Katlehong Youths

Yesterday, I visited an orphanage in the township of Katlehong. Every other week I meet with about 12-15 teenagers to discuss life issues. It has been neat to look at the daily issues and challenges of the life through the lens of the Scriptures. These young people have questions that are so intense and honest. I learn so much from them! Yesterday, the topic at hand was fear. Fear, as you know is common within all of our hearts, Christian or not. I began by asking the youth, “what was it that they feared most?” Some of the answers were as follows:

- God
- School

- Dog
- Dying
- Rats
- Heights
- Snakes
- Fighting
- Ugly Person

We had a great laugh at some of these fears. But, nevertheless they were legitimate fears for each of them. For those who said they feared God, I asked what was it about God that they feared? One young girl said that she is afraid that if she does not do what God wants He will punish her, while another girl said, she doesn’t so much fear God but she respects Him. All interesting answers, of course. I went on to share that fear is a natural God-given emotion. And with everything God has given us, He has intended us to use it for His glory. We talked about the two different types of fear; Sinful and Righteous. Simply put, a sinful fear is having a dreadful emotion of something or someone that God has not permitted us to fear. For example, the fear of man, the fear of dying, the fear of circumstances… A righteous fear, or the right kind of fear is a fear that God allows us to have, and that is a fear of Him (1st Samuel 12:24; Proverbs 1:7; Ecclesiastes 12:13)! This fear is not to be afraid of God, as if He is some arbitrary god who is waiting to zap us whenever we fail to obey. Rather to fear God, is to be in awe of His vastness and power to the point where we revere and honor Him with our lives. This fear of God grants us the desire to pursue Him, not merely out of duty, but more importantly out of delight.
The youth were glad to know that if they belong to God, His perfect love would cast out all fears. (1st John 4:18)

Many of these young people are the product of broken families. After we finished, one young girl shared with me that she was basically ostracized from her family after she was raped. They have blamed her for the rape. Can you imagine the angst that she is experiencing within her heart? Honestly, to say that it’s challenging to talk with these broken children would be an understatement. However, God gives me the grace and strength to minister the truthfulness of His Word. This particular young girl has expressed a love for the Lord and she is fighting hard to love those who are her enemies, even if it’s members of her own family. Please pray for all of these young people. I hope to talk with them in the future about forgiving those who have abused and/or abandoned them.

Children!

Being here at Lambano is a constant reminder that children indeed are a gift from God. The children here at Lambano are so dear and sweet to me. I’ve always said, and I will say again, “I came to love these children, but they have in turn loved me.” What a joy it is for me to be here! Below are some pictures of a few of the children…

Ok, I know that I say I love all the kids and I really do. But, this little girl has a special place in my heart. She is soooo sweet! She came to us and we thought she was negative, sadly she has proven the opposite. She was recently rushed to the hospital because of PCP which is a complicated form of pneumonia that is common with HIV children. PCP can be deadly but thankfully she has been diagnosed at an early age. She is unable to breathe on her own so she is currently on oxygen. I call her my, "dolly wolly polly." Did I mention that she is sooo sweet. I love holding her and singing to her. I really love her so much!!! :)

This little boy has been back with Lambano for a few months now. He has hydroencephalitis which is water on the brain that causes pressure and a stunting of the brain which can eventually lead to death. Because of this he was sent to Lambano to die, he was however, negative, so he was placed in another home (Lambano is a home for positive children). While at this other home, he was left in a crib with minimal stimulation, as a result, he digressed severely. Another American missionary (Barbara) loved and cared for this child, she would not just give up on him. After, having repeated surgeries and a lot of prayers, he is now back with us at Lambano. Now, he is talking and singing, sitting up etc. God is an AMAZING God!! He is now in neuro-physio therapy in order to develop his muscles with hopes of someday being able to walk and have a normal life. I have the daily task of exercising his legs. Because of the tenderness of his legs, he screams and wails whenver I touch him. I became the mean Auntie. But, I think he still loves me, because he always calls me "Anti Tieta" and he lets me hold him. :)

Yesterday morning I went into the "baby house" to greet the children. As I was saying hello, I noticed that this little girl, who is permanently on oxygen for lung failure, was playing with her doll. What struck me was that she tied a piece of pink ribbon around her dolls face which symbolizes that her doll was also on oxygen. This was too cute!

"Children are a gift from the Lord...Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"

(Psalms 127:3 , 5)

A child goes home to be with her Maker!

On Sunday morning at around 10am one of our babies went home to be with the Lord. This sweet little girl died at 13months. She had TB meningitis on the brain. I had the opportunity to go to the doctor with this little girl a few times. She made slow progress, but during her last days it was clear that her health was deteriorating. Lyn is one of the founders and the executive director. She is also the medical person of Lambano. She is an amazing lady and her love for the children here is evident. She was with the baby until her last breath.

