Celebrating our Saltiness

On Friday we held our final Hand in Hand conference of the year with more than 80 church leaders in attendance. Our theme has been “Being Salt and Light” and we’ve learned so much together!

At this final conference, Pastor Abram taught us how being unified as a church body helps us to be Godly examples and effective witnesses to others. Next we spent time in worship and prayer, and sharing amazing testimonies of how God has worked in and through us this year. The goal was to not only learn from and encourage each other, but also to celebrate!

Amy Riep ended the conference with a powerful teaching from The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12. This passage just precedes Christ’s calling to be Salt and Light, and teaches us the attitude we need to carry it out.

Humbleness. Godly sorrow over sin. Repentance. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Mercy. Peacemaking. Endurance.

She also gave an interesting fact about salt – that the Roman armies would pour salt out on their conquered lands to basically render them unusable and prevent them from being taken back by their enemies. As salt, not only do we season the earth with the hope of Christ, but we also claim territory for His kingdom that Satan cannot take back.

What a great day! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to equip and strengthen local leaders, and to also be strengthened and encouraged myself.

Outreach Season Celebration

Yesterday we celebrated with our interpreters the end of our 2010 Outreach season.

Abram began with a powerful teaching on knowing and fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives, and how we each are uniquely gifted with skills, talents, and experiences for the specific work we’re called to. It was great to celebrate our callings and giftings, and also to reflect on how God has used each of us over the year.

We’re so thankful that God has called this amazing team - men and women who are strong in their faith, bold in sharing the Gospel, and such encouragers as mission teams stretch themselves to be used by God.

And what would a party be without gifts and chocolate cake with sprinkles? Yes, I attempted baking again and it turned out pretty well if I do say so myself!!

Summit Celebration

This weekend we celebrated our 2010 Leadership Summit program, thanking our coaches and enjoying a fun day together. As the coaches each shared testimonies from the year, there was a common thread – how thankful they were to have grown in their own faith and leadership. As one of our coaches, Busisiwe, summed up “God changed each of us so that we can change others.” That’s definitely something to be celebrated!

Leadership Summit is our AIDs Prevention and Leadership Development program offered in the public schools. We employ and equip a team of nationals who in turn teach classes for grades 7-9 reaching thousands of students each week.

The class topics are tough ones, and ones that are otherwise not talked about - living a life of purpose, God’s design for saving sex for marriage, and open discussions about other sensitive areas such as drugs, alcohol and peer pressure.

Imagine talking about sex and marriage with a room full of teenagers!! Our coaches are awesome!!

This weekend it was such a blessing and privilege to spend more time with our wonderful Leadership Summit team, and to celebrate the countless ways God has worked in and through each of them.

Please pray with us as we plan for an exciting and impactful 2011.

Lessons Learned

One thing mission trips have in common is how the Lord teaches some pretty amazing lessons. We recently hosted our Thrive Adult mission team. As the team served in Intabazwe doing relationship evangelism and children’s ministry, many lives were changed including their own.

When asked about what the Lord had taught them during this trip, here is what a few had to say.

"God taught me to trust Him completely - that even when I can’t see things with my human eyes, with my eyes of faith all things are possible! I just have to keep pressing forward to do all that He has for me to do, even the hard stuff, even when I don’t understand, and especially when it seems like something that I can’t do because with God ALL things are possible!” – DawnMarie

“God has opened my eyes to so many things. But I think the one thing is how I just need to always follow through on what he says. God has also opened my heart to ministry, more than I ever thought I was going to do…knowing that this is the start of my life in ministry is so exciting! I just need to be patient and wait on Gods timing. That’s the only way things really will work out.” - Christian

"God let me know that I need to stop trying to box him in with my own thoughts and preconceived notions. I could not really imagine going to a house and being received the way that I was. Even in the hospital, I couldn’t imagine us having such an effect on the patients. God reinforced in my mind that at need to get rid of my preconceived notions, focus on spreading the love and good news of the gospel, and let God do the rest.” - Chike

Please pray for these folks as they return home, that they continue to step out bodly for Christ.

Great Expectations

Have you ever been on a short-term mission trip? If so, what were your expectations? And did God meet them, exceed them, or change them completely?

Our Thrive Africa mission team arrived this weekend. Folks from NY, OH, TX, and CO - all with diverse gifts to share and diverse expectations for this trip. I love seeing how God builds the perfect team to use for his purposes.






Here are some of the things we all are expecting from this trip.

- To be used, and to become bolder in fulfilling the Great Commission
- To serve people in need as the hands and feet of Christ
- To grow in our own faith as we pull out of daily distractions and focus solely on God
- To develop deep friendships with each other, and the people we meet here in South Africa
- To sharpen and encourage each other, as we each have unique gifts and experiences to share
- To expect the unexpected, after all God has more in store for us that we’ll ever know

Based on experience, I know that God will far exceed these expectations as he works both in and through each of us. How exciting!!

