Saturday, October 16, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Going Home
The other night our team went downtown Cape Town to do some street ministry and pray for the people who find themselves on the street. We prayed with a homeless man named Michael Jackson, spoke with some young partiers on their way to the clubs and hung out at the mini-bus station where workers were catching the last taxis home. We met a street vendor selling biscuits and chips to buy his way back home to Congo. Like so many other vendors he came down hoping the make lots of money during the World Cup, but found himself on the streets when the opportunity failed to provide the riches he had hoped for. At the end of the night, we found ourselves amongst several parking lot guards and a couple homeless women in a dirty parking lot at the edge of the city. The topic of conversation came to Jesus, and a woman suddenly started to lead us in a beautiful Xhosa praise song to God. I remember looking around the circle of people (the guards, the homeless and our missionary team full of all our different colors and cultures) and thinking how crazy it is that we all found ourselves together in this impromptu worship service to God.
This has, to a large extent, been a picture of my last nine months here in South Africa. I’m always gathering together with a group of crazy diverse people. I often look around and ask myself, “how did I get here?” Ministry is messy, dirty and sometimes I wonder if it will even work at all. But at the end of the day, we always manage to make a somewhat beautiful melody of worship and glory to God.
As I write this blog, I have two more weeks left in South Africa. Most of this time will be spent saying goodbye to my friends here in Cape Town and the people I have met in the communities we serve in. My ministry and relationships with these people have gone through a sort of process since I first started work here. When I first entered the townships I felt a great pity for the people there and horror at the poverty they face and the lack of opportunities they have. Then I phased into a stage of compassion where all I wanted to do was give them as much love and mercy as I could in my weekly times with them. Finally, my love for them grew and they became more than just orphans and AIDS patients and Rastafarians and unemployed refugees from various countries—they became my dear friends. As I say goodbye, I am saying goodbye to brothers and sisters, mothers and nieces and nephews, although our skin color is so different and our way of life so foreign. I am sad to say goodbye and know I am changed by the relationships God has given me with these beautiful people.
I am excited to reach American soil, but I know I will miss Africa as soon as I get there. I will miss driving our van through townships and picking up as many children as will possibly fit and taking them to a nearby field to run and tickle and love on them. I will miss sitting in our kitchen and listening to all the different languages of my ministry mates as we joke and laugh about practically anything. I will miss African worship and the beauty of African skies. I’m realizing that my facebook statuses will be a lot less exciting and that bagging groceries is not as adventures as chopping up a dead mule with a machete and scooping up maggots to compost the drain of our new mission station toilets. But as much as I know God called me to Africa I am confident He is calling me back home.
I’ve learned a lot here. One thing, and certainly not the most important, is how to live on the road for months at a time. I usually traveled really light with one duffel bag, one backpack and a sleeping bag. I’ve learned to leave things behind that I no longer needed or weighed me down and pick other things up as I traveled to different circumstances and locations. This is the best way I can describe my change since coming to Africa. I have let go of things I felt I needed in America and discovered that I really didn’t need them in the first place. I have shaven off a bit of American culture that has disguised itself as Christianity and added a whole new set of lenses with which to view and serve God. It’s God’s brilliant and creative plan to move Christians all around the world so we can learn just how Big He is and How to serve him in a more full all-encompassing way. I came to Africa convinced God wanted me to strengthen the church over here. Now I can look at my African brothers and sisters and tell them they are strengthening the church in America by God sending me here to rub shoulders with them and gain a whole new set of luggage.
These are some things in my suitcase I have left behind: My American need for efficiency and orderliness. The idea that ministry needs a budget. The belief that I must wait for someone else to start something if I want to see change in the world. My sense of entitlement to possessions, a career, three meals and a cup of coffee a day and an abundance of clean water. The idea that success and significance is having a good paying job and owning your own house. The seeming importance of comfort over the radical life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
These are some things I’ve picked up along the way: A bigger view of God. A bigger understanding of how much God loves the world and desires to see everyone run into His sovereign arms. A realization of how powerful the gospel is—we just utter it and God convinces hearts. A deeper understanding of what makes hearts broken and how to enter into these situations incarnationally like Jesus. A huge love for community, even if your family looks and acts so different from you. An appreciation for the hospitality of other Christians and the blessing of borrowing. A tolerance for endless road trips across entire countries. The ability to run a children’s program when 500 kids show up and you don’t even speak the language. How to lead a mission team of Brazilians and Australians through a township of South Africans, Zimbabweans and Malawians. How to lead a Bible Study with Rastafarians. How to greet others in a half a dozen different languages. How to blow a vuvuzela. How to best eat chicken feet and discover new ways of changing up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. How to live without Starbucks and breakfast burritos. Discovering the fact that I can live just fine on a suitcase of possessions. Discovering the fact that when you sacrifice and give stuff up, God always gives you so much more. He is always the giver. Discovering the fact that you can’t make a difference unless you are different and being a Christian comes with a continual fight against comfort zones. A realization that so much of our spiritual growth is about attitude, surrender and sacrifice and God takes care of the rest. Learning to listen to the Holy Spirit and letting the “God in you” totally take control. Living every day on God’s mission.
Running decisions, actions and attitudes through the lens of God’s Mission. Realizing how amazing and humbling it is to be invited by God on His Mission and finding out that nothing else really matters.
Finally, and this is the question I’ve been getting by a lot of my American friends back home: “What are you gonna do next?” I don’t have all the details for an answer yet, although I’m excited to find out what God has for me in the homeland. I do know these three things: I know that God wants me to do the exact same thing I’ve been doing in Africa—making disciples and living on God’s Mission. It’s a lot harder to love on mission in America, especially when you don’t wake up in a hut each morning. Everything is so comfortable there. But I’m excited to practice and encourage others to do it too. I know I will be going from discipling young Africans to discipling young Americans. My dream is to help raise up more missionaries, more passionate lovers of God who will not take mediocrity as their lot, but will be willing to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth (or the ends of their communities). And, finally, I know God is calling me to invest in Africa for the rest of my life. I want to raise funds to feed hungry children in Malawi. I want to continue to train up other youth leaders where resources are slim. I want to take a team of Americans to villages to love on orphans who are desperate to know love. I want to help make Christ look absolutely beautiful in this world by looking like Him, acting like Him, loving like Him, and teaching other to do the exact same thing. Wouldn’t that change the world?
This has, to a large extent, been a picture of my last nine months here in South Africa. I’m always gathering together with a group of crazy diverse people. I often look around and ask myself, “how did I get here?” Ministry is messy, dirty and sometimes I wonder if it will even work at all. But at the end of the day, we always manage to make a somewhat beautiful melody of worship and glory to God.
As I write this blog, I have two more weeks left in South Africa. Most of this time will be spent saying goodbye to my friends here in Cape Town and the people I have met in the communities we serve in. My ministry and relationships with these people have gone through a sort of process since I first started work here. When I first entered the townships I felt a great pity for the people there and horror at the poverty they face and the lack of opportunities they have. Then I phased into a stage of compassion where all I wanted to do was give them as much love and mercy as I could in my weekly times with them. Finally, my love for them grew and they became more than just orphans and AIDS patients and Rastafarians and unemployed refugees from various countries—they became my dear friends. As I say goodbye, I am saying goodbye to brothers and sisters, mothers and nieces and nephews, although our skin color is so different and our way of life so foreign. I am sad to say goodbye and know I am changed by the relationships God has given me with these beautiful people.
I am excited to reach American soil, but I know I will miss Africa as soon as I get there. I will miss driving our van through townships and picking up as many children as will possibly fit and taking them to a nearby field to run and tickle and love on them. I will miss sitting in our kitchen and listening to all the different languages of my ministry mates as we joke and laugh about practically anything. I will miss African worship and the beauty of African skies. I’m realizing that my facebook statuses will be a lot less exciting and that bagging groceries is not as adventures as chopping up a dead mule with a machete and scooping up maggots to compost the drain of our new mission station toilets. But as much as I know God called me to Africa I am confident He is calling me back home.
I’ve learned a lot here. One thing, and certainly not the most important, is how to live on the road for months at a time. I usually traveled really light with one duffel bag, one backpack and a sleeping bag. I’ve learned to leave things behind that I no longer needed or weighed me down and pick other things up as I traveled to different circumstances and locations. This is the best way I can describe my change since coming to Africa. I have let go of things I felt I needed in America and discovered that I really didn’t need them in the first place. I have shaven off a bit of American culture that has disguised itself as Christianity and added a whole new set of lenses with which to view and serve God. It’s God’s brilliant and creative plan to move Christians all around the world so we can learn just how Big He is and How to serve him in a more full all-encompassing way. I came to Africa convinced God wanted me to strengthen the church over here. Now I can look at my African brothers and sisters and tell them they are strengthening the church in America by God sending me here to rub shoulders with them and gain a whole new set of luggage.
These are some things in my suitcase I have left behind: My American need for efficiency and orderliness. The idea that ministry needs a budget. The belief that I must wait for someone else to start something if I want to see change in the world. My sense of entitlement to possessions, a career, three meals and a cup of coffee a day and an abundance of clean water. The idea that success and significance is having a good paying job and owning your own house. The seeming importance of comfort over the radical life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
These are some things I’ve picked up along the way: A bigger view of God. A bigger understanding of how much God loves the world and desires to see everyone run into His sovereign arms. A realization of how powerful the gospel is—we just utter it and God convinces hearts. A deeper understanding of what makes hearts broken and how to enter into these situations incarnationally like Jesus. A huge love for community, even if your family looks and acts so different from you. An appreciation for the hospitality of other Christians and the blessing of borrowing. A tolerance for endless road trips across entire countries. The ability to run a children’s program when 500 kids show up and you don’t even speak the language. How to lead a mission team of Brazilians and Australians through a township of South Africans, Zimbabweans and Malawians. How to lead a Bible Study with Rastafarians. How to greet others in a half a dozen different languages. How to blow a vuvuzela. How to best eat chicken feet and discover new ways of changing up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. How to live without Starbucks and breakfast burritos. Discovering the fact that I can live just fine on a suitcase of possessions. Discovering the fact that when you sacrifice and give stuff up, God always gives you so much more. He is always the giver. Discovering the fact that you can’t make a difference unless you are different and being a Christian comes with a continual fight against comfort zones. A realization that so much of our spiritual growth is about attitude, surrender and sacrifice and God takes care of the rest. Learning to listen to the Holy Spirit and letting the “God in you” totally take control. Living every day on God’s mission.
Running decisions, actions and attitudes through the lens of God’s Mission. Realizing how amazing and humbling it is to be invited by God on His Mission and finding out that nothing else really matters.
