Angels in Africa

One of the joys of serving here in South Africa is having family that supports us and believes in what we do. This semester alone Chris and I are so blessed to have ALL of our families come visit us here in Jeffrey’s Bay.

In February we were so excited to have my mom, Carol, and her good friend Sue Belford come visit us. I’m sure that neither of them ever dreamed of visiting Africa in their lives but when the opportunity arrived they jumped.

They arrived in Cape Town the day before Valentines and we spent 4 amazing days touring the beautiful city. A visit to the penguins, the Cape of Good Hope, the wine country and, of course, Table Mountain proved to my mom and Sue that South Africa is truly magnificent. The sunset over the Atlantic Ocean (the opposite side of what they’re used to!) reminded us of God’s beauty and grace. The height of Table Mountain reminded us of God’s greatness and our finite lives. Truly every day we experienced got better and better.

Arriving in Jeffrey’s Bay, Mom was surprised and relieved at the 1st world, small town that we’ve been living in for the past year and a half. With the beautiful beach walks, a traditional braai dinner, and a glimpse of the world-class surf waves, Mom started to get a feel for this place we call home. But besides the beauty and fun that we had, Carol and Sue really got a glimpse of our hearts and passion for the people here and doing our work as missionaries.

On our first trip into the township, Mom sat quietly in the car observing the shacks and the kids playing in the streets with bottle tops. We stopped to visit Caroline, a shop owner trying to make ends meet, and her mother Sally, suffering from what seems to be throat cancer. Not quite sure what to expect we were greeted with a warm hug and huge smile. Caroline seemed to be so proud of her shop so we bought a few candies for more than they were worth and let her keep the change. Within a few minutes I think Mom and Sue were feeling comfortable already.

Next we paid a visit to Hester who practically tackled us to the ground with her hugs. She smiled ear to ear to receive the small gift from America that we brought. It was at that moment that Mom and Sue began to see the joy that exudes from our friends here despite their conditions.

We then went to Ithemba Church, where we run the after-school program, so that Mom could use her gifts as a scrapbooker to bless the children of Jeffrey’s Bay. Even before the car door was opened, we were surrounded by God’s gift of children smiling and begging to be held in our arms. How can you resist that? Then we met all of our favorite African ladies who greeted Mom and Sue with hugs and smiles that you would never expect from a stranger. God continued to show us that His joy is the only thing that lasts.

One of the main reasons my mom came here was so that she could come alongside us as missionaries and serve the children by scrapbooking with them. Some of you may know Carol has become a professional scrapbooker. She has created albums that are colorful and creative, but most importantly tell a story of a part of history. Knowing that most of the children here have never had a picture album, let alone a picture of themselves, Mom wanted to share that gift with these children. So we began. The weeks before our guests came we were busy taking photos of the children in their homes, with their teachers and of course with their friends at Ithemba. Mom packed and carried dozens of supplies on the plane, through customs, and into the 4th grade classroom in the small township. When the children saw the photos of themselves the expressions on their face were priceless. It’s hard to describe how someone feels the first time they see a picture of themselves. As we began to lay out the pages, the colors, the pictures, and the stickers, it became real to these children that they were God’s creation, special and unique. The finished product was placed in an envelope and it was sealed with a sense of pride that they now owned their first photo album. They too had a story in a piece of history. It was a very special day for everyone involved because deep in our hearts we realized that social, economic and cultural barriers can never separate us from God’s love for each other.

Chris and I were so blessed to have mom and Sue here as it was encouraging and important for us to show them where we live and work. But for them I believe the trip impacted them more than they expected and perhaps more than they know right now. I’ve heard it said that Africa is the land of testimonies and I know that if you talk to either Carol or Sue they will share many testimonies of encountering quite a few angels in Africa.

Thanks for coming! We had a blast!