Prayer Night is coming soon!

Come join us for an evening of prayer and worship as we prepare to send another team to Bridges Academy & Sweet Home in South Africa! We might even have some of our long term missionaries join us as well. Hope to see you there!

We'll meet in the Library at the RH Offices located at 3095 Redhill from 7:30-9 p.m. for a time of prayer & fellowship.

ONE Month Away!

This past Sunday the Summer team met for training #4 and our countdown has started. We are 31 days away from our departure date! Everything is starting to feel more real as we prepare for VBS for the children at Sweet Home, activities for the students at Bridges Academy, and a retreat for the CHE's (township local leaders). We also received a tentative schedule of what a day in South Africa will look like. This schedule will most likely change, as each day things out of our control may arise, but it does give us a glimpse of what we will be doing on a daily basis. We also received name cards of all the current students who attend Bridges Academy. This will take some time to memorize names and faces, but we are feeling anxious to meet these incredible students.

Most of the team members at our last team social in Huntington Beach.

Each and every one of us feels so blessed to be a part of this journey, and God is working in all of us. We have shared some defining moments in our lives, where we needed God to step in and take control. It is incredible to see how God has remained faithful in all times. Outside of trainings, our team has bonded during social events including a bonfire, a backyard BBQ, paddle boarding in Huntington Harbor, and hiking in Laguna. It is amazing to see how close we have become during the process to get ready for our trip. We are a small family with big hearts and know God will do some radical things while we are in country. 

If you can continue to pray for us during these few weeks before we leave and while we are in South Africa that would be a huge blessing. On July 2nd, there will be an evening of prayer and worship and we invite you to join us. We will meet in the Library at the RH Offices located at 3095 Redhill from 7:30-9:00 p.m. We would love to see you there!

South Africa Trainings

Hi everyone!

Over the last couple of months, the Summer and Winter teams have attended trainings to prepare us for the upcoming trips. After each team training, we are feeling excited to go and spread God's love in South Africa. Some of our trainings included a close look at the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the history of South Africa, and Rock Harbor's core values.




During one of our recent trainings, the team experienced a glimpse of Rock Harbor's prayer training. We learned about the core values of prayer and were able to take the time to pray for each other. Prayer is a crucial component as we prepare for our trip, and we are already experiencing God answering prayers. As we prepare for our trip, we are praying for:

• Humility, courage, and strength when we are faced with challenges
• Wisdom and guidance as we minister to others
• Patience and flexibiltiy
• Safety and health
• Strong unity amongst team members

Each training is special and we feel God has blessed our time together. As we get closer to our departure date, we feel blessed assurance in knowing God will use each and every one of us to advance His kingdom. We are looking forward to our next training, and starting the process of planning activities for the children at Bridges Academy and Sweet Home.

Serve Day at Powerhouse Church in Watts

 Hello everyone! Ellen here from the Summer 2013 team!

We are embarking on our trip to South Africa on July 26^th (next month!), and we couldn’t be more excited to see God’s hand at work. Our team has met together for some trainings and team socials to prepare for our trip, and recently we visited Powerhouse Church in Watts to help out with their Sunday services and to understand how to seek ways we can meet the needs of others. Powerhouse Church is located in one of the several impoverished neighborhoods in Watts. This neighborhood is filled with alcohol, drugs, and gang violence. We got a feel for what it will be like in South Africa because these issues are prominent there, as well. Even though we went to Powerhouse Church to serve and to represent a beacon of hope, our primary goal was to love as God loves us.

When we arrived at Powerhouse Church, Pastor Todd Grant warmly welcomed us and told us about his church. Pastor Todd’s love for the community and for bringing hope to those facing hardships was so evident. What a blessing to see his heart for those in need! The joy of the Lord radiated in his words and actions, and I was deeply moved by his obedience to God’s call on his life to sacrifice his time and efforts to meet the needs of others.

After Pastor Todd gave us a low-down on the history of Powerhouse and the incredible ministry they are currently doing, we all got to work! Some of us helped out and played with the younger kids and the teens, some helped in the kitchen, others helped to prepare worship, and other members of the team walked around the surrounding community with water bottles, handed out fliers inviting people to church, and offered prayer.

Kim, one of our team leaders, spoke to the church about South Africa, Bridges of Hope, and gave a description of the work we will be doing there during our trip. Jared, the other leader of our team, gave a message about the different types of suffering, but mainly focused on what it means and what it looks like to suffer for Christ. Although this isn’t an easy message to swallow, it really seemed to resonate with the people in the church.

When the church service was over, we served the congregation lunch, and it was quite a feast! We served carne asada and chicken tacos, some yummy dessert, and the infamous “swag juice”.

I spoke with a man from Watts while we were eating, and he said the message of suffering really hit home. This man had recently been released from a short time in prison, and he was desperate and eager to change his life around, praise God! He said that although it is difficult to follow Christ when surrounded by gang violence and hardships, he has found that God saves and God is always faithful. It was amazing to hear the ways God has mended brokenness in peoples’ lives and how He has filled the spaces in our hearts that no one else can.

Our time serving Powerhouse Church in Watts was a great experience. We were able to understand what it looks like to go into an environment and be flexible and to expect the unexpected. When we trust God and let the Spirit lead us, God shows up in amazing ways!