Almost week 3 of Outreach, and it feels like we have been here much longer. Yes! we are in Africa!
Right now our teams are mainly working with the colored and black communities of Cape Town, South Africa. They mostly speak english. But for all of them either Xhosa or Afrikaans is their first language. It is strange to feel so outta place but God is using us in our differences and it had been eye opening to realize the spiritual reprocussions of valueing one race over another. History here proves that ‘time’ does not heal all wounds, the love of God -our Creator, our Father- does.
We have been working with our first church ‘Tabernacle of Praise’, in the community of Parow and in a very poverished community called Delft a 5 minute drive away. This church is only 8 years old and wanting to know more about making themselves more available and equipped in ministry.
IN THE COMMUNITY OF PAROW: In the community around the church we have been able to go from door to door to ask people if they would like to prayer and been recieved with open arms even from the most unlikely people. Talking to addict teens in the park, angry prostitutes on the corner, and random people in the markets. We have done prayer walks that have produced more fruit than we imagined. We have asked God to work through us and guide us daily and he has rewarded us honorably.
THE COMMUNITY OF DELFT is a formal settlement, small cluster of cookie-cutter housing. Each house is about the size of most of our living rooms at home. Most of the people that live here at one point lived in shacks in the areas of town they were forced into during Aparteid. Aparteid, meaning ‘separation’ in Afrikaans was a very racially oppresive part of history in South Africa. Aparteid was only legally lifted by the government in 1994 after their first democratic election. Crazy what freedoms we take for granted until we realize what we really have.
In Delft we have done prayer walks and invited people to a church that is just starting there under the leadership of the Tabernacle of Praise.
We have also done childrens programs, and by defult on prayerwalks we are invited in often for coffee to talk - which ends up being oppertunity to council through built relationships there. Several churches actually join together to do ministry there so we will continue to do ministry there and equip them to play a more active and united role in that ministry. It is well known as one of the most poverished communities in CapeTown due to their intence history with hopelessness and fatalist outlook. "Why look for a job. Im not going to find one."
We have met a variety of people here in Cape Town, South Africa.
Oddly enough it is a tourist destination with some of the most beautiful, well sought-after ‘stuff’ in Africa. Or so I have been told.
It’s a funny thought concidering we know we are here for ministry and by the time we make it to our day off catching up on laundry and e-mailing home seems to be priority.
The shore-line of Cape Town was claimed by the Dutch whites early in it’s history and still holds more financial and material value in it’s little pinky then the rest of Cape Town combined. From what we have seen the malls look like Hilton mansions and the boat yards are filled to the brim with yachts. The span between rich and poor in this city is so vast and expansive that it turns my heart inside out.
Now you have ammo to pray for us and for Cape Town South Africa.
July 20, 2009
July 9, 2009
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL ~ Outsiders, Delft, Debbie
Needs, Burdens, Wrecking Us for the Ordinary.
Wednesday July, 8 2009
“I need a job, I have no money to feed my 6 children…” she hadn’t even introduced herself. The old woman who sounded as if she was going to start begging like many of the people I had met the same way before. She spoke very little English, which was becoming more and more familiar to me. Those are the words she knew clearly how to say in english; “I need”. She spoke Xhosa. I noticed because of the way her tongue clicked in the words she used in speaking to young girl beside her. The Xhosa, mostly the black community, sadly from what I have experienced, are in one people group in the greatest need. Mostly asking for a hand out. This time I asked her name and offered to pray for her.
I walk away from this committing to the Lord that I will not carry the load He is meant to carry. We all see the desperation in the eyes of these faces at times and individually have nothing to give but a prayer and sense of hope that brightens up their faces for a moment. Emotionally at the end of the day we are wrecked, physically we are tired, mentally we are drained. At the end of the day I know I am to give all my heart, all my soul, all my strength to him. I am/ We are not to carry the burden of Cape Town on our shoulders. Gods solutions, His strategies for pulling this country and this city out of its past and into its future depend solely on Him working out of His people here when we leave. Our job is to direct people to hear him, often just a deeper understanding of His character, ways, and nature. God wants all to have relationship with us, and work our problems out through us, not just for us. My prayer often for individuals here is that Jesus is not just for a quick fix- not just another ‘witchdoctor’ or ‘Band-Aid’, but a carrier of their daily burdens also.
Matt 11:28-29
The Invisible Wall
Tuesday July, 7 2009
He shared with me this morning “ask of me and I will make nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” PSALM 2:8 I/ We are in Cape Town, South Africa one of the furthest places south on the map. (like the covenant with Abraham, and Matt 28:19)
I have never felt so white or American in my life. Everywhere we go we are the minority. Mostly because we are mainly working in the colored areas, but the significant way that we stick out is huge. The white Afrikaans people do not mix very often with blacks or coloreds, and until we start talking we appear to be white Afrikaans. It is strikingly different then anything in the US. The invisible wall is so thick I can almost see it like a fog I have to walk though in order to have someone see me beyond my skin, beyond my nationality. The white people here rarely speak to the coloreds because of the history here. So it is a big deal when we do. Just by speaking with them and even more praying with them we are breaking down those walls.
