Family and Fun – Page 2 – The Rousehouse

Celebrations, New Opportunities, Living Life – October 2018

Posted on November 9, 2018November 9, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

At the beginning of October a friend/co-worker of ours got married. We were able to attend our first South African wedding and it was so much fun. We arrived at 2:30 and the party went on until after 10! It was a beautiful outdoor wedding with good food (spit braai lambs), many different people and cultures, and lots of dancing and laughs! Oh yeah, it was also the hottest day we have had yet! No shade either! #Sweatinglikecrazy

Since the sun is coming up earlier and the weather is heavenly lately, we have restarted our regular group workouts. Working out as a group is always more fun and a passion of Spanky’s! Our gym is coming along nicely. We have some basic equipment and hope to be able to add more to it over the next few months. We call it East Mountain Sweat!

We are currently helping East Mountain with the project of surveying our ministry partners here in the Western Cape of South Africa. Lara and I have the privilege of meeting our different partners, seeing how their ministries, schools, churches and projects are loving and impact their community. We then get to ask, “How can we (East Mountain) come alongside and support you?”. We have been exposed to many wonderful people and powerful ministries! They consist of justice movements, children ministries, sports outreach, churches, schools, life skills projects, Bible schools for African pastors, and more. It is a great privilege to serve alongside these nationals doing amazing things for the kingdom. We are honoured to play a small part in making a big difference around the city!

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The warmer weather means we are out and about a lot more. If you know the Rousehouse, you know we love spending time with friends, having fun and exploring, so we have done a lot of that this month!

Mac, Grey and Benji being crazy at the market

Hardings and Rouse’s having taco night!

Lara and Tori at a secluded beach we found with some friends

Elly and Caroline enjoying the shade by the dam

Grey and his best bud, Matthew picking flowers out of the garden

Lara kept her Halloween party traditions going strong again this year! We ate hotdogs, dressed up in costumes, and had fun around the fire pit ! Our neighbourhood had a lot more trick or treaters this year! I think maybe some of these crazy American traditions are rubbing off. Yes, I was the bearded lady from the movie The Greatest Showman and NO this is not Lara’s dress! It was an actual costume. Lara and Grey were Mexicans, Elly was Cinderella before she became a princess, and Zuzu, Alechia and Mac were the Flintstones.

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Updates from prayer needs last month:

We are in need for 4 more new monthly supporters at $100 – We did gain a new monthly giver but unfortunately we also lost 1 due to job situations, so we are still praying for a few new supporters.
Lara and I are taking the 11 residents on a weekend retreat this month. Be praying for the right place and for strengthened relationships – It was an amazing house the Lord provided for us and everyone connected well! We are well pleased with the weekend away! We will share more in next month’s updates.
We are needing to sell one of our cars soon. Pray for the right buyers to come along soon. – We still haven’t sold our car yet. Praying that happens soon!
Be praying for Elly to gain a better understanding in her reading skills and desire to read – She is improving in reading and spelling but continue to pray that she gains a love for reading.
Be praying for healthy partners here for us to serve alongside. Lara and I will be meeting with many of the East Mountain partners this month to build relationships and look for ways we can best serve them. – The partnership meetings with local ministries and projects have been going exceptionally well! We are enjoying learning about new ways we can continually come alongside locals that are doing wonderful work for the Kingdom and be a blessing to their neighbours!
Evil is hunting our family everyday. Please be praying for the Lord’s protection over us physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. – We can see ways that the enemy is trying to distract us and we keep praying for the Lord’s power, wisdom, and protection. I was just praying through Ephesians 6:10-20, join me.

Things to be praying for during November:

We are still in need of a few more monthly supporters to partner with us to help us accomplish all that the Lord has planned for 2019.
We are praying about going on a trip as a family to Uganda in January to work with some friends that we served with years ago. We have been wanting to do something like this for a long time and believe that it would be impactful for all 5 of us. There are lots of details to think through, so we are asking for wisdom, the extra finances to be able to join them, and the logistics of it all.
East Mountain is recruiting for and evaluating candidates for the 2019 Residency. Who does the Lord want to impact through our ministry and lives here in South Africa?
Healthy relationships with existing and new partner ministries here in Africa. Where, how, and with who does the Lord want us to be working with?
The selling of our car.
Pray for our current residents as they are wrapping up their time here and planning their next steps in life and ministry.
The Lord’s continued work in our own hearts.

