"What we do, does not define who we are. What defines us is how well we rise after falling." It has been a while since I've seen words come to life in such an inspiring way. Rwanda is a beautiful chapter in this journey. So beautiful that there aren't any words to truly express how much influence it has had in my own thoughts and especially my relationship with our beautiful Saviour. I look forward to more chapters with you in it. You have taught me so much. Not only about your people but also about myself. I loved spending...
Participant Blogs
Global Challenge Missions Blog Archive: These are real blogs, from real people, bringing real change...
Our time in Cuba was almost like a time warp going back to the early 1950’s, vintage cars, horse carriages, music on every comer, no internet and street vendors everywhere. What an experience and privilege to have had a month in Cuba. We faced the language barrier with body gestures and our Spanish booklets. Embraced every moment and laughed a lot with those first country giggles when you still in shock that you’ve left South Africa. In Cuba we slept our first night on the airport in true global challenge style and then slept a night in Havana. The following...
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...
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...
"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...
And just like that we were saying our good bye's and getting on a plane, watching South Africa disappear beneath us and bidding it farewell for the next 8 months. Hidden World is officially in the nations. It still seems unreal to us. 8 weeks ago we couldn't imagine ourselves sitting on the roof of a hostel in Istanbul overlooking the Ayasophia and Blue Mosque just as the sun goes down, yet here we are having explored as much of Istanbul as possible and having eaten enough free Turkish Delight in the markets to not have to spend money on...
Istanbul! How cool was it to be in one city on two different continents!!!! That blew my mind! But what caught me first is how alive everything was. Driving from the airport in Asia to our guesthouse in Europe (I know.. It sounds quite cool.) I saw that this city definitely never sleeps. Buildings light up and dance, all around amazing tulip plantations show you which way to go. I was captivated by the beauty of Turkey. My heart ached at the sight of everything. I knew that this would be my favorite country! When we reached Mavi Guesthouse we...
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...
We departed from Turkey almost two months ago already, but it was such an overwhelming experience to be a pilgrim in the country where a big part of the new testament plays off that I struggled to put it into words. Here is my attempt at celebrating the highlights! We arrived in Istanbul, a cosmopolitan city located halfway in Asia and halfway in Europe with a strong Middle Eastern influence. The streets smell of incense and turkish delight and various kinds of fruit teas can be found in every sidewalk cafe and street market. Here I found that Psalm 16:5...
This whole Global Challenge has been tough. I've really been struggling to fit into my team and to find my purpose. I spoke to my leader and she said a few things that was needed, but I want to tell you about two things. Fitst she said that you're value is not in your purpose, it is in who you are. Second thing is that we are not human doings, we are human beings. I am not going to elaborate on that, but think about it. Anyway, continuing. It went really bad with my emotional and spiritual state. I started...
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...
Wait! What? This is not about me? So I am selfish. Done. That's it. What else is left to say? Listen to this sentence - it tells you values that Global Challenge decided on. We share the Good news to a world in need. Guess what I concentrated on. Yup, good guess! The 'we'-part. Luckily I can promise you this: God will reveal unto you if in anything you are otherwise (than what He wants) minded (Phil 3:15). Because He is faithful to His word, He came to show me how absolutely selfish I am. I started realizing how...
One month ago, we sat/lay on the floor of Ben Gurion Int. Airport not knowing what to expect from Israel and having no idea what lay ahead. Today we sit in the same airport, wearing the same clothes as when we arrived (washed, of course) but our hearts are completely changed. To put our Israel experience into words would be a great injustice as there are not nearly enough words in the English vocabulary to explain each one in detail. Israel in a nutshell from each one of our teammates looks a little something like this: David...
I don't have any words to describe my feelings. I'm so overwhelmed. First I was afraid and didn't know what to expect in Laos, but it turned out pretty good. This two weeks was a journey of patience for me. I spend some time with God to find out what His heart is for me. Then He came and show me that He is going to give me more and more challenges in life and on my journey and that will be the challenges that's going to make me grow closer to Him ! I had some challenges and with...
