Many of you have learned that recently we are fighting to stay in South Africa as we have had continual visa problems that are really coming to a head. We are fighting to stay here in Africa and continue our work. The question has come up, the GREAT QUESTION is WHY ARE WE FIGHTING to stay in Africa? Why the fight? Isn't it possible that all these problems are a sign that it is time to go? Isn't it possible that the children might do better going to schools and receiving what they need in America? Could God be telling you it's time to move on and give someone else a turn?
*Someone LITERALLY suggested that last comment to Casey's face*
These are HONESTLY all great questions.
Questions we have been asking, praying over, and wrestling with for years. We have taken every part of our call here in South Africa and completely surrendered it before the Lord.
We always tell our volunteers and interns that they are not needed here in South Africa and God can do whatever He wants with or without us. The same is true for the Prince family. God does not NEED us in South Africa. He can do His will WITH or WITHOUT us.
Painfully and humbly we have surrendered this before God and truly feel that He has responded.
God doesn't need us in South Africa but we feel He wants Casey to continue leading Ubuntu Football. Wrestling with these visas and our call has really clarified that our family was called here to be the heart of Ubuntu and lead it from our family. While Casey is all the time with Ubuntu it is part of the heart of our family and we all make it possible for Ubuntu to be it's best. It's our call together.
God doesn't need us in South Africa but we feel he wants me to continue community development and ministry in Ocean View. Truly it's the place God has planted my heart. I love coming home to the people of Ocean View and my heart beats for the community. My ministry continues to evolve in Ocean View but the goal is the same - point people to Jesus as I live among them as mother, sister and friend. Furthermore, God has called me to learn and grow as I pastor and assist at Hillsong Church and I love this place of growth in my life.
God doesn't need us in South Africa but He wants to tell Keller's autism story here. Early on in our journey, soon after Keller was diagnosed, I was crying out to the Lord asking him WHY, HOW and WHERE He was going to work in the darkness we were facing. I clearly heard the Lord tell my heart that He wants to tell Keller's story in Ocean View. Over the past year and a half God has shown up time and time again in miraculous ways as He changes Keller's heart and makes him a new boy. Keller is thriving and growing daily and we have an incredible team around us tackling autism together. And our boy LOVES Ocean View. His best friends live in Ocean View and he delights in this community; something completely foreign to normal kids with autism. God wants to continue to tell Keller's story in South Africa.
God doesn't need us in South Africa but God is growing Kieren to be a beautifully complex, compassionate and loving child as she grows up here. Kieren has friends that are every socio-economic background, every race and every type of heart. Her love knows no bounds and her openness to people astonishes me. She is happy playing by herself or being the center of attention on stage. Kieren is getting an excellent education, growing in her gifting of dance, and fostering a deep heart of compassion for her friends who will never know her opportunities. Something very special is growing in Kieren and we believe South Africa is the place God wants to cultivate it.
Most of all, as we have realized God doesn't need us in South Africa, we have prayed deeply to question if he still wants us here in this time. In our times of prayer and discernment we believe we have heard God does want us here and that it's not our time to go. God isn't finished using us in South Africa and more than that, God hasn't finished forming US in South Africa.
Because of this revelation, that God doesn't need us in South Africa but has called us here, we fight. We fight against the lies that our time is over, that it's someone else's turn, that our kids would be better off somewhere else, that it's time to bring things to a close. We fight because it's our time to be in South Africa and we want to fulfill God's will for our family here.
We now ask that you would fight with us. Fight against the schemes of the enemy that are trying to keep us from fulfilling His call here. Fight with us in prayer that God would protect our family emotionally as we go through this tumultuous and emotional journey. Fight for God's will simply to be done here in South Africa.
This is why we fight.