Month seven on the race was a great one. Capetown is gorgeous, the road trip was great, our accommodations were far more than we could ever ask for, and ministry was truly amazing. As I have mentioned before, we worked with Metro Evangelical Services (M.E.S.) of Bellville, South Africa. The way they run their organization is truly amazing. They are a Christian organization not just going out and telling people about Jesus, but truly doing everything they can to help them without it being a ‘handout’. They have a clothing drive, but instead of just giving out clothes, they have them pay for them (1 Ran a piece, which is about $0.15). By doing that, it really gives them a chance to feel real ownership of what they purchase. They also had a big Christmas party. Instead of just putting up fliers or making some sort of announcement, they really wanted to show them that they are not ‘less than’, but deserve to be treated with respect and dignity so the church made them invitations and delivered them to the people they had been building relationships with. They also go out of their way to help those who are homeless and in prostitution with their resumes (or CV as the rest of the world calls them), will take them to the doctor if they need, will put up job postings and let them use their phone to call, and many other ways of helping those in need. I have so much respect for the way things are run there, and I proud to say that I was able to work with them for a few weeks.
Here are some of the people we worked with:
^ Gail ^
Gail is an amazing woman of God who has a heart for the women in prostitution. She loves the Lord and serves Him with her whole heart.
^ Joseph ^
Joseph was our main contact at M.E.S. while we were in Cape Town. He offered amazing advice, shared scriptures and what was on his heart, and took us around to the outreaches. He has a fire for the Lord that is very rare, and very precious. He blessed our team in more ways than I can count this month.
^ Salvin ^
My friend Salvin has been living on the streets for a few years now. About six or so years ago he became wheelchair ridden due to his asthma. He showed me how he could stand one day, but had to quickly sit back down to catch his breath as he attempted to wheeze in the air. My heart broke for him when one morning he reluctantly told me someone attempted to steal from him in the middle of the night. He said it happens a lot since he sleeps in his wheelchair and cannot do much to stop them. Thankfully he woke up before they could take anything, but it doesn’t change the fact they tried. He inspired me as he told me that he just has to keep trusting Jesus because He will take care of him and protect him He is a brave man with a lot to say.
Howard, Joseph, Gail and me
The three main M.E.S. people we worked with the most on outreaches. Many blessings to you and the rest of M.E.S. You are missed and loved!
