Take ahold of that which we were taken ahold for...

My faithful friends...

Its been quite the last month and a half I must say.

Some splendidness...some tragicness...

Lets get the tragicness over with shall we? As my dad would say, "It could always be worse Charlene," so onwards and upwards then.

Celebrating my dear friend Pozie's graduation,

 

looking onwards and upwards into her beautiful future!

 

As I had requested prayer for a specific ill resident in my last blog, we actually have now experienced our first woman pass away at Scape Home in this case. Everything about this death was new for me. I have never seen the gruesome effects of HIV Aids first hand. Seeing the shriveled remains of human bodies due to starvation on world vision documentaries was the closest picture I had in my head previous to this situation. Myself and a collegue ended up taking the mother of our resident to identify her daughters body at the morgue, and it literally took this precious mama 30 minutes of examing to admit this really was her child. She had not seen her daughter for two and a half years and due to the effects of the illnesses it was only by a few scars that she finally admited this was indeed her long lost daughter.

Least to say, being in the room, experiencing all of this raw death and utter maternal agony has been in itself entirely beyond me to comprehend.

The part that tares at me most, is that, upon receiving the news of the death, I was sitting in a room of my dearest African friends, each of which have personally experienced many losses of loved ones in their own families since young due to HIV...and there I sat, with my very first encounter at the age of 28, bewildered at what worlds apart we live in on one planet.

This precious circle of people who have now become family, surrounded me, praying for my comfort and peace, honoring me with blessing and strength. It is this same resolute faith, whether facing life and death that I experienced on my first trip to this continent two years ago in Kenya, that absolutely boggled my mind and beckoned me to come back to this people. These men and women have weathered life and come out time and time again and in the strength of their God proclaiming, "It is well with their souls."

 The same response came from our resident's dear mama as we spent time just sitting together grieving. She honestly testified to the gratitude she had, that at least she was given the gift of being able to rest in peace knowing where her daughter physically, and now eternally rests.
Space for an apathetic Christian set of beliefs on this soil gets smaller and smaller the richer relationships grow around me. A faith far beyond sight is the daily diet of this nation and I continue to awaken in ways I never knew I was sleeping.  The whispers of the reality of another Kingdom come is getting louder and louder wrecking any satisfaction of mine to do 'business as usual'. There are far too many precious Sons and Daughters of God at stake here. There are far too many mothers holding dead children, fathers no where to be found, and families so desperate to survive they will sell one daughter to save the rest. Where is God in all of this the world rightfully asks? The response, in YOU AND I. Christ in Us.

The loudest buzzing african bee of I hope the 'not deadly kind' has been trapped inside my living room for the last 20 minutes as I've been trying to consentrate on this blog. Giving up I take a long look at this desparate little creature. She, yes I've decided she is a she, is hitting her head over and over and over again against the sunny window pane, unable to locate that just a few inches below, her window of freedom is open. BUT SHE DOES NOT KNOW THE WAY OUT...so she continues to flail and struggle as best she knows how to survive.

My dear friends, WE KNOW THE WAY OUT. His name is Jesus and he is crouched down on our eye level desperately waiting for us to listen and believe who we truely are, his beloved, without exceptions, and who we are capable of becoming. We are purposed for a greatness beyond measure, limitless with the very Spirit of the Living Immortal God burning alive inside.
YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY, like Father, like daughter and son.
Let this dying world groan no more.

 Let us pray for a personal boldness to take Jesus at his word to set us free into our true and whole identities as his indelible own daily.

Let us pray then, as we live out of this place of unconditional grace, for a new shifting in our spirit to take ahold of that which Christ took ahold of us for, those gifts and callings we have been designed to do since before the world began, and open the windows of heaven to welcome home the freed children of God.

And indeed, whether in Manitoba Canada or the Westerncape of South Africa, Ive seen the Kingdom of God alive and well in you my friends over seas or on this side of the shore. So let us then continue to take our place, our greatest charge simply being, to love God and love our neighbor.


Let us be an army of the greatest lovers of Jesus who dance away all darkness through the power of Christ, setting free every soul into the dawn of the morning light.
OVERCOMING IS IN OUR DNA!

Fewphhh you and I need a moment of silence here and maybe a picture of my roomate on her first camping experiance...as long as she had chicken to snack on first thing in the morning she was set to go!

