My new pretty pad

Totally made my first ever pot of Butternut Squash soup here in my morning sunshiny kitchen

Home sweet home!

I dream about my hardwood and wide window sills all night long

 

 

 

Time for an honest chat

My beautiful family with all that has happened in just over two weeks that I’ve been here, I am certain it is your faithful prayers to our faithful Father that have kept me from jumping ship. So can I ever say thankyou enough? The situation is this.

As Ive mentioned there has only been one resident living with us in our home due to S-Cape House being forced to move out of the former safe house, and without funds to purchase the new house YET. Thus, as its always much more enjoyable to give positive updates then debbie downers…its been a bit quiet on my end, but here goes.

Its been hard. Two of the hardest weeks of my entire life. After too many frequent traumatic events occurring in our home, this beautiful resident has now gone back into psychiatric care and will not be returning to stay with us. Our house hold is mourning the reality of another victim being victimized by what it far too often seems their inevitable tendencies to revert back to old ways of living. In contrast, we are singing songs of freedom as there is an unimaginable air of peace breezing through our household since my arrival. Lessons of personal limitations, boundaries and caring for oneself as one cares for others, are being learnt through this whole process in the hearts of four wilty house moms who remain.

So you may scratch your intelligent head and at this point ask, “So uh Charlene, whatcha up to these days with no girls, and no house to put them in if they came, “ of course in the most kind and considerate way. This is where I start to get excited. It is not completely clear yet, we may still host 24-72 hour crisis situations in a potential temporairy home the government may lend to us for free, but at this point the ministry is entering a different season.  We want to spend this time assessing what was and was not working in the former safe house. How healthy and balanced was our own staff and the roles they play, how much better we potentially need to be connected with local churches and covered with prayer, how capable are we again to take in minors when this scenario we have now discovered with our latest resident was not the ideal set up. We want to use this as a time for networking with other well run organizations, researching available resources and support, and re-structuring our initial vision with the one and a half years of experience behind us in order to build a foundation for a sustainable and successful future.

Now get this! One of these investments of our time and energy right now is going to be starting a greenhouse under the experienced management of none other than hairstylist now Farmer Fast! A ministry that has a vision to see South Africa’s bottomless chasm between the rich and the poor bridged through training and helping set up these self-sustaining greenhouses is willing do this for S-Cape House! This will provide us with consistent support, as we only have one donor right now, and will be an option for our women to learn an incredibly valuable skill to bring home to their own communities upon departure. I will be going for a three week training course in the next month.

This update is far too long, but if you have survived with me until this point, I hope I have been able to convey the many reasons. Again, “I thank my God every time I remember you,” as you prayers for protection, wisdom and direction have been answered. Psalm 20 is true.

Love, Charlene

Ps. African Proverb of the Day: 

When testing out the strength of an unknown aged hammock on a cement porch, place a matt beneath. Your tail bone will remind you next time if you don’t uugh one can never have too many frozen mixed veggies on hand.

And Touch Down!

Hello my fine friends!

Get this!
As per usual I had an eventful African flight experiance...missed one, re-booked another, couldn't get ahold of ywam to tell them I had a new itinerary. Thus, upon arrival I had no idea whether someone would be here to meet me at the airport. So I gather my courage along with my luggage and am about to exit into customs when, I look across to another luggage carrousel and there waiting for his luggage, is the one person I know in all of South Africa! I met Wil ten years ago during my ywam and havnt seen him since! His family was waiting there for me so I got to meet them immediatly and when I found my contact person Wil came over and made sure that ywam staff was on the up and up and gave me the okay to go with him! Ha as if our God doesn't take the best care of me right off the bat!
So Ive sort of settled into a house here, Im not sure what is going to happen as S-Cape House is really in transition right now and Im actually living in it with 4 other staff and one 16 year old girl who is a resident. We will see how this all works out.  The sooner funds can come for the new safe house the sooner everthing can get settled again and I will be able to actually give you an idea of what my days look like here. The word random thusfar would descibe my day to day experiance.
None the less, did I mention as I took my first jog along the ocean beach this morning the tides were carrying the first surfers inland, sun rising beyond them? No? Well there it is!!!!! Ha!!! I found a few other german girls who want to learn to surf from some french guy...so we will see when this dream begins to set sail!
As I dont have the www at my home, so I'm a bit limited at this point to respond to your emails. But please please by all means comment away as I dearly love hearing from any familiar voices.
Ok off I must go, Joshua 1:9 has been my lifeline.

Char

In honor of Queen Victoria, "Let them eat Cake"

Well my lovely friends,
Im not sure if many of you were aware, but I got to spend the last two weeks helping prepare my dear friends wedding with many others here in Germany. But alas, the last slice of cake has been cut, and let me tell you these people do cake like Ive never seen before, and Im off to Capetown tommorow.
Your prayers for strength and courage in these first few weeks away from home have been answered  by some incrediabley encouraging friends already here before I even get to South Africa, so thankyou for every one of them.
I wish I had some  beautiful German wedding pics to post but of all things to loose in the first week, my camara is MIA. But rest assured the bride had some pretty lovely hair...just saying, eh hem, yep thats right, in the most humble manner, the people of Germany think Ive got some super gut skills!

 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:7


Char