The Queens are an amazing family who have made us feel at home since we have been in South Africa. Paige and Thomas have two kids; Elizabeth (18) and Jacob (13).  They way they live is inspirational; continually being selfless and sacrificial. I have never met people who are so committed to the cause of Christ – they dedicate so much time, energy and love not only to the kids here but to looking after us. When they have time off they take us on trips, they allow us into their home when we need time away from Tabitha and they are always there for a chat if we need support with anything. Seeing as they are such a big part of our lives here I wanted to share a bit about them through an interview with Paige…

1. How did you first become missionaries and what made you decide to come to Tabitha? 

We were living in Tennessee where me and Thomas both grew up. Thomas was a high school teacher and football coach and I was a very well paid radiologist – I was earning a lot of money and I didn’t know what to do with it. I tithed 10% and we still had enough to go on crazy vacations and live in a massive house with a pool and jacuzzi and three cars. In 2012 I heard a talk at a conference which impacted me – it talked about how God blesses us with overflow but we don’t usually share it with those who need it. I went away feeling convicted and read two books (Radical by David Platt and Crazy Love by Francis Chan) and the parables of the rich young ruler and the rich young fool which I identified with. God was talking to me about what I was doing with my life, he was challenging me. “Would you give up everything and follow me?” As a family we started to increase the percentage we gave and then started to give our time to go on mission trips. We went to Honduras and Zimbabwe as a family and although it opened our eyes we never felt like either of those were places we were called to long term; the kids would have been socially isolated, we would all have to learn a new language and  they were very dangerous countries. While we were in Zimbabwe someone from Baptist Global Response told us about Tabitha. We arranged to come here for four weeks, and knew straight away it was the place, we had a peace about it and knew this was where we were supposed to be. However we needed to be 100% sure before we left everything so we prayed. ‘If you want us to go Lord, you will have to sell our house.’ Two weeks later, we hadn’t even put the house on the market and it was sold…for asking price! So we went on a missionary training course and now here we are!

2. What kind of work are you involved in on a day to day basis at the orphanage? 

I would say my job title is ‘Volunteer Coordinator’. Mostly I look after you guys (and all the interns/volunteers we have here). I guess we are like your South African parents – making sure everything is a good as possible for you and you have everything you need, and look after you when you get sick (or have appendicitis!) When we first got here I was very focussed on getting more funding and doing a lot of media and publicity. I still do some of that but not as much. I also run devotional and baking classes for the girls, help out in the school, organise donations and do ‘house visits’ in Sweetwaters (going into home of the sick and medically examining them and offering scripture, prayer, medicine and food.) Thomas mostly did construction work for the first six months of us being here. Now he is the principal of the school at Tabitha and so is in charge of all the schooling and educational side of things. We also spend a lot of time taking the kids off campus; swim lessons, to see Jacob’s rugby etc.

3. What is the best thing or most rewarding thing for you at Tabitha? 

Definitely seeing people coming to Christ on house visits in Sweetwaters. I can be discouraged by ‘kissing all the frogs’ on house visits until I find the one that really needs me. But when that happens it is really rewarding. It is also great to see the kids I work with improve spiritually. When one of the girls in my small group learnt her books of the Bible I was so proud. When we first got here the kids couldn’t read at all, so seeing them read now, however slowly, is very encouraging too.

4. What are your plans for the future? 

Thomas and I stopped planning our future out far in advance 3 years ago when God called us to the mission field. Our family walks by faith now moment to moment and at this moment God has called us here. Our plan is just to carry on being guided by Him and go where He leads us.

5. Are there any specific prayer requests you have for Tabitha and the work you are doing? 

– Guidance with discipline in Tabitha children

– Wisdom and follow through in Tabitha Staff meetings

– Salvation for the Tabitha kids and Sweetwaters patients

– Growth in Sweetwaters Bible studies; in the young adults lives and increased attendance.