Death is such a common thing here and elsewhere, of course. Within the past 2years I have experienced more deaths of loved ones than ever before. Last night I was thinking about the fact that life is so very temporary. Everything we have is a gift from God and He has all authority and liberty to take away what He has entrusted to us. As I was thinking about this heart throbbing truth, I became quite melancholy. But, I recalled and pondered on the certainties that we do have in this life, especially as Christians. I was reminded that although this life is brief and in constant transition, one thing that does not change is the character of God. He is the only one who will not be taken away from us. He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit and we are forever His. Nothing can separate us from God, not even death. (Romans 8:38) Our parents will die, our children will die, our brothers and sisters will die, our friends will die and we will die. Death is inevitable! But, praise God that for the believer, “death has no sting and the grave has no victory.” (1st Corinthians 15: 54-55) I am clinging to these truths and I am rejoicing in the only relationship that will not be extinguished. My prayer for you and I is that in light of the surpassing greatness of God, we will wholeheartedly live not for ourselves but for the One who died!

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1st Corinthians 15:54-55)

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1: 21


Baby with mother a few
days before her death

Spring Day Outing!

On Saturday, we packed lunched, bicycles and of a course a first aid kit for a day at the park. The heavy winds, the threat of rain and the changing temperature is descriptive of our Spring Day. However, the unpredictable weather did not dampen our moods. We all went out and had a great day at the park. The children had so much fun riding their bikes, eating, and playing with one another.

Response to the 1st Bible Study

Thanks for your prayers regarding the Bible Study. In my opinion it went well. We had about 15 students who showed up, most of which are a part of the “church group” on the campus. During our time together, we prayed, sang songs in Zulu, and shared about why we desired to start a Bible Study. We also asked the students to tell us whether they were Christians by a show of hands. They all raised their hands, and then I asked, “what assurance do they have in their claim to be Christians?” Most of the students in the ‘church group’ did give us biblical reasons for their claim to being Christians. Kenneth, Nafe (Malawians) and my self were quite encouraged by their knowledge of the Scriptures. We are praying that more students will come who lacks the knowledge of the gospel and the Scriptures. We are also in the process of deciding whether or not to divide the study into two groups; those who are a little further in the faith and those who are new or uncertain about the gospel. There are pros and cons for both, but at this point, we are not sure what would be the most effective or beneficial. Please pray for wisdom for us as we make this decision.

Towards the end of the study, we had a Q & A time. This is always my favorite because we get to really hear what’s on the heart of the students. One question that was asked was by a young orphan girl, who we also work with at another orphanage in Katlehong. She asked if she had to go to church, because the church she goes to the pastor always calls them orphans. It seems that she didn’t want to always be reminded that she was an orphan, which is understandable. We answered the question by sharing that God has promised to give special grace to those who were orphans and that there is nothing wrong with being an orphan, in fact God has said that He will be a father to the fatherless. We also encouraged her to talk to her pastor.

In short, although we have questions about the fruition of how God will use us amongst the youth. We are confident that there is a need for the teaching of the Scriptures in this township. We do not know the specifics of what God is doing or when He will choose to work on the hearts of these young students. Nevertheless, we are confident, that God is faithful. His purposes cannot be thwarted, His Word will not return void and His plan and purposes will be established. Please continue to pray for us as we labor for His name and renown.

Bible Study!

After months of planning and praying, today is the day that the 1st Bible Study in Katlehong will begin. For the next months, three Malawians seminary students and myself will do an evangelistic Bible Study with high school students. I am really excited and eager to see how God uses this.I can't wait to learn from them as they learn from me. Please pray that the Lord will bring students who are hungry for the Word. Pray that the Word will go forth in a clear and simple manner. Language is definitley a barrier, so we hope to be as clear as possible in our communication. Pray that the word would penetrate on the hearts of the hearers, in such a way that would lead to repentance and love and devotion to the One True God of the Bible. Thanks for your prayers, Talk to you soon.....:)

My First 6 Months in Africa: A Slide Show

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Campus Outreach!

While I was a student at Tuskegee University I had the great privilege of being a part of a campus ministry known as Campus Outreach (CO). I went to college as a new Christian and I was very ignorant of the fundamentals of the faith. But thanks be to God for placing me in this college ministry where I was discipled by a godly young woman by the name of Renita. She poured out her time and life into me and she is now a constant part of my testimony. CO is such a God-centered and Word-centered ministry and the people that I have met throughout my time there are now some of my best friends. So, CO is very dear to my heart. This past weekend I had the opportunity to hang out with the CO Johannesburg group. It was so neat to see the students on a different continent from the same organization with the same passion for Jesus Christ and His renown. The students here have such a zeal for the Lord and I know that our faithful God will use them to transform this city and this country, for His name sake.

