Sorry about the lack of posts over the past two months. Internet in Africa is almost non-existent, and where it does exist, it is slower than 1990s dial up.
South Africa was fun! We were a part of a surfing and soccer ministry, and while I went back and forth between both, I enjoyed the surfing ministry the best. The water was freezing, and because it was the middle of South African winter there was a chilled wind, but the surfing kids were few and so during the ministry we were really able to pour into these boys. One of these boys in particular really surprised me.
Sohkewo (I’m probably spelling it wrong) was one of the boys who showed up almost every day we did surfing ministry. Due to lack of swimming apparel he would go out into the freezing water in only his undergarments, but he was there every day willing and excited to go out. I loved his determination in learning, he would paddle out, jump up on the board, usually fall off after 3 or 4 seconds, but would make his way back to catch the next wave. And trust me, these were not kind waves. They rolled in strong, one after the other, from different directions and yet he always tried and tried again. The last days we were in Coffee Bay, Sohkewo was baptized and met up with us on Sunday to go to church. I had the blessing of walking back from church with him; he doesn’t know too much English and I don’t speak any Xhosa, but I understood the smile he had on his face the whole walk home.
While his joy was contagious during the walk, I still look back and am overwhelmed by the determination he had on those waves. It never phased him when he fell, it never dampened his spirit or took away any of his passion to ride a wave. I want a faith like this. A determination to stop treading through life, but to climb onto my faith, putting all my weight, my strength, all of who I am onto it. Unashamed when I fall but no less determined, no less sure that this next time is the time I stand firmly; the time I glide by faith over the waves and currents that life throws at me all the way onto the shores of God’s Kingdom.