Ok so I was going to start with the ugly and go onto the great...but the great just couldnt hold back so it seems! Least to say, this death has impacted myself and my team in a powerful way, and we pray that as our God is so good at doing, He continues to bring more beauty out of our ashes.
Want one more quick story of the beauty Jesus can grow from utter pain? We just said goodbye to another resident from Thailand who told us as she was leaving, that after being trafficked she has been left feeling completely betrayed by her family, country and even Buddha himself through this hellish experience. But, after staying with us at the safehouse, due to the overwhelming and completly new love she recieved, she wants to go home and find the one Christan neighbor she knows and talk more about this Jesus we kept recgonizing as the reason as to why we are doing what we are doing at Scape Home. Cool huh?!

Well I think its time I head on over to our office and give my good morning greetings to my wonderful team and for you to continue on in whatever you have just set aside to hear my rather lengthy shpiel.

Through all of this pain, I could not have found a deeper contentment as I have without your prayers of protection and peace over my life. Thankyou for journeying with me once again as we keep learning together...but for the grace of God!

Jesus is worthy.

And I bid thee farewell...Scape team appreciation tea party style!

Merry Merry Christmas, I shall post some pics of my wee tree once I get her up in all her glory!

Charlene

Full of Thanks Indeed...Eat a fork of turkey for me please!

Beautiful beloved ones!

Ha how good is the Lord! I have been back here in South Africa for about a month and a half and shish kabobs the faithfulness of Jesus has been unbelievable!

Picking my sweet malawian up from her 30 hour bus ride back into my arms!

Firstly returning to live with my dear housemates, catching up, these grannies staying awake till 2am like a bunch of 16 year olds and then sleeping in past our alarms the next Sunday morning…whooo took a bit long to recover the next day than I remember!

Back to a wonderful church community, colleges, and…Christmas decorations already up and ding a ling ing at our local grocery store called Checkers! So eat a piece and pumpkin pie and say trick or treat…South Africa has its eyes on the red and green prize and nothing is gunna get in the way!

My colleague Miryam and her little daughters first introduction to Christmas in October!

Incredible things have been aligning in perfect timing at S-cape Home. We have had 6 girls come pass through since being here this last month, all of this beginning within the first week of our completed staff of housemothers signing their contracts! Their hearts couldn’t be more tailored to the heart of Christ in this ministry. Three Beautiful colored South African women that all love to love and to laugh and share and chat that you cant get an English word in edgewise?! As well a prayer that has been prayed for at least two years in regards to hiring a social worker has also been answered! New volunteers coming up with all sorts of crazy "gunrun" fundraisers with a million purple cupcakes to match the S cape color scheme...the list goes on...its been full and fantastic!

And then of course in the midst of all of all this, the reality of heartbreak is constantly with us as God is matching our hearts to his. The pain of what these girls have endured always hits afresh with the hello and goodbye of each one. Indeed, please pray against HIV’s death prognosis in a current resident. She needs your prayers to fight for her very precious and worthwhile life. She is designed for greatness and since just before coming to stay with us was introduced to Jesus...when everything else is shutting down, her spirit is coming to life like never before. What a privilege to journey with her in these days. Have hope with us.

Two little Canadian boys supposedly sound asleep up in their 3 story rooms!

Tsk Tsk trouble trouble in the back of this van with all these dear lovely ladies of mine!

South African supper prepared and served by my friend, Pastor Thabo himself...I can get used to this being waited on! More Chicken please!

Its whale watching season from up high!

Raphs all time favorite thing..."look Auntie Charlene the train!!!"

Its been the best thing ever having Mike and Marie-eve my brother and Sister in Law and nephews moving out here to my end of the world…I cant get enough of Marie eves infamous banana chocolate chip muffins and taking my nephews on little adventures to the beach. How good is our Jesus! On top of that my own mom and dad and cousin Lindsey will be venturing out here in January…whoooo can you hear the beat of my African drum heart going wild!?! I’m hoping they wont forget to pack my car?!

Alrighty then, ill leave you with the hope filled words we are holding onto as a ministry and in my heart this sunny Muizenberg morning,

Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
    found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
³     the Lord appeared to him^[a] from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
⁴ Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
    O virgin Israel!
Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
    and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

Believe with me in a kingdom that’s not of this world.

Love Charlene

PS: If you get a chance, youtube Hillsong’s, song, Oceans…perfect love cast out all fear…lets go fishing shall we…you know…cast..and stuff…haaa Im going to retire for the night I’d say!