Finally, and this is the question I’ve been getting by a lot of my American friends back home: “What are you gonna do next?” I don’t have all the details for an answer yet, although I’m excited to find out what God has for me in the homeland. I do know these three things: I know that God wants me to do the exact same thing I’ve been doing in Africa—making disciples and living on God’s Mission. It’s a lot harder to love on mission in America, especially when you don’t wake up in a hut each morning. Everything is so comfortable there. But I’m excited to practice and encourage others to do it too. I know I will be going from discipling young Africans to discipling young Americans. My dream is to help raise up more missionaries, more passionate lovers of God who will not take mediocrity as their lot, but will be willing to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth (or the ends of their communities). And, finally, I know God is calling me to invest in Africa for the rest of my life. I want to raise funds to feed hungry children in Malawi. I want to continue to train up other youth leaders where resources are slim. I want to take a team of Americans to villages to love on orphans who are desperate to know love. I want to help make Christ look absolutely beautiful in this world by looking like Him, acting like Him, loving like Him, and teaching other to do the exact same thing. Wouldn’t that change the world?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Malawi
Hello friends! Here’s an update on our recent trip to Malawi! Malawi is a tiny country a few countries above South Africa. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, but the people there are among the most beautiful people I have ever met. I first came to Malawi on a short-term missions trip when I was 18. It was there that God captured my heart for Africa, and brought me back to this side of the globe so many years later. There were just two of us that went, me and my friend Lucia, and as we flew past Zimbabwe and Mozambique, I kept thinking about the way Jesus sent his disciples out two by two to go into communities and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
And proclaim the Kingdom we did! Our ministry was focused mostly on teaching and preaching. We spoke at churches for the upper class of Malawi and villages where the world’s poor came to hear hope. We taught on weekdays in the city for a service where professionals come on their lunch breaks. We did some street ministry and spoke with beggars and street vendors.
The highlight of the trip was teaching at a multi-denominational youth leader conference in Blantyre, one of Malawi’s major cities. There were youth leaders from all different churches and ministries that came to get training. We taught basic theology, disciple making and leadership principles as well as practical skills to lead a youth group and ministry. It was such a privilege to work with leaders who were so passionate to love and serve God in a country that needs so desperately to hear of His hope.
At the end of the training, we stood in front of many young men and women eager to use what they have learned in their own ministries. Many of the guys plan to start soccer ministry programs for the youth in their villages. Others want to get their youth groups involved in taking care of orphans and widows. This was the first ever youth leadership training to be done in Malawi, so thanks to all the sponsors who gave money to make this happen. I look forward to a future season of God’s love exploding in this country because of these men and women desperate to share Christ’s love.
The villages we visited were the most rural and poverty stricken areas I have ever been to. One village called Chitakale Area really changed me forever. We drove far out on a dirt road to get there. As we came to the open field where we were to share God’s word, we were greeted by so many young children and elderly men and women. There were no mamas around; no men and women that looked like they could be parents. The village leaders explained that many of the children were orphans. HIV/AIDS has taken many of the parents. You see this in a lot of places in Africa, but Malawi is known especially for this. The orphans sleep in the huts of the elderly, but they can’t properly take care of them. The school only goes up to grade 4, then the children have no way of getting further education because the other schools are so far away.
Me and Lucia spent two days in this village loving on and playing with the children and bringing them food. As I sat with the little girls on my lap, I could feel their swollen stomachs and my heart broke knowing they are not getting adequately fed. At the end of the day, it was so hard for me to leave this place. I will be working to raise funds for Chitakale once I return to America. They desperately need daily bread. They need a school built so their children can learn. They need an orphanage. I cannot think of anything better to do than to look after these orphans and widows. God loves these people with a great big father heart. Let’s imitate our father and worship Him by being fathers and mothers to His children. Please let me know if you would like to help me in this endeavor.
God has taught me more in this outreach than any other outreach I’ve been to this year. If I were to write about all of it, this blog would never end. All I can say is God is so faithful and we have reason to rejoice in every circumstance. The people of Malawi teach me to rejoice and I am so humbled to hear them praise God in their suffering. Once again, I come into a country hoping to make a difference and find myself completely changed.
The last thing I wish to share with you is my future plans: I have prayerfully decided to return to America in early October, making my stay in South Africa nine months instead of a year. I am confident that God wants me in America for the next season of my life. I‘m excited to return home, but I know that I will miss serving God in such a unique and beautiful country. The plans once I return? I simply want to do what I have been doing in Africa: Making disciples and living on God’s mission. I am confident He will fill in all the details when the time is right.
I write this blog with gratitude in my heart for all the Americans that have made this ministry year possible. Thank you for walking me through these eight months and encouraging me with prayer, email and support. The investment you have made in South Africa has reaped eternal benefits. I look forward to seeing you all again very soon and hearing about what God has been doing with your wonderful lives.
And proclaim the Kingdom we did! Our ministry was focused mostly on teaching and preaching. We spoke at churches for the upper class of Malawi and villages where the world’s poor came to hear hope. We taught on weekdays in the city for a service where professionals come on their lunch breaks. We did some street ministry and spoke with beggars and street vendors.
The highlight of the trip was teaching at a multi-denominational youth leader conference in Blantyre, one of Malawi’s major cities. There were youth leaders from all different churches and ministries that came to get training. We taught basic theology, disciple making and leadership principles as well as practical skills to lead a youth group and ministry. It was such a privilege to work with leaders who were so passionate to love and serve God in a country that needs so desperately to hear of His hope.
At the end of the training, we stood in front of many young men and women eager to use what they have learned in their own ministries. Many of the guys plan to start soccer ministry programs for the youth in their villages. Others want to get their youth groups involved in taking care of orphans and widows. This was the first ever youth leadership training to be done in Malawi, so thanks to all the sponsors who gave money to make this happen. I look forward to a future season of God’s love exploding in this country because of these men and women desperate to share Christ’s love.
The villages we visited were the most rural and poverty stricken areas I have ever been to. One village called Chitakale Area really changed me forever. We drove far out on a dirt road to get there. As we came to the open field where we were to share God’s word, we were greeted by so many young children and elderly men and women. There were no mamas around; no men and women that looked like they could be parents. The village leaders explained that many of the children were orphans. HIV/AIDS has taken many of the parents. You see this in a lot of places in Africa, but Malawi is known especially for this. The orphans sleep in the huts of the elderly, but they can’t properly take care of them. The school only goes up to grade 4, then the children have no way of getting further education because the other schools are so far away.
Me and Lucia spent two days in this village loving on and playing with the children and bringing them food. As I sat with the little girls on my lap, I could feel their swollen stomachs and my heart broke knowing they are not getting adequately fed. At the end of the day, it was so hard for me to leave this place. I will be working to raise funds for Chitakale once I return to America. They desperately need daily bread. They need a school built so their children can learn. They need an orphanage. I cannot think of anything better to do than to look after these orphans and widows. God loves these people with a great big father heart. Let’s imitate our father and worship Him by being fathers and mothers to His children. Please let me know if you would like to help me in this endeavor.
God has taught me more in this outreach than any other outreach I’ve been to this year. If I were to write about all of it, this blog would never end. All I can say is God is so faithful and we have reason to rejoice in every circumstance. The people of Malawi teach me to rejoice and I am so humbled to hear them praise God in their suffering. Once again, I come into a country hoping to make a difference and find myself completely changed.
The last thing I wish to share with you is my future plans: I have prayerfully decided to return to America in early October, making my stay in South Africa nine months instead of a year. I am confident that God wants me in America for the next season of my life. I‘m excited to return home, but I know that I will miss serving God in such a unique and beautiful country. The plans once I return? I simply want to do what I have been doing in Africa: Making disciples and living on God’s mission. I am confident He will fill in all the details when the time is right.
I write this blog with gratitude in my heart for all the Americans that have made this ministry year possible. Thank you for walking me through these eight months and encouraging me with prayer, email and support. The investment you have made in South Africa has reaped eternal benefits. I look forward to seeing you all again very soon and hearing about what God has been doing with your wonderful lives.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Beat The Drum
Hello friends! Long time no blog post. Things are still kicking on this side of the globe. We just finished an outreach called Beat The Drum up in Transkei. Beat The Drum is an HIV/AIDS awareness and abstinence program that is taught in high schools throughout the continent of Africa. There were 150 of us from various ministries and countries (lots of Americans, South Africans and a few from Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Lesotho) and we taught in four high schools in Lusikisiki.
The students were very shy at first and didn't want to open up and talk. Sex and AIDS is something that is not spoken of very much in these communities, which is a reason why it continues to plague these areas. On the first day my teaching partner, who was from Zimbabwe, shared with the class about how his friends began to die one by one of AIDS. His father also died of AIDS. He was selling paintings in Cape Town, when he met a short term missionary from America who shared a teaching on sexual abstinence. That is how he came to know Christ and became a missionary himself.
We then asked each student to write down their own stories. Reading these stories broke my heart. Many students suffered from sexual abuse and rape. Some were forced to marry when they were only thirteen or fourteen and were trapped in marital bondage away from home. Lots of kids were addicted to sleeping around, but didn't know how to quit. So many had mothers and fathers and relatives who had died of AIDS. Few of these young people have seen what a healthy relationship looks like and it was difficult to teach what has never really been modeled for them.
On the second to the last day, we had a volunteer HIV testing area in each of the schools. My students were super nervous about finding out their status. I held their hands and prayed with them as they nervously waited to get tested. As we waited in line, each one shared with me their dreams for the future. Many wanted to be nurses, social workers, and teachers. Thankfully, every one of my students tested negative. On the last day, many stood up in front of the class and announced that they choose to be abstinent until marriage. They are truly breaking the cycle and becoming part of the solution to this pandemic.
Listening to story after story of sexual brokenness and seeing the effects of AIDS really brought me to a low place. We saw a lot of amazing healing and change in these four schools and the brave young people who represent them, but there are thousands and thousands of schools across the continent of Africa who need to hear this message. There are 12 million AIDS orphans in Africa. Every minute a child dies because of AIDS. The battle is overwhelming. Good thing God is the conqueror and wins in the end. I am learning to rejoice in this fact no matter what evidence is present against it. I am comforted by the fact that God heals and restores like He's breathing. It's what He does. And we can pray. Please pray with me.
This week i am resting and preparing in Tramskei with my friend Lucia. On friday we fly to Malawi! As we travel higher up into Africa, i am seeing more and more brokenness. Please pray that God is close to me during these times. And please pray for the youth leaders we will ministering to and sharing with. I am nothing without the prayer support of Christ's family at home.
The students were very shy at first and didn't want to open up and talk. Sex and AIDS is something that is not spoken of very much in these communities, which is a reason why it continues to plague these areas. On the first day my teaching partner, who was from Zimbabwe, shared with the class about how his friends began to die one by one of AIDS. His father also died of AIDS. He was selling paintings in Cape Town, when he met a short term missionary from America who shared a teaching on sexual abstinence. That is how he came to know Christ and became a missionary himself.
We then asked each student to write down their own stories. Reading these stories broke my heart. Many students suffered from sexual abuse and rape. Some were forced to marry when they were only thirteen or fourteen and were trapped in marital bondage away from home. Lots of kids were addicted to sleeping around, but didn't know how to quit. So many had mothers and fathers and relatives who had died of AIDS. Few of these young people have seen what a healthy relationship looks like and it was difficult to teach what has never really been modeled for them.
On the second to the last day, we had a volunteer HIV testing area in each of the schools. My students were super nervous about finding out their status. I held their hands and prayed with them as they nervously waited to get tested. As we waited in line, each one shared with me their dreams for the future. Many wanted to be nurses, social workers, and teachers. Thankfully, every one of my students tested negative. On the last day, many stood up in front of the class and announced that they choose to be abstinent until marriage. They are truly breaking the cycle and becoming part of the solution to this pandemic.
