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!