A Wrap up of 2020: The Year That Was

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 I almost decided not to post a yearly wrap-up, but for the sake of posterity I am finally getting it done. 2020 started off in fine fashion. We filled our days with school, orthodontic appointments, field trips with friends, and visits with our sweet Amo girl. Tyson spent time with his friends several afternoons a week and Jori was volunteering at the veterinary clinic that our pup Nala goes to. She even helped out in a few surgeries!





In the middle of January Darin left for a work trip that took him to Thailand and Laos for 3 1/2 weeks. Early in March, Darin's mom and 3 other ladies arrived from Edgerton and spent a week volunteering in the community and experiencing a bit of our daily life in South Africa. While they were here, the Corona Virus quickly went from something we had hardly thought about to something we couldn't seem to escape from. Darin's mom had planned to stay on with us for a few weeks after the other ladies had left, but after a flurry of phone calls and trips to the airport she was able to get on an earlier flight before air travel was suspended. 





The next few months were mostly uneventful as we adjusted to a new way of life that included a whole lot of togetherness! In May there was a bright spot with the birth of Amo's sister, Mohau.  

 



 In June Tyson celebrated his 16th birthday and Jori turned 14. In July, as lockdown restrictions continued to ease,  Jori joined Tyson in getting braces. Tyson started taking dance classes in August and was happy for the distraction and entertainment they provided. Darin travelled to Uganda and Kenya at the end of October and in November the kids and I went on our first field trip with friends since March! In December we took a family holiday to Pilanesberg Game Reserve and stayed at Kingdom Resort for two nights, enjoyed celebrating Christmas together, and then entered a partial lockdown just before the new year. 






2020 was definitely different, at times a bit scary, and always full of God's faithfulness. We had many opportunities to learn how little control we have, even thought we often operate under the illusion that we are in total control of our days. 2020 made us even more grateful for our family across the world and our framily here in South Africa. 2020 also ended up being a year that our desire to know God and his Word grew exponentially as we participated in Bible studies over Zoom and started a Bible reading plan as a family. Although the year was difficult as we missed spending time with friends here and having family visit from abroad, as work trips were put on hold and family plans were totally cancelled, we are able to look back with thankfulness, for the health of our friends and family here and around the globe, for the work of God within us and around us, and for the assurance that God is in control over all that was, all that is and all that will be. We are holding on to his promises as we look ahead to the anticipated changes in 2021 as we leave our home here and settle into a new season of life in Michigan.


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