Listening to story after story of sexual brokenness and seeing the effects of AIDS really brought me to a low place. We saw a lot of amazing healing and change in these four schools and the brave young people who represent them, but there are thousands and thousands of schools across the continent of Africa who need to hear this message. There are 12 million AIDS orphans in Africa. Every minute a child dies because of AIDS. The battle is overwhelming. Good thing God is the conqueror and wins in the end. I am learning to rejoice in this fact no matter what evidence is present against it. I am comforted by the fact that God heals and restores like He's breathing. It's what He does. And we can pray. Please pray with me.
This week i am resting and preparing in Tramskei with my friend Lucia. On friday we fly to Malawi! As we travel higher up into Africa, i am seeing more and more brokenness. Please pray that God is close to me during these times. And please pray for the youth leaders we will ministering to and sharing with. I am nothing without the prayer support of Christ's family at home.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
It's over!
I can’t believe the world cup is over! After months of preparation and four weeks of ministry, we can look back and say with confidence that the world cup was not about soccer. God’s kingdom advanced in South Africa these past few weeks and His Presence saturated the places we stepped into. I feel humbled and privileged and honored and excited that I will never look at God the same way again or underestimate His heart and workings in the world.
I spent the second and third week in Mahvusa, a little village up north. What stood out to me the most about this outreach was the hunger these people have for God. I would be walking down the dirt path and a guy would run up to me with a bible and ask a question about what he was reading. Families would call us into their homes so we could pray over sicknesses and pain. We ran children’s programs each day and the kids would sit and listen to each word that came out of our mouths. Our fireplace at the mission station would fill up each night with young people eager to hear our discipleship teachings. We gave each of the young people a bible and it was awesome to see them passionate about reading the bible for themselves and hearing what God has to say to them. Some mamas accepted Christ for the first time. It was crazy to see it all happen!
While the guys did soccer ministry on the field, we hosted a women’s day for the women in the village. We got together and served tea and cookies and had a teaching. We also spent time praying for each woman as we gave hand massages and washed their feet. The mamas of rural Africa work so hard. From the early morning when they get up they are busy washing, cooking, sweeping and bathing little ones. We wanted to pamper them and serve them the way Jesus would. It was one of those moments I will never forget—looking into each mama’s face and seeing God’s love for them as I washed their dry calloused feet.
We tried to host a big screen viewing of the last Bafana game in the church we partner with. It felt like the whole village showed up! But we couldn’t get the signal to work with our satellite dish and one by one the people complained and went away. We were pretty discouraged. We thought God was going to use world cup to advance His kingdom and we were frustrated that our plans didn’t work. The next morning, we had a children’s program and passed out little yarn dolls as part of a lesson on God’s love for them. It was so cool to see these little children run around the village with these dolls tied on their backs with a sash the way their mamas carry them. It was then God taught me that He doesn’t have to use something as big as world cup to advance His gospel. He doesn’t even have to use us. He can use a little bit of yarn. He can use anything.
We also spent a significant amount of time doing house visitation through the village. On the first day, we tried to go and pray with a woman. She said we couldn’t pray with her because her relative, who lived next door, was a traditional healer and does not approve of anything related to Christianity. We were a little disappointed and prayed silently as we passed by her and the traditional healer’s house. The next day, we received word that the woman had spoken to the healer and he gave her permission to have us over to pray for her. We were excited and the next day, made it a point to visit her home. As we approached, we heard a loud celebration in the traditional healer’s home. There was a graduation ceremony going on for all the people who were becoming witch doctors. Many young people were standing in line to receive the graduation blessing of healing through things like bones and ancestors.
The woman rushed us into her hut so as not to be seen by the healer. Then she brought in her relative that was suffering in her head and stomach. She kept saying over and over “I’m going to die, I’m going to die.” We didn’t know how much of the pain was physical or spiritual. I thought it was funny that, with all the power of the traditional healers in her family and the dozens of witch doctors next door, none could help her get well. The healer had wanted her to be a witch doctor as part of the family tradition, but as we stood by her and spoke with her, she gave her heart to the Lord. We weren’t quite sure what to do. My seminary training never taught me what to do in a situation like this. We decided to sneak her out of the village without the healer’s knowing to a nearby hospital and get her looked at. That night as I lay in bed listening to the sound of drums from the graduation ceremony, I thought about the power of God that far outweighs anything man can think up. Africa is said to be a spiritual continent. It is a place of spiritual warfare. But it is the Holy Spirit that is the real hero. God has been winning and I see and feel that movement every day.
The final week of world cup took me to a township in Cape Town called Phillipi. We ran a program for youth and children in the mornings and helped out at a soup kitchen in the afternoons. Phillipi is the poorest township I have ever been in. As we drove into the township, children came from everywhere crying, “soupie, soupie!” and ran to us with whatever container they could find. As I spent hours passing out soup and bread, I kept thinking of Philippians 2, where Paul talks about Christ, who had everything with God, yet decided to make himself nothing and enter into a human existence unlike mine, but much much lower to show us His love. Maybe he would have showed up in a township like Phillipi. Maybe he would have run around in tattered pants and no shoes crying “soupie, soupie.”
On the last day of world cup, we met with everyone involved in our outreaches to proclaim what God had done. Hundreds of people carrying Christ’s message to ten different spots around South Africa= many amazing stories. I wish I could share them all with you. All I can say is many seeds were sown, chains were broken, faces were turned towards God, and I’m excited to see what happens as God takes those changed lives and continues to build for himself a people who will call on his name.
I spent the second and third week in Mahvusa, a little village up north. What stood out to me the most about this outreach was the hunger these people have for God. I would be walking down the dirt path and a guy would run up to me with a bible and ask a question about what he was reading. Families would call us into their homes so we could pray over sicknesses and pain. We ran children’s programs each day and the kids would sit and listen to each word that came out of our mouths. Our fireplace at the mission station would fill up each night with young people eager to hear our discipleship teachings. We gave each of the young people a bible and it was awesome to see them passionate about reading the bible for themselves and hearing what God has to say to them. Some mamas accepted Christ for the first time. It was crazy to see it all happen!
While the guys did soccer ministry on the field, we hosted a women’s day for the women in the village. We got together and served tea and cookies and had a teaching. We also spent time praying for each woman as we gave hand massages and washed their feet. The mamas of rural Africa work so hard. From the early morning when they get up they are busy washing, cooking, sweeping and bathing little ones. We wanted to pamper them and serve them the way Jesus would. It was one of those moments I will never forget—looking into each mama’s face and seeing God’s love for them as I washed their dry calloused feet.
We tried to host a big screen viewing of the last Bafana game in the church we partner with. It felt like the whole village showed up! But we couldn’t get the signal to work with our satellite dish and one by one the people complained and went away. We were pretty discouraged. We thought God was going to use world cup to advance His kingdom and we were frustrated that our plans didn’t work. The next morning, we had a children’s program and passed out little yarn dolls as part of a lesson on God’s love for them. It was so cool to see these little children run around the village with these dolls tied on their backs with a sash the way their mamas carry them. It was then God taught me that He doesn’t have to use something as big as world cup to advance His gospel. He doesn’t even have to use us. He can use a little bit of yarn. He can use anything.
We also spent a significant amount of time doing house visitation through the village. On the first day, we tried to go and pray with a woman. She said we couldn’t pray with her because her relative, who lived next door, was a traditional healer and does not approve of anything related to Christianity. We were a little disappointed and prayed silently as we passed by her and the traditional healer’s house. The next day, we received word that the woman had spoken to the healer and he gave her permission to have us over to pray for her. We were excited and the next day, made it a point to visit her home. As we approached, we heard a loud celebration in the traditional healer’s home. There was a graduation ceremony going on for all the people who were becoming witch doctors. Many young people were standing in line to receive the graduation blessing of healing through things like bones and ancestors.
The woman rushed us into her hut so as not to be seen by the healer. Then she brought in her relative that was suffering in her head and stomach. She kept saying over and over “I’m going to die, I’m going to die.” We didn’t know how much of the pain was physical or spiritual. I thought it was funny that, with all the power of the traditional healers in her family and the dozens of witch doctors next door, none could help her get well. The healer had wanted her to be a witch doctor as part of the family tradition, but as we stood by her and spoke with her, she gave her heart to the Lord. We weren’t quite sure what to do. My seminary training never taught me what to do in a situation like this. We decided to sneak her out of the village without the healer’s knowing to a nearby hospital and get her looked at. That night as I lay in bed listening to the sound of drums from the graduation ceremony, I thought about the power of God that far outweighs anything man can think up. Africa is said to be a spiritual continent. It is a place of spiritual warfare. But it is the Holy Spirit that is the real hero. God has been winning and I see and feel that movement every day.
The final week of world cup took me to a township in Cape Town called Phillipi. We ran a program for youth and children in the mornings and helped out at a soup kitchen in the afternoons. Phillipi is the poorest township I have ever been in. As we drove into the township, children came from everywhere crying, “soupie, soupie!” and ran to us with whatever container they could find. As I spent hours passing out soup and bread, I kept thinking of Philippians 2, where Paul talks about Christ, who had everything with God, yet decided to make himself nothing and enter into a human existence unlike mine, but much much lower to show us His love. Maybe he would have showed up in a township like Phillipi. Maybe he would have run around in tattered pants and no shoes crying “soupie, soupie.”
On the last day of world cup, we met with everyone involved in our outreaches to proclaim what God had done. Hundreds of people carrying Christ’s message to ten different spots around South Africa= many amazing stories. I wish I could share them all with you. All I can say is many seeds were sown, chains were broken, faces were turned towards God, and I’m excited to see what happens as God takes those changed lives and continues to build for himself a people who will call on his name.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Extra support for youth conferences
Hello friends! I hope you are doing well and are enjoying the world cup from your side of the world. I am a week into an outreach in mahvusa and things are going wonderfully! I will update you guys soon, but i wanted to use this post to tell you about an opportunity i have been given to serve in malawi.
My first outreach to the continent of africa began with a trip to malawi in 2004 to do AIDS education workshops for the young people there. It was that summer that God took a hold of my heart and grew in me a passion to serve him in africa.
I am currently planning on returning to malawi in late august for a week and a half to serve alongside the pastors i have previously worked with. This time, my friend and i will be leading two different youth conferences for the young church leaders of this country. We are very excited about this opportunity and eagerly expect much kingdom growth.
Part of the planning process for this outreach involves raising the appropriate funds to make two youth conferences happen. Since this trip is independent of JAM, i am looking to raise an additional 2,000 US dollars for airfare, accomodations, educational supplies, etc. I am trusting that God will supply and asking if you would like to get involved financially to make this outreach a success.
Checks can be made in my name to my parent's home address:
5446 edgewood lane
paradise ca 95969
my parents have access to my account as this is the easiest way to transfer funds. Thank you so much for your willingness to support! May God bless you as you choose to be faithful to His Kingdom.
My first outreach to the continent of africa began with a trip to malawi in 2004 to do AIDS education workshops for the young people there. It was that summer that God took a hold of my heart and grew in me a passion to serve him in africa.
I am currently planning on returning to malawi in late august for a week and a half to serve alongside the pastors i have previously worked with. This time, my friend and i will be leading two different youth conferences for the young church leaders of this country. We are very excited about this opportunity and eagerly expect much kingdom growth.
Part of the planning process for this outreach involves raising the appropriate funds to make two youth conferences happen. Since this trip is independent of JAM, i am looking to raise an additional 2,000 US dollars for airfare, accomodations, educational supplies, etc. I am trusting that God will supply and asking if you would like to get involved financially to make this outreach a success.
