Miraculous Pickle Season Commence!

           

When it has been a couple years in coming for this entry, I need a few salty soda crackers and raisins to steady my fluttering heart as I announce, lets start some serious pumpkin pie baking, Baby Mani is due to arrive on Thanksgiving Day October 14, 2019!!!

There you are, starting with the best news first, how can I resist? We are utterly humbled by this gracious gift from the heart of God, this was his timing, this is his miraculous hand. There was nothing the medical world could explain for the couple year delay of this hope in our hearts. He turned it, no one else could. When will this stop feeling completely surreal?

We can not say that this pain in waiting has been wasted. When we have had fertility professionals warn us multiple times about how stressful this process can be on marriages, only thanks to Jesus, we have never felt stronger together walking through this, falling apart through this, same team. We kept on reminding each other that the greatest treasure of grace God has given us in himself, in his love and purpose, with or without a child was enough. He is enough. He is the source of all our joy, on days when we felt like that is true, and on darkest days without feeling. He is so we can Rejoice Always.

 About feelings, my body so far has been terrific, a few extra chilli peppers and pickles, with a few more trips to the loo. When asked this last week about mood swings and tears, I realized, that perhaps after these years of ugly crying out to Jesus for this blessing, there hasn’t been a day of emotional upheaval since we found out. I’m pretty sure my tear ducts finally had nothing left to squeeze out. He really is turning our mourning into dancing, what a kind kind Father we do have. He brought us through. He will bring you through your winter season too.

We found this wild news out the morning before, here comes the sad news, we left for South Africa to attend Mawande’s father’s funeral. In this last few months of deep, deep grief, this green bud of life has, especially for Mawande, comforted and revived a dream in his heart for redeeming a new fatherhood story in his family. He was grateful to hear the stories of his father at the funeral, but greatly saddened by the reality that he didn’t have any to contribute as his father chose to not be a part of Mawande’s life. Though he met a whole new set of his father’s family at the funeral that were so excited to begin a relationship with this long lost son after all these years. He also found out his father’s family is from the tribe of the Zulu’s, a great warrior nation. We await to see what feisty little baby face arrives in October!

Until then, we will continue to enjoy beautiful times of fellowship with our Young Leaders Ministry. This radical bunch of Jesus lovers have not only been gracious enough when we usually talk too much, but have been a great support for us in these difficult past months. They have become so dear to us, amazed watching them grow in their own resilient faith, indeed in the midst of some very difficult seasons in their stories and souls. We also anticipate the arrival

home of several that have left for missions, and are so excited to be sending more in the fall! The Holy Spirit is awakening them to his love and life and movement and they just can’t keep it to themselves! He is moving deeply in each one of them, we are just so privileged to be close enough to watch. What must it be like for their parents, wow…I guess we get to find that out someday soon!

As well Housefires has continued to be a great source of strength for us. As we have had to pass some leadership onto another couple in our group during this time of travel and greif, we have again been amazed at the way God is using them and their passions to grow our group into something new and beautiful in their own giftings and passions. They have been focusing on biblical stewardship, which has come at just the right time for others in our group. This community continues to be a dream come true of authentic fellowship, an answer to our prayers for several years.

Finally, with spring a’springing, Mawande has a few weeks of school work to finish, and back to laying that beautiful sod with the same landscaping company as he worked for last summer. He’s definitely looking forward to exchanging those books for some tools and sweat and grime! Its hard to believe, as I leaned over at SBC’s graduation saying, “Honey, only 364 more days until its your turn to wear that hat!” What a learning curve it has been for not only his training, but our lives here in blessed Canada. Every day is a previledge to live in this peaceful place. I think we do mention that on every fear-free evening walk we take down the streets of Steinbach. Thankyou Lord for this cleft of rest, with much celebration to come!

Much love and great gratitude for each one of you for your prayers for this miracle season to arrive, we wouldn’t be here otherwise.

Mawande and Charlene+

courage to be

You dont get taught these skills in school

With Mawande laying down his landscaping shovel, to pick up his trusty neon highlighter for the 2018-10 SBC year, alas our household is back to the fall schedule around here. Ive been blessed with one more cleaning job, to add to my cutting hair and nannying, and ministry is in full flight again in our church. Sunday school team teaching with the ladies and a fiery Sunday morning prayer team commences again. And of course, the joy of our hearts, we begin meeting again with our Young Leaders!

