May 5th marked TWO YEARS for me living and serving in South Africa. It’s been a wild adventurous ride full of ups and downs. God has been teaching me, growing me and challenging me in countless ways. He has provided in more ways than I can count and has been a true comfort in the difficult times. There have been many nights of crying out to the Lord not knowing how to press on with many tears and many sorrows. Many times of not knowing if I had the strength to face another day. Missionary life can be very challenging and emotionally draining, but I would not change a thing about the past two years. Because for all the nights of pain there are just as many, if not more, nights of rejoicing for what the Lord is doing including the many testimonies and encouragements my groups over me at just the right time. I am thankful that the Lord has provided me with many people from the community who have become my family and close friends! Thankful for ministry partners that are willing to come alongside myself to make projects happen. Thankful for the women from my groups that I can be completely honest with and who will pray over me and me over them. All I can say is God is so faithful and that through it all God has remained constant and I’m grateful!
God led me to create an official NGO (non governmental organization – like a non profit in the states) so I took the step of faith and created Lydia’s Mission.
God has provide many ministries: I currently have 3 women’s groups: Lydia’s Circle, Lydia’s Circle Seniors and Lydia’s Circle Farm Village providing ministry for 75 women through the three groups. Many women have come to know and accept the Lord as their Savior. Each week groups build on that decision and continue to develop what that means in their daily lives. The goal for the groups is multiplication where God is the one who provides the strength and each week we see multiple women step out in faith and share about Christ. Christ is the main focus of Lydia Mission. A whole list of projects have happened and I see those as a tool to build trust and provide hope in order to begin to meet the spiritual needs.
Also, Lydia’s Mission now has a sewing project that is a part of Lydia’s Market. Lydia’s Market includes a micro-business focus where many women from the different bible study groups are making all sorts of handcrafts. These handcrafts helps to meet their basic needs such as buying a loaf of bread for their family to eat. Lydia’s Mission has also installed 3 water tanks to communities without access to clean water. Many deaths and diseases were being tracked back to the unclean water source that when I first saw had a dead animal in it. God has made it clear to me to help meet the physical needs were I can was a way to begin meeting the spiritual ones.
Lastly Lydia’s Mission has a feeding site. It feeds about 150 kids five days a week. The hope is to expand the feeding program side of Lydia’s Mission within the next few months with additional sites because there is so much need.
God has been moving and fruit is present. The best part is that God is telling me “it’s only just begun!” So excited to see what the Lord is going to do in the next two years with Lydia’s Mission. I will appreciate your continued prayers for me and Lydia’s Mission.
I continue on my mission: “Partnering with God to make a difference one life at a time!”
