I got a great email this week from our friend, Jeanetta, in South Africa.
I know that not all of you (almost none of you) are on her email list, so I really wanted to share part of her thoughts with you... because you are now a part of the story too...


“Trust is not being afraid even if you’re vulnerable.”
Its accompanying picture is of a little relaxed girl gently stroking the horn of an enormous rhino!

While I was in my preparations to move to the wild and untamed continent of Africa…FIVE years ago this month, I found this quote in a magazine in an insurance ad. On that day, I was enveloped by the choice before me: faith or fear with regards to my future. Would I be safe? Could God use me? Would I have enough finances? Would I find true friends? Could I learn a new language or two? Would I have what it takes? Would I survive? Today five years later, I am still enveloped by the same choice before me: faith or fear with regards to my future. The only difference today is that I have five more years of beautiful history with an enormous God who has been ever so faithful to His little girl who is working on relaxing! God is so good!

My five year faith journey
God has a dream for South Africa and what a joy it has been to be apart of it these years. When I arrived my passion was to see what God would do for the poorest of the poor and for reconciliation of this beautiful country. I had never heard of the word “Emthonjeni” nor had any experience running a community development project. Today the word Emthonjeni is in almost every sentence I speak. Through God’s guidance, we are seeing racial barriers being challenged and broken down from every side. We are seeing souls come to know Christ as Savior and believers living out their callings. We are seeing lives that once sat in a real cloud of hopelessness now are leading their own people in Zandspruit to opportunities for a meaningful life. We are seeing God’s hand of protection on our center daily and nightly as too many shops around us have been held at gun point, robbed and lost lives. And I am being allowed to see all of these miracles first hand.

This journey of Emthonjeni has increased my faith exponentially to say the least. Personally, I have had the opportunity to trust even when I am vulnerable. Although I have experienced the high crime rate of Johannesburg, God has protected me and keeps my heart relaxed. The Afrikaans language has become understandable enough to join in on high level meetings. And I am now studying my first Black language, Zulu. God has given me new and beautiful friends here in Johannesburg. My faithful financial supporters back in the States have been full of grace and generosity. The treasured relationships of my family and friends I left in the States have remained my roots of stability in this adventure. I’m overwhelmed with the willingness of each of you who despite distance of miles have chosen to stay close at heart. God has been faithful.