Confession

I have a confession to make. I am a missionary who owns 71 ½ pairs of socks – 35 black, 32 ½ white, 3 tan, and 1 funky striped pair for sleeping. Inventorying them is part of my therapy, quantifying the problem. Some are new; some are old; some are holy, dingy and stretched out; one is missing its mate (why am I saving it???); and somehow they all came with me to South Africa. I put half in my drawers, and half in zip-loc bags for later – whenever that is…

When I moved here, I patted myself on the back thinking I did so well in sacrificing all my “stuff”. Selling things super-cheap. Giving a lot away. Traveling light. Trusting in God’s provision.

Looking at this pile I realize that I struggle with a scarcity mentality, rationalizing about what I “need”. I want to be a good steward by hanging on to what is necessary and practical, but according to my own definition.

When I moved here, the Lord did miraculous things – taking care of my house, raising financial support, providing me with a vehicle during an economic nosedive. I was just teaching at Hand in Hand that as we trust God and he proves faithful, our faith grows stronger and we’re able to trust him with bigger, riskier things. Yet strangely I fall short in the small day-to-day things. As if God can’t meet my need for new socks when these wear out. Or as if he doesn’t care about the little things and someone has to…

Ouch.


So I confess that I’m falling short of trusting God 100%, but I’m working on it. I’m now down to 40 pairs of socks. (I like even numbers…) And I know God isn’t done with me yet. Eish!

Beauty for Ashes

Has anyone ever told you you are beautiful? And did you actually believe it? So often we feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, unworthy of such a compliment. The moment of flattery quickly dissipates as counter-arguments creep into our minds.

Yesterday I attended a women’s conference at Show-Tell Bible church in Qwa Qwa. The theme for the day was Inner and Outer Beauty. The conference was an extra special treat because my roommate June gave the first message and my colleague Amanda interpreted for her. They were a dynamic duo!

They taught how in Bible times people wore ashes when they were in mourning. It was an outward sign of their inward turmoil and grief. Mourning is natural, and an important part of healing and moving forward. But it’s also something that can keep us from feeling loved, beautiful, or worthy of either. The enemy would prefer we remain in mourning, stuck, paralyzed, “processing”, wallowing…

Isaiah 61 tells us that the Lord wants to be right there with us - binding up broken hearts, freeing us from whatever is holding us back, releasing us from darkness, comforting us, even avenging on our behalf. Do you need any of these things? I know I do…

The Lord also wants us to end our mourning, and give up our ashes for the crown of beauty he wants to bestow upon us. Since we put the ashes on, I feel like we have to take them off for God to do his thing. We need to allow him to work and trust that he is. Only then will we be considered oaks of righteousness, displaying his splendor, able to rebuild, restore and renew whatever has been devastated.

Has something been devastated in your life? Whatever it is, God wants to trade you beauty for ashes. Sounds like a pretty good trade to me…

Louder Than Words

As we all know, actions can speak louder than words, and this week was no exception. This week our mission team from First Baptist Church in Canada completed a project on our base, blessing our farm staff with fresh paint, tile floors and new windows in their homes. Earlier this year our interns had painted inside their homes, so it was wonderful to be able to continue with the improvements.

They team did a great job, and it was such a blessing to serve alongside them!

The houses look great, and our farm staff is so appreciative. At the end of the day, they expressed their gratitude in a beautiful note thanking the team for their loving hearts and caring hands. Through the team’s hard work – including fundraising for supplies – our farm staff experienced the love of Christ in action.



Colossians 3:17 says “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (NIV)”

May our actions continue to speak louder than our words!

Godly Stewardship

On September 6th more than 130 leaders came together to learn how to be God’s salt and light “From the Inside Out”. The topics we taught included Godly Stewardship and Kingdom Living – things we need to model in our own lives before we can effectively witness to others. Based on the responses, God was clearly at work that day.

God was at work in me as well, as this was my first opportunity to teach such a large group. It was a challenge and a stretch outside of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed it and would like to teach more in the future.

My two messages were about Godly stewardship – God’s design for stewardship and the practical ways we can live according to His principles. It was such a blessing to share what God has been teaching me through His Word, and also draw from my personal and professional experiences.

Did you know that the Bible has well over 2000 verses related to money? Money is definitely a popular subject in the Bible. I think this is because it’s an area where we’re so often tempted. It’s where we are humbled. And it’s where we struggle the most to trust in the Lord.

Have you ever struggled in trusting God for provision, whether for yourself, your family, or your ministry? Wondering how the bills would get paid or the work would get done? I know I have. Losing my job, raising support for missions, living on a small fraction of what I used to, depending on God and others… The Lord often uses our financial circumstances to test and refine us, to teach us to trust Him, and to ultimately strengthen our faith.