They say the streets are dangerous, the taxi’s (which are vans here) are dangerous, going out at night in general is dangerous. They say there are certain streets you just don’t walk down, certain streets you don’t go near. Perfect love drives out fear, and we are not afraid but elements of wisdom need to be kept close for our own safety. We always travel in threes, and are always aware of where we are geographically and spiritually as much as possible. Discernment of the Holy Spirit is with us and angels encamp around us.
Here in the middle of it all, humbled and privileged fighting in someone else’s battle along side them. I think that’s why people are so quick to have an open ear and open heart. They respect, and feel honored that we have come so far and to such a ‘dangerous place’ just to encourage, love, and pray with them. We have come to them without fear of the statistics, without fear of the unknown.
While I was praying for a woman sitting by a wrought iron fence in front of her house with her baby. A young man, I’m assuming was her neighbor, walking by shouting as he went “next time you come back bring money, we just need your money!” I stopped to look at him because he was so loud from a distance and it caught me off guard. The mother I had been praying for shouted back quickly and confidently “we need only their prayers! HOPE is what YOU need brother!!” She turned her face back to me and said, with her eyes welled up and sparking in the afternoon sun, “Thank you, thank you for your prayers.” She was encouraged, she was grateful, and she was joyful from the time that I met her. She was in need of a job, probably the 20th person I personally talked to this week praying for employment.
As you read this. I caution you not to read it and feel sorry because these are a beautifully vibrant, uniquely blessed and colorfully gifted people. I encourage you really think of the wonderful and inspiring people you know that have lost jobs, find themselves in addiction, or feel hopeless. You are equipped to pray just the same. Please help us by praying for the people of Cape Town, South Africa. Please pray for us, break down some walls with us.
Ripe for the harvest that is plenty and workers are few.
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL
Delft stories
Sunday July, 5 2009
They call them ‘townships’ or ‘squatter camps’ the homes made of tin and wood planks that we saw on our first car ride from the airport. There are also townships that are government sponsored just nearby. The difference between the two socially is one is called a ‘formal settlement’ the sponsored ones built of cement and mortar, and the ‘informal settlement’ built with whatever can be found nearby. With either of the townships - the people that live there are by great majority colored or black ethnically.
Today after a really energizing church service at the “Tabernacle of Praise” we road a packed church van to the community of Delft, a formal settlement. Everyone piled out of the car. Prayer walking was our desire.. to capture Gods heart for when we would be going back later in the week. We were in for a surprise. Never had we seen a community so open and ready to hear the gospel, such a huge majority were joyful to see that we were there to just pray for them. Never had we been so challenged in our faith or shaken by such a bold and un ashamed scene of need.
Three of us walked just a few yards/kilometers around the block and two woman in what looked like their early forties stopped us and asked in a deep Afrikaans accent “For who are you here for?”
“uuh .. We are here to just here to pray and just ask people about information on needs of the community.”
It was interesting getting to know these two friends Dedre’ (dee-DRee with the “r” rolled) and Priscilla. . We got invited into their home on the next corner. It was a cement block house about the size of most of our living rooms. Their front door, like many others in the neighborhood was left hanging wide open. Inside was a simple couch, chair, sink, and tv stand. They shared that there was a definite need for us to pray for them and began rolling off a lists for to pray for. Priscilla needed prayer for a new job because though she believed that she would have one soon, she felt that she should -and would- be rehired at the place she was fired at down the road. Dedre’ asked for prayer too. She asked for prayer that her children would listen better to her and that she as a single mom would get help to get by. Dedre’s mother sat down with us and asked for prayer, in a humble quiet tone, for all the extended members of her family that needed help in numerous ways.
It was thought provoking to walk away from their house after an hour of just hanging out over cups of black coffee. Though all three women knew of who Jesus was, and agreed that he was good, there was a crisp and sharp evidence in their words over themselves and others that proved otherwise.
As a whole team in Delft, each one of us came back with heavy hearts and burdened spirits…
OTHER SHORT TESTAMONIES:
ALSO FROM DELFT: One girl on our team came back red eyed from tears and somber faced from sobbing. She had met a woman who appeared to be in her late 60’s but due to an abused and wrecked life was actually only 30 a sharp contrast to her appearance. She had deep scars all over her face. Sarah (name changed) explained that she and her born-disabled 3month old were just kicked out of their home by her husband. He threw her out on the street because he was exchanging her for his mistress. The young woman thickly smelled of alcohol and had taken up the invitation to be led through prayer. The heavy hearted missionary started a line and asked her to repeat. Before she had a chance to continue; Sarah was spewing out words of prayer as the numerous tears rolled ‘God I need you, I am sorry, I am sorry I want to make you the Lord of my life, please help me come into my heart Jesus and help me. I don’t want to live like this any more, I don’t want to carry the weight anymore without you.’
