This year in Jeffrey’s Bay I have fallen in love. There is
no doubt in my mind now that love at first sight exists. From the moment I saw
Cupcake last year, my heart was hers. I guarantee if you were to spend a day
with her, she would have your heart as well.
One day last semester, God ‘just happened’ to place a crèche
in our House Ministries path. That is where I met my “Cupcake.” I coined that
name for her the first day I met her because honestly, I cannot pronounce her
Xhosa name. Also, Cupcake is a little ‘chunk’. To me… she just looks like a
little cupcake. Cupcakes mother, Gladys, is in charge of the crèche. Her mother
is a heavy drinker and her father is married and has a complete other family.
Cupcake lives with her grandmother because of her living situation at home but
sees her mom daily at the crèche. I am so thankful that another girl on my
team, Jenny, has heard God clearly and ministers to Gladys and pours our Lord’s
goodness into her whenever possible. Jenny has bought most of the family Xhosa
Bibles and she prays and reads scripture with them often. I truly believe that
God is using us to show that family His love.
I will be honest and tell you that I am obsessed with this
child. I would bring Cupcake home with me in a split second if I could. Don’t
worry, her mother already “okayed” it and has Cupcake calling me Mom! (My Dad
wouldn’t mind a bit either) It’s hard to
explain how much joy I get when I see this child. Each day when I walk down the
road she comes running full speed at me with her chunky little legs, half of
her stomach usually hanging out, and a huge smile on her face. It makes every
second I spend here in Africa meaningful.
Cupcake and I are soul mates. I believe that if I was a 5
year old black child I would be Cupcake.
We are alike in almost every way possible. She is unbelievably entertaining,
makes the most randomly weird faces at me (FYI: She loves the “fish face”),
loves attention, loves to dance, sings constantly, and is just down right
crazy!
Daily God teaches me about his love for me through Cupcake.
I had known that Cupcake had been saving the money she could find on the ground
for quite some time. One day she had me walk with her to a convenient store to
buy something. I was so excited to get to share the joy with her of saving her
money. She purchased two pears with her 1 rand (about 15 cents) and insisted
that I eat the other one.(Picture included!) Cupcake had so little and had
worked so hard for 1 rand but she loved me enough to want me to share that gift
with her. I saw Jesus that day in a five year old Xhosa speaking child.
I am so blessed and thankful for the exciting and new ways
God is speaking to me and teaching me. Each day that I set out for ministry I
know that I will be surprised in the ways that I see God.
I ask that you join with me in praying for Cupcake and her
family. I can’t even stand the thought of the heartache I will feel when I must
leave her come mid-May. Although, I know that God has placed me in her life at
this time to plant a seed that will one day sprout into everlasting joy. And
trust me, when the Lord gets a hold on my Cupcake’s life…that girl is going to
change the world for the Kingdom!
-Be Blessed-
