'GOLD' (Generation Of Leaders Discovered) an initiative started in South Africa (spreading to other African nations) offers students the opportunity to become role models for their peers. The program includes training on positive life skills and leadership and then challenges the chosen 'Peer Educators' to in turn share these skills with their classmates. YFC Knysna facilitates the GOLD program in 6 schools.

As the guest speaker at a recent GOLD "Peer Educator Conference", Nathan encouraged these young leaders to 'make a mark' with their lives. Each student attending has already been chosen and has a great sphere of influence. Nathan's talk challenged them to optimize this opportunity by: 1) Keeping focused on what is important and where they are going, 2) Leveraging their time, energy, influence and resources by investing in people who invest in people.

Bright color shoes and socks for the dreary winter...

In preparation for winter, a couple months ago all the children in Llalani traced their feet on paper for new shoes. A donation from an undisclosed member of the Island Church bought shoes for each child that we minister to in Llalani (informal settlement outside of Knysna).

Each week when we come to share God's love through a message of hope along with soup and bread, we watch the children take off their shoes to keep dirt out of our meeting room. When our story/activity time is over, they struggle to put on shoes that are too small for their growing feet.

Now that they all have one pair of shoes that fit - their biggest challenge will be to keep straight which pair belongs to whom!!

Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. (Psalm 41:1)

The sound of singing echoed throughout the whole prison as 70+ inmates worshiped in Xhosa and Afrikans during Wednesday's ministry visit by YFC.

Using prison anectdotes and video clips, Nathan brought a message of freedom... emphasising the prison they were in, was not the metal bars, but their mind. Jesus accepts them just as they are and desires to set them free, citing the redemption God gave to many characters in the Bible who also had shady criminal backgrounds.

Inmates and wardens were moved to tears as the Holy Spirit convicted and brought them to a crossroad, requiring a decision. Gospel tracts and reading materials were left for the inmates who requested future similar visits.

No pictures are allowed at the prison, but God always provides. These pictures came from the security camera's and were provided for us!

New house... new ministry opportunity

If you read the blog a couple weeks ago, you remember that we moved into a new house. Our first night was fun as we sat in the large living room by the fire... on bean bag chairs, and a heavy bedspread for a carpet... watching a movie on the laptop. During our first week, some items were loaned to assist us as we set up house for a team of 8 from YFC Magalisburg to stay for an outreach event. Our house transformed slowly as we added mattresses for each room, dishes, flatware, a livingroom rug, chairs for the dining room table. God truly provided all that we needed to make the house comfortable for the team. By Thursday we were ready, even had a vase of fresh flowers to welcome them.

Once more we lived the Biblical principle... A man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his steps! The team car broke down on the way! They called, expecting to get in sometime Friday morning. By noon, Knysna YFC was praying that they would make it in time for a rally in Karatara at 2pm. I'm sure you could hear the cheers as they rolled in after 1... exhausted, but ready to serve.

Tired and ready to relax after the outreach, our hospitality was finally put into action, as they chilled in front of the fire place and munched on snacks, catching just enough energy to serve again with us at Crossings, and then they drove on to Hermanus for an outreach the next day!

Our evening ended by driving a Combi full of kids home in Hornlee!

30 teenagers... 10 minutes...0 (zero) sound... impossible?

We witnessed a miracle 2 Fridays ago at Crossings (interchurch youth group) when the above actually happened!

Being our turn to lead, we faced an obstacle... the lack of our guitar player to lead worship. After searching You Tube, I found many worship songs that come with the lyrics. The kids really enjoyed our solution to overcoming this obstacle... and I am also using them with my Children's Church kids!

After watching the Nooma DVD "Noise", the students were challenged to spend 10 minutes listening to what God wanted to tell them. Many of these students are Christians, but they shared that they find it challenging to 'hear from God', therefore we gave them the opportunity to listen for His voice in the silence.

Separating the kids up into 4 groups, then we discussed what we heard God telling us. One of the young men shared that there are two things he loves to spend his time doing, and he felt that God was telling him to use his music and skateboard to worship Him! A girl from my group said that she experienced a warmth flow over her; when she asked God what it was all about, He told her that one of her friends was really struggling, and that He wanted her to encourage this friend by telling her that God sees her struggle, and is near and wants to hold her in His arms to comfort her.

Funniest thing I have heard in a long time...

Nathan: "Tell me what you know about Jesus."
Boy 1: "He is God's son, and he was Jewish."
Nathan: "Yes, That is true, what else..."
Boy 2: "What is Jewish?"
Boy 1: "That means that he didn't believe in Jesus... wait, that can't be!"

This conversation happened at our new after school ministry. God has opened the door for us to oversee the homework time for about 25 kids at the Knysna Koshuis (hostel), these students attend Knysna Primary and Knysna High School. For varied reasons, they can't live at home, so they stay at the hostel during the school week, then go home for the weekend (and a few just stay for after care until parents or grandparents pick them up). From 2pm-4pm Monday through Thursday, Nathan and I are privileged to eat an afternoon meal with them (free meal four days a week for Nathan and I... God's provision!), and then oversee their homework. If they finish homework early, then we enjoy conversation with them.

After the above interaction with two of the youngest kids, I shared a really cool gospel presentation that you can also download from the internet, it is a simple explanation of the gospel with graphics. (check out this website - http://www.crosscheck.org.uk/). This provided an opportunity to answer their questions and clarify who Jesus is!

