Walking by Faith

It's hard to believe we are at the end of this chapter in our lives. In two short weeks we will board the plane and head across the ocean to begin the next chapter. As the pages turn God gives us glimpses of what is next but continues to ask us to trust Him with our futures.

These past few months have been super busy and super emotional. We were blessed to host two interns that were just like family to us. We loved having Joe and Abbie here serving with us. We have traveled to say goodbyes in the village of Mosojane (6hours north). My heart broke as I held each face in my hands, reminding them that Jesus loves them and thinks they are special. After serving there over the 3 years and running 4 VBS they all came out to tell us bye. My heart was overwhelmed at the crowds that waited and pushed just to hug us. My prayer for these little ones is that they understand this Love of God and will come to know Jesus as personal Lord and Savior.

We spent 4 weeks hosting the youth of Gakuto in our home for Bible Study. I loved to see their desire to grow and know more about Jesus. The connections we made with these 5 young adults made it even harder to say our goodbyes in the village. Gakuto is where we have served and loved for the past 3 years. Going around the 'greeting circle' after church with tears pouring down my face, just praying that these people understand this Love we have shared - The love of Jesus Christ. One lady told me that she had never seen such love! Please pray with me that the church of Gakuto will remain strong, they would keep a desire to learn and grow in the Lord, and that they would be a lighthouse in their village.

We have served and worked in Old Naledi trying to see the feeding station on the church grounds through to completion. We have invested in individual lives, prayed, loved, and cared for the needs of many. Goodbyes are never easy! Please pray for Naledi Baptist Fellowship as they love and serve in their village. Pray that they will be a beacon of Christ's Hope and Love to this village. Please pray for a sweet young friend in Naledi that is pregnant with twins. Pray for her health, for her to make the right choices, and for her to walk with the Lord. Pray that God would send someone to support and encourage her.

We are helping host a teacher's conference this week in Lobatse - reminding these teachers of the power they have to change lives. We will say our goodbyes to the sweet friends in Lobatse that work daily at the church running an after-school orphan care project. Pray that God will continue to strengthen them and that the good work they are doing in the lives of children will continue. Pray that the kids they serve will understand the love and grace of Jesus Christ and will come to know Him as Savior.

Our kids are winding up their last week at school here. Please pray for them to have closure and grieve as necessary. Pray that God will prepare hearts of friends to recieve them when we arrive back in America.

As all of this comes to an end and we work to pack our bags please be in prayer for us. We have travelled this journey by faith. We have walked with God and watched as He provided everything we needed. We have watched Him open doors and change lives. We have watched Him transform a village and individuals. We have trusted Him to complete the good works that He began. He is forever faithful!

We have been praying and waiting since last October for God to show us our next step - Walking daily in Faith. We have tried not to worry or fret (which on some days was VERY hard). We wondered where we would call home and settle our kids into school. Last week we got an email from my sister, Felicia, saying that God has provided a house and office space for us in Aiken, SC. We are so grateful for His provision. As I write, the body of Christ is busy at work setting the house up for us. We are humbled and beyond thankful!

We have several prayer needs as we transition - please join us in praying:
1. That God will continue to lead us in the way forward as we seek to continue our ministry in Botswana while living in the states.
2. That we would have clarity and direction as far as jobs.
3. That our children would adjust to new schools and get the help they need with their education.
4. That our cars will sell in Botswana so we can purchase cars in the states.

We appreciate all of you that been on this journey with us. Your love, financial support, encouraging words, and prayers have made an eternal impact on our family and the children of Botswana. Our prayer is that you will continue to support the work God is doing in Botswana.

With much love and a grateful heart ~ Tonya