Four simple words that changed the lives of the Smedley family and subsequently the lives of many others.                                     
“We could go there.”
WE           The Smedley family, Roger and Sue, along with their four children aged 1 to 7.
COULD   Speaks of possibility and promise.
GO            To move from one place to another. God moved too. He miraculously opened doors and made the way clear through the bureaucratic nightmare of South Africa red tape.
THERE    Manguzi, also known as KwaNgwanase, a remote rural town in northern KwaZulu Natal.

In November 1999, after nearly 18 months of paper shuffling and hoop jumping, the Smedleys arrived in Manguzi. They arrived just in time for the hot and humid wet season and just in time to experience the side effects of the weather pattern that brought floods to southern Mozambique. The one road into Manguzi was washed away and areas of low lying land became the settling ground for large volumes of water and subsequently the breeding ground for the mosquito that carried the parasite responsible for malaria. It soon became apparent that many people from the outlying areas were dying before they could be treated at Hlabisa hospital. Those who made it to the hospital put great strain on hospital resources and staff.

Eventually the waters receded, malaria season passed and life slowed down – for a season.

Gradually the Smedley family settled into the routine of home school and they soon made friends with the local Zulu children. Roger found his feet at work and Sue got used to being one of a handful of white women at the local grocery store. Life was different and sometimes challenging but it was never harsh.

Towards the end of 2000 the Smedleys spent a few days with friends in neighboring Swaziland. While there they visited a couple of inspirational South Africans who at the time were looking after 13 babies in a conventional 3 bedroom house. This was a God ordained meeting. As the Smedleys drove away it was as if God dropped four more life changing words into their hearts. “We could do that.”

Within the week they were given the opportunity to step out and follow through on these words. A four week old Zulu infant girl was residing in the children’s ward of Hlabisa hospital. All attempts to locate her biological parents had failed. Busi (in Zulu means blessing) was destined to become Smedley child number five. In March 2001 Busi was officially welcomed into the Smedley family.

Busi along with the Smedley family returned to Australia in October 2001. The family relocated to Albury in January 2002 and made City Central Church Albury their spiritual home. When the Smedleys first adopted Busi they were given a prophetic word along the lines that their involvement with orphans would not be limited to just taking in Busi. This word witnessed to their hearts and so they left Africa with a firm conviction that they would return.

As time progressed the conviction grew and a vision developed. This vision to care for orphaned and abandoned children was sown into the Albury church and Destiny House, of the House of Destiny, was born. In March 2006 the Albury church sent the Smedley family back to Africa to oversee the establishment of the first Destiny House. This time the Smedley family moved to Hlabisa – a rural hospital located further south than Manguzi and inland through the Umfolozi/Hluhluwe Game Reserve.

Hlabisa is a dark place spiritually and can be viewed as the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the northern KwaZulu Natal region. Roger took up employment in the laboratory and the Smedley family once again made the adjustment to living in rural South Africa. This was not easy. Thankfully God led them to Grace Community Church in Mtuba where they made friends who remain extremely significant in the lives of all Smedley family members.

In October 2006 Roger and Sue attended the inaugural Watoto Children’s Conference in Uganda. The overall insight gleaned from this conference was invaluable however the clearest direction that Roger and Sue received was the importance of partnership. While City Central Church Albury was the sending church it became obvious that Destiny House needed the involvement of a local church. God had already paved the way by drawing the Smedley family to Grace Community Church. Over time this partnership has developed and strengthened. Today CCC and GCC are working together to see the vision of Destiny House become a reality.

Life at Hlabisa eventually became “routine”. Roger went to work, all five children worked hard at their schooling and Sue juggled the demands of home schooling and normal household chores. They grew closer together as a family unit and in December 2006 they grew numerically with the addition of Simphiwe – a 3 month old abandoned Zulu boy.

Today the Smedley family live at Umfolozi on a beautiful property. The two girls attend the local Christian school while the three older children continue to study via Distance Education from Australia. Roger travels to and from work each day and now has the responsibility of managing the laboratory. Over the past two years the work load has nearly tripled due to the roll out of antiretroviral treatment. Work is therefore a challenge but God is present and His Grace is sufficient.

Recently Roger and Sue became the foster parents to a 3 week old infant Zulu girl and were acting as a place of safety for an 8 month old Zulu boy. While Destiny House is committed to long term care for those children who have no-one the value of temporary care afforded to these two children has been invaluable. The little boy has since been returned to his family after spending 2 months with the Smedleys. In a perfect world he would be returning to a wholesome environment – we do not however live in a perfect world. The little girl has a brighter future as she will be adopted by a loving couple late in August 2008.

The inclusion of these precious individuals into the Smedley family marks a significant event in the life of Destiny House. God has begun a good work.