Be on the look out for blogs and stories between monthly newsletters. Just last week we posted about the “WHY” behind what we are doing here in Africa and how we believe making disciples can have a great impact. You can read it by clicking here, Explosion of Christianity in Africa.

Sometimes Uncle Spanky is the tackling dummy

We would love for you to join us on Instagram and Facebook to see daily adventures, ministry sites, and family activities here in South Africa.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

Back in the Swing of Things

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

It has already been a month since we have returned home from visiting the US. It has been a busy time with lots of activities. We thought that we would just share some of our favorite pics with you.

This was our first Sunday back in our winter attire. It was pretty difficult going from the Southern July summer heat to winter in a matter of a couple days! We went from shorts and flip flops to wearing four layers of clothing inside the house.

We missed our people and I think they missed us too! It was heartwarming coming back to these beautiful smiles!

Many of you may have seen on Instagram and Facebook that Elly had her first dance competition once we returned to South Africa. She did so great! This little performer shines on stage and thrives in a dance group like this. It is a joy to watch her dance!

Grey celebrated his 11th birthday by going to breakfast with dad and spending the day with his friend Matthew. It was a perfect, Grey kind of day. Full of fun, good food and great conversations!

When you pour your life out for someone else it fills you back up in a supernatural way. We love doing life with these people!

Alechia has her 21st birthday! Alechia wanted a masquerade party so we went and got all dressed up for the evening!

First day of School! 2nd Grade, 5th grade, and 8th grade

We would love for you to be praying for:

the kids schooling
the last few months of the resident program. Our heart is for the residents to gain a greater understanding of their identity in Christ and passion for all that God has next for them.
Wisdom
Deeper relationships
for Romero (the young man that lives with us) to have success and influence in his new job.

We would love for you to join us on Instagram and Facebook to see daily adventures, ministry sites, and family activities.

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

Leaving home to head home…

Posted on August 12, 2018August 12, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

It really is an odd feeling to leave the only place we have known as home (CLT) to head home (CPT). We left for the US on July 4^th with feelings, thoughts, and ideas of what it would be like but not really knowing how it would be. This is the first time we have travelled back since leaving last year and the first time our family has lived away from our friends and family for this length of time. Some of us were very excited while others were a little nervous. Would this trip be sad and emotionally heavy or fun with a sense of normalcy??? Our time was surprisingly more wonderful than any of us could have guessed it would be and it was all that we thought it would be and more.

We feel encouraged by the out pouring of love and support we had from our church families! We feel refreshed by our sweet but powerfully impactful times with friends! We feel loved by our wonderful families! We feel greatly supported by our ministry partners! God blessed us with a sweet time in the US! We are beyond thankful for the chance to hug those of you we did and sadden that a month goes by so fast and there just isn’t enough time to see everyone.

During our time, we heard clearly from the Lord on a few topics and gained clarity with questions we were asking ourselves as we processed this past year. This is something we are not taking for granted but taking advantage of to build upon. Just a few things we believe we heard from the Lord on were; be all there where you are, live out of who God has created us to be, invest deeply into people’s lives, and God is already present in the future therefore we don’t have to worry about it.

Thank you for enabling us to take this opportunity to return home to the US! It was meaningful for all five of the Rousehouse to take this trip and we are overly appreciative!!! We are renewed in our calling to be here in South Africa and refreshed in passion for those we get to disciple, mentor, and impact for the Kingdom! We know that God has just started writing this grand story that includes you, the Rousehouse, and the many that will begin to live with passion and purpose here in Africa. We are thankful for this opportunity to have a front row sea

Oh my goodness, we love these kids so much!

Posted on March 9, 2018March 9, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

Oh my goodness, we love these kids so much! It’s definitely not always an easy, but we have yet to leave there without smiles on our faces and a full heart.

Antonio and Andrew making funny faces for the camera

In moving to South Africa, Lara and I knew we would quickly become busy with different roles and ministries but one of our top priorities was finding a way for our family to serve together. Serving at Helder Valley Community Centre has been exactly the kind of place our family wanted to get connected with. Every time we show up and kids run to each of us, jump into our arms, and squeeze our necks so tight we know we are exactly where we need to be!

