Hello! I am so glad that you are here to read about our trip. What an amazing experience this was for all of us. Below you will find my personal journal from our 16 days in Bethlehem, South Africa. While the journal will try and detail for you the highlights, there is obviously no way to fully communicate to you what this trip was like for me. I feel so blessed to have been able to go on this trip. My church family that supported this trip has been such a blessing to me. I am eternally grateful for the many that gave their own money to help our students go and experience the world in this way.
One of the things that I always like to do after a trip is to ask "How am I different now?" It's a way to help me process the things that I experienced and to make sure that I don't continue to live the same way I was living before God showed me something new. This trip is no different. It was life-changing for me. It has been two years since God first laid on my heart the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. I promised him then that I would go and see things for myself and do what I could to make a difference. Since then, that vision grew and spread to others. Seventeen of us from First Baptist Church of Yucaipa ended up making this trip after raising many thousands of dollars.
So what has changed? How am I different? I will never be the same, that is for sure. The people that I met on this trip have changed me forever. The YWAM staff in Los Angeles, as well as at the base in South Africa, have taught me immeasurable things about prayer. I learned to pray in a way that is more powerful than anything I have known before. In Bethlehem, I began to learn a dependence on God that is unlike anything I have known before. It became so clear to me that God is still speaking to his children, and that he is still moving in mighty ways. I was so aware of his presence in this place and his desire to redeem people. In the midst of darkness and hopelessness I am convinced that God spoke to us and used us to bring about hope to those that had none.
One of the questions that goes through my head is "What difference can we really make?" I mean, why go all the way to Africa, why spend all this money? While I don't know that I can fully answer that, I have come to a couple of conclusions. First, the impact that our visit had on people can never be measured. The prayers that we said for healing, the people we encouraged - we will never know how those things turned out. My feeling is that God will use the time we spent, the words that we said, the smiles that we showed to further his kingdom in this place. Secondly, the lasting impact on us is probably greater than anything else. We will never be the same. We will never spend money in quite the same way, we will never vote in quite the same way, we will never read the news in quite the same way, we will never pray in quite the same way, we will never see pain and suffering in quite the same way, we will never see missions in quite the same way, we will never see God in quite the same way. Our marriages, our relationships, our careers, our futures will never be quite the same as if we had never gone. Everything we do will be done through the filter of a worldview that includes the hurting people of South Africa. And that will affect us, our children, our churches, our neighborhoods, our classrooms, and every person with whom we come into contact.
As you read about our trip, please feel free to contact me with questions or comments. The point of this is to encourage you and to bless you. Start by clicking on July 13 (on the right) and work your way back up. Enjoy the pictures, and feel free to leave comments. God Bless!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
July 28, 2007
Today was the final day in Africa. We got up in the morning, had a nice breakfast, and headed to "Bruma" - a local outdoor market. It is apparently a very dangerous area, with lots of crime. We prayed a lot about that and took measures to make sure we were safe. Our students were aware of the danger of theft so we were all very careful to stay together, and to be aware of our surroundings. Thankfully God kept us safe. The market was pretty neat. There were lots of handmade things from all over Africa. We were able to shop for our families and barter for prices. I got some good deals on some things and had a good time picking out gifts for people. But again, I was most excited about getting on the plane in the evening and heading home. We finally did leave the airport and begin the 24 hour journey home.
July 27, 2007
Today is our last day in Bethlehem. This morning half of our team went into Bohlokong and painted a preschool building. It looked beautiful when it was finished. The other half of us (all guys) went to the Bombalela in Bohlokong and tried to dig a hole for an eventual toilet. It was about 6 feet across and it needed to be two meters deep. The first half meter was rather easy, but after that the hard red clay and rock began to really slow us down. The wind was also howling and making it difficult to see with all the sand and dirt blowing around. We had fun taking turns digging, while we talked with our African friends from the YWAM base. But I must confess that I couldn't wait to be done and leaving. Eventually we went back to the base, cleaned up, loaded the vehicles and got on our way. It is about a four hour drive back to Johannesburg. The drive was scary, as the wind was blowing fiercely, and our little van and trailer were swerving all over the place. We were quite crammed in the vehicle - it was one of the worst drives ever for many of us. But we did finally arrive. We stayed the night at a bed and breakfast that was amazing - it was called Le Chateau. It was super fancy, quite a stark contrast to our lodging for the last two weeks. We stayed for free as the owner is a friend of YWAM and our directors. We went out to dinner at a local mall and had some great food! I had BBQ chicken skewers and absolutely loved it.
July 26, 2007
Today was a day off from ministry. We got up this morning and drove to "Clarens", a little community in the sand stone mountains. We were told that people like Prince Harry and Brad Pitt spend time here. It's basically an artist community. It reminded me of Big Bear village, or even Oak Glen. There were lots of art galleries and souvenir type shops. Most things were expensive. I purchased one painting that to me is beautiful. It shows a couple of African women walking with loads of sticks on their head, and a child walking with them. It is something I saw many times here in Africa, and the color and beauty of this painting seemed to capture that for me. It was a relaxing morning. After that we drove into Bethlehem and had lunch (a pizza!) and looked in some more stores. I am very much anticipating our trip to Johannesburg tomorrow and the fact that this is my last night at the base. I've grown to love many of the people here, but I love the people back home too much to spend another day here. I am thankful for all that I have learned here - the power of prayer being the greatest.