How we handle our money – whether we have a lot or a little – reflects our relationship with God. It can be a source of life and blessing when we’re fully committed to God. But it can also be a trap that Satan uses to separate us from God. We can avoid that trap by knowing what the Bible says, obeying it, and walking in the freedom it provides.

A God-thing

What are you listening to right now? What do you hear around you? Birds singing or trees rustling? A cool song? Kids laughing? Your boss? (If this is the case, stop reading this and get back to work!!)…

I can’t even imagine how challenging it would be to have a disability – not being able to see, hear, speak, or walk… Things I need to be thankful for and not take for granted. As difficult as it must be, how much more difficult is it when someone doesn’t have access to helpful resources?

Our Sunbreak mission team had the divine opportunity to minister to a family of deaf people. I know it was a divine appointment because 2 of the team members have deaf people in their families as well.

They shared with us how special their time was together, and what a blessing it was to get to know the family, share the love of Christ, and leave them with a long letter of encouragement. They were able to communicate by writing in English, which I also think was a total God-thing.

The family isn’t able to attend church, so the Lord brought church to them. He knew what the family needed, and loved them so much that He sent people across the world to tell them.

See what I mean about being a total God-thing?

I don’t have a picture of the team with the family, but I thought you’d enjoy this one. I call it “Jumping for Joy”. What do you think makes God jump for joy? We do.

Meet Pastor Maria

Meet Pastor Maria - beautiful woman of God, pastor of a small church, committed leader, hard-working business owner, Godly influence in her village. I love this lady!!

Our recent mission team from Sunbreak Church in Washington served in her village. After their first week of relationship evangelism, 8 people came to church with us that weekend. And after service, Pastor Maria met with each of them to tell them about her church, encourage them in their new faith, and welcome them to come back again. We pray that they do.






That’s one of the great things about partnering with local churches and pastors. As the mission teams serve in an area, the local church follows-up with people afterwards continuing to water and sow the seeds that were planted.

Another great thing is how encouraged our pastors are as teams reach out in their community, joyfully and sacrificially serving on behalf of the church. Over and over again, Pastor Maria told me and the team how thrilled she was to have the team visit her area.

Please pray with me for Pastor Maria and Lighthouse Ministries Church – that her church continues to thrive and to be a light in her community.

All About Relationships

What exactly is Relationship Evangelism? It’s all about building relationships with people, serving them in tangible ways, and sharing the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

As our team from Grace Community Church served around World Fellowship Church, they impacted many lives. One young man had been raised with traditional Basotho beliefs, but didn’t agree with them because he felt we should be able to talk directly with God rather than through ancestral spirits. He also investigated Islam, but didn’t find the truth he was looking for. When the team met him, they found him hungry for truth and seeking a direct relationship with God. They introduced him to Jesus Christ and his life changed forever.

But it didn’t stop there. The team continued to disciple this young man through the rest of the week. They visited his tuck shop, taught him from the Bible, and answered his many questions about God, Christ and life in general. They invited him to World Fellowship Church where he was connected with other Believers. And they invited him to our Launch Pad discipleship class held at the church where he will continue to grow in his faith.

As the team said their goodbyes, they found that this young man was already witnessing to others. He is well known in the area and people often hang out around his tuck shop.

It’s all about relationships. Our personal relationship with Christ. Building relationships with other Believers. And stepping out to reach people in need of the hope that Jesus offers.

17 Again

What were you doing when you were 14, 16, 17? Stepping out and stretching out to grow as a leader? Sacrificing your time and money to help others in need? Boldly sharing Christ with others? I don’t know about you, but I was pretty focused on myself at that age…

We thoroughly enjoyed our double-portion of God’s grace this month – a student team from Grace Christian Church in Michigan, and another student team Grace Community Church in California. These young leaders were such a blessing and an inspiration!

And as they stepped out to boldly to share the love of Christ it was evident that many lives were changed - including their own.

When we asked folks about their favorite part of the trip, here is what one of the leaders had to say…

“My favorite part of this trip was being able to lead the students from our church, and watch the amazing growth that each of them went through. God really strengthened and matured each of the students spiritually and it was wonderful to see. He’s also done an awesome work in my life.”

Oh, to be 17 again! (cute movie BTW)

Please pray for that these young leaders continue to live lives of impact.

Absolutely Yes!

It was so much fun working with a bunch of fellow-Michiganders! We recently hosted a youth team from Grace Christian Church in Sterling Heights - right where I grew up.

I was so amazed at how this youth team stepped out of their comfort zones - boldly sharing the love of Christ, sacrificially serving people in need, compassionately praying with the sick, enthusiastically pouring into kids during children’s ministry. It was a blessing to see God work in and through these young leaders.