As amazing as it was that she came to the Lord that day. It was still a very awful sight to actually see circumstance right there so raw and sharp. The kind of moment that one walks away from with a thick tight knot within their stomach and swollen eyes from enduring through the now passing moment of reality. My friend who prayed with her had to walk away the seriously wrangled body of that infant, and continued to hear the brokenness of his mothers voice as she recalled those moments.
We serve a God bigger than all of it, and bigger than the tremendous load that deeply scares our hearts. Sarah was thankful that God sent us to pray for her, and even in the midst of helplessness she now believed that there had to be something more to life then where she was .
YESTERDAY:
Debbie’s Story.
One of our team members felt to ask her on the street corner where she was ‘working’ “If you could choose to walk away from this would you?”
‘Yes’ she replied. Very desperate and eager to share her story, Debbie’s heart over flowed with transparency, conviction, and shame. She had tried to stop working on the street not that long ago, and was recently fired at a better job because her boss found out what she used to do. She was looked at, and judged for what she did as if it was who she was as a person. Then soon after because she so late to pay her rent, she was kicked out of her apartment and had been homeless for the last three days. Sharing vividly and fearfully that she had actually been sleeping quite literally on the street. The same streets that we ourselves are not aloud to venture out on at night due to the danger.
I heard that the a great majority, maybe ¾, of people working on the streets with nothing but themselves to offer would rather be doing something else but feel that it is the only means left they have to survive.
One of them felt to share with her the story of the prostitute that was almost stoned by the people of the community that judged her. (John8:1-7) “Debbie - God sees that you are wanting to turn away from this, he sees the sacrifice you are trying to make despite your pain, despite your shame, he sees your honesty and humility…” Then one of the local community team members offered to pay the money it would take to get her back into her home so that she could look for another job and have a place to live. For Debbie this was a heart-need as much as it was a practical-need. She needed to see that God was not out to judge her, but save her because he loved her.
Debbie, after a very long time of bawling and weeping on the shoulders of these few that offered to love her freely and unconditionally; gave her heart fully to the Lord. “He sees you as clean as snow, and as precious as gold,… there is no need to carry shame of your past or fear of your future any longer.”
When Debbie was approached earlier that day, she was cold faced, broken hearted, and distant to these strangers. Now as they left her side the hugs could not stop, the smile could not be any wider and she radiated such a natural ecstatic beauty I could not even describe it with words.
I was privileged to meet her briefly right after this, and I can say we all need a to have that kinda joy, that kinda weightlessness in our hearts.
Erwin’s heart:
I spoke to a man yesterday. Erwin. He was in his mid-40’s and shared with us about how out of his inspiration of what we were doing he wanted to ‘start going back to church and allow the Holy Spirit to move’ through him again. He spoke eagerly of playing soccer or cricket in the park again with the local teenagers, to give them something to do instead of drugs.
Wednesday July, 8 2009
“I need a job, I have no money to feed my 6 children…” she hadn’t even introduced herself. The old woman who sounded as if she was going to start begging like many of the people I had met the same way before. She spoke very little English, which was becoming more and more familiar to me. Those are the words she knew clearly how to say in english; “I need”. She spoke Xhosa. I noticed because of the way her tongue clicked in the words she used in speaking to young girl beside her. The Xhosa, mostly the black community, sadly from what I have experienced, are in one people group in the greatest need. Mostly asking for a hand out. This time I asked her name and offered to pray for her.
I walk away from this committing to the Lord that I will not carry the load He is meant to carry. We all see the desperation in the eyes of these faces at times and individually have nothing to give but a prayer and sense of hope that brightens up their faces for a moment. Emotionally at the end of the day we are wrecked, physically we are tired, mentally we are drained. At the end of the day I know I am to give all my heart, all my soul, all my strength to him. I am/ We are not to carry the burden of Cape Town on our shoulders. Gods solutions, His strategies for pulling this country and this city out of its past and into its future depend solely on Him working out of His people here when we leave. Our job is to direct people to hear him, often just a deeper understanding of His character, ways, and nature. God wants all to have relationship with us, and work our problems out through us, not just for us. My prayer often for individuals here is that Jesus is not just for a quick fix- not just another ‘witchdoctor’ or ‘Band-Aid’, but a carrier of their daily burdens also.
Matt 11:28-29
The Invisible Wall
Tuesday July, 7 2009
He shared with me this morning “ask of me and I will make nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” PSALM 2:8 I/ We are in Cape Town, South Africa one of the furthest places south on the map. (like the covenant with Abraham, and Matt 28:19)
I have never felt so white or American in my life. Everywhere we go we are the minority. Mostly because we are mainly working in the colored areas, but the significant way that we stick out is huge. The white Afrikaans people do not mix very often with blacks or coloreds, and until we start talking we appear to be white Afrikaans. It is strikingly different then anything in the US. The invisible wall is so thick I can almost see it like a fog I have to walk though in order to have someone see me beyond my skin, beyond my nationality. The white people here rarely speak to the coloreds because of the history here. So it is a big deal when we do. Just by speaking with them and even more praying with them we are breaking down those walls.