On Tuesday's many of these same students attend after school clubs, one of them being "CIA" (Christians In Action) just before coming to the hostel. This has provided us with some cool conversations allowing them to unpack what they learned at club. We are truly enjoying this new opportunity to sow into the lives of youth in Knysna!

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Soaking In His Presence Weekend

Recently Nathan attended a 4 day train the trainer for weekend 'soaking' seminars (Picture is of trainees and Connie & Jeremy Sinnott from The Toronto Airport Church). The concept behind soaking is that we spend lots of time in prayer talking to God, but are not trained to listen to Him talk back to us. After Nathan trained for 4 days I drove to Mossel Bay for the "Soaking In His Presence" weekend.

Interspersed between 15-30 minute sessions of 'listening' to the Lord', were teachings on "Intimacy With God" (seeking His face), "Forgiveness" (Forgive those who have hurt us, repent of ungodly responses to those who have hurt us - our responsibility... including forgiving ourselves), "The Father Heart of God" (God is the perfect 'Father', unlike our earthly father) "Performance Orientation" (resting in His presence rather than performing for approval), "The Power Of The Cross" (focusing on what Jesus did to reconcile us back to God).

Each teaching had a personal testimony from the "trainee's". Nathan shared a testimony of the impact of his release from bitterness when he forgave his father early in his walk as a new believer in Christ.

God provided a beautiful holiday house for us to stay in for the training and weekend near the beach in Hartenbos. Close to the beach, it was like a little vacation that was truly "time out" with God!

On March 16, I posted pictures and the story of how God seemed to be answering our prayer for a larger house with the potential to house visitors and short term missionaries. Just before we left for The Gambia, our hearts were stirred towards this potential. After returning from The Gambia we had a clearer understanding of our own mission/vision for us as a couple in ministry. The day we arrived home from The Gambia Nathan commented that our neighbors in the house next to us appear to have vacated the house, and later that day we saw that neighbor out hanging laundry. She told Nathan that they have moved out to their farm, and that their house having not sold, due to the poor market, was now up for rent. When we found out that the rental price was EVEN LOWER than the price for the whole house we are in now, we jumped at the opportunity to have a 'look see'.

Built by the owner, this house has a HUGE living/dining/kitchen open floor plan on the top floor and an even nicer view of the lagoon... also a fire place!! With 4 bedrooms and 2 1/4 baths and 1/2 of a garage, it is ideal for housing guests and short term missionaries. As we shared our vision with the owners, not knowing their relationship with the Lord, we felt that if God planned for us to use this house instead of the one we are in, then they would accept an even lower amount for monthly rent as they would be sowing into the Lord's work. They accepted our offer, and we move in 2 weeks.

This week we have been praying for the Lord to give us furniture and guests for the new house. We literally only own a bed, dresser and bookshelves and a TV, which takes care of our bedroom, but the rest of the house will be empty... God is already moving to bring us guests (but where will be furniture come from?)! Tuesday we received a request to house 9 young people from Youth For Christ in Magalisburg (Johannesburg area) for 3 days as they do an outreach in the Knysna area. They will be with us our first weekend in the house!!

Check back, I am sure that the story of how the house is furnished will be a testimony to the faithfulness of God, as he calls us to ministry, he also supplies all that is needed to do His work!! I can't wait to share it with you...

... living the adventure of a servant to the King!!

No Apologies, the truth about life, love & sex...

Last week we met with the grade 6's and 7's at Smutsville Primary in Sedgefield to encourage them to make choices that would allow them the freedom from having to make apologies to their future husband or wife regarding their sexual purity. 5 sessions were conducted by a team from YFC after Nathan spoke to the whole school at morning assembly.

Sharing the topics of; "No Apologies", "HIV/AIDS: a Generation At Risk", "Premarital Sex Has Consequences","Abstinence: It Works Every Time" and "Marriage Does Matter". The students took up the challenge to pledge a lifesyle of abstinence until marriage. They know that God's perfect plan for sex is in the context of marriage, and we pray for their courage and conviction to keep this pledge!

"Where the 'bleep-bleep' am I?!!"

Jerry (real name with held) spoke these words through inebriated breath as he woke up in the back of a bakkie (pickup truck) parked next to the Knysna contingent the day before the "Mighty Men" conference started (April 24-26). Jerry's friend had collected him drunk and blacked out, placed him in the back of the bakkie and drove 6 hours to a farm in Greytown South Africa. Jerry's friend replied, "I'll take you home after one session if you don't want to stay."

Angus Buchan (featured in the biography/movie 'Faith Like Potatoes'), the owner of the farm felt the Lord call him to encourage men to take up their rightful role as husbands and fathers more than 5 years ago. About 600 men attended the first conference. Just 5 years later, more than 200,000 men converged on his property, with a fee charged to pay adjoining farmers to forgo planting a crop this season and provide a place for the men to camp. 5 men (youth and elder) from YFC joined Nathan for the 22 hour drive from Knysna, with 70 others from our area meeting up with them then next day.

During the first session, the Holy Spirit moved in Jerry's heart, along with hundreds of other men, he decided to allow God to rule in his life. Using his friend's phone, Jerry made an emotional phone call to his wife asking for forgiveness for the way he had been treating her, and giving her a message or hope for their future.

On the second day of the conference Angus collapsed on stage, bringing the men to realize God's sovereign rule over life. Breaking into small groups men prayed for Angus and each other and continued to fellowship and minister to each other.

Nathan returned from the conference with a new fire in his belly for strengthening his relationship with the Lord and commitment to knowing God's Word more intimately.

Praise be to God who continues to work in our hearts!