With buttery fingers of salty popcorn, we took turns around our oval wooden table asking our Young Leaders Team what was their word for "the season" as we have resumed. "The season," referring to the current state of their souls right where they find themselves as we reconnect post summer. We didnt know if anyone would catch on to what we were asking, or would be willing to just go for it and trust one another with their current truth with no screen to hide behind.

Our summer "cabin" Home Sweet Home

We were awed at what our group of five bold young women shared. Words like waiting, break-through, tired, hungry,and more alive then ever surfaced with honest explanations that were raw, unpolished and simply beautiful in their vulnerable exposure. Courage was my word as I witnessed theirs. Only good things are sure to come from kick offs like that.

Our Fiereless Bunch of Young Leaders 2018

Again last night we had a cheesy spaghetti squashy comfort dinner together in our small group program called Housefires, named this as we meet in one another's homes seeking the presence of one another and the Holy Spirit. And presence was to be found indeed as the forks slowed their scooping and deeply hurting hearts surfaced when we shared about our week. These brave weak ones were met with caring ears and the strength of the Body of Christ came alive, worthwhile was their risk for possible ridicule or judgement. They found themselves safer then before within themselves, they found themselves found in the Presence.

Praise and prayer report time at our church this past Sunday featured my Sister in Law standing up to report she was falling down hard with helpless hands in her parenting role. My brother up at the front gathering requests to pray for, with his daughter whom had crawled up into his hands, helplessly started weeping himself confirming the words of his wife through his own tears. And the church gathered around and cried out together to our Perfect Father to Father these ones this day. Afterward, more tears from more broken parents could no longer be kept from the Body, more prayer, more binding together in this mysterious word that overrides the safety of blood relationships-fellowship. Honest communion of the Saints, for better, for worse. Taking advantage finally of the strength that lies in the unity of the Bride, a supernatural gift that the world at large is so hungry for. "Bearing with one another in love..." Gal 4:2 indeed. 

"For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline" so 2 Tim 1:7 says. 

The highlight of our summer season was not lovely lakes or homemade coconut ice creams or spur of the

Let the glory of family camping commence!

moment Moose Lake camp-outs, it was experiencing this truth-telling fellowship. Up until this season of trusting in our faith journeys for the things closest to our hearts, we have not tasted the goodness of being known, loved, and uplifted in prayer before the Father like this. With everyone down on their knees, foreheads on the floor, crying out for the Lifter of Our Heads to exhibit his loving kindness on behalf of one another, there is no room left to doubt that coming out into the light from the hiding spots of our hearts is LIFE ABUNDANT. We come out to Jesus himself in the process, feeling his hand on our back in the form of our brothers and sisters.

Our Fast family was together for more then one day for the first time in six years this August. Oh you can believe we torn up the Clear Lake streets with Hannah's shrieks of delight as the kids sat in front of the 8 passenger bikes warning all local traffic there was no safe place to hide on sidewalk or center street, we were a'coming! 
Upon arrival home and with our last day all in one house, We had an hour together in a heavenly garden, looking better then we knew we could, taking family photos. Truly a sublime moment we each savored as we dont know the next year this opportunity will come.

A common summer sight in our
backyard with friends from
down the street and as far as
Capetown!

But once again, by now no surprise, the one cool summer night we all packed on top of each other on those floral cabin couches and our own stories of great grief and current pain surfaced, marked the moment with greatest significance. A Father's affirmation like only a father can give, a brothers prayer like only a brother to brother can pray, a sister's hand grasped in another sister's hand; the Kingdom of God was there. The commanded blessing that comes only by united hearts flowed down upon us all as the night fell with our individual walls of safety. The boundaries we think we set for our own good, but end up only keep us bound and separate, perpetuating our cycles of anxiety and fear.

"For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self discipline." Thanks again Timothy.

Watch the following link from a house church movement when you have a moment. We haven't seen a more hopeful documentary for us, the Church, ever. Dreams of our hearts alive in action.

https://youtu.be/2qheANo68eo

As we go into this this season of "God with us," our greatest prayer for ourselves, church and families, which are especially the most complex at times, is that we will take Francis Chan's, and really Holy Spirit's challenge to us, to believe in this great Spirit of Courage He has put inside of us, and be "with one another." May we allow him to identify within our darknesses, why do we stay hidden, what do we truely have to loose when others discover who we are down there. Perfectly ugly beautiful messes and stories of grace wait to be revealed in all of us. The Kingdom of God breaks through there in the glorious disaster of our hearts come undone, to be put back together hand in heart with one another.

Worship Joy with another Body in Winnipeg

Open up, let the Light in.

