Beautiful day in Stellenbosch

Watch out Beethoven!

The most common question we have gotten since being here is, "How is Zoe doing?"  So far, great!  Here is a glimpse of our living room and proof that we have a musical child prodigy on our hands... haha.  The people whose house we are staying in won't need their furniture for several more months, so Zoe will have a little bit longer to master her skills.

Another week in Stellenbosch

     Another great week in Stellenbosch!  I was invited to a mom’s Bible study on Thursday and that was really fun.  There were ladies there from all over the world.  Then on Friday, we had to go to the Department of Home Affairs to get my visa paperwork turned in.  I had to get two different types of doctor’s checkups this week and get a background check to turn in with the other paperwork.  It took forever, but the nice thing was that it is in the same town as Casper’s mom, so we were able to go to her house and pick out all of the furniture, dishes, and other items from her garage that she is not using anymore.  That helped us a ton because now we won’t have to buy as much stuff! 

     Friday night was another dinner with the other 3 families and then this weekend we got a chance to visit some of Casper’s family.  His cousin, Christine just had a baby in January – actually on my birthday – so we got to see the baby and several of his other family members.  Sunday was one of the best days because we had a braai with our neighbors, which was really a great way for us to get to know them.  One of them couldn’t come, but hopefully she will be able to next time.  We hung out with them from 12:30 all the way until like 4.  One girl is from Botswana and the others are all South African.  We are starting to meet with more and more locals here to find where we can fit in best to serve the community.  Keep praying for us to meet more people and spread our connections.    

Jesus Said Go

Video of Stellenbosch

Here's a short little video of the just across the street from our house.  Most of what you see is the University campus.

First week

     We made it!  After 20 hours of flying on three different planes, we arrived in South Africa around 10:30 pm Cape Town time.  Having 9 checked bags got a little crazy, so we decided to have some fun with it and name them based on their color so we could keep track of them.  We had Red Raider, Green Giant, Blue Bonnet, Blue Barracuda, Blue Baboon, Purple Penguin, Purple Peanut, Charcoal Cheetah, and Brown Bear.  Amazingly, all but Blue Baboon made it!  We got it the next day, though, so not to worry.  Fortunately, Zoe did wonderful on the flights.  She slept for a large majority of the time since it was American night time for her little body and either played, ate, or made friends with passengers around us the rest of the time.  Someone told us that she was the best little traveler they’d ever seen and that a kid that good would want to make us have 6 more!  J 

     The first few days have been mostly logistics.  We got cell phone accounts, a bank account, and a car!  We did some shopping for groceries and a few necessities that we just couldn’t squeeze in our suitcases.  The nice thing is that most things are in walking distance, such as the mall and grocery stores, so even before we had our car we were easily able to get around.  And of course, lots of unpacking!  Luckily, the house where we are staying is furnished for the next 4-5 months until this family moves into their new house, so we can take some time buying other things.  So far so good! 

     Friday night we jumped right in to South African culture having a braai (BBQ) with some friends.  It was neat because it was one American couple, one Malaysian couple, and one South African couple.  Zoe had lots of friends to play with – one 3 yr. old, two 4 year olds, a 5 year old, and an 8 year old.  She loved playing with the “big kids”.  It was a wonderful time to catch up and fellowship.  

THANK YOU! - February 2014 Newsletter

Thank you!

As we are moved to South Africa and said goodbye we would like to say thank you! There are so many people and organizations to thank. Please know that we thank God for the privilege of our lives crossing.  For anyone we left out, we apologize and pray that you know that your work in the Lord is not in vain.  

Thank you .....

Tim Siegel and Texas Tech for recruiting and giving Casper the opportunity to play tennis in the USA

The Knowlton family for accepting Casper as part of their family and taking care of him in Lubbock

Broadway Church of Christ for being Casper's first USA church

Abilene Christian University for a Christ centered education, creating an environment for spiritual growth and equipping us to be Christ's servants wherever The Lord leads and for providing the infrastructure of counseling and life coaching to take care of students and their needs

Coach Horn and the volleyball program at ACU for allowing Ashley to be part of their program

Hutton Jones & John Walker for being amazing tennis coaches and Christian Role Models at Abilene Christian University, for running a high level tennis program while still holding strong to Christian principles, and allowing Casper the opportunity to play tennis and study

The ACU athletic department for seeking to honor Christ in a high level sporting arena

The Business, Bible, and Chemistry departments at ACU that followed God and taught us the value of God's presence in all the spheres of life.  Thanks to these professors and staff for pouring into our lives academically and spiritually:

Rick Lytle, Mike Winegeart, Mark Phillips, Chris Flanders, Larry Henderson, Gary Green, Kim Pamplin, Sandy King, Terri Alderidge, Dr. Reeves, Mr. & Mrs. Powell, Dr. Cavitt, and many more!

