How does an Oasis work?

We are in the final stages of support raising so that we can go 

on the field to do Missionary Care through a hosted Oasis.

 

Many people have asked us:  

What is an Oasis?  

How does this work?

What is missionary care?

Well, here's our answer to all three of those questions!  

Once we land in Cape Town, we will rent a furnished apartment for the three months we are waiting for our container of household items to arrive.  During that time, we will be looking for a property to rent for our Oasis.  We envision a separate 2 bedroom guest cottage for the missionaries use.  This type of property is relatively common in South Africa - it is called a "granny flat" since families often have their parents come to live with them.  The photo above is of one such cottage that we viewed while we were on our scouting trip in 2012.

Once our Oasis is up and running, we will host one missionary (and family) at a time.  Before coming to our Oasis, they will fill out a questionnaire that will let us know what their needs are and how long they want to stay.  We will host one family any amount of time from 2 days to 2 weeks.

During their stay, if they are struggling in any area of life, we can offer them life coaching, biblical counseling, stress assessments, and a listening ear.  Of course, things might go differently once we are there - but we envision formal interactions between us and the couple during the mornings, with afternoons free for rest and reflection, and additional interactions during several of the evenings.

Our desire is to minister to the entire family.  We will host times of fun and reflection for the kids of the family as well.  Kids often desire to voice their thoughts, feelings, and struggles as well - and we want to be sensitive to the needs of the children, giving them exclusive time to talk.  Julie is able to offer guidance and insight into homeschooling, as well as hosting a homeschool resource library for families to peruse.

The Oasis will feature a lending library, a movie collection, puzzles, and lots of board games for families to enjoy.  In short, we hope to offer weary families a safe place to spend a week resting, debriefing, seeking the Lord, and recapturing the passion that led them to their ministry!

If you would like to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of missionaries in Southern Africa - join our team!! 

We would love to have you join us, once we are fully funded we will leave for the field! 

Click here to join our team!

Where in the world are the van Heerden's going?

Wow! What a view!

We adopted Julia in 2012 and while we were there

we also did a survey trip for our Oasis.

We stayed in a most amazing apartment 

with fabulous views...

I relax just looking at them again!

But...

 

being on the side of a mountain has distinct disadvantages

when traveling with children.

Safety railings are minimal and a tumble 

off the steps is a three story drop

to concrete below...

NOT relaxing!

So, for our Oasis,

intended to give weary missionaries

relaxation and rest,

a mountain top experience

might not be the best.

So we looked at the surrounding area

we checked out properties in Strand

in Fish Hoek

in Hout Bay

in Simons' Town

and decided that a place on the ocean

in the valleys

on flat land

would be the best location for our Oasis!

So when we arrive

we will search out properties

in the greater Cape Town area

for our 

South African Oasis!

Want to partner along with us?

Support the South African Oasis

Soon and very soon...

The South Africa Oasis

Support Us!

We are in the final stages of funding our ministry...

We will be relocating to Cape Town, South Africa 

as God provides the full measure of our support

in the next two months!

Did you know that more than 6,000 missionaries

will quit and come home unnecessarily this year?

Missionaries and cross cultural ministry workers

face many stressors:

language barriers

cultural stress

conflict with coworkers

feeling inadequate

loneliness

needs of the children

are just a few...

We plan to provide missionary care

through biblical counseling 

and 

practical encouragement 

for families - offering a place

for families to come to 

rest, relax, and reconnect.

You can be a part of this! 

We need partners

folks just like you

who will

pray for us

and the families we will serve.

And offer monthly

financial support

just $5 or $10 monthly

will serve these families!

47% of missionaries leave their work

within the first 5 years!

Help us help them to stay on the field

ministering the Gospel to a needy world!

Financial Support

Growing

 What a little love!

Hannes is doing well.  

All of his birth defects have now been repaired!

He is growing...

from a toddler to a 

little boy!

We are so grateful to all who have 

followed our journey

and 

prayed and donated 

to bring this little one home!

It is hard to think about what his life would be like

if we hadn't adopted him

He was living in Lugansk

and that part of Ukraine

has been under heavy fighting

for a while now...

The orphanage has been evacuated

the facilitator has fled

The buildings have been bombed

There is no water

no electricity

very little food

I can't even imagine what it looks like

or what the people still living there

are dealing with.

My heart hurts for all the pain and despair...

and I hug Hannes just a little bit tighter

so very glad he is with us.

There are two little ones that we met

while we were in Ukraine for 

Hannes's adoption.

They were with Hannes and we saw them

every day

for the five weeks we were there.

A little girl and her big brother.

She was around a year and her brother around 2.

They wrapped themselves around our hearts.

They have a family waiting to adopt them.

The war has interrupted their plans

and they have been waiting

and waiting

and waiting

and they just got permission to travel to them

in the place they have been evacuated to 

This is a miracle!

Their mom will be flying to Ukraine this Saturday!

You can help!

These two children are dear to our hearts

please click on this link and help them get home!

They have been in the midst of a war!

They deserve to come home to peace!

http://reecesrainbow.org/72181/sponsorboyer-2

 

Hannes had his fourth 

and final surgery 

today 

to correct the last of his birth defects.

 

We are so grateful that 

we are able to give him 

the medical care that he needed.

Care that would have been difficult

in his home country

especially now,

since they are 

at war.