I dare you. I dare me.

What if we don't regret it at all?

Much love, The Manis

plates of contentment even if...

Celebrating my parents 40th wedding anniversay,
they inspire us great

You know, those scrambley times… you get held up in a country one day being told you are an undesirable immigrant and will be black listed if you try to leave, and then the next day you are told you will be imprisoned if you don’t go home within the fortnight? So you move your pillow from place to place, unsure of how long this will go on, unsure how much longer your spirit can hold its breath…

“Rejoice in the Lord always, AGAIN, I say rejoice!

And somehow just around the corner there are those un-scrambley times where its normal to sit on your own chair snugged up to your own wooden table typing away in the spring afternoon watching, from your own house, yellow school buses go by as they do every day at 3:30pm at the corner of Henry and Barkman? And you have your mom coming over tomorrow to help you plant your first real official veggie garden, because cousin Sid just finished seeding his fields, so it must be time to plant your own after the first couple spring rains…

“Rejoice in the Lord always, AGAIN, I say rejoice!

This is the blessed picture verse our dear Klassen friends gifted us at Christmas, now up on our own wall, in our own living room.  This is the verse that I keep looking at, asking the Spirit about its meanings and secrets.

Sit your sitter down on our couch any time!

Stability. What a privileged word. Mawande and I have been taking late evening walks in the big Steinbach city, learning the low german street names around our new hood. He’s just started a blessed full time summer job landscaping which is calling on a whole different set of muscles that writing school papers required. Thus a little stretch outside is just what the doctor is ordering post supper time. We still cant get over how we stroll along in the dark, never mind the safety of everyones BBQs! There they all rest innocently cooling down, untouched, unchained. Or, surely we can’t be the only ones looking slightly interested in the “garbage” people are putting out at the end of their driveways a whole day ahead of time? Mawande is pretty sure we are, “Charlene, leave that half alive bamboo plant at the top of the neighbors heap alone please!,” he will say. If people put there “garbage out” a whole night before back in Capetown, there might not be any left for the lonely rubbish truck the next morning but bits of tired banana peels and dry tea bags.

A real live african Landscaper
 Ladies and Gentlemen

I think my sister Marie Eve still leaves freshly baked muffins on top of her garbage can for her first  come first serve “shoppers” bless her heart.

And its so quiet!!! By 9:00 pm you wouldnt know if you are out on a tree stand in the mystery of Pansy or actually here in the middle of town, people are very punctual going to bed, and accordingly on point with supper times. In Capetown, the train is still taking a few more rounds of day workers, going home to have dinner by 10 as transportation cant ever be relied upon for most. But here, if students aren’t taking those yellow buses, that means they jump into 1 of 100 SUV’s taxing in by super moms, one after the next, as the next extra-curicular activity is about to begin.

A beautiful stable land of plenty, not to feel guilty about please! Many people have asked us the question, “don’t you think we are so spoiled over here,” as if this land of blessing is a thing to feel bad about. Certainly not! REJOICE! It’s a beautiful thing to see children running free on the sidewalks, healthy, happy and safe. We serve a God of abundance afterall who loves giving good gifts to his children. We celebrate a world like this actually exists still, when so many couldn’t believe it is any more real than white picket fenced scenes on the Hollywood screens. It is as life giving to be here as green buds bursting forth from our seemingly dried up looking lilac bushes all winter long. Oh our God of green Hope indeed is ALIVE!

"Let it grow let it grow let it grow..."

But there, that word gifts, is the key we are trying to secure around the ring. For a gift giver to only recieve guilty gratititude from their beloved, doesn’t exactly honor the giver. But to be “full of cheer” and bless the Lord at ALL times, in all circumstances, this is the little we can actually give back to Him, in times of little and times of much. I vowed the same thing to Mawande on our wedding day, that I would stay by his side, gratefully, when life is shinny or dull, surely God our Father deserves the same.

So today, if you took a look inside our freezer its stocked to the ceiling with meat, and a flashy BBQ awaits outside to cook it up, all gifts from beautiful friends. So we must, dare I say how dare we not do a holy dance lifting up our hands before our God giving thanks and enjoy that steak with Him, come Lord Jesus be our Guest.

And then, the stickler:

            Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom and no fruit is on the vines,

            Even if the olive tree fails to produce, and the fields yield no food at all,

Even if the sheep vanish from the sheep pen, and there are no cows in the stalls:

Still I WILL REJOICE IN ADONAI, I WILL TAKE JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION.

