Growth in South Africa

I’m currently playing catch up, big time! We haven’t had much wifi out here in the bush, so apologies for not being up to date. Unpacking South Africa in one blog is a feat for sure! It was full of experiences I did and did not expect!

One being a blessing and a struggle at the same time, was when our house flooded. South Africa had been in a drought since 2013, but had a break through when rain hit and began to overflow one of the largest dams in Capetown. We were staying in Jefferey’s Bay during our stay and we had a couple of rain showers hit us really hard. The mission house we were staying at was not quite water proof, so the house was quite literally leaking all through the walls! That was one way the Lord stretched us, but it didn’t stop there…

Another moment of stretching was the house visits we made. We visited a lot of our pastor’s friends houses and that was a hard pill to swallow. It was amazing though, to see how happy and grateful they are even when they are living in rickety houses. I felt extremely blessed to be apart in helping them. Sometimes we went to repaint or sand houses. Other days we just came to here their stories and pray for them. I distinctly remember going to one man and his wife’s house. They had a couple of couches and a gas stove and a bed. They aren’t living on much, but their prized possession is a keyboard. The man plays for a living and he is all self taught. Let me tell you I’ve never heard a better pianist in my entire life! He doesn’t know any notes so he plays completely by ear and it brought tears to my eyes. That was just one visit and each was so so special.

The trip was combined with so much ministry, but our friends in South Africa really made sure to intertwine fun activities into the trip as well. One memory that will stick with me forever was learning Soki. It’s a South African dance that we learned while having a brie, which is a barbecue. It wasn’t just the dance though, it was the culture and community behind it that made a mark. Everyone strives for relationships there, rich or poor they make time for you and their kindness is what sticks. Unlike how it is in the states, things aren’t scheduled so strictly. People will pop in your house while eating dinner and it’s normal to have them join you without any further notice. Anyway I loved getting the cultural experience while bonding with our welcoming hosts.

Out of the whole trip in South Africa the most growing experience was definitely Beats and Books. Before going on this trip I knew the Lord was going to pour more into me than I ever could into everyone here that we’d be working with and that was made clear while working with this program. Beats and Books included lots of trial and error with the kids,. I learned that sometimes we plant the seed and someone else waters it later. It’s a good reminder that it is never us changing the kid’s hearts, but the Lord that works through each of us as the body of Christ.  The Lord told me that instead of going all out to grow close with the kids, that this was a lesson of growing closer to the Lord. The teens in the program often didn’t want to grow relationships because they knew from previous experience that if they got too close we’d then go and leave again. Their response was very closed off and more often than not to speak in their own language, Cosa. I reached a breakthrough bonding with the kids by the very last week, but during the other 3 weeks I felt the Lord work in my own heart by working through old turmoil that I needed to work through and my identity in Christ. Now I’m reaping the harvest of that in Eswatini and it’s so cool seeing God’s plans unravel.

Overall I would say the journey was a whirlwind and everyday there was something new. I feel blessed beyond belief and as much as I miss home I feel like in itself part of home is here now too. The relationships I’ve created with my teammates comforts me to know I have them as family too. The barriers of too close for comfort broke a while ago so we got close right off the bat. We were all in it together and I am excited to see how the Lord continues to bond us as we continue our journey here in Eswatini!