We Are The Harringtons

I have officially changed the month of love to May. Wait, let me tell you why! For anyone who doesn't know, three years ago, in 2013, I took a long-term mission to South Africa. It was a trip I had never experienced before and that is why I am still here today with Ten Thousand Homes. But also, there was someone I met in 2013. Her name is Nontobeko; at that time I could only say her English name, Freedom. I practiced and practiced saying her name until I could say it correctly. Come to find out just last year I was still pronouncing her name wrong and she never hesitated to correct me. Cultural challenges. But let me help you pronounce her name. Nontobeko, (known-doe-bae-go). Did you get it? Sweet! Over these years I have fallen in love with this woman that is full of joy and laughter, who has a skill of leading, enjoys challenges and has a heart for helping others. It has been three years of learning a different culture. Yet there is so much more. I won't forget when...

As I am sitting here at a restaurant I am looking back from this week, last week, last several months. Man. Time has flown by. Beginning of the year I was, and still am, leading the ASP and tutoring in Mbonisweni, February my parents came to visit and to work, May I went home, August our annual Day of Royalty. It has been a full, crazy fun year. I have been trying to process these last few months and how much change has come in a small amount of time. Positions and opportunities were open and every time I felt uneasy but willing, I felt short of experience, capacity, leadership but willing. There is this book I have been slowly reading that shared something that impacted my look at daily life. God doesn't want us to just do things thinking its good for the Kingdom, which it could be amazing work, but it is not what God is doing. He has his plans and he wants us to join him. Instead of doing just stand, and watch. Notice where God is revealing himself and that leaves an opportunity...

Early this week I had read a short devotion. You know how sometimes you are going on through your day and something happens, you see someone, situations come together and you think man what a coincidence! This devotion was sharing that there is no coincidence for God. When you look up the definition of coincidence the first synonym is accident. Again I dont think God makes accidents. He has his purposes and reasons and its all perfect. We got home from our ASP in Mbonisweni on Tuesday and I felt quite defeated. I was trying to help Njabulo with his school homework and you could see in his eyes he was lost. I kept wondering how he has continued to move up in grades when its difficult for him to even solve 20+10. Unfortunately, this is just one child I'm speaking of. Talking with Candis, an awesome sister and staff member, afterwards and trying to speak out how the Tutoring program can walk this out we came to a conclusion. Teachers. Volunteer teachers from the local communities and...