They say the streets are dangerous, the taxi’s (which are vans here) are dangerous, going out at night in general is dangerous. They say there are certain streets you just don’t walk down, certain streets you don’t go near. Perfect love drives out fear, and we are not afraid but elements of wisdom need to be kept close for our own safety. We always travel in threes, and are always aware of where we are geographically and spiritually as much as possible. Discernment of the Holy Spirit is with us and angels encamp around us.
Here in the middle of it all, humbled and privileged fighting in someone else’s battle along side them. I think that’s why people are so quick to have an open ear and open heart. They respect, and feel honored that we have come so far and to such a ‘dangerous place’ just to encourage, love, and pray with them. We have come to them without fear of the statistics, without fear of the unknown.
While I was praying for a woman sitting by a wrought iron fence in front of her house with her baby. A young man, I’m assuming was her neighbor, walking by shouting as he went “next time you come back bring money, we just need your money!” I stopped to look at him because he was so loud from a distance and it caught me off guard. The mother I had been praying for shouted back quickly and confidently “we need only their prayers! HOPE is what YOU need brother!!” She turned her face back to me and said, with her eyes welled up and sparking in the afternoon sun, “Thank you, thank you for your prayers.” She was encouraged, she was grateful, and she was joyful from the time that I met her. She was in need of a job, probably the 20th person I personally talked to this week praying for employment.
As you read this. I caution you not to read it and feel sorry because these are a beautifully vibrant, uniquely blessed and colorfully gifted people. I encourage you really think of the wonderful and inspiring people you know that have lost jobs, find themselves in addiction, or feel hopeless. You are equipped to pray just the same. Please help us by praying for the people of Cape Town, South Africa. Please pray for us, break down some walls with us.
Ripe for the harvest that is plenty and workers are few.
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL
Delft stories
Sunday July, 5 2009
They call them ‘townships’ or ‘squatter camps’ the homes made of tin and wood planks that we saw on our first car ride from the airport. There are also townships that are government sponsored just nearby. The difference between the two socially is one is called a ‘formal settlement’ the sponsored ones built of cement and mortar, and the ‘informal settlement’ built with whatever can be found nearby. With either of the townships - the people that live there are by great majority colored or black ethnically.
Today after a really energizing church service at the “Tabernacle of Praise” we road a packed church van to the community of Delft, a formal settlement. Everyone piled out of the car. Prayer walking was our desire.. to capture Gods heart for when we would be going back later in the week. We were in for a surprise. Never had we seen a community so open and ready to hear the gospel, such a huge majority were joyful to see that we were there to just pray for them. Never had we been so challenged in our faith or shaken by such a bold and un ashamed scene of need.
Three of us walked just a few yards/kilometers around the block and two woman in what looked like their early forties stopped us and asked in a deep Afrikaans accent “For who are you here for?”
“uuh .. We are here to just here to pray and just ask people about information on needs of the community.”
It was interesting getting to know these two friends Dedre’ (dee-DRee with the “r” rolled) and Priscilla. . We got invited into their home on the next corner. It was a cement block house about the size of most of our living rooms. Their front door, like many others in the neighborhood was left hanging wide open. Inside was a simple couch, chair, sink, and tv stand. They shared that there was a definite need for us to pray for them and began rolling off a lists for to pray for. Priscilla needed prayer for a new job because though she believed that she would have one soon, she felt that she should -and would- be rehired at the place she was fired at down the road. Dedre’ asked for prayer too. She asked for prayer that her children would listen better to her and that she as a single mom would get help to get by. Dedre’s mother sat down with us and asked for prayer, in a humble quiet tone, for all the extended members of her family that needed help in numerous ways.
It was thought provoking to walk away from their house after an hour of just hanging out over cups of black coffee. Though all three women knew of who Jesus was, and agreed that he was good, there was a crisp and sharp evidence in their words over themselves and others that proved otherwise.
As a whole team in Delft, each one of us came back with heavy hearts and burdened spirits…
OTHER SHORT TESTAMONIES:
ALSO FROM DELFT: One girl on our team came back red eyed from tears and somber faced from sobbing. She had met a woman who appeared to be in her late 60’s but due to an abused and wrecked life was actually only 30 a sharp contrast to her appearance. She had deep scars all over her face. Sarah (name changed) explained that she and her born-disabled 3month old were just kicked out of their home by her husband. He threw her out on the street because he was exchanging her for his mistress. The young woman thickly smelled of alcohol and had taken up the invitation to be led through prayer. The heavy hearted missionary started a line and asked her to repeat. Before she had a chance to continue; Sarah was spewing out words of prayer as the numerous tears rolled ‘God I need you, I am sorry, I am sorry I want to make you the Lord of my life, please help me come into my heart Jesus and help me. I don’t want to live like this any more, I don’t want to carry the weight anymore without you.’
As amazing as it was that she came to the Lord that day. It was still a very awful sight to actually see circumstance right there so raw and sharp. The kind of moment that one walks away from with a thick tight knot within their stomach and swollen eyes from enduring through the now passing moment of reality. My friend who prayed with her had to walk away the seriously wrangled body of that infant, and continued to hear the brokenness of his mothers voice as she recalled those moments.
