Category: Just for Fun

Furlough Fun

Umhlanga BeachWe have two more weeks left of our wonderful furlough. Sweet reunions with family and friends were a highlight but it was also great to  be part of the hustle and bustle of South African culture, having braais, biltong and enjoying South African humor.

We have had many opportunities to speak at church groups and to reflect on God’s hand over us the past two years and to tell stories of what God is doing around the world. We were thrilled to hear many testimonies of God’s work in the lives of our faithful supporters and how He is using them here in South Africa.

On 17 August we depart for Orlando. Please pray for a good flight and for us to settle back into our American lives smoothly. Also pray for our children who will start their new school year on 24 August.

We appreciate the assurance of your support as we start a new term as missionaries in Orlando.

Here are a few pictures of our visit here:

Bunny Chow

Bunny Chow in Durban

Braai

Famous South African BraaiCousinsWith Ouma and our youngest cousins

Hooray – One Year Today

Coke BearOne year ago today, at the O.R. Tambo International Airport we waved goodbye to our family and started the adventure of serving as missionaries outside our home country. We bravely stepped onto the airplane, certain that we were answering God’s call.

A year later, we are even more convinced of His calling and look back at the year with gratefulness to Him and to our partners.

Reflecting on the year, here are the highs and the lows of our experiences:

The Highs:

  1. Experiencing the Lord’s provision at a new level, despite the weakening Rand.
  2. Being used by God at the Global Headquarters as we join with others in seeing the Great Commission being fulfilled.
  3. Being the first people on our street and welcoming all our neighbours as their homes are completed.
  4. Our new friends and church.
  5. Seeing our children grow in leadership and wisdom despite the challenge of “being different”.
  6. Experiencing so many new and exciting places, foods, cultures and people.

The Lows:

  1. Missing our family and friends.
  2. The cost of living is much higher here.
  3. Language barriers – we wish we could speak Spanish.
  4. Witnessing the universal sinfulness of humankind – you cannot escape crime, poverty and abuse.

To God belongs all the glory for the privilege to serve Him!

Meet Moonshadow

20140402_123037

We are well but would appreciate your prayers for the following:
  1. Stefan will be in Korea and Hong Kong from 4-13 April. Please pray for safe travels and fruitful interactions as he learns how to serve our staff members in that region.
  2. Marie will be attending an “Old Testament Survey” course next week (7-11 April). Pray that she will learn a lot while juggling all her responsibilities.
  3. Kenneth and Monica are writing important State-wide Math, Reading and Science exams on 14 & 15 April. The grading influence many things so they are under pressure to perform well. Pray that they have clear minds and peace during the exams.
  4. Stefan’s mother, Lynne, is currently in hospital with various health struggles. Please pray for her and the health workers.
Meet Moonshadow – our adopted tom cat! Here in America the rules for keeping a pet are different, but we are learning fast. Since his arrival on Sunday, he had brought us lots of joy.
IMG_20140401_081758
We appreciate you prayers!

Home Sweet Home

1 House

A Poem from Marie

We say “Home Sweet Home” with gusto,
but recently I asked myself “Is that so?”
Signing our contract was a miracle form God,
being foreigners, living off the Rand, was such a slog.
But the Mighty, Faithful One came through,
He is always to be trusted through and through.

Unpacking was so bitter sweet,
Finding our things after 10 months was a treat.
But unpacking was also a reminder that we are staying,
We are not returning from vacation or playing.
Connected the cable, electricity and water,
we are now Floridians with our very own “gator”.

Every new furniture piece has a story,
a gift from God for His glory.
Our children are on cloud nine,
They now have rooms they can call “mine.”
We happily say “thank you for our Home Sweet Home,”
Knowing you prayed and gave and we were not alone.

Please go and see some of our latest Photos

Slow but Steady

13 09 01 Fuel

Slow, but steady best describes our settling-in process thus far. And the word “queues” paints a picture of how I spent most of my time this past month. Every task to make us Floridians has required standing in a queue. The good news is that we now have driver’s licenses, insurance, license plates and registered vehicles. We have uploaded some new photos here.

Give thanks for:

  1. God’s calling that is confirmed every day.
  2. Our ongoing progress with our paperwork.

A big disappointment was that we could not move into our new home due to problems with the mortgage application. A new date for our move is now 26 September. Our colleagues, Keith and Kay, have been amazingly patient by allowing us to continue to stay with them.

Pray for:

  1. The mortgage application to be successful.
  2. The children as they learn the new system at school. It had a few surprises.
  3. Stefan and his team will be in Budapest from 6-13 September for their twice-a-year Technology Leader’s meeting. This time of collaboration is strategic to help our missionaries spread the gospel.

Standing in the queues gave me extra time to pray for you and I thanked God for your part in enabling us to be here.

Your queuing missionary,

Marié