Participant Blogs

    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...

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....

Growing up next to the ocean, I have always been drawn to water sources: oceans, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, etc. I find the rhythmic flow of water calming and soothing. Watching the constant eb and flow of the ocean evokes the feeling of all worries and troubles being carried away. At times of great trouble I have hurled stones into the waves, watching it disappear under the foam, as a prophetic act that I give the situation over to God. I associate water with God's grace and enjoy watching my troubles be engulfed by it. Once released from my captivating trance,...

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...

On the other side of the wall… As South Africans we are familiar with the concept of having a country within another country, but this did not prepare me for what I experienced crossing the ‘border’ into Palestine. Bethlehem is about 7,1km outside Jerusalem with a large 8m high wall dividing the one city from the other. Imagine a scene out of the Hunger Games with the towering wall, barbed wire everywhere and people with guns patrolling the area. And so we drove through this scene only to be met with gas bombs, tires burning and people with gas masks...

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...