He is God, He is great, He is enough

It seems like yesterday that we started our journey to South Africa. Finalizing Visa information, making packing list, and getting ready for the new life we were going to start together. There were times when doubt filled my mind and I really wondered what we were doing. We had only been married for 6 weeks and were moving our life an ocean away from family, friends, and everything that was comfortable. In the midst of all that craziness one thing remained the same, our God is faithful and He was walking this road with us. We said from the beginning of this journey that we were going to continue to walk through doors as they opened. If a door closed then we would know that the Lord was leading us down another path. As doors continued to open we knew that the next season of our life would be spent sharing the name of Christ to the people of South Africa. We have been here a little over a year now and I had to remind myself this morning of the same thing I told myself 17 months ago, God is faithful and He is walking down this road with us. As most of you know we had a fundraiser Friday night to raise money for the duration of our time here in South Africa. Through a couple of months of prayer and talking to mentors in our life, we feel that our time in Cape Town is coming to a close and a new chapter is going to begin. We will be heading back to the states in May for good. We are at complete peace about this decision and feel as if we are following the Lord's will for our lives at this point. When we started talking about the fundraiser it was overwhelming, but with the help of some amazing people back home we were able to make it happen. Once we had sent out invitations the only thing left to do was film a short video that would be shown the night of the fundraiser and pray for people to come out and support us. As the days drew closer I began to worry. Why isn't anyone telling me if they can come? What if nobody shows up? What if the people that do show up don't give as much as we need? Why is fundraising so difficult? All these questions starting to pour in and it was very frustrating. I spent so much time asking God to provide. I kept expressing to Him how much we want to be here and we can't do that if we don't raise the necessary funds. This morning I had a huge wake up call. Who am I to doubt God? Who am I to put limits and think He isn't going to provide for Nathan and I? I doubted the same God who was with us every step of this journey and who literally paved the way for us being here today. I doubted the God who through every tear, illness, confusion, and need was there. He was there, holding us close, telling us we were going to be okay, because He is our Father and He loves us to much for us not to be okay. My eyes filled with tears as I read Psalm 77:11-15 this morning. "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples? You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph." What god is like OUR GOD? There is none. I am so thankful for that reminder this morning. This journey has had it's bumps in the road. Times where I was so confused and never thought I would understand. I will probably leave here in May and not really understand the impact we made while we were here and that's okay. There is one thing that I will know when I leave and it's the same thing that I have known all along. Our God is faithful and he has walked this entire road with us. We should expect great things from God because He is just that, GREAT! If something doesn't work out exactly the way we want it to, that's okay because He is still great! We don't know the number yet on how much we raised on Friday night but I'm not going to worry about it like I have been because we have always had enough. I have gotten so wrapped up in raising the exact number we need but now I rejoice knowing that His name was lifted high and He received the glory for all that is happening here in Cape Town. We are excited to finish out our last 6 months here strong and remembering that He is God, He is great, and He will always be enough. 

CONSIDER It Pure Joy

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of any kind, for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance”  James 1:2-3

Have you ever read a verse that you’ve read for years, maybe even have it memorized for some occasions, and understood it to mean one thing, only to realize later that it has an even deeper meaning?  That verse you read or have memorized can comfort you, put a smile on your face, or pull you through a tough situation depending on your circumstances.  I’m sure you even can use it to help someone else in a similar situation.  Even after having it memorized or having recited it to others in need, you can read it and it’s like you’re reading it for the first time.  Life happens, adversity comes along and so you naturally default to the word, phrase, or verse that you go to when you need to pull through and BOOM.  It’s like your reading it for the first time. Your current set of circumstances allows you to understand this thing in an entirely new context.  That’s what happened this week with the above scripture in James.

For years, anytime something happened I wish hadn’t to me or someone close to me, I’d generally go back to this passage to help gain perspective and hopefully it would aid my getting over it.  Whether using it to get over a broken heart, missed opportunity, lost job or whatever my default mindset was to be happy, because that’s what God tells us to do.  Consider it pure joy.   Even though you don’t understand, consider it a joy because this testing of your faith will make you stronger.  Be happy because your faith is growing.  While that mindset isn’t necessarily a bad one, I was leaving out one critical detail.  There was still pain.  This verse didn’t cure the hurt that had caused me to go to this passage in the first place.  Then I read it yesterday and my mind was shattered.  My understanding of this passage of Scripture was just flipped on its head. 

