My Journey began in 2013 as soon as I heard I’m accepted for Global. The biggest Challenge at that time was to trust God to provide finances for me to go on Global in 2014. I had this knowledge in me that God will provide for my family (I have seen it through the years growing up), but for the first time I have to trust Him to provide for ME.
I can surely tell you that God is, Yehovah Jirah: The God that provides. By beginning of January this year I already had more than half of my funds paid.
At beginning of training we had a week of survivor where I learned about surviving in bushes with little food. I experienced cold nights with only one sleeping bag between six young adults. We had to build our own shelter with a few instruments and a lot of brain-waves. We ate frogs(well more like tasted) and crabs. Things became more interesting when we got a chicken as a team member. We had to name, care for and carry her everywhere. Pikkie (the chicken) adopted Muller as her favourite companion. One night, poor Pikkie Nandos was promoted from youngest team mate to best meal ever!!!! The poor chicken was so tasty in a stew.
One thing that stood out on survivor was the food challenge. We had to eat and drink a few gross stuff like earthworms, puppy food with jellybeans, coffee and egg mix and parts of (I think) goat.
Survivor was definately difficult but it was really worth it. I learned the value of teamwork and trust in one another.
The following weeks a lot happened: Teachings, Spiritual challenges and emotional challenges. God really tested me in what I believe and He revealed Himself to me in different ways. For the second time as a provider on our Luke 10 weekend. (Read Luke 10:1-9)
Luke 10:
As students we were divided into smaller teams, chosen out of our journey teams. On Friday, 14 February 2014 Luke 10 began. I was in a team with Anseri Lategan, Madelein du Toit and Miga Coetsee. We were sent out to find our person of Peace, that is, someone who takes us into their home. Based on a revelation from Madelein, we decided to walk barefoot to Knysna from Jeffrey’s bay. We had an amazing time in Knysna. God provided our persons of peace and just blessed us and gave us the opportunity to bless them to. Friday we travelled in the back of a police van to the orphanage- we played with the kids. Then we visited kids in a hospital until we were chased out by the security (they did not even know we planned to sleep there! )
When we realised that we have to leave our accommodation in God’s hands, He came through. Someone we met (Peter) advised us not to sleep on street, but rather in the yacht-club’s bathrooms. So, three young ladies of 18 and a young man of 25 slept in the men’s bathrooms on Valentines day. Poor Miga watched over us, because men used the facilities through-out the night, because of an event at the yacht club. On Saturday God blessed us with a breakfast and tea-time snack at our second person of peace. Tannie B blessed us a lot and we were able to hear all her lovely stories during breakfast in her house. For lunch our first person of peace(Peter) gave us free coffee and pizza at the restaurant where he works. I do not know how he organised it but he blessed us. What we realised is that the people who blessed us, where the people who were in need themselves.
Saturday evening we met our third persons of peace. This time they were children. We started sharing our story with children coming towards us , to talk to us. Then a teenager came running back to us, with juice and hotdogs. God gave us the opportunity to pray with his family and they gave me really the feeling of being at home again. His sister (19) experienced a girls-night sleepover for the first time in her life, when the family offered us accommodation for the night. Anseri, Madelein and myself shared a mattress in the lounge, with our new friend on the couch. This family shared all they had with us (they were 8 people in one small house).
We had a lot of grace with finding lifts to Knysna and back. (more than 200 km one-way). A luxury bus-driver where another person of peace we met. He gave us and one of the other teams, a free lift back home. (Jeffries)
I have been home (with my family) now for three days. It is heart braking to hear my little brother (5) pray for me and my flight to India tomorrow. (5 March 2014)
Below is a photo of my team: Northbound
Left back: Madelein, Quinton, anseri, Chanelle, Willemien, Jade, Vanessa, Annique
Left Front: Arno, Coetzee, Miga
And that is my team!!