ELOHIM ADONAI IS MY STRENGTH! HE MAKES ME SWIFT AND SURE-FOOTED AS A DEER AND ENABLES ME TO STRIDE OVER MY HIGH PLACES.

Or in more familiar terms…

Even if our support and jobs fall through and there was no other back pocket accounts for paying the mortgage

Even if children don’t come and our house stays quiet

Even if I have to say goodbye to my first veggie patch planted with mom and fenced in by dad, when God calls us to move on again:

The cry of our hearts is that STILL we will rejoice.

Hannah in the bible was given the long awaited gift of a child, but then gave Samuel back to serve the Lord at the temple, only seeing him once a year after he was weaned. Yes her prayer had been answered and she was given this gift, but had learnt to hold it with an open hand. Truly, her joy was in her God, whom she came to know as trustworthy, regardless of circumstance. So she could truly write, with her arms empty once again after saying goodbye to her son year after year, “I can gloat over my enemies because of my joy at Your saving me. (1 Sam 2:1)

So our current prayer these days,

Jesus be our greatest desire, greatest joy, greatest treasure. Make our feet fitted by fire and trials to walk up and over the mountains that seem too steep for us, fears to deep for us to see the bridge of faith just under our feet.

So if you are in the scrambled time, call on a brother or sister to walk with, listen to the sound of their worship when your hands dont have the strength. He promises he will turn your mourning into joy, ask Him to help you trust him explicitly now.

 And if your in a yellow school bus kinda freezer full time, hold nothing back, share your bread and do an undignified dance like David for He has done great things.

Home is a beautiful place to be these days, we are lapping up time spent with each one. Waking up in this house is a miracle every morning.

Young Leaders pulled pork bbq at the Manis rez

News on the ministry front is we are teaming up with a few others to seek Jesus together during the weekdays in one another’s homes. Join us if your in this continent, House Fires is the name.  The Young Leaders group is only a joy and privilege to be a part of, we cant believe a year has almost come and gone! We’ve grown in love, truth and fellowship with each other and the Holy Spirit. What could be better? We have expanded our leadership team with another 6 Young Leaders, which we are so excited to watch flourish this next year with their beautiful gifts and creativity in service for the kingdom of God around us. Our Sunday morning prayer hour hasn’t grown in numbers, just in depth and freedom to cry out to our Father together on behalf of our families, church, community and the global church. Prayer is such a gift for us, Jesus matching our hearts with his as we present ourselves to him as we are.

Sunday school snuggles with
My besties baby boy

As mentioned Mawande is landscaping and loving it! Ive only gone by to spy on him twice…in the first week.

Rejoice in the Lord with us, He is so kind.

Sunshine here we come!

PS. Ive been thinking if heaven has leaves on trees 12 months of the year, unless they are pine needles, which I Doubt, that means obviously its only summer always and forever as it should be amen?!!

Love

The Manis

The Gift of Another

Tis the season to be cozy

Good Afternoon as they say!

Merry snow has long been drifting, Christmas glitz has come and been tidied up, Semester two is off to the races before we can say giddy up!
Before we jump on that horse, lets just step back a moment recount all the goodness of the Lord in these past few months.

Mawande has joined me with 'The Loft' ministry (Taking care of people and their basic needs within our local community) at our Church on Wednesdays, and we continue to be amazed at the stories of provision and courage our patrons walk up those stairs carrying in hand.
Having a cup of coffee with these dear folk re-adjusts my heart to the things that really matter in the Kingdom constantly. They continue to teach me much about simplicity and pure, raw faith in spite of everything that rails against the human soul in this life.

Our Family we have been staying with and loving dearly!

We had the annual Christmas banquet setting up for the most people ever to join, about 75, and wow what a celebration it was. A high lite of the evening for most was an open mic sharing slot where anyone could speak about what Christmas meant for them. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room as it finished.

One of the most remarkable stories was shared by a mama of a large family who reminisced about a time when she had scraped together the last dollars to manage to purchase everyone in the family one Christmas gift. Well, what do you know, on Christmas Eve upon arriving back home, they discovered of what simple gifts had been under the tree, a thief had come and stolen every last drop of festive joy Mama had worked so very hard for. They gathered around as a family and decided they knew better then to cry, but to create homemade gifts out of whatever they had left to exchange. She shared that it was the most meaningful Christmas they ever had, and made a new family tradition to only make gifts for one another to remind themselves of what is truly important, the gift of each another from that year on.