Prior to yesterday, my formula for getting through tough situations using these verses was very easy.  Be happy, even in the pain, because you’ll be stronger for it and you’re faith will grow as a result.  The better front you put up, the easier it is to get over and move on, the more you’ll grow. 

Late Sunday night, our car was broken into, adding a broken window to a long list of problems we’ve had to sort out with our Jeep.  Along with some change, 3D movie glasses, and a car charger, all our paperwork for this vehicle was stolen.  This headache was compounded by the surprise visit to an Ophthalmologist on Tuesday who determined that I have ulcers on both corneas in my eyes.  After what we thought was a routine eye exam because I needed some new contacts, we were advised to rush to the specialist who had worked me in so he could get a better look at these ulcers.  The thought of ulcers like you get in our mouth and lips in your eyes is far worse that the pain is.  Although my eyesight has deteriorated a bit because of them, I should be back to 100% after 2 weeks of medicine. 

But it was in the couple of hours just after the doctor appointment that I started in my default – thinking and praying this passage.  I was saying it over and over in my head on my way home from Club when it hit me. 

Consider it pure joy my brothers.

Consider it pure joy.

CONSIDER it pure joy. 

There’s where my mind had been blown and my understanding of a verse I had often called upon during trying times had been given a deeper understanding.  Although I had already resorted to thinking about how this experience would help me later in life, God opened my eyes, quite literally, to the truth in the first word of the verse.  Consider.  Where my previous mindset told me to be happy, and smile through all this mess, this word told me that it was fine to be frustrated, confused and upset.  Through this single word, my previous mindset had been rocked with a new perspective.  I love it when God does that.  

Lion and Lamb

As I sat in church yesterday, listening to the pastor talk about  Revelation 1, I couldn't help but think of all the characteristics of God. We walked through the first chapter, verse by verse, really getting to the core of what each verse means. It was so humbling sitting there listening to the promise we have in Christ. I have read the first chapter of Revelation before but this time I left with a whole new perspective. I love when that happens when reading scripture.We were given this picture of Christ yesterday that I haven't been able to get out of my head since he said it. He talked to us about Jesus being the lion and the lamb. I have heard that plenty of times, but when I really sat and thought about it, I was reminded of how beautifully it is illustrated. When Jesus was on earth He was the person that everyone would run to when something was wrong. He drew people in by the love that He continually showed people. He was a healer and a protector. He was kind and tender. He was sought. He is the lamb. Now, Jesus sits on His throne in heaven. He is Mighty. He is Powerful. He is Righteous. He is King. He is the lion. He is not only accessible but he is our authority. These two words are so perfect to describe our creator. I think about John as he sat in his jail cell when all of this was happening in the first chapter. It says in Revelation 1:15 that his voice was like the roar of many waters. John describes His voice sounding like the sea because his cell sat right up against it. Revelation 1:17 says, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore." Although Christ is the ultimate King, He is still our comforter. He comforted John when he was afraid. There are so many words that describe our Savior. As I sat after church yesterday, I started thinking about all of the words. I think I could spend the whole evening writing down words that describe our King. He is perfect. holy. friendly. father. helpful. protective. compassionate. forgiving. empowering. discerning. consuming. cleansing. healing. destroying. delivering. fulfilling. faithful. provider. freeing. liberating. courageous. victorious. trustworthy. immune. honored. reliable. good. praised. glorified. famous. renowned. needed. beautiful. living. active. alive. amazing. inspiring. creative. abundant. rich. pure. real. safe. remarkable. extraordinary. miraculous. astounding. He is God! He loves us. He frees us. The promise that we have through Christ is absolutely incredible. As I think about this promise I am confident in the love that Christ has for me. He adores me. I am his daughter. He is my number one fan. My prayer is that we remember Christ as the lion and the lamb that He is. We will hold fast to the fact that He is our protector and our King! We are nothing without Him and with Him everything is held together perfectly. "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross." Colossians 1:17-20 