A couple of our little Muslim friends that love to eat candy and laugh

If you were to come and observe what is going on one afternoon it would probably just look like all we do is play games, eat snacks, read children’s bible stories, do art projects, tutor and help with homework, dance, listen to music and have fun. Well, that is exactly what we do! In doing just that, we [As you, who support this work and pray for us please know that we are including you in all of the “we” statements here. PLEASE don’t miss that! You are making a lasting difference here.] are able to provide some consistency in these kids lives. We are helping them improve in reading and math. We are teaching them the Bible! We are providing them with a opportunity to laugh in the midst of the reality that, life is a struggle and “I am not sure how are we going to survive today”. We give them one on one attention that you can so vividly see they hunger for. We are giving them love. We are offering them hope, life, and a better future. Together, we [Jesus, You and the Rousehouse] are transforming a community through this small group of children!

Marlyn, and East Mountain resident is teaching dance classes each week. This is one of their favourite activities!

Lesnique, Chloe and Elly playing spot it

Grey and Siyavule talking about what they are going to draw from the bible story that we just read about.

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
— Billy Graham, evangelist

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
— Frederick Douglass, abolitionist and statesman

“Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”
— Anonymous

“If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!”
— Dwight L. Moody, evangelist

“Hugs can do great amounts of good, especially for children.”
— Diana, Princess of Wales

And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. — Jesus, Matthew 18:5

¹³People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. – Jesus, Mark 10:13-16

Lesnique is one of my special girls that seems to be tough but really just wants some attention and to be loved on. She always needs a hug!

Jesus is going to do a great work through our small investment in the lives of these children! This could be the start of a whole new life for these kids and their families. Our family is praying that this entire community will be made new and that the doors to their hearts will be opened wide to all that God has stored up for them. Our dreams are that: families will start to follow Jesus, kids will get a better education and more opportunities in life, there will be less abuse, more joy, better attitudes, faithful dads, healthier lives, freedom from addictions, and a hope filled future for the generations to come. Big dreams for a Big God!

Jenga and the Rouse boys are a favorite around the centre!

Naam is a little sister of one of our kids that has started to come hang out with us. She loves Grey!

Today we have the opportunity to show them that God is always with them, that Jesus loves them, and that they have some friends that care for them. That is a legacy that will last and a life worth living!

From Spanky, Lara, Mac, Grey and Elly we want to say thank you for playing such an important role in this great mission and in our lives!

You must have candy if you want to have everyone sit down for story time!

Happy New Years, Jan 2018,

Posted on January 4, 2018January 4, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

It seems to be easier to be hopeful and optimistic at the beginning of a new year regardless of the outcome of the past year. We are grateful for 2017 for so many reason and are extremely excited for all that 2018 holds! Looking back on 2017 we are reminded of the mountains of miracles from God and the way He took such good care of us during one of the toughest seasons for our family. One of the biggest ways we experienced the favor and goodness of the Lord was through YOU! **Philemon 1:4,I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers. I know we say thank you a lot but we are realizing more everyday that through you partnering with our family there is a great impact and hope for people and communities across Africa and locally in our city. Great, young leaders are being equipped to change the world, people are meeting Jesus face to face, and others are experiencing God’s love for them. This is a great picture of “His Kingdom come” and it is happening because you decided to join us in this great mission. We are so grateful for your sacrifice, prayers and encouragement in 2017!!!

Christmas lunch and white elephant gift exchange with friends

Our first South African Christmas…

It was super hot and we don’t have A/C at home so we had to road trip it to the beach! Stopped for lunch and enjoyed the view on the side of the road.

It was a little odd to be celebrating Christmas when it felt like summer time. We literally wore no shoes and went swimming over Christmas break. Even though the weather was not what we were use to back home in North Carolina we still had a great time! A typical Christmas for our family is filled with family and good food. Even though we couldn’t be with our family we were very grateful for the chance to FaceTime many of them. Technology is a wonderful gift. The Lord has blessed us with some wonderful friends that we spent the holidays with. We really enjoyed our times of celebration with each of them.

It’s a powerful gun, I am guessing

Mac at the outdoor movie

Christmas Morning. Our favourite gift was the family XL beanbag!

