Settling In

If anyone has heard from Zach and Dan please send me an update…I feel like a mom whose kids went to college and the next time you hear from them is when they unexpectedly show up at the door for Christmas.  Don’t worry Mrs. Lindor and Howell, I know they are safe and doing fine; however, because of the lack of communication, this post is simply a Lindsay update.  Sorry to all the Dan and Zach fans out there.

The casual month to get settled into my new life in Vanderbijlpark has afforded me quite a lot of time with my sister, her family and now my mom who arrived last week.  I realize if you’ve spent anytime with my family you know we are slightly obsessive about my niece and nephew, but everyday is a joy with them.  They are both an incredible gift who remind me how blessed I am. 

My garden flat (AKA a backyard apartment) is really nice and is in a great location.  I attached some pictures of it below.  It is a new beginning here.  Making the transition of living in a foreign country and going from living with 30 to just myself is hard, to say the least.  The Lord has really taken care of every need, even to the point of sending a 5 year old to come visit me on my loneliest night.  He is abundantly faithful.  As difficult as it is for me to be alone, I’m grateful for the time to pursue the Lord more.  Saying that seems silly and incorrect, as I am well aware that the Lord pursues me far more than I Him, but I’m learning to use this time for intimate and sweet fellowship with Him.  Honestly, if I accomplish nothing, but am able to have a deep and real relationship with Christ then my life will be what it was intended to be. 

There are lots of opportunities to get involved with different things here.  Lately I have been going into Life Christian Foundation’s (LCF) office on a daily basis to help where I can, get to know the people I’ll be working with and get oriented with how everything works.  I’m blessed to be working with some great people.  Come January, I will be helping organize a three-day event called M.I.A. (moving into action), which is basically a gathering of people from all over the world who want to serve.  The goal is to get people to “move into action” for Christ.  There will be representatives from different non-profit and ministries from 20 different African countries (each country south of the equator).  Everyone who comes will be previously connected with one of these organizations or will get connected with an organization at the 3-day event.  We will worship together, go to workshops together and at the end of the three days everyone will go serve at whatever organization they connected with for however long they want.  If this is something you are interested in or know of someone who might be interested in the website is www.mia2012.co.za.  I will also be involved with investigating the possibility of getting Young Life started here.  There are a couple other things in the works, but I’m waiting to see how things develop. 

Please pray for protection over my time with the Lord.  I happen to be easily distracted and I don’t want to lose the time I have been gifted.  I also am in need of a car (or some mode of transportation) starting in January.  Lastly, pray that we would engage the people and projects the Lord really wants us to.  There is great need, but also great opportunity for the church to be the church; however, if we don’t follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, we as the church do more damage than good.  

The longer I am here, the more I have to depend on the Lord for strength, direction and joy.  I am very happy to be here, but it has been difficult yet the Lord has given me lots of strength thru your encouragement.  Thank you, you have no idea how your words have given me courage to follow what the Lord has put in my heart.  It is truly together that we experience more fully who God is (Eph 4). 

I leave you with this:

            “Everyone is born an original but most die as copies” 

--Abraham Lincoln

I encourage you to be bold enough to let Christ show you who you are and BE that…for the sake of Christ, for the good of this broken world... be the light.  

P.S. Pics are coming...sorry couldn't get them up now

I can't think of a good title so here ya go.......

I would say our first two weeks in South Africa has been a success…We celebrated South Africa’s national Braii day (aka BBQ day) with steaks, sausages and rugby; Dan beat Uli (Lindsay’s brother-in-law) in tennis (don’t tell him we made that public knowledge); Zach and Lindsay both got sick (we are both better now - thank you); Zach and Dan have unintentionally come out dressed in the exact same outfit at least 3 times; we discovered the world’s largest can of mustard (pictured below); and Zach and Dan finally learned how to 2-step from the Africans at church in the township.  So all in all, we are feeling accomplished and ready to come home.  J

I know that sounds like an exhausting schedule, but in our spare time we’ve done some other semi-purposeful things.  Our friend Tertius who is the pastor of Light Church here in Klerksdorp took us along to help with a leadership workshop for 7^th grade middle school kids.  Our time there was really amazing.  We played a few games to break the ice and give some leadership principles, which opened up discussion about what it means to be a leader.  By the end Tertius shared that real leadership is about loving others and the only way we can truly love others is if we know and experience God’s love for us.  How awesome that an hour of talking to 13 year old kids about being leaders at their school could turn into praying with them about knowing Christ’s love for them and giving them the strength to love their classmates and teachers!  It reminds me that we are to take hold of EVERY opportunity we are given to share Christ and His love in this world. 

Zach and Dan had their first experience at a black church.  What an experience!!  My family friend Atwell Mohoto is the pastor of Abundant Life Church in Joberton, which is the township next to Klerksdorp. (side note: a township is the area/city where blacks were forced to live during apartied.  Although technically South Africa is now integrated, the townships are still almost entirely black and where the poorest people live).  Last week Abundant Life had a evangelical crusade in the township that Zach, Dan and I went to.  At the end of the service people where getting prayed for and two guys in wheelchairs stood up!  One of the guys I have met before, I believe he has multiple sclerosis, which he has had since birth.  It was incredible to be there and witness Christ’s power in such a real and tangible way.  May we never doubt how awesome our God is!!! 

Tuesday we spent part of the afternoon at Mother of Mercy, the baby house for abandoned babies and young kids where my sister volunteers.  Currently there are five kids (4 boys and 1 girl) that live there.  The four boys are all 5-6 years old and rambunctious, but sweet boys.  They lack male attention and discipline so for Dan and Zach to be there and spend the afternoon playing was such a joy for them.  There was never a moment where Dan and Zach didn’t have one or two of the boys hanging off them.

The three of us ventured to Vanderbijlpark this weekend.  This is where Life Christian Foundation’s (LCF) headquarters are and where I will be moving in a week  (eventually making it my permanent home in January when I come back from Mozambique).  The guys left from there to Mozambique where they are serving in an orphanage called the Promise Center for the rest of the month.  I don’t get regular contact with them so as I hear from them I’ll try and post updates. 

The plan as of now is to move into my new apartment Monday, spend the rest of the month getting settled with LCF and then off to Mozambique to meet up with the guys and start working with my dad and Techno-Serve.  I’m a little anxious about living by myself after living in house of 30 for the last two years, especially in a new culture where people only speak English when they are talking to you.  It may get a little lonely/I’m going to have to become really good at initiating all kinds of conversation. J   We are having a good time so far.  I’m thankful for the slow start to get more adjusted to life over here. 

Love from the southern hemisphere.  Thanks for the prayers, emails and facebook messages.  J


Blessings,
Lindsay

Giant can of Mustarde...just in case you ever needed to make sandwiches for 5,000

Uncle Dan putting Kiajah to sleep

Playing with kids at Mother of Mercy

Enjoying the beautiful sunset

Lindsay's sister Kjelsi, niece Kaijah (crazy silent 'J's) and nephew Siabonga

Sia and Zach having a laugh during their "business meeting"