Faith – Page 2 – The Rousehouse

September 2018, 1 year Anniversary

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

At All airport about to board our first plane heading to South Africa 2017

Some days it feel like we have lived here for years and some days it feel like we have just arrived. Just a couple weeks ago, we had our 1 year anniversary of moving to South Africa. To think of all that we have been privileged to experience, people we have met, and things God has taught us is unbelievable. It hasn’t been a cake walk for sure but it has been memorable. We have learned so much over this past year,lessons we will take with us for the rest of our life. Some of our learnings continue to shape who we are as Christ followers. Some have shaped how we see people who don’t look or talk like us. Some have changed how we value and communicate with people. Some have created more compassion in our hearts. Some have grown our faith through days and weeks of struggles and uncertanties that force you to trust in God in new ways. Some have shaped us as a family. Some have created a deeper sense of gratitude in our hearts and minds. Some have taught us how we can love, serve, care for, influence, and impact peoples lives. There have been times of extreme highs and even deep lows. We have learned a lot, grown a lot, laughed a lot, pondered many things, studied our bibles probably more than ever, and prayed as if our life depended on it. God has proven his faithfulness time and time again.

One realisation that is more indisputable today than ever before is the fact that we have an incredible community of friends, family, and partners! We knew that we had an amazing group of people that love and support us but we really had no idea how unusually awesome our community was. We have felt your support and love for us even half way across the globe. This (you) have been the fuel that kept us going on our toughest days. Our experience of love and support from community is something that we are passionate for others to get a taste of. Our mission is to be that community for others and offer hope as we walk alongside others in this journey called life!

Sunday afternoon vibes

Grey and his BFF, Matthew

Taking a walk through the gardens

Elly taking swing classes

Mac had a birthday in September! He turned 14 years old.

We also celebrated Lara’s birthday on September 30th with a big party outside on a super warm day!

Her girls!

Mini me

Birthday people

crazy guy!

A boy and his bunny

Yes that is snow!

Uncontrollable

Updates from prayer request last month:

the kids schooling – This year’s schooling seems to be going smoother than last year. Lara has been doing a great job and the kids seem to be learning a lot.
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. – The residents are doing well and are growing in so many ways!
Deeper relationships – It does seem that the Lord has been blessing us with more friendships and better relationships this month. September has been a relational refreshment for Lara and I and we are grateful.
for Romero (the young man that lives with us) to have success and influence in his new job. – Romero got a new job! He is managing a coffee shop that also supports the local homeless shelter which provides some great ministry conversations. He has already made some wonderful changes to improve the shop.
Alechia went on her first mission trip with her school to Lesotho. It was life changing and eye opening for her! She was taken out of her comfort zone and God blessed every moment for her!
We gained 2 new monthly partners!!!

We would love for you to be praying for:

We are in need for 4 more new monthly supporters at $100
Lara and I are taking the 11 residents on a weekend retreat this month. Be praying for the right place and for strengthened relationships
We are needing to sell one of our cars soon. Pray for the right buyers to come along soon.
Be praying for Elly to gain a better understanding in her reading skills and desire to read
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.
Evil is hunting our family everyday. Please be praying for the Lord’s protection over us physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

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

Everyday ordinary ways we can make a difference

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

We have just returned to South Africa from visiting in the US. Over the past few days of traveling I have had questions swirling around in my head. What are you doing? Why are you here? What’s God up to in my life? Who are we having an impact on? All the while, still filling completely confident in our purpose of living this life and being right here right now.

I find myself driving down the road just a few days later with this young lady and begin to hear her story. It is one that is common to hear here but it still never gets easy to hear. I am simply listen to her share while my heart is hurting for her. She says that she never thought she would be able to find a Godly man that would care for her, love her, and treat her rightly. This young lady has a bit of hope through watching me be the kind of husband I am to Lara. “I want someone to treat me and love me like you do for Lara. I think it might be possible now.”

In the midst of her tears and now silence, I hear the Holy Spirit prompting me to speak up. Speak out. Speak love. Speak encouragement. I apologize for what she has gone through in life. I remind her that God has a great plan for her life. I point out ways that He is making something beautiful out of this mess. I remind her that she is a dearly beloved daughter of the King. I tell her that God doesn’t see her as broken or unwanted but quite the opposite. I tell her she is special and deserves the best.

