Last week was our first actual full week of ministry.
Woo hoo!
J
We worked at a ministry site called Refilwe, and helped out at a children’s camp hosted by Steve and Teresa Kinsley.
It was absolutely amazing!
Please check out
www.Refilwe.org
to see the awesome ministry that is taking place there.
God blew our minds from day one!
We were told over the weekend that because of different things happening in the school system that many kids might not come.
We knew it was an attack of the enemy to keep the kids from hearing the message of Christ’s love.
So our team prayed against the attack.
We prayed and prophesied that the kids would come in Jesus’ name.
And praise God they did!
We planned for about 100 kids and God blessed us with 200!
It was amazing, incredible, and almost more than we could handle.
I started the week with about 17 kids in my group and by Thursday and Friday my group grew to 24!
Eeek!
I could not have done it in my own strength, but God’s grace is sufficient!
The children we ministered to were absolutely beautiful.
My heart completely broke for two of the orphan/foster girls that lived at Refilwe.
Maria and Zandele (the girl in my main pic).
These girls were so full of life and joy.
I think Jesus actually ministered to me through their bright smiles and glowing eyes.
I could watch them all day.
You could tell that Jesus was with them and watching over them.
It was an honor to care for His beautiful children last week and have an opportunity to speak into their lives.
One afternoon I had the opportunity to minister at a nearby squatter camp.
The last count made by the government noted that there were approximately 83,000 child-headed households in the Joburg/Pretoria area. Joe Slovo is a community of tin and makeshift homes.
As I’m walking the streets of this community, praying for the Holy Spirit’s leading, I hear “Cristie!” I looked around, and noticed more and more of our kids from camp.
They were singing some songs we had taught them earlier that week and were full of smiles.
My heart was broken for these children even more as I realized this is where they lived; this was their home!
So many of them are suffering from abandonment and abuse, and there is no one to protect them except God himself.
We were even told that the only Jesus many of these children would hear all year long is what we told them that week! We shared about God’s love through salvation, protection, and provision.
I am so grateful we had the opportunity to share the love of Jesus last week.
This week we are continuing camp at a different location.
The children here are very well-educated and in a completely different class.
They are so intelligent and full of questions about the Word.
It’s awesome!
I had five children today which allowed a lot of one on one time.
We were talking about prayer, and one of my little girls asked, “Can God really speak to us?”
This opened up a huge conversation on how God wanted to have a relationship with them and how He desires to be their friend.
They were shocked as they had been taught that it is impossible for God to speak to them at all.
I am so excited to see all that God is going to do through us this week.
Please continue to lift my team and I in your prayers.
Our prayer is that God’s love would be expressed through us throughout the week and not one child would leave without knowing Christ as their personal Savior.
I love you all!