People often wonder if the 2 short weeks they spend serving can really have a lasting, even eternal, impact. I say absolutely yes! And the congregation at AFM Paballong church whole-heartedly agrees!

After the team shared many incredible testimonies, the entire congregation was encouraged and overjoyed. Pastor Thito thanked and encouraged the team in return.

“Thank you so much for your testimonies. They are such an encouragement. Please know that we as a church will continue to pray for the families you’ve met, and the children that came to children’s ministry – that they know the Lord, come to this church, and become our next generation of leaders. Please also know that the seeds you planted will bear much fruit. Even if you don’t see it because you are returning to America, when you go to heaven God will be so excited to introduce you to the ones who are there because of the time you spent in Paballong. When you meet them, you will say Wow! Wow! Wow!”

Please pray that the seeds planted in Paballong continue to grow, and that we meet new brothers and sisters in Christ someday.

1 - The Call

Missionaries are called into the mission field in unique ways – I’ve haven’t heard the same story twice. For some it’s a dramatic event, but for most it’s just a journey of steps fueled by a desire to obey God and a heart to help others. So here’s a little about my journey and my heart:

I was raised in a Christian home. I’ve believed the Gospel and was assured of my salvation as long as I can remember. But somewhere along the way I missed the part about having a personal relationship with Christ and living for Him on a daily basis. My faith guaranteed that I would go to heaven when I died, but it didn’t really impact how I was to live, if that makes sense.

It was during my adult years, when circumstances in life through me for a loop, that I started looking for answers, meaning, and purpose in life. After several unsuccessful attempts, I ended up back at church. Hmmm, what would things have been like had I pursued God with the same energy and determination that it took to search everywhere else? I guess that’s a whole other story…

When I plugged back into a church the Lord opened my eyes and softened my heart. Then in 2002, I stepped out on my first mission trip. I’ll admit - I was scared. I didn’t feel “Christian enough”. I didn’t think God could use me to help others. And my persistent prayer was that I wouldn’t be called on to pray out loud. Can anyone relate? Fortunately, my excitement outweighed my fears and I went to Ecuador.

...to be continued…

2 - On Foreign Soil

When I decided to step over my hesitations and board a plane to Ecuador for my first missions trip, the Lord knocked my socks off!

While on foreign soil He showed me so much: First, that He loved me just the way I was, but didn’t want to leave me that way. He stretched me and surrounded me with an amazing team of people to help me learn and grow. I’m always in awe of how the Lord builds mission teams with the perfect mix of strengths, weaknesses, personalities and gifts to share. Second, He showed that not only could He use me, but that He wanted to use me as well. That was so shocking to me because, like I said, I felt like a pretty wimpy Christian. Third, He revealed His heart for the nations, the suffering and the poor. I’ve often been asked

If God is all-powerful, why are so many people poor and hungry?
If God is loving and compassionate, why do people suffer with diseases and disabilities?
If God is merciful, why are we losing an entire generation to HIV/AIDS?

These are tough questions that have even tougher answers… You see, WE are His answers. The Lord demonstrates His power, love, compassion, and mercy when He sends us out as the hands and feet of Christ. God chooses us and uses us when we choose to step out and follow him. And when we do, the blessings are incredible!!

On that first mission trip, the Lord also gave me a glimpse into His unique purpose for my life. From that point on I felt called to serve others around the world, and it was that calling or passion that fueled my hunger for the Lord and for spiritual growth. I knew that someday I’d be a full-time missionary, and set out to prepare and pray for the Lord’s timing.

...to be continued…

3 - Yikes, What was I thinking?

As I mentioned in my previous blogs, it was during my first mission trip that the Lord filled me with a passion for missions and a calling to serve others around the world. I wanted to be a full-time missionary someday, but I didn’t yet know the Lord’s timing. Over the next few years, I remained active in missions, leading short-term trips to South Africa, Malawi and Palestine. It was during those trips that I met Thrive Africa and was deeply moved by their vision and their heart to change South Africa by training up Godly leaders.

Meanwhile, I continued working full-time in the Automotive Industry. Looking back I can see how the Lord used my career to develop me as a leader, strengthen my faith, and prepare me for His future calling. I also continued to pray that dangerous prayer – “Lord, send me.”

After years of dreaming, praying, and wondering about full-time missions the Lord closed one door and opened another. I was laid off. What? That wasn’t the way things were supposed to “go down”. That wasn’t at all what I had planned. I was shocked, angry, sad, a bit embarrassed – all mixed together. But I was also intrigued, cautiously optimistic, even hopeful and excited about whatever was to come next. And I knew that I was getting the Lord’s answer about the timing, just not in the way I had expected.