July 25, 2007
This morning we went to an old person's home, or retirement community. It was all white Afrikaans speaking people. Many spoke English. I met one couple who had been married 24 years, a second marriage for each of them. Shortly after their marriage he was in a car accident and broke his neck, leaving him a quadriplegic. More recently he had a stroke which caused them to need to be in this home. The faithfulness of this woman was amazing - to stick by her husband through all of this. In America, the husband would likely have been stuck in a home for others to take care of while the wife continued her life outside. But here this woman was living in this hospital with her husband.
Another couple we met in this facility (a hospital surrounded by 60 homes - all old age) had been married 65 years! They showed us pictures of their kids and we had a good time talking together. The husband kept asking why I didn't shave my beard, haha. Finally, this last person we met was a woman named Dorothy. She was so sweet. She was a widow. She made us tea and coffee. We spent more than an hour with her listening to her stories, and sharing ours.
In the afternoon we went to one of the local farms and spent time with some 25-3 children. The guys played a huge soccer game which was great. Some of the littlest kids were so good.
Then at night we had a graduation ceremony for Simon and his wife who had finished their DTS (Discipleship Training School with YWAM). It was a fun time. Jordan led some worship and it was really food - people were singing at the top of their voices. We also had some celebratory songs and dancing at the end led by our African brothers. I'll definitely miss their joy, their dancing, and their songs.
Another couple we met in this facility (a hospital surrounded by 60 homes - all old age) had been married 65 years! They showed us pictures of their kids and we had a good time talking together. The husband kept asking why I didn't shave my beard, haha. Finally, this last person we met was a woman named Dorothy. She was so sweet. She was a widow. She made us tea and coffee. We spent more than an hour with her listening to her stories, and sharing ours.
In the afternoon we went to one of the local farms and spent time with some 25-3 children. The guys played a huge soccer game which was great. Some of the littlest kids were so good.Then at night we had a graduation ceremony for Simon and his wife who had finished their DTS (Discipleship Training School with YWAM). It was a fun time. Jordan led some worship and it was really food - people were singing at the top of their voices. We also had some celebratory songs and dancing at the end led by our African brothers. I'll definitely miss their joy, their dancing, and their songs.
July 24, 2007
Wow. I'm really ready to go home. I lay awake at night and look forward to the next day because it is one day closer to when we go home. I love this place, but I miss my home. However, today was amazing. This morning took us forever to leave (the schedule here is rather frustrating) but we finally did leave for Bohlokong. Somehow word gets out when we arrive there and women and children come to the Bombalela for singing, dancing, and encouragement. Jessica shared her testimony, which was great - it was the first time she had done that before. The women sang beautifully. I was outside most of the time playing with a few boys. After the service, we passed out bread to all the children. They come prepared with bags. The kids are beautiful.
As we were kind of hanging around waiting to leave, I met a boy who was talking to Kevin. His name I can't pronounce, but his English name he said was Harold (in the hat). He knew four languages. He couldn't have been older than 13 or 14 years old. But he spoke with HOPE! I don't know how else to explain it. He had determination and confidence that he would rise up and do something with his life. He told us that his friends smoke and drink and they make fun of him because he doesn't do that. He is intensely serious about school and his education. He clearly sees education as his means out of this life. I asked him what he wants to be when he is older and he said "I need to be a doctor." He was so intent on this. You can see that he wants to change the world. We prayed for him right then that this would happen and he would become a doctor like his heart desired. He told us of how we bring so much hope to these people and that we need to come back. He then began to tell us about his family. He said that his parents used to fight and his father would beat his mother. Then the split up, which made him very sad. He said he wanted to kill himself, but some people prayed for him, and he no longer wanted to do that. He wished sometimes that his parents were together, but when he remembers what his father did to his mother, he is glad they are not. Then he said the most amazing thing ever. He said, "Sometimes I wish I could hate him, but I can't because I've learned to forgive." Wow! Lord, give me that kind of heart. This kid was to me an answer to our prayers on the first day up on that mountain top. We prayed that God would raise up young people who would change this place, the "Place of pain" into a "Place of Hope." I believe that Harold will be one of those people. He was oozing hope all over the place and I am blessed because I met him.July 23, 2007
Today we spent the morning working on the base. Miguel (the YWAM base director) wanted us to cut down this huge tree - it was pretty ridiculous. The longer I'm here the more frustrated I become. What seems rational to this culture is sometimes totally irrational to me. Fortunately his chainsaw wasn't working right so we got out of that job.
After that we went to pray for some people near the base. Apparently this man gave YWAM all its buildings and its land, so we prayed for him and his workers and his family that God would bless them.