A Week of Carnivals

This past week we did something a little different. All the kids were off school for holiday. Usually during this past week we have a holiday club where we have kids and teens club everyday Monday-Friday. This year we tried something new! We had carnivals in each community that Living Hope works in. Monday we were in Red Hill. Tuesday we had a day off to celebrate Braii (grill out) day here in Cape Town, woo hoo! Wednesday we were in Capricorn. Thursday we were in Ocean view. Friday we ended the week in Masiphumelele. As we prepared for the carnivals none of us really knew what to expect. we learned how to make balloon animals, prepared crafts, and learned some new games to teach the children. I remember being a little girl and loving when a carnival or fair would come to town. I knew I would get to go on fun rides, play games, win prizes, and eat food that would make my stomach hurt later that day but wouldn't care because it was so good! It was the whole experience that I loved and would get excited about, especially getting to share that with my friends. As we set up in Red Hill on Monday nobody really knew how the day would turn out. Kids starting arriving and they were so excited. They were ready to jump in and do everything we had planned for them. We made tons of balloon animals, painted a lot of faces, and played with the parachute until my arms hurt. This continued the whole week in each of the communities. It was really cool for Nathan and I to be in all of the communities this week. We were able to meet new kids and spend quality time with all the other life skill educators. One thing stayed consistent all week though. It didn't matter if the balloon animal you made looked funny. It didn't matter if the spider you drew on a kids face looked like a caterpillar. It didn't matter how crazy the day seemed once we were all packed up. They were overjoyed that we were there spending time with them for the day. One of my favorite parts of the week was on Thursday. I was face painting a little boy who was five years old. He was so excited to get his face painted and told me he wanted a spider on his cheek. I had painted a lot of spiders that day and most of them didn't resemble a spider in my mind. As I sat there painting, the little boy was trying not to smile when the paint brush would touch his face. I continued painting and when I was finished I showed him his face in the mirror. The look on his face was priceless. His eyes became the size of golfballs and his smile stretched ear to ear. He said thank you and gave me the biggest hug in the world. He stood up and ran away with his arms in the air screaming, "I'm spiderman!" It was in that moment that I was reminded of the simplicity in life. It doesn't matter if these kids have the best things, they are truly happy with the simple things. On Thursday that little boy was spiderman and that was enough for him. My prayer is that we all can find joy in the simple things in life. Time with family, the smile on our friends face when we tell a funny story, or the promise we remember when we see a rainbow. May we all strive to live life this way and to remember the simple things that bring us so much joy! 

Chosen: The Legacy Leighton Has Left Behind

As I sit here with a heavy heart and hope for what's to come, I am reminded of how magnificent of a God we serve. In life we hit road blocks where monumental things happen to us. There are moments that take us by surprise, moments of utter disbelief, moments of unmeasurable joy, and moments where we wish we could stop time in its tracks. This past weekend I lost a friend that meant so much to everyone that she had ever met. Someone who lived a life of pure joy and selflessness. A life that people would look at from the outside and think, "man that girl has something special!" Although her life was cut a lot shorter then we all wanted, her purpose on this earth was complete. While heartache is upon all who knew her and eyes are filled with tears, we hold on to a hope that we serve a God who knows all of us by name and has written the ending to all of our stories here on earth. Many will gather today in Tennessee to celebrate the life of that beautiful, fun, and loving girl. Hearts will cry out and many people will ask the question, why? It's okay to ask those questions. It's okay to question why it happened and mourn over this trying time. But at the end of the day, when Leighton is laid to rest, we can all join together knowing that she is with Christ, high above the clouds, worshipping Him and fully alive in His presence. Her story was written and her story is now complete here. She was chosen to live the life that she did, to impact the lives that she did, and to leave a legacy that people will talk about for years to come. Her life has left us all with a challenge. A challenge to live life to the absolute fullest. A challenge to put others before ourselves. A challenge to make Christ known through our daily walk. I am blessed to have known Leighton Williams. I am thankful for the influence that she made on my life and the handprint that she has left in my heart. 

Tonight, while reading a book I was recently given, I couldn't help but think how thankful I am to be chosen by God. I am the daughter of a God who didn't choose me because he had to, but because He wanted to. He chose me because He loves me so much and wants to see me happy. Times like now it's hard to remember that, but the chapter I read tonight brought new hope into my life. We all know how it feels to be chosen by someone. A friend, that special guy, or a job position that we have wanted for years. It's sometimes hard to process God choosing us because we can't physically see or touch him. But He is there and He has chose US! His love for us is so vast that we can't even comprehend it. Kelly Minter, author of "The Fitting Room," illustrates it beautifully in her book...