We end the final minutes of our ride with tears and smiles. I then drive home knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt why my family and I are here in this place at this time. In this life, we are (here in South Africa or wherever He leads us) to be available to meet people where they are so that, we can point them to Jesus and the Father’s love for them. We are called to love well, be the encouragement, speak His truth, pray for and with people, care for those in need, disciple, and share Jesus through our everyday ordinary ways.

You may ask, how do we measure success? I would say, let me tell you about a girl I drove home the other day.

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

Family update, 6 Months!!!

Posted on April 5, 2018April 5, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

Look! This place is amazing! (Cape Point Lookout)

We are thankful and excited to have made it to the 6 month mark! The first 6 months in some ways were easier than we had thought, but in ways we hadn’t imagined it was tougher than we anticipated. Lara and I regularly try to take the “temperature” of the children and ourselves to evaluate how we are doing. We try to get away and take a walk or a drive, go have a coffee, or chat while sitting outside on our patio. These times have been some of the most powerful/intimate/challenging/fulfilling/helpful moments for Lara and I.

These past few months have been emotionally, spiritually, and mentally challenging for us, but also have allowed us to create some of the most beautiful memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. This time has reminded me that I am deeply thankful for my wife!!! It’s been a dream of mine, since I was 14 years old to be a missionary, but I had no idea how crucial it was going to be to have this woman on the journey with me.

Young man drinking his coffee

He is a nut!

Some of our community centre kids

Zach and mine mentor session included some waves

Children, Update:

They love playing with his hair!

How did our baby get to be so big!?

Mac is doing well! Out of the 3 of them he is the one that has surprised us the most. He is truly thriving and that is an enormous gift to us as parents. His first year of online school with Liberty University is coming to a close shortly and he has been challenged but done well with it. The Lord has been good to Mac by providing him with some great friends, and lots of them! We walk into church and people run to Mac. He has truly been loved well. Mac is taller than his mom, his shoe size is bigger than mine, his voice gets deeper and deeper, his hair is longer than ever, and his joy is still as contagious as always. Mac is really loving life in South Africa.

Bobby the African goat

Grey picking with the big boys at the Friday Braai

Grey has enjoyed many of the new facets of life here in South Africa. He loves going shoeless (everywhere), minimizing the number of showers he has to take every week, learning some Afrikaans words and phrases, and having a slower pace of life in our weekly schedule (Africa life is slower and more relational than we are accustom too in America). Grey started learning how to play the guitar and is doing pretty well so far. Homeschooling has been a great fit for Grey and he should be finishing up in the next week or so for the year. One area that Grey has struggled with more with than the other two is finding some close friends that he can regularly spend time with. He seems to be growing in his relationship with Jesus and understanding on the bible which is exciting to see. He is still the most loving little guy and loves those around him well.

Twins at the outdoor movie

Show off!

Elly is a “mini me” of Lara, therefore she has no issues with finding a friend no matter where we go. Elly walks into a room and immediately has a new sidekick to hang out with. She has a great group of girls at church, dance class, and within our East Mountain community that she enjoys a lot. Elly also loves having older girls around that act like big sisters. Being a social butterfly we are grateful for all of the relational connections for her. She has learned how to read (English) as well as she can count to 29 in Afrikaans! Elly also really enjoyed getting her nail polish collection from Nana and Marla last month. Her nail colors change daily.

Alechia has just finished her first term at University! It was a challenge for her but she did well and is enjoying it. She is taking 7 classes so her schedule is full and some classes are difficult but she is learning a lot. She is thankful for all of your prayers! We have enjoyed spending some extra time with her while she has been on fall break.

Romero’s first Sunday playing drums

Romero at the salon with Elly and Olivia

Romero is doing well! He has begun to work more with the church we attend. He is serving in the young adults ministry, the youth group, and with one of the pastors here. He also auditioned for the worship band and made it as a regular drummer! It was really exciting to see him excel in something he loves and is naturally gifted in. Romero is also busy leading at some Christian camps in the area during the school break. It is a blessing to have him be a part of our life and family (I think he likes it too :))

Breakfast and laughter at our favourite spot called Pajamas and Jam

Thankfulness:

We love serving with our church at the community centre! Great things are happening through the relationships we are building there. Read more here…We love these kids so much!
Homeschool is almost done for the year and Lara and the kids have done really well with it.
We love mentoring! We also love the young people that we have the opportunity to pour into.
IT RAINED!!! This week it rained for 2 straight days at our house and it was wonderful! Day Zero (April 2018) is the day that Cape Town was supposed to run out of water but it has now been pushed back until sometime next year! Praise the Lord!
We love our church, Life Church! Great connection, wonderful people, and life-giving ministries! It feels like home!

