God Provides!!!

Oh my goodness this post is getting out to all of you so late. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I feel like this post is too good to pass up. The Lord is so good and provides in so many creative ways! This story is so encouraging to me. It’s late, but a good one…

In an earlier post I shared about the Slabbert family, and how much of a blessing they’ve been to our team. We met the Slabbert family when our little team of three moved back to Durban at the beginning of March. Ali and I stayed in their son Michael’s flat that is just off their house. As much as we would have loved to stay with them for the remainder of the year, we knew we couldn’t crash in Michael’s flat forever. Our hesitation to leave this family and the lovely accommodations they provided was used greatly by the Lord! We couldn’t pull out of the Slabbert home, and as a result the perfect flat has fallen into our laps!

When we moved to Durban Ryan had accommodation immediately with Gary and Cheryl. The Price family had their granny flat open up recently and offered it to Ryan for the year. Housing for Ali and I was not so simple. We searched for weeks for housing that was in a safe area, close to campus, and affordable. It was quite challenging to find anything within our price range that was close to Ryan. We are sharing a car, so it was fairly important that we be close to him. Also, for safety reasons, we didn’t want to be too far off on our own. We finally made the decision to go with a flat that was close to campus, but wasn’t ideal. I was hesitant to sign the lease and move forward, but I wasn’t sure why. I guess it just didn’t feel right. The next day (the day before we would sign the lease), Gary calls us all excited because he discovered that a flat that was right across the street from their house was available! We called the owners and visited that day. We took one look at the small house and signed the papers! Our little home was exactly what we prayed for. It was the cheapest place we looked at, the closest to Ryan, and in one of the safest areas in Durban!

On top of providing the ideal housing situation for us, the Lord provided everything we needed to furnish the flat. The Slabbert family was so incredibly helpful in the process. Not only did the Slabbert family donate several pieces of furniture from their home, but also Mandy contacted dozens of people asking them if they would be willing to donate anything from dishtowels to beds! She spent days looking for people who would be willing to help meet our needs. Within 3 days we had everything we needed, and more! 3 DAYS!! We are incredibly thankful for Mandy and her family.

It is amazing to walk into our home everyday and know that we are where we are because people are generous. We are living in South Africa because people are joyfully giving!  Everything is our home is donated! Not only has the Lord used everyone to provide for our practical needs but for our emotional and spiritual needs as well (that includes all of you). I am humbled to wake up every morning and know that I am able to live because of what God has provided through the joyful giving of others. The Lord continues to humble me! From the second I started raising support over a year ago, to this very moment, the Lord has blown me away with his provision. He has literally used hundreds to send me and sustain me. Thank you for your generosity. Your faithfulness enables me to give myself to the students here in Durban, for the glory of God and His Kingdom!

It’s incredible to watch the Lord provide. I thank God daily, for the blessings his given me in all of you.