"It is only when my view of God is distinctly human and small that I think, well, God is supposed to choose me, right? But when I understand even a fraction of his magnificence and greatness, I have the utter opposite response--one of disbelief and gratitude that the God who governs every atom of the universe acquainted Himself with my unique being, lovingly, and individually picking me with His mighty hands, holding me with the tenderness and awe of a child cupping his first sand dollar. And when I consider Psalm 139 and meditate on the Lord's intimate knowledge of me, I begin to understand that I have not been mindlessly chosen as one soul in an enormous pack, like a rancher purchasing a herd of cattle. Instead, God has chosen me as a beloved individual who has been searched and known. Whose sitting and rising, and coming and going does not escape the roaring, never-slumbering eyes of God. He is familiar with all my ways, the words on my tongue before I speak them. His loving hand has hemmed me in on every side. I cannot rise to heaven or flee to hell or skip across the ocean without His presence attending me. And when I was in my mother's womb, and God was spinning planets and drawing the tide in and out, while he was dressing the fields, and feeding the sparrows, He was somehow, at the same, knitting together my fair skin and hazel eyes with my sensitive heart and melancholy temperament, stitching together threads of genes that science has yet to even identify And while He sits on His throne, ruling and working, He thinks about me with vast and innumerable thoughts. I think this is what it means to be chose. And though we are part of a vast number of saints who have also been chose, it does not in any way diminish the exclusivity of God's individual choosing of me or you." 

I couldn't have put it any more perfect. How can you read that and not have hope! We are chosen. The life we live here is not ours, but it belongs to Christ. He has chosen us for this time to make His name known. He has uniquely molded us into His most beautiful masterpiece. There will be times of immense grief on earth, times like I said above, where we question who God is and what His ultimate plan is. But let's take grasp of the peace and hope He offers us. Let's join together and celebrate the amazing gift He has given us, the gift of being chosen. The gift of being sons and daughters of the most high God! That is my hope tonight and for tomorrow. 

Tonight I am celebrating Leighton and her life. Saddened I can't be at home with friends, my heart is stretched over the ocean that separates us and is there. But tonight I have hope and peace because I know the hope that has come with the life Leighton lived. I have peace because she was chosen by our beautiful King and is living a life of pure joy in the most beautiful place in the universe. She is with our sweet Savior and I can't think of a better place to spend eternity! 

I love you Leighton, see you soon! 

365 Days

365 days, 1 year older, and so much left to learn! Today I turned 25 years old and it's been one amazing day. Each year seems to go by faster and faster. I blink and 365 days have passed  once again. 24 was very good to me. I was newly married, moved across the world to South Africa, made new friends, fell in love with a beautiful community that sits high on a hill, and in return feel even more in love with my beautiful Savior. While 24 was a very good year, it had it's challenges. I moved halfway across the world 6 weeks after being married, I had to say goodbye to family and friends, I began to see the deep hurt and trials in a community that I love, and sometimes no matter how hard I searched, I felt far from the Lord. In the last 365 days there have been moments of joy and moments of despair. There have been tears of laughter and tears of sadness. There have been times where I wanted to pack up and go home to the comfortable lifestyle I once knew and times where I could see us living here for many years down the road. Looking back at all of those moments I can't help but smile. I'm 25 years old and on the most incredible journey with the most wonderful husband. I remember thinking after high school, "I wonder where I'll be and what I'll be doing when I'm 25 years old!" At that time, it felt so far away. Where I am today is not where 18 year old Claudia thought she would be. Isn't that awesome? That's how remarkable of a God we serve. He knew where 25 year old Claudia would be way before it was on my radar. My friend today welcomed me to the quarter century of life. For a moment I thought to myself, "O gosh, I'm an old lady," but then I remembered how I'm in the most exciting place of my life. 365 days ago I had no idea what the next year would hold and 365 days later I am so thankful that is the case. I love how our story is written by our Father and even though life seems confusing and hard at times, He knows we will come out on the other side as long as we keep our eyes fixed on Him. So, heres to you 25 and another 365 days of life! I pray that I will love harder, laugh often, make new friends, fall even more in love with the community sitting on that hill, and grow deeper in faith and love to my beautiful Savior. 24 was good, but 25 is going to be GREAT! 