Manitoba Moment Snippets...

Beep beep the  taxi driver Noah is coming through!

DQ blizzard fix...If you cant get to Bumpers that is...

I couldnt squish more love inbetween for them

Broski is back and clearly happier than ever to see me

Bison lovin

A Mary Poppins kind a jolly night

Timmy's and Lindsey's Best Morning Combo Deal

Dreaming of  how nice that Colbalt back there would look in yellow...

There are so many Manitoba Sunshine Souls I love

Electronic Thankyou Daisies for Everyone!

Beautiful beautiful can I mention beautiful family and friends of Manitoba...

You know how to show this long lost prodigal daughter one unbelievably good welcome home time!
Could I have received any more down home lovin?! Nope. One million long over due hugs and laughs and encouragements and breakfasts have been stored up deep deep down in my heart to tide me over for another year. I wont start naming specific names of you blessed people who made my visit filled with unending gratitude to my Father at the end of this five weeks, or I will miss someone.

But Ive got to say I got to meet my new niece! Call Randy and Joyce for details!
My tank is full. Thankyou.
So back in SA I am.

Ive got a serious case of the 'jetleg'...been eating granola for kicks around 3 am this last two nights as there isn't much else happening around our little corner of Muizenberg. Loving the daylights out of my nephews...Thomas bday hotdog party for my first supper for Vincent! Mike's already fixing my phone and Marie-Eves cooking me up a storm to make sure I keep up the few happy home pounds my mom put on me, spoiling me rotten from one kitchen to the next!

The safehouse has been flying along, with 5 residents coming through, one remaining at this point. My collegues as fabulous as ever, happy with my return and easing me in, reminding me that Im not 'taking' on the huge burden of all the work again, its far beyond me, we just need to be faithful in doing our best by the days end and leave the rest in our ever so capable Fathers hand. Rad!
Back to my parka, triple layered blankets at night, and the essential cupa tea several times a day. They say spring is springing...Im saying where? I'm dreaming of my Manitoba 30 degree summer bliss and saying 'see ya' to the bit of tan I was attempting to save.

My roommates have left a million welcome home little cards stashed in my socks and chalkboard notes and fresh flowers on the coffee table, blessed beyond belief. There was also gunna be chocolate but...didn't end up surviving apparently there was a great crisis in which is was desperately needed...!

So then, off to the races, as my dad says, I go, with our God gone on before and behind me theres no telling what adventures He's ever got up his sleeve for any of us, hard or easy, we know no hand is more trustworthy to help us walk and run through it...leaning on our Beloved more fully and whole on the other side. He is no ordinary God and only has unimaginable things in mind when it come to his extraordinary kids! That's YOU AND ME! I saw phenomenal things He is up to and caverns of hearts He is blowing anew through there at home and am thrilled to be watching what he does this year in your lives from this side of the sea!

Lets expect greatness...thats WHO HE IS!
Please listen to Bethel's "Songs from the Loft" "This is what you do"...betcha can't eat (listen) just one (once)...

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Rom 12:12)

Love, Charlene

COMING HOME SWEETEST PRAIRIE HOME!

Good day my DEAR FRIENDS whom I miss a whole lot of a lot!

In just a short while, I will be spending a few weeks back at home to celebrate the Manitoba summer with you. Can you believe I have already been here over months? Before I arrive at home, I just wanted to let you know about just a few of the blessings I’ve experienced in the last while.

In April, as I mentioned, God provided me with a new place to live with two wonderful roommates. This home is already becoming a major refuge for me, which is so needed in the work that I am doing. Here is a picture of our bay window, which we have nicknamed the Holy of Holies as it’s our favourite place to enjoy time with Jesus in the morning sunshine as it’s getting pretty chilly these days!

One huge blessing this past month for me was the arrival of my brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Marie-Eve Fast, along with my two nephews, Raphael and Vincent. Mike and Marie-Eve were planning to come to Cape Town to work with Hope Africa before I even began my own application process to work with S-Cape House. Mike and Marie-Eve arrived in June and are working with an organization that provides life-skills and discipleship training to people living in poverty in a town called Philippi. However, in all our planning, only God could have worked it out so well that they would end up living just a couple blocks away from my own house!

 Another blessing to me was when my dear friend Elviene came to visit me this July. Not only was it great to reconnect with her and have her see my world here, it also gave me the opportunity to have some time off since my arrival here. I was able to take a couple days off and take a mini road-trip through some beautiful areas of Cape Town. 