In the afternoon we went back to Eden - the first orphanage we had gone to. It was neat because it didn't take any time this time for the kids to warm up to us. They saw us coming and ran to meet us. It was neat to firm up some friendships that had started the first time. Julius and I sat and talked a while. He was asking about what a "good wife" is - so I described Kimi to him. Someone told him to pray for a good wife so he was wondering what that means. We also talked a bit about his culture of Ghana. The other night we were talking to Nicodemus (our roommate) and he was telling us about Zambia. He told us he went through a circumcision ceremony when he was five years old. We couldn't believe it! He remembers it clearly. He told us that afterwards they cook up the foreskin and eat it. Yuck! Anyway, he told us how in his culture you would be shunned if you weren't circumcised. Every man and woman must be circumcised. Women can't be married unless they go through this. This is where our conversation got strange. Nico doesn't seem to think that female circumcision is anything but normal. However, I've been reading lately about this practice and how devastating it is to women. Many can no longer conceive, some are so damaged they are no longer desired. Others get bad infections and even die. The process removes the clitoris, and therefore any sense of pleasure. I want to help Nico to understand why this is bad, but I'm not sure how to do that. For him, it's just a normal part of his culture. Anyway, Julius said the don't do that in Ghana, and he was equally bothered by the whole thing. The problem is that Nicodemus doesn't really understand what happens. He told us that in his country there are commercials that urge everyone to be circumcised, and it says that it can help prevent HIV. Wow! This is a government sponsored commercial promoting bogus ideas. It's amazing that things can be so primitive.
After that we went to pray for some people near the base. Apparently this man gave YWAM all its buildings and its land, so we prayed for him and his workers and his family that God would bless them.
In the afternoon we went back to Eden - the first orphanage we had gone to. It was neat because it didn't take any time this time for the kids to warm up to us. They saw us coming and ran to meet us. It was neat to firm up some friendships that had started the first time. Julius and I sat and talked a while. He was asking about what a "good wife" is - so I described Kimi to him. Someone told him to pray for a good wife so he was wondering what that means. We also talked a bit about his culture of Ghana. The other night we were talking to Nicodemus (our roommate) and he was telling us about Zambia. He told us he went through a circumcision ceremony when he was five years old. We couldn't believe it! He remembers it clearly. He told us that afterwards they cook up the foreskin and eat it. Yuck! Anyway, he told us how in his culture you would be shunned if you weren't circumcised. Every man and woman must be circumcised. Women can't be married unless they go through this. This is where our conversation got strange. Nico doesn't seem to think that female circumcision is anything but normal. However, I've been reading lately about this practice and how devastating it is to women. Many can no longer conceive, some are so damaged they are no longer desired. Others get bad infections and even die. The process removes the clitoris, and therefore any sense of pleasure. I want to help Nico to understand why this is bad, but I'm not sure how to do that. For him, it's just a normal part of his culture. Anyway, Julius said the don't do that in Ghana, and he was equally bothered by the whole thing. The problem is that Nicodemus doesn't really understand what happens. He told us that in his country there are commercials that urge everyone to be circumcised, and it says that it can help prevent HIV. Wow! This is a government sponsored commercial promoting bogus ideas. It's amazing that things can be so primitive.
July 22, 2007
We went to an Afrikaans church this morning. It was fairly comparable to FBCY in terms of music. 99% white, and a wealthier congregation. I find myself having to be careful not to judge people or churches like this one. It was not nearly as exciting as the black churches. However, they seem to have passionate people who are involved in the community - even in Bohlokong. They talked about several of the ministries that they are doing there. We did a drama in the service and our leader Jon shared his testimony and encouraged people to get involved in missions. The rest of the day was pretty much a time of rest.
July 21, 2007
Today was Saturday. We spent the morning at a place called Christenburg. It was basically a village for older poor Afrikaans people. They spoke English so it was easier to talk to them. We went around talking to people, encouraging them, and praying for them. Most of them know the Scriptures very well. As we spent time talking, you can still hear the effects of apartheid. There's still tension between blacks and whites. That's not surprising though, as it has only been 13 years since apartheid ended. It's kind of like being in America just after the civil rights movement I suppose.
The rest of the day was free. On Saturday, everything closes early (midday) except for things like the movie theater. So we went into town and saw Transformers. The movie was 25 rand, so that's basically $3.50. Can't beat that in the U.S. I also bought a calling card and talked to Kimi and Hannah. Because of the weekend rates, I was able to talk quite a while. That did so much to encourage my spirit. I miss them a ton. I love South Africa, but it's difficult to be away from home for so long.
The rest of the day was free. On Saturday, everything closes early (midday) except for things like the movie theater. So we went into town and saw Transformers. The movie was 25 rand, so that's basically $3.50. Can't beat that in the U.S. I also bought a calling card and talked to Kimi and Hannah. Because of the weekend rates, I was able to talk quite a while. That did so much to encourage my spirit. I miss them a ton. I love South Africa, but it's difficult to be away from home for so long.
July 20, 2007
Yesterday we didn't do much. It was kind of nice. We went around town in the morning and prayed for the local newspaper staff, and then broke into pairs and went to local businesses to pray. My sister in law Kandy and I went together but every business we asked didn't want us to pray. So we basically walked around, looked in stores, ate lunch, and then checked email. It was great to hear from Kimi in email - she said the baby is moving a lot inside her. I called her last night - oh it was great. I miss her so much so it was great to just hear her voice.
This morning our ladies were taking part in a women's service here at the base. Us guys went to a clinic. This is the second clinic I've been to now. It was 90% women, most with small children, and it was packed! We shared a testimony with them, sang some songs, and then prayed for them. Many of the women lined up for prayer so it was really neat to see. I prayed for three or four women and their children. It's sometimes tough to know how to pray, because many of these women have HIV. But they are eager for prayer, asking for healing so that's how I pray. I also pray that they would know the love of Jesus, and that they would have a hope and a future.
