In January 2014 a team traveled from Grace Klein Community, Inc. to our partner ministry Kwathu Children’s Home in Livingstone, Zambia. During the journey, we met a ministry advocate named Natalie Spronk, a native of South Africa. God had birthed in her heart a huge desire to invest in Kwathu Children’s Home and she had sold all her possessions and left her professional Human Resource job to come serve at Kwathu Children’s Home.
By this time, Grace Klein Community members had known, served and advocated for Kwathu Children’s Home since 2007. One of our prior teams had walked the grounds of the home, praying for the provision to build on the property. Here we were, seven years in, and progress felt slow, but we all believed the dream was possible. Our 2014 team weather treated lumber and framed a portion of the roof of the children’s home as we prayed for the funds to keep going. The rental home was out of space and Kwathu Children’s Home needed this building and the ability to welcome more children.
After the community team returned to the United States, the Directors of Kwathu Children’s Home, and leadership of Grace Klein Community began praying about Kwathu sending an advocate to raise more awareness about the home. Natalie Spronk, an articulate, passionate and Jesus called woman was the obvious choice.
In October 2014, Natalie Spronk arrived in the USA, with a two month commitment to speak, lead worship and advocate for Kwathu Children’s Home. A month in, leadership from both organizations were praying about extending her stay as the results were startling. On the same evening, both leadership teams felt a strong confirmation from Jesus to ask Natalie to extend her stay.
As time has passed, Natalie Spronk’s influence, leadership and investment into Grace Klein Community, Inc. continues to aid the impact of both organizations.
After further leadership prayer and discussions, Grace Klein Community, Inc. petitioned immigration to grant Natalie Spronk an R-1 Visa to allow her to continue serving in the United States as a ministry advocate. Her R-1 visa was approved and she was granted a 30 month stay set to expire in February 2018.
Over this time, Natalie Spronk continued to advocate for Kwathu Children’s Home, while learning and participating in all things Grace Klein Community, Inc., as well as maintaining the website and social media presence of Grace Klein Community, Inc. and implementing a consistent monthly newsletter. The more Grace Klein Community, Inc. grows, the more all our partners can grow, evidencing that we are better together.
When Natalie Spronk came in 2014, she came with the clothing on her back, and maybe a few other items, as her suitcase was filled with products that would help her raise awareness about Kwathu Children’s Home. Thanks to the sharing of many community members, she has never lacked for anything and has been gifted with clothing, jackets, shoes, toiletry items, food, dental care, and even a guitar. Through the organization, she is provided means of communication (a computer and cellphone), lodging and a vehicle for transportation. Her bedroom is a busy place of rest, worship, storage, fundraising and event organization. She has trusted God big time and He has shown off big time. Through her faith, persistent and courage, she has learned American culture, web and graphic design, marketing, creative writing, worship, Bible knowledge, simplicity, leadership, food rescue, photography, event planning, fundraising, mentorship, social media management, global team coordination, preservation, and constant flexibility.
To pause and consider what God has done in and through Natalie Spronk since 2014 is unbelievable, more than we could have hoped for or imagined. Grace Klein Community and Kwathu Children’s Home rely heavily on her care, work ethic and contribution. Listing every facet of her job duties is too extensive for this post.
By August 2017, the Grace Klein Community board voted an additional time, in regards to the service of Natalie Spronk, to approve the filing of an extension for her R-1 Visa. The application was promptly submitted by our organization and the immigration website explained to expect a five month delay in processing of applications due to volume. However, by God’s grace, our filed extension was approved within one month of submission. We were shocked to have received the approval due to the website’s promise of delays. We praise God for this extension as Natalie Spronk is a vital member of Grace Klein Community, Inc. The R-1 Visa extension allows Natalie Spronk to remain in Birmingham, AL, until August 2020.
Natalie Spronk has shared her life generously with our community to care for its members here in the USA and around the world. In addition to advocating for Kwathu Children’s Home, she writes extensively for our organization, speaks to various groups, manages all our media, serves with food outreach, hosts guests, coordinates events, manages special projects for single mamas and adoptive families, and additional behind the scenes relationship building and administration. She serves all of us in a full time capacity.
Please take time to READ what has happened at Kwathu Children’s Home since 2014 and how God has generously and abundantly answered our prayers.
We also have a recent video that details visually what the Lord has done. WATCH HERE.
Join us in celebrating how God would hand pick a lady from South Africa, to go serve in Zambia, so that she could land in Birmingham, AL, to build the Kingdom of God through her specific skills and abilities. Worship God that He would use our little community to make a difference in Birmingham and around the world.
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” – Proverbs 16:9