Checks can be made in my name to my parent's home address:
5446 edgewood lane
paradise ca 95969
my parents have access to my account as this is the easiest way to transfer funds. Thank you so much for your willingness to support! May God bless you as you choose to be faithful to His Kingdom.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
World Cup
Hello! We are a week into World Cup time and there are already so many stories! All of our planning and prep is finally being implemented and God is doing incredible things in the process. I wish I had time to write down everything, but for now, all I can say is faces are being turned towards God and it is really cool to witness it. Here are a few stories of the goings on around here:
I’ve spent this first week with a ministry team of 80 people from America, Argentina and some High School students from the suburbs of Cape Town in a township called Imizamu Yethu. We visited homes and prayed with people, led children’s ministry programs and youth soccer programs during the day and hosted big screen showings of the soccer games at night. I come here once a week for only a few hours to minister and it’s been so good to spend an intensive week here with the people.
One of the most significant times of the outreach for me was spending time with the young girls of the township. We spent a day teaching them about sexual abuse and how it is okay to say no and ask for help if they are in bad situations. Some people say that 1 in 4 girls who live in townships are sexually abused by the time they are 14. We explained that God can help heal pains from abuse and make young girls feel new. We also gave each girl a hand made doll to remind them of how unique and hand made they are. It was powerful to be able to speak truth into girls’ lives and watch as they really listened and held each doll as a precious gift. My heart broke to hear some of these girl’s stories. We are hoping to continue to work with these young ones as much as we can.
On the second night of our outreach, a fire broke out in the township. Because of illegal wiring to bring electricity to the shacks, this happens a few times a year, leaving families who already have few possessions with absolutely nothing. This fire took about 15 shacks before firemen were able to put it out. I spent that night talking and praying with the people who lost their homes. I held little kids as they pointed to where their house used to stand. It was a hard night, but a significant night and I really felt God’s Presence there as we prayed with the people. Four of the people who lost their shacks are friends of mine. We go to church together on Sunday nights and drink coffee together. Now they have nothing. They sleep on the ground where their houses used to be and literally have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Poverty always kicks you in the face when you really know and truly love the people who are affected.
The whole next day I helped my friends clear away the rubble from their shacks. They were able to look me in the face and explain how much God has provided for them in the past and will continue to provide their every need like a father provides for his children. There was a sense of peace about them I know only comes from God. Their lives speak a louder gospel than my life ever will.
On Monday night, I was able to go into the city near the stadium and do some street ministry and evangelism. We met with other organizations at a church set up as a home base for groups to come and serve. Before taking off to the streets we all prayed together for the work God was going to do that night. I held hands with believers from Norway, Australia, South Africa, England, Colombia and Argentina as we worshipped and prayed urgently for God to use us that night. I have never felt a more tangible, literal and beautiful picture of Church.
On the streets we prayed and shared the gospel with a lot of workers and tourists. It was such an exciting atmosphere and many people were open to share their lives and receive prayer. Towards the end of the night, I met a young women who was standing alone on a street corner. She was very vague when I asked her questions and I could tell that she had been living on the streets and was most likely a prostitute. It was really hard to talk with her and she refused to open up. Eventually, she let me take her to the church, where we were screening the game and I got her some food. I hooked her up with a pastor who could find her a place to stay and an organization that works with prostitutes and street girls. It is estimated that tens of thousands of girls are being trafficked into the city for world cup to be used for prostitution against their will. Others are coming to prostitute themselves as the only way they know to make money. There are no easy answers and no romanticized way of getting out of situations like this. Speaking with the girl that night, my heart broke for the layers of pain she is carrying in her small body and the overwhelming amount of healing that must take place in her life. But God breaks chains. In His good and perfect way. Her eyes still haunt me and I pray for her often. Please pray for her too. Her name is Lindsey.
Tomorrow, I drive back up Mahvusa, a small village in Limpopo. I will be there for two weeks. Please pray for our time there as we will be doing a lot of discipleship and outreach into an area we have not reached yet. Please also pray for the families who lost their homes in the fire. And for girls like Lindsey who are trapped in Prostitution. And I could use prayer for strength, I am feeling pretty exhausted right now.
I’ve spent this first week with a ministry team of 80 people from America, Argentina and some High School students from the suburbs of Cape Town in a township called Imizamu Yethu. We visited homes and prayed with people, led children’s ministry programs and youth soccer programs during the day and hosted big screen showings of the soccer games at night. I come here once a week for only a few hours to minister and it’s been so good to spend an intensive week here with the people.
One of the most significant times of the outreach for me was spending time with the young girls of the township. We spent a day teaching them about sexual abuse and how it is okay to say no and ask for help if they are in bad situations. Some people say that 1 in 4 girls who live in townships are sexually abused by the time they are 14. We explained that God can help heal pains from abuse and make young girls feel new. We also gave each girl a hand made doll to remind them of how unique and hand made they are. It was powerful to be able to speak truth into girls’ lives and watch as they really listened and held each doll as a precious gift. My heart broke to hear some of these girl’s stories. We are hoping to continue to work with these young ones as much as we can.
On the second night of our outreach, a fire broke out in the township. Because of illegal wiring to bring electricity to the shacks, this happens a few times a year, leaving families who already have few possessions with absolutely nothing. This fire took about 15 shacks before firemen were able to put it out. I spent that night talking and praying with the people who lost their homes. I held little kids as they pointed to where their house used to stand. It was a hard night, but a significant night and I really felt God’s Presence there as we prayed with the people. Four of the people who lost their shacks are friends of mine. We go to church together on Sunday nights and drink coffee together. Now they have nothing. They sleep on the ground where their houses used to be and literally have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Poverty always kicks you in the face when you really know and truly love the people who are affected.
The whole next day I helped my friends clear away the rubble from their shacks. They were able to look me in the face and explain how much God has provided for them in the past and will continue to provide their every need like a father provides for his children. There was a sense of peace about them I know only comes from God. Their lives speak a louder gospel than my life ever will.
On Monday night, I was able to go into the city near the stadium and do some street ministry and evangelism. We met with other organizations at a church set up as a home base for groups to come and serve. Before taking off to the streets we all prayed together for the work God was going to do that night. I held hands with believers from Norway, Australia, South Africa, England, Colombia and Argentina as we worshipped and prayed urgently for God to use us that night. I have never felt a more tangible, literal and beautiful picture of Church.
On the streets we prayed and shared the gospel with a lot of workers and tourists. It was such an exciting atmosphere and many people were open to share their lives and receive prayer. Towards the end of the night, I met a young women who was standing alone on a street corner. She was very vague when I asked her questions and I could tell that she had been living on the streets and was most likely a prostitute. It was really hard to talk with her and she refused to open up. Eventually, she let me take her to the church, where we were screening the game and I got her some food. I hooked her up with a pastor who could find her a place to stay and an organization that works with prostitutes and street girls. It is estimated that tens of thousands of girls are being trafficked into the city for world cup to be used for prostitution against their will. Others are coming to prostitute themselves as the only way they know to make money. There are no easy answers and no romanticized way of getting out of situations like this. Speaking with the girl that night, my heart broke for the layers of pain she is carrying in her small body and the overwhelming amount of healing that must take place in her life. But God breaks chains. In His good and perfect way. Her eyes still haunt me and I pray for her often. Please pray for her too. Her name is Lindsey.
Tomorrow, I drive back up Mahvusa, a small village in Limpopo. I will be there for two weeks. Please pray for our time there as we will be doing a lot of discipleship and outreach into an area we have not reached yet. Please also pray for the families who lost their homes in the fire. And for girls like Lindsey who are trapped in Prostitution. And I could use prayer for strength, I am feeling pretty exhausted right now.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Aquarium
These last few weeks have been busy planning/training/preparing for world cup ministry. During the 8 weeks of world cup, our team will be leading outreaches into 10 different communities in and around Cape Town and all up and down the country of South Africa. We are partnering with local churches and ministry teams from all around the world. We will reach out to the homeless, do evangelism on the streets of the city, serve in soup kitchens, run soccer clinics and tournaments, do children’s ministry programs and youth discipleship sessions. We will be doing outreach to prostitutes and screening soccer games on big screens in townships. We are excited to see what God does!
Before I start focusing in on world cup happenings, I wanted to share a quick story of a day I spent with Gloria, one of the women I have been visiting in Imizamo Yethu, a local township. Gloria lives in a compassion house for people who have disabilities and AIDS. She has a problem with walking and gets around using crutches. Gloria has had a crazy past and doesn’t have any contact with her family, who live in the rural north of South Africa. She had a relationship once, and a baby, but the child died at a young age because he didn’t have anything to eat. I always hear statistics of the thousands of children that die every day because they have no food, but it is a completely different feeling to look a mother of one of those children in the eye and hear her story. Every week, I love to come into Gloria’s room and look at the crafts she makes and clothing she knits in an effort to support herself. Her smile is contagious and I never see it leave her face.
On one of our days off, a group of us decided we would take Gloria to see the aquarium in Cape Town city. In all her years of living in the township, Gloria had never been to the city, and we were excited to show her around. We picked her up at the taxi stop and took a long, crowded ride to the waterfront. It was so cool to wheel Gloria around the aquarium and watch her eyes light up as she saw all the beautiful kinds of exotic fish and penguins and sharks. I felt like we could have spent days there and never run out of things to marvel over. Gloria was so excited and amazed at every little creature in every little exhibit. It reminded me of how God’s heart beats to take his people out of the broken worlds they live in and show them His glory, grace and everything excellent and amazing about himself—that’s the gospel—bringing people into a relationship with Him. After the aquarium, we stopped by a craft market, which Gloria went crazy over, and spent the rest of the evening scrambling around the city looking for a taxi that would take us home. Gloria told me that night that it was a day she will never forget, and she will always tell people her stories of spending the day with a bunch of crazy Americans in Cape Town.
I’ll try to keep the updates coming, but I’m gonna be on the road quite a bit. Please pray for the ministry we will be doing these next few weeks. We’re gonna be crazy busy and it’s a little overwhelming. But I know how excited God is to advance His kingdom during this time and I feel so humbled and privileged to be along for the ride and chosen to serve in South Africa “for such a time as this”.
Before I start focusing in on world cup happenings, I wanted to share a quick story of a day I spent with Gloria, one of the women I have been visiting in Imizamo Yethu, a local township. Gloria lives in a compassion house for people who have disabilities and AIDS. She has a problem with walking and gets around using crutches. Gloria has had a crazy past and doesn’t have any contact with her family, who live in the rural north of South Africa. She had a relationship once, and a baby, but the child died at a young age because he didn’t have anything to eat. I always hear statistics of the thousands of children that die every day because they have no food, but it is a completely different feeling to look a mother of one of those children in the eye and hear her story. Every week, I love to come into Gloria’s room and look at the crafts she makes and clothing she knits in an effort to support herself. Her smile is contagious and I never see it leave her face.