Thank YOU & Exciting News

Hey Friends! Just wanted to give you an update and tell you that my surgery on Wednesday went well! Dr. Fisher said everything looked great and we needed to leave the spots to heal for a couple months before going in and putting the implants in. Thank you all so much for the sweet text messages, e-mails, and posts the past couple of days. We have definitely felt the prayers and are so grateful for the encouragement and amazing people the Lord has put in our lives. Also, I have to brag on my husband for a second. I married one of the most servant hearted people on this planet. He has been so amazing the past couple of days and made sure I was comfortable every minute I've been awake. He is a superstar you guys and I am so thankful I can call him my husband. Okay, I'm done! :) With that being said, we have some exciting news to share. We have really been praying about moving when our lease ends in October for a couple of different reasons. We love our landlords now and the place we stay is great. There are a couple of things that we don't have that we would like to have since we will be here another year or maybe longer. We have a lot of visitors coming at the beginning of the year and so a spare bedroom is one thing we were really looking for. Another thing is an oven. We have been cooking from a toaster oven and two burners. It hasn't been that big of a deal, but now with all my food allergies there is just a lot more I could do with an oven. Another thing is we would love to hold a small group of some sort at our place and we just don't have the room where we are right now. We prayed about it and talked to our landlords and explained that we may not be renewing our lease in October. They were great about it, a little upset because they loved us staying here but we knew it was what we wanted. So we began praying and praying and searching gumtree (South African Craigslist) and we found something we liked and contacted the property agent. She explained to us that the place we wanted to look at wasn't very suitable for what we were looking for, but there was something that came up but wasn't on the market yet. It happened to be a flat that was off of her main house. The people staying there right now didn't really work out so she said we could come look at it. We went and looked at it yesterday and fell in love instantly. It has everything that we were looking for and is in a great/safe location. We are right down the road from the Lankfords and the Elders who have become great friends of ours since being in Cape Town. The move in date was the 1st of October which is exactly what we were looking for. We, or actually I, was stressing out about finding a place to live in such short notice, but the Lord provided for us once again. It's in these little blessings that I am reminded of our purpose and calling here. The Lord knows our desires and even if it's something like finding a new place to stay, He is going to provide as long as we're seeking Him. There are many exciting things coming up in the next two months. Nathan and I are celebrating 1 year of marriage, I'm turning 25 years old, and our 1 year anniversary of moving to this beautiful country. It's so fun for new chapters to start and old ones to be closed. I am excited to see what this new home brings and all the memories we are going to make in it. I am overjoyed at the thought of my family and friends getting to come here and experience our life for a couple of weeks in the new year. But most of all I am thankful that I serve a God who knows my every need, desire, hurt, and struggle but continues to love me everyday and loves to see us happy! Thank you once again for all the prayers the past couple of days and cheers to new beginnings and new chapters being started!

You Revive Me

Do you ever have those moments where you feel like it's just you and God in a room with nobody else around? I had one of those special moments this morning and surprisingly enough, I was surrounded by quite a few people. I was at the gym this morning running on the treadmill before heading to Red Hill for the day. I had my ipod in listening to a random playlist of songs when Christy Nockels "You Revive Me" came on. I have heard that song countless times, but this time it was as if God was whispering the words in my ear. As I was running I started to think back on this amazing journey our Father has taken Nathan and I on. The joys and the struggles that accompany the past 10 months and how they have changed both of our lives for the better. Incase you haven't heard this song, the lyrics go like this...

You revive me
you revive me lord
And all my deserts are rivers of joy
You are the treasure, I could not afford
So I'll spend myself till' I'm empty and poor
All for you, you revive me lord

Lord I have see your goodness

And I know the you are
Give me eyes to see you in the dark
And you face shine of glory
That I only know in part
And there is still a longing
A longing in my heart
My soul lord is thirsty
Only you can satisfy
You're the well that never will run dry
And I thank you for the blessing
Of calling me your friend
And in you name I'm lifting up my hands

I'm alive im alive

You breathe on me
You revive me

As I listened to the words I began to thank Jesus for those times in the past 10 months where we felt hopeless and alone in a desert. A desert where all we saw when we looked out was thousands of miles of sand and nothing else. I thanked him for bringing us out of that time and filling our hearts with so much JOY and love for where He has brought us. I thanked him for breathing new life into me and for giving me this passion that I know only comes from Him. My prayer during those times was Psalm 28:6-8, which says, "Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed." In the confusing and lonely times I cried for help and the Lord heard my cry. He reminded me that this life that I'm living day to day in South Africa isn't my own, but it belong to HIM! He has placed me where I am today and I am so confident in our calling to this beautiful and broken country. 

