LIV

From the beginning of February to the end of July 2024, I lived on a children’s village in Kwazulu-Natal called LIV (a cluster-foster care village for vulnerable children, unlike a traditional orphanage home).

I was part of the discipleship school, LIV4Change. The first 3 months of the program consisted mostly of teachings in the mornings, and manual labour in the afternoons. For the final 3 months, I interned at the marketing department – capturing stories of everyday life on the village, and helping with the solar campaign and sustainability project.

Those 6 months at LIV were a significant part of my life. I will probably only fully realize when I’m older just how significant and defining. But, in the meantime, these pieces (that I sent to my church community, friends and family as “updates”) have helped me process and reflect on my time in this unique place – what God was doing in my heart, and how my perspective of the world around me was changing.

Perfect provision

God has given me not what I thought I needed. Instead, He has given me His very self.

An honest life

Here, in a place where God’s light is shining on the true condition of my heart, I am becoming increasingly aware of what makes life honest.

Loving and leaving

I am starting to see how leaving has a way of revealing the (bittersweet) depths of love. And how, sometimes, leaving is the most loving and honouring thing I can do. But I am still learning how to reconcile these two seemingly contrasting choices.

In the ordinary

Since being here, I have found that it is the small things that move me most.

On mission

If I was listening hard enough on our 8-hour bus ride to Mpumalanga, I’d have heard Jesus say to me: This is going to change everything.

True refuge

What does comfort mean to me? How does it manifest in my life?

Back to the Garden

"Knowing what Jesus did for you will not change you until it is coupled with a deep understanding of why He did it" (Peter K. Louis)

Sufficient grace

"Oh, there must be the weakness of man felt, recognized, and mourned over, or else the strength of the Son of God will never be perfected in us" (Spurgeon)

Covered in His dust

Who am I becoming?

Preparing my heart

“Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)