My sonder pretiensie Afrika gedig Die onregverdigheid van agterbly, kom maak hom tuis soos 'n ongenooide gas want hoe kokm jy, vreesloos, grensloos, vleesloos rondhuppel deur die Jordaan, terwyl ek weerloos, sonder jou my ousus, hierdie kant moet bly staan. Iewers tussen Jeffreys en die Knysnabos, los ek my gebroke hart, verruil ek hom vir tand en tydlose Afrika glimlagte wag ek geduldig vir volmaakte Godsheling om te kom Soos Paulus verstaan ek ook nou beter, om te lewe is Christus, te sterwe 'n wins want jy was nooit myne om te hou nie, nie toe nie...
Participant Blogs
Global Challenge Missions Blog Archive: These are real blogs, from real people, bringing real change...
In the beginning of the year I had a stirring in my heart to wash the feet of the orphans in Uganda and give them new shoes... This is not just a physical need of the orphans being met, but also a prophetic act to release something new in the spirit to them. Washing the feet is washing away all the hurt, trauma and pollution that the kingdom of darkness had put on them. Then, the clothing them with new shoes, is clothing them with Holy Spirit in their spiritual authority of belonging to Father God's family and the inheritance...
"As Short as I could get it It was a while ago that I was standing in church and we sang the words “no matter what the cost, I’ll go…” and the words struck me. It is sang so easily, but is it easily met? No matter what it will cost us… will we go where He directs us? Words so easily spoken, “Lord, I am willing for anything… use me”, but what we don’t always understand is that God will take you seriously, even if you did not mean it seriously. ' God took that to the...
If I were to ask you to think of the most favorite gift you have ever received, what would your answer be? I am sure you have quite a few just like me but if I were to name but one it would be my time in Spain. I was given the immense privilege to not only give a gift but to receive one much greater than I myself could have hoped for. Our adventure started in Tarifa. A quaint little seaside town overlooking the glorious mountains of Morocco. Coming from a country where Christianity and Bibles are...
I always thought the words and then were a prelude to something wonderful. Like seeing a ship come in or finding a note in your letterbox, when you weren't expecting one. That swift, surprising transition from nothing to everything. And then . Two little words that hold a world of promise. And then the light pierced through the dark sky, and the rain stopped falling. And then I met you. Uganda, experiencing you was like being ten hears old again, scaling a tree with my eyes bright and skyward, wanting to get higher and higher...
I have learnt a lt this year. I learned that things don't always turn out the way you planned, or the way you think it should. And I've learned that there are things that go wrong that don't always get fixed or get put back together the way they were before. I've learned that you can get through bad times and keep looking for better ones. This year wasn't always pretty. It wasn't always comfortable. Some things and situations even break your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you - it should change you. It leaves marks on your...
To my beloved fellow believers and fellow workers in Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Take a moment, forget where you are, what you are busy with and imagine with me Imagine not being worried about whether your shoes go with the color of your shirt Imagine not being worried about the Guess/Levi label printed on your jean Imagine you had no DKNY or ChanelNo5 perfume to put on this morning Imagine not having a wardrobe to put your clothes in Imagine not having a room to call your own...
We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place. We stay there even though we go away, and there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there. Kenya is such a place. It is truly like Narnia. There is something beautiful about Kenya that is thousands of years old. Too old to be truly captured by poems and songs. Loved by everyone, loved so very deeply. Kenya is everything real in a world of make believe. But even though I left some part of me behind, I also found...
We are in Kenya. We are in Kenya. We are in Kenya. A year ago I would have been at work doing some MS Excel programming and moving automotive parts in a warehouse to create space for more parts... I AM IN KENYA. We are walking through the streets of Kenya, we are teaching primary school kids that Jesus is the Winner Man, we are eating mangos, chapattis and beans. Karibu. We are in Kenya. No matter how many times I repeat it, it still feels weird and unreal. When we arrived here alot of us asked the question: What...
"Be Still." Two words. Constant and always present. Having morning coffee, I hear it: "Be Still." Swimming in the clear blue ocean. Walking on snow white sand. Watching a Fiery red sunset. "Be Still." Fellowshipping with people who have become family. Listening to music, old and new. Feeling the presence of God. Be Still. Two very simple words, put together to speak chapters. Our time in Tanzania and especially Zanzibar has taught me a very important thing. And that is to practice the pause. When in doubt pause. When angry or irritated, pause. When tired or stressed, Pause. And when...
