HopeWorks

Yup, I made it to 16 without ever being kissed.  Well, that is if you don’t count the kiss through the tent window screen when I was 10, or the kiss “dare” my 10th grade year in boarding school where Cory Fortner laid one on me.  At least I think he did.  I remember the dare. I remember the hype….

Sometimes someone grabs your heart and doesn’t let go.  That is what these little men are that to me.

Those are the grades my 3 children have now started.  Here in South Africa, the school year goes from January to December with 2 long breaks and 2 short breaks in between the 4 terms.  School is very formal here….   

We attend a great church here in Amanzimtoti, South Africa.  Oasis Church is a mix of black, white and Indian believers in Jesus.  We worship in many different languages and have both an English pastor and a Zulu one.  Carl and I have both been involved in many areas of church life over the past…

That is what Marae is painting on this beautiful little face!  A fish!  And that was her very serious request!  To be a fish!  Gills, fins, and fun!  This was Marae’s first ever attempt at face painting!  And she was pretty doggone good at it  too!!  Read on for a little background story about the…

What do you call your mom? Well, I call mine “Super-Mom!”

Baba means “daddy” in zulu.  I am blessed beyond measure to have a wonderful baba.  I know that many people cannot say that.  Recently I heard a talk about fathers in which statistics were cited that made me shudder.  More than half of all children grow up with an absent father – either physically or…