We serve a God bigger than all of it, and bigger than the tremendous load that deeply scares our hearts. Sarah was thankful that God sent us to pray for her, and even in the midst of helplessness she now believed that there had to be something more to life then where she was .
YESTERDAY:
Debbie’s Story.
One of our team members felt to ask her on the street corner where she was ‘working’ “If you could choose to walk away from this would you?”
‘Yes’ she replied. Very desperate and eager to share her story, Debbie’s heart over flowed with transparency, conviction, and shame. She had tried to stop working on the street not that long ago, and was recently fired at a better job because her boss found out what she used to do. She was looked at, and judged for what she did as if it was who she was as a person. Then soon after because she so late to pay her rent, she was kicked out of her apartment and had been homeless for the last three days. Sharing vividly and fearfully that she had actually been sleeping quite literally on the street. The same streets that we ourselves are not aloud to venture out on at night due to the danger.
I heard that the a great majority, maybe ¾, of people working on the streets with nothing but themselves to offer would rather be doing something else but feel that it is the only means left they have to survive.
One of them felt to share with her the story of the prostitute that was almost stoned by the people of the community that judged her. (John8:1-7) “Debbie - God sees that you are wanting to turn away from this, he sees the sacrifice you are trying to make despite your pain, despite your shame, he sees your honesty and humility…” Then one of the local community team members offered to pay the money it would take to get her back into her home so that she could look for another job and have a place to live. For Debbie this was a heart-need as much as it was a practical-need. She needed to see that God was not out to judge her, but save her because he loved her.
Debbie, after a very long time of bawling and weeping on the shoulders of these few that offered to love her freely and unconditionally; gave her heart fully to the Lord. “He sees you as clean as snow, and as precious as gold,… there is no need to carry shame of your past or fear of your future any longer.”
When Debbie was approached earlier that day, she was cold faced, broken hearted, and distant to these strangers. Now as they left her side the hugs could not stop, the smile could not be any wider and she radiated such a natural ecstatic beauty I could not even describe it with words.
I was privileged to meet her briefly right after this, and I can say we all need a to have that kinda joy, that kinda weightlessness in our hearts.
Erwin’s heart:
I spoke to a man yesterday. Erwin. He was in his mid-40’s and shared with us about how out of his inspiration of what we were doing he wanted to ‘start going back to church and allow the Holy Spirit to move’ through him again. He spoke eagerly of playing soccer or cricket in the park again with the local teenagers, to give them something to do instead of drugs.
July 6, 2009
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL -DAY 6 (?)
Thursday July, 3 2009
Ouma’s Story:
So we were walking by this woman sitting alone on front stoop of her house beside the driveway. We met our new ouma (Afrikaans for grandma). Her name was Hermien (heir-MEEN). We said hello and started talking with her. After woefully explaining her plight in moving around through the years and the instability brought upon her family by gangs, violence, and unemployment; she invited us into her home. Unemployment in Cape Town is at almost 50%, and this was direct evidence of the hopeless circumstances around it created.
The four of us walked into a dark room with brightly colored curtains she proudly showed us she designed and created with the sewing machine she also proudly pointed out. “They are beautiful!!” we proclaimed honestly with surprise. She shared with us that this very sewing machine was her ‘bread and butter’, meaning it was what kept her family with a roof over their heads and food on the table. It was now broken, and she had been sitting outside contemplating ‘why’ the last hope she knew for her family was gone, as she held the small broken piece in her hand. The fix would cost her personally 500 Rand, about 70 Australian dollars but obviously not as easy to come by.
We asked her if we could pray for her. She said ‘please do’ in a very desperate worn out tone.
Funny as it was, Jeanie one of our team members, asked in Afrikaans if she had any anointing oil - chuckling to ourselves we settled for veggie oil because the poor woman had no clue as to what we were talking about. We felt to anoint her house. This sweet ol’ ouma, we had just met only ten minutes ago, was now watching these four strangers scatter in her house and ’anoint’ the windows and doors…
After that we left saying ’nice to meet you’ as she hugged us goodbye.
She didn’t know it at the time; but one of those four strangers had a tug on their hearts during the prayer to put the random 100R, put in their wallet this morning, under the sewing machine pieces on the table. Our prayer now is that God would multiply it.
This was only one of the many divine appointments we asked God for today. On our prayer walk, day 2 officially of outreach.
“God is the solution,… we will be his hands we’ll be his feet.” - Hillsong (acoustic)
July 4 2009
Another team went back to ouma’s house today. They came back with great news! Her ancient sewing machine was fixed - God answered our prayers! She apparently didn’t share how it happened, but we know what happened. While they were there this time they got to meet her daughters who also lived with her. One had been in a car accident some time ago and was still going through traumatic steps of recovery and surgeries to re mobilize her into the regular life again. They prayed for her and hung out with the family more.