Did you ever pray for something, get it, and then go “Yikes, what was I thinking?” That’s what happened next, doubts and fears came crashing in …but what about fundraising, but what about selling my house in a tanking economy, but what about moving overseas alone, but what about leaving my family…but, but, but…

That’s when the Lord reassured me that this is what I had been praying so fervently for, what had been on my heart for so long because He Himself put it there, and that He loved me and would take care of the details if I’d just trust Him. So I took a deep breath, a couple a small steps, and then a giant leap halfway across the world.

...to be continued…

4 - A Big Change

In some ways making the change from the corporate world into full-time missions was easy. One reason is that there are many similarities. Like any organization, we have a vision, a mission, objectives and goals. We plan our work, steward our finances, develop ourselves as leaders, and strive to lead by example. We value integrity, excellence, and teamwork – core values common to successful organizations. In these ways, I felt right at home. It also helps to love the work you’re doing and to feel like you can really make a difference in the world.

The big change also came with its challenges. One such challenge was financial. Moving from a steady paycheck to having to depend on the charitable contributions of others was a big step. It was scary for me. I hadn’t realized how much I valued my independence until God “forced” me to depend on Him and others. But the blessings are greater, the rewards are sweeter, and my faith is so much stronger as a result.

For me personally, another challenge has been the reaction I get from people. Many think that this is a great, noble thing I’m doing – whether they attribute it to me, or to God where the glory really belongs – they think it’s admirable to dedicate my life to helping those in need. But then there are others who view it differently – that I’m throwing away a masters level education, a career that took 20 years to build, a much needed retirement package, my very future. I’ll admit, in my weaker moments I wonder the same thing. Thankfully, that’s when the Lord reassures me that he will take care of my every need. And again, my faith grows so much stronger as a result.

It’s hard to express how wonderful it is to do what you feel called to and created for by the Lord Himself. Awesome, blessing, rewarding, amazing… My words seem so cliché and trite, but they’re true nonetheless.

...to be continued…

5 - Ring a Bell?

What began with a small step of faith was met by a huge revelation from God, and it’s been an amazing journey ever since!

During my first mission trip the Lord revealed His purpose for my life, giving me His heart to help others. From there, the Lord guided my steps as I prepared, provided for my needs, and strengthened me when doubts crept in. I’ve now been with Thrive Africa for more than a year, and it has been a joy serving here in South Africa!

So, do any of my experiences ring a bell? If you are wondering about stepping out, serving on a missions trip, making a big career change, or even becoming a full-time missionary, here are just some of the things I learned along the way…

First, make your relationship with God your top priority. Study the Bible, reflect, pray and listen to God. We need to hear from God in order to do His will. We need to love what He loves, hate what He hates, and exchange our worldly perspective for an eternal one.

Second, begin with small steps as a way to learn and discern God’s direction for your life. I did this through short-term mission trips, volunteering through work and church, and taking classes - but it will look different for everyone. Keeping seeking answers until you get them.

Third, trust God in all things. If God calls you, He will equip you and meet your every need. That doesn’t mean everything will come easily, but it will come together. Each time I trusted God with one of my “…buts” He showed up big-time strengthening my faith and further confirming His will for me.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28, NIV

Laff-a-lympics

Does anyone else remember the old cartoon Laff-a-lympics? The Scoobie Doobies, the Yogi Yahooeys, and the Really Rottens? I Googled it to get the name of the teams and boy, am I getting old!!!

Anyways, we had our very own Laff-a-lympics when we hosted about 30 kids from Leratong Children’s Home. Our interns have been working there for the past several weeks, and they did an amazing job with setting up this day of celebration and fun!!

Divided into teams, the kids competed in games such as soccer drills, paintball shooting, video game racing, and other relays. It was such a blessing to see the kids light up as they tried new things - like video games which are so common in the US that we take them for granted. I was like a kid again as well when I got my hands on a paintball gun!

At the end of the day, everyone left with a great prize, a huge smile, and the assurance of how much they are loved by us and by Jesus Christ. It was a very special day for very special kids!

Churches Respond

Tough issues. Real issues. Coming from real kids we work with week after week. This got the attention of the 102 leaders who joined us for Hand in Hand this month. If you read my previous blog you’ll know that I tossed up a lot of questions, but not really any answers…

The main question being, how should the local church respond when their communities are in crisis? Poverty. HIV/AIDS. Hopelessness. Our communities need us!!! During Hand in Hand, Amy shared a powerful teaching on just that…

One way the church needs to respond is spiritually – to know God’s heart and to cultivate it as our own.

As church leaders, we need to allow God’s heart for Knowledge to become our own – seeking and praying for wisdom, knowing the needs around us, allowing God to guide us and work through us.