"Building laborers on the campus for the lost world"

Campus Outreach Missions Statement

Students and staff Praising God!

Jamie (CO staff) & I

Martha and I

Voices of students praising God!

Mighty to Save!

No, no one came to salvation! But, I am encouraged by a song (words are below) I heard at a Passion: Global Tour Conference on Saturday. It is no doubt that ministry can at times be so discouraging and for me at times I am tempted to think that I am the one who actually changes the heart of people. What a foolish and burdensome thought?!? Even in my own family, with all our problems and brokenness, sometimes it’s simply all just too overwhelming. In my own life, I am prone to forget that there is a God who sits and reigns victoriously on the throne and He is indeed MIGHTY TO SAVE! He is the one who actually changes the heart of stone to a heart of flesh! He is the author of salvation. What a comfort and liberating thought to know that God is the potter and I am the clay! As the clay, I am reminded that I am merely a vessel and that it is the Holy Spirit that illumines the heart of people to the point of salvation. He shows mercy on whomever He desires. In light of the sufficiency and might of God I am therefore compelled to press on for the sake of the elect, whoever they are!!!

Mighty to Save
by
Hillsong

Everyone needs compassion Love that’s never failing Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness The kindness of a Saviour The hope of nations
CHORUS:
Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
VERSE 2:
So take me as You find me All my fears and failures Fill my life againI give my life to follow Everything I believe in Now I surrender
BRIDGE:
Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King

Seeing the beauty of Gods' planned timing!

While I am here in South Africa, I must confess that at times I struggle in finding purpose. Some days are simply just busier than others. My dilemma is learning how to find the balance between the desire to be a steward of the grace that God has entrusted to me and not having things to do. If I have my days mapped out with lots of things to do I feel more productive. This of course is not a biblical thought. So, lately I have been asking the Lord to allow me to find ministry opportunities in the most unplanned and unexpected ways. God is so kind because He has exceedingly abundantly answered my prayer.

A couple of weeks ago, one of the Lambano ladies came to me and asked for help in studying the Bible. Just like many of us, at times we read the Scriptures but struggle to find meaning. It was clear to me that this young lady had a sincere desire to become closer to our Lord. This past week, I met with her and another young lady and I shared with them basic tools that could be used to better understand the Scriptures. She was really appreciative…Praise God!

Another opportunity that was given to me occurred on Sunday. Another lady on staff asked me to talk with her 17 year old daughter about respect, manners etc. A few months ago Martha and I helped this young lady with a school assignment and this opened up the door to form a relationship with her. This young lady has been coming to church with me for the past 2 weeks or so. This past Sunday we went out for brunch during which we talked about her past and her present life. She is such a sweet young lady. I shared with her the story of Jesus after which she asked, what should she do to be a Christian? This was great because the Bible is the source of answer for all these questions. I shared some parts of the bridge diagram (thanks Zo) with her. The bridge diagram is a method that uses Romans 6:23 as the basis in which our depravity is revealed and the grace and hope of God is magnified. I shared passages like Romans 3:23; Romans 10: 9-10; Ephesians 2: 8-9 and Isaiah 53: 4-7 with her. We then went on a little expedition to find her a Bible. I bought her a really cute Bible and a journal (thanks financial supporters). As we were leaving the bookstore, she said that her life was going to change. Please, please, please pray for this young lady! I really do hope that her life will change through Christ.

Remember, I said that God answered my initial prayer in an exceedingly abundantly manner! So last night Martha and I went out for dinner. After dinner, I decided that I would stop by my favorite ice cream shop and purchase my favorite ice cream, rum and raisin (this is not an alcoholic ice-cream…well it has about 1% of rum). Anyways, because I visit this place so frequently and because of my obvious accent, I have had the opportunity to share with 3 of the employees my reason for being in SA. I have especially built a small relationship with one particular lady who by the way is a Christian. Last night she showed me a book that was given to her by a customer. The book talked about speaking in tongues, and how one isn’t truly saved unless they speak in tongues. This young lady was so perplexed by what she was reading! She said she has been a Christian for 2 years and she never spoke in tongues. I told her that I have been a Christian for over 7 years and I have never spoken in tongues either. Long story short, I told her that book was a falsifiable interpretation of the Scriptures, especially Acts 2! Martha and I encouraged her to throw the book away! She did and we encouraged her to be discerning about the things she reads. We exchanged numbers with her and I hope that we can establish a relationship with her.

Why do I mention all these stories??????