Christmas Eve we went to see one of our favorite Christmas movies, Home Alone at an outdoor theatre in Cape Town. Christmas morning we spent time together, just the five of us at home opening presents, eating a big breakfast, and reading the Christmas story. We were invited by some friends to a traditional South African meal called potjie (pronounced, poiki) which was unbelievably delicious! We finished the day off by hanging out with some other families who serve along side us at East Mountain. The boys shoot their new pellet guns, we shared yummy snacks and watched Christmas Vacation one more time this season. This made our first African Christmas really feel like home. It was a full day of fun, friends, and food! We felt blessed!

Turkey cranberry potjie

Prayer updates from December’s Update:

Travel to Durban, South Africa for a UWM Africa Missionary Conference – We spent the week before Christmas in Durban which is about 18hrs from Cape Town but thankfully we were able to take an easy 2 hour flight there. We really enjoyed spending time with some other UWM missionaries that serve all over Africa. They are pretty special people!
UWM African family outside of Durban
Vision for the specific ministry areas the Lord wants us to invest in deeply in 2018 – Next week we will spend a few days with our team here at East Mountain planning and preparing for 2018. We look forward to the time of team building, praying for the new residents that move in Jan 20th, seeking after the Lord’s heart for how He wants to use each of us this coming year, and identifying what communities and areas our family will invest deeply in during 2018. We believe the Lord has us in South Africa not for a what but for a who and we are excited to love, serve, care for people and point them (who’s) to Him this coming year!
Having fun with friends on New Years Eve
God’s grace, strength, peace, joy, protection and constant wisdom for everyday situations – Life seems to be going well for us. We obviously all have those moments in our week, especially around the holidays, when we are missing things back home like family, friends and familiarities. God’s given us wonderful people in our lives, so we are not surprised that we miss them the most during the Holidays. It is slowly feeling like home here. We have settled well in our house, found a great church we enjoy, we are building strong friendships, slowly learning some Afrikaans and finding our way around. God has been good to us and we feel like we are daily walking in His grace! Please keep praying for us! We know that all of these blessing are a direct result of you lifting us up regularly.
Rice Crispy treats at a friends farm house. The Marsh mallows are pink therefore the rice crispy treats are too.
Water Crisis! – There is still very little water and we are entering into the hottest and driest part of the year. PRAY!!! God is in control though! On New Year’s Eve we had a big down pour that lasted on and off all night. Our South African friends said that it NEVER rains this time a year, so we must be praying or something. God’s working behind the scenes and He is using this to open peoples eyes and hearts to Him.
Awareness of opportunities to love, serve and care for those in need around us – The Lord brought an opportunity to our family just before Christmas to help out a young South African guy. His name is Romero and he was one of our residents from last year. Romero is a special guy with amazing potential. God has big things for his life and we want to be a part of it. He shared that he needed somewhere to live this coming year so that he could continue with the resident program. Lara and I began praying specifically for this guy but knew that the Lord had already answered our prayers. When we moved to South Africa we were lead to a much larger house than we actually needed. The cost is more than we wanted as well but we felt like the Lord was saying we was going to use this extra space to bless people and this is where He wanted us to live. With this extra room in our home we had been praying that the Lord would fill it with the right people and thats what He did. Romero moved in early December and we look forward to how he will become more apart of our family. Please be praying for Romero as he is working on school at the university, participating in the East Mountain resident leadership program, and following the Lord’s call on his life.
Romero taking me out for my first surf lesson

elly and matthew — Elly and Matthew making snacks

South African wildlife and a giant fake snake

Prayer needs for January:

Pray for the new residents that will be moving in Jan 20th. We will give you snapshots of each of them throughout the year.
Pray for Homeschooling…For everyone to finish the year well in these next 5 months
Pray for wisdom of when to travel back to the US for a visit this year and for affordable flights. We are looking to visit the beginning of July.
Pray for Spanky’s parents (Nana and Pawpaw) as they travel to visit us Feb 1. Mom doesn’t like to fly and it is a long trip.
Pray for success: that others may know Jesus and know His plan for their life through our lives and ministry here. We want to have a deep impact on people and communities this year for His glory!

Let us walk in the power and wisdom that Jesus offers to us this year!

^{Ephesians 1:17}that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

If you would like to know how you can partner with us this year please check out our link Partnering with us… If you would like more info on specific projects and/or needs that we might have please email me at spanky.rouse@gmail.com. Thank you!

Below is all of the social media outlets that our family has and this is a great way to stay connected and up to date with the Rousehouse!

