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....
Participant Blogs
Global Challenge Missions Blog Archive: These are real blogs, from real people, bringing real change...
Uncertain future, certain God.
Our journey back to South Africa was undoubtedly paved by the hand of the Father. The moment we heard the seriousness of Corona, we as teams were called to meet together at a central place in Brazil - a house in the mountains near a very small town. ...
Led to Lead
I'm leading a team this year! In less than four years God has come and radically changed my life for the better. I believe that each and every single one of us are led to lead. In other words Christ leads us to lead others to him. What a privil...
Would you jump with me?
I remember standing at the edge of a cliff. Looking out at the big wide blue ocean. Looking down and seeing a beautiful scary blue unknown. My heart pounding in my chest like the sound of an epic climactic drum solo. Should I jump? Should i let go of...
Into the nations
Hello, my name is Johan Bruwer. I am on the brink of a 10-month journey where I will see and be a part of the establishment of God’s kingdom in the nations. I believe that the great commission is not an option to be considered, but it is a command to...
Discovering God
After finishing a blog on how God changed my mindset, about things I did not like doing and showing me other wise, I was not convinced that that was what I was supposed to share. After some amazing teachings this past few days and spending some...
"The land of smiles"
Thailand!! Wow it's an incredible place! Filled with beauties that only seeing in person can be understood! It definitely lives up to its phrase "the land of smiles" everyone here is just amazing. This country is special for me! We started in Bangkok...
Hidden World in The World
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 ...
Thanking food friends
An exciting update from the GLA eco campus construction site! We would like to give a shout out to the small businesses in Jeffrey's Bay- Beesland Slaghuis, Vyeboom Takeaway, RS Fruit and Veg (Croix Street) and Mengelmoes Kardoes We would like to th...
Break an Egg, Build a School!
The Global Challenge Expeditions Team of 2015 has created an initiative to increase financial support, called the Break an Egg, Build a School Challenge . This challenge is to create a video of you breaking an egg in a creative way and donate at www....
"You can only love Me with the amount you love yourself." When I heard that I felt like I should have gotten up and ran as fast as I could. Run until my legs couldn't carry me anymore. I couldn't though. It was as if something had glued me to the cold cement floor. "You can only love Me with the amount you love yourself." Lord. I don't even acknowledge myself as a person? How do I love myself??? "You are allowed to love Me, love me with unconditional LOVE, and feel good about it." What is unconditional love?...
We had a wonderful week of debrief in Macau!
And since we didn't have any time for a challenge in China, Sulene thought it wise to give the teams the opportunity to get to see Macau's interesting places, in other words ... a challenge!
Proud to announce that the red team was the winners (!), though humbly sharing their first place with the orange team!
Here we are at the lighthouse at the Guia fortress (Elizma's GC shirt has
just been washed when the challenge was announced!)
A THIRD part?! Yes... It's been THAT long since I last blogged, and Egypt was THAT good...!
)
China We assume that everything in China is more or less what we imagine it to be, but I guarantee that China is different from the way most people are picturing it. The moment when I think of China I start to think of all the negative things the world has spoken over this incredibly big nation. When you hear China and 1.2 billion people in one sentence, I immediately put on my straight face in disbelief. Our team had the privilege to spend 2 weeks together in Xiahe. We had to take 2 connecting flights of 2 hours each,...
Mariska Booysen It starts on a train leaving from Johannesburg to Jeffery’s Bay... This exited feeling of anticipation is slowly coming to a boiling point. I know that my highest expectations for this journey will be exceeded, for we can’t even begin to imagine what our God is capable of, and His work is beyond impressive and will touch us in places we didn’t even know exist. I’m ready to feel the Hand of God in my heart and life, and to follow in His Footsteps so that I do not get lost on my journey ...
So, a little update on what our team is up to next.
Chef your way... With the motive of going into canada of working for some money was not the first thing on our minds, we new that we were going to serve the people their, but we also new we were going for the people!! I got voted for working in the Kitchen the whole summer to become a chef... I got the name the Russian chef, the people i worked with in the kitchen were like my familly and i also got the oppertunity to share the Gosple with them. The month we were in Canada at the Ignite summer...
Im busy reading this book on vulnerability and shame. Apparently shame does not like it when we talk about it and this is where vulnerability comes in. Its to open up a part of yourself that may be assaulted or hurt by others. So its about the courage to open up. To step into the arena and fight the fight with others who are courages enough. And people who are not in the arena don't have a say or should not influence the way you think about yourself. Your worthiness is in your courage to step out in faith...
New Zealand for me was the mythical, magical land where elves and hobbits competed with the All Blacks for space while doing the haka. Basically, I didn't know alot. What I found was a little different. The country is amazingly beautiful and VERY wet. The people are friendly, and the Christians have a passion for God. No funky hobbits though. And I had an amazing host family where I felt comfortable to be myself instantly. We worked for a week at a wintercamp for children aged 5-11. They really wiped us out by the end of each afternoon. They all had different...
