There’s always more than one side to every story. It’s like that in countries. It can vary so much from place to place. Often when we go to a new country, we don’t get to see or experience the fullness due to staying in one place or sheer lack of time.
We as a team have had the opportunity to encounter more than one side of South Africa. Initially, we were staying in Pinelands, which is a well off area in the suburbs.
As a team, we were so kindly welcomed into Christ Church Sybrand Park. Their hospitality and generosity was such a blessing. I loved forming friendships so quickly with members of the church and loved spending time with them.
We had the privilege of being apart of New Dawn which is an incredible ministry. Kathy and Jenny have such a love for the children and families of their area and their work is providing such hope and light in the community.
New Dawn welcomes kids in the morning to come have breakfast before they go to school. The kids know that it is more than just a program. They are loved, cared, and prayed for not only every morning in that building, but every day.
Hearing Kathy talk about New Dawn was humbling. She said “It’s amazing when you find what you were created to do.” That’s what I want. She definitely inspired me to keep going after my passions and looking for the ways God can use them.
Our time in Pinelands was good but there were difficulties. Our team had to leave the home due to some conflict with one of the hosts. It was affecting the way we were working together and doing ministry and ultimately wasn’t allowing God to do His best work through us.
Although we can see how God used it to bring us much closer together we are so thankful that we were able to enjoy another aspect and community of South Africa.
Ocean View seemed like a world away. At the same time, I felt so at home. The streets were busier and there was music playing everywhere and all the time. As we walked everywhere, we got to see kids playing in the street and just the day to day lives of our neighbours.
We spent the rest of the month working along some of the other teams in our squad. This allowed such a variety of ministries including: street ministry, working in the local schools, hospital visits and hanging out with locals.
We were so blessed to have lived in more than one area and experience the diversity of this country and its culture. We got to spend so much time together as a team, learning about each other and our gifts and encouraging the work that God has already started.