God is moving in huge ways in Red Hill and Satan knows that. He continues to try and bring us down with the smallest things. He doesn't like that Christ name is being proclaimed everyday in this community and people are coming to know Jesus as their personal Savior. This disgusts Satan so much that he is using attacks to make us feel like what we are doing isn't important. These attacks from Satan are not going to hold us back from the work that is being done in this place. He has brought on another attack and it's in the form of a tooth! With that being said, I would like to ask for a specific prayer request. About two weeks I went to the dentist with terrible tooth pain on the left side of my mouth. As I sat in the chair I figured I just needed a filling or something small. The dentist took an x-ray and came back in to tell me that I was going to need to get my back two teeth surgically removed. I have had quite a bit of work done on those back two teeth but there is no longer anything they can do. As I sat there listening to his words, my eyes filled with tears and I felt defeated. Things have been so amazing since we have been back and I have felt so much better knowing now about my food allergies. I felt like Satan swooped down in that dental office and stole my joy right from me. I left the dentist office, got in the car with Nathan, and had a good cry. I began asking WHY!? We went to Red Hill and talked to Lumka and Kennedy who encouraged us and told us everything was going to be fine. It was in that moment, sitting in the Red Hill container, that I began to see Jesus in the midst of it all. We found out later on that the procedure was going to be quite costly, but knowing that I serve a God who has no bounds and no limits, I began to feel his peace cover me. I reminded myself of that verse in Psalm and how it says, "The Lord is MY strength and MY shield; in him MY heart trust, and I am helped." We began to pray and e-mail friends and family back home to explain the situation and what needed to be done. The Lord has continued to be faithful and has provided us with the necessary funds to have the procedure done this Wednesday. We are blown away by all of you and how you continue to support and love on us thousands of miles away. 

We truly believe Philippians 1:6 with all of our hearts. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Like I said before, God is moving in huge ways in Red Hill and we are so blessed to be here, serving this beautiful community everyday. We are anxious and excited to see Christ plan continue to unravel. If you could join us in prayer for the coming months and the attacks that Satan is going to continue to bring. Pray that even through those times, that Christ name will be exalted above the mountains that surround Red Hill. Pray for Nathan and I that we will continue to focus our eyes on Him daily and even in the difficult times we will see Him high above everything. Please pray for the procedure on Wednesday and that the pain will go away quickly and I'll feel back to normal by next week! We are so grateful for your prayers and support as we continue to live life here and with the help of Christ, bring hope to Red Hill!   

Heavy Hearts

It's a Monday night and I'm already tired, although this is mostly due to an exhausting previous week, emotionally and physically.  Sometimes it seems there aren't enough hours in a weekend to recover.  Thankfully we serve a God who is able to do far more than we could ever hope for or imagine, and His power is made perfect in our weakness.  Last week was one of the most emotionally taxing weeks we've had since we've been here and one of the most eye-opening.  But it was also one of the most affirming weeks we've had, knowing without a doubt that this is the place where we're supposed to be.

                                                     

Sive & Liyema 

 About a month after we arrived here in October, we met two kids who were new to Red Hill, Sive and Liyema, 6 and 5 years respectively.  They went away for holiday in December and we didn't see them until just before we left to come back to the States in May.  When we got back July 1st, in the middle of Holiday Club, we started  noticed Sive had peed in his pants one day at club and continued wearing the same outfit for the next week.  We saw he wore the same soiled clothes for a week. Starting on Monday the 17th, all our Red Hill kids returned to school.  All except for Sive and Liyema.  By this time, the weather was getting significantly cooler and rainier so anytime we saw these two running around, we brought them inside so they could warm up by our heater.  We told Lumka our worries and she made it a point to find out who was taking care of these kids and see if there was a reason for them wearing the same clothes for weeks on end.  It turns out these two kids have been sent by their mother from another township, Masiphumelele, to "take care" of her friend living in Red Hill who lives real close to the Living Hope Office. 

Tuesday, Sive came into teens club and cuddled up next to Claudia and told her his feet were cold and he was hungry.  It was the equivalent of 45 degrees Fahrenheit and raining, and Sive was wearing the same socks and sandals he's been wearing the last 2 weeks.  Lumka went to where they are staying and talked with their "caregiver" and gave them each some clothes that we had sorted from a donation from Living Hope.  The next day was another chilly, rainy day and we saw the brother and sister walking outside, again, not in school or cresh (daycare), but wearing a new outfit.  We brought them inside again and warmed them up, gave them some leftover bread and juice from our communion, and then found some leftovers from Phillis' kitchen and fed them a warm meal.  We also got them some boots and socks to help them keep warm this winter.