Prayer:

We have all been sick on the regular. Lara and Elly have had a head cold, chest cold, and snots for over 5 weeks. All of us have had stomach issues regularly for a few months. It comes and goes and is super frustrating. We aren’t sure if it is our bodies getting use to the water here or something else. PLEASE pray for healing!
Pray for the Helder Valley Community Centre families and for the Lord to give us favor with them.
Join us in praying about buying airline tickets to come to visit in July.
Pray for us to have deep relationships, big impact, fruitful ministries, and life-giving opportunities.
Please pray for these young leaders we get to mentor and invest in. Pray that they will get a full glimpse of who God has created them to be and what God has called them to do with their lives.
Pray for Lara and me as we are figuring out some new roles within East Mountain that will allow us to have a greater opportunity to love, serve, care for, and point people to Jesus.
Pray that we will find a language helper soon. We don’t “need” to learn Afrikaans but we think it would be very helpful to get a little understanding.

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!

Who, What, Why?

Posted on January 15, 2018January 15, 2018 by Spanky Rouse

³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’⁴⁰And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:35-40

This past year we spent a lot of time telling people what we were going to do in South Africa as we thought through the why’s that deeply moved us in this direction of missional living. What I have come to learn since moving to South Africa is, I might have been asking the wrong question. God isn’t as concerned with the what, but rather with the who’s.

Alechia is a who. She is the why behind our move across the world. We believe that God has so wonderfully blessed our family with her! Alechia lights up a room with her smile and draws children in with her loving kindness. Her joy is infectious and you can’t help but to love her. My hope is that everyone who visits gets the chance to meet Alechia, so you can experience how wonderful she is too!

Alechia quickly became a dear person to Lara. She was one of our resident interns last year at East Mountain and comes to us from Trinity Church/Christian School, a community partner of ours. This is where she learned that God has created her for something special, to help teach children about Jesus while caring deeply for them. Alechia has one of those stories that breaks my heart and would break yours if you heard her tell it. Unfortunately, her past is too familiar for many young children, especially girls that grow up here in these communities. What I love most about Alechia is that she is allowing Jesus to make something beautiful out of her story.

In just a couple weeks Lara and I get the privilege of taking Alechia to move into her new college dorm. She starts her first year of university this month and will be the first person ever in her family, and one of the very few from her neighborhood that have had the chance to go to college. This is a big deal for her and she is nervous! We believe in her and know that she can do it. University will prepare her to fulfil her call to serve the Lord and to make a huge difference in the next generation in her community. Once she has completed her studies, Alechia is planning to return to her church to serve as the children’s minister!

I struggle sometimes to clearly explaining our ministry and work here in South Africa. I worry that people might not see the impact and wonder about our effectiveness. Our ministry isn’t as clear cut as some missionaries. We don’t feed hungry children regularly, offer medical care, we aren’t directly planting a church, or ministering in ways that are easy to define. We do have specific jobs and roles within East Mountain and those responsibilities will continue to grow but our main ministry is the relationships around us. Being available, being present, and being life giving to the who’s. We are striving to live a life that offers life to those around us.

We are: a safe place for people to sleep for a couple nights when life gets hard, a place to come and get school work done (we have been blessed with the best internet connection around), a place to have a meal, laugh a little, relax from all of the craziness of life, a place to be refreshed over coffee and late night conversations, a ride to the store, the doctor or home for the weekend, the one to call when you need someone to listen or help with a problem, a voice of wisdom, encouragers, examples, and friends. This is our ministry. This is our life. It’s not a project or a plan. It’s definitely not easy. It’s inconvenient. It’s costly. It’s messy. It’s people. We are called to the who’s.

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:35-40

26166975_1523573401051618_8703688979397138535_n — East Mountain’s 2017 Residents

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

Newsletter and Updates, Nov. 2017

Posted on November 15, 2017November 15, 2017 by Spanky Rouse

The Lord‘s Faithfulness Endures Forever

Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
²For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! Psalms 117

We are two months in! On one hand it feels like forever ago that we left home but on the other hand time has flown by. Life is good for the Rousehouse here in South Africa. That’s not to say that we haven’t had our days of frustration, missing “home” and all of you, learning how to navigate cultural differences, and the never-ending task figuring out day-to-day life. Just this morning as I was walking to the bank to, finally pick up our cheque card after 6 weeks, I thought to myself, “I am fully expecting this to take way longer than normal and not going to be surprised if things aren’t ready this time.” To my amazement it only took 35 minutes and I left with a bank card! One of the biggest lessons we have and are learning is that we have to constantly be patient and be ready for our plans to be messed up.

