Here’s my sentence blog summing up our last month in Jeffery’s Bay! The community in Jeffery’s Bay was incredible and so so welcoming! This month taught me a lot about what it looks like to be in a community that is working together to serve those in need and welcome those that come into their neighborhood. Our hosts became fast friends and I hope to see them again one day! I sure will miss this place and the people that make it what it is!!
3/4/18 – left Swaziland and rode an overnight bus to our next stop: Jeffery’s Bay, South Africa
3/5/18 – learned that the Lord wants to bless us on this race just as much as He wants to grow us: found out we were staying in an apartment on the beach and the ministry we are working with: Global Challenge – is basically the South African version of AIM.
3/6/18 – first day of ministry! 8 of us went to Global Leadership Academy (a Christian school Global is building) to treat logs by painting them with boric acid and the other 5 went to help do manual labor elsewhere. In the afternoon we went to Beats and Books, an after school/music program for kids. One kid asked me to help her with her African homework but I couldn’t understand it..
3/7/18 – worked on logistics for the squad today and also got to FaceTime my family before Critter went to school! (The 6 hour time difference made that easy for me). Also, my team did the Ipod challenge.. look it up!
3/8/18 – almost finished debarking and painting the logs this morning! And had a dance party while painting them!
3/9/18 – made French Toast for dinner!!!!! AND we have cotton towels in the bathrooms – it’s the little things.
3/10/18 – off day: got to have breakfast with one of my teammates and then we went to watch everyone else surf (I didn’t because a cut on my foot is infected)!
3/11/18 – went to Face-to-Face Church this morning and Celebration Church this evening. While at Celebration we met some YWAMers which was super cool!
3/12/18 – did a Bible Study with the interns at Global this morning and helped write encouraging messages on cups at a coffee shop so people can know Jesus sees them even when they are drinking coffee!
3/13/18 – logistics day again: talked with our leaders back in the states and told them of the place we are staying with for debrief: YWAM Cape Town!
3/14/18 – had an African Braai with the interns this evening where we taught each cards games and laughed and became close friends.
3/15/18 – went to another Braai tonight for a person in our house church’s birthday! While here we split up into prayer groups and I happen to get into one that was praying for America. Who would’ve thought? A group in believers concerned enough about us and our country that they would make space to pray for us.
3/16/18 – had a Bible study with the interns again and then went to Beats and Books in the afternoon to play games and teach them the English alphabet! They love to do group games in a circle!
3/17/18 – went to dinner at Nina’s with the interns where they have the best milkshakes!
3/18/18 – this morning we went to Face-to-Face church and breakfast and Victory Church in the evening – both services were great! A lot like the church in America but with more focus on the Holy Spirit.
3/19/18 – today we got to work on assessments for the kids at Beats and Books to try and see where they were at in their education level and hopefully learn how to teach them better!
3/20/18 – As logistics – haley and I found out that the building we had booked for debrief, which is in 9 days, in Cape Town got shut down due to the water crisis!! So today we researched new places to stay and are anticipating to see what the Lord is going to do with this one!
3/21/18 – played Pictionary for team time which was a lot of fun and resulted in a lot of laughs!
3/22/18 – this morning we went to a teaching that taught us how to share our testimony in 3 minutes and make Jesus the center of it! Great tool for conversations. And still don’t have anywhere to stay for debrief!
3/23/18 – had a teaching on Luke 10 where Jesus sends the disciples out with nothing and got to do a mini one! We listened to what the Lord asked us to do and ended up talking to a woman from Germany that didn’t believe in the Lord but that God was definitely working in! Learned a lot about what it looks like to take risks and trust God with where He is leading us!
3/24/18 – (dad’s bday!) went bungee jumping off of the highest bungee bridge in the world today! And met World Race parents from a different squad!!!
3/25/18 – a group of us were able to teach at a youth group at an African Church today which was super fun! The kids were so engaged which was very encouraging!
3/26/18 – (grandmas bday!!) Ate Mexican today! And our team played games and ate pudding for dessert! Sometimes it’s the little things that really make a place feel like home and the people around you feel like family.
3/27/18 – watched the sunrise at Supertubes this morning! It was beautiful! We went to Beats and books this afternoon to say bye to the kids which consisted of a lot of tears :(. And we also had house church for the last time. But on the plus side – we have a place for debrief!
3/28/18 – our hosts took us to an African restaurant for lunch where the cook let us try all the items one the menu! It was delicious! We also said bye to all of our hosts and boarded an overnight bus to Cape Town.
3/29/18 – got to Cape Town and was able to explore the town a little bit! And got to see our coaches, Bob and Wendy!!!!
3/30/18 – today was very uneventful. We did a lot of resting and sat in teachings from our peers and coaches – which we all needed.
3/31/18 – played some rumicube and cards and had another day of rest and teachings! Also tried to go to down but the busses weren’t running!!
4/1/18 – (Easter!!!) this morning we went to Hillsong Church and explored the mall of Cape Town. It was incredibly similar to malls in America! Haley also let me lead worship with her by reading the Gospel story, which was a great reminder to myself of why I am on this journey in the first place.
4/2/18 – today was full of fun things! We went to see penguins, ostriches, the most beautiful view of the ocean, to the top of table top mountain (1 of the 7 natural wonders of the world), and to McDonalds! It was a great day to see the Lord show off His creation
4/3/18 – today we hopped on a plane in Cape Town to get our journey to Malaysia started.
4/4/18 – after 3 flights, we arrived in Malaysia at 10:30pm. Tonight we are sleeping in the airport because our bus is picking us up at 7:30 the next morning!
4/5/18 – this afternoon we arrived in Penang, Malaysia after a 6 hour bus ride from the airport. We met our host and for settled in our new home for the month! We also had time to explore the city where we met Tom! An Asian with a food truck that sells burgers, that has become a fast friend!
Please continue praying for my team as we do ministry in Malaysia! Pray that we will take bold steps in sharing our faith with the people here. It is a primarily Muslim country but they are longing for something more personal And those who believe in and follow Jesus Christ have that: a personal God that hears our prayers and answers our questions when we are still and prepared to listen. Pray for the people of Malaysia to have softened hearts forward the Gospel and to not be afraid of their government.
Also please, please, please consider supporting my friends that are not fully funded yet! They are almost there and any donation would help! Click the link below to donate! They are a HUGE part of this journey!
annagilbery.theworldrace.org (it’s her birthday! So this would be a great gift!!!)
sheagreaves.theworldrace.org
elyssaranck.theworldrace.org
