No turning back, no turning back...

After getting out of our comfort zones in the North, we could not wait for some relaxing beach vibes in Phuket. Everyone knows about the island’s amazing beauty and vibrant culture making it an ideal all year round holiday destination. This of course was not our focus and we were excited to be serving our new host: Roeline Muller (fellow South African) who is ‘not a missionary, only a Christian worker’. This amazing woman has started a NGO called Asia Center Foundation that provides education and support to both children and parents from lower social-economic backgrounds in Phuket. This people...

On the other side of the wall… As South Africans we are familiar with the concept of having a country within another country, but this did not prepare me for what I experienced crossing the ‘border’ into Palestine. Bethlehem is about 7,1km outside Jerusalem with a large 8m high wall dividing the one city from the other. Imagine a scene out of the Hunger Games with the towering wall, barbed wire everywhere and people with guns patrolling the area. And so we drove through this scene only to be met with gas bombs, tires burning and people with gas masks...

When gardening, one always starts with the end in mind. There is always a sort of rigorous planning and planting, but soon it is all about maintenance and persevering in the commitment to keep the garden contained. This is also true of our spiritual gardens. At first our spirit dwells in a desert, with no living water and no plants. But as soon as Christ comes and changes our truth and understanding of the good news, He starts planting the first tree…The tree of freedom and salvation. As we start walking an intentional road with Him, God starts bringing new...

I glance around to locate the source       of the relentless voices overwhelming my thoughts. Incoherent noise that fill my ears, seem to be a natural expression of my fears, that no longer are contained by dreaming at night as the monsters of slumber now cloud my sight.   Overwhelmed by my senses I seek isolation for just a few moments of quick contemplation but there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide if the problem is not external but comes from inside.   With words at a loss I have nothing to say but continue in...

I really enjoy eating. There is just something about the smell of good food that awakens a joy from deep within and like a magnet I am instantly drawn to the source for a nibble. Over the years however, my body has changed and that wonderful teenage bottomless pit suddenly resulted in more feminine curves. My lifestyle also changed: less running around like a hooligan and more sitting in front of a desk working. With all these changes came some genetic health obstacles also (low blood pressure, low sugar levels, low iron levels) that resulted in a more controlled and...

So it has been a few days since we left the comfort of Europe and arrived here in Asia and it dawned on me that I haven’t really given feedback yet on what we did in Kosovo. With traveling over time zones always comes the intense confusion of not knowing if it is breakfast or dinner time and of course the body only wants to sleep. But I am awake and memories of the west are flooding back, so here is what happened… As going to Kosovo was an unexpected blessing after our China visas didn’t come through, we didn’t...

  At first we were taught that the Old Testament is a good read but slightly out-dated and should not be applied to our daily modern lifestyles. Then wars broke out, people began reading their Bibles again and opinions started changing again. This time however, people emphasized certain parts of the Bible to justify picking sides in a battle that everyone seemed to want to be a part of. It was at this point what I first heard that we as believers should align with Israel and pray for the Jews. It was at this point that I learned to...

A fearless warrior runs into battle with nothing to lose. His armor and sword are always at the ready with no weak spots or blemishes because he understands that he needs protection and takes care to ensure he has it. He gives everything he has and is completely committed to the battle. He has counted the cost and is obedient, never questioning the mission. His mind, body and spirit are all focused on fighting till the battle is won. Even if warriors fall next to him, never to stand up again, he continues fighting. No personal comforts or desires matter...