Dear
Southcity
I have
wrestled with whether or not to send this letter to you friends, as I am aware
that we all face challenges and that our experience of Christian community is
not always the same, but I believe in the end it is better for me to write this
than not to. One thing I ask is that should your experience of God's love be
different to the testimony below, may I ask you to celebrate God's kindness to
another rather than to be discontent with your own experience. What follows
below is Jaci's brief writing on what we as a family have experienced these
past few months.
"In the past 10 weeks, since I injured myself and was
confined to bed, we have had meals from 50 different families, ladies come and
play with our children, countless school and ballet lifts done by up to 10
different friends, treatments by a physio, a chiropractor and a massage
therapist in my own room, thousands of rands of medical treatments wavered, and
further thousands covered by friends, an endless supply of flowers, gifts for our
baby and for me, an extra full-time helper at home paid for by a friend, and
communities and churches all over praying for us, sometimes with busy men and
women gathered for an entire hour of prayer for our family.
If I thought this in any way was because of who I was, or
even who my husband was, I would keep quietly proud about it.
But I know it is not because of who we are, but because of what we are a part
of.
God does not intend for you to be lonely.
He does not intend for you to have just a small group of friends that you can
depend on. He came so that
we could be reconciled to him, yes, but also so that we would be reconciled to
each other. Like any dad,
he wants his kids to get along and to benefit from being a part of the family.
My husband and I chose to have a big family for the sake of our kids.
God's heart is the same - he wants us to have a big family that can stand with
us like an army when we need them to.
I am very privileged to have both a natural family and a
spiritual family to depend on. But if that is
not the case with you, do yourself the justice of making the most of the very
large and very loving family that God has provided for all his children who
believe in him."
Southcity,
we thank you for being a great witness to my family of the love of God for his
people. Thank you for your generosity, your time and your prayer. We truly
treasure these things in our hearts and are grateful for the lessons you have
taught our children because of your love for us. We stand in awe of our Father
in heaven and in love with you, our family in Christ.
Thank you
for a being a great blessing to this coast!
Much love
Rich
PS - I
have tried my best to keep up to speed with all the meals and plates, and those
who have come to help Jacs and our kids etc, but in being totally overwhelmed
by the constant wave of help, may we be forgiven for saying a big thank you
like this to everyone who has helped us in any way. THANK YOU! And for all of
you that have dropped things off in our home, from meals to medical helps for
Jacs, DVD's for the kids to books etc for us, may I ask that you find what is
yours in the church office and if anything is missing, please let us know.
23 May: 7pm
Men on Fire
27 May: 2pm
Global Day of Prayer
16 & 17 June
Craig and Collete Meyer
23 May: 7pm
Men on Fire
27 May: 2pm
Global Day of Prayer
16 & 17 June
Craig and Collete Meyer
