Costa Rica and the people I met there will always have a special place in my heart, however, I have realized that I have more of a heart for Africa than I thought I would. For whatever reason when I was called to missions/ministry I had this thought in my mind that God wouldn’t want me in Africa long term because that’s where stereotypical missionaries would live. But after being here for a couple weeks I have fallen deeply in love with South Africa and the Lord has truly broken my heart for these people.
I have been in South Africa for a little over a week and I am in LOVE with this country! My team (Relentless) and one of the girls’ teams (Salt & Light) are at Impact Africa in Johannesburg. Impact Africa is a non-profit organization that has three main subdivisions: Impact Baby Rescue, Impact kids, and Impact students. Due to a dense population and high percentage of poverty, there are many women who cannot provide for babies so opt for abortion, throw their babies in a dumpster, or even leave them on a curb. Unfortunately, abortion centers make it very easy and cheap for women to abort their babies and there are signs EVERYWHERE that say “ABORTION, a quick and cheap cleaning”. Babies that are rescued or left in their safe baby dropbox (a place where women can safely/anonymously drop off their babies) are cared for in the Impact Baby Homes until the child has a forever family. The Impact Kid’s Preschool and Community Care Centers’ goal is to reach and educate the underprivileged, orphaned, and at-risk children through quality, caring Christian education. Impact Students is directly involved with public schools who have asked us to come teach their student’ Life Orientation class on a weekly basis. Impact Students provokes South African youth away from addictions and equips them with the transformational Gospel of Christ.
Johannesburg is the economic hub of Africa so countless people from all over Africa flood to South Africa for more opportunities. However, because there are so many people from so many different places it is difficult to find jobs and very difficult to live. This has led to many dense impoverished communities, called “squatter camps”. Just a few miles from the richest of all of Africa are some of the most impoverished. It is truly overwhelming to see such vast differences in community, economy, and living conditions.
My group and I have been doing street evangelism and kids programs in these squatter camps five days out of the week. It has been the most incredible experience stepping out and allowing God to use us as His vessels in these communities. It is far out of my comfort zone to just walk around and share the Gospel with strangers. However, God has been showing me that I’m not to go around and shove Jesus in people’s faces, but to REPRESENT the Gospel. We’re to go around and LOVE others by serving them, by listening to them, by building relationships with them and by SHOWING them who Jesus is. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). People have been speechless when we go into their homes and help with laundry, wash dishes, and simply just talk with them for sometimes hours at a time. This ministry has been a very humbling experience.
I have been even more overwhelmed by how genuine and hospitable people have been in these squatter camp communities. In just a couple weeks I have personally sat down and talked with over 30 people in their homes, mostly by direct invitation! These people have very little, yet they don’t even think twice about opening their home and even in some instances feeding us. In the last couple weeks our group has interacted with over 150 people, over 5 people have been physically healed, and over 30 people have come to Christ! Whether or not they know it these people are so hungry for God and the true hope, peace, love, and joy that only He can give!
Thank you so much for reading! Please stay tuned for some specific testimonies that have happened over the last couple weeks! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
God bless,
Ty
