The Ladd Family Story
Setting the tone
It was a scorching summer in 2016 when we, Chris and Kacy, had a story-shaping conversation. We were in a swimming pool, visiting the nearby nation of Eswatini while Lifa remained in South Africa. We decided to thank God in every situation - not because every situation was good, but because our situations made us realize how much we needed God in every aspect of life.
We had no idea life would take us on a 7-year detour when we tried to cross the border to get back to Lifa. The gratitude we pre-decided on has kept us looking for God. Looking for God has kept us finding Him.
Chris knew he would serve God since he was 13 years old. He worked in the business world in his hometown, Knoxville, TN until it was time to "go". Chris moved to South Africa in 2014, where he directed a non-profit organization for rural churches and townships.
The History
Kacy left Texas for a six month mission trip to South Africa in 2010. She didn't know then she was leaving her family counseling career to begin a new family across the globe. She met a beautiful 2-year boy named Lifa when she arrived in South Africa, and he would grow up calling her "Mom". Kacy spent five years caring for Lifa and serving rural churches and townships before she met the handsome man from Tennessee.
We met through similar work, familiar accents and the tiny town we shared in South Africa. We became friends, and then (in true Ladd fashion) got straight to the point.
One evening in 2015, we shared our personal callings, values and dreams. That night, we decided we could be better together. We would choose each other every day. Chris had been prompted by God to start this conversation, but Kacy was caught completely off-guard. We'd never shared romantic feelings, but made big plans from separate couches. We decided to let the "feelings part" grow organically, but knew we'd stick together. Kacy calls this incredibly awkward, comical, yet deeply loving, conversation "The Business Meeting". The next week, we got a babysitter for Lifa and went on our first date! Eight months later, we were deeply in love and became a family of three when Lifa walked with us down the aisle. The Ladd Family was established on September 12, 2015.
Soon after the wedding, we dreamt about the "perfect ministry model". Chris knew, "The Church! The Church is the perfect, most complete ministry." And that was it. We knew we were made to build His Church, and it was time to get going. We prayed, explored, and sought counsel until we were certain God had called us to Cape Town, South Africa. We loaded 8-year old Lifa, two dogs and a few suitcases into our shared vehicle and drove for two days across the country to Cape Town in 2017.
How We Got Here
The next three years would be the hardest of our lives. We contended with racism, legal corruption, social isolation, rejection, severe mental health issues, and humbling doubt as our church plant just wasn't taking root. We had unlimited reasons to thank God for the awareness of how much we needed Him. Chris says he's most grateful for these years because they intrinsically changed him. We wouldn't be who we are today without them.
Lifa found a love for rugby in Cape Town and started acclimating to a very different life than we'd had before. Benjamin was born in 2019, and he and Lifa created the most incredible bond during South Africa's extensive Covid-19 lockdowns. They have an 11-year age gap but played rugby like equals!
Growing Family, Growing Church
Through a surprising turn of events, we were named lead pastors of Southpoint Church while the nation was still in the throes of the pandemic. The church and its families were struggling in the midst of Covid, and we were a foreign family coming out of our own season of struggle. Again, we thanked God, and got to work.
Slowly but surely, Southpoint Church became what we started speaking over it, "A church to call home. A family to call your own." The Ladd family began to thrive alongside our church family, and we grew together! Southpoint has a spiritual depth, welcoming environment and diversity that matches heaven's!
Wyatt entered the world in 2022 and completed our family with incredible joy. When Wyatt was born, Lifa was thriving as a high school rugby player, and Benjamin began to demonstrate unusual behavior and complex difficulties. Much would change in the months to come as we learned to lead a growing church with a teen, toddler and newborn, as well as beginning to understand we are a family with special needs. Benjamin was displaying behaviors of an atypical profile of autism.
Our church came alongside us and were incredibly supportive as we began to make different decisions for our family than other pastors might make. Today, all three of our sons feel completely welcomed at church just as they are, and we are overjoyed to see people from every walk of life coming in and experiencing the same acceptance.
Today, the Ladd family is not without struggles, but is rooted in great joy because we are seen and loved by God. We are leading a church we love as well as a church network that will impact churches throughout South Africa.
We thank God for every part of the story He's entrusted us with, and especially for every person who prays, gives, and walks this journey with us. Thank you. We pray that you will see God in our story - and in yours too!
We would love to set down and share the more personal trials we've faced - we could really make your jaw drop! But it's more important to tell you we've remembered to thank God with every step, even as we've lamented personally. Thank You God for reminding us daily how much we need You. HOURLY.