That is actually one of the things the Lord has been speaking to us about. We like to have a plan. We like to check off the tasks on our list. We like to be productive. Simply put, we like to get stuff done. Well, the Lord has been whispering things in our hearts like, be available, don’t miss this opportunity, be present with people, don’t let the interruption aggregate you but, welcome it. Being intentional about living like this way messes up the plans and schedules that we put together. I mean, we are here to make a difference and get stuff done, right? …I think?…maybe?…maybe i am not so sure?…

Our first African party in a township. Elly and Lara sat there and held babies most of the time.

God has wonderfully created Lara, our kids, and myself to be people who love people. We enjoy investing in others. We are filled up by serving people in need. And we really want to help others know Jesus and his great plan for their lives. Therefore, we have to be present and available. This means we have to keep margin in our daily schedules and hold our plans loosely so that we can welcome the interruptions. In Africa, we are finding that task list and productive days of getting 10 things done are replaced with impromptu moments of coffee, last-minute calls for a ride somewhere, a 5 hour-long braai for dinner and endless conversations of listening to people’s stories and hearing their hearts.

What does the Lord require of you? We are learning it is to let go of our time and listen, care for, love on, and encourage people for His glory in their lives.

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Here are a few updates from our past few weeks:

Water crisis

We are still in a very serious water crisis here in the Western Cape of South Africa. There are talks of the water running out in the next few months. After we let you know about this and you began to pray we saw days and days of rain, so PLEASE don’t stop praying! Some of our South African friends have even mentioned to us that they have never seen it rain during this time of the year. God is using this for His purpose.

Ministry

The question, “how is ministry going?” is a difficult question for Lara and I to answer right now. We are spending these first 3 months going through a valuable cultural adaptation period with some of our seasoned leaders here at East Mountain. We believe that this is a time that will prepare us and equip us for healthy, thriving ministry and life. With out this intentionality we would likely hit the ground running…running over people and running our selves into the ground! We are spending time with local ministry partners to hear about their vision and their needs, meeting other ministry leaders and missionaries in the area to learn how the Lord is using them here, building good relationships with our team, and having a lot of fun with our resident interns. The residents are teaching us a ton about language, culture, family and life from all over Africa and they are a lot of fun! Lara and I are also spending a good bit of time thinking, talking and dreaming of what the Lord wants to have us dive deep into and the people He wants to invest in. Things are about to get exciting as we are looking toward the new year!!!

Kids

They are doing great! We regularly thank the Lord for His grace over them. They have quickly gained some good friends, connected well with our neighbors, and are enjoying all of the adventures. These kids are awesome and you can see God all over them! (If you have any specific questions please message us so we can share stories with you, spanky.rouse@gmail.com)

Day to-day stuff

It is crazy how much time and effort it takes to do the regular things in a day compared to what we are use to in the US. We feel like we are beginning to get the hang of it though! Just a few things that feel more normal now are… buying electricity (you buy electricity at the grocery store or petrol station), continuing to try to get internet (7 weeks, 20 emails, and 5 phone conversations and we still don’t have internet in our home), grocery shopping (learning what stores we like to get specific items), taking 2 minute showers, learning how to collect all of our gray water, driving on the left side of the road, visiting churches, homeschooling, and learning celsius and kilometers. Slowly these things are feeling more natural and are taking less thought. Thank goodness!!! (if there are any specific question you have please let us know so we can try to answer them for everyone)

The Goat

I am still waiting to see if I have won the GOAT! Be praying that I get it!!! (read our last blog to learn more about the goat)

Prayer needs for November:

Vision for the specific ministry areas the Lord wants us to invest in deeply
God’s grace, strength, peace, joy, protection and constant wisdom for everyday situations
Homeschool: Mom, dad, and kids
Year end giving and continued strong financial support
Water Crisis!
Sensitivity to the opportunities where we can be present and available to those that need us
God’s favor and favor with others (neighbors, community, team, partners, etc)

Vergoenoed Lara and Spanky — Lara and Spanky enjoying the South African wildlife at a local Saturday market

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

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!!!