Once upon a time, we came to South Africa!!!! Whooooo!!! We were all exhausted and basically dead from 5 days of travel. We got here and we discovered our ministry for the first few weeks was going to be manuel labor until the communities we are volunteering in and the school we are working with are back from their holiday break. Although exhausted, I was excited and expectant because this was something new! I had no idea what was to come.
The next morning before we began our work. We were told that along with helping to build a few buildings and some new school classrooms that needed to be finished by January 9th, we were going to finish up building the house that we were going to in a few days time move into, the “missionary house.” But let me tell ya, I was exhausted and not thrilled to be starting work right away after just arriving. But a motivation came real quick when we met this amazing woman named Wendy!
Wendy has come into our lives and already made a large impact. She is basically our house mom! She cooks a lot of our meals for us and is just here to love on us. She has a seriously inspiring story, one that gave purpose to the work we were about to do, and I’d love to share a shortened version of it with you!
The story is about her son, Austin, and how his journey from the Lord has impacted her life. When Austin was younger he was quite the rule bender. He liked to stretch his limits. He had no idea what he was going to do with his life after he graduated high school but then he stumbled upon Global Expedition (basically the South African World Race) and he signed up strait away. His family was so excited for him to be seeking out the Lord. He quickly learned so much and grew into the man of God that the Lord was calling him to be. He was an amazing leader, he was fruitful in the spirit, and he was truly admired by everyone that surrounded him. So amazing how the Lord transformed him.
Then, a World Race Gap squad was doing ministry in the same place he was for 3 months and this is where he met Rebecca. He quickly fell in love with Rebecca and he spent every moment he could for the next 3 months with Rebecca as they served the Lord together. When he was finished with his year of serving he had a few options and one of them was to go to the US and serve at a camp. The other two opportunities he had, the doors closed. So he hopped on a plane with a special gift in his pocket: an engagement ring. Rebecca and Austin got married quickly and were so in love. They spent the next chapter of their life happily married and chasing the Lord together. But then, they got into a car accident. They died.
(I know, I was shocked and devastated too…)
This gave their families and so many people that loved them a serious reason to question Gods goodness. To wonder why the Lord would take two remarkable, world changing people out of this world so young. But, even with the heartache and the forever questions, these families clung to the faith they had and the faith they know Rebecca and Austin had.
Soon after her sons death, Wendy moved her family here to serve at Global Missions as Austin had once prophesied over his family, and Wendy and her family are now making an impact in our lives and many lives here at Global. We are even having a sleepover with Austin’s sister, Candace, tonight! She’s the sweetest thing. And as for Wendy, she radiates so much joy and continues to trust in God’s goodness. So inspiring.
We were informed those first days as we were given the itinerary of our ministry for the first couple weeks, Global was building this “missions house” as a memorial for Austin and Rebecca. It will serve as a living area for World Race teams and other volunteers to stay as they serve in South Africa with Global. We were going to be one of the many World Race teams-the last- to work on the house and the first to live in it. Wow, what an honor.
And now, the house that we are now living in has such an amazing story!! It rests on land that was provided by so many donations. The funding was literally brought by the Lord because when Global began building this house with their vision in mind, they had $0 in the bank. People in Africa and around the world gave $10 or $20 or even large sums of money to build this memorial for Austin and Rebecca. How cool is it that we were able to partner with this super special organization for the next few months and we’ve already been able to be apart of something so special simply by helping them build!
Tonight when we prayed over this beautiful house after moving in, the Lord showed me that there is a light shining on this house and that it’s built on a firm foundation of Gods love. His kingdom is being done here and the enemy is wanting to dim that light. But the Holy Spirits light will forever fill the house. The foundation of this house is too strong. This ground will not be shaken by the enemy. It is holy ground.
This house now stands to honor Austin and Rebecca’s life and to create a home for the Missionaries to come. And we are the first. What an amazing testimony of Gods goodness, how the Lord brought the vision all together, and brought beauty out of the ashes. Not even death can concour the life God gives and the good he brings. I’m so thankful for the work we’ve done since we’ve been here, to build this house and to be the first to move in. It’s been a pleasure and an honor.