On one of our days off, a group of us decided we would take Gloria to see the aquarium in Cape Town city. In all her years of living in the township, Gloria had never been to the city, and we were excited to show her around. We picked her up at the taxi stop and took a long, crowded ride to the waterfront. It was so cool to wheel Gloria around the aquarium and watch her eyes light up as she saw all the beautiful kinds of exotic fish and penguins and sharks. I felt like we could have spent days there and never run out of things to marvel over. Gloria was so excited and amazed at every little creature in every little exhibit. It reminded me of how God’s heart beats to take his people out of the broken worlds they live in and show them His glory, grace and everything excellent and amazing about himself—that’s the gospel—bringing people into a relationship with Him. After the aquarium, we stopped by a craft market, which Gloria went crazy over, and spent the rest of the evening scrambling around the city looking for a taxi that would take us home. Gloria told me that night that it was a day she will never forget, and she will always tell people her stories of spending the day with a bunch of crazy Americans in Cape Town.
I’ll try to keep the updates coming, but I’m gonna be on the road quite a bit. Please pray for the ministry we will be doing these next few weeks. We’re gonna be crazy busy and it’s a little overwhelming. But I know how excited God is to advance His kingdom during this time and I feel so humbled and privileged to be along for the ride and chosen to serve in South Africa “for such a time as this”.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Pentecost
Pentecost has always been that religious holiday I’ve seemed to overlook. I’ve never really taken time those five weeks after Easter to celebrate the day the Holy Spirit was unleashed in hearts and languages given that began the birth and movement of the Church. This year was definitely different. I got to celebrate Pentecost in a stadium with thousands of Christians representing about a hundred different nations for the Global Day of Prayer.
The Global Day of Prayer movement began 10 years ago with a bunch of people in Cape Town who were desperate to intercede for their country and world. Since then, the movement has spread to all 220 nations, who set up prayer meetings and assemblies to pray on May 23rd making it the biggest prayer meeting ever in the history of the world! I watched as the stadium filled up with people from all the continents speaking all kinds of languages, ready to call out to God.
Our ministry team was part of a procession that carried all the countries’ flags out around the stadium in order to pray for the nations. I couldn’t take part because I sprained my toe the day before playing soccer with a Brazilian ministry team and was limping around pretty badly. As I was sitting to the side, a woman came and asked if I would pray in the event. I was humbled and privileged to be able to pray for the young people; that God would raise up a new generation of Christ followers who are filled with the Holy Spirit and willing to boldly share God’s love to the world. It was as experience I will never forget!
It was so cool to look out and watch all the people worship and pray, each in their own language and cultural way. Seeing everyone made me realize how amazingly big God is to have created such a diverse world full of beautifully different people. I kept thinking of that day of Pentecost when God gave us His Spirit. I always pictured everyone in that small room jumping around and many different languages filling the air in a crazy epic worship service to God. Two thousand years later, it still happens, except tens of thousands of times bigger because God was desperate to share His love with everyone, to the farthest places of the world. I saw the result of this today and was truly overwhelmed.
Praying with people from the nations was just the start of the global Church ministry God has blessed me with this summer. The next two weeks I will be serving alongside a ministry team from Australia followed by a week with Brazilians, then two weeks with some Americans, and a week with Indonesians. Our home has been opened up to groups from Namibia and Zimbabwe. God is truly moving His church around and I’m excited to see what He makes of it!
The Global Day of Prayer movement began 10 years ago with a bunch of people in Cape Town who were desperate to intercede for their country and world. Since then, the movement has spread to all 220 nations, who set up prayer meetings and assemblies to pray on May 23rd making it the biggest prayer meeting ever in the history of the world! I watched as the stadium filled up with people from all the continents speaking all kinds of languages, ready to call out to God.
Our ministry team was part of a procession that carried all the countries’ flags out around the stadium in order to pray for the nations. I couldn’t take part because I sprained my toe the day before playing soccer with a Brazilian ministry team and was limping around pretty badly. As I was sitting to the side, a woman came and asked if I would pray in the event. I was humbled and privileged to be able to pray for the young people; that God would raise up a new generation of Christ followers who are filled with the Holy Spirit and willing to boldly share God’s love to the world. It was as experience I will never forget!
It was so cool to look out and watch all the people worship and pray, each in their own language and cultural way. Seeing everyone made me realize how amazingly big God is to have created such a diverse world full of beautifully different people. I kept thinking of that day of Pentecost when God gave us His Spirit. I always pictured everyone in that small room jumping around and many different languages filling the air in a crazy epic worship service to God. Two thousand years later, it still happens, except tens of thousands of times bigger because God was desperate to share His love with everyone, to the farthest places of the world. I saw the result of this today and was truly overwhelmed.
Praying with people from the nations was just the start of the global Church ministry God has blessed me with this summer. The next two weeks I will be serving alongside a ministry team from Australia followed by a week with Brazilians, then two weeks with some Americans, and a week with Indonesians. Our home has been opened up to groups from Namibia and Zimbabwe. God is truly moving His church around and I’m excited to see what He makes of it!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Guys Camp/Prince Albert
Short update for you'all: more to come soooon!
Two weekends ago, the guys on our team had a men’s camp with a bunch of ex-gang leaders from Sir Lowry’s. They played paintball in the mountains and rugby on the beach. Our team laid out the gospel, along with the warning that following Christ is tough and requires sacrifice. Three guys in the camp accepted Christ, including Night, (who we now call Neals) the biggest leader of the bunch. I’ve been so blessed to see God crash into Sir Lowry’s with His love, and I’m even more excited to see what happens these next few months. God loves to take rebel enemy leaders and turn them in to passionate preachers of God’s word. All of the guys on the camp committed to meeting with us every Wednesday to get discipled (which is the really important part). I’ve been learning about what can happen when Christ followers get that His gospel is powerful and lay it out for people with boldness, letting God do the rest.
This last week, a group of six of us went up to a place called Prince Albert to meet with the young people and train them to do sports ministry for world cup. Prince Albert is a small mostly colored town five hours north of Cape Town. We spoke in classrooms, churches, and school assemblies. We spent the nights in a boarding school with the students, which was super fun. We never had any definite plans each day, but God was really faithful to provide us opportunities to serve. One of the highlights of the week was watching Keith, one of our teammates who is from Prince Albert, speak and serve in his hometown. One of the needs and, therefore, the themes of our messages to the churches was unity both among churches and within churches, in order to work for God’s mission. We will be returning to Prince Albert next month during world cup to do a community wide outreach, partnering with the churches we trained with during this outreach.
That’s all I want to write now. I’ll send a longer post soon. Thanks for your prayers!
Two weekends ago, the guys on our team had a men’s camp with a bunch of ex-gang leaders from Sir Lowry’s. They played paintball in the mountains and rugby on the beach. Our team laid out the gospel, along with the warning that following Christ is tough and requires sacrifice. Three guys in the camp accepted Christ, including Night, (who we now call Neals) the biggest leader of the bunch. I’ve been so blessed to see God crash into Sir Lowry’s with His love, and I’m even more excited to see what happens these next few months. God loves to take rebel enemy leaders and turn them in to passionate preachers of God’s word. All of the guys on the camp committed to meeting with us every Wednesday to get discipled (which is the really important part). I’ve been learning about what can happen when Christ followers get that His gospel is powerful and lay it out for people with boldness, letting God do the rest.
This last week, a group of six of us went up to a place called Prince Albert to meet with the young people and train them to do sports ministry for world cup. Prince Albert is a small mostly colored town five hours north of Cape Town. We spoke in classrooms, churches, and school assemblies. We spent the nights in a boarding school with the students, which was super fun. We never had any definite plans each day, but God was really faithful to provide us opportunities to serve. One of the highlights of the week was watching Keith, one of our teammates who is from Prince Albert, speak and serve in his hometown. One of the needs and, therefore, the themes of our messages to the churches was unity both among churches and within churches, in order to work for God’s mission. We will be returning to Prince Albert next month during world cup to do a community wide outreach, partnering with the churches we trained with during this outreach.
That’s all I want to write now. I’ll send a longer post soon. Thanks for your prayers!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Another Update!
Hope you all are doing well! I just had a much needed week off (spent at a friend's relative's farm up North) and am back in Cape Town for the next two weeks. The whole city is hyped up for world cup (and we are too!) Here are a few stories of what God is doing in the city in the meantime:
I just spent the last few days at a camp for about eighty 11th graders from a local church we partner with. To say the camp was amazing is an understatement. God changed so many young people's lives! Because the camp was in Afrikaans, i was pretty helpless to listen to the teachings or lead much of anything, but i was able to teach a workshop and spent most of my time doing one-on-ones with the students. God has been teaching me through these language barrier situations. I feel like i am often too quick to rely on my own sense of competency and ministry skills and live in the rhythm of schedules, rather than living in the rhythm of the Holy Spirit. God is re-routing me to be helpless to everything but His voice and it's pretty cool! I'm learning a lot!
I also had an amazing time at Sir Lowry's Plain yesterday, a local township we serve in. I have been discipling a young woman there named Nicolene who is growing and learning so much! When we first met her and her boyfriend, we learned that she was HIV positive, considered herself a Rastafarian, had no income and felt pretty rejected by society. We've been reading the bible with her and her boyfriend and she is now a baby Christian eagerly growing in her faith! Doing bible studies with Nicolene is always the highlight of my week. The Gospel really comes alive when you're reading it in a shack with a family that is HIV positive. The biggest privilege is to look into the face of the least of these and say "Jesus came for you." And it's even better when you realize they believe it!
One of the biggest problems in Sir Lowry's is gang violence. But the cool thing is how much God loves the gang leaders! Last year, JAM was able to befriend a gang ringleader named Pulkie. Through one of our camps, he came to Christ, renounced his violent past, and is now at bible school training to be a pastor. Another gang leader named Vykie came to know God through this camp and works with us when we go to the township on Wednesdays. We are having another "Sir Lowry's Gang Leader Camp" this weekend with about 15 men going. Among the campers is a man named Night, who is the craziest, most violent gang leader of the bunch! The girls left our camp for the weekend because we have no idea what to expect. But if we know anything about God's heart for the gang leaders of Sir Lowry's, we know that He will do amazing things again! Please pray for this camp, we are excited to see God do His thing!
As for me, I'm doing great! I'm enjoying seeing God move and celebrating that with my ministry family. South Africa has become home and i have officially settled in. More updates soon! World Cup is gonna rock!
I just spent the last few days at a camp for about eighty 11th graders from a local church we partner with. To say the camp was amazing is an understatement. God changed so many young people's lives! Because the camp was in Afrikaans, i was pretty helpless to listen to the teachings or lead much of anything, but i was able to teach a workshop and spent most of my time doing one-on-ones with the students. God has been teaching me through these language barrier situations. I feel like i am often too quick to rely on my own sense of competency and ministry skills and live in the rhythm of schedules, rather than living in the rhythm of the Holy Spirit. God is re-routing me to be helpless to everything but His voice and it's pretty cool! I'm learning a lot!
I also had an amazing time at Sir Lowry's Plain yesterday, a local township we serve in. I have been discipling a young woman there named Nicolene who is growing and learning so much! When we first met her and her boyfriend, we learned that she was HIV positive, considered herself a Rastafarian, had no income and felt pretty rejected by society. We've been reading the bible with her and her boyfriend and she is now a baby Christian eagerly growing in her faith! Doing bible studies with Nicolene is always the highlight of my week. The Gospel really comes alive when you're reading it in a shack with a family that is HIV positive. The biggest privilege is to look into the face of the least of these and say "Jesus came for you." And it's even better when you realize they believe it!