Something in that house had changed, something was now fresh and new among them. Like a slight twinkle in their eye,it was a sense that there was a seed of hope now growing in their hearts.
Moments of Awe. Everyday we are here there is a moment in the day that just effects us all differently, individually, and intensely.
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL, Day 4
Wednesday July 1, 2009
After leaving our pleasant 2 days with Pastor Andre and Julie and my first impression of South Africa, apart from Jeannie-the-amazing on our team. They just let us stay in a small flat behind their garage until the rest of our team arrived. We walked around the community, prayed, and recovered from jet-lag. Sweet couple, insightful and colorful conversations round the dinner table with spicy-curry-chicken.
Today our second impression. Pastor Gordon, of the “Tabernacle of Praise” Church, a joyfully boisterous colored man from another side of town had all of us to his house for dinner. At this point our team was complete, having had zero complications at the airport. (yay!) Either way it was nice to be sitting around the table all together again, this time, with Pastor Gordon and his family. The conversation was about the current state of the community (around the church), about jet-lag, and at one point we each individually got grilled about our personal vision and calling. In praying for South Africa I felt privileged having learned of its history to be apart of something so distant from what I could fully understand. Stepping off the plane I felt awe, actually seeing the land and mountains of Cape Town in front of my eyes, but this moment was frozen in time for me. A colored pastor was speaking to me -to us- about the history of Apartheid that he lived through. I will share more about this with you personally as we go along but just being there personally to hear face to face really answered a lot of prayers I personally had.
None of us are here to ‘come in and rescue the day and leave when we feel like the problem is solved..’ We are here as available hands and feet, not just to bring encouragement, be helpful, or do a good deed; but to enable the church to be more active in the communities because they will be the responsible when we are gone to persevere with lasting fruit.
Thursday July, 3 2009
Ouma’s Story:
So we were walking by this woman sitting alone on front stoop of her house beside the driveway. We met our new ouma (Afrikaans for grandma). Her name was Hermien (heir-MEEN). We said hello and started talking with her. After woefully explaining her plight in moving around through the years and the instability brought upon her family by gangs, violence, and unemployment; she invited us into her home. Unemployment in Cape Town is at almost 50%, and this was direct evidence of the hopeless circumstances around it created.
The four of us walked into a dark room with brightly colored curtains she proudly showed us she designed and created with the sewing machine she also proudly pointed out. “They are beautiful!!” we proclaimed honestly with surprise. She shared with us that this very sewing machine was her ‘bread and butter’, meaning it was what kept her family with a roof over their heads and food on the table. It was now broken, and she had been sitting outside contemplating ‘why’ the last hope she knew for her family was gone, as she held the small broken piece in her hand. The fix would cost her personally 500 Rand, about 70 Australian dollars but obviously not as easy to come by.
We asked her if we could pray for her. She said ‘please do’ in a very desperate worn out tone.
Funny as it was, Jeanie one of our team members, asked in Afrikaans if she had any anointing oil - chuckling to ourselves we settled for veggie oil because the poor woman had no clue as to what we were talking about. We felt to anoint her house. This sweet ol’ ouma, we had just met only ten minutes ago, was now watching these four strangers scatter in her house and ’anoint’ the windows and doors…
After that we left saying ’nice to meet you’ as she hugged us goodbye.
She didn’t know it at the time; but one of those four strangers had a tug on their hearts during the prayer to put the random 100R, put in their wallet this morning, under the sewing machine pieces on the table. Our prayer now is that God would multiply it.
This was only one of the many divine appointments we asked God for today. On our prayer walk, day 2 officially of outreach.
“God is the solution,… we will be his hands we’ll be his feet.” - Hillsong (acoustic)
July 4 2009
Another team went back to ouma’s house today. They came back with great news! Her ancient sewing machine was fixed - God answered our prayers! She apparently didn’t share how it happened, but we know what happened. While they were there this time they got to meet her daughters who also lived with her. One had been in a car accident some time ago and was still going through traumatic steps of recovery and surgeries to re mobilize her into the regular life again. They prayed for her and hung out with the family more.
Something in that house had changed, something was now fresh and new among them. Like a slight twinkle in their eye,it was a sense that there was a seed of hope now growing in their hearts.
Moments of Awe. Everyday we are here there is a moment in the day that just effects us all differently, individually, and intensely.
SOUTH AFRICA JOURNAL, Day 4
Wednesday July 1, 2009
After leaving our pleasant 2 days with Pastor Andre and Julie and my first impression of South Africa, apart from Jeannie-the-amazing on our team. They just let us stay in a small flat behind their garage until the rest of our team arrived. We walked around the community, prayed, and recovered from jet-lag. Sweet couple, insightful and colorful conversations round the dinner table with spicy-curry-chicken.
