This week I'm serving in the ministry department of POPUP, here in Pretoria, South Africa. I am serving alongside squadmate, Imelda Perez in CPR classes.
CPR stands for Continuous Personal Restoration. POPUP stands for People Upliftment Program and is dedicated to ministering to the community here through a holistic approach: meeting their practical needs (medical/dental, childcare, career skills…) and their spiritual needs (preaching the Gospel, teaching the Word of God, equipping the saints…)
For a majority of our day, we've shared God's word with our class, and we also read through some testimonies of former students. In their own words, they wrote what God has done in their lives. Keep in mind these are people who live very challening lives (gangs, rape, racism, abortion, poverty, drugs, etc.)
These are their stories:
"I now have hope, peace, and joy in my heart."
"I will not forget the word of God for the rest of my life and I will pass the message of God to my friends, family and neighbors."
"I heard the voice of the Lord I experienced there is life after having difficult life, everything in life has a purpose. God is there."
"I experienced that everything is possible through the strength of God."
"Today I can testify about the power of God and I have my doubts about life but I no longer doubt the love and power of God."
"I know that Jesus is the truth, the king of kings, in Him we have everything."
"As for being afraid of the world, now I say, watch out for a new creature of God. I feel so renewed and blessed."
"I thought that God does not exist. If He existed I would not have lost three sets of twins. His reason was for me to come to POPUP to know God better and to accept Him as my savior and to forget about my past. Everything happens for a reason."
"I know now my redeemer lives. I am a healed person."
"I no longer call my baby girl a mistake."
"I wasn’t a believer, I lived life to impress other people…I surrendered my whole life to Jesus Christ and that was something I never thought I would ever do in life."
"I was broken and hurt but now I found myself. I know how to forgive."
"I realized that God is color-blind!"
"I am a person who likes to pretend…but I know now that pretending is a poison."
"I now know that there is no love that is greater than our God’s love."
"I hated my son with all my heart because I thought he was a mistake. … I wanted to do an abortion but my mom refused, so I started to hate her too. … I learned to love my son and realize that he was not a mistake but that God wanted him to be born to be my son. And I forgive myself for hating my son."
"I learned that God can carry all our burdens."
"Before I came here at POPUP I was a drunk and used to fight with my brothers…so when I became changed and I no longer abused alcohol. I learned in life that we have to forgive one another."
"At POPUP I have learned that I must love myself before I can love someone else."
"I got a chance to renew my vows to receive God as my savior again."
"I now realize what I’m worth. I know that I’m not a mistake but I’m alive for a purpose."
"I’ve learned that where the Word of God is preached, God is there!"
"God created me with love and He knew what He was doing."
"I was always sad thinking of my future that I’m going to die poor living in a shack the rest of my life…now I know what it really means to be a Christian, I’m so happy even if I’m still under that shack."
"I’ve learned that I’m unique (1 in 7 billion)."
"Before I came here to POPUP I was feeling empty. POPUP changed my life I am a born again child of God!"
"I’ve accepted other cultures for their differences, and now– I love MORE."
"God is the only true God and there are no other gods before Him and I should stand for the truth of God – and should not compromise my faith."
"I am now living a FREE life because I know Jesus."
Before we spoke today, our class had a special treat for us. In Sotho (a native language), they were singing, "Lift Jesus higher. Jesus is our strength. Jesus is love."
