I’m in South Africa!!! We successfully completed our first week here in Hiedleburg.and it’s been truly incredible. I mean it when I say that. Our first week we spent preparing for this conference that happens at the church/bible college that our ministry hosts founded. Incredible!! People from all over Southern Africa come to hear the preachers preach, a beautiful thing!! We spent the first week in fellowship with the people of our new home by attending a South African braaii/barbeque, painting & cleaning up the church, as well as learning from the incredible people of this community. A true privilege. As the conference began on Thursday, our hosts Phil & Tonya Smithe, so graciously invited us to sit in on the conference. Incredibly kind.
We arrived Thursday morning and while the worship team was playing music as people from all over were mingling, I began observantly searching the room for people to spark up a conversation with. My eyes wandered for a few seconds when they stumbled upon two women sitting side by side. They looked like mother and daughter. Quickly reminding me of my own mother back home. Something in my spirit was prompting me to talk to them. There was something overwhelmingly beautiful about their relationship. It was evident. They exuded so clearly strength and love, in a fragrant way. It was galvanic. Electric. Powerhouses. I wish I had better words for what it was I felt that nearly brought me to tears about them. With some prompting, my friend Kaylee encouraged me to go talk to them and encourage them in what it was I was feeling. I got up and walked over.
“Hello, what’s your name?” I looked at the woman I assumed to be the mother, first.
“Marisa,” she said with kind eyes and a sweet smile.
“And yours?” I asked the woman sitting beside her.
“Karla,” she responded.
“Hey, my name is Dasia. I just wanted to come over and introduce myself. Are you mother and daughter?-”
They both shook their heads, yes.
“I’m a missionary, I’ve been away from my mom for about 5 months now, and I just had to come over here and tell you both that there’s something so overwhelmingly beautiful about your relationship – ”
“Well, I must give you a hug then.” Marisa insisted, and squeezed me tight. Tears welled up in Karla’s eyes as I continued.
“I was sitting a few rows behind you and I felt really strongly that I had to tell you both that you exude strength and love so naturally. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Karla began crying and they both thanked me for encouraging them in those words.
It was a sweet moment that I kept replaying until the very next day.
The second part of the conference was Friday morning, and I was stoked.
Do you ever just wake up in the morning and know that THIS DAY, WILL ROCK!!!! That’s it. That’s what I was feelin’. Grooooooovy.
We got to the bible college that day, and after the first hour and a half session, we had a tea time (tea and coffee break). I saw Marisa and just said hello.
She came over to me and told me all about her family. She told me how her children are all grown and out of the house; Pierre, her first born is an agriculture major and plays rugby, her second was Karla, the sweet and artistic fourth year, engineering major. And Leon, her youngest was 18, a contracted rugby player a few hours from home. She told me how they’d all been out of the house and she decided for herself, to get a degree at Charis Bible College (where we were), because she wanted to further her depth of knowledge. She was passionate. Excited. She asked me questions about what I was doing here and now and if i knew what I wanted to do in the future. She told me about the farm she and her family own and work on. Growing up in the city, farms in every way, excite me. There’s something so beautiful about planting and harvesting. Watching crops grow, seeing them through their seasons, harvesting them, selling them, and doing it all over in the next season. Sustaining life. Provision.
I told her that I loved that she lived on a farm and she so naturally invited me over. “You must come.” She insisted. “It will be great,” I loved the idea, I really loved it.
The timer on the board was counting down and tea time was almost over so she quickly said we’d make it happen, grabbed her coffee and went back and sat down. Later that day, after the conference we were back home having a few hours of silence and solitude. I was reading my bible on the grass in the backyard when Tonya, our host got home.
“Dasia! I have a message for you, I just saw Karla in town and she wanted me to give you her number, she and her mother want to invite you to their farm”
I was stoked. I got Karla’s number and texted her right away. She responded that she was happy to hear from me and invited me to their home for lunch this weekend. I was so excited. I asked anyone if they wanted to come with me to the farm and Kaylee said she would.
Karla picked us up on Monday afternoon, we were driving down the road when she pointed out the rolling hills of land that surrounded us. “That’s our farm.”
