I’ve been living in Cape Town, South Africa for two months now and it’s been incredible! My new team and I have been living in shipping containers while working at a place called Camp Joy. Camp Joy is a rehabilitation center for drug addicts and ex-gangsters and let me tell you about this ministry….it absolutely breaks me. Its emotionally exhausting and heart-breaking but I wouldn’t trade this ministry for the world. I fall in love with these people in the program more and more every day.
Every day we hang out with participants here at the camp. We lead devotions twice a day, teach computer classes, and help with projects. We also go out and visit different gangs throughout the week. We see how they live, what they go through and just form relationships with them. Our hope is they will come to Camp Joy and leave their current lifestyle behind.
Some days I hold up really well. Other days, I break down. I love being here for these people, but hearing some of their stories and everything they’ve been through, breaks my heart. We’ll go into the gang areas and see them openly doing drugs. If that’s not bad enough, when we go over to talk to them, they will tell us about awful things….one person shot someone right where we were standing at 5 o’clock that morning and laughed about it. We learned what they do when someone breaks a “gang rule” and they just openly talk about who they are going to kill next. They are numb to it all. It’s even harder seeing kids look up to these guys. They want to be seen as “tough” just like their daddy’s and are able to join a gang at age 13.
Going out on the streets is so hard. It’s hard to love these guys. It’s hard to see their lifestyle and to know they’re okay with it. I just want so badly for them to realize that it’s NOT okay. I want them to come to Camp Joy, meet the Lord, better themselves and come clean from all the drugs and gang violence. Sometimes I wonder, “Where is God in this place?” “How can all of this be going on?”
But then I am immediately reminded that He IS working in these people. When I come back to Camp Joy at the end of the day, I see all of these changed people here. I’m reminded that they were once in that same area and doing the same things. Now they’re at Camp Joy; a changed person and loving the Lord! Their stories are incredible and their heart is so big for other people in the Lord now.
Talking to these guys at the camp made me look at people a lot differently. I would’ve NEVER thought I would be friends with them…meth addicts and ex-gangsters. I’ve gotten so close with some of the guys here. It’s just crazy how big my heart is for them. Something I’ve really learned and thought about while being here with this ministry, is how we “outsiders” can judge someone so “hardcore” based on their sin. Yes, being a gangster and killing people is very extreme, but they’re so much more than that sin. And in God’s eyes, sin is sin. My sin is just as bad as theirs. I just wish everyone could see it like that! I am so drawn to these people…they are the nicest and most caring people. That probably sounds so weird considering the circumstances but they are. They love the lord and that’s all I see now! Not their sin. Gods forgiveness and love is written all over them. I guess that’s why it’s so easy to love/be drawn to believers….because you’re also loving the spirit that lives inside of them!
I’ve learned so much from being here. This ministry is emotionally exhausting but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love these guys, I love their stories, and I love how God has worked, and is continuing to work in their lives. South Africa and Camp Joy has forever changed me!
“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4
P.S If you have any questions about this ministry(gangsterism, drugs, life here in Cape Town), feel free to message me. I have learned so much and would love to share in more detail if you’d like.