Today our second impression. Pastor Gordon, of the “Tabernacle of Praise” Church, a joyfully boisterous colored man from another side of town had all of us to his house for dinner. At this point our team was complete, having had zero complications at the airport. (yay!) Either way it was nice to be sitting around the table all together again, this time, with Pastor Gordon and his family. The conversation was about the current state of the community (around the church), about jet-lag, and at one point we each individually got grilled about our personal vision and calling. In praying for South Africa I felt privileged having learned of its history to be apart of something so distant from what I could fully understand. Stepping off the plane I felt awe, actually seeing the land and mountains of Cape Town in front of my eyes, but this moment was frozen in time for me. A colored pastor was speaking to me -to us- about the history of Apartheid that he lived through. I will share more about this with you personally as we go along but just being there personally to hear face to face really answered a lot of prayers I personally had.
None of us are here to ‘come in and rescue the day and leave when we feel like the problem is solved..’ We are here as available hands and feet, not just to bring encouragement, be helpful, or do a good deed; but to enable the church to be more active in the communities because they will be the responsible when we are gone to persevere with lasting fruit.
July 1, 2009
South Africa Journal - Day 1
Monday June 29, 2009
We flew from Perth, Australia to Johannesburg, with a quick layover we were then onto a plane to Cape Town. Flying over the country reminded me of the south west of the United States; mountains sparatically placed between dry squares of farmland and large groups of trees. The mountains though are the main feature. The land for a vast distance can be incredibly flat with a tiny little stream here and there but then all of a sudden a giant mass of rocky earth just punching its way through the surface and jotting up towards the sky.
So at the airport we had a little -almost expected- fun with the luggage. On the bigger and more important side of things there was 2 pieces of sound equipment that went completely missing in action. These are the basic components to do street and park shows, worship, share testimonies and what have you. So South African airlines keeps on saying it will be on the next flight… 3 flights and quite a few hours later we gave up and gave them our number. Another sad moment, more on the personal side of our luggage… I accidentally left my sketch journal on the plane. A security guard reluctantly went back to look but came back with no report. They will call me if it is found, but I’m not going to set my heart on it.
We flew with all of the April DTS who is in whole about 30 so people, but its just 3 of us going ahead for our team. Rachel our staff originally from California, with Matt and I we are the pioneers of the Media Reach Teams! The rest of out team will be here on Wednesday morning. Sven the native South African picking our team up, it was time to say goodbye to the other DTS teams. Now it was just the three of us.
From the time that we landed there had not been a 2 story building in sight, and even the International Airport itself had seen better days. Sven drove us in a little Tempo-type car asked us if we would like to take the scenic-tourist way, or see the ‘real’- side of Cape Town. Matt and I both responded “Give us the real side of Cape Town.” Encouraged by our response Sven turned onto another express way and off we went. Sidewalks and road side markings made way for dirt and beach-like sand, and newer street signs appeared more and more rusted as we went. As our little car turned the corner it was like a wave that hit us “this area has the highest murder rate in South Africa.” Rows and rows of shanty houses, made crudely with tin and wood planks. Nothing was fresh, nothing was new, everything was dirty, accept the clothes hanging on clotheslines. Each lining the streets and unevenly spaced walk ways between the roughly built blocks of. It provoked a feeling of awe in me. I had seen desperation similar to this in Mexico years ago but not like this. Sven shared with us that “Some people in Cape Town don’t even know this area is here.” My imagination went trailing off… forgotten, hopelessness. Then we went through a slow intersection where a car was pulled over surrounded by police vehicles. A thin man was held face-forward against a parked car in the middle of the road with his hands behind his back while another man cuffed him. Behind that man was a officer holding what looked like a un-aimed machine gun. Sven didn’t blink an eye, and chuckled as he advised us not to take pictures of this kind of incident for future reference.
Muizenburgh, a suburb of Cape Town is where our first stop was; the Cape Town YWAM base. A few of the intercession teams and Megacities teams from the YWAM Perth had gone ahead of us and were staying at the base. We were directed to check out the really cool view from the roof, by Eleasa a Detroit Redwings hockey fan (wink J). Up several flights of stairs we were welcomed outside by the sunlight blasting through a dirty old stained glass window. Blocks and blocks of Dutch and Portuguese inspired buildings much like the old Victorian/European styled ones from home in Western Pennsylvania greeted us as we peered across the plain of now double and triple storied houses. Just a few blocks from the rooftop was the ocean; the smell of Cape Hope loomed in the air. Every building was a different color, classic, plain and simple. Behind the last visible building in the distance the mountainsides shot up out of the earth like great walls watching over the city as a whole. Everything was brightly alive, and though the scene from the drive earlier couldn’t leave my head I had a -and I think we all had a- revelation of God’s love for Cape Town close up.
Notes to self:
Where we were staying for the night. Pastors name Andre’ and Julie. Share more about the people we meet more in next post
(get a picture of the 5 of us)
Pioneers (we were told before Matt and I left that this is what people heard in prayer) Excited and Hopeful.
Jesus told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Fathers business (speaking of his heavenly father). What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” Message Version of the Bible Acts 1:7-8
Day 2
WORDS IN PRAYER THIS MORNING.
Eph 1
Freedom, Unity.
You are here early for a purpose.
Hopeful, Excited… leading out as examples.