One of the biggest problems in Sir Lowry's is gang violence. But the cool thing is how much God loves the gang leaders! Last year, JAM was able to befriend a gang ringleader named Pulkie. Through one of our camps, he came to Christ, renounced his violent past, and is now at bible school training to be a pastor. Another gang leader named Vykie came to know God through this camp and works with us when we go to the township on Wednesdays. We are having another "Sir Lowry's Gang Leader Camp" this weekend with about 15 men going. Among the campers is a man named Night, who is the craziest, most violent gang leader of the bunch! The girls left our camp for the weekend because we have no idea what to expect. But if we know anything about God's heart for the gang leaders of Sir Lowry's, we know that He will do amazing things again! Please pray for this camp, we are excited to see God do His thing!
As for me, I'm doing great! I'm enjoying seeing God move and celebrating that with my ministry family. South Africa has become home and i have officially settled in. More updates soon! World Cup is gonna rock!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Mahvusa/Zimbabwe
New update for you, and it’s packed full of good stuff! Our outreach started with a two day drive all the way up the beautiful country of South Africa to the Limpopo province and a little village called Mahvusa. Jabulani African Ministries partnered with the people to build a church there a few years back. The village chief was impressed and offered us some land to build a youth camp and mission station. So that’s what we have been working on! Our dream is to have a place where youth come and learn about God’s love through camping ministry and are discipled and trained to be spiritual leaders in their communities. Our days were filled with construction and hanging out with the village kids. Our nights were spent discipling the young adults in Mahvusa and Dzingidzingi, a neighboring village. We are excited to see these young adults take part in this project and take the reigns of ministry, the way true missions should play itself out.
My heart has broken into a million pieces for the beautiful and broken people of this Province. One area has especially taken a hold of my heart and rendered it forever changed. Zone 2 is the name of a squatters’ settlement for refugees who have fled war in Mozambique. It is difficult for these people to return home, and the South African government pretends they don’t exist out of their lack of solutions for this people group. There is no running water, electricity or schools within walking distance for their children. Out of all the places I’ve been, I have never seen more poverty than I do in this place. This week, JAM began a Preschool and soup kitchen for the young children of Zone 2. It will be run by Pastor Life and his wife, Josephine, who are full-time missionaries of JAM and locals. Please pray for this young couple as they serve in Zone 2. There are many challenges and many stories that daily break their hearts.
The stories of suffering and images of poverty here are overshadowed by the hope I see God has for this place. One of my highlights was watching Lifter, a member of our team and resident of Mahvusa, minister in his home town. Lifter has a past of gang involvement, robbery and drugs, but his life has been forever changed by the love of Christ. Lifter shared his testimony this week to his peers who have never seen this new God-changed servant. Next January he will be back in Mahvusa doing soccer ministry and being a spiritual leader in his community. I am so proud of my friend and excited for the potential of having this humble leader serve his village.
After a week in Mahvusa, we took another day long drive up to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is currently one of the most politically corrupt countries in the world. The inflation rate is so outrageous, the country began using US dollars as a way to cope. All along the road, street vendors sell fruit or whatever product they might have had in order to survive. Unemployment is high as these people look for a way to support themselves and their families. Yet another broken place filled with beautiful, determined people.
We went to Zimbabwe to lead a conference for youth leaders of churches all across the country. There were about 50 youth leaders, counselors and reverends who attended. These people were so passionate about their leadership in the discipling of young people, but lacked training, theory, and resources to lead well. We came in to encourage and fill in that gap. We taught a lot about Christ-like character in ministry as well as a ton of practical application on being a Christian youth leader and pastor. The Zimbabweans have very limited access to crayons and paper for their Sunday School classes, yet alone resources and teaching curriculum and they soaked the information up like a sponge. At the end of the conference, we sat before an overjoyed and exuberant class of Christ-followers with a re-charged passion to take what they have learned to their youth groups back home. I was so humbled to take part in this process and encouraged to see the heart of these beautiful people. After the conference, we took a tour of the mission station where we were staying and checked out a nearby youth camp which was in ruins because of vandalism that happened during a war.
During these trips, we were able to look back to see how God’s work began and look forward to imagine new and beautiful things for the Kingdom. In Mahvusa, a young American woman named Laura came to serve the people in 1933 after a short term missions trip there won her heart. Single all her life, she poured thirty years into these people, building a Preschool and church and ministering to medical needs. It was this woman who led the village chief to Christ when he was a boy and this chief would later welcome us into his land to begin a camping ministry for God. Now I look forward to a future of many young Africans embracing Christ and glorifying Him through the beginnings of this young woman. In 1891, a young South African man felt called to take Christ to Zimbabwe. He was not a preacher or a missionary, just a simple Sunday School teacher, and he was ill so much his parents thought he would die in a few years. But this man spent his life in Zimbabwe, beginning a mission station, translating the Bible into Shona and opening a school for the deaf and blind. Because of this man’s willingness to sacrifice for the gospel, many schools, ministries and churches are in operation. His work helped create the churches that sent the youth leaders to our conference who will now go out and spread Christ’s truth to all the young people they represent. In both places we got to visit the graves of the brave missionaries who went before us. My heart is both terrified and excited about my future. Will I stay here and follow in their footsteps? Will following after God’s heart mean my life will only get crazier? Please pray for me as I seek God’s direction.
And so were my last few weeks: crazy, significant, and full in many ways. I spent my 25th birthday living in a hut and chasing after and loving on snotty faced kids. I celebrated holy week and a Christ who came down to live in the dirt of our lives and sacrifice for the salvation of the world very dirty myself (I showered twice) and contemplating my own sacrifice. Following Jesus is crazy! God is huge. My heart is full.
I would like to begin supporting the work in Zone 2 by raising funds for the ministry and soup kitchen. If you are interested to see how you can get involved, please send me your email address or click to follow my blog. I will be sending out a newsletter shortly that gives more information on this area and steps to get involved. Thank you so much for your prayers and support! I am very blessed to have a wonderful family of people who love to see God move as much as I do. May God give you grace and peace as you live out resurrection!
My heart has broken into a million pieces for the beautiful and broken people of this Province. One area has especially taken a hold of my heart and rendered it forever changed. Zone 2 is the name of a squatters’ settlement for refugees who have fled war in Mozambique. It is difficult for these people to return home, and the South African government pretends they don’t exist out of their lack of solutions for this people group. There is no running water, electricity or schools within walking distance for their children. Out of all the places I’ve been, I have never seen more poverty than I do in this place. This week, JAM began a Preschool and soup kitchen for the young children of Zone 2. It will be run by Pastor Life and his wife, Josephine, who are full-time missionaries of JAM and locals. Please pray for this young couple as they serve in Zone 2. There are many challenges and many stories that daily break their hearts.
The stories of suffering and images of poverty here are overshadowed by the hope I see God has for this place. One of my highlights was watching Lifter, a member of our team and resident of Mahvusa, minister in his home town. Lifter has a past of gang involvement, robbery and drugs, but his life has been forever changed by the love of Christ. Lifter shared his testimony this week to his peers who have never seen this new God-changed servant. Next January he will be back in Mahvusa doing soccer ministry and being a spiritual leader in his community. I am so proud of my friend and excited for the potential of having this humble leader serve his village.
After a week in Mahvusa, we took another day long drive up to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is currently one of the most politically corrupt countries in the world. The inflation rate is so outrageous, the country began using US dollars as a way to cope. All along the road, street vendors sell fruit or whatever product they might have had in order to survive. Unemployment is high as these people look for a way to support themselves and their families. Yet another broken place filled with beautiful, determined people.
We went to Zimbabwe to lead a conference for youth leaders of churches all across the country. There were about 50 youth leaders, counselors and reverends who attended. These people were so passionate about their leadership in the discipling of young people, but lacked training, theory, and resources to lead well. We came in to encourage and fill in that gap. We taught a lot about Christ-like character in ministry as well as a ton of practical application on being a Christian youth leader and pastor. The Zimbabweans have very limited access to crayons and paper for their Sunday School classes, yet alone resources and teaching curriculum and they soaked the information up like a sponge. At the end of the conference, we sat before an overjoyed and exuberant class of Christ-followers with a re-charged passion to take what they have learned to their youth groups back home. I was so humbled to take part in this process and encouraged to see the heart of these beautiful people. After the conference, we took a tour of the mission station where we were staying and checked out a nearby youth camp which was in ruins because of vandalism that happened during a war.
During these trips, we were able to look back to see how God’s work began and look forward to imagine new and beautiful things for the Kingdom. In Mahvusa, a young American woman named Laura came to serve the people in 1933 after a short term missions trip there won her heart. Single all her life, she poured thirty years into these people, building a Preschool and church and ministering to medical needs. It was this woman who led the village chief to Christ when he was a boy and this chief would later welcome us into his land to begin a camping ministry for God. Now I look forward to a future of many young Africans embracing Christ and glorifying Him through the beginnings of this young woman. In 1891, a young South African man felt called to take Christ to Zimbabwe. He was not a preacher or a missionary, just a simple Sunday School teacher, and he was ill so much his parents thought he would die in a few years. But this man spent his life in Zimbabwe, beginning a mission station, translating the Bible into Shona and opening a school for the deaf and blind. Because of this man’s willingness to sacrifice for the gospel, many schools, ministries and churches are in operation. His work helped create the churches that sent the youth leaders to our conference who will now go out and spread Christ’s truth to all the young people they represent. In both places we got to visit the graves of the brave missionaries who went before us. My heart is both terrified and excited about my future. Will I stay here and follow in their footsteps? Will following after God’s heart mean my life will only get crazier? Please pray for me as I seek God’s direction.
And so were my last few weeks: crazy, significant, and full in many ways. I spent my 25th birthday living in a hut and chasing after and loving on snotty faced kids. I celebrated holy week and a Christ who came down to live in the dirt of our lives and sacrifice for the salvation of the world very dirty myself (I showered twice) and contemplating my own sacrifice. Following Jesus is crazy! God is huge. My heart is full.
I would like to begin supporting the work in Zone 2 by raising funds for the ministry and soup kitchen. If you are interested to see how you can get involved, please send me your email address or click to follow my blog. I will be sending out a newsletter shortly that gives more information on this area and steps to get involved. Thank you so much for your prayers and support! I am very blessed to have a wonderful family of people who love to see God move as much as I do. May God give you grace and peace as you live out resurrection!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Blessed
Hello good friends! I hope all is well with you and the weather is getting warmer as it cools down over here. Things have lightened up and i've got time to write a longer blog...so here it goes! God is doing wonderful things here. It's so cool to live with 30 other full-time missionaries, because when we meet at the end of the day, our living room is filled with awesome stories of people encountering God's love. Our two vans pull into a community and we all scatter for a few hours and whether it's street ministry, soccer coaching with the local youth, bible studies with families or caring for people with AIDS in a local shelter, i am always humbled to see what God makes of it. Here are a few of my favorite stories:
I go with a few of my teammates to a rehabilitation center in a local township on Tuesday afternoons. We have spent the last few weeks building relationships with the residents there and listening to their stories. Some of my favorite people i've met so far are living in that place. We mostly listen and pray. Sometimes we help them make crafts to sell or sort through the food donations with the children who live there. I was able to share in the joy of a woman who could move out of the shelter into an apartment all her own. Some of the residents, who are doing poorly, just need a hand to hold or feet to massage. I am a sucker for washing feet, and it's been so cool to massage the feet of those Jesus came for. "I have set you an example that you should do as i have done for you..."
