Participant Blogs

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By Elzet Saunders - Thailand

White sandy beaches, palms trees, coconuts, bright blue water...the perfect setting for a fairytale. Or just a day on the beach in Thailand...

From the moment we arrived in Thailand we were awestruck with the beautiful nature. From lush, green bushes to white sandy beaches and palm trees. Just another little thing in God's creation.

  In the early hours of the morning, 18 June, we arrived in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Unfortunately Michelle and Shanine stayed behind in China, because of difficulty with application for a Russian visa. Please pray with us for this matter. We were welcomed very warmly by our hosts at the airport and taken to our separate host families. Finally by around 4 am we had the wonderful opportunity to lay our heads down and catch some sleep. Our hosts are very friendly, kind and helpful. They were even so kind as to bless us with eggs, sausages, bread and banana’s to have...

Good day! Since we have arrived we have been given so much it actually frustrated me. I caught myself praying for a road to build. God really sent us to such a serving community to show us what it means. It is sacrificial. We had to find secret ways to avoid getting served more tea by none other than those who were stripped from all they had. Their family sits in the other room waiting to eat the food we are cannot manage to finish. The Middle Eastern culture is now of my favorite. It seems like a life time...

When we say 'pioneering Ethiopia' we do so because that is exactly what took place. We arrived in Ethiopia with nowhere to go, nowhere to specifically serve and nowhere to sleep. After being chased out by airport security we recall sitting outside in the parking lot weighing our options. We could either set up camp across the airport in a field or risk our low budget by sleeping at a hostel in expensive Addis Ababa.    We went with the latter option. So we found ourselves praying and seeking the Lord that we would do His will and that He...

To my beloved fellow believers and fellow workers in Jesus Christ.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Take a moment, forget where you are, what you are busy with and imagine with me Imagine not being worried about whether your shoes go with the color of your shirt Imagine not being worried about the Guess/Levi label printed on your jean Imagine you had no DKNY or ChanelNo5 perfume to put on this morning Imagine not having a wardrobe to put your clothes in Imagine not having a room to call your own...

1. Get a "Local" to pull  out a tree for you. 2. Make sure you have some spectators. 3. smoke them out(like that is possible)     4. Whip out a plastic packet and use it as a breadbaord(don't forget the letherman) 5. Some more help from the locals (We just want to comend Wessel for his patience). 6. Straighten out the grid (rooster). 7. Celeberty foto shoot.   8. Patch up sores (it was so cute, a little boy brought P.J some plaster). 9. Put the meat on the fire. 10. Spice it up. 11. Dis mos lekke julle! (P.J totally in his element)...

Two families living in our valley were very interesting and probably eccentric. But as it is with true eccentrics, they would be the last to realize that. The children of these families attended the same farm school where we were, four lovely girls of the one brother and four cousins, the sons of the other brother. At some stage our parents took us out of the farm school and sent us to the city, probably concerned about the level of our education. This was where I first noticed that when I told people about the ordinary life where we grew up, they gave one another a knowing look. As if I was exaggerating.

 

More recently i am convinced that the greatest battle you will ever fight is for your FIRST LOVE! The greatest call you will ever answer is the call to RETURN to your creator! The greatest purpose of your existence is for intimacy. You have been saved for GOD! "And this is eternal life, that they know You, the Only True God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." [john 17:3]. What an Awe inspiring God we serve, the King of the universe loves and pursues a creation that's predisposition is to betray and reject HIM! But before you begin to think that this is another one of those pieces that will make you feel guilty about being a human listen to this Story ...

Hello!   To all who expressed support through prayer and finances we are priviliged to inform you that Project Jabulani Park was successfully completed on the 10th of February 2011. As Explore Africa team and the South Bound team we had an incredible and meaningful time with the children of Coffee Bay Christan School. Together we managed to build a jungle gym, dig a sand pit and put a fence around the school. When we were not busy working we played with the children and could just give them love. Furthermore we had the  oppurtunity to share the Gospel to the kids, wash...

Being part of a Global Challenge team on the road is such a different experience when you are just visiting than being one of the actual team members.  I have to start from scratch to get to know the guys when they are well aware of eachother’s virtues and vices.  They are a bit tired and in need of some rest and I come to them with a tremendous amount of excitement and energy.  They are familiar with noodles and oats every day and I am not anymore… for obvious reasons.  A challenge indeed. My focus is on the team...