The Halbert Institute of Missions (HIM) for training and preparing our long term missions team, for facilitating a program called World Wide Witness equipping college students for short term internships ranging 6-9 weeks, and apprenticeships ranging 6-18 months, and training long term teams. Thank you for walking a very intentional journey with those you serve and being great Christian Role Models. Chris Flanders, Gary Green, Larry Henderson and Sonny Guild

Abilene High School and AISD for giving Ashley the opportunity to student teach and teach there over a 5 year period, for exposing her to regular, pre-AP, and AP chemistry classes along with pre-AP geometry, Mr. Bull for hiring her as the Bold Gold sponsor when she had no idea what in the world that program even was, for forgiving her when she exploded sodium in water outside next to classrooms that were testing, and for giving her an amazing overall experience as a teacher. 

AHS coworkers and friends of Ashley: Dan Allen, for being a wonderful mentor, office sharer, advice giver, laugh causer and godly role model; Sandy Henry, for being a great friend, bus/travel partner, lunch buddie, and comrade through all of our lovely Boldie Goldie adventures; Angie Paskell, for also being a wonderful friend, lunch buddie, venting listener, and for connecting Ashley and Sandy to the real drama of the cheer world, all the other mad scientists who made life (and lunch) just that much more interesting: Mr. Mac, Rocky, Mrs. Goldsmith, Bill, and Ryan; Angela Walker, for friendship, late night copy machine jam clearouts, pep rally dance partners, lunch buddies for a semester, and constant source of entertainment; Mrs. Raney, for being a great mentor, leader, and role model, and for the constant support and appreciation Ashley felt from you; Mrs. Boyd for the ridiculous creativity, heartfelt help and advice, and friendship; Laurie Harris, Ashley's student teacher for all your hard work, good ideas, and friendship; Sandy Drake, for your hard work and dedication, for the countless times Ashley got help from you in your office for this, that, and the other; The amazing "Office Ladies", who do in fact have names - Alicia Gomez, Kimberly Beard, and Cindy Hothan – who were always more than willing to help with anything I needed (especially Alicia showing me the ropes with all the Bold Gold money stuff, the wonderful counselors – Kren Willis, Dina Riggins, Amanda Hothan, Lindsey Williamson, Cindy Darby, and Jeri Spiker – who are extremely humble and patient people, especially during testing seasons, Ashley's hall buddies for a semester that I wished I could have gotten to know better before I left: Amanda Brake, Kay Pinson, Elizabeth Cann, Carlie Fehl, Byron Rodgers (for still calling me Long Haired Baird from college), for those at AHS only seen in passing due to building location and subjects taught but who still always offered a friendly smile, encouraging word, or helping hand: Allison Gorbenko, Jennifer Jordan, Nancy Bishop (and for letting us flash mob you), Teresa Villanueva, Seth Pace, Sarah Fambrough, Jamie Collins, Chad Kennedy, Chris King, Jenny Miller, Debbie Ochoa-Castro, Julie Parrott, and so many more!!

For those who came and went during Ashley's time at AHS but still providing great friendship and leadership: Mr. Bull, Mr. Mabry, Katie Anderson, Brooke Knight, Lucretia Waskow, Kit Siiteri, Ally Dunn, Robyn Gallant, Sarah Christian, Brandell (Brandon Randell), and Krista

North 10th and Treadaway church of Christ for the great community and spiritual lessons Casper learned while attending there

Southern Hills Church of Christ for being a picture of heaven on earth, a front porch community inviting, including and involving others into the life of Christ, for empowering a great personnel and staff, for the International Missions Committee taking care and supporting all the short term and long term efforts, for the elders leading and serving the church, for accepting us into your family, for being our home church, for helping shape us to be the people we are today while attending the campus ministry, the young married ministry, the youth group; for allowing us to pursue the dreams God has placed on our hearts; for allowing us to lead Let's Go mission trips and help shape the sport ministry called the World's Backyard that reaches out to the refugee community in Abilene; and lastly thank you for supporting us as missionaries to South Africa. God has truly used you to have a tremendous influence in our lives and without you we would not be able to be missionaries in South Africa. Thank you! You are part of the team that will reach out to those in South Africa and abroad.

