Two Years
It is almost 6 and we are finished with supper, except for
Jori who is still scooping up the last bits of her taco salad. Tyson is playing
the Wii, Darin is leaving a What’s App message for his dad and I’m sitting at
the computer, looking out at the rain falling to the ground and a rainbow in
the sky. Our night could be your night, only if I sit here long enough, I might
see a giraffe walk past, which probably isn’t going to be happening for most of
you J
Monday marked 2 years since we moved to Tshepo ya Bana.
These have been some of the most difficult, tiring, and stressful years of our
lives, but also some of the most joyful, blessed, fulfilling and redeemed years
as well. Redeemed might seem like a strange word to use, but after our first 18
months in South Africa, the business struggles, stress on our family and
depression that was getting deeper and deeper, our time here at Tshepo ya Bana
has been redemptive in so many ways. We can look back and see how God used
people and events, both positive and negative, to bring us to this place, to
allow us to be available for a time when we were needed, to have people in
place who knew our hearts and were able to pray for us in personal ways.
These years have been hard. Trying to balance the needs of
our children, getting a new business off of the ground, learning how to work in
a South African context, living and interacting with hurting and vulnerable
children, seeing how broken and corrupt the world can be has been draining, but
in these difficult areas we have also experienced growth and Grace and have
seen our faith increase.
We were so glad to travel to the states to see our friends
and family this summer, but we missed our home here in South Africa and coming
back wasn’t the terrible thing I thought it might be. I was worried that we
would realize that we didn’t actually belong here, afraid we would miss life in
the United States and our loved ones there too much to remain in South Africa,
and maybe even a little nervous that we’d come back and find out we hadn’t been
missed and weren’t needed. Instead of having these worries and fears realized,
our return reassured us that THIS is where God has planted us and our lives
here have taken root.
We are so glad we’ve been able to share this adventure with
so many of you and will continue sharing the journey as long as we are called
to be here.
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