While we know this story isn't unique in the Cape Town area, or even Red Hill for that matter, we can't help but be heartbroken for these two precious kids.  One of the hardest parts of the day is leaving to come home, knowing we can cuddle up next to our heater, but not sure if these kids will have dinner on the table at night or breakfast in the morning.  There are people looking into this situation, trying to get these kids in a house where they can be given proper care - a bath, meals, blankets - but until that gets sorted out, we will continue to try and do what we can to take care of these kids.  We hope you will join us in praying that this situation will get resolved in a timely manner and these two can get into some sort of educational setting before they get set back another year in school.  Also, pray that we can discern what our role in helping is.  We wish we could just take them home where we know they'd have plenty of food and blankets and a bath, but unfortunately we can't because of liability reasons.  Maybe after we make contact with the mother, we could arrange something where we could keep them for a night a week or something, however at the moment, we will continue to pray and when an opportunity arises to meet any physical needs of theirs, we will do what we can to meet it.

In addition to this, we are starting to feel Satan start to attack some of our teens.  Following one of the best weeks we had in a bible study sense last week, this week we learned of many issues that our teens are facing.  We asked them to share some topics they struggle with and that we would see what the Bible says about these issues and some of their responses were hard to swallow.  From alcohol and drug abuse to rape to satanism, these teens have experienced far more than any 12-16 year old should even be exposed to.  But the fact they want to talk about these issues is encouraging.  "But when anything is exposed to light, it becomes visible." Ephesians 5:13.

We have gone to sleep the past week with very heavy hearts, but we also rest in the peace that we serve a God who is so BIG and loves the kids and teens of Red Hill more then we could ever imagine! We know that His perfect plan is going unravel in time. We all know the power of prayer, so thank you in advance for remembering these sweet faces and names. We are excited to watch our Father move in incredible ways!

Time At Home

Although we've been back in Cape Town for a week, it's been more than 2 months since we've posted an update on our journey, most of which was spent on a much needed furlough back in our homeland.  We were originally scheduled to depart Cape Town on May 21st, but some unknown health issues forced their hand and we opted to push our flight up 2 weeks earlier to get them sorted out.  We spent a total of 7 weeks living out of a suitcase, traveling all over the southeastern part of the US visiting friends and family, going to numerous doctors appointments, and eating all the food we'd missed over the previous 8 months.  We returned to Cape Town a week ago Friday, on June 28th, and had a weekend to gear up for the whirlwind of Holiday Club back in Red Hill with our kids and teens this past week.  But let me catch you up, briefly, on our life - doctor appointments, traveling, family, friends and eating - over the last couple of months.

The bulk of the focus of our coming back early to the USA was to figure out what had been ailing Claudia for so long.  For the better part of the 6 months prior to our departing South Africa, Claudia had been experiencing some physical problems.  There wasn't a span of 2 weeks where we she felt 100% the whole time.  Over a span of 6 months, we frequented the doctor's office 15 times and each time it seemed we were only treating the symptoms and not getting to the source.  Looking back, you'd think we would have figured out something was wrong sooner.  But oh how quickly we lose perspective when we don't understand.  I don't know if it was a fear of letting people down or not wanting to feel vulnerable, but either way, our pride told us we needed fight this battle on our own.  In May, after Claudia had missed 3 straight days in Red Hill, we decided it was best if we pushed our flight up and spent the extra 2 weeks seeing doctors, trying to figure out the source of Claudia's ailing.

After we landed in Nashville and had our "Welcome Back" meal at Cracker Barrel, we headed to Lexington in hope of finding answers.  After weeks of blood tests, a stomach scan, and a colonoscopy, we still hadn't found a definite answer to our medical questions, but we had eliminated many of the serious diseases.  While there was still a bit of unknown, we were thrilled to know it wasn't as serious as we had once thought.  After the findings of Claudia's colonoscopy, we had our first hint that it could be a food allergy, and so we scheduled an appointment with a Nutritionist/Chiropractor in Nashville.  There, Claudia had her blood drawn and tested for food, mold, and other allergies and we finally got an answer to what had been an 8 month mystery.  She is allergic to many of the foods we eat on a daily basis in Cape Town, including dairy and wheat.  Although seemingly having to adapt a new lifestyle with these allergies was a bit daunting, we were thrilled to have finally figured out what battle we are up against.  Changing our diet here has been a work in progress, but Claudia will tell you she's felt better than she has in a long time, which is such an answer to our prayer for the last 8 months.