'The Loft' Christmas baking donations 

On another church note, new prayer fires are being stoked at our Church as we have started to meet together every Sunday morning, believing God has called us to invest more time into prayer as a Body, His House Shall be called a House of Prayer indeed. As we know many of our members are faithful prayer warriors, we believe that the more the saints can gather together to pray, aiming our arrows together at one target, by faith we will see more of heaven established in our lives, communities and the Global Church at large. All major revivals around the world began with people taking seriously this call to pray, so here we go! A few families and kids sometimes have come, "do not despise small beginnings" has been our moto! Come watch and wait for the Lord on our knees and become the faithful Bride our Lord is coming back for soon!

And last on ministry news, College and Career aka Young Leaders is also going well, we have some really exciting new ideas for outreach and ways to bless the body and become better connected within its multi-generations. We long for these highly favored, gifted and brave young people to grow into the fullness of their call and not an inch less! So far we have had an average of 15 folks come with much enthusiasm and willingness to give of themselves however they can, what a joy they have already been to us.

Christmas banqueting with beloved friends at SBC

And, as I mentioned Mawande has begun school again, pray for his focus, and I have actually gotten another job besides house cleaning and cutting hair, also now Nannying for a local family. Please pray for this family as there are some major health issues that need the healing power of God to intervene.

I know this is getting pretty lengthy, but too lengthy to mention GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH A HOME OF OUR OWN?! For the same price as we would be paying for rent in Steinbach, 10 min walk from Mawande's school, a little white home labeled cozy and quaint on the real estate ad, now has MANI on the property title! Literally an hour before walking in to talk to the bank about the possibilities of purchasing, a combination of generous support came into our account that secured the amount needed EXACTLY for the down payment required!!!

Can I get an amen anyone out there?! We are crying at his Faithfulness once again.

After 15 years of asking Landlords about every pinhole I pin, I CAN PAINT MY WALLS PEACH IF I SO JOLLY PLEASE! We have a home of our own, something I only dreamt of from afar, never believing even I could be so blessed.

Until we get possession of  the real one, this photo will have to do!

This gracious little white gift is one that we must hold with an open hand from day one, please pray that its doors welcome whomever He has in mind.

I deeply encourage you today, those prayers you have prayed, and then given up on praying, start praying about them again, our Father truly truly knows the desires of our hearts like I continually cant believe. Send us an email, we would love to join with you in those prayers as well.

Surly Goodness and Mercy shall follow us all the days of our life and we will dwell in the House of God forever...

Mi Casa, Tu Casa,

The Manis

The sparrows have landed

 Beloved Encouragers, this journey, the road that has lead us back to my homeland would have been too rocky to pass through without you.  For five years you have believed in the work of Christ in us, from Sunday School’s colorful letters that brought us to tears, to care packages spiced with thoughtfulness, to hearing about daily prayers being made by children by their bedsides for us in Africa, we arrive home grateful for each one of your personal investments.  

Mawande off to first day of school..with a few
extra farm friends

Come on up to our loft for cuts by donation by me!

You have believed in the advancement in the kingdom of heaven in Cape Town, and now, we are ever so happy to announce we believe in the explosion of this same irresistible Happy News of the Gospel here in Manitoba, Canada. Indeed this is a time of training for Mawande at SBC where he is delving into the richness of the Word, studying a degree called Christian Leadership that will sharpen him in areas of church planting, pastoral and organization development.

Yet all the while, we are praying to have the eyes of our hearts wide open to join in with how God is currently moving in you, his Church, to…

             “Preach good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom for the   captives and release prisoners from darkness…” (Isaiah 61).

HE has proclaimed the year of His favor, the season of his super abounding GRACE is upon us! So even whilst I have opened up a little hair salon in our home and offering a house cleaning service (both by donation please call 204 381 6172!) we am praying for a coming back to our  “First Love” as I scrub off those lady bugs one by one!

We’ve joined in a few prayer and worship meetings here and have met with pastors, local leaders and families that have long been discipling the saints for such a time as this.

A fiery prayer and worship night
with beautiful new sisters here
in this community

As Mawande has been studying the history of the Anabaptists, low and behold he has found out that the founding fathers of the Mennonite tradition were radical revivalists proclaiming this same grace of God! And yet more, they were martyrs, as those bound by religion and rules rather than the freedom we enjoy in shameless fellowship in Christ, were determined to keep them controlled and condemned under their thumbs. You can read the book first complied in the 1600’s as wide as the bible, filled with stories of these heroes in the faith called The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs Mirror. These men and women have gone before us and have been added to that great cloud of witnesses now cheering us on to continue where they couldn’t go themselves.