We also need to have God’s heart for Discipleship - to follow Christ, to be life-long learners, and to follow Christ’s examples in ministry, namely loving people well.

God’s heart for the Body of Christ needs to ours as well – recognizing that each person has a valuable part to play, knowing that some may need more care than others at a given time, and always being ready to help a person in need.

We also need God’s heart towards Sin to be our heart towards sin. Some would say love the sinner but hate the sin. But it’s so much more than this. So often we fear sin because of what it can do in our midst. Our flesh wants to punish, blame, control, retaliate, condemn, kick-out… But we also know that sin is a defeated foe because of Christ’s work on the cross. The only thing we have to fear about sin is how Satan uses it to keep people from our churches. People who avoid church out of shame, people who leave church because of judgment and punishment, people who need to be loved by the heart of God.

After teaching how the church should respond spiritually, Amy concluded with how we also need to respond practically. Basic problem-solving skills that few of our leaders had ever been trained in. Identifying the problem, analyzing it, developing possible solutions, planning, implementing, evaluating, revising, and celebrating progress.

Anyways, I could go on and on and on…the bottom line is that our church leaders were convicted, challenged, equipped and inspired by what they heard. And the responses were amazing!

96%

My heart broke and my mind raced as June shared statistics from our Leadership Summit youth. And I’m sure I wasn’t alone among the more than 100 church leaders who joined our June 21st Hand in Hand leadership conference. This year we’ve been challenging ourselves to live as Salt and Light in the world.

But how does the church do this when our communities are in crisis?

When 1 in 3 youth have lost a parent, and 1 in 5 have lost both?

When 1 in 4 homes don’t have enough to eat, and 2 in 5 have no one working to support them?

When 1 in 4 youth visit sangomas (traditional spiritual healers), 2 in 3 believe their ancestral spirits help them talk to God, and 1 in 3 do not even believe God exists?

When 2 in 3 youth are terrified of HIV/AIDS, 50% think they can get it from a mosquito, and 33% don’t think you can get it from sex?

When 1 in 5 youth have been raped or molested, 1 in 6 don’t think they have the right to say no to sex, and 45% don’t know God wants them to save sex for marriage?

When 2 in 3 youth don’t think they are smart enough to achieve their dreams, 1 in 4 have thought of suicide, and 1 in 10 do not believe they will ever have a job?

Leadership Summit has had an amazing impact among the thousands of youth they reach out to each week. And on June 21st it was an opportunity for church leaders to unite as well – learning about the issues their communities are struggling with, and how to shine God’s light for the world to see.

These statistics weren’t meant to overwhelm or discourage, rather they were to educate, equip and empower leaders to respond. After all, 95% of our students want to learn more about health and their body. 75% want to learn more about HIV/AIDS and other diseases. And 96% want to learn more about God.

96%!

A Love that Saves

Our Next Step summer interns spent their first week of ministry doing Relationship Evangelism and Children’s Ministry at one of our partner churches in Mangaung Village.

Here are just two of the many highlights from the week:

Relationship Evangelism is about building relationships to show the love of Christ. As our interns built a relationship with a young man named Thabo, he really opened up about the struggles he was facing - many the consequences of his own poor choices. He seemed to be searching for the right path, a better way to live. As they shared from their own lives and prayed with him, he was encouraged. And when they invited him to church the following Sunday, he came and accepted Christ as his Savior. Who knew that simply building a relationship could save the life of another? I guess Jesus knows, and we’re all reminded too…

Children’s Ministry is about sharing the love and Good News of Christ with kids who might not experience it otherwise. And often times, Children’s Ministry reaches even further – this was one of those times. A few days after a children’s lesson, our interns met a woman happy to tell them how much her grandson enjoyed the story of Daniel. He ran home, excitedly told her all about it, and asked her to read the story again from the Bible. And our interns were blessed to see how as they pour into these young ones, they in turn share it with others.

Hullaballoo

It has been pretty exciting to have the World Cup here in South Africa! And even more exciting - June, Amanda, Matt and I got to go to a game over the weekend. Decked out in South African Bafana Bafana gear, we made the 4 hour trek to Bloemfontein to watch Paraguay and Slovakia. It was so much fun to be part of the hullaballoo!

(…I’m surprised that hullaballoo was in my spell check. Does anyone say that anymore? Other than me?...)

I was actually surprised at the turnout for each team – so many people with painted faces, crazy outfits, waving banners and flags, cheering and singing. One guy was dressed in a spandex, hooded jumpsuit that looked like a cross between Elvis and a giant rooster – wings and all. That’s a fan! And if you’ve caught any of the games on TV you know how relentless those vuvuzelas are – Yikes! I’m so glad that I remembered earplugs. What a great day!!

Too bad that South Africa is out of the running - they played with such skill and heart. But how awesome is it that the US is moving on to the next round? Go USA!