When I first laid my eyes on you and the rolling hills you sat upon. I thought what amazing luck I have that God had created such beautiful things and gave me the eyes to see them. I am forever changed by your existence. You are a place filled with so many stories and I feel so privileged to share some of these stories with you. I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again....
With a heart wild with expectancy, and eyes filled with wonder, I arrived at OR Tambo on the 4th of March. What to expect? I didn't know. All I knew is that I am about to embark on the journey of a lifetime, to live a life like no other. And all this, with Jesus as my compass and anchor. We boarded flight 202 headed to Dar es Salaam, and you could smell the excitement in the air. Our flight only jetted off at 23:20, and I soon found out that a dinner tray can also be used as a...
Adventure is knocking at my door and it is almost time to respond by flinging this little door of mine wide open. Reflecting back on the past six weeks of training I am humbled by the grace of God and His undeniable faithfulness. What a journey it has been thus far, an adventure in itself. So far I have enjoyed every moment with my team, volunteers and leaders (even the less favorable ones like being out in the elements or walking barefoot for several hours). The Transkei brought along rain showers and plenty of learning opportunities. From Kids Ministry, painting,...
Extremist rebels are ruling districts in Mali with an iron fist and foreign troops are planning to invade. Thousands of civilians are fleeing Mali into neighbouring countries, including Niger – a country recently hit by famine and flood and unable to take care of extra mouths to feed. We cannot ignore this evolving crisis. Muslim extremists have strictly implemented Sharia law in the districts of Gao and Timbuktu. This means, for example, that a lady cannot leave her house without her husband or she will face stoning. If you are accused of stealing, your right hand is cut off and...
From the streets of China to the mountains of Nepal. This was where I was taught that 'different' and 'dark' may have been studied from the wrong angle. People are scared of being different- People avoid standing out. People love to blend into the crowd with tame words and pedicured appearances. Keeping the gardens trimmed and neat while the living room is in utter chaos. People are experts in being moulded by the world. "Please look at the garden but PLEASE don't look through the window". Jesus wasn't bothered by being controversial or 'exposing' Himself. He didn't really fit into...
Names are not always what they seem. For most of us it means identity and belonging. The identity that names give speak of description, which in most cases leave the negativity of prejudice and pride behind and also often leads us to form a stereotype. During my stay in Macedonia I was introduced with the thought that people and places are more than just a name. Macedonia for instance, may be known for it's rich history and important people, but for me Macedonia is like a good find in an antique store...timeless and...
"M-slapped" writing in honour of all the M’s I have met this year, you never asked for this, but you are worthy of this, and so much more...thank you for showing me a glimpse of your life During our travels this year, I have met many missionaries (let’s call them M ’s), some inspiring, some grey with age, speaking words of wisdom, some frustrated, some rejected, some exhausted. My heart goes out to each and every one of these, who have left their kids, their family, their grandchildren, and their culture behind for one purpose only...to proclaim the gospel that...
I am still on this journey where Father challenges me to focus what He is doing in each country. So we meet up with other workers in the field, to learn from them, encourage them and help them in which ever way they see fit. So I can just stand amazed and repent, thinking that I was going to change Morocco in the 3 weeks we spent there. The Moroccans trace back their cultural heritage to Noah's son Shem (at least that is what I was told). The Berber people in Morocco was some of the early church farthers. (So these...
I do not think there are many words to express the beauty and magnificence of Morocco, nor can it be fully explained to someone who has not seen or experienced it for themselves. I do however believe words have a lot of power when it is used in the right way. Words can change even the smallest perspective and I believe we are the ones who can say them. I will attempt to give you but a glimpse of what I experienced here, not only of God's love for us but His adoration for the people who have not...
New year...new beginnings Second last week of training and with it one week left I can honestly say that I am not ready yet. Rewind on all the weeks of training and learn everything again. That said I don't think I will ever be ready for a privilege like this. Going out into the nations and speaking His love over them...I'm wonderstruck. These past weeks I have learned to know and feel God in the stillness but also in the storm. I have learned that He calls me beautiful (Song of Solomon 2:10) and that He loves me with...