I think it finally is sinking in for both of us that we arent
just visiting

Quality time with our wild west coast brother

So as you have poured out yourselves on our behalf, we are now here for a time to pour back into the life of the church, the Body of Jesus, for the salvation of many. We are so excited to be joining in with leadership of the Young Leaders (collage and career) group in our church as well I’m working with The Loft Program which meets basic needs of those less privileged. Both of these ministries are birthing with life and we are so excited to see where the Holy Spirit leads us accordingly!

Though this consumes many of our conversations after hours, we also know we need to enjoy spaghetti picnic date nights, Mexican feasts with new bible school friends and the first Canadian snow to the full! Since arriving here we have been blessed to visit our brother Trev on the West Coast, showing off these great Canadian Rockies to Mawande’s delight! Catching up and savouring long lost time with dear friends and family has been incredibly beautiful, I can roll up to have Earl Grey tea with my mama whenever the prairie wind blows. In the midst of change in every direction, what a joy!

Family Camping crazzzy

One of these major changes has been our housing scenario. Just when we thought we were settled in a little home that seemed to be the plan, through various circumstances we had to find another place and I’m so grateful to say that God has blessed us tremendously through a dear family whom have invited us to share in their home and their lives. They invited us to stay with them the day before we knew our existing housing option would fall through! What a divine time of community living it has been, learning that we idolize our individual space and time sometimes far too much and miss out on doing life together with others, sharing what God has given us in a very tangible, heart to heart way.

The final SA goodbye send off with alot of warrior prayers
that got us miraculously through the border with only a
"come back any time!"

Plus! God had spoken to dear friends of ours the day before they left for long term missions…to just give us their car!! So a few weeks before the insurance on the car we had been borrowing expired, bam, God blessed us with a car of our own! Get out right?! Its even the same kind of car that I had to sell initially to move to South Africa! Isn’t Holy Spirit so in tune with our needs long before we are, apparently yes in the most obvious way these days!

He is our Praise!

May you see Him moving to meet you right where you need him most today. Keep your ears open, He is wooing you with his loving kindness around the clock.

Love The Manis

Nations to Nations, Here come the Mani's

Somehow we got to the time for the fresh shoots of Tulips to start peeping up in the North and the golden Rondebosch Maple trees to begin falling one by one down here in the South.

Would someone tell me where Resolution January ran?

 Canadian Christmas was as fresh and warm as the pines that hug my parent’s yard into a snow-capped huddle of wonderland joy! Mawande was convinced as we climbed back on the plane, as his first taste of winter had now been swallowed, if He had been born and bred in Canada he would have been the happiest camper indeed! And for myself after being away for 5 winters, it felt like I was actually appreciating it all so much more through his excitement to try every great and funny thing we come up with on the prairies to enjoy that white stuff! From Snowshoeing, to snowmobiling, to slapping on those skates to the jump-and-roll in the snow back out of the hot tub craziness!

Along with the festivities, we had opportunities to share with many dear ones of the marvelous ways Jesus has been leading us on, and will be leading us towards this new year. Its full of up and down and north and south and I don’t know how but for the Lord that goes before us!  The hot words are Mani’s both joining YWAM forces, Mozambique Harvest School, South Africa see you later’s, Winnipeg airport hug rug for the second time, Mawande degree…and probably a few friendly cockroaches, highly needed good coffee and Oh Holy Spirit lead us needed in between!

Officially then, with just one visa left to be granted, this plan we have been sure is the Lords, is moving forward  with doors flinging open. Jesus has know I’ve needed for Him to do not just  a a little showing off, but like a whole fashion show for me to strengthen my faith for this one!

Get this, get this God we serve! He has provided all of our Missions school fees, acceptance letters, and most of Mawande’s first year tuition back in Canada! Our Cape Town flat has been sorted out, contents and car spoken for, and a car as well as a home in Canada are already under way being prepared for us! As well, the greatest gift, Mawande’s dear mama has once again laid her hands on her son’s head and told him to go follow where Jesus is leading, fully within her blessing, trusting her primary welfare to the God who hears her every prayer.  One cant fully appreciate what this means without understanding the depth of sacrifice she has given on behalf of her children for most of her life. Only our mediator Jesus can give her this kind of strength, this steady grasp of faith beyond the suffering that she can see. I am the most blessed daughter in law with a woman like this to call my Mama.