After the clinic we went back to Bohlokong to walk through the squatter camp and pray for people. This time was like the others as we prayed. A couple of times we were invited inside the homes which was neat because we got to see what these homes were actually like. One woman invited us in to pray for her 21 year old daughter who was very sick. She was sitting on a chair drinking coffee - but she had that same look I've seen here too much - hollow, blank stare. She is likely infected with HIV. we noticed a tent set up in the village and asked about it. Apparently they are set up each weekend to prepare for Saturday's funerals. It's a weekly process here. Today we walked around with Chofa, our translator. It's the second time I've spent time with him. He's a great guy. He finds it funny that we pray so calmly - he says often groups get loud and crazy, casting demons out of everything they see. We had a good laugh about that. He also found it strange that we ask permission to walk into someone's yard or home. The people here are very warm and welcoming. I told him about the hotels in San Francisco and how people are afraid to answer their doors. He was surprised about that. I also met his friend, another one of our translators. He's a rap producer, has a studio and everything. He played one of his tracks for us. We talked about music for a bit, it was pretty cool.
Now this afternoon was the most amazing experience ever!! We went to a lion park. Dozens of lions - and we went in the cage and played with them!! They came up to us after eating a cow or something and they had blood on their faces. I got blood all over my arm. Words can't even do it justice. The guy who raises the lions told us before we went in, "If anything goes wrong today, don't run. If you run, you're dead. Seriously." WOW! Later on we went and held the baby lions, which was great too. Once in a lifetime experience!
Afterwards, we went to one of the nearby farms and played with the kids. We had a big soccer game. We also told them a bible story and sang some songs. It was a beautiful area. Riding back from the farm was a surreal experience. It was a beautiful African sunset over these fields, riding in the back of a pickup full or people - some African boys singing in Sutu. I was looking at Darius, Kevin, riding with me - I just couldn't believe this day was real. We laughed about it as we talked about how unbelievable it was. Thank you God for these moments - holy moments.
This morning our ladies were taking part in a women's service here at the base. Us guys went to a clinic. This is the second clinic I've been to now. It was 90% women, most with small children, and it was packed! We shared a testimony with them, sang some songs, and then prayed for them. Many of the women lined up for prayer so it was really neat to see. I prayed for three or four women and their children. It's sometimes tough to know how to pray, because many of these women have HIV. But they are eager for prayer, asking for healing so that's how I pray. I also pray that they would know the love of Jesus, and that they would have a hope and a future.
After the clinic we went back to Bohlokong to walk through the squatter camp and pray for people. This time was like the others as we prayed. A couple of times we were invited inside the homes which was neat because we got to see what these homes were actually like. One woman invited us in to pray for her 21 year old daughter who was very sick. She was sitting on a chair drinking coffee - but she had that same look I've seen here too much - hollow, blank stare. She is likely infected with HIV. we noticed a tent set up in the village and asked about it. Apparently they are set up each weekend to prepare for Saturday's funerals. It's a weekly process here. Today we walked around with Chofa, our translator. It's the second time I've spent time with him. He's a great guy. He finds it funny that we pray so calmly - he says often groups get loud and crazy, casting demons out of everything they see. We had a good laugh about that. He also found it strange that we ask permission to walk into someone's yard or home. The people here are very warm and welcoming. I told him about the hotels in San Francisco and how people are afraid to answer their doors. He was surprised about that. I also met his friend, another one of our translators. He's a rap producer, has a studio and everything. He played one of his tracks for us. We talked about music for a bit, it was pretty cool.
Now this afternoon was the most amazing experience ever!! We went to a lion park. Dozens of lions - and we went in the cage and played with them!! They came up to us after eating a cow or something and they had blood on their faces. I got blood all over my arm. Words can't even do it justice. The guy who raises the lions told us before we went in, "If anything goes wrong today, don't run. If you run, you're dead. Seriously." WOW! Later on we went and held the baby lions, which was great too. Once in a lifetime experience!Afterwards, we went to one of the nearby farms and played with the kids. We had a big soccer game. We also told them a bible story and sang some songs. It was a beautiful area. Riding back from the farm was a surreal experience. It was a beautiful African sunset over these fields, riding in the back of a pickup full or people - some African boys singing in Sutu. I was looking at Darius, Kevin, riding with me - I just couldn't believe this day was real. We laughed about it as we talked about how unbelievable it was. Thank you God for these moments - holy moments.
Monday, July 30, 2007
July 18, 2007
This morning has been amazing. We went to a hospital where probably a hundred or more women and their children sat it a room waiting for us. They sang for us, and then we shared. Jordan shared his testimony about hearing God, and then I preached a bit. I shared about Jesus and the woman at the well. Most of these women were probably HIV+ they told us. So I talked about this woman with a past she wasn't proud of, and Jesus who loved her anyway and offered her water of life. We encouraged the women, but they encouraged us too. When I was done preaching, one woman asked how it is that we had so many young men who were following Jesus. They wondered what we do to get such faithful young men. The contrast to their culture was huge. WE began sharing with each other about the role of men in culture. For the women there, their men - husbands, fathers, brothers - are drinking, living loosely, and failing their families. We tried to encourage them to pray for their men, and that we were praying for them, and that God wants to change Africa. It was amazing for me to hear their hearts, and how much they truly want husbands who will step up and lead. I was truly blessed by their hearts, and of course - their music! My spirit is renewed by their music. Afterwards, we gave all the children beanie babies and they were so happy. The moms were blessed too. Later, I was standing outside and a woman came up to our van talking to us. She was asking for prayer in Sutu and kept pointing to her stomach. There was obviously something wrong with it - a growth or something. Our leader "Tommy" asked her what was wrong and she lowered her skirt to reveal a massive growth - like a large potato. Kathy recognized it as a hernia. Tommy cringed and while it probably one of the grossest things I've seen - I only felt compassion. A couple of us laid hands on her and prayed for her to be healed. Right after that, another woman appeared with one small child by her side, and another in her arms. It was clear that he was blind. She asked us to pray for healing, and we did. The whole thing was such a holy experience. Her faith was such that she believed God could heal her son - and I prayed with a power that felt like he would. I pray that God will heal him. I climbed in the van, overwhelmed and drained - feeling incapable of doing anything on my own, but so sure that God was there and hearing our prayers.
