Day 4: Building Bridges

Hey there! Karissa and Danielle here (we both want to shout out to our loved ones...We miss you and love you!). Today was another beautiful day in South Africa. God has truly blessed us with perfect weather so far, we were all in t-shirts (and some even in shorts)!

This morning we went to Sweet Home again, and this time Russell, Karissa, Sarah, Rachel, and Danielle shared about Jesus' Life, Death, and Resurrection. After hearing the story, we invited the kids into a prayer to accept Jesus into their hearts! For the rest of the time in Sweet Home, a group of us stayed with the kiddos and enjoyed singing songs, dancing, playing games, and just having a good 'ol time. We have been blessed with a team that works well together, willing to help out whenever needed. While they stayed back, the five of us, Kim, and three CHE's (Community Health Evangelists) went on a home visit to one of the shanties a few blocks away. This shanty belonged to a man and woman and consisted of a small "home" with a dirt floor, wooden benches, and one twin mattress in a corner. With next to nothing in their possession, they were so welcoming to us, inviting us to sit on all their benches and chairs. Here we were able to pray over a woman with a lesion on her right knee and a man who was still feeling ill after a major surgery. Their openness and vulnerability with strangers was a special moment where we could feel the Lord's presence. The people in Sweet Home are very receptive to us and in deep need for love. Even the smallest acts of kindness mean the world to them. During the past three days, even with a language barrier, our team has been able to form special bonds with these children. After two days of searching for the unforgettable smile, Rachel was reunited with her "screensaver" kid from two years ago. Kate too made a special bond with a child, Azele, who has come back each day to Kate's arms to hear about Jesus (she might just come home with him in her suitcase). As we left the township, our hearts were broken as the kids ran after the cars crying.

This afternoon was filled with another day of after school activities, including baking, latin dancing, dodgeball, and of course, BUNCO! Needless to say, it was a very fun and tiring (for us leaders) afternoon! During our devotions tonight, Jan shared her testimony and was able to break through to some of the students. She provided an opportunity for the students to open up to us and talk about how faithful God is during hard times. Through her powerful story, God was definitely at work building trust between us and the students. We (Danielle and Karissa) were talking to a group of girls during small group time, and when we asked them questions about times in their lives where they saw God's faithfulness, they shut down. We have no idea about the constant struggles and hurt they face. Tonight we also learned that in the South African culture that it is unknown to share feelings and talk about what is going on in one's life. In fact, journaling is foreign to South Africans because of the fear of someone reading their stories. In a further attempt to break down these barriers, Danielle asked them, what they think about us when they see us? They told us that we have perfect lives, we drive nice cars, and have a great place to live, and this hit us like a ton of bricks. I think all of us would agree that these kids have asked us "the right questions", the questions we ourselves don't want to answer. We have come here to minister to them and yet they are the ones ministering to us. Please pray that seeds would be planted and that we would not be discouraged but rather rejoicing in the fact that God is victorious!

At the Academy, they have "house parents" who look after the kids, cook meals for them, and speak into their lives. Since we arrived here on Sunday, we have all noticed what a difficult job this would be. These house parents are in charge of enforcing the rules and thus are under appreciated. However, despite their challenging role, they exude joy and love the kids with a Christ-like love. Our team has been blown away by how well they care for these students. Tonight we had a unique experience to pray over the "house dad", Mthobeli as he headed home for some much needed rest. In one of our activities, Karissa had the students write encouraging notes to the staff at Bridges. One student said that Mthobeli "seeks God until the end of this universe". It is such a blessing to be able to support the staff and come along side them in prayer.

Our last thought to share with you before we try and grab a few hours of sleep is a request. We ask that you would pray for Bridges. Pray for the spiritual battle going on here for both the hearts of its students and for the work that the Lord is doing here. God is reigning in this place and with that comes unhappiness from the devil. He is hard at work to try to thwart God's plan. Pray for our team as we face these battles and pray for the students. They have gone through more than we can even imagine and the wounds are deeper than any of us can see, only God knows the depths.

Tomorrow is the start of a busy weekend full of retreats for both the CHE's and students! God has so much planned and we cannot wait to see what He does! We have so much planned and would greatly appreciate a showering of prayers- for strength, health, energy, and more of His Spirit. We are so thankful for your support and prayers! We miss you all!