Rock Harbor South Africa

Morgan and Danielle here!

We are so thankful to all of our blog readers and prayer warriors. We read the comments posted every night at debrief and feel so loved by friends and family.

This morning we were blessed to have our first meal with the CHE’s. With full bellies and warm hearts we then divided the team and CHE’s up between girls and guys, so we could bless them individually. The guys headed into town for the CHE Leader’s first movie in a theater, which so happened to be a 3D movie. The boys from our team say that the CHE leaders were simply amazed by the technology they witnessed on the screen. Safety, rest, and peace, were the themes of their time together.

Back at the Retreat center, the ladies of our team treated the CHE’s to a spa day full of pampering. Our intention was to truly bless them and help them feel rejuvenated. While we gave them foot massages, pedicures, and facials, the ROCKHARBOR team was silently praying over these women that voluntarily work day in and day out to be lights to their community.  The CHE’s were served lunch and their children were taken care of by a few team members so they could have a truly restful morning and afternoon.

After lunch we provided the CHE’s with some words of wisdom based off Isaiah 43 led by the lovely Kathleen. This passage focused on the truth of who we are in Christ and Kathleen dove into the difference of knowing this in our head and knowing this in our heart.  With this reminder in our hearts, we headed into a time of prayer over the CHE leaders. This was such a precious time for us to pour into these incredible men and women’s lives and to speak truth over them. As prayer was winding down, one of the CHE women received a phone call that informed her of the tragic news that someone in her family committed suicide. When she hung up the phone, our team surrounded her with prayer and encouragement. The pain never seems to end for these men and women. Our team was so humbled by the mighty faith and trust in God of these men and women through constant trials.

At the same time as the CHE retreat, we also headed up a spiritual retreat for the Academy kids. It is so amazing to see how thirsty these students are for more of God, more of His Word and thus our retreat was based on Habbakuk 3:17-19. Our first session was led by Lindsay and Molly as they spoke to the students mainly about verse 17, praising God in our trials. At the end of their time, they called the students to write down a trial in their life and to lay it down at the feet of the cross. Much to our surprise, all the kids participated in laying down the trials in their lives.

The second part of this spiritual retreat was centered on forgiveness and led by Meredith, Allie, and Morgan. Meredith brought the house down as she talked to the kids about forgiveness, then we split the kids into smaller groups to help facilitate personal application. We emphasized in our discussion that forgiveness is not something that comes easily nor is it meant to discredit ones hurt or frustrations—rather forgiveness is meant to bring us great joy and to strengthen Christian community. After discussion Allie read Psalm 86 aloud then we encouraged silent prayer for the students to lean in to the people they may need to forgive. After we passed around bowls full of pebbles, and had the students pick up as many pebbles as people that God has put on their hearts to forgive. After they had their pebbles in hand, we encouraged them to go out on a walk around the track, have a personal talk with God, then to release those pebbles when they were ready to forgive. It was really cool to see some kids working through forgiveness as they walked around the track and even talking it through with a few students.

 

Overall, today was filled with fellowship, prayer, laughter, and even an impromptu jam fest in the dining room after dinner with the CHE’s. To end our day, we watched a movie, popped some popcorn and just enjoyed our time with the CHE’s and Academy students.

As we hit our half way point of this trip we ask for continued prayers that God uses us where He sees fit, and also specifically we would appreciate prayer for health as some of our team members are sick.

As it is now 1:30am our time, Danielle and I are now almost as exhausted as our good friend Cooms (pictured below). So now we must put away our goldfish crackers, Danielle's coloring, and say farewell to you our friends. 

Good night erryboday!!!