A Ladd Family Update - church, autism, moving and going for something BIG!
Kacy: "Hey Benjamin, do you think God gave you special powers?"
Benjamin: "YESSSS!"
Kacy:"What are they?"
Benjamin: "VEGETABLES!"
Welcome to the Ladd Family Update! If you're reading this, THANK YOU. We are so grateful for a relationship with you and a few minutes of your time. We hope to hear back from you and have an opportunity to invest in you - you matter!
1. Southpoint Church
The church had less than 100 people and was considering selling its building when we accepted the role as lead pastors almost two years ago. Today, we are one of the most diverse and fastest growing churches in Cape Town! Chris is diligently preparing to add a second service, launching a pastoral care team, and developing a young professionals ministry to one day hand the church over to. Southpoint has risen out of financial crisis and just did the first fundraiser since Covid. We raised R40,000 ($2,177) for a local children's hospital and a truckload of stuffed animals to take to the kids there! God is on the move, and we are so thankful to be a part of what He is doing in Cape Town.
2. Benjamin and Autism
We changed everything when we realized Benjamin is on the autism spectrum with a diagnosis called "extreme demand avoidance". We started parenting differently, began occupational therapy, enrolled him in a therapeutic play school, and implemented therapy at home. We’re developing a team of experts, and a group of angels have come around us with more kindness than we know what to do with.
To tell you the truth, our home and family life feel very constricted and fragile at the moment. BUT the capital-T Truth is that the church is coming around us with an extraordinary love, greater than anything we could teach from the stage. And we behold a very precious gift of brotherhood daily as Lifa does therapy with Benjamin and Wyatt's smile lights up the whole house. Lifa is Benjamin’s champion, and Wyatt is a calming balm for him. We are blessed beyond measure, and I think we get to see those blessings in greater measure because of autism.
3. We are Moving AGAIN!
We have lived in seven different houses in our six years in Cape Town. And it’s time to move again! We are at the mercy of the rental market and continuously move as home owners go into financial distress and decide to sell. We have cast a wide net, prayed big prayers, and are trusting God to provide a place where everyone in the family can thrive.
4. Can We Buy A Van?
We are a little bit ghetto. We don't have a vehicle our whole family fits in since Wyatt joined the crew, so sometimes Lifa has to ride in my trunk. And when Chris takes Benjamin to school (in his car that's as old as a dinosaur), he doesn't have a proper safety belt for him to wear.
We tried to raise funding to purchase a family van, but the money raised had to go into increased cost of living and Benjamin's therapies. So we gave up on the van and decided to drive our cars until the wheels fell off.
But remember those angels I told you about? One of them is my mom. AND SHE'S COMING BACK! She will be with us in Cape Town over the December holiday while we prepare t omove and to help with the kids during their unbelievably long school holiday. Another set of angels is the family I had to tell that the money they gave toward our van had been eaten up by life's expenses and an upcoming move. Their response was not to be disappointed in us for not managing our money better, but to send more money. Isn't that how just heaven works?
God has put a "GO" in our hearts. We are no longer trying to go big and raise $20,000 for a fancy van. We are going for $10,000 for a van that has seats and wheels. We just need to get people places. WE ARE ALREADY HALFWAY THERE! My dream is to get a van by the time my mom gets here so we fit and can go places safely.
Can you help us to raise $5,000 in a month?
Will you consider making a tax-deductible donation? Or share with a friend, church, or small group? Any little donation moves us toward seats and wheels! Nothing is too small.
Thank you for sharing life with us. Thank you for being our friends, prayer warriors, support team, and angels. Please tell us how you're doing and how we can pray for you!
