Day 4: Chugging right along.

This trip has truly been a blast. Yesterday (Day 4) we did the same things as Day 3. We split up into two groups; one going to Sweet Home for VBS, the other staying back at Bridges to teach classes and spend time with the students.

Sweet Home is always a difficult place to be. The whole place is just cardboard and tin shacks built on a pile of dirt and trash. Stray dogs line the streets. People essentially go to the bathroom wherever they please. There's nothing quite so awkward as trying to teach a lesson on Noah, only to have a student stand up, turn around, and go to the bathroom against the wall right in front of you.

However, God has personally blessed me with a nice turn around from my emotions yesterday. Whereas I was frustrated and angry yesterday, God totally replaced it with hope and joy today. During one of our house visits we stopped by an old woman's house who was suffering from HIV. She told us about how much pain she is, and the weakness she is experiencing, and asked us to pray for her.

We finished praying and went and stood against a wall without saying anything. My heart sunk as I began to feel the same frustration I felt yesterday. I started feeling a conflicting vibe of "Ask one of the CHEs to ask this woman if she felt anything while we prayed" and "Don't ask that, that would be stupid... and then if the woman didn't feel anything you'd feel like an idiot."

But the urge to ask got greater, so I did. The CHE asked the woman and with tears in her eyes the woman looked up and started to say "Yes! I feel like stones that were on my back have been lifted. I haven't felt this refreshed and energized in years!" And then she proceeded to dance. There is no way to know if she was fully healed today, but something in my heart tells me God removed the HIV from her. Lets continue to hope.

Here are two stories from guest bloggers, Deb and Mitch:

"Today I was spontaneously asked to lead the senior bible study. As I walked in, I prayed God would show me what he wanted me to say. Since being here I've been overwhelmed with the desire to show these kids that God has an amazing plan and purpose for thier lives. So, I taught on what God has been revealing to me over the past few days. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecreatd you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations...for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliever you, declares the Lord" Jeremiah 1:5,7,8. The kids eyes widened as I explained that before they were born God knew who they were, what they would be like, there is an incredible plan for each one their lives and that through it all God would never leave them.

After reading the passage the room was silent, so I suggested they all pray out loud what God was revealing to them. Their prayers brought me to tears as they said things like "Dear God, thank you for knowing me in my mother's womb and for having a plan for my life" "God, help me to stand up for my faith when I go home on the weekends and to boldly speak to my friends about you" "Dear God, I'm so thankful for my life and for the plan you have for me, please reveal it to me so I can live the life you want me to live." Tears filled all of our eyes as we finished praying. There was such a sweet spirit in the room no one could speak. We all sat there, starring at each other and smiling. We finished the hour with all of them telling me their dreams for thier lives and what they want to be: Politician, lawyer, nurse, teachers, social worker, and a hair stylist. I cannot begin to explain the look on their faces and the overwhelming joy in my heart. There sat before me our future, kids who had come from nothing, with no hope of a future who finally understood that God has a plan for each one of them and now they are so excited to live it. This is why we are here." -Deb


"[The Power of Children]
There I was, 5:30 in the morning, mind racing with the thoughts of children licking glass and stinky diapers; wondering what my day at Sweet Home would be like. If it were to be anything like the stories I had heard the night before, I was going to be in for a heart-wrenching experience. Thankfully, my day in one of the many impoverished townships here in South Africa turned out to be something all-together different.
"Hey Mitch....why don't you play some rugby with the boys." Sounded harmless enough, especially when rugby consisted of tossing a nerf football around a circle of shoe-less 8 year-old boys. As we began playing, children started appearing from the neighborhood and joined the game. What started out as a group of 7, quickly swelled to 15. Even though we were surrounded by utter destitution, the shear joy these kids were sharing with me was astounding. I was blinded by their energy and passion for just being 8....so I joined the party. I did not see the heap of trash being picked at by the dog and goose odd couple...nor did I smell the stinking "sewer" and outhouses; all I saw was beautiful smiling faces and all I heard was laughter.
"How about three flies up?" Michael (my RockHarbor teammate) grabbed the ball and the lead the charge. The rag tag group of kids burst into excitement over a game they had never played, let alone even heard of. All Michael and I could do was laugh as we began heaving the ball into the air and watching the kids dive to make catches in the rocky, glass riddled sand. Of course this kind of fun was infectious and Michael and I found ourselves surrounded by 30+ children, all itching (literally and figuratively) to join in the hilarity. Whenever a child made a catch, they got to throw the football until it was caught by another child. Naturally, some were better than others, but the joy was equally shared.
In between tosses, I remember stopping and taking a look at the sight that Michael and I had created. Shoe-less, clothe-less, empty-bellied, and unbelievably happy children were scurrying about all around us. We were their instruments of joy, their jungle gyms of delight and I was stunned at what was taking place in front of me. Was it something that we did or were they showing us how South Africa always does it? Unfortunately, it was days end, and Michael and I were being called back to help pack up cars with our gear and leave. Michael and I slowly made our way back, hugging and high-fiving the kids, in no rush to leave. Just before I made it into the building, some little guy jumped in front of me and tried to rip the football out of my hands. Of course I took the opportunity to play with just one more kid before I had to leave. Mistake???....You tell me. The next thing I knew, I had two children hanging onto my legs, one climbing up my chest and another spider monkey crawling up my back; all stretching their arms out to reach the football I had in my one free, raised arm. I was unaware of the power of children as 10 more came flying out of the bushes and soon enough, I lay face down in the sand, smothered by 30 giggling children. There was no escape and I had no choice but to cry uncle and be rescued by my teammates.
I went to Sweet Home worried about the sorrow I would see and I left energized and filled with Hope. It was my job to bring Hope and Love to the kids and yet, they ended up working in me. I have always underestimated the power of children, but the kids of Sweet Home have shown me otherwise. Their jubilation in the face of poverty and heart-ache is truly inspiring and I only hope I can bring back just a little of that positive outlook. South Africa is truly an amazing place and it's people are astonishingly beautiful. Thank God for bringing me here and allowing me to play a tiny role in the lives of these people." -Mitch


Thanks for reading, everyone! Continue to pray for us, please. Also, feel free to leave comments. Comments and affirmations left for the team will be shared during our debrief time.