Priceless

Snacks during the 6(+/-) hour layover at the Washington DC airport - $9. More snacks during the 12 hour layover in the Paris airport - $17. Spending 2 months in South Africa serving the poor and getting a taste of full time missions – PRICELESS!!

Whether a student is interested in full-time missions, full-time ministry, or just some awesome experience and growth over a summer break, our Next Step program is a great next step. Hence the name…good, huh?

Next Step is our summer internship where high school and college age “kids” join us to learn about missions, gain priceless cross-cultural ministry experience, and even get a taste of the “glamorous” behind-the-scenes work that goes on here at Thrive Africa. 11 interns arrived on Tuesday and we’re so excited that they’re here! Each hand-selected, uniquely gifted, and intentionally called by God Himself.

At Thrive Church this week Amy gave a powerful message commissioning this very special team. Commissioning is the intentional act of granting authority, casting vision and sending others out for a specific purpose. We learned so much as we dug deep into Matthew 9:35 – 10:42 – how Jesus sent out his disciples, instructed them, equipped them, and even warned them of what was to come.

And even more amazing is what Jesus tells us in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (NIV) So often we think we can’t measure up to Christ’s example because he’s God after all…but here we were challenged to rethink that. Jesus is not the exception of what ministry should look like – he’s the standard.

Please pray with us that our summer interns step out to serve in bold ways modeling the example of Christ.

World Cup Buzz

Wikipedia is pretty amazing…I hope it’s accurate too because I spent the afternoon learning about the 2010 FIFA World Cup given that it kicks-off here in South Africa on June 11th. Here are some interesting tidbits…

2010 is the 19th FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) World Cup. It began in 1930 and is every 4 years. The only exceptions were 1942 and 1946 due to WWII.

There are 208 national teams, 204 of which competed to qualify for 2010. Qualifications began in August 2007, and now 32 teams are in the final tournament. Checkout Wikipedia for who plays who, where and when.

With this many nations involved, it matches the 2008 Summer Olympics as the sports event with the most competing nations.

Italy is the current champion, and has had 4 titles. Brazil has had the most with 5.

South Africa is the first African nation to host, winning the bid against Morocco and Egypt. Libya and Tunisia were also interested, but it was decided countries couldn’t co-host the tournament.

South Africa has 10 venues, 5 newly built and 5 upgraded. Some estimate construction costs at R8.4 billion (Rand) and which is about $1.1 billion.

If I understand Wikipedia correctly, prize money is $420 million. Wow! Losing teams get $8M each, and then the rest of the money gets distributed depending on the bracket level. The overall winner gets $30M.

Zakumi, this cute little leopard, is the 2010 mascot. “Za” for the international abbreviation for South Africa, and “kumi” which is “ten” in many different African languages.

The official song is “Waka Waka” based on a traditional African soldiers’ song, will be performed by Shakira and the South Africa band Freshlyground.

And the official ball is the Adidas “Jubalani” which means “bringing joy to everyone” in isiZulu.

Let the games begin!

The Scarlet Thread

Imagine a beautiful quilt, each square depicting a scene from your life - joys and tears, triumphs and tragedies, successes and failures…What would your quilt look like?

I just read The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers. What a wonderful book! It’s the story of 2 women who lived centuries apart, but had so much in common. Both were uprooted from their homes; both journeyed through painful struggles that left them doubting, questioning and even rejecting God; and both returned to God after realizing His presence, provision, and unconditional love through every situation.

A tattered journal, an heirloom quilt, and a shared heart for God knitted these two women together.

I couldn’t help but think how my spiritual journey paralleled theirs. I’m no stranger to putting things in my life before God – career, marriage, other goals. I’m no stranger to the pain of infidelity or divorce. And I’m no stranger to the lure of independence, thinking I need to handle everything on my own, feeling alone in my struggles.

Fortunately, like these two women, I also came to realize that God was with me through it all. He cried when I cried, He lifted me when I stumbled, and He welcomed me with open arms when I returned and recommitted my life to Him. Whether I knew it or not, He was the scarlet thread woven in and through each quilted scene. And He still is – there are so many more squares to be sewn.

What common thread runs through the scenes of your life? What (or who) do you rely on to hold everything together? What does your quilt look like?

Divine Appointments

Have you ever met someone briefly that changed your life forever? Perhaps a divine appointment of sorts? Yesterday, we said goodbye to our Crown College mission team after 2 wonderful weeks of ministry. In the short time they were here, they built relationships and made an impact that will last a lifetime.

