January Update

Dear friends and family,

Hello! Hope you are all doing well. I’m sorry it’s been so long since my last newsletter, but I’ll try to catch you all up to date now!

I spent last November working on a research project and finishing up my second year of Biblical Counseling studies – the halfway mark! It is a lot of work (especially when you work full-time, have a social life, and are a chronic procrastinator...) but it has been worth it and I have been learning a lot! The rest of the year end was filled with a lot of activities – Thanksgiving, parties, our 11-year church celebration (we were supposed to have a 10-year celebration last year but things kind of got derailed), cookie-baking with friends, and so on. South Africa has been hit hard by the coronavirus, but we moved to level 1 lockdown last year in September or October and life was the closest to normal it had been for a long time. 

We had a wonderful Christmas with friends, spent some time taking the kids to a game reserve where we could see animals in the wild, and really enjoyed the holiday season.

I was blessed to be able to have a coworker (and friend) live with me for six weeks while she was in between living situations – that was really awesome. Oh – and I got a different kind of housemate, a two-month-old kitten, who has been quite the source of entertainment. I’m really enjoying him. His name is Naartjie, the Afrikaans name for a clementine – he has ginger patches. He’s snoozing next to me as I write this. It’s fun to have a little companion who wants to hang out with me all the time, although I look forward to the day when he can no longer fit under the bathroom door!

Unfortunately, the infection numbers for SA began to rise and several days after Christmas, the president announced a regression to a level 3 lockdown. We are now no longer allowed to have church services or any social events. We are at least allowed to meet in restaurants (they have really pushed to keep the economy open this time). The regulations are confusing and and difficult, but we are trusting that God is still sovereign and praying that we are allowed to get back to normal soon. Meanwhile, it is very hard. I understand the importance of keeping people safe – I have quite a few friends and family members of friends who have been sick – but it’s really very hard to not be able to spend time fellowshipping with others in person.

Life at the baby home has continued more or less normally. I’m thankful that I still get to see my coworkers every day, and I’m enjoying doing a lot of fun things with the kids. We currently only have three babies, although we could get calls for more any day. We have two seven-month-olds (if you remember Sweetpea and Daisy from my last newsletter) and Babybear, who will turn three in a couple of months. In addition, our house parents’ children are 5, 4, and 6 months. Makoena (the house mom) homeschools her 5 and 4 year old, and I am able to help with some of that, including Babybear in it as well. We do Bible time, memorization, science experiments, art projects, alphabet activities, music class, and a lot of reading books together, among other things. 

I’m also working with B on his colors, shapes, counting, etc. He enjoys “doing school” and fun activities like sorting his cars out by color or matching his shape blocks. He’s very smart and is learning a verse for each letter of the alphabet – he can officially say up to F, although he knows a lot more when he’s reciting with the older kids. (I’ll never hear James 1:19 the same way – “slooooooowwwww to speak, slow to ANGER!” as he makes the cutest angry face!) He’s also learning the same catechism as the others, and he knows the answers to at least the first eight questions. I’m sure that he doesn’t understand everything that he’s committed to memory, but I’m thankful for the chance to help him hide these things in his heart while he’s young, and we pray regularly that God will save these kids as they grow older! Please pray with me – it’s such a burden on my heart.

As 2021 has rolled around, the time rapidly approaches for me to renew my 3-year visa. I’ve had to face a lot of decisions regarding this – what kind should I apply for? Should I attempt a work permit? Should I renew here? Should I apply in the States? Should I renew my passport since I only have two years left on it? Visa issues have been an ongoing temptation to anxiety for me, ever since I had some problems the last time I applied. I really struggle with not having an assurance of permanency. Please pray that I can trust God with everything and live the life He has for me now, instead of spending time worrying about the future – that I can put my hope in Him and not in the government or a piece of paper. There have been a lot of chances to grow in this over lockdown, as so much is out of my control. But, it is slow going! Practically, I am thinking that I will probably try to apply for my visa here, then come home later in the year when I have a new visa and I can relax and enjoy my family and friends a bit more, without paperwork stress. Of course, this all depends on what travel restrictions look like. Right now, the US just put a ban on travel from South Africa. US citizens are exempt, but I would need to quarantine, and that would eat up a lot of precious furlough time, so I’d like to wait until that is no longer necessary, if possible. Please pray with me that I can get everything sorted on a practical level.

