Hello everyone long time no speak!
I spent this last week in prison so I did not have wifi to blog…so here I am! This past week we stayed in the Old Pietermerritsburg Prison where Nelson Mandela stayed for a period of time. We trekked several hours from Johannesburg to Pietermerritsburg with pastor Fundili to join his ministry. Throughout the week we got to participate in church services, outreach, elderly homes, and student ministry. It was a busy and tough week for me, but it was fulfilling!
This week I was physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. This was definitely the hardest week for me on the Race, I was honestly just wanting to go home. I have seen A LOT of growth in my character and in my walk with the Lord, and honestly felt that I was ready to leave the World Race and bring home everything I have experienced and learned while on this journey; however, God isn’t done with me on this trip just yet. It was really hard to fight homesickness and lusting over life after the Race, but thankfully God is patient with me and helped me through the week.
We got to go to a prayer meeting with Pastor Fundili and his House Church to start the week off. It was an incredible night filled with prayer (obviously), worship, testimonies, God’s Word, fellowship and refreshments (on a small food budget this is ALWAYS appreciated). We spent our first day doing a skit, testimony, message, and manual labor at a school. It was a great first day, we cleaned out gutters, we gardened, we dug out drains, and we swept. The next day we went to a small chapel at a school and shared with the faculty what we were doing in South Africa and got to share a small message, worship and fellowship with some wonderful staff from a great Christian school. The rest of our day was spent at the beach in Durban which was a great time of rest. That night we attended a revival service with several pastors in the area and worshipped for a LONG time and heard A LOT from several pastors. I was hoping to enjoy myself, however, they had HUGE outdoor speakers crammed in an outdoor tent (not very big) and had the music cranked all the way up. I literally had to hold my hands over my ears for more than half the service and I just found myself VERY irritable— all I was thinking was, “TURN DOWN THE FLIPPING SPEAKERS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT YOU’RE SINGING AND PRAYING ABOUT”— it was literally as if not more painful than a gun going off next to my head (I know this from hunting). The next day was VERY busy! I was honesty still irritable from the night before, I was tired in every way, and I just wanted to be home. But thankfully God was with me. We went to five schools all before lunch and did two different skits, a testimony, and a message for high school and primary school students. I got the opportunity to preach to some primary students about LOVE…God’s Spirit was so clearly with me because despite my crappy mood, after praying I felt peace and joy and love that I got to share with these students. THANK YOU GOD! This lifted my spirits for the day, but then God exceeding my expectations and blew me away…
At one of our last schools for the week I was one of the several people not involved in the skit, testimony, or Word. I was just a hype man. After sharing with the kids I was getting ready to head straight back to our van and when I turned around a familiar face was running up to me. A 13 year old boy that we had met the first night at the prayer meeting, “NKO”, had the biggest smile on his face and gave me a huge hug. He was so excited to see me he was out of breath and practically shaking. In my arms with a BIG smile and said, “Ty, I was SO happy to see you! When I looked at you this morning I felt like I was looking at Jesus Himself, you remind me of Him! So many people think we are trash, but you came ALL the way from America and you have so much LOVE for others! I’m going to miss you so much!”. At this point I had to choke back tears and I didn’t want to let go him. Even writing this makes me teary eyed and want to see NKO again.
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
— John 13:35
I am so thankful for God’s impeccable timing with this amazing young boy. It humbled me and lifted me up at the same time and made my entire week. My only purpose is to glorify God and to shine Christ’s light with my EVERYTHING! This encounter really encouraged me, because though I was feeling really crappy this week I still showed up every day and when I was least expecting it God showed me so much love and so much grace through the words of NKO. It’s not about what I feel, feelings lead people astray. It’s about God’s truth, Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. My life is not my own, I am a living sacrifice to God for His glory.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” — Romans 12:1
“I have been crucified with Christ. it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20