After this, we drove to Bohlokong, and the Bombalela ("People who hold on to Jesus" - the name given to the YWAM building in the village). Our purpose there was to go throughout the village and pray for people. It was weird at first - many people looked at us strange, or didn't want prayer. (I should say, before we went walking around we prayed against the spiritual forces there as many people practice witchcraft.) We did meet some people and laid hands on them and prayed. One group of women asked us to pray as they prepared for a funeral - no doubt another victim of AIDS - one of the women's brothers. Many people asked for prayer for "sickness." For many there, it likely means HIV. One woman stood out to me - her eyes looked hollow, she looked like she was dying. By her side was a young girl - maybe 7 or 8 years old. Then we came across an older couple. We prayed for each of them and took their pictures so that we could remember to pray for them more. Emily and Pielo were their names.
After this, we drove to Bohlokong, and the Bombalela ("People who hold on to Jesus" - the name given to the YWAM building in the village). Our purpose there was to go throughout the village and pray for people. It was weird at first - many people looked at us strange, or didn't want prayer. (I should say, before we went walking around we prayed against the spiritual forces there as many people practice witchcraft.) We did meet some people and laid hands on them and prayed. One group of women asked us to pray as they prepared for a funeral - no doubt another victim of AIDS - one of the women's brothers. Many people asked for prayer for "sickness." For many there, it likely means HIV. One woman stood out to me - her eyes looked hollow, she looked like she was dying. By her side was a young girl - maybe 7 or 8 years old. Then we came across an older couple. We prayed for each of them and took their pictures so that we could remember to pray for them more. Emily and Pielo were their names.
Pielo was a beautiful old man, with a beautiful spirit. He prayed for us as well. He told us his name means "Perseverance." What a fitting name for a dear saint in such a hopeless place. A little later, we met another wonderful old man. He shared with us for probably 30 minutes. He was a farmer, even now. He didn't have any ID or any way to know or prove how old he is, so the government won't give him a pension. He was so blessed that we had come from America to pray for him. I'm pretty sure he knew the Lord. I asked him his name and it is "Christmas Mabuya." "Buya" means "come", so his name is basically Christmas is coming - or Christ is coming. I had tears in my eyes walking away from his shack. Here in the middle of Bohlokong - "A Place of Pain", and an area called "We are rejected" we encountered hope in two men - Perseverance and Christ is coming. I thank God for these encounters because it is so easy to feel utter hopelessness in this place. I am reminded that God has NOT rejected these people, He is already here, and there is HOPE! Jordan and Kevin and I later ran back to his home to bring him some beef jerky - which is similar to what he told us was his favorite food. Our YWAM friends were not happy about that because apparently it really isn't safe for white people to be here without a black person with us. They said we could have been jumped - or worse. It just never crossed our minds as we felt like God was with us and protecting us.
This afternoon we went to an orphanage. This was a very different kind of orphanage - 90% white Afrikaans kids. We shared some dramas and stories with them and then spent the next couple of hours playing and talking. We played rugby (hard to understand for me, but seems like it would be a great game). I spent most of my time talking to four kids in a group. The Afrikaans kids speak English very well. They were teenagers, a couple of them had been there for years, a couple others were new. Most of the kids there have been abused, or given up as babies, or they come from poor homes that can't afford to keep them. One boy said he was there because he was bad. I guess his mom couldn't handle him anymore. Anyway, we shared about our cultures - South Africa, and America. They were interested in race relations and even asked about homosexuality. They didn't understand it, and had never really seen it. Sometimes I forget how California can be so different from the rest of the world. Especially when two weeks ago I was in San Francisco during Pride week - complete with a million person parade. But they were pretty typical teenagers, interested in our boys, movies, stuff like that. But they have hurts I'm sure. Living in an orphanage with 145 kids can't be all roses.
This afternoon we went to an orphanage. This was a very different kind of orphanage - 90% white Afrikaans kids. We shared some dramas and stories with them and then spent the next couple of hours playing and talking. We played rugby (hard to understand for me, but seems like it would be a great game). I spent most of my time talking to four kids in a group. The Afrikaans kids speak English very well. They were teenagers, a couple of them had been there for years, a couple others were new. Most of the kids there have been abused, or given up as babies, or they come from poor homes that can't afford to keep them. One boy said he was there because he was bad. I guess his mom couldn't handle him anymore. Anyway, we shared about our cultures - South Africa, and America. They were interested in race relations and even asked about homosexuality. They didn't understand it, and had never really seen it. Sometimes I forget how California can be so different from the rest of the world. Especially when two weeks ago I was in San Francisco during Pride week - complete with a million person parade. But they were pretty typical teenagers, interested in our boys, movies, stuff like that. But they have hurts I'm sure. Living in an orphanage with 145 kids can't be all roses.
