Boxes Update

Brittany turned 14 on Monday! (What a joy it has been watching her grow!) Her friends Elske and Anke invited her to the beach for a birthday celebration. Afterwards they took her to a very cool restaurant where they paint your face in some African design. She’s sure to never forget her 14^th birthday!  (This photo is Britt and Elske all painted up.)

Just one FYI: We are having troubles with our email again this week. We can get incoming mail, but can’t seem to send anything. That could change later today, or not until next week…it keeps us guessing ) Thank you so much to those who sent cards and packages this week! We did get them.

Can you believe that just 3 months remain in our time here?! We realized this week that we are going to be so sad to leave all of these beautiful people that we have made friends with.  We have truly fallen in love with this place and these people!  Each day we pray that we will live as abundantly as we can. We are reminded to live to the fullest, with the purpose of being an image bearer of Christ.

This has been an emotional week for us. We received word that Jason’s aunt Ruth had died. It has been hard to be so far from home at this difficult time. And yet, we know that we are right where we need to be. Our love and prayers go out to our family, and we thank you for your support in our decision to stay. Ruth lived life so fully and was such an inspiration to us! She will be deeply missed.  Please pray for the family as they mourn this huge loss. Ruth leaves behind a husband, Frank and 2 boys, Stuart and Peter.

I have recently have been listening to Jeremy Camp’s, Beyond Measure.  I thought these words were fitting this week.  It talks about seeing beyond our fears and giving God all control.

Beyond Measure

The fog has cleared for me to see the beautiful life You’ve given me…

Like a storybook with dreams that are meant to see

Every next step is an extraordinary scene

I know that I’ve been given more than beyond measure

I come alive when I see beyond my fears

I know that I’ve been given more than earthly treasures

I come alive when I’ve broken down and given You control

…I don’t know if I will ever understand the depth of what it is You’ve done inside

But I know I won’t find any worth apart from You!

Everything that I have has been given so unselfishly…

Even when I don’t deserve You, You always show the fullness of Your love

I know that I’ve been given more than beyond measure

I come alive when I see beyond my fears

I know that I’ve been given more than earthly treasures

I come alive when I’ve broken down and given You control

In His Love,

Stacy

Jason & Ted standing outside the Malmesbury church.

The church is coming along. The roof is on, the exterior plastering is complete, some of the concrete floor is poured, and the electrical and plumbing is in! We praise the Lord for the good work that has been accomplished.

It was nearly 90 today and we haven’t had any rain for days. We are so thankful for the warm, dry weather.

On Saturday, we were invited to the town of Hermanus to watch a rugby game. It was a great day with our friends Burry and Brenda (along with their 3 children.) This sweet little town is widely known for its whale population. So, after the game we went to the shore and whale watched. We spotted at least 10 whales while we were there. It was so cool!!

Sunday we were invited to share our testimony at a church in Durbanville. It was a lovely church and we had a nice time of fellowship. Of the churches that we have visited, this one was most similar to our home church.

We are so encouraged by the missionaries here. Their work is not easy, and yet they are so faithful to the Lord. They are a great joy to know, and a real testimony to a life of faith.

In Him,

The Boxes

Chandler has been staying in contact with his class via letters. It is a great way that he can feel involved, even though he is so far away. His class has asked some questions that I thought I would share with you.

Q-What is your house like? A- It is a small 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house. Our kitchen has a stove, microwave and refrigerator. Brittany and Chandler share a room. They each have their own bunk bed. We don’t have any heat or air conditioning and the people of South Africa don’t put screens on their windows. Our house sits on a hillside surrounded by mountains and vineyards. It’s a beautiful view to look out at! (We have access to a washer and dryer a short walk away.) There is no TV, so we are playing lots of games, and doing lots of hiking.

Q- Are the sharks dangerous?  Can you swim in the ocean? The A- is yes, the sharks are dangerous, yet people do swim in the ocean. Is it safe? Well, there are shark watchers that sit high up on a look out post and watch for them, so you decide if that defines “safe.” The jury is still out at our house.

Q- What kinds of foods are you eating?  Are your meals like ours? A- Fish and chips is one of the most popular dishes. Something called Malva Pudding is a very popular dessert. (They call all of the desserts “pudding.”) There is a lot of Dutch and British influence, making it similar to American food.

Q- What do you do for fun with the friends around you? A- We are out in the country, so there are no kids in the area of our house. However, they have made several friends from the churches that we have visited. They have been invited to: an air show, the aquarium, and to many dinners.  

Q-What is the church like that you are attending?  Is it similar in structure to the ones here in Eyota?  A- We have had the opportunity to speak at several different churches since we came. We have visited 3 churches so far, and will speak at a 4^th this weekend. Each church is very different from the other. Some meet in a school, others in a warehouse, while 1 church we visited was very much like the one at home. It’s the people that make up a church, and the people are very warm and welcoming!

Although there are many similarities, there are more differences. Some days we crave something familiar: Our friends and family, our own room, knowing our way around town, milk chocolate etc. And yet even on those days, God continues to remind us that He’s taking care of us and giving us just what we need. (Maybe not always what we want, but always what we need.) We have to pinch ourselves sometimes. Are we really here, seeing this, doing this? We give Him all the glory for what is being accomplished here. We serve an awesome God!

In His Service,

The Boxes