On wednesdays i go with part of my team to Sir Lowry's Pass, a colored township we do house visitations and kids ministry in. The past few weeks, we've been doing a bible study with a woman, her boyfriend, and her neighbors. The woman has no income and struggles to get food. We've been blessed to be able to bring her food when we come, which really touches her heart. Her neighbors are rastafarians, a religion that believes a lot of the gospel, but twists and adds things to it, making it hard to get at the truth of salvation through grace alone. Her neighbors are also HIV positive. The woman, who is 23, has really been opening up to me with her struggles of living with AIDS and wondering where she's going when she dies. Yesterday, i got to speak the truth of the gospel into her life and tell her that when God sees her, He sees someone completely whole and beautiful and clean. Our bible study is the basic gospel message and i believe God is really opening up their hearts. It's so humbling and amazing to watch.
This week, we've been doing a 12 day discipleship program with the youth of Stellenburg, a white upper-class area north of Cape Town. We've been partnering with a local church and local high school. The school system is wonderful here in the fact that we can openly come on campus and share Christ! We've been discipling and encouraging the school's christian club, inviting students on our local outreaches, and doing worship and teaching nights. It's been really cool to see the students respond to us being there. It's also frustrating and challenging at times to see the lack of commitment and apathy of others. Some of our events only brought in a few students. Because christianity is so accepted and mixed in with the school and community, many claim Christ, but don't follow Christ. It's been a good ministry for me, because the kids remind me so much of the kids i've worked with in the US. And the fight against apathy is what I'm used to, coming from America. I guess this apathy transcends borders.
At the end of next week, our team is breaking up into three groups for outreaches farther away in communities we will be going to periodically throughout the year. My team is heading off to Mahvusa, a rural village in Northern South Africa. We will be working with young people there, continuing construction on a camp we are building and spending time in zone two, a refugee camp for people fleeing war and persecution from their own countries. Then, we'll be heading up to Zimbabwe to lead a week long conference for church youth leaders. Zimbabwe has many young christians who are eager and ready to do youth ministry, but don't have the knowledge, skills, and leadership training to disciple and lead others to christ. We get to train them up! Please pray for God's wisdom and direction in knowing what to teach and what these young leaders need to hear.
I can't believe i've already been here two months! I'm beginning to feel more at home in this new place God has brought me. There's a passage in Luke where Jesus turns to his disciples and says that their eyes are blessed because of what they see. Many prophets and kings wanted to see God on earth fulfilling his plan for the redemption of the world, but didn't get that chance. Right now, i feel like one of those disciples. My eyes are so blessed to see God moving and changing lives. God is so good to let my eyes see his greatness!
I go with a few of my teammates to a rehabilitation center in a local township on Tuesday afternoons. We have spent the last few weeks building relationships with the residents there and listening to their stories. Some of my favorite people i've met so far are living in that place. We mostly listen and pray. Sometimes we help them make crafts to sell or sort through the food donations with the children who live there. I was able to share in the joy of a woman who could move out of the shelter into an apartment all her own. Some of the residents, who are doing poorly, just need a hand to hold or feet to massage. I am a sucker for washing feet, and it's been so cool to massage the feet of those Jesus came for. "I have set you an example that you should do as i have done for you..."
On wednesdays i go with part of my team to Sir Lowry's Pass, a colored township we do house visitations and kids ministry in. The past few weeks, we've been doing a bible study with a woman, her boyfriend, and her neighbors. The woman has no income and struggles to get food. We've been blessed to be able to bring her food when we come, which really touches her heart. Her neighbors are rastafarians, a religion that believes a lot of the gospel, but twists and adds things to it, making it hard to get at the truth of salvation through grace alone. Her neighbors are also HIV positive. The woman, who is 23, has really been opening up to me with her struggles of living with AIDS and wondering where she's going when she dies. Yesterday, i got to speak the truth of the gospel into her life and tell her that when God sees her, He sees someone completely whole and beautiful and clean. Our bible study is the basic gospel message and i believe God is really opening up their hearts. It's so humbling and amazing to watch.
This week, we've been doing a 12 day discipleship program with the youth of Stellenburg, a white upper-class area north of Cape Town. We've been partnering with a local church and local high school. The school system is wonderful here in the fact that we can openly come on campus and share Christ! We've been discipling and encouraging the school's christian club, inviting students on our local outreaches, and doing worship and teaching nights. It's been really cool to see the students respond to us being there. It's also frustrating and challenging at times to see the lack of commitment and apathy of others. Some of our events only brought in a few students. Because christianity is so accepted and mixed in with the school and community, many claim Christ, but don't follow Christ. It's been a good ministry for me, because the kids remind me so much of the kids i've worked with in the US. And the fight against apathy is what I'm used to, coming from America. I guess this apathy transcends borders.
At the end of next week, our team is breaking up into three groups for outreaches farther away in communities we will be going to periodically throughout the year. My team is heading off to Mahvusa, a rural village in Northern South Africa. We will be working with young people there, continuing construction on a camp we are building and spending time in zone two, a refugee camp for people fleeing war and persecution from their own countries. Then, we'll be heading up to Zimbabwe to lead a week long conference for church youth leaders. Zimbabwe has many young christians who are eager and ready to do youth ministry, but don't have the knowledge, skills, and leadership training to disciple and lead others to christ. We get to train them up! Please pray for God's wisdom and direction in knowing what to teach and what these young leaders need to hear.
I can't believe i've already been here two months! I'm beginning to feel more at home in this new place God has brought me. There's a passage in Luke where Jesus turns to his disciples and says that their eyes are blessed because of what they see. Many prophets and kings wanted to see God on earth fulfilling his plan for the redemption of the world, but didn't get that chance. Right now, i feel like one of those disciples. My eyes are so blessed to see God moving and changing lives. God is so good to let my eyes see his greatness!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Outreach
These last few weeks have been full of really awesome ministry moments! God is really passionate about the people of South Africa! I hope to share details soon, we've been a bit busy lately.
This week begins a 12 day discipleship program with the young people of Stellenburg, a white suburban area near Cape Town. We actually get to present the Gospel to the entire local high school in one of their assemblies! Please pray that God reignites passion in their hearts and challenges them to take steps towards Him.
This week begins a 12 day discipleship program with the young people of Stellenburg, a white suburban area near Cape Town. We actually get to present the Gospel to the entire local high school in one of their assemblies! Please pray that God reignites passion in their hearts and challenges them to take steps towards Him.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Community
I want to start off my sharing what I’ve been experiencing living in community. First off, we are doing a new thing. My ministry family consists of people of all different races from all over South Africa. Because of the recent end of apartheid, you just don’t see that here. Walking down the street, you hardly ever see a white and a black or a colored hanging out together. We hang out all the time. And although there are work places and ministry organizations that are mixed, we don’t know of any other group who actually live together. As an American, I feel a great privilege to be able to look in at the diversity of a people from a country with a past, forming a family.
Our diversity is beautiful. Our diversity is also messy.
We have different ways of interacting with each other, different ways to joke, our voices speak in different volumes and different languages. We eat different things and pray differently, worship differently, and think in different manners. We offend a lot and have to back pedal often. A few times we have had to sit down and argue things out. It’s important and good that we do this because we are a family and a body working towards the same mission. If you look at history, you see that every big movement arose out of really strong, committed community. And I think that if we’re able to do this with the extent of differences we have, the extent of movement potential is enormous. A mentor of ours told us that if we can’t do life in community together, there is no hope for the future of South Africa. He may be right.
We had a girl’s camp this weekend and it was wonderful! We had about 20 Xhosa high school students and youth adults from one of the biggest townships in South Africa. They were beautiful girls and were really eager to hear from God. They soaked in all the sessions like a sponge and it was amazing to hear them sing their praise and worship songs to God. A lot of breakthroughs happened on the second night and God really helped many to let go of things they were holding on to. We also did an outreach on Saturday with the girls and our guys at a local township. We had over 500 children and youth. I’m pretty sure we had the whole township out there!
To the extent that ministry with God in South Africa is amazing, it is also really hard. There’s a lot I miss about America, and I feel like if I count the challenges here, I would never run out of things to say. I’m just glad that God loves to lift up His children when they are down, because I am down a lot. I was okay letting God make me weak, so that He can be strong, but then He asked me to be nothing so He can be everything. And that’s a lot harder. But that’s following Christ. And that’s the road I’m trying to walk right now. It’s worth it.
Our diversity is beautiful. Our diversity is also messy.
We have different ways of interacting with each other, different ways to joke, our voices speak in different volumes and different languages. We eat different things and pray differently, worship differently, and think in different manners. We offend a lot and have to back pedal often. A few times we have had to sit down and argue things out. It’s important and good that we do this because we are a family and a body working towards the same mission. If you look at history, you see that every big movement arose out of really strong, committed community. And I think that if we’re able to do this with the extent of differences we have, the extent of movement potential is enormous. A mentor of ours told us that if we can’t do life in community together, there is no hope for the future of South Africa. He may be right.
We had a girl’s camp this weekend and it was wonderful! We had about 20 Xhosa high school students and youth adults from one of the biggest townships in South Africa. They were beautiful girls and were really eager to hear from God. They soaked in all the sessions like a sponge and it was amazing to hear them sing their praise and worship songs to God. A lot of breakthroughs happened on the second night and God really helped many to let go of things they were holding on to. We also did an outreach on Saturday with the girls and our guys at a local township. We had over 500 children and youth. I’m pretty sure we had the whole township out there!
To the extent that ministry with God in South Africa is amazing, it is also really hard. There’s a lot I miss about America, and I feel like if I count the challenges here, I would never run out of things to say. I’m just glad that God loves to lift up His children when they are down, because I am down a lot. I was okay letting God make me weak, so that He can be strong, but then He asked me to be nothing so He can be everything. And that’s a lot harder. But that’s following Christ. And that’s the road I’m trying to walk right now. It’s worth it.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Camps
This week I served in camps on our base. The first one was our Jam camp, which was for all the teenagers and young adults from our various communities we’ve been discipling. We did a lot of encouraging and hanging out and it was awesome to see the diversity of young people from so many different communities come together. The second camp was a school camp for troubled youth. There were some atheists and a lot of Muslims and it was cool to share with them about what I believe and how that got me to South Africa.
The more I live here, the more I realize the sameness of people. Teenagers from rural villages and white South African suburbs joke around and ask the same questions as teenagers in California do. Substance addicts and the disabled in the townships of Cape Town have the same mannerisms and speak of the same struggles as the homeless of Sacramento do. My eyes have been widened to see how far God’s heart truly reaches.
Today, I’ll be doing some street ministry, followed by a Team 1,000 meeting (we are beginning to organize 1,000 people for ministry during World Cup). I hope this finds you all well! Please let me know what you guys are up to and how I can pray for you, any news from America means so much to me!
The more I live here, the more I realize the sameness of people. Teenagers from rural villages and white South African suburbs joke around and ask the same questions as teenagers in California do. Substance addicts and the disabled in the townships of Cape Town have the same mannerisms and speak of the same struggles as the homeless of Sacramento do. My eyes have been widened to see how far God’s heart truly reaches.
