The last few months was really an amazing time, where I learned a lot, experienced new exciting things, went through some difficult patches. I am so grateful that I can say that God was there with me, all the way! It just would not have any value, to have gone through all the experiences, but missed God in them…
India opened a lot of opportunities for me, where I got to know God in a different way. When we first got to India, the whole team completed a Veritas course in the foothills of the Himalayas. So far this was one of the highlights this year for me. I truly experienced how great God was by absorbing the beauty of His creation.
The course gave me a much bigger understanding of the Bible and how to interpret it. We also learnt how to prepare a sermon and present Bible study to the group. I really am so thankful to have been able to complete this program.
From there all the teams, except the Yellow team, who helped in the orphanage just outside Delhi, traveled to an orphanage in Kota. There we had lots of fun with the children and painted a school building for two weeks. We had a tough time working a full schedule like this into every day. We woke up at half past five most of the mornings to sand and paint the school building, which kept us busy for two weeks, until it was completed.
My relationship with God got a lot stronger during this time, even though I did not have a lot of time for devotion. It was really good for me to work hard and be able to have more responsibilities.
The children really crept into my heart and I have learnt much about God and being content with what I have and where I am, from these children. All of them are a great example to the way I should live. I found it very difficult to say goodbye to them, and would love to return to this orphanage.
We then flew from Delhi to New Zealand, and debriefed the first few days in a place called Algies Bay, which is far north, on the north island. We also had a week where everyone could do what they wanted, whether it was to relax or to travel some more…
which was good after a month of hard work.
The last week, we worked at a children’s holiday program in Auckland. It was interesting to see the differences between the children of India and a first world country like New Zealand. We all stayed at different host parents, and could live in familiar surroundings for the first time in six months.
We are currently in Guatemala, where we are going to be for the next four weeks, working with a pastor.
Thank you for all the prayers, and for all your support. I encourage you to keep on praying for our team, while we are ministering.
Blessings
Tiaan Gericke
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