Well, for a couple of reasons! If you are reading this and you are a Christian, regardless of if you are on the mission field, a student, a wife, an accountant or whomever. At times we all struggle with finding a purpose in God’s redemptive plan. We don’t always see how the mundane things of life have anything to do with the kingdom of God and this of course can be discouraging. But, take heart that no matter where you are in your life, if you are a Christian God wants to use you for your good (sanctification) and for His glory. I have been reading “Battling Unbelief” by John Piper and in this book, he spoke about having faith in future grace. Last night, I read the chapter that spoke about battling patience. Patience is definitely a fruit of the spirit because in my flesh I am unable to be patient. Anyways, in light of everything I said, I take comfort in the truths that patience comes from the heart that truly trust in the wisdom of God’s timing and the goodness of God’s guidance. In Pipers own words he says patience is “…a deepening, ripening, peaceful willingness to wait for God in the unplanned place of obedience, and to walk with God at the unplanned pace of obedience – to wait in his place, and go at his pace.”

I am glad that God does not work according to my agenda but according to His own. Because ofthis, I am learning to wait on the Lord as a servant waits for her Master, and it is in this place that I find the beauty of God’s perfect timing!

“Wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning…hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption.” (Psalms 130: 5-7)

Teach them diligently!

One of my favorites part of each day is my time with the children at 78. Each night we read a Bible story, sing songs and pray before bed. The past nights have been so exciting! The children always have stories to tell me about their day. Last week, as I read one of our Bible stories, I sought to summarize the story by saying that God wants for us to obey and serve him. One of the little boys, age 6, asked, "how do I serve God?" Wow! I was blown away by this profound question. I went on to explain that we can serve God by obeying Him and those who watch over us, we can also serve the Lord by being kind to others, and most importantly we can serve God by telling others about Jesus. This was such a neat opportunity and I was glad to know that the Lord is working on their little hearts.

Last night, we were reading the story of Nicodemus. The children had a hard time pronouncing his name and this was quite amusing. So, as you know in the story, Nicodemus asked Jesus, how must he be born again? (John 3: 1-14) We talked about what it meant to be born again and one of the little girls, age 8, says to me, I want to be born again. I shared that to be born again, she has to ask Jesus to come and live in her heart. A few minutes later, we started our usual prayer time, when it was her turn to pray she asked Jesus to come and live in her heart and make her a new person. Wow! This was so amazing! Once again, I was reminded that God is at work in their hearts. They love stories, their minds are so fresh and they are so eager to learn. I am so thankful that I get to observe tangibly what a childlike faith is. As I seek to teach them, I am being taught by them as well. Their eagerness to listen and learn as well as their humility makes me want to have a childlike faith. Children are such a precious gift from God! They really are! Hmmm?!?

Praise!

Thank you all so very much for your prayers regarding the 'xenophobic' crimes that have been occuring here. It seems that the government has taken action and have placed soldiers in certain areas to protect the people. Today is a peaceful day and I hope it will remain like this. Thanks again for your prayers!

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword. As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any created, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8: 31-39

This passage of Scripture was particularly helpful to me during all the chaos.

Living to die! (Luke 9:23-24)

The most challenging day yet!

Sunday morning was destined for trials. For the past couple of days, I have had the most throbbing pain in my neck. As I was getting ready for church, I pulled a muscle in my neck and was unable to function normally. So, I stayed home from church, unable to move. At around 2pm, one of the founders of Lambano told us that one of the lad ies that worked with us, just had about 10 people shot dead in her neighborhood. Curious, I asked why and what happened? Turns out that there is a group of South Africans who are going aroung killing foreigners. Zimbabwe is one of our neighboring countries, and if you have been following the news, there's been a surplus of injustice in Zim. As a result, we have a number of Zimbabweans who are coming into S. Africa without papers. Although I have heard many different reasons as to why this tragedy has occured, many believe that some native S. Africans are upset that their jobs are being taken away. Whatever the reason, we know that there are no justifiable reason to kill anyone. This group has targeted man, woman and children alike. The youngest child that has been killed was only a couple months old. Concerning our safety, I think that we will be fine. But, please pray! We are not certain what areas these people are targeting. The total body count is 42.

On top of all the tragedies that are occuring, this morning as I came into the office, I was told that one of our babies (pictured right) passed away a little after 1 last night. As my mom use to say, "when it rains it pours." We are all emotional now, so many things are happening here. But through it all we can still smile and find reasons to be hopeful. I know that God has given me a rest for my soul during this time. I pray that with everything that's going on we will be lights for the glory of God. Please be fervent in praying along with us.

My trip to Durban!

Since I have been here I am always hearing how beautiful S. Africa is and how I should make it my goal to visit certain part of this magnificent country. I have made a mental list of places that I would like to visit and Durban was one of them. My friend Martha and I took a few days off to visit Durban. Durban is known as the vacation area. However, we weren’t quite on vacation. The objective of this trip was to observe how the Lord was working in this area.