The "see you later bbq's have begun in our back yard"

 Mawande will be finishing his ministry with Hope Africa at the end of April, as he has been busy training those to who will replace his work, then he will be re-joining myself under Ywam before we leave for a two month missions training school in Mozambique with Iris Ministry. Now how do I describe this school  but a place where the flags of the Kingdom of God are blazing stronger and wider across the Mozambique countryside. A question one of our friends was asked when she arrived by one of the local Mozambican pastors in conversation about ministry experience was, “So how many?” How many what my friend was wondering…when the pastor went on to clarify, “How many people have you seen being raised from the dead?” He had prayed for two people at that point who had indeed, yep, that’s what you are reading, been medically proven dead, and then very much alive!

So least to say, its going to be a hands on sort of experience of preaching, teaching, healing and setting alight the fires of the the gospel of Jesus Christ!

From there we will be getting back on air Canada as Mawande will be finishing his Christian Leadership/Church planting degree at Steinbach Bible College this Fall. We will continue on doing ministry, myself full time, and Mawande in between his studies in our local church and community as the opportunities are many and very exciting. Nations to Nations is the branch of Ywam we will be working under in Canada as missionaries, as we will be coming back to Cape Town with Ywam after Mawande’s studies are finished in about 2-3 years time. 

Personally, I am full of excitement to sow back into the rich soil of support and prayers and love this community and church I call home in Canada has invested into me for the last 5 years in missions. Now to have this opportunity to come back and work alongside the beautiful ministries God is growing in my hometown, re-connecting and partnering with my brothers and sisters makes so much sense and gives me so much joy! It was one of the hardest journeys to uproot my life, and now, our gracious Father is giving us a season to re-establish ourselves here again for a time, indeed Mama and Papa Fast are just a wee bit excited let’s just say, family camping summer 2017 booked!

Of course, many tears will now be dripped on the Southern side of things, as South Africa has shaped me deeply, I feel like I barely identify with the Charlene that showed up on these shores those years ago. Its been through the beloved people of this land, our church, our family and dear friends that have introduced me to a God of the Universe so in love with every nation, expressing Himself uniquely in each different shade of skin, each new tone of the human heart.  Finding Him here, through this culture, in the eyes of this people, Ive been able to then see, and more fully understand who I am in the reflection of my Maker. I keep praying that mediator Jesus keeps reassuring our beloved family here that out-of-sight, does not mean out-of-heart. We will deeply miss this home every day away. We carry you all in our hearts, irreplaceable.

Oh South Africa, your people’s gift of reconciliation keeps challenging and changing me, your grace for me to learn is healing. Thank-you. The nations need you.

So, that about wraps up this segment of his eye is on the sparrow: South Africa, as the Canadian geese shall fly home soon…so shall the Manis follow. And thank-you for journeying this leg with us, See you on the ice…where the fires of revival are already burning in the great white North!

Love The Manis

a makoti poem: eyes to the ground with chicken all around

Beautiful Traditional dress
with even a towel wrapped around
inside to keep the womb warm
for the new bride..!

Once upon a traditional Xhosa household wedding time,

The moment for the village hero’s new bride had come to shine.

With the morning sun she dawned on her navy apron attire,

Scrubbing pots to prepare, she just might have begun to sweetly perspire.

In great numbers did the dear family arrive,

To Queen Mama’s freshly painted and spruced up hive.

To catch a glimpse of just what this Makoti could achieve,

Included aunties sneaking in impressive tricks up her sleeve.

She spooned sugars and measured milks to the top

Not one of her guests left hungry to find bread at the shop.

A new name was her reward, Lulo is she now referred,

Meaning “One who has brought hope,” to this new families herd.

Welcomes from uncles, blessings from aunties,

She was being knit deeply into this land of shanties.

Mrs Lulo Mani indeed is much richer than any pre paid loan,

Her new family has accepted her as one of their very bone.

Though understanding  another’s way can leave one feeling strangely squeezed,

Bowing and silence for custom’s sake have their rightful place to appease.

Indeed she has learnt that honor comes in all shapes of wild potatoes,

Unto Jesus she chooses to wash all colorful feet, yellow red or green as tomatoes

Now if you don’t really have a clue what I’m going on about here in my rhymes, please let me offer you some explanation pronto!

