Summer trip dates announced

The winter team just returned home and we are already planning for the summer team. Applications are due March 4th.  For more details login to ROCKHarbor CORE.


Trip Dates: July 2012 Trip :: July 27th to August 12th, 2012

Manditory Trainings:
Sunday, March 25th:
Sunday, April 15th:
Sunday, April 29th:
Sunday, June 24th :
Friday, June 29th (Team social):
Friday, May 11th (Team social) :
Sunday, May 20th:
Sunday, June 10th (Serve day: 8:30am-4:30pm) :
Sunday, July 8th :
Wednesday, July 18th (Team commissioning) :
Sunday, July 22nd (Packing party):
Sunday, August 19th (Team debrief):
Sept. 6th/Oct. 4th (South Africa community gatherings):

Home Sweet Home

After an amazing journey, the South Africa January 2012 team has arrived safely back in California. We saw God work in unbelievable ways during the 2 weeks spent in SA. We are all so thankful for the support we received from our friends and families back at home and we can't wait to share our experiences with all of you. Please continue praying for our health as we are all very exhausted and recovering from jet lag. Also pray for each of us as we process our emotions, thoughts, and feelings as we re-enter our lives here in Southern California. Lots of love!

SWEET HOME DAY 3

TEAM PIC WITH THE CHE's OUTSIDE THE DAYCARE IN SWEET HOME

ONE OF THE HOME VISITS

HE SAID HE WAS RECOVERING FROM A STROKE AND NEEDED PRAYERS FOR HEALTH AND TO FIND WORK.

NAP TIME AT THE DAYCARE. VERY HOT AND SWEATY.

SWEET HOME.

MARK WITH KIDS FROM SWEET HOME.

I Gotta Feeling...Bridges style

Expect the unexpected...

Hi Family & Friends!

It’s Kari here!  I’m so excited to share my experience here in South Africa with everyone back home, but until I get there, here’s a preview.  Today I was able to teach some of the CHE’s, who have their own sewing business, how to make wine bottle bags. 

I have been looking forward to teaching this class all week & feel that my time in Sweet Home is my purpose for the trip.  I absolutely loved being in Sweet Home earlier this week – the people are genuine & so open to learning from us.  I was able to sit in on Alan & Mark’s business class on Monday & was interested to hear where the ladies were at within their sewing business (i.e. – goals & expectations).   

As we have discovered while being here in SA, things don’t always go as planned.  The ladies had gotten their sewing machines repaired & we were under the impression that they were supposed to be getting them back today.  But to our surprise, they hadn’t received them & we didn’t find that out until after we arrived in Sweet Home this morning.  So Sisanda (one of the CHE leaders) got on her phone & tracked down someone in the township who had a sewing machine we could use.  (By the way, I brought my old sewing machine to SA but we decided not to bring it today due to a converter issue).

Mark, Claire, Sisanda & I walked to go pick up the sewing machine & then walked to the building where we would I would be teaching the class.  The women soon joined us & I began my class.  Since we only had one sewing machine, I thought the best idea would be to have one of the women do the actual sewing & I’d just teach them how to assemble the bag.  My class took a turn off course when Sisanda, who was translating, left to go check on a member of the community, leaving me to figure out how I was going to communicate to these ladies.  Not only was it difficult to teach without my own sewing machine, it just got more complicated now that I didn’t have a translator.  Luckily, one of the ladies spoke a little English & we were able to communicate & I was able to finish teaching the class using simple English, gestures & smiles.

Overall, the ladies were excited & receptive to learn to sew something new & I was definitely in my element with the sewing.  The ladies are confident they will be able to sell the wine bottle bags to the local wineries (my original intent) & be able to bring in income for their business & families. 

Another exciting moment was at the end of the class, they asked me to teach them how to make reversible sling bags.  But unfortunately I hadn’t brought enough fabric & we had ran out of time.  But Claire said I could come back tomorrow & teach them then.  So back to Sweet Home I will go!  It will be great to spend another day teaching these ladies – I’m blessed to be able to pass on the knowledge others have given me. 