Thank you a million times over for all your prayers and support over the past year. I look forward to reconnecting with as many of you that I can soon and let you in on more of what our Faithful as ever Father has been up to in colourful and oh so exciting detail!

 

Love,

Charlene

Muizenberg Mtn here I come!

Miracle on 18th Hanson Street

Second hand set of lungs anyone? Now I’ve got a story I never thought I’d be the one to tell, but here goes…

Going back to the days of playing Pee Wee softball with Bryanne, I had to always keep two things in mind, firstly to keep my poney tail cute and flippy, but not too ‘like I tried’  flippy,  and second to keep near a trusty paper bag incase of an impending asthma attack. Though this childhood sickness has not immobilized me from continuing to play all sorts of sport from that time, it has continued to restrict my capability to breath unreservedly. Even just the smallest of colds over the years instantly penetrate my lungs, with desperate wheezing and shallow breathes to follow.

Until just another ordinary day bumping into an extraordinary God in Muizenberg Village…

Ok so the usual, Charlene gets a cold Tuesday, down for the count Wednesday, off to the hospital Thursday as her lungs are officially closing for business, refusing to welcome any depth of air whatsoever. Expectedly the Doc reports a healthy dose of Asthma with a big ol’helping of Bronchitis on the side, and I was whisked off to the green breathing machine for temporary relief. Stabilized and stocked with the familiar steroids and inhalers I’m sent home, exhausted. It’s only a matter of hours when my breath becomes even shallower then before and I’m having attack after attack at the slightest move of my body. The inhaler, taken up to ten times now, powerless.  Claudia, my dear friend by my side in the dark, praying, singing, telling me stories from Malawi, trying not to let on how helplessly scared she was becoming as she was debating on whom to call for emergency help.

She sent out messages for friends to pray, one of which was a another good friend of mine, Mawande, whom then also came by. He shared a picture God had given him before coming, that as he prayed for me, fire was shooting through his hand into my lungs and began then to declare healing from asthma on my behalf and encouraged me, as I was able, to declare the same. I prayed that only praise for my Lord would be left in place of the suffocating fluid, that my lungs would be expanded wider than ever before.  Slowly my breath started to catch, and by the time we finished and I stood up, when I would have been sent into another exhausting bout of desperate heaving previously, no sign of attack was present! As Mawande was leaving he grinned and said “enjoy your new pair of lungs,” and off to bed I went.  Even just moving around in bed for the next while, I couldn’t supress this sneaky suspicion that something amazing was at work in my body as I didn’t even think of using my inhaler once.

 I awoke at one stage, chest, arms and legs running with sweat like I’ve never experienced, and my first thought was, “this must be the after effects of lung transplant surgery complete!” There I was in my bed, eyes and soul wide open with an inexpressible joy as I was exhaling and inhaling deeper, wider, fuller and longer than I ever knew possible! Oh Asthma where is your sting?! Literally every breath, day and night since, is a living miracle of Jesus Christ in me!

Back to my Doc I went a few days after, blasting through with a one hundred percent score on the breathing tests which I had previously scored a lung capacity of less then twenty-five percent a few days before!  ONE HUNDRED PERCENT! Excitedly I told the Doc what miracle had happened on my couch that long dark night, and when normally he said he would’ve put me on a daily preventative inhaler for the rest of my life, he saw no need at this point as he could not discount the obvious work of God he was seeing with his very eyes!

This asthma that was being used to steal, kill and destroy has now been flipped upside down, transformed into a story of life, oh abundant life! Our Jesus is creative like that!

Now a few days of resting and I can hardly wait to put this new pair of lungs to the test and take down Muizenberg Mountain, breath by breath! Hallelujah! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

A few other fun thoughts to finish things off are, I’m coming HOME! for a month in mid July, my new roomie Felicity plays the banjo which makes us feel like we should be chewing on some alfalfa when she practices, I officially became a member of a beautiful church called Joshua Generation for the duration of my time here, my brother Mike’s family is moving down the road from me in a few weeks (I GET TO PINCH MY NEPHEWS!!!) our team is becoming united in spirit and purpose like never before  as we are working towards loving one another before we try to love any one else with integrity (usually the hardest thing to do), I chomped down on a Mc’ fatty cow tongue unknowingly as a sample at our local grocery store last week, and I love you mom, Happy Mothers Day!