This last weekend was amazing for me. First allow me to give you all some background. Mid-week last week we met an amazing group of young guys (all in their late 20’s to early 30’s) that Russell is mentoring, they are his “small group” or the equivalent of a LIFE group at Open Door, but its just men. These men worshipped with us that night and then we were able to pray with them and it was an awesome night. They were so impacted by us that they wanted to give back to us somehow. Their solution for this was to take us all to a Wildlife Safari where we drove through wild terrain and saw safari animals in their natural habitat. They also treated us to the part of the Safari that allowed us to pet and play with baby lion and tiger cubs!
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On top of all that, the next day, Monday, was National Braai Day (basically like Labor Day or Memorial Day). Braai is basically the American term for what we refer to as barbecuing, except they don’t just make hamburgers and hotdogs. No, no, when South African’s braai, they hold to the motto “Go big or go home.” They braaied up lamb steaks, beef skewers, and giant beef sausages that I don’t remember the name of, nor could I pronounce. But my plate was completely covered in meat. Each person got a jumbo sized sausage, a lamb steak and at least one beef skewer. I think I ate more meat on that day than I will in the next two months of my Race! It was so delicious. They took us to a dam/inland lake and brought jet-skis, pontoon boats and I don’t even know how much meat. Enough to fill 4 grocery bags full. They took people out on tubes behind jet skiis, around the lake on the pontoon boat and we just hung out on the shore and played with frisbees and a rugby ball, swam in the Olympic sized pool they had on the grounds.
All this because we showed them the love of Jesus. We were absolutely blown away at the generosity of these men and their families (who we all got to meet and hang out with as well!) I really connected with one gentleman in particular, Rynhardt van Staden, who has a house at the estate where this lake and all that was. We exchanged emails and such and will definitely be keeping in contact. If you could be in prayer for him and the business (he is partners in a secondhand car dealership) and also his lovely wife Mariette and they just had their first child, a beautiful daughter named Mia. Pray that he would continue to be a light through his work, that he would continue to be a Godly husband and father! He was such a blessing to me! God definitely ordained this meeting and this new friendship.