Our days consisted of going to Bible classes with one of our host! The Bible classes were very informative. I was happy to see the diversity of students in attendance. I had an opportunity to speak with some of the students and most, if not all were in some form of ministry. It was an encouragement to see students around my age, on a different continent, who shared the same zeal for the Lord. In addition to attending Bible classes we had an opportunity to visit one of the crèches located in a local township. A crèche, I was told is an equivalent to a kindergarten. This particular crèche was founded by the wife of a pastor. The pastor and his wife were very kind and sweet, it was clear to me that they shared a love for the Lord and for the lost. I had a great time talking with them and hearing about what the Lord was doing amidst their congregation. While at the crèche, Martha and I were spontaneously asked to teach a Bible story. We taught about the story of Noah and the ark. We also taught them two songs, one about obedience and the other about the character of God. The most exciting part of our time at the crèche was listening to the children sing in their native tongue. I will post the video at a later time. What beautiful voices! They were loud, in unison, and passionate about the words of the song. This was such a treat for us. I smiled so much that my ears started to hurt. Pain in my ears has always been a sign that I am truly having fun. :)

During the trip we were hosted by a church family who are originally from England but migrated to S. Africa over 20 years ago. This was also a good experience. We talked about a lot of subjects, including our cultural differences. The conversations were so good. My heart was so glad. They treated us with such kindness and hospitality. I was very thankful that God allowed our paths to cross. We also had the opportunity to visit the ocean. Ahhh! This was great! The water was so clean and refreshing. It’s amazing how small I always feel when I am at the ocean, yet I was reminded of how big God is, in that he tells the ocean how far it may go. I also went to a rugby game with some of my new brothers and sisters in the Lord. We had a great time. I am not a great football fan, so I thought that I wouldn’t enjoy rugby. It turns out that I more than enjoyed the game. Our team won! Notice that I say our, I have become one with the people. :) Overall the trip to Durban was very good, I made new friends, I saw the hand of the Lord amongst the people, and once again I was reminded that no matter who we are, or where we are from, one thing is for certain, and that is, for those who have named the name of Christ as their personal Lord and Savior are all ONE.

**Side note: While we were in our Sunday evening service, we heard the voices of the Muslims worshipping in the nearby Mosque. The surplus of the different religions in Durban was a reminder for all of us to be diligent in our prayers for those of a different faith. The same zeal and devotion we have for the God of the Bible, other people of other religions have the same zeal and devotion for their particular god. We, however, are convinced of the truth that Christ is the only Way. For me to be in such close proximity with others of a different religion was an eye opener that we are not the only ones who have the desired goal of laboring to win the hearts of men. The difference is for WHOM are we laboring?

I am so encouraged!

On Friday, I had several ladies come to me and shared how much they were encouraged by our Bible Study. One of the mama's shared that this is what they needed. To be encouraged. Gosh!!! Once again, these women have such a desire to know God, it's both amazing and motivating. I was told by the administrative assistant of Lambano (Martha) that one of the ladies came to her and shared how much she was encouraged by our time together. This woman is a recent widow, she was a pastors wife. She told Martha that she was experiencing "spiritual deadness", but the Word of God has awaken her heart. Can you believe, how awesome our God is? Ahhhhh! I am so in love with the God of this universe. Please do continue to pray for my relationship with the women. I am so glad to know that, "it is the word of God that converts the soul" (Psalms 19:7). What an encouragement it has been to my own heart to both hear and see how the Lord is working in the lives of the women. Ahhh, once again, I am so in love with the God of this universe. "Praise the Lord, oh my soul..." (Psalms 103:2).

"I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. The works of the Lord are great, Studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious, And His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion"

(Psalms 111:1-4).

"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us But to Your name give glory, Because of Your MERCY, Because of Your TRUTH"

(Psalms 115:1).

This week (April 14-17)

Wow! I can’t believe that May is right around the corner. My time here seems to be going by so fast. I am praying that the Lord will help me to make the most of my time with the children and with the staff. This week, I found myself to be very busy. I am so thankful that I have things to do while I am here. One of responsibilities here as an intern is to coordinate for two missionary teams that will serve here from The Masters College and Grace Community Church in California. The first team consists of 10 students from TMC. They will serve here for six weeks by teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in the schools of Katlehong. One of my responsibilities for the next few weeks is to coordinate their housing, transportation, teaching schedule and their leisure activities. This is fun! On Tuesday, I met with one of the school principals to discuss the service of this team. The meeting was so very good, the teachers were excited and willing to have the students from the US come and work with the schools. The teachers were even open to having the students stay in their homes. What a testimony of the S. Africans hospitality!

