Why the silence?

It seems like we have been off the radar for a little while now... and that is because we have!  Amy has been really ill since we returned from Africa.  She had an inner and outer ear infection, which triggered loose crystals in her ear (causing bad vertigo) and then to top it all off a dose of shingles!  So we have been to a specialist and had treatments and now she is starting to feel almost normal again!  Praise God!

So where are we now?  Well, I have been working on the house (and it always seems to multiply jobs that need to be done!) and attempting to get it sale ready.  We did not have much outside paint left that matched the color we have on the house and so I had to carefully brush it on, which meant a lot of tender loving touches to the entire outside of the house...haha.  Needless to say I didn't always have happy thoughts towards the house:)  I do now as it looks good and it gave me opportunity to fix issues and seal windows etc...  Today we get to meet with a real estate auctioneer to see what he offers and if it is a viable route for us to take.  It does offer a quicker sale, is sold "as is" and we can put a minimum amount.  So please pray for wisdom and favor.

As far as paperwork is going.  We have our Zimbabwean police clearance processed, which is absolutely miraculous as it was done very quickly...even quicker than us getting the funds there (thank you Gwynn)! We are reminded of His favor in this because this was done in a day and others have to wait much longer times to get it processed. He is good! We had a struggle getting the funds there, but the Lord has provided a way and so that has finally been sorted! When we get those in hand we will be doing our physicals and chest x-rays.  Then all that is left is a couple of letters; health insurance from SA; tickets and proof we can support ourselves there.

Thank you for all your prayers, interest and support.  Please begin praying for favor with the visa and for the rest of the provision needed for it to be granted.

Police Clearance

Last week we got back our approved finger print papers from the Zimbabwe Embassy which allows us to send them to Harare, Zimbabwe, to get a police clearance certificate done for Amy and I. This is one of the requirements for applying for a volunteer visa to South Africa.  It seems the best method of having this completed, is to send it to a friend there and have them personally take it in to the police to be done. Please pray that this opportunity will open up this week and that it can all be done quickly and without unnecessary cost. 

Also this week, we will be booking our medicals and chest x-rays (another requirement for the volunteer visa) and as we have been sick of late we are praying that we will be fit and healthy by the time this is done as well!

We have a number of things in the pipeline and so wait patiently to be processed and returned.  In the meantime we are fixing up the house; sorting through our things and trusting God to meet our daily needs... of which He has been and so much more! Please feel free to comment or message and we will try to be diligent about replying. David.

Sabbatical

The Lord was good to give us a sabbatical in South Africa December 2013 - January 2014.  We spent three weeks in Empangeni, near Richard's Bay, with Dave's brother and sister-in-law.  We had such fun spending time with family for the Christmas season.  Dave's mum came from the States and his dad had come from England so they were both there to share in our time together.

Soon after Christmas we left Mike's and Nicola's house to drive to Cape Town to visit with our second family, the Jenkins.  We spent a couple of weeks there while God worked in our hearts in major ways, leading us and guiding us.  Over that period, He was opening us up to the possibility that Cape Town could maybe fit for the next place He had for us.  Soon we were almost certain that He was to bring us to Cape Town.  We went back to Empangeni for a few days with Mike, Nic, and baby Benjamin before heading back to the States.

Once we were back stateside and spoke with the co-pastors we were absolutely certain that God was taking us to Cape Town..... and so our story begins....

Here are the photos from our sabbatical.

We had lunch at The Fat Cat, Mtunzini, South Africa with Grandpa then went down to play at the beach on December 12, 2013

Grandpa tried very hard (usually successfully) to keep up with an energetic Daniel.

The guys all tried to enjoy the surf even with the fierce wind.

The wind was sand-blasting us so we drove around the Mtunzini Nature Reserve.  Not long into our drive we came upon a snake trying to eat a Blind Worm.  We sat watching them for ages.

The boys enjoyed the sand dunes.  They used it as a slide.

It was about here we told Joshua not to lose his flip-flops.

It was about here that Joshua lost his flip-flops.

So he searched for them..... unsuccessfully.

We saw a small antelope.

The were some Vervet monkeys.  This is a mother holding a tiny baby.

We walked along the river where there were thousands of crabs in there holes.

Dad's sisters, Aunty Janet and Aunty Erica came to visit.

Dave's cousin, Alec, and his girlfriend were with them.

First family photo of the Handyside siblings for years and years!  So we took lots.  lol

All of the Handyside grandchildren together for Christmas 2013.

Daniel, 5; Joshua, 11; Benjamin, 7 months.

Two boys very excited to open stockings.

Benjamin enjoyed opening his presses with the assistance of Mummy.

Daddy helps Daniel discover his gift.

Joshua had big eyes for every gift.

Michael and Dad watch all the commotion.

Balloons are always fun.

Grandpa and his guys get ready to tuck in to some good grub.

