Participant Blogs

Hi everyone This is my first blog after leaving India and I now find myself in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  I love the fact that every McDonalds has free WiFi. So, as I mentioned, we left India behind with a sad heart.  The kids at the orphanage grew on me as time went on and by the time I had to leave, they had crept deep into our hearts.  The amount of love that they are getting and the amount that they need are two different things.  This is not a reflection on the efforts of the staff, but just what...

After Langkawi it was a 1500km hike to Kho Chang, a Thai island close to the Cambodian border.  After only 33 hours, numerous lifts including a 10h one from southern Thailand into Bangkok on the back of a twin cab Hilux... tight squeeze, we were on the island and met up with South Bound (one of the other GCX teams).  So while everyone worked, went on fishing and snorkelling trips and had good food, I was admitted into hospital for Dengue fever.  I started feeling feverish in Langkawi, but thought it was just too much sun.  After 4 days of...

Hey guys Sorry for the late update.  A combination of writer’s block, lack of internet access and laziness. We are currently in Auckland, NZ and having an amazing time on all levels.  You will however have to wait for my next blog to read about that.  This blog is about our Malay and Thai adventures.That is exactly what it was, an adventure from beginning to end.  Our stay in India the previous month was pretty stable concerning food, accommodation and ministry, but April was the total opposite.  Apart from our flights in and out of Kuala Lumpur (well... not even...

I love the Word and how it is alive and living!  Many times in my life have I read Old Testament scriptures… and it was boring.  That was because I read them without the understanding that comes from living in the Spirit.  Then it becomes alive, exciting and applicable. We often do not understand God’s plans for our lives and it frustrates us because we do not see or do not even know of the bigger picture.  This is exactly what happened to the Israelites when they were in the Wilderness for 40 long years.  They were glad to not...

Seeing that I haven’t posted as many blogs as I would have loved to, I thought I’d give you this praise report to give thanks for all your faithful prayers, to inspire you to keep praying, to tell you that our God is alive and faithful and to give all the honour and glory to Him. On Saturday morning, the team and I drove into Auckland city to meet up with AJ and his crew.  Our expectations were high, but nothing could prepare us for what was ahead. We split into smaller groups for some prayer walking.  As we walked...

Dawid was so right in the beginning of training when he said, “I hate India.  I love India.  I will never go back there.  If someone gives me a ticket today, I’ll be on that flight tomorrow.”  India is a country of contrasts and because you never know which slice of the pie you might get, a place where Global Challengers meet God and meet themselves. As I travelled to India with the team, I had this sinking feeling.  That feeling of, you know what’s coming, you do not want it, but you can’t avoid it.  Probably what Jesus felt...

Being part of a Global Challenge team on the road is such a different experience when you are just visiting than being one of the actual team members.  I have to start from scratch to get to know the guys when they are well aware of eachother’s virtues and vices.  They are a bit tired and in need of some rest and I come to them with a tremendous amount of excitement and energy.  They are familiar with noodles and oats every day and I am not anymore… for obvious reasons.  A challenge indeed. My focus is on the team...

Australia... where should I start?  There is so much I have that I can tell you, but it has never really been one of my life ambitions to write a novel, so I decided that I shall stick to the highlights.  Two and a half months, 10 weeks or 70 days, doesn’t matter how you look at it, went by in a flash.  Oh but what a brilliant flash it was.  I’ll try to contain my excitement as I relive my time in Australia. After a wonderful time in New Zealand, we flew into Sydney at the end of May. ...

Today was our last full day here in Phuket and we used it to reflect on some of the events of the past 4 to 5 weeks.  We leave Phuket tomorrow morning early to hitch hike down to the Malaysian border and eventually to Kuala Lumpur from where we are flying to Melbourne, Australia. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we had visitors on Friday.  Lauren, a GCEX family member from the States was among them and during our time of worship, she made me realize again what this was all about.  We got so trapped in the "we need God...

Sunday, the Lord's day.  And what a marvelous day we had.  We didn't go to church or spend heaps of time in the Word, but we did experience God in more ways than one. In the Basson's house where we are residing, Sunday is a day where you can start slowly.  We got up at only 9h00.  Some of the guys watched the Bulls/Cheetas game and then the Man U/ Barca game untill the wee hours of the morning.  The late rise was then a geat blessing to those. Each one had his own quiet time accompanied by the usual coffee. ...