July 17, 2007
Food is becoming an issue. I knew going into this that it would be hard, but this is killing me and many others. Everything is casserole! Today was lasagna - hard to mess up I thought. But it had peppers, carrots, and MAYONNAISE! I nearly gagged. So I'm probably losing weight, eating not much more than bread. Tonight we stopped at a store and I ran in and got some KFC - it was so good. I've been driving a lot around town. Kind of fun, driving on the left side of the road, sitting on the right side of the car, and shifting with my left hand.
This morning, we had a service here at the YWAM base. Anthony led first and it was great. But then the Africans led and told us they were going to "give us the spirit of praise." It was unbelievable! Everything was acapella with only a djembe setting the rhythm. We sang, we clapped, and we danced like nothing I've ever seen. There was so much joy. We all just let it go, and became undignified like David. After that we went back to Bohlokong where we played with the children. We did a program for the kids and women there, including our clowns. Jayson did his magic tricks, we did a reenactment of David and Goliath, and sang some songs. Before we started our program, the women sang songs and danced and we did our best to join along.
This afternoon we went to an orphanage for abused, neglected, and sexually molested or raped children. We cleaned the kitchen area first, but a few of us started interacting with the kids. It took them a while to warm up, but once we got them outside we had a blast. One teenage guy (another Tiisetso) and I talked a bit. He went and got some goals, we had a soccer ball, and the game was on. It was so much fun. After a bit, I walked over to watch our girls, who were getting their hair braided, and dancing with the girls. There was a baby girl - 3 months old that I got to hold for a bit. She was beautiful. She eventually fell asleep on me, so they took her inside and laid her down. There's something like 70 people there at the orphanage. They do adopt kids out of there I found out, but it rarely happens. This is because they said 90% of the kids are black, and no one wants to adopt them. Hard to believe, because they are gorgeous children.
It's been fun getting to know some of the people that live here at the base. Julius, he is from Ghana. He is a great guy who really loves the Lord.
This morning, we had a service here at the YWAM base. Anthony led first and it was great. But then the Africans led and told us they were going to "give us the spirit of praise." It was unbelievable! Everything was acapella with only a djembe setting the rhythm. We sang, we clapped, and we danced like nothing I've ever seen. There was so much joy. We all just let it go, and became undignified like David. After that we went back to Bohlokong where we played with the children. We did a program for the kids and women there, including our clowns. Jayson did his magic tricks, we did a reenactment of David and Goliath, and sang some songs. Before we started our program, the women sang songs and danced and we did our best to join along.
This afternoon we went to an orphanage for abused, neglected, and sexually molested or raped children. We cleaned the kitchen area first, but a few of us started interacting with the kids. It took them a while to warm up, but once we got them outside we had a blast. One teenage guy (another Tiisetso) and I talked a bit. He went and got some goals, we had a soccer ball, and the game was on. It was so much fun. After a bit, I walked over to watch our girls, who were getting their hair braided, and dancing with the girls. There was a baby girl - 3 months old that I got to hold for a bit. She was beautiful. She eventually fell asleep on me, so they took her inside and laid her down. There's something like 70 people there at the orphanage. They do adopt kids out of there I found out, but it rarely happens. This is because they said 90% of the kids are black, and no one wants to adopt them. Hard to believe, because they are gorgeous children.It's been fun getting to know some of the people that live here at the base. Julius, he is from Ghana. He is a great guy who really loves the Lord.
July 16, 2007
I forgot about something that happened a few days ago, when we first arrived in Johannesburg at the airport. I was walking toward the restroom when I kicked something. It was a piece of paper, more like an envelope. I stopped to pick it up. When I opened it I saw a $100 bill on top of what was definitely a lot of money. I later discovered it was $1,300! Jon (our YWAM leader) and I thought about what to do with it. We tried to find an owner, but there was no identification with it, just cash. I was sure we would never find the owner, and I wondered what I would do with $1,300 extra dollars. I didn't feel right having it, because I knew that whoever lost it was feeling miserable. I kept watching around the terminal for anyone who looked like they were looking for something. It was then that I saw two men walking together and glancing all around at the floor. I followed them until they stopped and I overheard one of the men speaking English and saying to someone "What do we do, he was robbed, or lost his money?". I asked them how much they lost and the said it was $1,000 or more. I immediately knew this was the guy, and I handed it over. The men burst into smiles and loud voices as they hugged me. The man who had lost his money didn't speak English, but joy came through lour and clear! It felt absolutely great to bless this man. What a great start to this experience.
