Matthew

We are so proud of Matthew. We have changed schools as of January and as a parent who has moved their kid across the world, changed schooling (again), and changed friends (again) you have to wonder have you done the right thing. Well, seems as though Matthew is adjusting quite well to another system of schooling. In South Africa there are several different types of curriculum and you can decide which school your child attends and whether it's in English, Afrikaans, Zulu or another African language. Most depends of where you live and whether or not you put your children into government or private schools.  So, along with playing in the Marimba band and badminton (more on this 'sport' later), two things which are new this year, Matthew is doing very well. We continue to pray as missionary parents for our children to experience all God wants them to and grow in wisdom of Him. 

From sunrise to sunset

Every morning the rule in the car on the way school is worship music only. Every one knows. So, since Passion 2012 came out in March, that's what we've been listening to. LOVE IT! So the song, 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman was playing and it got me thinking. We have about a 35 minute drive to school and we leave about 6:30am so the sun is coming as we drive. Each morning it gives me time to reflect on the greatness of our Lord. So the song talks about blessing the Lord and as the sun comes up worshiping Him. It gives attributes of the Lord such as compassion and slow to anger. The the song makes a statement about still worshiping the Lord when the sun sets. How often do I get impatient, frustrated or just irritated with life during the day and forget to continue to praise the Lord? Well, often enough. When life doesn't turn out the way you think or the Lord is going along with YOUR plans. So, this morning, I resign myself (again) to continue to praise Him. From sunrise to sunset.

Psalm 103:1,8
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Psalm 63: 3-4
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will life up my hands.

Gracie Lou Freebird turns 11

Grace has had the nick name Gracie Lou Freebird for a long time. I think first coming from her Uncle Brent. It also fits her free spirit perfectly. Every birthday our kids get to pick where they want to eat for dinner. Grace chose Mugg and Bean which is kinda a South African version of Chilis and Starbucks mixed together. We love this place. Although too late for David to have their famous bottomless coffee. You don't get free refills or an endless amount of drinks pretty much anywhere here, so it's a treat when it happens.

Ok, so Grace turned 11. I can't believe my baby turned 11. In some ways it seems like yesterday when she was born. Every year I go over the story with her of the day she was born. How Melissa was there and I was so excited because she missed the birth of Matthew by 3 days because he was late and she left to be a Journeyman with the IMB. Her Aunt Becca was there to take pictures. And Andrew was there after driving Richard to the hospital. I think Richard needed the hospital after Andrew drove. Her daddy was there of course and got to deliver her. I kept reminding the doctor so much about cutting the cord, he asked if David wanted to deliver the baby and I don't think he expected him to say yes. But he did and what a special moment when for all these months I thought Grace was a boy. We never found out before hand because it's such a special surprise in that moment. So to me, I had carried the same, the heart beat was the same and I knew I was going to be blessed with another boy. What a surprise!!

What a special gift Grace is and will continue to grow us as parents as she becomes a young lady. And probably test us with her hormonally enraged teenage years. All the same, she is a gift and we are ever thankful!

Dollar a Day

Gosh, seems like a long time since I have written and entry, but my experience with our school's grade 9 is worth writing about! At our school, Waterstone College, each grade takes a 'tour' in which they go away for 3-5 days. It's like what we in the US would consider a camp. So, the grade 9s attend camp at J-Life Camp Eden in which we do an African Realities Camp with them. It is to help them become aware of the social, economic, spiritual, health, issues in the continent of Africa.

Day one: The class of about 90 teenagers are dropped at the farm and then broken up into social classes based on socioeconomic systems around Africa. Such as farm workers, unwed mothers, household workers, gardeners, factory worker with skill, etc...Then they walk the 9 kilometer farm road to catch a taxi into town.  They each are given money based on their new social statuses to buy lunch and dinner for that day. Our 'taxi' was the school's buses for practical and safety reasons. So, most were given 7.50 Rand to live on which is currently about a dollar a day. My group of ladies decided they would pool their money as a 'family' and buy bread, butter, apples and a juice. We had 56 Rand to spend and we had to save one rand each for taxi fare and rent for the night. They were not given their bags to change or fix themselves up after walking the 9km dirt road. After town, we did lots of team building games. It was great fun and to see the group dynamics was amazing. True colors begin to show when your hot, tired and stinky. We spend the evening watching the Invisible Children:Africa film. 

Day Two and Three: Each group comprised of about 15-18 teenagers were assigned a community project for the next two days. We went out to 2 communities where the poverty is abundant. Our group went to a school to play with the children, paint the security guard's house and then paint the new gutters around the school. So many of our students are from mainly white well-to-do middle upper class city kids from Johannesburg. So not used to working...Our girls were amazing!! Loved every minute of working with them. It gave me a real opportunity to work along side them and get to know them to be able to continue speaking into their lives. Many of our kids we took with us couldn't believe that the children at the school would take our left over sandwiches for their lunch or share what they were given without regard. I watched as they watched.

One of the things I love about getting kids out of their normal environment is watching the change that takes place. Some change is permanent and some just for the week. But speaking God's truth into the lives of people never comes back void. I've been working with teenagers long enough to realize that most of the impact you make in their lives you won't know about. Teens are very aware of adults whether they appear to be or not. They take in and assess what you are saying and does it match up to what you are doing. We as leaders need to be ever aware. One of the most impactful things happened with two of our boys in our group. One of the kids they were playing with had some sort of seizure or fit. He was taken to the office and the only place for him to rest was out on the grass. The boys gave him some of our lunch and a juice. No one called his parents and the ambulance was too far away to come. A much different picture than what would have happened at Waterstone. It would be much like what would happen in our US schools. Parents called, 911 called if necessary and they would respond  quickly. These two boys were astounded by the boy fainting and all it seemed he needed was some food. I don't know about you, but I haven't fainted or had a seizure because I was hungry. Ever. So it appears this boy and his family live on less than a dollar a day. Where food is a luxury and school fees are 30 Rand a month, but go unpaid because it is at the bottom of the list of necessities. Heart broken again that I am so blessed and I could have easily been born in a place that poverty was my life. Choices between eating breakfast, lunch and dinner would be taken away from me.

So, what to do?? How as one person do you change the world? You pick your passion or the thing that speaks to you most and start there. It's not about money all the time. It's about serving in a shelter, orphanage, or old age home. Start skipping that expensive coffee once a week. Sew. I don't know what it is for you, but not doing anything is not what we are called to do.