Tuesday, June 28, 2011
On His Way To Malawi
"IT IS NOT ABOUT ME!"
Phil 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves"
While I am enjoying family and friends in the US, God has sent Nathan to Malawi for 3 weeks on a winter holiday mission trip with high school students... I am soooo jealous!
Packed up and ready to go, Nathan left on Thursday morning while I was still busy in the schools and teaching "Equipped To Serve" (counseling training). His team will be stopping in Mozambique for a few days, then traveling to Lake Malawi.
Our communication has been limited to texting (sms). the first day he told me the theme of this trip is "It is not about me!" As you can see by their blog entry below from 2 days ago... (www.malawioutreach.wordpress.com)
"We had 2 full days of fun at Tshipise.. We started off with some team building, just to make sure we function as a body… We have been divided into 2 teams, with Cing chong cha as the deciding factor. So now we have the lumo yellow team called the Ingwe’s (leopards) and we’ve got the lumo orange team called Range’s (orange in shangaan).. Its been freezing at night, and most of us are wearing almost all our clothes and beanies. It really makes us appreciate our beds and 4 walls at home. Its going to be an early start tomorrow morning. Wake up call 3:30 am in frostbite conditions but we will survive it, because it is NOT about us. We’ve got 3 full days drive a head of us.. Its going to be challenging but non the less, very much rewarding."
While I was heading south to Cape Town on a bus, Nathan was heading north through Zimbabwe his texts yesterday included "Pray hard, we are crossing through Zim, and need to be at the border of Mozambique in 15 minutes because it closes at 6pm!" 20 minutes later (at 6:25)... "Passports stamped, the team is on the bus shouting 'Hallelujah'!"
The verse that God gave me to share with Nathan earlier in the day was 2 Cor 1:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"
God is showing off I think!!
Phil 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves"
While I am enjoying family and friends in the US, God has sent Nathan to Malawi for 3 weeks on a winter holiday mission trip with high school students... I am soooo jealous!
Packed up and ready to go, Nathan left on Thursday morning while I was still busy in the schools and teaching "Equipped To Serve" (counseling training). His team will be stopping in Mozambique for a few days, then traveling to Lake Malawi.
Our communication has been limited to texting (sms). the first day he told me the theme of this trip is "It is not about me!" As you can see by their blog entry below from 2 days ago... (www.malawioutreach.wordpress.com)
"We had 2 full days of fun at Tshipise.. We started off with some team building, just to make sure we function as a body… We have been divided into 2 teams, with Cing chong cha as the deciding factor. So now we have the lumo yellow team called the Ingwe’s (leopards) and we’ve got the lumo orange team called Range’s (orange in shangaan).. Its been freezing at night, and most of us are wearing almost all our clothes and beanies. It really makes us appreciate our beds and 4 walls at home. Its going to be an early start tomorrow morning. Wake up call 3:30 am in frostbite conditions but we will survive it, because it is NOT about us. We’ve got 3 full days drive a head of us.. Its going to be challenging but non the less, very much rewarding."
While I was heading south to Cape Town on a bus, Nathan was heading north through Zimbabwe his texts yesterday included "Pray hard, we are crossing through Zim, and need to be at the border of Mozambique in 15 minutes because it closes at 6pm!" 20 minutes later (at 6:25)... "Passports stamped, the team is on the bus shouting 'Hallelujah'!"
The verse that God gave me to share with Nathan earlier in the day was 2 Cor 1:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"
God is showing off I think!!
Wrapping up
Getting ready to leave South Africa for 3 months... WOW there was soooooooooo much to do. The school winter break starts just as I leave. God inspired me to organize "Character Building Workshop's" for students during the week before they are out because exams are finished, the teachers are busy marking papers... there is NOTHING for the kids to do at school, but they are expected to be at school. Thrilled with the idea, the principals were happy to arrange for us to spend a day at each school. This is how the day went...
Arriving at the school at 7:45, the movie is quickly set up while the Life Orientation teacher separates the girls and boys, sending one group to me, the other to the field.
On the field are two sessions. Chris takes them through "Courage of Your Conviction", a game where they must remember, listen for their number, and run for the chair when their number is called. For those that don't remember or don't care, they don't win a prize. Like the woman who was healed by touching Jesus' garment, acting on what is important to you will make a difference in your life!