This week, I also had the privilege of teaching Bible Study for the 1st time. Yeah!!! Honestly, I was kind of nervous. I wasn’t too sure about the topic of choice. One of the ladies shared the desire to be taught about something that would “build them up.” Although I don’t believe in building people up, so to speak, I knew exactly what she meant. She wanted me to teach something that would encourage them. These women, in my opinion, do want to know the Lord and although it’s a requirement for them to attend Bible Study, I do sincerely believe that they have a desire to want to know God. Please note that the conflict here with some S. Africans is that many will say that they are Christians while believing in their ancestors. I was told that many fear their ancestors more than they feared God. So, in teaching we have to be very careful and use wisdom in the way in which we proclaim God’s truth. We also have to make sure we don’t assume that they are saved or unsaved. So wisdom and discernment is always a prayer request. Today, I talked about the fact that God does hear us and that He is not some distant god who is not acquainted with our ways, instead, He is the One true God, who is intimately acquainted with all our ways. More specifically He hears the needs of the poor, especially those who are poor in spirit. (Matt. 5:3) I shared that unlike man God is not partial to those who are rich or poor, black or white, Zulu or Xohsa. (James 2:1-9; Job 34:19) I shared that the world puts us into categories based on race/tribe and wealth. But God does not see us like that. God has classified us into 2 groups and that is those who know him (spiritual man) and those who need to know him (natural man). (1st Corinthians 2:14-15) It was on this basis, that I sought to encourage them from the Scriptures. Overall, it was a good Bible Study, the ladies laughed and although they had a hard time opening up, they did ask questions and shared a little about their struggles. Hopefully, as time goes by they will be a bit more transparent. Please pray that as Beth and I seek to minister the Word of God to these ladies that it will fall on good soil, take root and bear much fruit.

Happy Birthday!!!! One of the children from our homes is celebrating a birthday tomorrow. He will turn seven, praise God! When the children turn seven we take them out to McDonalds. Yes, we do have a Mickey Ds. Thank God for global marketing! This birthday boy lives at the same house I do (78, see previous blog), so I took him out for dinner last night. He had pizza with a coke and I bought him a pair of cool sun glasses as a gift. He did look pretty cool! We had so much fun! I am thankful for the simple moments in life, the children are truly a gift from the Lord.

Please Pray

Currently, our children are getting very sick. Over the past days we have had to place the children in quarantine. A few of the children have chicken pox and mumps. Unfortunately, for HIV children, because of the weakness of their immune system they are more susceptible to these and many more illnesses. I was told that the chicken pox can spread to their brains and lungs, which can be very life threatening. Please pray that the Lord will keep our children in good health. Please also pray that their medicine will be effective. Finally, please pray that the staff and management will use wisdom in our care for the children. Thanks!

The God of Hope

The Eco-garden was quite informative. I learned a lot about gardening and will look forward to teaching others. I will keep you posted on the outcome as time progresses. While in the village of Kwandabele I had the opportunity to visit one of the adult hospices. Wow! What a sight?!? It was heart throbbing to see dying AIDs people. The sight was almost overwhelming, the residents were so emaciated. As I walked through the hospice the faces of some was that of anxiety and fear. I wondered what the thought process of a person who had a terminal illness was. I wondered if they had hope for the life to come. The reality of it all is that a person who has a terminal illness is no different from those who are seemingly healthy. We all have days that are numbered and we all have a judgment that awaits us. I must say the constant sight of poverty and the realities of death have been a bit sobering. As I see the effects of sin here in S. Africa I am reminded that “this life too shall past and only what’s done for Christ will last.” This simple yet profound statement has given me great perspective of the hope of a better life and a better promise.

This week

This week the children have been on school holiday. So they are a lot of children running around. I was asked to coordinate some activities for the children while they were out of school. Ahhh! I am so not creative. But, by God’s grace we played games and did some painting etc. They seemed to have had a lot of fun. This week I also had the opportunity to counsel a young lady. This woman that I counsel, like many women here, has a past of being severely abuse among other things. In the Scriptures we are taught about the Sovereignty of God. Yes, God is in control and He does indeed work out all things according to the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1:11) This is a great truth, a truth that is easy to communicate to a person who has had a very normal and safe life. But, this week as I prepared for a session with this young lady who has suffered at the hands of a wicked man, I struggled to find a way to communicate God’s truth to her. How could I tell her that before the foundations of the world, God in His sovereignty has predestined every step of her life, both the good and bad. This was difficult, but God showed me mercy. As a biblical counselor and as a Christian, we have to answer those tough questions about God, sin and the world. What I love about the Scriptures is that it is sufficient for everything pertaining to life and godliness. (2nd Peter 1:3-4) So, I proceeded with caution and great compassion to tell her that God indeed is good and that He is not the author of sin, but that even in the midst of sin, He has a plan and a purpose for her life. I shared the famous verse that is so loved and cherished by many Christians, Romans 8:28-29. I shared that all things, both the good and bad works out for good…I shared that that good isn’t a life free of suffering, but instead it is a good that allows us to be conformed more and more into the image of Christ, who when He was revile did not revile in return and when He suffered did not utter any threats but kept entrusting Himself to the one who judges rightly. (1st Peter 2: 22-24) To this we were called as Christian, we are call to suffer. Wow! But, even in the midst of the heinous evil this world has to offer, we don’t just suffer, but we suffer well. We can count it all joy when we fall into trials knowing that the testing of our faith develops perseverance so that we may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4) We have the joys of fixing our eyes on a God who is infinitely powerful and infinitely good. The God who is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. No, God is not the author of sin! He had a great plan for mankind. The good news is that He still has a great plan for us, a plan that has been distorted because of the fall but not destroyed because of Christ. I take great hope in the disparities I see because the effects of sin lead me to gaze upon my Savior, who suffered the most heinous evil ever. (Acts 2:23) Please pray that I will be confident in the Scriptures and confident in the God who has breathed out His Word, despite the tragedies I see.

