So being Dads- Gods hands and feet started in India and wow didn't it start with a bang:) After a 9044km flight from SA to India. We got our contact at the airport, she took us to the orphanage and there our first ministry started straight away. The kids who most of them I saw a 2nd time( I have been at this orphanage in December 2012) is still soooo loving and have such serving harts, I can really learn a lot about unconditional love from them. A lot happend in my life since December 2012 and a lot seems to be the same here in a good way.
The children have prayer time 3 times a day where there is prayed, worshiping God and sharing. We as team have the amazing chance to speak into there lives with my chance I spoke about: "Being a new creation in Christ" and "What the cross means to me","the Lords prayer" and that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" . We talked to them about Identity in the 17 days we were there and God blessed this so much where we as team learned a lot. For example I learned that God sees all His Children the same because we are in Christ.
In this 17 days we also had a project where our aim was to paint the orphanage- and I can say proudly by Gods grace we done it Praise Him:)In this time that we worked we sanded, we cleaned, we patched up and painted the outside of the orphanage walls. We also had a lot of fun as team and God really helped us a lot with perseverance. We even worked one night. we got sponsors of R14 900 for our project and God gave us a lot of favor as we got blessed with discount and some of the materials we needed.
In our free time when we did not work we played with the children and this Children love playing haha... Mostly I played Cricket with them and also the love it when you pick them up and spin them around and so on. I also watched cricket on TV with them twice and what a blessing was that! They really love there cricket.
They really got attached to us quick and so I also got attached to them real quick. It is different to come to a place for a 2nd time as I knew what to expect but it also help me a lot with bonding with the kids as I already had a good bond with some of them. God really gave me a good time with all the kids but there was certain kids that I had a extra special bond with. One of my favorite conversations was with a 10 year old kid ( little brother) he talked about we all are the same and a zero and then me and him talked and said but if God is one and we zero me and God is 10 together what a revelation was that not. This little brother had so much wisdom in Him ( the Holy Spirit is definitely in him) and I realized again like many times in this 17 days that we can learn so much from children. The same God that is in me is in that child to if we only believe it... We can do such great things through Him
In this time in India we also needed to buy food as a food team and yes it is quit a challenge to buy food in a country you don't know haha, but Praise God for one of our hosts who helped us a lot. We even learned to make japatis in this time and ate it about each day ( it is sooo good) there was also a few surprises in this week as we got some curry egg and sweet japatis and also some very hot food( our host says its not so hot but then again she is Indian hehe) we also ate water buffalo and a lot of rice. Praise God
What else happened our time in India ?
we experienced some amazing things as God healed my very sore tummy( I felt like I am going to die) when my team mates prayed for me. He came and touched a lot of kids and us as a team's lives through out our time at the orphanage. I was very tired and physical broken down at times but God came and learned me to live through spirit and not flesh.
The last time in india we had to rest and debrief what happened in India. And we also had the chance to do a bit of site seeing on a very interesting tour bus - we left 6:00in the morning and came back 3:00 the next morning. On this bus there was even a guy who gave a hindu preaching to the people and we met a Hindu family and wow it was just such a privilege to talk to them and be light through Jesus in us.
The Church of the North team( Northbound) what can I say about them? Well this team is very unique in a awesome way, each one have there own awesome personality and each one is sooo funny in there own way. We laugh a lot and its sooo good for our unity haha. Unity is very good and we are growing closer by the day as a family. Praise God for that. Its awesome to get to know this 10 awesome family members and to see how God is working in and through them. I love this 10 brothers and sisters sooo much.
What the time in India meant to me personally:
The time in India was challenging in the time I was sick and when I my voice was gone but I learned that when I am weak God is strong, and that His joy is my strength. Its easy to lose focus in hard times but I just want to keep my focus on Him. In the sickness I tried to focus on Him even though it wasn't always easy. I learned that I love to share( Bring word) even though its still a challenge and that my Identity is in Him, I am Hidden in Him ( All who believes in Him is children of Him) and I have no right to look down on anyone all people is the same. God also learned me to not want to do things for Him all the time but rather go with the flow and walk in obedience to Him. The picture I got with that is that God is like a train and I must just stay on the train and move with Him and don't climb out of this train. ( This is still something I am journeying on but I know God will come make this heart knowledge)
In our busy program I really needed to learn to manage my time and to seek God in everything I do, from sanding to painting to eating. And no it wasn't always easy but relationship with God is 24/7 not just some moments when I feel like it.
So I really had a awesome time in India, challenging but awesome. I praise God for the time we had here to be His hands, feet and mouth. Next we are going to Nepal where our team will split up for 2 weeks there, I am very exited to see what God plans for us there as a team. Thank you for your prayers and support and I praise God that I can share my year journey with Dad with you... Hold onto Him and seek Him in everything you do He wants to meet you and use you where ever you are :)