1st Blog!
Hey everybody, this is my first blog. Im sorry it has taken a month to get started. We have had a pretty busy and constantly changing schedule. I will be posting new updates every week (hopefully haha). First of all i just want to thank all my supporters who were willing to give and join in this ministry with me. So much has happened and I know God has so much more to come!
Before I even got to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa (which is where im staying until december 19th) I was able to speak with a south african phycologist on the plane. He was really interested in what I was doing here in Africa. I explained it all and my heart towards it all and some scripture to back up my reasoning. We also got into conversations about how love perfects all and lots of deep stuff. I ended finding out he was muslim, which was quite a surprise after all he allowed me to say about christianity. This woman who was on the other side of him on the plane came up to me after the flight with a lot of excitement and said she was a missionary in Port Elizabeth for 14 years and she was so happy because she said what was discussed really got through to that man because I hit a lot of big points and, that whatever the purpose God has for me being here that could have been it. It was really cool. I really felt the Lord guiding my thoughts and speech. So that was definitely cool to be able to be used by God before I got into my official “ministry time”.
I could talk about all the interesting cultural stuff and cool stuff we have seen but thats not why im here. Im here to serve God and His people. So just to keep me focused I want to talk about the ministry we are doing here. If you are curious about anything else just shoot me an email at [email protected]. I will be able to respond to you through email, and would love to talk to you all individually and here how you all are doing too!
I got assigned my ministry location which will be working in a type of safety house for kids. Its called ITHEMBA which means “hope”. These kids go through so much at young ages, such as; disregard from their parents, no schooling, rape from friends and family, beat for new things and small amounts of money, and into drugs(glue, gasoline, and alcoholics at young ages). The Ithemba is a place where the kids can come and we watch over, feed, and teach them. I am teaching 5-9 year olds math, english, and just started teaching a couple of them music. They are naturally talented and desire to learn music but they dont have the opportunity to learn anywhere else so they love learning how to play guitar and a little music theory. Its also a great time to talk to some of the kids one on one instead of being in a big room with kids running around everywhere haha. I have already been discouraged a little by the feeling of just babysitting the kids, but I have been encouraged by my leaders that by being the only male working at the Ithemba, I have an opportunity to be a huge example of a good fatherly figure and Jesus to them. Most of the fathers/men here are fishermen and come home and drink every night and abuse the kids and women so they dont have a good image of what a Godly man looks like. Its difficult and need your prayers for patience and persistence with the kids so I am able to represent Christ at all times. They wear me out a lot. Right when you walk in, they come and literally climb up on you, sometimes 3-4 at a time haha. I consider it a huge blessing though that God allows me to be used for the benefit of His kingdom.
This Friday we will be leaving to go work with an organization called “Beat the Drum”. My whole team will be going to that with some other ministries around the area talking in the schools and prisons about AIDS awareness. The other day I was asked to go to another smaller rural village separate of my team and work there with beat the drum. I am very excited about that. I get to stay with a rural family and minister to them and then work within a smaller area with some African missionaries instead of my AIM team. I feel as though I will need to/ learn to rely on Gods guidance more and become closer with some of the other Africans. We will be there for 8 days then come back and I will come back to the Ithemba. There is a lot of racism there so please pray that we will be able to break that mindset. There will only be myself and one other american working in this town.
I have been learning so much lately. Learning what I am not and what is not mine. My home is in Christ. He is my present and future. By committing to follow Him I give up all of myself; body, mind, and soul. “Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8. When all of myself is given up and I come to God with a Pure Heart, He is with me and with all of us when we do this. This has helped my prayer life so much and helped me be able to listen to the spirit at all times and not just when I sit down and pray for advice when I feel as though I cant handle a situation. I can actually pray to God and speak to Him. I am so excited about practicing this and solidifying this in my life in the next 7 months. I praise God that His promises are eternally true and that we can always depend on Him. The closer we draw to Him the more he reveals Himself, and it never ends!
I love you all and would love to hear from everyone. So please comment or email me sometime!
*I cant take any pictures in the townships or of the kids just yet. I will try to post some pictures of where I am working and with whom soon.
*Please forgive any grammatical errors too haha.
Peace and Love with Christ.
