HELLO PEOPLE OF AMERICA!!!
Howzit?!
I have sooo much to tell yall about whats been going on here in South Africa that I could probably write four blogs and still have tons of details left out but I’m gonna try to give you a powerpunch lowdown of the past month!
Since we got back from debreif on the 11th we’ve been involved in some of the coolest and most powerful things I’ve ever experienced!! Scheduled Ministry here generally has two parts: school & camp. Both parts are very different and indescribably awesome in their own ways!!
Camp: If you didn’t know, my team lives on a christian campsite in a small town on the coast. During the week, we take trips out to primary and high schools to teach classes, but on the weekends we often host camps for youth groups or student leaders. Our first camp was lead and planned by our hosts and our job was to be small group leaders, facilitate games, and make sure the kids go to bed on time. About an hour after that first camp began we realized we were gonna need a much bigger coffee stash. 200 kids and a schedule jam packed with activities, games & an insane dance called the monkey (that we did more times than I could count) wore us out to the max. (also due to the fact that kids were screaming all around us each night till the early mornin) we loved every second though! After that camp our host came to us and told us that at the next camp, two of my teammates were gonna be the camp leaders, we were shocked but excited, Brooke and Hannah did such an awesome job overseeing everything and it was one of our all time favorite camps! The kiddos were soaking up so much of the word and they had so many questions about the Lord,, it was such an incredible opportunity!!! After that camp was over, our ministry host came to us again and this time told us we were the ones building the camp from the ground up. We got up at the crack of dawn the next day and spent alot of time in prayer and prepared what we felt the Lord was leading us towards for the group coming in. We soon had three days planned to the brim with two sessions, tons of games, a trip down to the beach for a sandcastle building competition and a talent show! Me and my teammate Melina were put as camp leaders and the others were team leaders who each had thier own crazy group of 7th graders!!! We laughed, we cried, we danced alot. It was one of the wildest weekends yet but such an amazing opportunity to be able to love on those kids and pour into them what we’ve learned and what the Lord has taught us in our messy lives. Camp is kinda like one of those intense shows on tv in the sense that it should come with a “not suitable for all, discretion is advised” warning, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!! (I put a video link on here so you can get a taste of what camp was all about, Tarina asked me to make it for her so now you can see it too yay!)
Now we get to my absolute favorite part of ministry… ( drumroll please )… SCHOOL!!! If I would’ve read that a few months ago I wouldve slapped your granny! I never ever thought I could enjoy being on a school campus, but that was just one of Jesus’s big surprises for me because I absolutely head over heels love it!! Over the past several weeks we’ve been to many many schools of all shapes and sizes with kids to match. We’ve been thrown into classes with almost zero notice and told to teach about anything the Lord laid on our hearts. We’ve been fed chicken liver stew, anchovie mush, and porridge w/ chunky milk. We’ve had classes that dont say a word, and some where we harldy get a word in. We’ve played games, stood on chairs, slid across the floor, danced like maniacs, acted out countless skits and much much more. With a school visit it’s truly a new and exciting experience every single time & every single class. Ive never enjoyed public speaking, but in front of some of these classes, I could literally feel the presence of the Holy Spirit so strongly when I was up there sharing His word and there’s absolutely nothing like it!!! I LOVE SCHOOL! Its such an amazing opportunity we have here, because the laws in this country allow us to just walk into a school and spread the name of Jesus to every child we come into contact with. HOW BIZZARRO IS THAT?! I would never have that opportunity in the states and its truly one of the biggest blessings of being overseas.
However, it does come with many challenges. As much as I love teaching in the schools and sharing the radical love of Christ with the children of this land, my flesh often has quite a bit of resistance. Nothing about teaching is easy or natural for me… on my own and by my own will I wouldve NEVER chosen this type of ministry. Something that the Lord has continually revealed to me is that every time im about to step in front of a class, I have a crucial choice to make. I can either get up there and take up my alotted time by putting forth minimal effort and doing only what’s required for keeping the kids calm, sparing my own energy and emotions… OR I can choose to deplete myself of all I have to offer (which comes directly from Christ), grip tight to the opportunity entrusted to me, by Him, for the sake of His Kingdom, and do it all for just the chance that even one kid is touched by the Father speaking through me. Its a hard battle but every time He gives me the grace and strength I need to choose the latter. He is such a good and gracious Father!!!
So, that was alot but theres alot going on here. This country has been such a dream and every day I wake up here (even if its in a tent in a sandpit) I feel so incredibly blessed to be here doing the coolest job in the whole world: sharing the love of Jesus. Hes a really cool guy. Thanks for all you’re prayers… they really are working!!! I love you all so much and I promise I wont take so long to post next time!!