I am so thankful for: African time; it is better than Turkish time, free public toilets, the SPCA, understanding Afrikaans, 'n lekker Braai, wearing shoes in the house, western toilets, Yum Yums double crunch peanut butter, google translater, an open window in a truck with a smoker driver for 7 hours, not having my pasta taken and hidden away by my team, not waking up to the sound of ziplock packets opening, not being called the spice girls or Charlie's angels by every merchant in the market but above all, I am so thankful for these things because they have...
Arriving at our frist country with such a low expectations thinking that we will probably be camping ouside the church due to lack of rooms but was so surprised to us sleeping in warm beds (no one expected that) but the beds were not the only things that was warm,but the hospitality of loving people that live here was over all the best experience of all.Welcoming us with open arms showering us with love and blessings.Making each of us feel so important to them,appreciating everything BIG and small thing we do and blessing us with so much FOOD. this community blessed us...
Many of times we hear how much God loves us and wish nothing but the best for all his children; the ones that know his love and the ones that don’t know it as much. Looking back at my life, knowing all the wrong that I have done to others and myself, I’ve said and done things that I will always be ashamed of, the worst was not knowing if I am really forgiven. I’ve read the scripters and have said the words out loud, but still every detail of my past was not forgiven; well at least not all,...
Everything began at the aiport in Tel aviv on saturady - sabbath - with no public transportations... So we prayed in small groups and got this vers: 'This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9. Perfect vers to hitchhike to the see of galilee! What a great experience! Six days full of hiking and God's blessings through free bananas, grapefruits, 25 fishes and bread made this definitely my highlight! This week showed us that God is really with us and...
What? How does that work? It does, if you're a sinner. I am a very honest person and I want you to fully understand my journey, so yeah, sometimes you're going to think I am an absolute fool. Great! Please think that, because my friend, that's exactly how gross and sinful and foolish I am, without God. Great thing that God doesn't leave us in our sins. Thank God He doesn't. Now of course, you want the juice (news) of what I have done. I thought that I had the right to want. I started to want the things other...
Israel oh Israel, you were such a interesting country. We arrived here not knowing where we are going, but God took me on one incredible journey. I was in for a big surprise when I thought that Israel was just a boring country full of people stuck in history. In our first week I hit rockbottom, we had some really tough times and I started to miss home a lot. But I learned that it's only when you hit rockbottom that you realize that God is the rock. Luckily we all made it through that first week, and...
Five days, five countries… We travelled from Guatemala to Costa Rica, passing through El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. God really surprised me and it was such a joy to truly trust God and go wherever He had prepared for us. I had found myself laughing at the situations and places we were in because I really experienced the promises of God so practically. In Psalms 91 God says ‘If you say the Lord is my refuge and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent for He will command...
Ahh Middle East, what an awesome place! I'm so stoked that I had the privilege of serving the people of crossroads. I'm really liking the tea a lot it's like a mix between rooibos and normal tea, it's perfect! I thought that we would be doing intense physical labor, but actually we just helped out with whatever needed to be done! Us guys got to play soccer with the kids every Saturday but because their culture requires men to wear pants we had to play in our jeans, and that made things a bit heated, and these kids completely wrecked...
Y Training has been such an amazing experience. From luxury living to survivor week, right through to trusting God on a Luke10. I have been pulled, stretched, "murdered" and healed in such a short amount of time. God is good. God is faithful. There is still so much to be learned, so much to be revealed and so very much to do. I can only thank God that I don't have to do anything without Him.
How can you try to explain Turkey in words? Everything that has happened here was just one amazing journey. I can literally see God's hand in every place that we've been to. From our first day in Istanbul God has started the journey with me to show me what true humility is and make me realize again that this year is not about me. It was such a nice experience to get to know the turkish people and their culture. The people in Turkey are probably the most giving group of people I've ever met. Every time you would...
Ten days Luke 10 journey - What else as miracles can you expect? In our first Luke 10 journey in training I was sceptical how God will show up and what he has planned for us. Everything was new for me and I didn't know so much fun will expect me. After this privilege to experience this and hear all the stories from the other groups I was so excited for this faith trip and knew that He will provide and be with us all the time. Praying, listening to God's voice and stepping into his plan were a...