I hope everyone is doing well. I love to hear from you all – thank you to everyone who replies to my newsletters and blog posts! I will definitely do my best to answer anyone who writes to me.

P.S. My phone was stolen through my bedroom window (while I slept in my bed!) in December, the week before Christmas. Thankfully they didn't access any sensitive data such as bank accounts, etc., but it has proven to be quite the headache trying to get everything sorted - not to mention expensive, as they stole it shortly after I bought a new phone to replace my very old, very junky one! Anyway, I just wrote my quite belated quarterly newsletter, got on my email to send it, and realized that for some bizarre reason (maybe they had no idea how to wipe a phone) the thief had deleted my group of newsletter contacts. I know it was them, because at the time, they also deleted the email in my inbox - although I found them in my trash, since I checked right away. I still have a number of email addresses, but I have NO idea if I have all of them. I'm going to build a new list from scratch, so if you aren't on it and you want to be, or you are on it and you don't want to be, please let me know. 

P.P.S. Thankfully, someone had a list of my contacts from one time when I forgot to send my newsletter BCC, so they have been recovered! But still, if you haven't been on the list and would like to be, let me know! =)

Goodbye Lockie!

Way back in March, when we first got the announcement about the "three week" lockdown, things were pretty overwhelming. But, we thought we had figured things out. We had two preschoolers and two toddlers, and we would figure out a way to make it work.

Then the day before everything shut down, we got a call for a newborn baby who needed a place to stay.

Needless to say, sleepless nights and extra-busy days weren't in our plans! 

God, however, had other plans. He wanted to give this little boy a home and to work in us as well...in the middle of unexpected chaos and history-in-the-making that none of us saw coming, with a hardcore, emotionally intense, economically crippling country-wide (really, almost worldwide) shutdown. 

No matter your view on everything that has happened in 2020, there is no denying that it has been a challenge for many people. But in the middle of it, God showed us His grace and love and strength.

Here's what I wrote the day he arrived:

"Welcome to the madhouse, baby M! You have no idea what kind of world you came into...sometimes it's nice to be a kid.

"I find myself a bit jealous of all of them lately. But thankful that just like they don't even think much and stress about all the madness in the world around them (because the adults are taking care of it)...I have a Heavenly Father to run to as well...just like when our little two year old hears a scary sound and runs to me and puts her head down on my chest and all of a sudden things are ok...it's ok.

"Now if you all can please pray that he SLEEPS."

(He didn't.)

We cooked dinner like this.

Sometimes he liked to sit in his chair.

He loved Auntie Morongwa's lap!

I didn't have the night shift though!

We went to level 4 lockdown after 5 weeks, and the ladies came back to work. It's been such a joy to watch him grow over the last few months.

Our little monkey!

He is easily the most solid baby I have ever met.

Put this kid in a collared shirt and dress pants, and you will see why we call him the Minister of Finance! He looks just like a little middle-aged man.

We got word today that our sweet boy will be going home tomorrow! We are so excited for him and wish him all the best. Please pray that he will grow up to know and love Christ! It has been a privilege to care for him for the last seven months.

Things we will leave behind

I've been reading some books by Randy Alcorn on Heaven, and I've been really encouraged by them, as well as some conversations with friends about the same topic.

We really don't think enough about it, and how concrete and physical and amazing and REAL it will be. We won't be floating around on clouds playing harps, deathly bored...far from it.

Although I've been thinking a lot about what I will enjoy about Heaven...first and foremost, Christ...I've also been thinking a lot about what we will leave behind. Sometimes it's easy to be nervous and think well, we really enjoy this life, we just aren't ready to leave it, are we?

Of course, all the good things we enjoy will be there, only better. But, it helps me to think of all the things we will be leaving behind. Maybe it will help you too.

