Hello all!
I am sorry for my delay in updating you. I have been struggling to figure out what to write about from my time so far in South Africa. I hope you will bear with me as I try to give you a peak into my thoughts, feelings and experiences from the past two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa.
The first week went fairly well overall. We were staying in a place called Pinelands and we were not actually partnering with Kingdom Sports Ministries like I had first thought but we were able to be a part of several different local ministries. My highlight from week one was definitely Friday evening’s event…youth! Now, when I heard we were going to help out with the youth group from the church we were partnering with I got very excited as I have enjoyed helping out with the youth group at my home church. But this event was completely different from what I expected! The group that came to the church that night was a group from a ministry called Beth Uriel of about 20 or so young men aged between 18 and 30 something. They were troubled youth from the local area and were basically in rehab to get their lives back on track. Even though they were not the youth I expected I had the best time with them! We were able to play some games, sing praise to Jesus (in English and Afrikaans!), hear my teammate, Audra’s testimony, eat, and just hang out and chat together. I really enjoyed my time with those young men and was grateful to hear bits of some of their stories.
Week two was very different from the week before. Major conflict started to arise between our team and one of our hosts, which brought a lot of heartache and hurt into our house. We were no longer in a healthy or safe place, in pretty much all ways but physically, and it was bringing our team down emotionally we ended up deciding to move to a new location, Oceanview. It was hard to leave our ministries that we had started to build relationships with. It was difficult to leave behind those at the church we had gotten to know and love. Ministries that I was looking forward to being a part of in the week to come had to be let go of. But God is faithful and loving. He has given us a new and wonderful place to stay. He has given us great new hosts and new ministries to serve. I do feel like I left a little bit of my heart in my first home in Pinelands, but the Lord has work for us here to do in Oceanview, and He is blessing it greatly.
Although we only have a little time left here in South Africa, I want to just continue to enjoy my time here and the people around me. I want to keep my eyes, my focus, on Jesus always and to be able to show His love with those I meet along the way. Whether it is a quick smile, a hug, or a conversation, I want people to see Jesus in me, in how I act and how I talk. My heart’s desire for the rest of my time here in South Africa is to finish off this season of my life well and to bring glory to my Saviour and Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