Love,

Kari

The angels rejoice!

Yesterday was definitely an answer to prayer. Our day started at The Creche, which is the place that Rock Harbor donated where the Community Health Evangelists (CHEs) hang out, are taught, and watch over the kids from the Sweet Home community. We all played with the kids while Allison taught the women about child health and development. My favorite part was having about five toddlers sitting on my lap, taking turns giving me kisses on my cheeks as I sat down on a chair in the shade. These kids love nothing more than just being held and loved.What happened next was all God. We went on our first home visit, and Alan gave me the opportunity to lead the conversation in the home. I got a little background on the family we were visiting from Sisanda, the CHE director. She said we were visiting Aphiwe, one of the girls that attended our weekend OVC camp at Bridges, and her mom. Sisanda told me that Aphiwe had cancer. This was shocking, as she is probably about ten years old. When we got in the house, I asked Aphiwe’s mom what we could pray for. She told us to pray for Aphiwe’s health, and for the ability to get Aphiwe’s birth certificate (it’s a long story). She also said she was afraid that she might die and didn’t know what would happen to Aphiwe if that happened. I then asked her if she and Aphiwe had a relationship with Jesus and she said that she had in the past. I asked if she wanted to officially invite the Lord into her heart so she could have full confidence in her salvation, and she said yes, and so did Aphiwe (for the first time as far as we know). I went through the “repeat after me” prayer with her, asking Jesus into her life (keep in mind this is all being translated by Sisanda since they didn’t speak english), and after we were done, we all felt moved to sing a song of rejoicing and praise. One of the other local women led the worship song in their native language. It was so beautiful. We were all holding hands, about 12 of us crammed into a 10 foot by 6 foot room, and just singing praises. The Holy Spirit was so present it was overwhelming. It was surreal , simple, and very peaceful. If that weren’t enough, we had the opportunity to go and pray for a man who only has one leg and is taking care of his three or four siblings, and they all live together in a one room shack that is about 5 feet by 10 feet. He was already a believer, so we just prayed for God to provide a prosthetic leg for him and for provision for him and his family. It was so humbling. I really tried hard to imagine being him and waking up every day in his situation.All I can say is that I was humbled to be used by God to bring others to Him, I was humbled to feel His presence so clearly, and humbled to see the hardships that the people in Sweet Home are going through.

- Will Phelps

The gift that keeps on giving...

When our RockHarbor teams go to Sweet Home, we set some time aside to provide educational classes to the Community Health Evangelists (CHEs) on a variety of topics based on their needs. CHEs teach people about health in their community. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to educate the CHEs in Sweet Home on child development, specifically speech and motor development in children ages birth-5 years. We reviewed developmental milestones for this age group in addition to activities the CHEs can do with the kids and teach the parents/caregivers to help these children develop appropriately. Some of these CHEs work at the daycare in Sweet Home. They asked specific questions about some of the kids they work with and got ideas for how they can help these children learn. It was so rewarding to see how interested the CHEs were in learning more about child development. Their willingness to learn and share with others in their community is wonderful to see. As a speech therapist, I feel God has given me a gift of knowledge for child development as well as a gift for teaching others. I am so thankful to have been given an opportunity to share my knowledge to educators half way around the world. I never imagined I would have had this opportunity to use God’s gifts in such an incredible way. Although, I was nervous about going in to a part of the world I’d never been and teaching a class about development when I had never met a child from here, God really blessed my words and allowed me to speak to the CHEs with confidence. I will be teaching a class about feeding on Thursday so please pray that God will speak his words through me.

