel like Christmas to us.  

Martin

looking good :)

Some of the Xhosa people we invited said it was their best Christmas ever, and it was very cool for us to have been able to do this for them.

Pastor preaching it

Our kids really enjoyed it too, even tho they were really tired after. 

I also have hilarious footage of the whole thing, do let me know if you want to see it.  So there, you have it.  Our first colored Christmas.  

How about a little picture review?

AIYAYAYAYAI (insert African high pitch noise) it is hard to believe that we have already been here almost 8 months and are HALF WAY through our first term here!  What a ride these last months in South Africa have been.  

How bout a having a little highlights and pictures review?

After a long journey to get here (4 flights)... 

I was prepared for long travel with lots of games and toys...

We arrived to South Africa both exhausted and excited to let the adventure begin --->

The first month was mostly spent settling in, as we had to start from scratch to settle our new "home" (we only brought clothes and kraft dinner along). 
   

We first had to get a car:

 

We stopped a few times 4 cool photos of our new homeland while car shopping!

Can you believe we found a French town???

Proud new owner of our car :)

And then we had to find a NEW APARTMENT to rent as our first place was temporary (this was the most hectic part!).  Hallelujah we found a great place.

Our apartment is on the far right

We are really suffering from the view we get too... ;)

I resorted to some creative clothes drying methods... 

We also had to get furniture, dishes and everything else.  This was a crazy thing to do in a city we had never been in before, on roads we didn’t know, and with people we couldn’t have conversations on the phone with, because we just couldn’t understand their accent!  It was a good way to explore the country though.

In parking lot while shopping for a mattress, not bad huh?

We were also facing culture shock and wrestling with many things, especially in this "shopping phase" of our time here.  Seeing our wealth versus the poverty of the people we came here to help was so hard.   

I’m happy to say we are now feeling settled, a different kind of settled than we had in Canada, but that’s ok, eh?

I found some hockey fabric for Raph's bed and grandma sent a Thomas the train pillow case!!!

Our second month was spent learning all about Hope Africa Collective, their ministries and also Xhosa culture. 

We enjoyed having some of the staff over, getting to know them and their culture. 

Mike also acted as a student in the Life Skill 3-week class and learned so much from that.

Of course this isn’t a “one time thing” and we continue to be student of the people here.  Their culture is so rich and vast; I doubt we will ever completely grasp the difference between the ways we live and the way they live.

We also had a visitor, and got to do a few tourist things with her!  

Pet a monkey anyone??

Simon's Town harbor, 15 minutes away :)

In our third month, Mike began seminar preparation and teaching for a new partnership with the local Bishop.  This partnership has since grown so much.  

  Terry (the director) & Mike have done 11 sessions and are planning to do more in the next year.  

That’s also when I became more involved with the local mom’s groups, inviting them to our home for brunch and doing various group activities (like going to the park, beach, ...)

We also settled on what church we would be attending and joined a small group that meets weekly in our community. 

The people from Joshua Generation Church are wonderful, and the view doesn't hurt either

Our new small group

In our fourth month, Mike started a Jesus discovery class, as a follow-up to students doing a Bible-overview class.  This was a optional class during lunch hour.  He learned a lot about the culture during those classes, the rituals the men go through (I’ll spare you the details), ...  

I our fifth month we hosted someone in our home for 3 weeks, again using that opportunity to be learning so much more about the Xhosa people.  

Our kids are obsessed with their new friend Mawande

Our kids really enjoy when we have people over, and regularly growl and attack our friends.   

I don't think our friends mind much...  Our kids are THAT cute.

That’s also when I started getting sick, so Mike had to miss a lot of work to take care of the boys and I while I got better (and was in the hospital).  None the less, we got to experience the African prayers over our house and the pouring of the oil (on me) a few times. 

Raph getting a wheelchair ride with mom

During our sixth month, Mike began working on new curriculum for Faith Discovery group that will start in February.  It will be a one week class the student will take during their 9 weeks with us at Hope Africa.

Mike and his co-workers are really excited about the outline for this course...

Our seventh month  was the most random by far.  We witnessed a "random" baptism from our window!!!

Found a tree for $2.50 at the second hand shop.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

And we started to prepare for the most-warmest-Christmas-time-ever.  Our brains refused to accept the fact that Christmas came and went.  We tried so hard.  That alone requires it's own blog post, so stay tune to hear how this Canadian family celebrated Christmas and New Year.  

Until then;
Cheers