Now for today, what a great day it was! We started the day by driving up to the top of a hill that overlooks all of Bethlehem. There, Marleen and Tiisetso told us about the city, its history, its current situation. They pointed out the different communities where Afrikaans, coloured, and blacks lived. There was such extreme differences between the areas. We worshipped on this mountain and prayed. It was such a powerful experience. The told us about Bohlokong - poor area that literally means "Place of Pain." Withing this area there is a community with a name that literally means "We are rejected." I could not believe it! What an identity to have. What if my identity was that I came from a "place of pain" or that I was "rejected"? As we prayed and worshipped there, God broke my heart for this place. They told us of the brokenness, the hopelessness, the crime, the HIV/AIDS rate (35% are HIV+). I wept as we held out our hands over the city and prayed that God would redeem it. As I prayed there God reminded me of the story of Naomi in the book or Ruth. Her name meant "Pleasant", but after such hopeless times she wanted to be called "Mara" or "bitter". Throughout Scripture God is often taking people with one identity and giving them a new one. Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul. In Naomi's case, she felt that her situation was hopeless and she gave up. But God helped her to regain that hope, and to regain her true identity. I felt that God was telling me that he wanted to do that here for these people. As I read through Ruth to search for what or why God brought that to mind I was blown away. Where does the story or Ruth take place? BETHLEHEM!! Here I am with my hands out over this city, also Bethlehem, being reminded of a story of a hopeless person that God restores. I am so sure that this is from God. He loves these people and is saddened by how they see themselves. He wants to make this a place of hope, and a people who are accepted, chosen, and loved by God. The name "Bethlehem" means "house of bread." It's a place that gives life, a place of hope. God, may you make this a place of hope! Will you rise up a new generation that will follow you and love you? You are the God that redeems - and I trust that you want to redeem this place as well.
After this time, we drove into Bohlokong, and the place known as "we are rejected." There we walked the streets and picked up trash. Though we filled several bags, we hardly made a dent. We got to talk with the people, and play with the children. Tiisetso took time to explain to us about this town, the people, the political system, HIV/AIDS in the area and lots more. He gave us such a great perspective as one who has grown up here. He told us that for many people, this is the life they choose. He called it "poverty of the mind." The government offered houses to many of these people, but most never signed up to receive one. He talked about how many people simply believed that after apartheid that that the government would simply come flying in with helicopters and give them whatever they wanted or needed. The need here is to teach the people how to build a community and to produce things on their own. As for HIV, there are billboards and radio messages all the time. The government offers free testing. But still, many are still so naive. They look at someone and assume they look fine so they much not be infected. One story he told us was recent - about one of the leading candidates to be the next president. He sounds like an evil man. But he was accused of rape, which turned out to be consensual sex. However, the girl was HIV+. The man was asked whether he then had HIV, to which he replied "No, I showered afterwards." Wow! One of the problems is also how when someone dies of HIV/AIDS, they will almost never say that. Instead, they will say that they died of pneumonia, or something like that. There's such a stigma because it is seen as such a curse. It's not really talked about.
Well, my hand hurts from writing. The sunset is beautiful right now. I miss my wife, I miss my Hannah. But God is teaching me great things. I am seeing things I won't likely forget. I pray that I don't. God is breaking my heart, which is what I asked him to do. I am also really learning a lot about prayer. Today on that mountain was an incredible time of prayer, and I'm convinced that God spoke to me there. Thank you Lord!
Now for today, what a great day it was! We started the day by driving up to the top of a hill that overlooks all of Bethlehem. There, Marleen and Tiisetso told us about the city, its history, its current situation. They pointed out the different communities where Afrikaans, coloured, and blacks lived. There was such extreme differences between the areas. We worshipped on this mountain and prayed. It was such a powerful experience. The told us about Bohlokong - poor area that literally means "Place of Pain." Withing this area there is a community with a name that literally means "We are rejected." I could not believe it! What an identity to have. What if my identity was that I came from a "place of pain" or that I was "rejected"? As we prayed and worshipped there, God broke my heart for this place. They told us of the brokenness, the hopelessness, the crime, the HIV/AIDS rate (35% are HIV+). I wept as we held out our hands over the city and prayed that God would redeem it. As I prayed there God reminded me of the story of Naomi in the book or Ruth. Her name meant "Pleasant", but after such hopeless times she wanted to be called "Mara" or "bitter". Throughout Scripture God is often taking people with one identity and giving them a new one. Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul. In Naomi's case, she felt that her situation was hopeless and she gave up. But God helped her to regain that hope, and to regain her true identity. I felt that God was telling me that he wanted to do that here for these people. As I read through Ruth to search for what or why God brought that to mind I was blown away. Where does the story or Ruth take place? BETHLEHEM!! Here I am with my hands out over this city, also Bethlehem, being reminded of a story of a hopeless person that God restores. I am so sure that this is from God. He loves these people and is saddened by how they see themselves. He wants to make this a place of hope, and a people who are accepted, chosen, and loved by God. The name "Bethlehem" means "house of bread." It's a place that gives life, a place of hope. God, may you make this a place of hope! Will you rise up a new generation that will follow you and love you? You are the God that redeems - and I trust that you want to redeem this place as well.After this time, we drove into Bohlokong, and the place known as "we are rejected." There we walked the streets and picked up trash. Though we filled several bags, we hardly made a dent. We got to talk with the people, and play with the children. Tiisetso took time to explain to us about this town, the people, the political system, HIV/AIDS in the area and lots more. He gave us such a great perspective as one who has grown up here. He told us that for many people, this is the life they choose. He called it "poverty of the mind." The government offered houses to many of these people, but most never signed up to receive one. He talked about how many people simply believed that after apartheid that that the government would simply come flying in with helicopters and give them whatever they wanted or needed. The need here is to teach the people how to build a community and to produce things on their own. As for HIV, there are billboards and radio messages all the time. The government offers free testing. But still, many are still so naive. They look at someone and assume they look fine so they much not be infected. One story he told us was recent - about one of the leading candidates to be the next president. He sounds like an evil man. But he was accused of rape, which turned out to be consensual sex. However, the girl was HIV+. The man was asked whether he then had HIV, to which he replied "No, I showered afterwards." Wow! One of the problems is also how when someone dies of HIV/AIDS, they will almost never say that. Instead, they will say that they died of pneumonia, or something like that. There's such a stigma because it is seen as such a curse. It's not really talked about.