Love love love! Allison

Sweet Home

After a great day of team bonding in Cape Town, we started our second week by splitting the team into two groups – one group (Alan, Mark, Claire, Rachel, Kari and Chelsea) would be heading into Sweet Home while the other group would be staying at the Academy helping the staff get the school ready for the students’ arrival later in the day. From the Academy it is about an hour drive to Sweet Home and it was cool to see our team praying and journaling preparing for our time there.  Upon our arrival, Mark and Alan went off to teach a Business Class with the CHEs (Community Health Evangelists). This being my third time to South Africa it has been so awesome to witness the growth of the CHEs and their desire to further themselves through building a business.  While the class was going on the rest of the team played games and hung out with the pre-school kids.  The smiles and sweet giggles of these kids fill my heart with so much joy!  Once the class was finished, some of the CHEs accompanied our team on a home-visit. To arrive at our destination we walked a narrow, trash-covered path between shacks.  The house (shack) we were visiting was that of two of the boys who had attended the OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) camp that we had held over the weekend. It was so cool to see the photos from the camp last year and this year in a small cabinet above the stove.  This house was larger than many of those that we had passed (3 rooms and a yard) but once we found out that this was a family of 10 the house didn’t seem so large anymore!  After receiving the prayer request from the father, Alan asked if he knew who Jesus was, the One who would be hearing the prayers. Mr. Ketsekile responded that he had heard about Jesus and Christianity but did not know how to become a Christian. The next few minutes were spent sharing how to become a Christian and ended with Alan asking if Mr. and Mrs. Ketsekile would like to become Christians. They said YES and we immediately laid hands on them and led them in a prayer to accept Jesus!!! What an amazing experience for our team!!! The most amazing thing came as we were dropping off the CHEs, we learned that Mr. Ketsekile was a sangoma (witch doctor). A sangoma is an intermediary between an individual and the ancestors as part of the African traditional religion. They are sought out for solutions to any maladies or issues one may be facing. How awesome to bring a witch doctor to Christ!!! Your prayers for the Ketsekile family would be much appreciated!!!

A major highlight for me, Claire, was reuniting with a former Bridges student during the OVC Camp. Nomafili was one of the four students in my devotion group during my first trip to South Africa back in 2008. I have not seen her since 2008 and feel beyond blessed to be reunited with her and Sinethemba (another former student in my devotion group as well as a fellow team member during January 2011 trip) on this trip!

We feel your prayers and are very thankful for them!! Keep them coming!

Blessings and Love!

Claire

Pics from Sweet Home

our first home visit

Will praying with the woman who accepted Christ

the house of the woman who accepted Christ

Aphiwe

Will playing with the orphans at Creche (the building Rock Harbor donated)

Makenzie playing with the orphans

Katrina and Makenzie passing out streamers

Allison with the kiddos

Amanda J with the youngest

Makenzie and Amanda P singing Father Abraham

Being Tourists

What an incredible day we had as a team! OVC camp ended yesterday morning and we had the opportunity to go as a team to Table Mountain in Cape Town. The drive through Cape Town was gorgeous. It is such a beautiful city with a picturesque waterfront. We were all so excited as we drove up the mountain towards the cable cars that would take us to the top. The cable car ride was exciting as we ascended further from Cape Town and had the chance to see the city with a birds eye view. Once we were at the top of the mountain, I have never seen a more amazing picture of God’s creation. The views were indescribable and unable to be fully captured in a picture. We all had the opportunity to praise God for his creation. We have been going non-stop since arriving and needed to just pause and remember how powerful our God is. Sometimes getting away from everything and connecting with nature is the best way to open your eyes to God’s majesty. As I stared across mountains overlooking a beautiful, blue ocean I kept wondering how anyone wouldn’t believe in God after seeing His creations. Who else could create such a wonder than our Creator?

After leaving Table Mountain we went to church service at Hillsong Church in Cape Town. We have spent the last week just giving and ministering to those around us and it was gratifying to be able to receive. The message from the pastor was so passionate and spoke directly to me, providing answers to some very specific prayers of mine.

Overall, the day was an unexpected gift from God as I felt Him speaking directly to me several times throughout the day. I’m blessed and thankful to be given the opportunity to grow so closely to God…to hear His words, feel His presence, and see His power. 

Love from Africa,

Allison Tidwell

Cribs: Bridges Academy

Here is a snapshot of Bridges Academy from the view of a fellow grade 7 student, Superman, during the last day of the OVC camp. We hope you enjoy our creative way of mixing it up a little bit!

Never leaving South Africa,
Amanda Phelps & Rachel Fields

OVC KIDS ARE ON THEIR WAY!!!

