not one lonely corner

Im so glad my nephews loves to share!

Paska samples thanks to the wonderful Marie Eve!

So.....Pickled fish is back!


Its an ever popular Easter treat over here, folks put down their fried chicken feet and enjoy a seaside delicacy this time of year. Just send me your address, Ill post some first thing over to you in the morning...extra pickling time on the ship over...mmmm!
But in case you prefer yours fried, just ask Jesus, he's a breakfast fish fry top chef Himself! (John 21:9).

Our Lord, has risen Indeed! 
That never gets old does it?
I mean really...instead of the word death being our enemy, being what we preserve ourselves from in every way possible every day to the point of obsession...thanks to the Resurrection, the day we call it kaput...it will be in that moment we will come truly alive!

For the first time we will know who we really royally are and who our King Father is.
There is not one lonely corner in heaven with our Papa around, not one cold night of the soul on our own.
Perfect infant peace within ourselves and others, perfect love from the Source Himself to heal age old wounds of betrayal and every kind of abuse.
There will never be one dream ever again to go unfulfilled. Not ever another  life cut short.
All desperation and self hatred disintegrated in our Father's arms.
Oh the tears of joy will relentlessly flow, this life full of destruction and brokenness is really finished, its really over. And we will really make it.
Children will come running out!
We will really stand there and face one another with our mouths wide open in astonishment untold. "Its true, the story is true, and we win" we will shout in ecstasy.
Now that is Glory to glory.
Oh death where is your sting?

Want to hear another fantastic story? A tiny bit less epic but..its my life!
Last week I bounced 3 feet back off the face of a glass door that was shut, when I ran into it with all my might, thinking it was infact open...oh glory be indeed! One sore toe remains.
And for the first time when a preacher asked at church for all the single people to raise their hand, I didnt. Which was so fun, we are still totally married, and totally in lovey dovey life.
Totally also bought a bbq and feel really Canadian with our Sunday afternoon lunch burger feast,

My Malawian sister now studying at Providence College in
Canada becoming sisters with my sisters!

anyone coming next Sunday?

Im really trying to take my cousin Melissa's advise at this point. I told her I was struggling knowing what to all write this time around, she just told me, "If it were me it would be 5 bullet points and done, none of your flowery poetry fluff..." So here is a shout out to her, is this point formy enough for you Melis?!
Easter was spent as usual at our church 4 days and overnight sleep overs straight, of firey preaching, heavenly prayer's flying, netball tournaments, popcorn and The Passion and feasting non-stop! Apparently my husband and I are getting old and boring and went home for nights, totally turning 31 in a few weeks!
And a few more fancy stories of fun!

Betty's " Im Alive" lunch the next day!

1. A few weeks ago, I found my dear friend Betty passed out on her apartment floor upon arrival with her roommates having no idea what to do but to call me. And I of course had no idea but have a car so off we took her to the hospital, Betty in and out of consciousness, unable to speak, writhing in pain for the following 6 hours. The strongest pain medications were dispensed and she came to, said she didn't want to stay at the hospital for night, and back home we came, not know what the night would look like to follow. Turns out I went to go check on her first thing in the morning, passed by some girls chatting and laughing away on the steps, turn back to see its her! Having many people war with us in prayer in that 12 hours, where Betty later told me over a celebration "you're alive" lunch, for that entire time all she could see were two black figures in the distance fighting and she thought she knew her life was over.
But...that same Resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead, I also believe was put into action through the prayers of the saints and Im overwhelmed with his goodness in Betty's life.

Lounge/Dining room

2. I haven't posted any photos of our beautiful home yet, so please enjoy them as much as we enjoy it. The day we moved in here we ask the Holy Ghost to reside with all of his greenery peace here, and so he has. There isnt one person who has yet walked in here to not comment how peaceful this home is. Its a little granny flat they call them, a tiny home on another persons yard, that gets rented out if family members arent using it. So not only did we score this

Dining room/kitchen of joy

The master bedroom with Auntie Shelia's quilted handiwork

Our garden of peace and breakfasts of joy

small haven, on the most stunning yard with gardens and a pool and Tiki huts...we have been given another South African Oma and Opa as our landlords as well! Married for 40 years, this incredible couple who love the Lord, have opened their property and their hearts to us. We have had times of prayer together, sharing baked goods back and forth, and recieved invitations to their family events as they really take us to be their adopted children! The line up was long in front of us to apply for this house, but the moment we all met, they said all the other people no longer are runners, they had been praying for just the right people, and knew it was us!

3. "Im living the life I always dreamt of"was the thought that kept going through my mind a few weeks ago coming home from a counseling session. I've always longed for this opportunity to be hands on in training and ministering like this full time, and its happening! I get all sweaty and nervous before meeting new people that have just been through some form of trauma, as entering into people's spaces in this deep place of pain is a holy ground. With fear and trembling I tread this place that is such a prevelege to walk at these defining moments of our lives. Indeed Jesus greatest moment of victory came out of these "tomb" experiences, when it seemed injustice was the only winner left to speak, it was silenced by the impending hand of our infinitely wiser God to finally be exposed and roll that stone away. I am seeing more fruit in these peoples lives who are willing to walk me through their own caves and see if we can find some light down there together after all.

4. And of course Mawande continues to lavish love on the community he works in with Hope Africa Collective and see hearts and hands and sight healed in Jesus name. You just cant really have a better work report then that to hand in to your wife at day's end. He just finished leading a teen spring break week at thier base, where they had these kids hit the streets with the fiery love of Jesus and sent them back to school with all sorts of new ideas and testimony of how real Jesus is and what he can do if we believe! What a keenly active Jesus we have roaming the streets of Capetown, just waiting to be asked for a hand.

5. And finally first married camping trip in Feburary happened=floating bread in melted cooler box...the real Canadian smore...and no baboon sightings to report..just lots of bunnies? We both couldnt believe we were finally able to do this, how grown up we felt, just two married vagabonds roaming around a coastal hippy town called Kommetjie.

6. We have officially started hosting a church small group which really fills a huge need we have to just sit with fellow friends and find honest conversations and support and prayer.  The group happens to just be a few married couples which really is such a blessing of being understood and heard as we learn about this marriage business from all the experts! Really, I found myself sharing things I normally wouldn't last week because obviously I needed this outlet, and feel it is a safe place for me to also receive care and counsel.

Easter Mani family gathering

Easter Fast family gathering

And that is a wrap! We are starting to look at plane tickets to come home for about 6 weeks this coming Christmas...really couldn't be any more excited about that! We will need to spend time raising support and also raising our ice cream in take levels for night snack with my dad! So let the snow fall..now that I've heard the last flake has melted!










Love (being) Charlene Mani