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

Merry Christmas 2017

Posted on December 11, 2017December 11, 2017 by Spanky Rouse

Prayer needs for December:

Travel to Durban, South Africa for a UWM Africa Missionary Conference
Year end giving and continued strong financial support
Vision for the specific ministry areas the Lord wants us to invest in deeply in 2018
God’s grace, strength, peace, joy, protection and constant wisdom for everyday situations
Water Crisis!
Awareness of opportunities to love, serve and care for those in need around us
God’s favor and favor with others (neighbors, community, team, partners, etc)

If you would like to join our financial or prayer team you can check out how to partner with us by clicking here Partnering with us…. It is coming close to that time of the year when many are thinking about those charitable donations. Would you consider a special gift to our family and the ministry projects we are planning for 2018. If you would like more info please email me at spanky.rouse@gmail.com. Thank you!

Lastly, we regularly post pictures and stories on our Instagram and Facebook accounts. This is a great way to stay connected and up to date!

https://www.instagram.com/spankyrouse/

https://www.instagram.com/lararouse/

https://www.facebook.com/spanky.rouse

https://www.facebook.com/lara.rouse.7

https://www.instagram.com/causing_wonder/ – Mac’s Instagram

I want the GOAT!

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Spanky Rouse

Last night after dinner the boys and I were in the kitchen when we heard someone trying to come in our front door. I went to the door and saw it was just the neighbor’s little boy trying to come in, as he often does. Most of the time he just walks around the back of the house and enters through another door. When I opened the door he said with a confused look, “your door was locked?” I just smiled and said come on in.

He then began his sells pitch for a fundraiser his school was doing. He had to get 23 people to sponsor him at certain amounts ranging from R1 to R23 ($.07 to $1.64) and he was hoping that I would be one of them. Of course I would be one of his sponsors but I asked him to tell me what the fundraiser was all about. He didn’t really know but it was something to help his school out. Come to find out his motivation was the cool prizes he could win if he was one of the top fundraisers. We gladly took one of his top spots.

He then let me read more about the fundraiser while he joked around with Mac. I read through it and then something caught my eye that I have never seen in any single school fundraiser! I saw the prizes and one especially got my full attention. Come to find out I had bought a ticket to the drawing and I want to win that 3^rd place prize!!!

You will never guess what it is.

First place was a wine cooler…not the drink but a portable cooler for wine 🙂

Second Place was a TV…we don’t even have internet or satellite set up yet so I wasn’t too interested.

BUT third place was the grand prize for me!!! A GOAT!

That’s right, it said a GOAT! As if a goat was just any old, normal prize. I have seen iPads, phones, popcorn, carwashes, tv’s, books, gift cards, and much more for prizes, but I have never seen a GOAT as a prize! How cool would it be to say you won a goat! I have always wanted a goat and now here is my chance.

My excitement quickly went to full max! I asked the neighbor boy how he could ensure I win the goat. I told him I always wanted one and said, “wouldn’t it be so cool to have one in our back yard like a dog?!?!” He then looked at me with that same confused stare as he did when our front door was locked and he couldn’t just walk right in, and said, “it’s just the meat man. It’s not alive.” The tone of his voice and the way he said it was priceless. It was like he was saying, “Calm down man. You’re acting crazy like some idiot.”

I could feel my bubble pop as this little boy looked at me and tried to bring me back down to reality. I can always count on Greyson though. He quickly came up with a brilliant response to his dad’s downward spiral of emotions and said, “well, we will just have to have the biggest and best braai in history for all of our friends to come enjoy!”

It’s not as cool as having a baby goat walking around in my back yard but it would still be pretty cool to win a goat (of any kind) from a school fundraiser!

We live in AFRICA!!!

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Spanky Rouse

I can’t believe that I am writing our first newsletter from our home in South Africa!!! We still can’t believe that we get to live here and be a part of this great work. This place is beautiful and the people and culture is special. We are enjoying learning everything and figuring our way around so far. I feel like we have so many stories to tell you but with our limited internet they will have to wait until we can get a reliable service in our house…hopefully soon!