Being back in the US was such a blessing for us.  We visited family and friends all over Kentucky and Tennessee while getting to update our supporters and host some dinner parties to tell others about our journey.  It was such a blessing and looking back at our time there, was exactly what God had planned.  While we were dealing with all the unknown, we spent 10 days, split up into 2 legs in Franklin, which is where our journey began, where our roots are.  It was while I was an intern at Rolling Hills Community Church that Claudia and I began dating.  There I went on my first overseas mission trip to the place where we would end up moving.  It was where God affirmed our calling to the kids and teens of Red Hill.  So it should have been no surprise that we would get the answers to our medical issues while we were visiting there.  Through meetings with our mentors, God brought us back to the basics of our calling and in doing so, refreshed and refueled us to come back more excited and with more purpose than when we originally moved!  

Looking back, our time spent with friends and family was invaluable.  We were blessed to have 7 weeks at home.  We were lucky to be able to celebrate both Mother's Day and Father's Day with our families.  We were able to go to Atlanta to see a Braves game.  We were both able to see one of our best friends marry the love of their lives.  We got to relax on vacation with our family to Florida.  We went to a concert and most importantly, we ate all kinds of Mexican food!  

I don't think I can properly express how much being home, surrounded by family and friends who love and support us, meant to Claudia and I, but know that I am very grateful for you.  

             

A Flash of Moments

It's hard to believe that tomorrow we will have been here for 6 months! WOW, that's half of a year. It is amazing to look back on the past six months and see all the things the Lord has done and how He has continued to be faithful in this chapter of our lives. There are so many things that stand out in my mind since we have been here. Let's take a look at some of our favorite moments in the past 6 months...

 Our first time on the road driving in South Africa was an adventure. We were excited and nervous all at the same time. It was a little intimidating since everything was on the other side. The steering wheel, the side of the road we were on, our turning signal, our window shield wipers, and the ways we were supposed to turn at a robot (stop light). We are grateful that we have had no accidents and only a few minor incidents where we turned into the wrong lane or got in the car on the wrong side, oops!

Our first event in Red Hill, Wait For Me. This was a little less then a month after we had arrived. It was such a blessing getting to see our kids and teenagers excited and wanting to learn more about staying pure before marriage. The Lord was present that day and we loved learning together.

First Thanksgiving together. We were sad whenever we thought about celebrating holidays away from home, but our family here in South Africa made that a lot easier. This was the first time we realized how many Americans there were here and the Lankford's opened their home to us to celebrate all together. We had turkey, dressing, mac & cheese, and so much more. Our community was slowly beginning to grow.

Christmas in Red Hill. We had two Christmas parties in Red Hill in December and they were both so much fun. We loved getting to share the story of the birth of Christ with our kids and teens. This was the first time we saw our teenagers take ownership and they helped bring to life the Christmas story for all of our kids. We had a great couple of days!

Christmas: Just The Two of Us. Christmas for us was usually spent with a lot of family, tons of food, and even more presents! This year it was a lot different, but a good different. For the first time we weren't surrounded with all the things that people make Christmas about and it was really nice. We made our own traditions that will hopefully carry on for many years to come!

Exploring. Trying New Things. Adventure. We are so blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We have had the opportunity to try new things since we've been here, like surfing! We love to go on hikes and be outside so this is really a perfect place to live. The most rewarding hike was when we hiked up Table Mountain in January! It was hard, but the view of God's creation at the top was well worth the long journey up!

Family. For Nathan and I it has been such a blessing to get to know Lumka, Phillis, and Kennedy. It is so refreshing to work alongside people who are there to encourage you and make you better. We have made so many memories together and love the joy each day brings with these three amazing people. We can't wait to continue this journey with them and see how the Lord continues to bless our ministry.

Blessings From Home. Having our home church here in February was so awesome! I will never forget seeing familiar faces walk through the gate at the airport that night. We felt so loved and encouraged the whole time our church was here and we loved seeing them serve the Red Hill community. Although it was hard to see them leave, we knew how much of a blessing they had been to everyone here.

Kids & Teens Club. No matter what we are doing our kids and teens come every afternoon excited and ready to learn. They are SO excited to see you everyday and their sweet hugs never will get old. We have loved seeing them all grow in different ways since we have been here. They are truly one of the biggest blessings in our lives.

We could go on and on of all the moments that have stood out to us. It's crazy for us to think how fast it has gone by and all the little things that have happened in between. We have had moments of laughter, tears, confusion, and utter amazement. One thing has stayed consistent through all of it though, the love and faithfulness of our Father! We are excited to continue on this journey and ready to see what the next 6 months brings! Our prayer is that we never lose sight of what is important and we continue to be bold in carrying Christ name to all we come in contact with. Thank you Father for your LOVE, PROTECTION, and JOY you have given us thus far on this journey!