Firstly. I've fallen in "love" a million times. So badly I would believe that I won't be able to ever live again if the relationship didn't work out. Turns out I could. Point is. I'm a sucker for love. Or so I thought! Man.. What is love anyway? I've "given up on it" so many times you'd think I'd at least know what "it" is. Well I didn't. I actually still don't. But God is teaching me what it is. Bit by bit. See I thought love was some warm fuzzy feeling when you hold someone's hand.. Or stare into...
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Global Challenge Missions Blog Archive: These are real blogs, from real people, bringing real change...
"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...
21/04/2014 The country where your heart gets torn in two, and your soul cries out “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?".(Matthew 27:46) This Hindu-colony with its pack of gods, “Father, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”(Luke 23:34) Where colonialism's deep, raw, wounds are still festering and the demonic-gods are indulging them in the hopelessness of this colony's ants. This is indeed an exotic colony, with exotic beings. If I think back to the three weeks I spent in India, I think of a tremendous number of mosquitos, the zooming of lots and lots flies around rotten food,...
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...
The last couple of days spent with good, old friends, speaking about all the great things Dad has done this year in my own life and heart revealed so much more than I could have anticipated. While listening to Jani speak about how we were called to LOVE, God played "connect the dots"... I was reminded of our Luke 10 in Ecuador, getting a lift from a man. While praying for him, I remember experiencing such a great and overwhelming love for this complete stranger that when he had to leave I just wanted to hug him and felt like...
From Biblical times until today, the Middle East has been a region subject to near constant unrest and war. Throughout the generations, the kingdom of Jordan has been a safe harbour offering refuge to countless people fleeing from war torn countries on all sides. In an oasis like this, one finds many interesting people with inspiring stories. Stories of death, pain and destruction; stories of perseverance, courage and relief; stories of hope, love and a Saviour found. On top of that, one finds foreigners from every corner of the earth with the same heart who came to bring relief and...
"All of us have the devine spark within us and we so desperately need the breath of God to bring us to life and light. Jesus wants to set the church on fire so the world can warm themselves around us and find light and safety. We are here on earth to be a home and a refuge for the lost and broken. But first we must learn the art of togetherness and celebration. To welcome people into the party of true freedom of finding Jesus we must first be students of that very way of life. We need to...
Israel, Palistine and all things tense. I do not claim to be an expert an will not attempt to explaine the intigrate details and complexities of the political situation in the Middle East. However standing in the mist of these countries and crossing the wall that devides them, seeing both sides and and grasping a fresh the gravity of the situation is what is on my heart. There is a wall, it is deviding and it is opressing, two grous of people are hurting and what they need is JESUS. This is not about picking sides or having a right...
Since being in Colombia I often asked myself how do I love other people? Out of a society where everybody looks for their own interests and tries to get the best out of everything I didn't know how to love others. I know God loves us so much that He gave His son for us and how Jesus loved other people way back in the past. But how does it look like today? So I went and sought God for it to show me how to do it and for opportunities to put the theoretical knowledge into actions. God...
Santiago, a bustling city filled with motorbikes, trucks, horse carriages, musicians, street dancers, stray dogs, food trollies, markets and anything in between. There's no room for a misplaced foot . You can delight in a local delicacy about every 50m and the cheap ice-cream brought out that ice-cream-loving-kid in all of us. Our host church was right in the centre of Santiago. The youth members of the church, who received us, are living examples of God's love in them for other people. Cuba was the first country on our year journey and everyone struggled with missing loved ones back in home....
What a privilege. What a phrase. Not only was this a common phrase used during training, but it's a phrase we, as Explore Africa, will be taking with us into the nations. This is not just a phrase - it's an attitude, a lifestyle rather. Life is all about perspective, and this is ours... What a privilege to be children of God, to be part of His Kingdom and to advance it. What a privilege to travel the world in a God-seeking lifestyle with the desire to serve, love and restore. What a privilege to get to share our journey...
Thailand has been fantastic! Our team has developed so much in terms of unity as well as individually in the Spirit. How can one not have increasing faith after being sustained by God for more than a week. All of our Luke 10 experiences were majestic and to the purest form, a Father spoiling His children. Going into a stage where we started asking questions about our futures, this new faith He has given us tends to the fears and uncertainties about our lives after Global. God is good and sovereign. He has proven Himself faithful beyond measure and through...
Two different worlds in one month. Russia: cold and quite people Cuba: hot and open people The first three days in Havana were really hard for me, because the hot weather and the long walks made me so exhausted. So from this point I started to hope that the next three weeks will go quickly. After a twelve hour truck drive and first meeting with the Gladios members I started to enjoy this time. We had the privilege to build new friendships with them and work in the organisation and their church. In our free time we discovered Santiago...
To suffer: to undergo, be subjected to, or endure pain, disability, death etc. patiently and willingly…. If I look back on the past few weeks and conversations I had, many topics come to mind: love for others, serving without reward, true wisdom, grace and mercy, forgiveness etc. But the theme that seemed to make its way into every situation was suffering. What does it mean to truly suffer? This question can be easily answered by my mind but for the first time I was confronted with a response from the heart. As the definition above describes, suffering is normally involuntarily...
Well where do I begin... The past few weeks have been crazy fun, hard, good days and bad days... The first week we got the connect with everyone...2nd week going on a "camping trip" that ended up to be 5 days in the bush with only the clothes on our backs and playing games to win some food...3rd week we are joining the school camp and having some fun with the kids from there we are building the road for the GLA School..week 4 and we are leaving for the Transkei to serve the people and give LOVE to the...
My mind is blown. My foundations shaken. Suffering is still a thing? It's still happening? Why do we not know about this? Why did I not know about this? Do people actually know what is going on? Do people actually realize that there are PEOPLE in these circumstances. Living breathing people. What do you do in a situation like this? What can you do? Deliver a heater and a stove? A few mattresses, pillows, gas? Just enough food to get by for maybe a month? Show LOVE. We've been in the Middle East for three weeks now. Visiting families and...
I'm standing knee deep, but im out where i've never been before. If you would have asked me 2 months ago if im ready to go out to the nations and serve, i would have said yes!! If you ask me 1 month ago i would have said no!! if you would ask me now, my answer will be, I trust in God that i am ready for i cant do anything without Him. For it is not about me and what i am going to do but it is all about the Father and His Son. My purpose is...
Please note that this blog was created on 28 July 2017 “I see those tears in your eyes… My love there’s no need to hide, just let me love you when your heart is tired!” song lyrics from Alan Walkers new song called Tired. These lyrics played a important role in my life this past few weeks ( 28 Jul. 2017 ) and (truth be told) helped me realize what Dad is trying to tell me. So with these lyrics in your mind and the fact that God will never let you down enjoy number 11 and I pray that...
You know the song, "break my heart for what breaks yours"? There are times when I regret singing it, because God wants us to know His heart, and He will definitely fulfill this request. And that's exactly what He did over this time in Africa. When this happens, you have two decisions. You could feel guilty for everything you have and make it about you. Or, you take the opportunity to learn God's heart in this situation and step up to make a difference. Even if it's in one person's life. You get to love this person with a God...
