Finding Love Among Abba’s Family

“Beautiful Gate has become my family.” Beautiful Gate welcomes volunteers and staff from all over the world and Lerato was a new volunteer at this well- known care facility. His journey to this safe haven is a special one.

At a young age Lerato’s father passed away however a caring mother raised him and his younger brother. As a boy he daily walked past Beautiful Gate on the way to school and for one reason or another he started to ask God for the opportunity to work there someday. In high school his mother became ill, and Lerato became the caregiver for his mother and brother. One day after school he came home to find out that his mother had passed away leaving Lerato and his younger brother orphaned.

For a while this teenage boy was employed at the local Chinese clothing factory but Lerato continued to feel a strong pull to help with the abandoned babies at Beautiful Gate. Following the prompting of the Spirit he applied to be a short term volunteer and was accepted and here we were together enjoying a bountiful Basotho feast. He told me how the staff and other volunteers have helped disciple him and how caring for the babies had opened his heart to the Father’s faithful love for him.

Spending time with Lerato truly blessed me. Soaking in the warm Africa sunshine at the grounds of Beautiful Gate I shared a bit of my story and gave him a copy of “Journey to the Father’s Heart.” Fast forward to another trip to Lesotho. This time when I ran into Lerato at Beautiful Gate he came up to me with the book in hand and all the study questions filled out! We had a great conversation about the love of Abba Father from Roman 8:15. Lerato went on to share his desire to become a missionary to his own people.

I believe Lerato’s story of the Father’s hand in his life are a testimony worth sharing. I praise God for Beautiful Gate and the powerful tool it is! To think that Lerato daily walked by a few buildings and felt drawn by God’s Spirit to help out there one day is an amazing story. I love to hear how the community of believers at Beautiful Gate opened up their arms to this orphaned young man and invited him to be a part of Abba’s Family. I also love how the Holy Spirit stirred within Lerato’s heart a desire to be a missionary to spiritual and physical orphans in Lesotho.

By loving the least of these- lives are transformed for the glory of God the Father, (Matthew 25:31-46.) In the Sesotho language Lerato is translated “love.” Lerato has experienced the love of Christ despite being orphaned and now desires to share the love of Christ to others.

It is the passion of Oceans Ministries to share the love of the Father with spiritual and physical orphans around the world. That is why the board wholeheartedly decided to invest in Lerato and his calling to missions. In this New Year, Oceans will be a part of supporting Lerato in the discipleship-training program of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Cape Town, South Africa.

God used heartache and loss in Lerato’s life. He will be there for your heartaches and losses or perhaps you are the one to be there for others. God used a building that housed abandoned babies in Lerato’s life. May God minister to you in unexpected ways or perhaps you are the one to assist someone in need. God used His people and helpless little ones in Lerato’s life. May God reveal Himself to you in ways you would have never imagined or perhaps you are the one to speak truth into a coworker, friend, or family member.

This Christmas don’t miss the opportunity to receive and give love Abba’s love!