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sin

death

fear (sinful fear)

pain

hospitals

sickness

idolatry

rape

crying

murder

pride

dread

confusion

never feeling at home

watching friends suffer

medical errors/ignorance

pervasive sinful thoughts

irritation

impatience

funerals

passive-aggressiveness

anxious thoughts

sulking

sinful distraction

doubt

wanting to give up

masks

earthly-mindedness

lies and deceit

craving

jealousy

mosquito bites

fights with good friends

injustice

sinful dependency

broken things

counseling homework (the ouchy stuff)

coronavirus

abandonment

obsessive thoughts

the way someone has hurt in their eyes when you sin against them

assumptions

bitterness

unfulfilled longings

believing the worst

man's plan and not God's

abortion

fear of condemnation

spiritual blindness

uncertainty

"my fellow South Africans..."

bad what if's

gossip

stuffy noses

draining others

political riots

uncertainty

anxiety train

thorns

injuries

exhaustion

divorce

thinking I'm better than others

second-guessing

selfishness

anger

SIDS

emotional flamethrowing

hurtful speech (mine and others')

bad news

vomiting and nausea

everything ouchy

feeling left out

that hard feeling when you can't cry

orphanages

misery

awkwardness

bad days

rollercoaster emotions

condemnation

poverty

lawbreaking

carelessness

poison ivy

apprehension

disabilities

war

striving, trying to prove ourselves

same-sex attraction

embarrassment

panic attacks

wicked hearts

looking to others for what only Christ can provide

abuse

security gates

soul-tiredness

cancer

perfectionism

carjacking

hard feelings

barbed wire

miscommunication

conflict

lockdown

lockdown from God

laziness

rebellion

separation

hard conversations

hard loving

boredom

numbness

grief

unjust laws

racism

feeling unsettled/restless

sinful, bitter politics

tantrums

fighting

betrayal

crime

hate

sensory issues

being overwhelmed

suspicion

theft

the sting of death

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And that's just some of it. What would you add?

September Update

Hey everyone! I know you are all gearing up for fall in the States (I miss that, although not the winter that follows!), but here, Spring has sprung, quite enthusiastically. I've been enjoying the flowers that are everywhere, and this is just the beginning...jacaranda season will start next month and the entire city will turn purple.

There have been some pretty sunsets too!

The babies are growing so fast!

SweetP and Daisy are such smiley girls now.

Babybear is big enough to swing by himself now!

Tiny T is growing too, although he doesn't seem to want to sleep very much!

Little T turned four this month.

Just look at those chubby legs and feet!

We are continuing to enjoy science experiments. They're more fun if you set things on fire! (Under close supervision, of course.)

We did some broccoli/paint stamping to create our own jacaranda trees.

The kids also really enjoyed painting with toy cars!

We built and planted a bean teepee. Don't let Big T's face fool you...he was having fun. I hope it grows. It might not get enough sun in this spot...

We also brought home two new additions to MBH...I got the three kids some goldfish. Kids need pets! They named them Anna (from Frozen...not to be confused with Ana-the-bougainvillea-named-after-our-friend-from-church)...and...Lesego. 

One exciting thing that happened at my house this month was that we had skylights installed!

It's so nice to have more light in the house.

We are still in lockdown here in South Africa, but we have been downgraded to level 1. A lot more things are allowed, but we still need to wear masks and follow a lot of regulations. We are finally allowed to have a single church service again instead of two smaller services, so that is exciting! We all can't wait for lockdown to be completely over, though, so please be praying for that.

Bearing Burdens (As Told In Bad Stick Figure Drawings)

 So, Galatians 6:2 says to "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." This sounds amazing and wonderful, to be able to love each other in this way, but it's also confusing to know HOW to do it sometimes. I want to learn to be a better friend and burden-bearer. But, it isn't always simple. A lot of different things can happen. A lot of different things can go wrong! I was thinking through this a while back, and although my drawing skills aren't that great, I wanted to illustrate. (Do try your best to guess the right order for the speech bubbles...) Here are some ways that "bearing one another's burdens" can play out.

1. I think I know the best way to bear a burden, but the way looks different than I think it will. Or than I want it to.

2. They think they know the best way to be helped, but they are confused about what biblical help actually is. Or maybe they don't know the true nature of the problem.

3. Denial. Which often leads to #4...

4. ...which is, me not trusting God to work in them, and me hurting my friend when they are already under a heavy load.

5. My friend wants help but I don't have the right tools. We sit together on my couch, drinking tea or eating tacos and plowing through Kleenexes, staring at each other, wishing we could fix the problem.

6. They're struggling, but I don't notice because I really just want them to help ME.

7. I feel insecure in the friendship if I can't help or am not needed.

8. My friend is broken under such a huge burden, no one can get close enough to help. All I can do is pray.

9. We help each other grow. <3

(For those of you who don't speak South African, "shap" is basically all right, cool, sounds good.")

As a bonus, I thought you would enjoy this video!

I am so thankful that in Christ, there is hope for us to be able to love and help each other well.