ACU for the opportunity for Ashley to pursue her Master's degree in Organizational and Human Resource Development 

Hardin Simmons University for the privilege of Casper coaching the men's and women's tennis teams as a graduate assistant, and earning a Master's degree in Sport Management, for the great professors in the Sport Management program which included Dr Bob Moore, Dr. Lindsay Edwards, Dr. Melissa Madeson, Dr. Ruot, and Dr. Rainwater,

Shane Williford for allowing Casper the opportunity to coach and continue his education, for running a Christ centered tennis program and for all the lessons Casper learned

Mark Hathorn for running a Christ centered tennis program at McMurry University

Abilene Country Club for the opportunity for Casper to serve you while coaching tennis, for the great tennis team you had which included Rick, Shawn, Neil and Nancy

For everyone Casper taught tennis, thank you for the opportunity for him to serve you as your tennis coach, thank you for believing and trusting his abilities and experience to teach you tennis

For Abilene Tennis Association, tennis parents, tennis coaches, tennis referees, tennis instructors: for making Abilene a great tennis community in a healthy family oriented environment, with high values, and that strives for excellence combined with the joy ask fun of the game

For the Botha Family for adopting us into their family while in Abilene, Deon for being a mentor and a father figure in Casper's life, and conducting our wedding in 2008.

To the Botha, Winegeart, Kehl and Johnston family for providing us a spiritual home to love, grow and learn.

For the Green Family for adopting us into their family, Gary for being a mentor, life coach and father figure in Casper's life, Frances for being a mentor, discipler, and friend in Ashley's life, for showing us what an intimate community that follows Christ looks like.

For all the organizations in Abilene that reach out to the overlooked and those on the margins such as Love and Care Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Global Samaritan, The Noah Project, Big Brother and Big Sister, Young Life, and so many other churches and organizations that reach out and really seek to do the will of God...thank you

For all the organizations and churches involved in reaching out to the refugee community in Abilene

For Abilene showing us what Christ centered community looks like, serving and loving one another as their neighbor, knowing that we are not perfect but striving together to bring God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven

For all the Christian universities believing that Christ is most important in education as Harvard's precepts were in 1663 saying:  "Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore lay Christ at the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning."

For all the ministry leaders and volunteers that give their time, resources and comfort for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Never give up, keep on going! Thank you for teaching us this valuable lesson to keep fighting the good fight and not lose heart (2 Timothy 4:7).

There are so many great individuals, churches and organizations that do amazing work for God's kingdom. To make the list would be long and exhaustive but during our time here we have been able to connect and partner with some of these:

SportQuest---making disciples through sport ministry

Compassion International --- ministry to the poor

Fellowship of Christian Athletes--- ministry to athletes and coaches

YouthReach--- mentorship ministry to orphans

World Vision---ministry to the poor, and disaster reliefs

And of course, although not directly Abilene related, Ashley’s family.  Thank you Mom, Dad, and Bill for all of the time, effort, money, and love that were poured into us.  We wouldn’t be here without you.  We love you!

Our final encouragement and benediction:

Keep the main things the main things. Major on the major and minor on the minors.

Love God:

Love The Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. (Matthew 22)

Love others:

Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22)

Love others as Christ has loved us. (John 13)

Obedience:

Obey the Lord’s commands through love (John 15)

Discipleship:

Go and make disciples of all nations.  (Matthew 28)

Thank you!

Departing for South Africa!

We are at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, waiting for our flight. We had an amazing time with family the last 2 weeks. I (Casper) are so thankful to have amazing in-laws! They helped us so much getting set to go including all the bags and logistics to get to the airport. This was definitely the most eventful security check point we have done with all our bags and Zoe:). 

Thank you for all your support and prayers! We'll keep you updated as our trip departs in about 45 minutes:)