Participant Blogs

Traveling from Australia in mid August, I doubt that any of us felt up for two and a half months in the Middle East.  Heat, the culture that is so different, a tiny budget and knowing that our time for going home was drawing closer all played a part in the mood. Sight seeing in a sweltering Cairo was fun, but we all thought it best to split up and go on our own for about 5 days, just to think things through, recuperate and gain some energy for the home stretch.  God sent me to a place called St...

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. ...

“It’s my last one, but you can have it.”  Remember that Rolo add?  Now my question: “Is it OK to keep the last Rolo for ourselves?” One of the scriptures that played a huge part in helping me make my decision whether to do Global Challenge or not, was the one about the rich young ruler (Matt 19:16-30; Luke 18:18-30).    The Rich Man 18Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 19”Why do you call me good?”  Jesus asked him.  “Only God is truly good.  20But to answer your question,...

What a wonderful feeling to be back in “civilization” after 2 months.  Clean streets, western food and a clean, soft bed.  This was my first feeling after arriving in New Zealand at the end of April.  “The West” however was not without its own challenges.  What we gained in comfort and familiarity, we lost in lenience though.   After touching down in Auckland, we had to go through customs and this is where our excitement was halted for about an hour.  While Ivan and Darko were taken to one end of the customs hall, Stoffel and I were escorted to the...

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...

After reading Joshua 5:14 today, I yet again saw how a powerful man of God would fall down on the ground out of reverence and not even before God, but the commander of His armies.  Would you, would I do this when face to face with what seems to be an ordinary man?  Would we if we saw God?  Would we even recognize Him? We have so much pride instilled in us by our society and way of living that if put in Joshua’s shoes, we would most likely have told the guy to make himself useful or hit the...

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...

Hey all the wonderful people at home.  Hope that everything has been well on that side.  This side it has been tough but what an adventure!! Our trip started with us flying from Joburg airport to Cairo, having a 18h lay over there and then flying to Mumbai.  Cairo was fun as Egypt Air booked as into a larney hotel where we had 3 buffet meals for the day and Stoffel and I could go site see abit in the markets.  Traffic is a mess to say the least and being an Islamic country, it always felt kind of gloomy......

Hey guys, thought I'd drop you a line before I go watch the Brumbies play!!   What a life changing week!!!  I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but it wasn't even that, it was just so intense.  We had a prophet from Scotland, Jo Ewan, to come and teach us on the gifts of the holy spirit and also prophesy over us.  I am a new man! Although I have had some teachings on the gifts of the spirit, I haven't had it in so much depth and detail before.  The truths that were revealed...