Love these guys!

Our resident gecko, Charlie

We begin our two-day trek from east coast to west.

David changes the flat tire like a beast.  Praise the Lord for a full spare!

The boys take a little time to stretch their legs.

.....and their mouths and arms.

He does a great job, but he does not come cheap, folks. ;)

We stopped for the night at River Destiny Lodge on the Orange River just outside of Colesburg.

They had lots of game to look at as we drove.

Dave was excited to be in the African bush.  He said he was, "Starting to feel African again." hahaha

The next day this was our view for hours.

....and hours.

.....and hours.

.....and hours.

Finally we made it to the Jenkins' in Fish Hoek and after a cup of tea or two were sent to stay at Rose's flat in Hout Bay.

This is the Noordhoek Beach we passed before heading around Chapman't Peak Drive.

We could just see Hout Bay as we drove around the bend.

Chapman's Peak Drive is stunning!

We spent New Years Day with some fellow Zimbabweans.

Doing what Zimbos love to do... be outdoors.

The men played a few sporting games of volleyball, we had a terrific braai, swam, watched some of the children ride horses, played soccer, and had an all around great day.

A couple of days later the Jenkins and we were invited to the Smythes, fellow Gweruites.

We had a wonderful time catching up, retelling old stories, and sharing the goodness of The Lord.

Uncle Urban is always up to tell a good story.

The men were in deep conversation on what looked to be something rather profound as the women loved on one another with speeches that were not as deep.  lol

We had a great day at the Jenkins' with some of David's past students from MCC, Gweru.

Peter Jenkins, Mark Anderson, Daniel Green, Michael Jenkins, David, and King.

We played lots of card games correctly; even with the strange instructions Mark gave. lol

Daniel played a game with Grandpa Ogden.

They had a grand time.

Daniel kept insisting that his way of playing was the correct way.

(Pastor Ogden was the founding pastor of David's church in Gweru.  God has used him mightily and is still using him to this day.  He is Vivian Jenkins' father and a dear man.)

In the end, I think Daniel ended up playing himself.

Knowing Daniel, I am sure he made sure he was the winner.  lol

David found a setting on the camera that would take a picture when it recognized someone smiling.  The following pics are the result of us testing this out...

We think it must have picked up Rose's smile here.

We ate one evening on the Hout Bay harbour.  The seafood was delicious and we had a server from Zimbabwe.... what could be better?!

We shared an enormous platter of food.  In the end the platter won.

Food Platter - 1 vs Handyside - 0

Vivian 'Nana' Jenkins took us all to the Scratch Patch to "scratch" for beautiful semi-precious stones.

We all had a ball searching through all the stones for our very own gems.

Daniel had a particular one in mind and had most of us searching the place for it.

Afterward, we were back at the Jenks for some yummy num-nums prepared by Nana, Aunty Rose, and Joshua.  Even Daniel grated a bit of the carrot.

Joshua kept the ladies entertained with all sorts of tales.

The view of Noordhoek Beach never gets old.

Nor does the view of Hout Bay from Chapman's Peak Drive.

We stopped to take some family pics on Chapman's Peak Drive.

Rose took us one day up the coast from Hout Bay to Sea Point.  We walked along the coast and stopped for some ice cream.  It was a fun day spent viewing God's lovely creation.

There were some sand dunes close to where Daddy was helping with the soccer team.  The boys had a ball running, jumping, and sliding around.

If we got to a high place in the dunes we could look to our right and see the Atlantic Ocean as well as look to our right and see the Indian Ocean.

Joshua and Daniel monkeyed around while Daddy and Mommy met for lunch with Uncle Mickey J.

We took a day to drive to Simon's Town to see the penguins on Boulder's Beach, Simon's Town.

We saw other unexpected wild life.

These are called the Jack-Ass penguin because they have a bray that sounds like a donkey.

Many of them were sitting on their eggs.

Grasshopper.

We made an impromtu trip down to Cape Point and got pooped on by birds while we ate and watched for whales.

We rode up to the lighthouse.

The higher we went, the more spectacular the view.

We took time to pray and thank God that He is our Good Hope.  We are so blessed to be His children.

David, Joshua, and Daniel are standing at the left foot of this monument.

We saw lots of baboons as we drove around the National Reserve.

Ubuntu Football Academy is practicing.

We spotted Michael Jenkins' book while we were at a book store.

On our way back to Empangeni we stayed the night at a lovely place in Grahamstown right up on a hill with spectacular views.

God blessed us again and again at every turn on our trip.

We were blessed to spend time with Chris and Anne Anderson, Amy's former pastors from Gweru.

We stayed the night with them and then attended morning services at Margate Baptist, where they are currently pastoring.

Chris had Dave share about God's goodness.

Thank you, Lord, for an amazing time with You, an amazing time with friends and family, and an amazing time enjoying the beauty of all You created.  You are so good.