Acres of land that varied in color. Soft browns scattered with green trees. Lined with grassy hills and behind those hills tall mountains. The clouds hung low against the dark blues of the mountains in the distance. We arrived to their beautiful home, we were introduced to her father and brother pierre as well as his rugby friend. She showed us around the large buildings that held the machinery they use to plow, plant, and harvest. She took us on a drive around the rolling hills, we saw their sheep and ostriches, the world around me became less and less and I felt closer to heaven in the beautiful simplicity of the life they so graciously lived. She took us back to her home where we ate lamb and vegetables and french fries and cantaloupe. We drank cappuccinos as we sat with Marisa and Karla and talked for hours. We talked about Marisa’s world traveling free spirited mother, thats been anywhere and everywhere. She shared with us how she fell in love with her husband. We talked about her travels to India and the education system. We talked with Karla about school and dreamt about traveling to Europe. We all sat and talked about life. The grief that walks hand in hand with loss. The different family dynamics of the world. We talked about women empowerment in the career aspect of life. We talked about God, and how good He is. We talked about Young Life and Passion City Church. They told us about how they took Marisa’s 77 year old mother along with them to the Cape Town Passion conference. About the worship and how their bodies were covered in chills at all times.
We sat and talked for hours and hours.
They brought up how we were pretty much homeless for this season of life, with the constant moving around we’ve done but that we always had a home at their home.
In the middle of all of this conversation they invited us to go water skiing on their boat with their family this weekend.
These women, they so naturally lived out Romans 12:9-13. Loving us sincerely. So evidently devoted to one another in love, so much so it was what originally caught my attention that first day at the conference. Never lacking in zeal, keeping their spiritual fervor in serving the Lord. Allowing joy to take residence in the act of hope. Patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Sharing with the Lord’s people in need. – Providing home. – All of these things so evident in their lives. Especially the last phrase in Romans 12:13 – they so clearly walk through their lives practicing hospitality.
These women, this family, gave me a glimpse of the woman I want to be as I grow older and have a family of my own. They are strong, they’re are empowering women of God that live arms wide open. Taking Kaylee and I in today, preparing a delicious meal for us, sharing with us their lives, their stories, their culture, and everything about that makes them, them.
Our cultures completely different, our lives tucked in opposite corners of the world, but both abounding in love for the same God. The same God that takes us into his warm home, prepares for us warm cappuccinos and a delicious meal. The same God that sits on the couch with us and talks with us for hours, about what makes Him, Him. These women showed me more of the Lord today.
On the drive home, we talked like old friends. They said we could visit Karla at university because she goes back tomorrow. That we could go to Hillsong Church in Cape town, and spend time with her at college.
Warm. Welcoming. Invitation.
Hospitable women. Everything about them screams out loud; the Lord.
Living breathing evidence of the word; Romans 12. Love in action.
We stepped out of the car and they both got out with us, squeezed us tight and said they’d see us again soon. We said goodbye as we did hello. A warm, thankful, see you soon.
And it all began with a simple hello.
I love hello’s.
They’re like pale yellow houses.
Welcoming and full of possibilities.
What resides in the pale yellow home?
Maybe nice wooden floors and warm blankets.
Maybe it smells like cedarwood.
Maybe there’s family inside, and a sweet golden retriever.
Maybe mom likes to bake.
Maybe music is always playing or someone’s always humming a tune.
Maybe there’s a fireplace and fresh flowers sit in a vase on the table.
Whatever it is, like a pale yellow home, hello’s,
Well they’re welcoming and full of possibility.
Going to bed tonight thankful that our God reveals himself to me in such creative ways. That His word is alive and sits on planes and trains, and through 2 day bible college conferences. That He’s kind and gracious through His people. May I learn more and more about what it looks like to walk through life with arms wide open. What it looks like to live a life of love that erases all the lines and sees the truth. May the division of the world fall away so that we all see that love conquers all. May love be limitless and held to no one definition. May I be a glimpse of the love of Jesus; eternal love. May I love sacrificially and may the people all around me see more of the Lord in my attempts at love as I saw today in the hospitable love of Karla and Marisa.
Jesus, I love you. God, I’m thankful.
amen