This week has been a spiritual awakening for most of the team if not all. I have been in awe of what God has done for the team. He picked out an eclectic group of people to form this team and have made them as close as family could get. Here is Amanda J. and Katrina sharing their time in South Africa.

Happy Saturday everyone! Today is our full day with the OVC kids and I think I speak for everyone in saying we are so excited to play and to just really run crazy with these kids. Yesterday the weather seemed to fit our mood throughout the day. We were all sad to see the Bridges students leave for the weekend so it was fitting that the weather was cloudy, cold, and gloomy, but still totally gorgeous. It’s wonderful that after only 5 days with these students we have become so attached to all of them. Their smiles and laughter are infectious and you can’t help but to be joyful around them.

I personally am always blown away and in awe of all of them when they worship, it’s a different kind of worship I’ve ever experienced with God. I see teenagers singing and praising God being very intentionally. I see and feel the pureness in their words and complete freedom they have and all the thanks to God because I will be forever changed by them. God has shown up here in many mighty ways, I have never felt more close to God.

I do want to brag a little about one of the girls I have been getting to know, her name is Azile she is 17 and she is a phenomenal young woman. She has such strong faith in the Lord and it radiates in everything that she say’s and does. Every time she talks with you she has a smile on her face and usually a joke or two. She is also one of the students on their worship team here at Bridges and man can she sing. God has given her many talents she is an amazing singer, fantastic dancer, and a beast on the drums. I find myself just watching her for long periods of time just in awe of how God is using this young woman to reach so many. Yesterday I sat for an hour watching and listening to her teach and play the drums and dance with the OVC girls and all I could do is sit and thank God for putting her in my life and theirs. There are really no other words to describe how much she has affected my life. She has taken her talents and is using them to further Gods Kingdom and it’s a beautiful sight to see someone so young who knows their gifts and uses them like that. It has helped me connect better with God and trying to use the gifts that he has given me and how I can use them. God is moving and changing us all and as a team for us to grow together is something I think we all didn’t know would happen. I’m looking forward to the next week and what God has to show us, it’s going to be an adventure!

Love and Blessings Amanda J<3

I have grown so close with the Academy kids that, even though they will only be gone the weekend, I almost started crying. I came over here to affect the kids for Christ. I never imagined just how much they would affect me. This one week here has transformed me so much, and I am so grateful that God has blessed me; blessed all of us with such a surprise. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel as overjoyed yesterday, (Friday) after the academy kids left and the Sweet Home kids came. When the Sweet Home children rushed in through our doors, I thought, “What an adorable bunch of babes!” because they were all so small. Boys I much assumed were middle school aged were in their early twenties. A little girl who’s 7 looks like she’s 4, and the youngest, a 5 year old, honestly looks about 3. Last night, the 5 year old (my favorite) shuffled into our room crying because he was hungry. I had the sickening feeling that the small meal we fed them was their first in a while. Though I feel…unsettled, I guess is a word, about the situations of these Sweet Home kids, I have to admit I still see the joy in them that I witnessed in the academy kids. Everyone here, it seems, has a bigger lust for life than the people back home. Regardless of these kids’ situations, I am excited to spend time with them, share the love of Christ, and learn as I have been.

