Friends come and go, and God always provides

In a span of 2 weeks in the month of May, 2 friends moved who I had come to know well in Cape Town.

I had to say goodbye to was Emily Woo. Emily is from Seattle and our paths crossed through The City Church. We were in the same ladies bible study and roughly around the same time were both thinking of moving to Cape Town. I ended up coming about 3 months before her…but she was right behind. Emily volunteered for http://reciprocity.co.za/ where they are creating businesses in the townships. She was originally suppose to only stay for 4 months but extended it to 5 because she loved Cape Town so much (I still believe that the real reason was she loved me as her roommate!) Emily moved into my flat after 2 months and stayed with me until the end. She was a trooper as she slept on a blue inflatable mattress and/or my couch the WHOLE time and never once complained about it or stole my bed (although now that I think of it…why didn’t she ever cuddle in bed with me?!) Emily fell in love with Cape Town the moment she stepped off that plane and raved about it every chance that she got. She knows and has seen more of Cape Town in the first 2 months than I have to date…crazy girl. I hadn’t had a roommate in years and it was such a joy and relief at times to come home and know that she would be home when I got off work and would always have a smile asking how my day was. She even at times were prepared with a mint magnum ice cream bar in hand  We shared some great memories and I appreciated her passion and love for Cape Town and life, our comparisons of Cape Town and the US, her outgoing spirit, Godly wisdom, our crazy talks, and how she enjoyed my view from my living room as much as I do (so what if she liked the mountains and I liked the shirtless men playing soccer…same view..right?) Dropping her off at the airport and walking into my empty and silent apartment was definitely weird….but her short stay is something I will treasure. Emily Woo…I don’t know what lies ahead for you but I do trust God in knowing that He will lead you. I am thankful that he placed you in my life when He did and getting to share this experience with you is priceless. Thank you for supporting me and always encouraging and listening to me. I know that our experiences have been on separate spectrums and I hope and thank God that my trials didn’t effect the season that He brought you here for. I love you and miss you! Onward to more adventures!

Nadja, is a friend who I got to know through work and grew close to over the months. She is originally from Germany but got a job in Cape Town with Amazon and moved down. I remember the first time that we got to hang out together and God truly orchestrated the whole event without any of us having a clue. I had packed some games in my suitcase in the US and had trucked them all the way to Cape Town. I wanted to have things that could make me feel like I was “home” and a way to invite people and get to know them. It had been several months since I had moved into my flat and I had not hosted a game night yet…so on this Friday night in February, I invited a couple friends over after work including Nadja. During our girls’ night, she openedly shared some things that were going on in her life and the Lord was able to use me to minister to the circumstance but more importantly support her and we instantly became friends through sharing life together. We have gotten to share many laughs and tears during multiple game nights and several delicious meals and walks together. In May she had decided she needed to head back to Germany and my heart did skip a beat as I had fondly fallen in love with this amazing girl…even though she is German  We both know that it was the right decision for her, but it is never easy. So the last shindig we did was have a Sunday jazz brunch at the Winchester Mansion Hotels in Seapoint. With Zandi (who I will rave about later and indulge on this crazy black chic) and Nadja, we got all dolled up and headed to this fancy place for seriously one of the best times I have had in Cape Town. We ended up in the room where the live band was playing, vs. the other room where it was playing over the speakers…and we were right up front. They served us with champagne and the newspaper and we spent the next 3 hours devouring every item on the buffet table. It was such an extraordinary time of music, food, laughter, and sweet memories with these girls. It has been about a month since Nadja has left and I do miss her, but I am so dang proud of her. I am proud of the decisions that she has made and I look forward to seeing how God unfolds her story in this next season. Nadja, although it was a short time, you are such an important part of my story and season here in Cape Town and I thank you for sharing it with me. I thank you for loving me and letting me be part of your life and opening your heart to me. God does have so many good things in store for you and I know that God will truly honor you in the decisions that you have had to make in the last few months and although hard, God will bless you abundantly for your obedience and listening to His calling and heart.

I say in the title that God always provides that in the time that I had to say goodbye to Nadja and Emily, I met two sweet girls from Josh Gen Church. Candi and Zandi…how can you go wrong with those names?! You will hear more about them in the coming months, as they are a hoot (not south African terminology of a car horn…but the American terminology of hilarious and amazing!)