Not our house just a great view from the Guest House

Our first 4 days here in South Africa we stayed in a guest house which is like a bed a breakfast since we had some students from around the world staying in our home. It was a great place to land, relax, and spend some family time together. We then moved HOME and have been working hard to get everything set up there. Without Lara (Super Woman) we would never make it. She is doing awesome at learning how to do, well everything. The most simple task can be a bit confusing and taxing on time. For everything there is a process and it can seem like there isn’t much of a “black and white” way of doing it. We usually end up laughing and reminding ourselves that this is Africa and things take longer and processes are just a little different than what we would expect them to be. Even things like going out to dinner can take 2-3 hours and you might end up ordering the wrong thing. It’s not bad just different, and slow.

Hike on Helderberg Mountain behind our house

Mac and I with our new Springbok jerseys

We wanted to give you a snapshot of some of the things that have been taking up our time:

Paying rent

buying electricity (you buy electricity at the grocery store)

trying to get internet (which we still do not have after many attempts) This is why our Update has been delayed

grocery shopping (you have to go to multiple stores and just because this store had it last week doesn’t mean they will have it next week)

take 2 minute showers and flush the toilets with gray water (We will explain this in our next story/blog but it has to do with the drought that we are in here)

set up a bank account (still in process and a process it is)

all car related things (tags, registrations, inspections, and much more)

getting library cards (it’s actually harder than you think)

Learning how to drive on the opposite side of the road while the steering wheel is on the opposite side too

Visiting churches

Getting into a homeschool rhythm

Exploring our little town and the big city of Cape Town

The kids seem to be doing really well so far. They really seem to be enjoying all of the different aspects of living in another country. They are constantly learning and picking up new things. They have meet some friends just about everywhere they have gone including in the neighborhood which is a blessing to Lara and I. Elly has found some South African friends that take dance and gymnastics and she is going to start going with them this week which makes her happy (social butterfly). Grey is starting up soccer this week with a friend that is a part of the East Mountain community here and has lived here for 4 years already. Mac has been looking around at some science and robotic clubs that are offered at a local museum but he is still on the hunt for something to do. Exploring around is a family favorite and there is much to do and see so we are always out and about.

My mom asked me the other day how ministry and work was going. I had to think about it for sometime since we haven’t jumped into our roles just yet. I figured that many of you would be wondering the same thing therefore I thought I would give all of you an update on this too.

East Mountain has done a great job at encouraging us to take it slow, learn the culture, get settled, and make sure our family is in a good place before we dive in to ministry. This goes against our “doer” personalities and thankfully they know that too. Lara and I are so ready to immerse ourselves and family in all kinds of ministry and work but we know that if we don’t say no to the good things and yes to the best things we will have minimal impact. We have been spending a lot of time getting to know all of the East Mountain staff and residents (like interns that are going through the leader development program). This has been so good for us as well as really fun! This week we are having all of the residents over to our house for a cookout (braai) and game night which we are looking forward too!

Our plan is to start visiting all of the current ministry partners and communities that East Mountain is currently serving alongside to gain a better understanding. I was able to go to last week with Steve (Siyabulela), one of our residents to see his ministry site in one of the largest townships, Khayelitsha. It was so great to see the impact being made in the lives of young teenagers through soccer and life on life discipleship! I got excited just being there observing! We are also reaching out to some contacts trying to build some relationships with potential places/people our family might serve together with. I was reminded by a South African friend last week that this is Africa and the needs will never end so be cautious to not get over extended. It was a good reminder since our goal is to go deep with a few people and a couple of places to make the largest impact possible.

We can’t wait to share all of the many stories of how the Lord is going to use our family. We believe that he has created us for this time, this place, and these people! We are beyond thankful for each one of you that are partners with us financially and through prayer. Our hope is to live and work for God’s glory, love and serve others so they know Jesus more, and to honor each of you for being a part of our lives and this mission! There is so much more to come and we are busting with joy and excitement!

Please continue to partner with us or consider joining us in this mission by praying for our family and ministry, follow us on Instagram or Facebook, and give financially as the Lord allows you. Thank you and God bless!!!

Traveling to Cape Town, South Africa

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Spanky Rouse

We made it!

To sum up how we all felt Monday morning as we woke up I will quote Greyson. “Are we really moving to Africa today?!?! I can’t believe it.”

We started the day off with a drive to Atlanta, then took a 7 hour flight to London, toured London on a Big Red Bus, and finally took our last flight to Cape Town which was 11.5 hours. The journey went well and the kids did great! After all of the different travels this summer they are pro’s at airports, planes, and and getting around new places.

The kids wanted to share with you more about our journey so here you go…