Today, I’ll be doing some street ministry, followed by a Team 1,000 meeting (we are beginning to organize 1,000 people for ministry during World Cup). I hope this finds you all well! Please let me know what you guys are up to and how I can pray for you, any news from America means so much to me!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Local Ministry
We just finished our first week of local ministry and it was wonderful! We have about six different communities we serve in locally. We begin each day with worship and prayer and then split up into groups and serve these communities. Many areas are pretty new for us, and we are just beginning to build relationships and pray for God's direction on how we can best serve. God opened a lot of doors in our first week. Here is the low down of some sites we are serving in.
Hout Bay has a fisherman's township that we've been praying about serving in. The people aren't very friendly there and until this week, we haven't been able to build any relationships with young people. On Monday, we met a man who is doing soccer ministry with the local youth. He is very excited to partner with us in ministry and we are excited to work with the youth in sports ministry.
Cape Academy is a boarding school for ten to twelve graders from disadvantaged communities who show leadership potential. These students are away from home and don't get the support and love that families bring. We're doing a bible study there on Monday nights and it was so cool! We had about twenty students show up and they seem really happy to be there. I was reminded of how much i love youth ministry!
Imizamo yethu is the township that is closest to our base. It is super diverse and has people from many different African countries who come here to find work. We had a big soccer game with the local youth and hope to do house visits and compassionnate ministry in the homes of the people there. We are also praying that God opens doors for us to minister to the girls there.
Sir lowry's is a township we've been doing children's ministry in for a few years. The children have opened doors for us to begin building relationships with their families. After walking through the township and visiting and praying for families in their homes, we go to a big field and completely exhaust ourselves playing with the children. Right before we left, we met a few youth who were interested in starting a small group. There is nothing for the children and youth to do here besides drugs and abuse is really common. I've only been to Sir Lowry's twice, but my heart has broken into a thousand pieces for this place and the people here.
As for me, i'm doing well. South Africa is wonderful and inspiring and humbling and i feel so priviledged to be where my biggest passions and the world's biggest needs collide. God is definitely moving here and i love being a part of it. Please pray that God continues to open doors and give us direction as we enter our communities. Pray for the young people we will be meeting and disciplinig. And pray that we love well and share Christ's love with the world.
Hout Bay has a fisherman's township that we've been praying about serving in. The people aren't very friendly there and until this week, we haven't been able to build any relationships with young people. On Monday, we met a man who is doing soccer ministry with the local youth. He is very excited to partner with us in ministry and we are excited to work with the youth in sports ministry.
Cape Academy is a boarding school for ten to twelve graders from disadvantaged communities who show leadership potential. These students are away from home and don't get the support and love that families bring. We're doing a bible study there on Monday nights and it was so cool! We had about twenty students show up and they seem really happy to be there. I was reminded of how much i love youth ministry!
Imizamo yethu is the township that is closest to our base. It is super diverse and has people from many different African countries who come here to find work. We had a big soccer game with the local youth and hope to do house visits and compassionnate ministry in the homes of the people there. We are also praying that God opens doors for us to minister to the girls there.
Sir lowry's is a township we've been doing children's ministry in for a few years. The children have opened doors for us to begin building relationships with their families. After walking through the township and visiting and praying for families in their homes, we go to a big field and completely exhaust ourselves playing with the children. Right before we left, we met a few youth who were interested in starting a small group. There is nothing for the children and youth to do here besides drugs and abuse is really common. I've only been to Sir Lowry's twice, but my heart has broken into a thousand pieces for this place and the people here.
As for me, i'm doing well. South Africa is wonderful and inspiring and humbling and i feel so priviledged to be where my biggest passions and the world's biggest needs collide. God is definitely moving here and i love being a part of it. Please pray that God continues to open doors and give us direction as we enter our communities. Pray for the young people we will be meeting and disciplinig. And pray that we love well and share Christ's love with the world.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
training done!
Hey friends! Three weeks into South Africa and I'm settling in pretty well (although we move around so much, "settling" isn't the best word to use). This last week has been dedicated to meeting with about 40 other ministry leaders in the country to discuss and dream about world cup ministry that will happen in June and July. We are still in the dreaming phase, but have some good resources and hope to take children and youth sports ministry training to youth leaders throughout the country as well as host big screen showings during world cup with street and compassionate minsitry and evangelism.
Next week will be our first week of really getting our hands into local ministry projects. I'm eager to begin building relationships with the people in the townships, communities and schools we will be serving at locally. My ministry family is such a wonderful support and we laugh so much when we are around each other. I still miss America and the people I love who are still there. This has been the most challenging transition I have experienced so far and I'm learning to cling to God for strength more than ever...which is a good thing. I am in a good place.
Next week will be our first week of really getting our hands into local ministry projects. I'm eager to begin building relationships with the people in the townships, communities and schools we will be serving at locally. My ministry family is such a wonderful support and we laugh so much when we are around each other. I still miss America and the people I love who are still there. This has been the most challenging transition I have experienced so far and I'm learning to cling to God for strength more than ever...which is a good thing. I am in a good place.
Monday, January 25, 2010
first week
A week and a half has gone by and I’m still alive! (sorry for not responding to texts and emails, my internet is limited). There’s so much to say, but I’ll stick to the awesome stuff. There are 27 of us total and we are so diverse (American, Afrikaans, Colored, Xhosa, etc). We speak 7 different languages and come from all kinds of different backgrounds and places. We live in community. We eat together, pray together, serve together. We are already a family. In a country recently free of Apartheid, our love in diversity speaks for us before we even open our mouths.
Our home base is an old World War 2 army base on the foothills of Table Mountain overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It’s Summer here and gorgeous! Camps of students filter through the campus pretty regularly and we’ve been leading activities and working with them. We’ve been doing a lot of training this week, team building, vision casting, and scouting out ministry opportunities in townships in and around Cape Town. Our focus is to build up and disciple young people in these communities and empower them to be the spiritual leaders where they are at. The kids in the townships flock to us when we come. We run around with them and love them as much as we can. Most are left by themselves while their parents work, and they are hungry for love.
What I love about this ministry so far is that it looks so much like the way Jesus chose to minister during His time on earth. We aren’t going out to show a Jesus film and evangelize village after village of people who won’t have a clue where to go next. Instead, we will go out and spend significant time with young people, ask questions, teach, model, love, disciple and show others how to live intimately with Jesus and serve in His reign. We will move around a lot (we’ve spent the night in three different places already), borrow a lot and give away even more. The sacrifice will be and has been hard, but when I think about the privilege of following Christ and working in His Kingdom, I feel more than blessed.
God has been rocking my world since I’ve been here. I was so confident doing youth ministry in the United States, but here, I feel so out of my element, unused to the many cultures and unsure of myself. I’m learning more than ever to trust in God’s wisdom bringing me here and embracing the fact that God loves to work through small broken people who are unsure of themselves, which is exactly where I am right now. I am pretty homesick and I cry daily. I know it will get better. Please pray that I will stay strong.
Our home base is an old World War 2 army base on the foothills of Table Mountain overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It’s Summer here and gorgeous! Camps of students filter through the campus pretty regularly and we’ve been leading activities and working with them. We’ve been doing a lot of training this week, team building, vision casting, and scouting out ministry opportunities in townships in and around Cape Town. Our focus is to build up and disciple young people in these communities and empower them to be the spiritual leaders where they are at. The kids in the townships flock to us when we come. We run around with them and love them as much as we can. Most are left by themselves while their parents work, and they are hungry for love.
What I love about this ministry so far is that it looks so much like the way Jesus chose to minister during His time on earth. We aren’t going out to show a Jesus film and evangelize village after village of people who won’t have a clue where to go next. Instead, we will go out and spend significant time with young people, ask questions, teach, model, love, disciple and show others how to live intimately with Jesus and serve in His reign. We will move around a lot (we’ve spent the night in three different places already), borrow a lot and give away even more. The sacrifice will be and has been hard, but when I think about the privilege of following Christ and working in His Kingdom, I feel more than blessed.
God has been rocking my world since I’ve been here. I was so confident doing youth ministry in the United States, but here, I feel so out of my element, unused to the many cultures and unsure of myself. I’m learning more than ever to trust in God’s wisdom bringing me here and embracing the fact that God loves to work through small broken people who are unsure of themselves, which is exactly where I am right now. I am pretty homesick and I cry daily. I know it will get better. Please pray that I will stay strong.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
quotes
I've been reading a lot lately, mostly to continue preparing my heart for serving in South Africa in two weeks!! I've been digging through my books and found some quotes that are too good not to share...enjoy.
Do you know when people really become spiritual? It is when they become the slaves of God and are branded with his sign, which is the sign of the cross, in token that they have given him their freedom. Then he can sell them as slaves to the whole world, as he himself was sold. For the foundation of this whole edifice is humility.
St. Teresa of Avila
You can’t separate God in his awesome power in heaven from the snotty, bloated kid with the fly in his eye in the ditch. God is not impressed by the size of our church. God is not impressed by how many times we go to church but by how much we become like Jesus. The world is on an accumulation binge—give me more and more and more—but God is a giver.
B.F. Skinner
Follow the example of the King by choosing to enter into broken worlds, not sit outside them with right answers. And when you arrive wherever you are sent, you will know what to do—love people until they can feel it, proclaim Jesus’ reign with words and actions and love.
The world is waiting for new saints, ecstatic men and women who are so deeply rooted in the love of God that they are free to imagine a new international order.
Henri Nouwen
To have accepted the love of God is to be armed and disarmed at the same time. No weapon is more powerful. But in using such a weapon it is the user who is broken wide open. This is a love that cannot rightly be kept in. It is a bursting out love. In its spilling out, it binds to others and when it binds to others, it heals, it knits hearts, it builds community and it brings everything together in perfect unity.
Invest in love. Yield to love. Be transformed by love. Allow nothing to stand in the way of your commitment to love. Don’t use overload as an excuse, and don’t spend your last moments on earth apologizing for your life. Set love in order, beginning today.
Richard Swenson
I want to be a missionary, leave everything for Christ and in the end, feel like I never made a sacrifice.
John Piper
Do you know when people really become spiritual? It is when they become the slaves of God and are branded with his sign, which is the sign of the cross, in token that they have given him their freedom. Then he can sell them as slaves to the whole world, as he himself was sold. For the foundation of this whole edifice is humility.
St. Teresa of Avila
You can’t separate God in his awesome power in heaven from the snotty, bloated kid with the fly in his eye in the ditch. God is not impressed by the size of our church. God is not impressed by how many times we go to church but by how much we become like Jesus. The world is on an accumulation binge—give me more and more and more—but God is a giver.
B.F. Skinner
Follow the example of the King by choosing to enter into broken worlds, not sit outside them with right answers. And when you arrive wherever you are sent, you will know what to do—love people until they can feel it, proclaim Jesus’ reign with words and actions and love.
The world is waiting for new saints, ecstatic men and women who are so deeply rooted in the love of God that they are free to imagine a new international order.
Henri Nouwen
To have accepted the love of God is to be armed and disarmed at the same time. No weapon is more powerful. But in using such a weapon it is the user who is broken wide open. This is a love that cannot rightly be kept in. It is a bursting out love. In its spilling out, it binds to others and when it binds to others, it heals, it knits hearts, it builds community and it brings everything together in perfect unity.
Invest in love. Yield to love. Be transformed by love. Allow nothing to stand in the way of your commitment to love. Don’t use overload as an excuse, and don’t spend your last moments on earth apologizing for your life. Set love in order, beginning today.
Richard Swenson
I want to be a missionary, leave everything for Christ and in the end, feel like I never made a sacrifice.
John Piper
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