Next the students line up and are handed 3 sweets and told, "Do not eat these till I tell you" some students and leaders are planted as "negative peer pressure", encouraging them to eat the sweets. After Ruben has played a soccer game with them, he asks "How many of you still have your sweets?" Without fail only a handful have self control and the ability to resist peer pressure. They are given a very nice big sweet... WOW, are the other students jealous and complain "but Auntie Shahida said it was ok to eat!" Then the teaching begins... "If you want the best in life, you mustn't settle for 2nd best" Sex before marraige is 2nd best, If you wait, you will have the best!
Back in the classroom the other 1/2 is watching a movie called "Starting Over" about a Christian young man who has the conviction to abstain from sex until married. Invited to a club, he starts out only drinking soda, but soon is pressured into drinking alcohol, when he is drunk he falls to the seduction of a girl who is HIV+. His father, a pastor reacts badly to the news of his status when he is fired from his new job at the bank. In the end there is restoration of his relationship with God and his family. Alcohol dulls the ability to stand for your convictions and have self control!
Now the students are set up for "State It, Sell It, Move It" a session practicing how to respond to negative peer pressure and have a positive influence! In small groups they role play how to use the courage of their conviction to have self control and remain in right standing with God, living out His best plan for their life.
Wrapping up with a Boy/Girl talk, answering questions that the students don't ask of their parents or teachers... very enlightening for us!
Day finished... do it again the next day... and the next day... and the next day!
Total 4 schools, 450 students reached with the message of God's best plan for their life and the team celebrated with KFC for lunch.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future"
Arriving at the school at 7:45, the movie is quickly set up while the Life Orientation teacher separates the girls and boys, sending one group to me, the other to the field.
On the field are two sessions. Chris takes them through "Courage of Your Conviction", a game where they must remember, listen for their number, and run for the chair when their number is called. For those that don't remember or don't care, they don't win a prize. Like the woman who was healed by touching Jesus' garment, acting on what is important to you will make a difference in your life!
Next the students line up and are handed 3 sweets and told, "Do not eat these till I tell you" some students and leaders are planted as "negative peer pressure", encouraging them to eat the sweets. After Ruben has played a soccer game with them, he asks "How many of you still have your sweets?" Without fail only a handful have self control and the ability to resist peer pressure. They are given a very nice big sweet... WOW, are the other students jealous and complain "but Auntie Shahida said it was ok to eat!" Then the teaching begins... "If you want the best in life, you mustn't settle for 2nd best" Sex before marraige is 2nd best, If you wait, you will have the best!
Back in the classroom the other 1/2 is watching a movie called "Starting Over" about a Christian young man who has the conviction to abstain from sex until married. Invited to a club, he starts out only drinking soda, but soon is pressured into drinking alcohol, when he is drunk he falls to the seduction of a girl who is HIV+. His father, a pastor reacts badly to the news of his status when he is fired from his new job at the bank. In the end there is restoration of his relationship with God and his family. Alcohol dulls the ability to stand for your convictions and have self control!
Now the students are set up for "State It, Sell It, Move It" a session practicing how to respond to negative peer pressure and have a positive influence! In small groups they role play how to use the courage of their conviction to have self control and remain in right standing with God, living out His best plan for their life.
Day finished... do it again the next day... and the next day... and the next day!
Total 4 schools, 450 students reached with the message of God's best plan for their life and the team celebrated with KFC for lunch.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future"
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Jumping into the next half century
Located about 1 hour east of Knysna is the Blaukrans River Bridge... famous for the highest commercial bungi jump in the world! The Bloukrans Bungi Jump surpasses the position previously held by the Victoria Falls as the 'highest bungi in the world".
The Bloukrans bridge is 216 m high, the jump is approximately 160 meters. A unique pendulum bungi system ensures the longest and smoothest ride in the world. Access to the jump point on the top of the arch is via a specially designed walkway underneath the road deck. The walkway is also 216 m long made of metal mesh, offering breathtaking views and an inspiring experience in itself. (I would only know if I had my eyes open while I walked it! )
I have visited this bridge at least 5 times as we show it to visitors... when I realized that we would be taking our Dutch volunteers so close to my birthday, I couldn't resist asking for the experience as a birthday present. Nathan paid for the jump and sweet Chris Stein (one of our 'dutchies') purchased the video and pictures for me.
I can not believe that I have been living for 1/2 a century! God has blessed me beyond belief... It seems as if I have live 2 lifetimes. The first included raising 3 awesome daughters, and the second starting only 7 years ago living my dream of full time service as a missionary in Africa!! In Ephesians 3:20 Paul refers to God as "Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think". My life is an adventure exceeding abundantly above all that I could ask or think... and it isn't over yet!
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