“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Matthew 9:36-38

Eco-Gardening

Well, today I am very excited about traveling to Kwandebele to learn about eco-gardening. Eco-gardening is an economical way of gardening that allows you to grow large amount of foods in small circular spaces. Our garden will consist of potatoes, carrots, beans, peanuts, onions, lettuce and beetroots. I will be trained for 3 days on the basics of how to create and sustain an eco-garden. The objective of this trip is for me to learn and then go back to the township of Katlehong to teach and help the residents learn how to create and maintain their own gardens. We want to teach the residents of Katlehong how to be self-sufficient. I imagine there must be a great fulfillment in eating vegetables that you have planted in your own garden.
The thought of using the God given resource of the earth to grow and provide food for those who otherwise would not able to afford it, is motivating. This is the first time that I will learn how to grow crops. So, please pray that I will retain all the information in such a way that I will be able to teach it to others with clarity.

Grace alone!

The Lord is our shield!

Sometime after 4 this morning I was awakened by our alarm. Half asleep I looked out the window to see what was going on. I saw a man in the yard walking with a flashlight. I found out later that this man was the area security guard. Anyways, at some time in the a.m. two tootsies (thieves) broke into our yard. Our yard has a gate and is quite secured but as I am learning, a motivated crook will find a way to get what he wants. The house mother said there were two men who rang the gate bell repeatedly. After a few seconds of ringing the bell they both jumped over the gate and sat down with the objective of stealing the gates motor. The motor controls the electricity and the alarm among other things. Once the wires were cut a sensory was sent to the alarm company who then phoned (called) the house to see if we were OK. The mama of the house told the security men what happened and they were immediately to our aid. Thank God! Whether or not the motives of the two tootsies were to attempt breaking into the house is uncertain. But they did take the motor which is worth about 2000 Rand, about $285, not to mention they gave us a bit of a scare.

Each night I make it my goal to pray with the children. We often pray for the Lord to keep us safe each night. Having this occurrence really helps me to see how God is faithful in answering our prayers. There are many Scriptures that talks about sleep.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalms 4:8).

“The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon” (Psalms 74:16)

“On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalms 63: 6-8)

When the terror of the night comes, it is Scriptures like these that allow me to rest in the Word of God. He is my shield, nothing can happen to me or the children that He does not allow. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalms 91:4)
In addition to praying for our safety here, my prayer is that I will not cling to anything or anyone in this world so much so that heaven isn’t my hearts longing. If I truly desire heaven I will not live in fear of death. Because when I die I will behold Christ face to face. There is therefore no tragedy in death, only victory!

First two weeks

Arrival

I have now been here for two weeks. For some reason it seems as if I have been here longer. The first week I was here was very hard in terms of rest. My body was not adjusting well to the 8 hour time difference. So, I was tired during the day and up at night. Thankfully, to date, my body seems to be adjusting to the time difference. Upon my arrival here I was surprise to see how developed Johannesburg is. I guess I thought I would live in small huts, walk everywhere, fetch my own water and pretty much live in an agrarian society. I blame the media for this misconception. L That of course was not the case. South Africa is one of the most, if not the most developed countries in Africa. They have everything that America has to offer. I haven’t decided whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. But at any rate this is where the Lord has me and I am thankful. The weather here is beautiful, the scenery is amazing and I have been told that there is much more for me to see. I look forward to the creation telling of the glory of God.

