Transition, Postpartum and Taking Care of the Family

We transitioned into our new home and neighborhood in Cape Town with great ease at the beginning of March. Ministry wise we have been doing great. Plans have continued to move forward with the studio space and Kevin actually helped draw up designs for the upstairs studios. We've met many neighbors who have become friends and "happen to be" artists.


The Struggle

However, emotionally we have been struggling. I (Lindsay) have struggled with postpartum depression for the last 11 months and cannot seem to shake it. It's a battle I fight against, but without much support and help it is a battle I am losing. While some days are amazing and I feel 100% myself, other days I feel like it's the end of the world and I literally don't think I can go on. I feel trapped, anxious, out of control and at times fear grabs hold of me and I spiral.

Along with that, the first two years of our marriage has been difficult with the amount of transition we put ourselves through. In one year, we got married, Kevin almost died, we got pregnant, moved half way around the world to a first/third world country [& all the hardships that includes] and had a difficult scary labor and emergency c-section. We recently processed this last year in Africa with a counselor. After telling her our story she politely called us crazy and quoted Deuteronomy 24:5, “If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.” She said that it is biblical to step out of missions the first year of marriage and focus on establishing us.

After a difficult two years, we see the wisdom in this biblical command! We really want to establish a firm foundation for our marriage and our family. And we need to do that with the support of family and friends near by.


Our Decision

Because of these things, and because we know our family is our greatest ministry, we have decided to leave South Africa and return to Kansas City. We will be leaving at the end of May. This decision was very difficult and has not been made lightly. We are so sad to leave. We will always love this nation and it’s people, and we will deeply miss our South African friends.

As we leave South Africa, we know our time here has not been a waste. Like our dear friend and YWAM leader, Hans, pointed out - God gave us these dreams and this vision. They are not location dependent. As me move to Kansas City, we hold tight to those dreams and visions for art and a studio space that will be a place of encouragement and refuge for the artist. We don't believe coming back to KC is the end, it's the next step. So we will continue to pursue an art and design studio space to serve the artist community. But instead of Cape Town, it will be in Kansas City, in a part of the city called the Crossroads District (the art hub of Kansas City).

We are very excited to return and be in a safe place to enjoy each other and our sweet family of three, and to continue to pursue the dreams and visions God has given us during our time in Cape Town.


What's Next

In addition to pursuing the studio space to serve the artist community in Kansas City, we will work later in the year with Kevin’s brother, Dave, on a new low-income housing development to serve the inner city poor in partnership with Hope City, IHOP’s inner city ministry. Kevin’s initial role in this new ministry will be to do the architectural designs for the homes. He is very excited to get to use his Architectural degree in ministry!

The goal is to build a close-knit Christian community in the heart of the poorest neighborhood in the inner city, providing a number of low-cost, energy efficient homes for both the Staff of Hope City and several of the people who are and have gone through the Hope City program.

We will also work to set up a youth mentoring program in partnership with Hope City, as well as an apprenticeship program in the construction trades that will include classroom time with industry experts and real on-the-job training and experience on a construction site as we build a house together.

Please Pray:

1. For Lindsay as she moves to KC. Pray she would have close friends and a great support system.

2. As we say goodbye to our friends and ministry here. This is a very emotional time for us.

3. For our travels back home to go smoothly with a one year old and luggage.

4. As we transition back to life in the states. This transition will be difficult in many ways.