Interview

-From an interview I did with Heidi

 

 The personal side of being a missionary you ask?

 Funny thing. We don’t really see ourselves as missionaries. I know that that is the title given and what we write in any official document (visa’s or passport) but we are just us, you know? Trying our best to be obedient to what God has called us to do with our lives. We are just trying to get through everyday, just like anybody else, I suppose…it is just we get to live in South Africa with the most amazing people ever…feeding them and “feeding” them the best we can.  

 Wondering why we are in Africa?  

Absolutely! Daniel and I have that conversation a lot actually and talk about how our lives brought us here. I have said this many times and probably will say this for the rest of my life…but I believe that every single part our life…every conversation, every minute of ministry, every class I have taken, everything has brought me to Daniel and Daniel and I here to Africa…… To love and honor these kids. We still question things at times and we still wonder if we are doing the “right” thing…but only in context of doing things better. We totally miss our families and know that the sacrifice is huge. But what scares me more then missing out on our life “back home” is being in disobedience to the Lord. I have been down that path many times and I will not do that purposely ever again. 

 

What moves me most for the children?   

  Their pure and perfect smiles.    

 There is nothing quite like it. When these kids smile at you and climb into your lap…I am telling you, you are so close to God. We call these kids “Vaseline babies“…the ones who are loved and nourished. I know that sounds ridiculous. But when you first meet a kid and they are on the side of the road or in a house with no parents they are “hollow”…their skin is kind of ashy and their eyes are blank. Their hair is orange because they have nothing in their bellies and are so malnourished.  They can see right through you and you just want to scoop them up and cover them with your protection. You know that nobody is loving them…so we start the process. We get these kids into our system which includes taking down their story and finding a local “mama” who can do a much better job of loving them in their environment then we ever could…we aren’t Xhosa.

We then try to get them hooked up in a soup kitchen so they get at least one meal a day and then some sort of support in their daily lives. From there, they will receive the possibility of getting on the CSP (Child Sponsorship Program) where people in America sponsor kids and we get food to them for the whole month. After this whole process these kids turn into “Vaseline babies”…it takes about 2 months of love and all of a sudden one day you go to greet them and they look you in the eye. They finally see you. Their eyes are no longer blank and they hold promise. Their skin has plumped from the food they are receiving and the love they are getting. Their lips are full and cheeks are pink. Their hair has actually started turning back to black and the skin on their legs have the natural oil the body was supposed to produce. Who knew? I am surprised and honored every single time this happens. I love it and those are the moments of why we are here.

Do we get lonely?  Absolutely. This past year has been so hard. We have battled inside our marriage and inside of our own brains of who we are and what we are made of. We have not a clue what makes us strong or able other then the ability from our Lord. People say that flippantly all the time in America…over their lost car keys or missed dentist appointment and as I look back over our previous life in the States I think that that used to be me too…but now that we battle people who are actually starving and burying their friends and family on a daily basis and carrying around this disease, I know how absurd I thought my problems actually were

 So yes, we are lonely, but God is our fill and we have grown closer to Him and His voice more and more each day. We are able to rely on the still, small moments and take nothing for granted…because as each day closes we take it as a victory that we got through it. Since we have been here (1 year) we have had either directly or indirectly 19 people die of AIDS. That makes me pretty lonely indeed.  

Is it hard?  we do have bad days too. We question and wonder if we are the only ones who understand or who care about what is going on. I have been getting emails lately about gas and milk prices in America…and I know that those things are a problem…and I can appreciate the heartache for everyone there…but for us, I simply can’t relate. It isn’t a battle of who has it worse, it just seems that people turn a blind eye. I don’t believe that you have to sell everything you own and move to Africa…that is just what God called us to do. But I do believe that God is pulling and pressing every single one of us. We just need to be obedient.  Is it the guy at Wal-mart, is it the lady at the bank? Who are you supposed to help? I think that even in my life in the States, we were so so so busy…and now that we live here, we have realized that there is no other project or time then to love and serve the person right in front of you. The sacrifice is well worth it.

 

 What do we need as missionaries? There is that word again. We need support. We are now into our second year which is what we had originally raised to come here. We had decided on two years and raised that much to begin with…we just didn’t bank on falling in love with South Africa like we did and God calling us to move here permanently.

So now we need to raise monthly support. We believe that God has called us here for a life time to live and serve the people here…but we can’t do it with the 20K we have left in our account. We are trying to figure out ways to cut down costs…but South Africa is a funny place…in many ways it is a first world country with pockets of third world living all over. We have to function in both. For us to be safe (due to the racial tensions) we live in a house (rather then in the townships….in a shack) and drive to where we serve food. Our housing and living expenses are the same as in America and so are vehicles and gas ($6.00 gallon) so we have to raise all of that to be here. When we got here, we inherited 55 kids in the CSP program…we are now over 300 and 500 in the soup clubs. So 800 kids get at least one meal a day now. Incredible. We are involved in all sorts of things and projects.Since we are the only ones on the ground here…it is up to us to “make it happen”…we run the hospice care program, taking care of those in our community living with HIV/AIDS and also help support several children’s villages. We are getting ready to buy some property and build up a compound so when teams come, we can all stay together and for future long term missionaries can stay as well. There is a lot going on..  

I thank Kristi for her incredible friendship although it’s a continent away but I know her and Daniel are doing exactly what God wants them to to do, to be in Africa feeding the kids.  They are truly being obedient.

Thank you Kristi and Daniel for your hearts and Your love!!!!

You are so PRAYED for!!    Please Join me in praying for them.

Most importantly if you want to help sponsor a child and support their efforts: 

Support Address- Oceans of Mercy- P.O. Box 860143, Shawnee Kansas, 66286  Designate  M024 

 

Comments

[danielle]

I loved reading about your Vaseline babies. Wow, praise God!