SNOW FAMILY

Scott and Danielle have been married for 10 years and have lived in Wylie TX since being married. They have 7 children together 4 are grown and living their own lives, 3 are still at home and attending school. They have been members of New Hope Church in Wylie for 11 years. Both believe in Jesus and the word of the Bible and love to share this belief with others. They also believe the only way to have a successful marriage is to maintain an intimate relationship with Christ, and to have close relationships with like-minded people in the church.

Scott and Danielle have been active in church for many years from serving in children’s ministry to leading a life group for many years and mentoring couples, young families, and single moms.

Scott has been in construction (Electrical) for 35 years and has been in management for the past 19 years. He has loved the trades and how projects are built and the process to manage them successfully thru team building, new innovation and lots of hard work.

Scott was asked to join a team from New Hope going to South Africa in the spring of 2010- a trip that would be the turning point and the start of a dream that would forever change the direction of his and his family's lives. This was a trip that was a lifetime in the making and almost every aspect of it was God directed and tailored for him to be able to see and dream of things far beyond himself. He has always had a heart and passion for the lost, forgotten, vulnerable and left behind.

Scott is a champion of justice, equality, and giving a voice to those that have been told they don’t have one. Since that trip he has been back to South Africa 8 more times, as well as to Uganda and Thailand. While he loves the people and culture of all these places, South Africa is where his passion and calling live.

Danielle has been the foundation of the Snow household for the past 10 years and dedicated herself to family and pouring into her husband and children. Danielle spent 19 years in the dental field as administrative assistance and office managers. Early in 2009 they were able to change the household dynamics and Danielle was able to quit her job and dedicate her time to her family and to women that where struggling with a variety of issues. Over the next 6 years she made time to work with and help many women in the community to move into more of what God had designed them to be and to be able to unpack a lot of pain and hurts from their pasts.

Danielle has a passion and desire to see young women and single moms learn and believe that mistakes, poor choices or circumstances beyond our control do not define who you are or what God has designed you to be. She believes we all have value and purpose in life and a plan that God wants us to move into and operate in with those around us. She also loves helping with life skills for new mothers that were not given the instruction manual on the needs of newborns, infants and children.

They both had a vision of a ministry abroad during Scott’s first trip to South Africa over 6 years ago. They have had many highs and lows over this time and often questions of if it would ever come to light, but the one constant was the desire to lean and move in that direction without knowing when or what it might look like when the time came. Then in February of 2015 a huge shift took place during a trip to Thailand and shortly after. This was the time that the Keefers came and said that they were all in and wanted to be on the team. Until then it was not a team but when they came into the dream and vision it started to take legs and became very real again. Scott and Danielle now see God was preparing a team and not just a couple going to South Africa. Then in June of 2016 The Youngs were able to take a trip to South Africa and were immediately changed forever and started to meet with us also. A few short months later we had our name (FIVE LIGHTS MINISTRIES) and now here we are with our website.

We hope and encourage you to join us on this journey through your thoughts and prayers. We also need for many to join us in giving financially both for our family and the ministry. We can’t do this without your love, support and prayers. A link showing how to give is provided on the website.

KEEFER FAMILY

Shaun and Andrea Keefer have been together since 2002 and were married in 2004 in Plano, Texas. They have three children which include two sons and one daughter. Shaun spent 15 years working in retail then moved to the insurance field as an adjuster in 2012. He truly enjoys the work as an adjuster, being able to do new and different work every day and being able to interact with people and help them. Andrea spent a decade working in professional childcare then in 2014 she became a stay at home mom. She finds great fulfillment and happiness in nurturing children and being able to teach and care for them.

Shaun took his first short term mission trip to South Africa in 2014. It was during that trip that God broke his heart for at-risk children and families. He returned home from that trip ready to pack everything and move there. He knew though that he couldn’t go without his family being united with him in his decision. Andrea took her first short term mission trip in 2015 to Thailand. It was on that trip that God showed her and spoke to her about going out into the world to serve and care for his children. Shortly after she returned home, she and Shaun decided together that it was time to engage this next step and begin making connections with others whom they knew God had put that same dream on their heart. During her trip to Thailand, Andrea had been able to connect with Scott Snow and learn about his heart and passion for the children of South Africa, as well as his dream to do full time mission work there. Shaun and Andrea knew that they were supposed to be part of his team, and that is where the story of Five Lights first began.

A few weeks later, they decided it was time to share their plans with their life group. Chris and Leslie Young were members of their group, upon hearing the news they shared with the Keefer’s that they had been dreaming for years of serving as full time missionaries and they were ready to join the team and serve alongside them. God works in such amazing ways!

Andrea’s passions are for children, young women and mothers. She wants to build relationship and community with other women, encourage them and offer them support. She “cares for the caregiver”.

Shaun’s heart and passion is for the fatherless. He knows the importance in every child’s life of a positive and consistent male influence. He also wants to build strong relationships with young men and other fathers to be able to serve, empower and encourage them.

YOUNG FAMILY

Chris has been in retail management for 24 years, while Leslie currently is a stay at home mom but has worked with children since she was a teenager. They have moved several times for Chris's career, started in Wylie, TX then moving to Tyler, TX in 2008, Jacksonville, FL in 2010, and Tallahassee, FL in 2012, then back to Wylie.

Chris and Leslie have been discussing going into full time ministry since 2010, not really knowing how or having a church home that could lead them in that direction. When they moved back to Wylie in 2013 after visiting several churches they started attending New Hope Christian Church. They felt welcome from the moment they walked in, and learned fast that New Hope was a big supporter of missions. They soon connected in the life group of Shaun and Andrea Keefer. When the Keefer's said they were going to be full time missionaries, they knew this was exactly where God wanted them. After going on a mission trip together to South Africa in the summer of 2016 there was no denying God's call, this is where they were supposed to be. Although this was a hard decision it was also an easy one. They will be taking with them their three younger boys and their oldest will be staying in Texas with his fiancé and continuing his plumbing career.

Leslie's passion and desire in this mission is in two areas. She wants to help mothers be the best mother they can be by helping them with the basics of taking care of their children. She also knows education is something that is so important for all. She hopes to be able to help children, teens and young adults, not only succeed in their education but to finish it.

Chris' passion is in bringing security and joy to children, for he knows the importance of this especially from a male role model. He also has the desire to help build up young men to be Godly leaders and fathers.

THABETHE FAMILY

This is Sifiso. My wife Gugu and I have two children- Christian and Tamara. We have been married for 6 years and attend church at Partners In Harvest. I was mentored by P.s Sthembiso Nkambule of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Mboniwseni. Our passions are worship, encouraging young adults and counseling youth in distress. Meeting Scott Snow in 2009 was life changing for me. He told me to read the book of Provebs daily, and then Raines Olivera kept me accountable. Going to Malawi and Swaziland God touched my life as I spoke to a few young couples, realizing we were just like them. I saw that they needed encouragements and motivation for their marriages just as we do and was amazed at how much it affects even here in South Africa. It is also in my heart to give support and encouragement to youth, helping them to live a positive life with Christ.

I Gugu love Jesus and I began following him after my Orchart youth camp with the Desmond Tutu Center for Leadership. I am full of worship and I have spent a lot of time having tea time with women around Mbonisweni and Dwaleni teaching one another, sharing stories and encouraging one another. Going to Malawi and Sawaziland was a big moment of worship for me were God spoke directly to me that I am a worshiper. Also I love talking to young couples, sharing and walking together. After looking at the vision and the mission of Five Lights, we had no doubts that we were on the right path and we decided to join them as a family.