The Children

Lambano currently have 29 children from the ages of 18months to 8 years old. They are all a delight. The first couple of days I was here I prayed incessantly that I would remember their unique but difficult to pronounce names. It was hard but after weeks I can say I know all their names. Lambano has 4 different houses that are homes to all 29 children. There is about 22 full time, South African women staff here, so they are always being taken care of. I share the same yard with 7 of the 29 children. I love this! Whenever I leave I am asked in beautiful S. African accent, “Keisha, where are you going?” and when I come back home seven children run up to me and hug me and ask me more questions. This is an awesome feeling. The children here are so happy. They are always smiling and when we pray at night their prayers are filled with Thanksgiving to our God. What a humbling thing to hear how amazingly thankful these children are to God. I came here to have an impact on them but within two weeks of being here they have had an impact on my life that I pray I never forget.
Within the 1st couple of days I was here, I was so consumed with getting to know the children that I forgot they were sick. It wasn’t until the fourth day I was here that it hit me that these children are sick and their estimated life span is brief. How could I have forgotten that these precious children were sick? I repeatedly ask the Lord, how could I have forgotten? I thought, well maybe the Lord didn’t want me to see these children as being sick but instead as His image bearers. They are all so precious in His sight and I am so thankful that I didn’t treat these children with pity or like victims. I have treated them like I would any other child, healthy and well with a promising life. After all, it is biblically accurate to say that the Lord holds each of their hearts in the palm of His hands and He is the one who will have the final say on their life span. In this I rejoice, God is so much bigger than diseases and suffering. I was reading through Matthews’ gospel and I came across the woman with the bad blood who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed. God is the Great Physician and if He wills to heal them He most certainly will. But, as for today, we are faithful to love, teach and encourage these children to trust and obey God, to laugh and play and to really live each day as if it truly was their last.

The Township of Katlehong

Katlehong is one of the many townships in Africa. The townships are very impoverished and in desperate need of revitalization. This past week Martha who is employed full time with Lambano has become a dear friend. Last week Martha and I along with a resident of Katlehong traveled into the township with the objective of interviewing the residents to see if they were in need of Lambano’s services. Our service to Katlehong includes providing food parcels for the residents. As you may imagine there are more residents in this township than Lambano can feed. So, we only help homes where the children have been diagnose with HIV/AIDS. The AIDS epidemic has destroyed many families here. We try to help the go go’s (grandmother) who have assumed the role of raising their grand children because of the death of their parent(s). However, this week we interviewed a young girl who was only 22 years old. She lost her mother and her older sister to AIDS. Her sister left 2 children, age 7 and 3. This young 22 year old girl has dropped out of school and is now raising her niece and nephew! Wow! I have so much respect for this young girl, she is so young and not only is she dealing with the grief of losing her loved ones but she is also left with the responsibility of caring for two children who are terminally ill. I cannot disclose her name but please join me in praying for this young lady who has made such a huge sacrifice.
Other services that Lambano provides to Katlehong is to take in children who are dying from this epidemic and give them medicine until they are fit to go back home. These services were provided to the little girl Zincle who was in my brochure. If a HIV child is given medication, their life span is significantly longer than those who are not on medicine. So, being able to provide medicine for these children determines the difference between life and death, literally!

The Crime

Hmmm! So far I haven’t experienced any crime. Thank God! It is dangerous here but thankfully the Lord has kept me safe. I do however, have to be careful when I walk down the streets and am out in public places. But, I try not to live my life in fear of those who are able to kill the body but unable to destroy the soul. I do think criminals are looking for the vulnerable and the fearful. So, I try to act ‘normal’ as if I belong here and am use to the dangers of this place. And again, the Lord has promised that not a hair will fall from my head a part from His will. So, I take great comfort in these TRUTHS! Please do continue to pray for our safety here.

"What is God doing in Missions?"

In preparation to serve in South Africa I took a class titled, Perspectives on World Missions.” We were encouraged to read several different articles to help prepare our minds and our hearts for the work of the ministry. One of the articles that has always been on my heart was titled, “What is God doing in missions?” The author did an amazing job in helping us, the reader gain an understanding of the complete goal of God in and throughout missions. He stated that as a result of the fall of Lucifer there has been a counterfeit kingdom established by Satan himself. The goal of Satan in creating this counterfeit kingdom is to win as many followers as possible to himself. Thus, the fall of Adam occurred. Adam of course was our federalist. “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). We were all born with a sinful nature. All of creation has a heart that is desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17: 9; Romans 3:12-13) We by nature do not pursue God. In fact, our nature is in constant opposition to the things of God. So again, I beg the question of, “what is God doing in missions?” God who is the Creator and Sustainer of life has been robbed of His glory by His creation, namely the angels and mankind. Therefore, God’s goal in missions is to reclaim His kingdom and to redeem the hearts of man. What a privilege to know that we, as vessels of the Most High God have the honor of being a part of His purpose. Knowing this, it is my joy to labor for the Lord here is South Africa. Knowing that I am a speck in His whole scheme to redeem the hearts of man from every tribe, tongue and nation to Himself allows me the desire to press on, with an eager expectation to be in His kingdom, before His throne worshipping the Lord with many other believers, saying “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4: 11)
So, with this perspective in mind, please journey with me as I serve the Lord here is Johannesburg, South Africa.