Here we find ourselves again, at the end of another year. Amidst all the craziness that this festive season brings, it also allows for a time of pause and reflection.
The older our family gets, the busier the schedules, and the faster time goes. This last year has been marked with a lot of change but also a lot of growth.
Schooling
Scelo said goodbye to high school as he finished writing his matric exams in November. We are so proud of his consistent hard work. We are also so proud that he will be our first son going to university next year.
Cale changed schools in 2024 and the move to a smaller class has seen him grow in his self-esteem and improve in his academic confidence and abilities. Zac started with a new tutor last year and we have seen a big change in him. His tutor “Peter” has become a really great mentor and influence in his life.
Zee had her first year in the working world. She has been working as a sewing assistant and has also been doing some private jobs on the side. This year however she will be joining “Operation Mobilisation” and training to join the Logos Hope and spreading the good news about Jesus.
Angel is also in the process of writing her final GED exams. This year she will be working as an intern alongside Lyndall at Christ Church North Coast. Angel has blossomed into a wonderful and strong young lady.
Basketball
Basketball continues to be a strong theme in our home. Most of our children are involved in Kents Basketball Academy. It’s a wonderful way to bring all the children together and a great way to instill life skills and get everyone working together as a team. Angel is a great player and is even helping to coach the younger children. Even our youngest, Siya, loves shooting hoops while his siblings all cheer him on.
Home Life
Raising 16 children is always going to have its ups and downs. No matter what happens our focus is always to just love our children through the hard stuff and celebrate their wins. A big win from 2024 was Scelo’s baptism! We have seen a few of our other children also making great strides in their faith journey which is so encouraging. We love the questions that they ask about our faith and we love seeing the understanding in their eyes.
Other highlights include going to the Neon Dreams concert where our children got to personally meet and interact with the band. Seeing them find role-models to look up to who are wonderful people make our hearts happy because let’s be honest, we are not as cool as musicians! There have been so many wonderful families and companies who have sponsored wonderful meals and outings for our family this past year and its moments like that where we are all together doing “normal family stuff” that feel so good. Thank you to all of you for making those moments happen.
Prayer and Support
We say this every year but we have only gotten so far in this journey because of the prayers and support of the community around us. If you are the prayer type here is a prayer point for each of our wonderful children.
- Prayer for Siya to learn patience and resilience when things don’t go his way
- Prayer for Noah to develop better impulse control and an understanding of how his words affect others
- Prayer for Portia to nurture a spirit of gratitude and appreciation for the people and blessings in her life
- Prayer for Lou to feel included and supported within his family and to find friends who affirm his worth
- Prayer for Cale to gain confidence in his social interactions and learns to make wise choices in his relationships
- Prayer for Zac that God will bring a strong Christian friend into Zac’s life
- Prayer for Nkosi as he transitions to Northwood- that he handles the move with humility and finds a strong friendship group
- Prayer that Sonny forms meaningful relationships with strong Christian peers that will help him make good choices
- Prayer for Ollie that her eyes will be opened to the difference between what the world has to offer compared to the life that Jesus offers
- Prayer for Angel as she completes her exams and makes decisions about what to do with the rest of her life
- Prayer for Scelo as he starts university- for financial assistance and for support as he steps out into the world away from his home base
- Prayer for Zee as she embarks on her missions journey- for financial assistance and for continued passion and determination
- Prayer for the leaders of Hearts that Hope- for continued and abundant love and patience and wisdom
We have sent out individual updates on each of our children to their mentors and financial supporters. If you would like to receive an update on any of our children please let us know. If you would like more information on how to support us financially please reach out as well.
Thank you to all of you for making another year possible.
We pray that you had a wonderful festive season with your loved ones and that 2025 holds many more opportunities for seeing Jesus’s work be done on the earth.