Eph 3
There is no separation in Gods people! (Even in Cape Town)
God is going before us despite our current circumstances or Cape Towns current circumstances.
“He sought to it that I was equipped, but as you can see it has nothing to do with natural abilities.”
What a great privilege it is to be apart of something soo big in Gods plan.
Rom 8:18-29
Eager expectation, beyond what we already see (beyond those shacks)
Hope in what is unseen.
In all things God works to the good of purposes of his people.
We flew from Perth, Australia to Johannesburg, with a quick layover we were then onto a plane to Cape Town. Flying over the country reminded me of the south west of the United States; mountains sparatically placed between dry squares of farmland and large groups of trees. The mountains though are the main feature. The land for a vast distance can be incredibly flat with a tiny little stream here and there but then all of a sudden a giant mass of rocky earth just punching its way through the surface and jotting up towards the sky.
So at the airport we had a little -almost expected- fun with the luggage. On the bigger and more important side of things there was 2 pieces of sound equipment that went completely missing in action. These are the basic components to do street and park shows, worship, share testimonies and what have you. So South African airlines keeps on saying it will be on the next flight… 3 flights and quite a few hours later we gave up and gave them our number. Another sad moment, more on the personal side of our luggage… I accidentally left my sketch journal on the plane. A security guard reluctantly went back to look but came back with no report. They will call me if it is found, but I’m not going to set my heart on it.
We flew with all of the April DTS who is in whole about 30 so people, but its just 3 of us going ahead for our team. Rachel our staff originally from California, with Matt and I we are the pioneers of the Media Reach Teams! The rest of out team will be here on Wednesday morning. Sven the native South African picking our team up, it was time to say goodbye to the other DTS teams. Now it was just the three of us.
From the time that we landed there had not been a 2 story building in sight, and even the International Airport itself had seen better days. Sven drove us in a little Tempo-type car asked us if we would like to take the scenic-tourist way, or see the ‘real’- side of Cape Town. Matt and I both responded “Give us the real side of Cape Town.” Encouraged by our response Sven turned onto another express way and off we went. Sidewalks and road side markings made way for dirt and beach-like sand, and newer street signs appeared more and more rusted as we went. As our little car turned the corner it was like a wave that hit us “this area has the highest murder rate in South Africa.” Rows and rows of shanty houses, made crudely with tin and wood planks. Nothing was fresh, nothing was new, everything was dirty, accept the clothes hanging on clotheslines. Each lining the streets and unevenly spaced walk ways between the roughly built blocks of. It provoked a feeling of awe in me. I had seen desperation similar to this in Mexico years ago but not like this. Sven shared with us that “Some people in Cape Town don’t even know this area is here.” My imagination went trailing off… forgotten, hopelessness. Then we went through a slow intersection where a car was pulled over surrounded by police vehicles. A thin man was held face-forward against a parked car in the middle of the road with his hands behind his back while another man cuffed him. Behind that man was a officer holding what looked like a un-aimed machine gun. Sven didn’t blink an eye, and chuckled as he advised us not to take pictures of this kind of incident for future reference.
Muizenburgh, a suburb of Cape Town is where our first stop was; the Cape Town YWAM base. A few of the intercession teams and Megacities teams from the YWAM Perth had gone ahead of us and were staying at the base. We were directed to check out the really cool view from the roof, by Eleasa a Detroit Redwings hockey fan (wink J). Up several flights of stairs we were welcomed outside by the sunlight blasting through a dirty old stained glass window. Blocks and blocks of Dutch and Portuguese inspired buildings much like the old Victorian/European styled ones from home in Western Pennsylvania greeted us as we peered across the plain of now double and triple storied houses. Just a few blocks from the rooftop was the ocean; the smell of Cape Hope loomed in the air. Every building was a different color, classic, plain and simple. Behind the last visible building in the distance the mountainsides shot up out of the earth like great walls watching over the city as a whole. Everything was brightly alive, and though the scene from the drive earlier couldn’t leave my head I had a -and I think we all had a- revelation of God’s love for Cape Town close up.
Notes to self:
Where we were staying for the night. Pastors name Andre’ and Julie. Share more about the people we meet more in next post
(get a picture of the 5 of us)
Pioneers (we were told before Matt and I left that this is what people heard in prayer) Excited and Hopeful.
Jesus told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Fathers business (speaking of his heavenly father). What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” Message Version of the Bible Acts 1:7-8
Day 2
WORDS IN PRAYER THIS MORNING.
Eph 1
Freedom, Unity.
You are here early for a purpose.
Hopeful, Excited… leading out as examples.
Eph 3
There is no separation in Gods people! (Even in Cape Town)
God is going before us despite our current circumstances or Cape Towns current circumstances.
“He sought to it that I was equipped, but as you can see it has nothing to do with natural abilities.”
What a great privilege it is to be apart of something soo big in Gods plan.
Rom 8:18-29
Eager expectation, beyond what we already see (beyond those shacks)
Hope in what is unseen.
In all things God works to the good of purposes of his people.
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