It’s still hard for me to believe that I have actually stepped foot into Africa! This month in South Africa has been a blessing on many levels. First of all, the time that we have spent here so far has resulted in great relationships with our contacts and a missionary couple staying with us. The people here in South Africa have a passion to see their communities changed. They have taken this desire into their own hands and started great organizations to make this a reality. The two organizations we are most familiar with are BEAM Africa & African Endeavor.
Above: Mike and Jeanine founders of African Endeavor
This month has come to a close far too quickly. Leaving Pretoria is bittersweet knowing the work that God has started and with so much more to come in this new year of 2012. The people that we have met this month have poured and invested into us as a group and individually, through edifying us, pushing us, challenging us, prophesying over us, and experiencing life with us. We have come into this month knowing that it was going to be a month of manual labor and pushing into our team (due to it being our first month alone as a team). However, this month turned into so much more than we could have expected!
Without a doubt God has used this month to get my attention in a variety of ways! It is kind of crazy how He works, and uses His creation. One of the first and more painful ways God got my attention was through wasp stings (2 different times on different days). At first it was painful, but was a choice nonetheless as to how to take it and use it! I took it as a great reminder for me to slow down and take my time with my God and my wife! This was followed up by a romantic evening that was planned by our teammates (and given to us as a Christmas present), this just reaffirmed the significance of spending time with your wife and the privilege that I have to do this race with my life-long lover and best friend!
Another moment was through our contact Louis, when on ‘Old’ Year’s Eve (that is what they call it here in S.A) he prophesied over us and gave us encouraging words for our futures. God reminded me how swiftly and without hesitation our lives move forward. We have already gone through 6 months of this race and at times it has felt like a blink of an eye. Soon enough we will be back in the United States examining what might be next for us, and the changes that have occurred in our hearts and minds. Our God is amazing and continues to give us favor and discernment that will guide us to the places Emily and I need to be when we return to the states!
God also has showed up and reminded me of the magnificent and complex creator that he is through our African Safari. It is one thing to see the animals in a zoo and another to see them roaming around in their natural African environment. We had so much fun and were able to truly take in that we are in Africa!