My family of great honor

Within the wedding year, every new Xhosa bride (called a Makoti) has a separate tea ceremony in the families home as an expression of honor and welcoming her in her place in the family. She is given the privilege to serve the family and in this way she is shown to be worthy of knowing the family intimately enough to do things as they do them. To be given an opportunity to submit to the family traditions is a the way the family shows complete acceptance of the bride into the deep fabric of what makes them who they are. As she serves, the family is demonstrating to her they trust themselves into her hands to care for them and the family as she would her own. What greater sign of honor could this be?

Chicken party in the corner
on my mat with Lalam

Of course myself coming from a different view showing honor to guests by serving them, until I fully allowed this ceremony to digest into my understanding, this day was honestly very difficult for me. But there is the difference, I no longer am seen as a guest in their household, a very pale one at that. I was being told through my capable service to each one, without so many words, I am of them. I am worthy to bear their name, and to be fully honored as such into the entire community, with each dish of chicken prepared just the way they like it. As I placed pap into their hands, they were placing full faith and confidence into mine.  

Preparations for the life I was born for

As a woman, a new wife and even as a missionary, this is one of the most meaningful moments of my life. Considering all the painful racial history exchanged between black and white, the degrading view of women around the world and the constant damage done by well-meaning missionaries, the potential threat to miss this significant moment of restoration was great. It was a highly emotional day for me with stabbing thoughts of being controlled and demeaned, and without any space for the usual extravert nature that I carry. But as I’ve allowed space and time for myself and Jesus to reflect, indeed he has lead me on paths of gold, carrying great treasures and a crown of grace. I look down now to see my hands full of reason for dignity, not dishonor. I was born for this.

Surfs up on the most freeeezing winter day 

I was then honored yet again…with the arrival of my dear friend Darlene the following evening on a jet plane from Canada! Darlene!  Four years after making the promise that once she was able, I would be seeing her face in South Africa and there she was shining upon arrival in the international terminal! For ten days we surfed like the best of them, scrabbled our brains with English words I still doubt exist, and explored this beautiful land and people. There is nothing like physically holding someone’s hand when they say “I am here for you.”

3 Scrabble brains coming up with geniusnessz

Visiting Mama for Sunday biscuits and  a cuppa tea

As well to have Mawande and this dear friend from old bible school days get to meet and have worlds collide, this exchange was such a gift to me. Darlene’s conclusions about my new hubby at the end of it all were, “Ha he’s a funny guy! Keep Him!” And so I shall! More exchanges to come…71 days until we visit Canada but who’s counting?!

Finally, I must mention one last incredible work of our Father, Source of all lavish Love! In unending prayer for another best friend of mine in Malawi, for those of you whom remember Claudia, I have been asking Jesus for the chance to see her again. She has been enduring through desperate times in her home land, and I just have had this ache to see her for the last few years since she left Capetown.

Well, it so happens, I hear “500” in prayer one day last month, make my request to see Claudia, and the next day, I kid you no kids, there is a $500 donation in my account from none other than Auntie GRACE and Uncle Tim! I let them know what I felt the Lord had supplied this money for to check with them if it was ok, and with their blessing boarded a plane a few weeks later to hold the hands of my beloved sister!! The money was exactly the amount for a flight for me and a bus ticket for Claudia to meet together in an in between country of the beautiful desert of Namibia!

Let the giggles and photo shoots commence

We spent one week together I will never forget. A friend of mine here in Capetown asked a friend of hers if we could stay with them, and both Claudia and I can never remember being so spoiled in our lives by these strangers now, new family! It was like staying at the Father’s abundant house itself!

The Queen and the sea exchange their kind regards 

While we just laughed and cried and prayed, this beautiful family always had our places set at the table with them, ready to encourage and feed and be home for us in which ever way they could. Undisputable, all out acts of love God indeed showed us, never to be forgotten.  When discouragement, fear and doubt come a knockin’ the next time whispering that the Perfect Father doesn’t actually hear my prayers…Ive got a whole photo album of a flooding storehouse of photos and memories and miracles to throw them in the face!

Inseparable Sisters no matter the mile

Claudia said to me the last morning, “Before I came, I really felt my hope slipping far away from me, now, experiencing all of this, I feel like I’ve come alive again!” Just tell me we don’t have the best Dad ever?!

My prayer is that you be finding Him to be doing the same for you,

“…making open rivers on the bare heights,

…making the wilderness a pool,

…and the dry land springs of water…

Isaiah 41:18

My favorite preacher for the month of September

Blessed is the One who gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, He increases strength (causing it to multiply and making it to abound..Isaiah 40:29).

All glory to Jesus Christ, The Messiah

Charlene Mani