Hangin' In South Africa...

It has been quite a trip so far. We are finally getting settled into our house here in South Africa, we arrived here on the 1st. Since our team is only here for a couple of weeks, before we go to Mozambique, we have committed just to serve the South Africa team in whatever way we can. For the last couple of days we have been working in the township of Masiphumelele, which is about a 10 minute walk from our house. A recent fire left over 700 people without a home which has added to the intensity of our experience so far. It has been quite overwhelming seeing the depth of poverty that these people are living in. It has definitely made me realize how easy it is for us to take things for granted, on the other hand, it has shown me how simply we can live. There are several Christians living in the township, and we have had the opportunity to work with them every day. Getting to know them has been amazing and has stretched me in a major way. I have constantly been reminded that the reality is: Christ is ALL we need. These people that we are working with are some of the poorest people I have ever seen, but if they have Jesus they have it all. You can see Jesus of the faces of the Christians we are working with. They are FULL of joy and incredibly driven to show Jesus to the other people living there. They live with urgency. They don't just preach to the people, they demonstrate the Gospel through love and service. Watching their passion has truly stirred my affections for Jesus and it sets the bar higher and higher for me. They are defined by 2 Corinthians 8:9, thus knowing, when someone enters into a relationship with Jesus they are RICH! More and more I am realizing that this wealth is something that I would sacrifice anything for and that His Kingdom is priceless. (Matthew 13:44) So if this is only the beginning of this adventure, I am excited to see what else lies ahead. Its obvious that the Lord is doing a lot on our teams and that more is to come. If you are praying for us, please continue. Pray that the Lord would continue to be glorified through our weaknesses, that we find affective ways to reach out to the Masi people, that He would continue to strengthen us as a team as we prepare for Mozambique, and that He continues to pour out His grace and His love as we give it to others. Thank you so much for your continued support of what God is doing in and through me. I pray blessings over each one of you!