Hello Friends!
(Please excuse my lack of an update. I wrote this on Friday and I am just now posting it, which is Tuesday. I will have to make changes upon my arrival back into the US).
We have been pretty busy with last minute appointments and spending time with people we have built relationships with which also means less time to update friends! As I write this (not knowing when it will actually be posted) we have 6 days left in country. I cannot believe that it has gone by this fast already! Although I feel that are time here was short lived, I am at peace with the work that we have done and the fruit that God has produced. Let me give you more about why I feel this way.
One of the first weeks here I met 4 women, who I think I have mentioned before. They are so great and so full of energy. I have become good friends with these women and its official because we are also friends on Facebook! However, over the last 4 weeks or so I have been able to meet with them and share a lot about myself and what I have learned about our Heavenly Father through my relationship with Jesus. It has been such a blessing and a privilege to pour into these women and know them and walk along side of them as they search for more of who God is. One of them did not own a Bible when we met, but the women on our team all pitched in to buy a Bible for her. I gave it to her yesterday (Thursday) and she was ecstatic! She was so thankful and admitted that she couldn’t stop smiling because she was so excited. She also shared that a while ago she kept asking for one over and over again and eventually gave up on trying to get one. But she felt honored that we would think of her in our free time and buy her a Bible. She has been so great getting to know. I love her honesty and her open heart and her growing desire to know more about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Another cool story to show you how God has been working in South Africa is about Storm. You may begin to think what is she talking about? The weather? No, no, no, not the weather! Another friend whom God introduced us to, her name is Storm. Awesome name, right? Anyways, we first encountered Storm at the place we take to get our laundry done. She refers to her self as the laundry lady! Haha! She asked our director, Dave, about who we are and why we are here in South Africa. Dave, being the evangelist that he is, was very open and said that we were here to start a ministry on the NMMU campus. We learned that she goes to school there and works part time at this laundry facility. Our initial thoughts were “Oh, that’s cool. She seems nice”, but we did not pursue her by setting up an appointment or anything. Then a few days later when Kyra went in to do laundry, Storm asked about us and where we met and how she could find us. Kyra explained again why we were there and gave her our weekly meeting information. Then yesterday (Thursday) at our weekly meeting she shows up! Not knowing much about her or what she believes, I approached her and told her I recognized her from the laundry place! We laughed a little because that is how I know her, but then we sat down and started talking. After just a few minutes I knew that her heart is desperately searching for God. She is asking a lot of questions and I know that God is up to something! It’s crazy to see how God sets up divine appointments like He does. He clearly wants us to keep pursuing Storm. This morning (Friday) I sent her a SMS (text) and asked if she was on campus to talk and hang out for a bit. She was only able to meet for a few minutes, however, she was glad to know that we hadn’t left the country yet, but sad to hear that we were leaving in a week. She is so full of excitement and caring and just so fun to be around. I have been so blessed to be able to share the Gospel with her and hear how open she is to learning more about what it means and what it looks like to have a relationship with Christ! We are meeting on Monday morning, so please pray for her and for me and that Jesus would continue to reveal Himself to her.
Out of the stories that I have, those will be with me for a long, long time. And they are only a few ways in which God has been working in and through our team. I wish I could tell you all of them! Again, I am so sad to leave, but I am at peace and so joyful for the ways in which God is working on this campus. It has been such a honor and privilege to witness what God is doing here and to come along side students and other South Africans to be apart of His Kingdom in Port Elizabeth. I am thrilled to see how God continues this ministry here and to see more fruit come from this campus. Praise be to God who would use a sinner like me to display His glory for all to see.
Thank you for your prayers and for your continued interested in the work God is doing in South Africa. This will probably be my last blog until I am back in the States. Last prayer requests: Please pray that God would protect us from the enemy. I know that he is upset about all the work that we have done and all the fruit that God has produced and he will stop at nothing to get us down. I can sort of sense a spirit of defeat and tiredness among our team, which is a lie, according to South African believers. They have never seen so much excitement about the Gospel and spreading God’s Word. So pray against the enemy telling us lies. Please also pray for our journey back to the States. As you know, we are traveling with 3-year-old triplets, and it can be difficult to keep one 3 year old entertained on a plane for 16 hours, but there are 3! Our flight leaves at 3:30 in the afternoon on Thursday, August 19 (South Africa time) and we are scheduled to arrive in LA at 3 or 4 on Friday, August 20 (California time). I added it up and I’m pretty sure that’s 33 hours of traveling (ouch!). Prayers are greatly appreciated!
Thanks again so much. I am looking forward to seeing familiar faces very soon! Love you all
<3 E
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