Well, my hand hurts from writing. The sunset is beautiful right now. I miss my wife, I miss my Hannah. But God is teaching me great things. I am seeing things I won't likely forget. I pray that I don't. God is breaking my heart, which is what I asked him to do. I am also really learning a lot about prayer. Today on that mountain was an incredible time of prayer, and I'm convinced that God spoke to me there. Thank you Lord!
July 15, 2007
We woke up this morning and finally got to see this beautiful country. Right outside our dorm is a field with a soccer field on it. Across the road from the base is a wild animal area. We were told not to go near it because of the lions. Pretty sweet. I saw a herd of springbok today.
The coolest part of the day was going to church. It was a brick building in the middle of a farm area with lots of people on the road walking to the church. We walked in to the sound of voices singing. It was beautiful. A group of teenagers led the dancing and singing from the stage while the church sang and danced along. They started a train around the inside of the building. Several of our team joined along. There was so much joy! It was amazing! Later in the service each people group stood up and was recognized. There were almost a dozen different groups - Americans, Chileans, Columbian, Zulu, Sutu, Ghana, Afrikaans, Cameroon, Brazil, Argentina, and one or two others I can't remember. The service included a sermon in Spanish (which was weird to hear in Africa!), translated into English, and then into Zulu. At the end, all the little kids sang and danced. The children are beautiful.
I'm looking forward to this week. Apparently we start doing ministry tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to seeing more wild life. We saw a couple of zebras today.
The coolest part of the day was going to church. It was a brick building in the middle of a farm area with lots of people on the road walking to the church. We walked in to the sound of voices singing. It was beautiful. A group of teenagers led the dancing and singing from the stage while the church sang and danced along. They started a train around the inside of the building. Several of our team joined along. There was so much joy! It was amazing! Later in the service each people group stood up and was recognized. There were almost a dozen different groups - Americans, Chileans, Columbian, Zulu, Sutu, Ghana, Afrikaans, Cameroon, Brazil, Argentina, and one or two others I can't remember. The service included a sermon in Spanish (which was weird to hear in Africa!), translated into English, and then into Zulu. At the end, all the little kids sang and danced. The children are beautiful.
I'm looking forward to this week. Apparently we start doing ministry tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to seeing more wild life. We saw a couple of zebras today.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
July 13, 2007
I'm finally on my way. We're in the air right now heading toward Atlanta to connect and head for Johannesburg. God has been so faithful in getting us to this point. We raised more than $47,000 to be here. I was worried for a while whether or not we would raise enough money. I thought some of us might have to stay home. The week before we left we still needed around $15,000 - and the day before we left, we still needed $5,000. But here we are, fully funded, with money left over. That alone is a great testimony of our trip and God's faithfulness. Several people wondered and asked me what our plan was for making up the deficit. It was great to be able to say that we were praying and believed God would provide. And he did!
Today is Friday, and we left Yucaipa on Monday to go to the YWAM base. As exciting as it was to leave on Monday, the week seemed to drag, and momentum felt gone. YWAM is doing some great things, but it felt like this week was tailored more for younger kids, and our group had a hard time. But we did meet some great people. The YWAM staff is a great group. They are passionate worshippers, faithful prayers, and kind servants. I feel like I met a great friend in Tony, who is from Ireland (Belfast) and is passionate about his homeland.
But the theme so far has definitely been God's faithfulness to me. On Monday myself and Robert were the only two who still needed our passports. He picked his up on Wednesday, and I had an appointment to get mine reissued on Thursday morning. That was a LONG day. There was a huge line already at 6:30am. When we finally got to a window inside I was told that I couldn't get my passport unless I had a copy of my birth certificate - again. The thing is, I got one the first time I applied - 12 weeks ago, and they kept it at that time. So Kimi left Yucaipa, got me a new birth certificate and brought it to me. At that point I was able to reapply and eventually (9 hours later) get my passport. So many people were praying. God is good!
Today is Friday, and we left Yucaipa on Monday to go to the YWAM base. As exciting as it was to leave on Monday, the week seemed to drag, and momentum felt gone. YWAM is doing some great things, but it felt like this week was tailored more for younger kids, and our group had a hard time. But we did meet some great people. The YWAM staff is a great group. They are passionate worshippers, faithful prayers, and kind servants. I feel like I met a great friend in Tony, who is from Ireland (Belfast) and is passionate about his homeland.
But the theme so far has definitely been God's faithfulness to me. On Monday myself and Robert were the only two who still needed our passports. He picked his up on Wednesday, and I had an appointment to get mine reissued on Thursday morning. That was a LONG day. There was a huge line already at 6:30am. When we finally got to a window inside I was told that I couldn't get my passport unless I had a copy of my birth certificate - again. The thing is, I got one the first time I applied - 12 weeks ago, and they kept it at that time. So Kimi left Yucaipa, got me a new birth certificate and brought it to me. At that point I was able to reapply and eventually (9 hours later) get my passport. So many people were praying. God is good!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
