I have seen all the War movies. I was not expecting this! And to top it all, we where in Saigon (today known as Ho Chi Minh city), named after the north Vietnamese leader in the war. Saigon was the last stronghold in the War and the capital of the south. But it was not the run down, broken, bankrupt, sad city I was expecting. Except for the country side everything is developed and evolving. I where in an accident during my time in Vietnam, got help from the local hospital. Clean, organized and doctors who can speak English and...
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....
Going to the Promised Land for the first time of my life was a dream come true. Seeing the places where so many things happened in the Bible, reading the stories and seeing the "exact" place where it happened was amazing. Using your imagination to see where Jesus died, going to all the places where some of it happened, and meeting amazing people at these places that tell us so much of what they know about the old city. The Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee were memorable, but the most amazing thing was when we were in the...
From the beginning of China I was expecting resistance. Resistance from the “public enemy nr1”. We were definitely stepping on his toes. And every one experienced their own kind of attacks that he attacked us with. From my perspective, it was really intense.
Our first challenge is upon us: Northbound is going to Cape Town!! After a massively thought-provoking seminar on "the making of a leader" by Floydd McClung over the weekend, we're leaving to the Cape to sort out our Visas for the European leg of our journey. We'll be visiting the Russian and Greek embassies. We trust in the Lord that He will open the right doors for us at the right time! So pray with us for open borders and soft hearts. “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of...
On the fourth of march we arrived in Istanbul, a city with about 10 million people. By God's grace we found a very cheap hostel right in the centre between the famous mosque "Hagia sophia" and the sea (Bosporus)! Already at this place we experienced the hospitableness and kindness of turkish people, just amazing! A week later we arrived in Izmir. For the first time in my life I saw Christian believers worshipping God in an underground church! An incredible experience! So many different nations, but all having the same father! A completely filled church! A lot of joy!! Our...
After traveling through Turkey for 6 weeks I’ve seen and learned a few things. I’ve met some really cool people and had some really unique experiences. Turkey was full of everything. We’ve also met some really difficult people. Difficult to talk to, difficult to share with and some really difficult to love. One man in particular, I was almost convinced of his intention to get me to dislike him as much as possible. Conversing and sharing our stories with him was inconvenient and loving him seemed impossible. And quite frankly, it made me feel inadequate. Incapable of understanding why I...
There is a grace that washes us clean, transforms our hearts, and challenges us to love deeply even when it seems too difficult. God first extended this grace to us through His Son, Jesus, as He took on our sins and willingly gave His life to reconcile us. We live in this grace everyday- it has become apart of our stories with God and testifies of His power in our lives. As God first extends this grace to us, He then invites us as His children and His heirs to extend this grace to each other. His grace is part...
Faithfull Disciple GOD CALLS THE YOUNG! When Jeremiah (the prophet) was a youth, God spoke to him about his destiny. Here's what He said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." But Jeremiah didn't think he had what it takes to actually walk in that anointing and so he replied, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the Lord didn't buy into that! Instead, He encouraged Jeremiah with these words: " Do not say , '...
I signed in and was accepted into this journey with nothing of the required R90,000 needed for the year.In a sence that is where the journey started and where God started to break open my faith in Him. After a few months of mixed emotions like stress,doubt,fear and a lot of prayer the first payment came in one night from a total stranger of R50,000...I cried From there money came in from anonymous donors, other payments from peoples whos names I could see but did not know,from the most unlikely of acquaintances,payments with only scripture references attached,from loving family and...
As our halfway mark, here is a bit(e) of every country Northbound have visited so far 2013... #1 Momos ... NEPAL Our time in Nepal mostly consisted out of house fellowships with fellow believers. In Kathmandu we met some amazing people, had some good payer walks praying for the people an the country, spending time with boys at a children home teaching them some African songs, ministering at different churches and just encouraging the "lights" in that city. In Pokhara we spent some time distributing tracks to unreached tribes; sharing Gods love with the people there; climbing some...