We never take for granted

the ease with which

life is lived here

in the U.S.

And we are so grateful

to God for His

provision to us

and

this little boy that we love so much!

I love being a Mother...

Nate - my oldest son with his son - Noah - age 5

Lydia - my second child - with her child Jaxon - age 1 week

Jacob - age 7

Julia - age 6

Hannes - age 3

I am so grateful this Mother's Day... 

Five beautiful children 

and 

two amazing grandchildren. 

 I am grateful to God that He has blessed me so abundantly. 

A big hug to Dianna and Jason 

for loving my two oldest children. 

 And my everlasting thankfulness 

to the two women 

who gave my two youngest children life. 

 I do not underestimate the pain you carry

and

it is a privilege beyond measure 

for them to know me as mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

One Year Ago Today...

We arrived home with Hannes...

It was the beginning of the rest of his life...

In the year since we have been 

home with Hannes

he has had his congenital birth defects

corrected

he is healthy now!

Healthy!

In his orphanage he was isolated in the infirmary

due to his heart defect

he spent most of his time in a crib...

this was for his benefit, so that he wouldn't get sick

by being around the other children...

So he has spent this year

catching up

learning to laugh

learning to play

learning to eat

 

living his life...

Smiling...

 

 one of the boys...

Kissable...

messy...

 

out and about in the real world...

or busy at home...

 

being a brother...

 

exploring this world...

 

gaining skills...

 

water... swimming... LOVE...

 

playgrounds!  sliding is fun!

Christmas with your sister

is fun!

 

It has been a wonderful year

Hannes!

We are so grateful you are in our lives...

Happy One Year home Hannes!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Hannes!

Happy Birthday Mr. Hannes!

You are 3 today...

Our little Ukrainian Leprechaun!!

Born on St. Patrick's Day

 You have come a long way in the last year...

You didn't use to like touching anything remotely "icky"

and tonight you made a BIG mess with the 

cake and frosting...

still wouldn't eat it,

but we are thinking maybe next year!

Last year Daddy was with you, 

 Mommy had gone home but was traveling back to you

This year we were all together

your first birthday at home!

 We have LOVED this year with you Hannes

and we look forward to many, many more!!

Happy 6th Birthday Julia!!

 It's hard to believe

that our princess is

six!

You are our

beautiful

joyfilled

full of life

little girl

and we are so glad

to have you

in our 

family!

And for a special birthday surprise...

Captain America came to visit!

Happy Adoption Day Hannes Ruslan!!

A year ago on March 6

a judge declared

that Hannes

was our son.

So much we have been through

this year -

Hannes has had open heart surgery

to repair his congenital heart defect

which turned out to be 

just a bit more than we had anticipated...

Hannes has had many months of 

Physical Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Feeding Therapy

Speech Therapy

Pediatric Cardiology appointments

Pediatric Urology appointments

Pediatric Dentist appointment...

Urological surgery to correct a 

congenital defect

which turned out to be 

just a bit more than we had anticipated...

But through it all

he has grown -

5 inches

and

5 pounds -

and he has

advanced a year in his 

cognitive functions

and he is slowly learning

what a family is

what love is

what security is

what fun is

exploring his world

exploring relationships

learning

growing

figuring out how to love...

a year ago

he was an orphan

but this year

he is loved and cherished

a son

a brother

a nephew

a grandson

he has a place in the world

he belongs

and we love him so!

Happy Adoption Day Hannes Ruslan!

Happy Adoption Day Julia Babes!!

Two Years!!

Two years ago today we adopted Julia!

Those two years have gone by fast!

Julia has grown!

She wore a 2T when she came home

she is now in size girls size 6x!

She was a bit shy and wasn't sure what it meant to be in a family

today she is filled with joy and sass and loves being in a family

she is an older sister, a younger sister, and an aunt!

She is confident and learning

gaining control over her emotions 

and her wiggles

long enough to color and learn

numbers and letters and sounds and all

she loves to have books read to her 

and 

as she grows she understands more and more

about the beginning of her life

and has questions 

and tears

and anger

and sorrow

and longing

It isn't easy

this redeeming a life

but God is with us

giving us what we need

when we need it

and we are filled with Joy!

Happy Adoption Day

Julia

We love you!!

 

The judge who granted our adoption holding Julia - February 28, 2012

Eleven Months!

Hannes has been home for 11 months now...

Last year at this time we were still waiting for our court date.  

We had met him on February 13

and we visited him 

every day, 

twice a day...

 

We were getting to know him

it was amazing 

and fun

and hard,

very hard. 

 

We weren't his parents yet

but we were going to be his parents

and that in-between was 

fun and difficult.

 

And now, nearly a year has gone by...

He is blooming!

He seems to have exploded in his learning this last month.

He is playing much more purposefully with his toys

He recently began sitting still for a time

(we actually finished a meal at a restaurant!!)

He has learned that cuddles are nice and will come to get cuddles now

He gives hugs and kisses - in response to a request and a few times he has initiated it!

He will come when we call him (so he knows his name)

He will stop what he's doing if we say no

(well, he is 2, so most times he will listen)

 

He is beginning to prefer us to others

He interacts with his brother and sister - entering into their play

He has learned slowly, but steadily over the past 11 months

and we are so in love with him...

 

Like Father, Like Son... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In one month, he will have been home for a year!  

What a year it has been...