Holiday Club 2013

Jesus Is My Superhero!!

As Nathan would say... "Done and dusted!"


2013 Holiday Club was planned well, executed with excellence, and was a success!

Staff Orientation

Joining the YFC staff and local High School volunteers, 10 young men and women from Operation Mobilization, and 9 Ikageng volunteers (SA and international volunteers on the team that works the Cyara and L'Abri YFC camps) gave us the manpower needed to share our Superhero - Jesus with children in the Knysna area.

Staff Orientation lunch

Superhero Lois fit 10 children from Hlalane in her car... (don't tell the traffic officers!)

Immanuel Ministries brought 2 taxi's full from Oupad every day

 (I am thankful they pre-registered them before loading the taxi!).

After registration, every day started with Praise and Worship...

"Jesus, You're My Superhero.. my best friend!"

Dee Olivier, Theuns Visser and Anke Tiemann led with enthusiasm and spirit (Holy Spirit)!

The 'superhero' of the day was shared through skits and a short message:

• Jesus = Power of Love
• Gideon = Power of obedience
• Joseph = Power of forgiveness
• Esther = Power of courage
• Samuel = Power to hear and serve God faithfully

Then the children split into small groups to memorize a Scripture verse and enjoy a small snack.

The final time was divided up between games and sports on the field 

and making a craft

Every day was a step of faith as we relied on the Lord to sort out the weather... sometimes He wasn't clear whether it would rain or not... Day 2 was moment by moment changes of plans as the sun came out, then hid behind rain clouds... then came out again.  

Day 4 started with a rainbow and we knew the Lord was in control!!

The rain didn't keep the children from coming... even on the worst weather day 74 children.  On Wednesday one boy brought 7 friends so that he would win a soccer ball... the best part of that story is that they continued to come the rest of the week!  Usually numbers dwindle on the last day (because families leave town for a holiday trip) but Friday exceeded all expectations with 129 children.  220 different children heard the Good News of Jesus power over sin and given an opportunity to accept Him as Lord and Saviour.

Fraaisig Farewell

A bittersweet day!

Gathered at Fraaisig Primary on 21 June, YFC staff joined the students to say "Good Bye" to Mr Bredenkamp.  After serving the education department for 30 years, it is his time to retire.

Reggie shared a message with the students that they are each special in God's eyes.  He made each one individually perfect!!

Thank you Mr. Bredenkamp... 

You served well and these students will be forever impacted

 by your love and leadership!!

Little Julianna

Congrats to Ephriam and Annie!!

If you have been following our blog for the last 3 years you will remember Ephriam is a young man Nathan met during street ministry and led to Jesus.  On fire for the Lord, Ephriam immediately began sharing the message of God's love with his Malawian friends and soon started meeting with them in his home - followed by 2 baptism ceremonies... then Ephriam went back to Malawi to fetch Annie and Nathan officiated their wedding here in Knysna.  Then we celebrated Annie's baptism.

Saturday 29th of June... Ephriam called at 11:30 to say that Annie went to hospital by ambulance to deliver their expected baby.  I rushed to the hospital to find her already in the delivery room (for my American friends - notice the comfortable surroundings for delivering a baby here... NOT!).

Annie was only dilated to 1 cm - but contractions were coming 90 seconds apart.  From midnight until 6am EVERY 60-90 seconds I encouraged deep relaxing breaths through labor... at 5:30 they gave her nitrous oxide and we caught 15 min of shut-eye. .  The Doctor arrived to check her at 6:30 only to find her dilated to 6 and not going any further - a C-Section was needed for this baby to come out.  From 7-8 I slept in her post-operation room while she gave birth.  I was sending Ephriam sms's throughout the 

night to update him of her status... Just as she was wheeled into her recovery room he arrived at the door... God directed him with perfect timing as there was no cell phone service where he was staying and he only received my messages a few minutes before in the taxi!

During labor I asked her if they had picked out names and could she share with me what they were. (Some African cultures to not pick a name until after the baby is born - in The Gambia they did not announce the name until the baby was 2 weeks old.)  Annie said that Ephriam chose the boys name and they had a girls name... but she didn't seem to want to share what they were and I didn't push.  Only when Ephriam arrived did he tell me that her name is "Julianna... because I was there to bring her into the world!"

I didn't even get to hold her cause I had to rush home with the car for Nathan to speed off for church (he was a few minutes late).  Ephriam, committed to fellowship with the Lord, arrived at church a few minutes later and apologized to Nathan that his baby was not a boy... "he would have been named Nathan!" 

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing"

(Psalm 127:3)