Atle

I have A LOT to share. I've been waiting to share it until we understood more the implications and future of it all. But we still don't understand all that, so for now I'm just going to share our current situation. I'm posting a copy of the newsletter we just sent out to our supporters and friends and posted on our family website, www.reachingcapetown.com. This will sum things up succinctly, and I hope to be back with more details and emotion very soon, now that the word is out. 

So much has happened in our lives over the past month! We have been a bit quiet in the blogging realm because of all the busyness. So finally, here’s an update of the incredible things God has been doing over here.

Two weeks after the AIM short term team left that was staying with us for a few weeks, Andy’s parents, “Nanny and Poppy” came to visit for a bit. It was such a wonderful opportunity to see them and for them to see what our lives are like here. They were a blessing to our family and we all enjoyed our time together.

At the end of January - right before the team left and before Nanny and Poppy arrived - we met a little girl, Atle, who came over to our house for dinner with some good friends of ours from Khayelitsha. We found out that the person caring for her had died so our friends were hosting her in their home in Khayelitsha. We felt immediately that we could help her by providing a place for her to stay. Long story very short, after much praying and talking, we opened our home to her two weeks after meeting her. Atle is now staying with us for a while. She is a delightful 8 year old. She speaks very little English, mostly just Xhosa, but she is learning every day. We have enrolled her in a good English-speaking school. We are helping her with a few minor medical issues such as check-ups that she has never been able to have. We are also trying to help her catch up in school, by assisting every chance we can with her reading, English-speaking, and math. Most of all we are just loving her, praying with her, and enjoying having her joyful presence in our home. She and Norah giggle and laugh together and have so much fun.  Atle is extremely attached to Norah and loves taking care of her. As we work on English with Atle, Norah is learning lots more words too! Atle fits into our home so well and we already are so in love with her. 

We are praying now for what our next steps are to be, and how to handle this season in a way that will be best for Atle and her family.

This is an incredible time in our family’s life. Please join with us in praying that God leads our steps so we can do all we can to help this little girl to be best equipped and prepared for the next season of her life. Pray we can really make a difference in her life and that she finds the love of Jesus while she is with us.