Tata for now,

Katrina

THE PASTOR

Hey Bloggers, It’s Mike. We just finished off an amazing 1^st week with the kids here at bridges and now we are excitedly anticipating the arrival of the kids from the Sweet Home Township for our weekend OVC Bible Camp! Yesterday the most amazing thing happened to me. God revealed himself to me in a way I have never experienced before in my life. Leading up to the trip I was having a rough time because I began to question if I was really meant to go on the trip. At times I was feeling sad and discouraged and began to become overwhelmed with thoughts of worthlessness and just plain did not feel good enough to be going on this trip. After our first day we all met up to debrief and Claire asked us if any of us had discovered our purpose on this trip. I remember thinking that I might never find a purpose for why God called me to this trip. So all week each of us were chosen to teach a topic to the different grades of kids here at Bridges in order to prepare them for their upcoming school year and give them tools for life. Chelsea and myself were chosen to teach leadership and more specifically the topics of goal setting and Spiritual Gifts. Wednesday we began teaching on the topic of Spiritual gifts. This consisted of us explaining Spiritual Gifts to the kids, reading to them 1 Corinthians Chapter 12, and having them take a spiritual gifts test to figure out what personal spiritual gifts God had blessed them with. The first grade we began to teach to was the 11^th and 12^th graders. As the lesson was drawing to a close a thought popped into my head (later I knew it was from God), but I thought what good is it to teach these kids about spiritual gifts and helping them figure out their gifts, if we don’t explain to them the importance of using these gifts to serve God and do his will. I remembered the Parable of The Talents in Matthew Chapter 25, where Jesus told the story of a master and the talents he gives to his three servants. After that class, we began teaching the importance of using the talents God has given us to serve him by utilizing the parable from Matthew to every class. The week had been going great, but we both had been wondering if anything we had been teaching the kids had been getting through or effecting them in anyway. So, Thursday night one of the kids Ayanda, who found out one of his talents was preaching, felt called by God to speak in front of the kids. Chelsea and I were both astonished as he began preaching because he chose to make his first sermon about the Parable of the Talents from Matthew. As he exercised his preaching talent and the passion that emanated from his lips and the way God spoke through him to his peers and classmates, was enough to put the whole room on the verge of tears and excitement. By the time he was done the whole room was cheering. I became overwhelmed with pure joy that God had used me to change Ayandas life and now he was encouraging his classmates to use the Talents God had given them as well and not to waste them as so many Christians often do. I finally realized Gods purpose for me being on this trip and I immediately ran outside to the Soccer field fell to my knees and worshiped my Father! This has been the best experience of my life and to know that we are actually making a difference in these kid’s lives has opened my heart and filled me with an ineffable amount of joy! If you could pray that we continue to make a difference in the next week and that God fills us up with the power and the energy of the Holy Spirit that would be Amazing! We have all been stretched very thin with the long days and we would really appreciate as much love and support as possible. Also, if you could thank God for all the great things and blessings he has poured down on us throughout this trip, that would also be amazing!

Love, Mike

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:11-14

What an amazing thing God has promised us!! It has been such an important verse for us to keep in mind this past week. In our time here at Bridges, and also throughout life, it’s easy to forget that ultimately, we are not in control. It has been such a wonderful experience to really have to let go here and rely on God and have faith that what his plans for us here in Africa are, are so much bigger than we could ever imagine!!

Our days here have been filled with many blessings. It has been great to connect with the kids on a personal and spiritual level. It is such an eye opener to learn about their stories and past and hear how they came to know the Lord. Even through all of the hardships and unimaginable things these kids have been through, God has just completely restored their sprits. There faith is something I can’t even begin to explain! Their love and commitment to God exudes from their pores!

Last night was a night I will never forget! We had girl’s night. We danced all night long, painted each other’s nails and made friendship bracelets. We were all in our element! I don’t remember the last time I felt this free to just go wild and be a total girl! We talked about God, boys, family and friends…you name it we covered it. It was a great reminder that these girls are just crazy teenagers with the same hopes and the same issues that we all had to deal with at one time.

While the girls were in the house, all the guys got a chance to hang out in the shed. We played pool, listened to music, and kicked the soccer ball around. God really blessed our time. Hanging out together without an agenda or objective other than just being available really opened the doors for some meaningful discussions that went on late into the evening.

They kids really seem to be responding well to the classes we’ve put together to prepare them for the upcoming year. We’ve reviewed the benefits of positive character traits, shared practical tools to improve the quality of their study time, demonstrated and practiced healthy conflict resolution, and discussed what it means to be true leader.

We are excited about what God has in store for our team, the kids, and Sweet Home as we persevere and continue to seek His plan and purpose for our time here. Please pray that we continue to exercise faith and obedience as our comfort zones are challenged so that we may be confident that nothing was held back and ultimately that God was glorified.

Blessings,

Chelsea and Alan