Participant Blogs

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...

In 8 weeks of training, Global Challenge has transformed my whole way of thinking. Not only in my spiritual life, but in everyday living as well. I realised that my way of living is not in any way the standard of the rest of the world's. I was so consumed with the everyday routine, that was passed on from one generation to the next and finally to me, that I never even imagined that things could be done differently in other parts of the COUNTRY (nevermind the world). Spiritually these 8 weeks has enriched how I read my Bible, how...

Wow... this was deffinetly THE MOST AMAZING year by far!! It started off with an hour show of fireworks, celebration for what was to come, but for me also a farewell of a part of my life that was difficult to let go. I didn't think that it would be forever and it was also not just a part if I look back now. I went on a journey of life time thinking that I was going to change people's lives, do something for God... change the world... I counted up the cost and He was worth leaving everything behind...

Our time in Panama was split in two - the first few days in Gamboa, a beautiful, tranquil cul de sac little town on the Panama Canal with pastor Bill and the last few days in buzzing Panama City on the 15th floor of a hotel with the vibrant YWAM students. Gamboa is situated in a lush green jungle, where sloths hang in trees and howler monkeys cry out loud from deep within the jungle. Here we had the great opportunity to do prison ministry and pray over a notorious political figure who was charged to life sentence in jail...

And so we're off :) the get-to-know Jeffreys and serve, noem-dit-wat -jy-wil local challenge had us up early this morning... running from places, washing cars, catching lifts, sharing cake with locals, taking pictures, modelling clothes, coke-digging at the sandkasteel, making new friends, memories and stories to tell are justr some of the things we're about! Keep watching this space to see what we're up to!

Its the 12th of January and Basecamp 2009 has started! Explore Africa divided up into two teams and together with the other ten small teams of North- and Southbound, started to explore Jeffreys Bay in an amazing race.  We had to take variuos pictures at different places as allocated on our task paper.  The finishline is in sight and and Explore Africa Team 1 is going strong. Only ten more cars to wash and a tasty snoek to braai!   Go Explore Africa!    

Why do you believe in Jesus? Is it because you are afraid to go to hell or because somebody told you that your life will be better when you accept Him? This is a question I have been confronted with the last couple of days... Apart from Christ I have discovered that my life is empty, aimless and meaningless. I found that the entire meaning of life is to die from myself and live through Christ. After I discovered this I decided to surrender my whole being to Christ! I decided to give  up my own plans and do whatever God asks...

  “Abba, I belong to you!” Five words that will be etched into my life forever. Words that have been spoken by many, but truly felt by little. These last few months have been a rollercoaster. So many unexpected turns, so many ups and downs, so much turbulence but so much freedom.  I was thinking about all the people that came before me. All the people that had to make a conscience decision to follow Jesus blindly into what He was doing for them. I recall the story of Cain and Abel. Abel brought a better sacrifice to God by...

Bubble bubble toil and trouble. Eye of newt Miles of smiles Stir the rainbow twice Dance around in bells and SHOUT A dash of lavender, a pinch of salt Slowly let it brew...   5 teams jumbled together, one challenge, TONS of fun! It's a bit like putting together the kids from Captain Planet, connecting the rings, and then seeing where the adventure awaits.   We (Mari, Elizma, Tjaart, Herman, & me) started the day with lots of enthusiasm, then we found out about the liquid breakfast we were about to receive - raw egg. Yum.   We had a...

  “Where you invest your love, you invest your life”  - Mumford and Sons       Recently, I have been thinking about what it means to invest in relationships. Although that takes many different forms, shapes and sizes, there is one thing that is at the very foundation of a good solid investment…Love. In my experience, I have found it is easy to go throughout the day and be surrounded by people with which you talk to and work with, but I find that it is a totally different thing to stop and intentionally know that person. To know them is...