Morocco welcomed us with a night at the airport where we had to sleep through the sound of hammers and chisels ceaselessly building away on a new part of the airport. In Marrakech we stayed over for two nights. The vibrancy and colours of the markets overwhelmed and mesmerised. Rooftop views and coffees became a frequent enjoyment as well as prayer walks through the mazed streets. In the mornings we watched the sun rise over Marrakech and prayed together there. Fes was our next destination, once we got there after a long bus ride we were graciously scammed...
A few days to leave the beautiful South Africa I can summarize my experience in a single word: "Amazing!!!" I carry in my heart a vision, a model and many teachings to apply in Peru and in South America. The vision applies to form leaders who serve and influence all areas of society (political, economic, social and spiritual). These leaders are formed at a young age from the school (preschool) seeking to enhance the capacities that are being developed at home with the help of their parents. They will continue to be trained through missionary training. They will make a...
To get from Marrakech to Fes we had to take a long bus ride. The plan was to take the bus, arrive at the bus station in Fes, get connected to the Internet and let Mustafa from the hostel know we've arrived as arranged. Upon arriving at the bus station there he was - Mustafa was waiting for us, welcoming us with such overeagerness it was convincing. Being confident this was it we followed Mustafa, got in a cab and next thing we found ourselves in very fancy hostel. Beautiful patterns lined the walls of the Riad and comfortable couches...
"Someone asked will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved?" "Its more a question with me whether we -- who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved." Charles Spurgeon If there is something I can take out of our Africa journey, it would be Gods heart regarding the great commission. The whole of heavens army and all the witnesses are eagerly awaiting on the completion of our mission. The whole time here it felt as if we were being cheered on to complete the race,walking in...
Karibo Kenya! This Swahili word, 'Karibo' greeted us all along our journey along with warm smiles and hearty handshakes. Kenya was kicked off by crossing borders on foot and spending the night at the police station - FOR FREE! We pitched our tents and enjoyed one of many meals to follow of 'ugali' (mieliepap). The following day we embarked on our journey across country via the Mojale Star. As sophisticated as this sounds, it turned out to be a bus loaded with dust and broken seats. This journey was an all-nighter and early the next morning we arrived in...
From the moment we were welcomed by white smiles in dark faces, letters on the doors of our new place we will call home for three weeks and a cooked meal which took lots of effort, we knew that our time in Cameroon will be special… We have just entered the land of hospitality and fruitfulness. An exhortation nation. Besides that fact that we ate pineapples and bananas until we thought we’ve hit the fruit basket in Africa, our ministry time, plowing and digging and planting we did into Arsene and Nadesh’s church (Revival for all Nations), already yielded much...
Taking a 16 hour bus ride to Nairobi was quite an experience. Our bus driver was so confident in his driving ability that cars on the road seemed insignificant; he would proceed to gently run others off the road if they were in the way. There was no toilet on the bus and we stopped about every 5 hours, one being a break on the side of the road with no bushes… This poses as a much easier break for men than women. We arrived in style at our ministry point taking a taxi that lit up the night...
"Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones." Words that kept playing over and over again in my mind as the lights of all the cities of Africa came alive to guide us to a place that feels like home. I finally understand why they say "Your home is where your heart is." Israel...A place where Jesus' presence screams : 'HERE I AM , COME FIND ME!" And boy did I find Him. Oh Israel, how I've longed to walk the streets of your ancient cities and gaze upon their splendor and beauty. How glorious the...
Three weeks after we have left Cameroon, we as a team were busy with the debrief. I wrote my team the following letter, I think it shows a bit of every day life as a team of Explore Africa and the challenges we were facing....enjoy! Dear team, While debriefing Cameroon I came to the conclusion that we had quite a bumpy ride behind us. And by this I don’t only mean the road between Cameroon and Gabon. All of us had challenges, personal challenges, team challenges, cultural challenges, maybe even God-challenges. All of us learned lessons. For most of us...
Davis, aka The Ambassador greeted us with his white smile and a dashing white suit on Sunday morning. He was ready for church. Marié and I ran some last errands, I all the while thinking how the heck is this guy going to keep his white suite white. Why would he even bother with one? It won't stay white, I could guarantee him that. Everything is dusty in Busia, Uganda. Even the tar road has a thick layer of dust making it unrecognizable – and we were far away from the tar road anyway. We were to go on The...
