May 2017

Well, as you can imagine, Going back to work and getting into a new normal is quite time consuming. And that time absolutely flies by! Simo is 6 months, going on 1 year! I used to think that time went fast, and now it goes even faster when I watch Simo grow each month!

Life has been really full lately. It seems like working + taking care of baby is about all I can manage, with a little cooking here and doing laundry there. I feel so blessed by the work I get to do at Project Canaan. Sometimes I get caught up in all the tasks that need done, like doing the medicine ordering, calling doctors for reports, scheduling appointments, updating kids files, printing out the medication sheets to help keep track of which kids take what meds each month… and then other times I step back and look at the awesome work that I get to be a part of! I get to help care for 155 awesome kids, and I learn so much every day! Last month we got two tiny babies, one was a newborn weighing 5.3 lbs, and the other was 4 weeks old, weighing 3.7 lbs! They are the smallest babies I have cared for so far. I’m constantly learning, and I just feel really blessed to be able to work with a great organization like this one.

One of the things we’ve been working on for about a year now is getting some land of our own in the southern part of Swaziland, where Mapile is from. The area is called Mbutfu. One of our dreams is to do ministry down in that area, so we are hoping to have some land to build a house on close to that area. Mapile has spent so many weekends driving down there to go to the community meetings about the land that are held every other weekend. It is a very long process, and we are still in the midst of it now. I’m so thankful that Mapile knows when to go and what to do at the meetings, because I’ve learned that getting land here looks very different than getting land in America!

I love living in Swaziland, and being married to Mapile. One of the reasons I’m thankful to be living here is that I feel like there are so many opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives. God has blessed Mapile and I in so many ways, and it’s so wonderful when we allow those blessings to overflow to other people! There are so many needs around us, between our family and people who come to us looking for help. Often times we aren’t able to help people, and other times we find ways to help out in different ways. I guess I’m mentioning this because it has been a very big part of the past few months. I also absolutely love seeing Mapile’s heart for people. He is so selfless and loving. Sometimes I think that there are just too many difficult situations, and we just can’t do anything about them. It makes me feel like we need to stick to ourselves and just try to make life work in our little world… but Mapile sees the many ways that we can use what God has given us to be a blessing to others! It’s such a blessing to be married to a guy that is all about living out his faith for the Lord! One of the ways we've been able to bless some people is that we had some of Mapile's cousins come and spend a week with us during their school break. They love coming to visit, and getting to bake, watch movies, and play games in the gym that's close to where we stay. We also got the chance to take them for a hike to a waterfall. 

We had a braai for lunch while at the waterfall

She fell asleep on Daddy's back while hiking!

We were trying to make a Simo look alike face

Helping Daddy teach in the Library

Speaking about Mapile, he’s also been busy at the college. He recently finished teaching an Old Testament Survey course to the first year students. He is teaching semester long courses too – Research Writing and Beginners Computer Class. He’s also busy with student activities, student meetings, sports, and just spending time with students as well.

We had been hoping to go to seminary at some point this year, but those plans didn’t work out for now. God’s timing is not like our timing, for His thoughts and ways are just higher than ours. The biggest setback that we had in this process is that Mapile didn’t get a high enough score on the TOEFL test (an English competency test). He is planning on taking it again in June. Because of that test, we have been delayed in the process of getting accepted into Seminary. I guess it boils down to this: that for now, in this season, the Lord wants us to be here, doing the work He has set before us in Swaziland. We both feel at peace about this though, and we are learning so much in this season of life.

Simo with her friend Nsika at Liberty Church 

Another super exciting thing is that we are a part of a church plant starting in Manzini! The church is called Liberty Church – it started in the states in New York City, and they have quite a few branches in other areas, and now they are bringing a branch of the church to Manzini. We are good friends of the couple who is pastoring the church, and we have been a part of the team to help get the church going. It’s been such a blessing to be a part of this community. The church is quite multi-cultural, and I feel like it’s a great fit for our little family, especially at this point in our lives! The church is launching on May 21.

Alright guys, that’s all for now. We are hoping to get internet at our house soon so that this whole internet thing won’t be so challenging.

Praises:

-       God’s abundant provision in our lives

-       We’re headed to the States to visit family in Indiana/Minnesota for 6 weeks in July-August, and we can hardly wait!

-       Our daughter, Simosenkhosi, is a huge blessing and it’s a joy to watch her grow!

Prayer requests:

-       For the launch of Liberty Church Manzini – that the Lord would bring people to the church and that people would come know Him! The church is launching on May 21

-       Wisdom in general – to know how to deal with different life situations here

-       Land in Mbutfu – that the Lord would make it clear where he wants us to start building our house, and for His leading in that situation
- The TOEFL test - Mapile is taking it again in June

 

SIMO PICS: There's a big variety of pics here - babies change so much between 3-6 months! I last posted when Simo was only 3 months old, and she's already 6 months!

Simo with Ayanda while Mommy works

Simo loves Jose - he's one of the Bible School students who often visits our house. 

These two kids playing with Simo love visiting our house. They are the sons of one of our Bible School Students. They often visit to watch cartoons, or to help Simo play with her toys

A friend of ours got married this month! It was Simo's second wedding to attend. 

 

Mapile's family came for a visit - His mom, sister, and niece 

 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3: 16-19