One way they did this was through a week-long afternoon children’s program at Real Vision church. Each day, about 65-75 kids came to play games, sing songs, and hear the Word of God taught in exciting, kid-friendly ways. Children’s ministry has a huge impact in the villages because kids really don’t have it in their home churches. The kids loved the special attention and the fun teachings, and they really got a kick out of meeting people from America. And when the kids share their excitement with their families back home, they get excited too! And they also see how welcoming and vibrant the local church is – in this case Real Vision. (The mission team had a blast as well!!)

Another way the team had great impact was through each family they ministered to during Relationship Evangelism. As they planted vegetables gardens, they also planted spiritual seeds of faith. As they mended a woman’s fence, they also mended racial tensions in the name of Christ who loves everyone as His children. As they led people to Christ, prayed for the sick, and discipled Believers, they also grew more mature in their own faith. Quite an impact every way you look at it!!

Please pray with us that the Lord’s work continues in and through each mission team member – in the village of Khelangoni, in Minnesota as the team returns, and wherever they are called to next.

Blessed

I am truly blessesd! Do you know that you are too? This weekend we took the mission team to Real Vision Church in Khelangoni, also known as Tshiame C. After just 2 days of ministry in the village, the team built loving relationships and many of the families joined us for the service. Another special treat that morning was several songs by the children’s choir – sooooo cute!!

Pastor Abram was given the honor of preaching, and spoke of the spiritual blessings we’ve already been given through Christ (Eph 1:3) It was a passionate and powerful reminder that we need to align our minds and our flesh to the Spirit of Christ in order to take hold of the blessings we’ve already been given.

When our minds agree with our flesh, or worldly desires, it’s basically 2 against 1 against the Spirit of Christ that is in us. When our minds are aligned with the Spirit of Christ, it’s 2 against 1 against whatever is trying to lead us astray.

For me, it was a simple but powerful way to view it – there’s strength in numbers.

Weekend Fun

This weekend I climbed Mt. Everest…literally. For those of you who don’t know, Mt. Everest is the name of one of our mountains here on the Thrive Africa mission base.

Matt and I hiked up with our current mission team – 10 men and women from Crown College in MN. They are a great group – fun-loving, energetic, and passionate about serving and sharing Christ with others!

It was a feat for me to keep up because this team is mostly comprised of collegiate-level soccer players – much more fit than me and just about half my age.

The weather was beautiful, the views were spectacular, and the team had a great time exploring and taking fun pictures of their accomplishment.

My Revelation

I often pray to receive things from Christ – everything from wisdom and strength to provision and blessings. But what is Christ supposed to receive from me? Revelation 5:12 says “In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Christ is worthy to receive all these things, which got me thinking about what they meant and if I was giving them to Him.

I’ve been studying Revelation during my morning devotion times…it’s a difficult but rewarding book of the Bible to chew on. Thankfully I found a good commentary to help out.

Power: Do I give Christ power over my life? Do I release the reigns of control to Him?

Wealth: Do I give Him all my silver and gold? Do I tithe appropriately and cheerfully? Do I use all that I have for His glory?

Wisdom: Do I give Him the finest of my intellectual powers? Do I use my mind and my abilities for His glory?

Strength: Do I give Him my physical strength for His service?

Honor: Do I have a single, pure desire to magnify Him in everything I do?

Glory: Is my entire life devoted to glorifying Him?

Praise: Do I use all of my abilities and powers of praise for Him?

I’ve heard the verse many times before; it’s even recited in a worship song I listen to regularly. I think I’ve heard it so much I quickly skip past its deep meaning. That Christ is worthy to receive all these things from me, and from each of us. And that I’m a work in progress, but that’s not a bad thing...

Bragging Rights

As we kick-off Term 2 of our Twenty4Seven internship program, I wanted to take a few moments to brag about our awesome group this year. 4 amazing young women, strong in their faith, motivated to make a difference in the world, and hungry to learn from “front-line” experiences here at Thrive Africa.

What’s cool about our year-long internship is that young leaders experience 3 areas of ministry.

First, they minister among the Basotho people in many exciting ways – teaching Launch Pad discipleship classes, leading our Hope House orphanage ministry, sharing the love of Christ through weekly Relationship Evangelism just to name a few.

Second, they are equipped through a variety of classes ranging from language and cultural training to digger deeper into Biblical foundations to exploring other relevant topics such as leadership development and world missions. Personally, I’ve enjoyed teaching the weekly world missions classes.

Third, they gain valuable ministry experience working behind-the-scenes at Thrive Africa within our various departments – Launch Pad, Leadership Summit, and Outreach.

It has been such an exciting and fruitful first Term! I hope you enjoy the pictures I’ve posted from their Hope House and Launch Pad experiences!

Please pray for these amazing ladies - that they continue to discover, develop, and use their leadership gifts as they serve the people of South Africa.

Modeling Leadership

One of the things I love about working at Thrive Africa is our deep, passionate commitment to training Godly leaders – in our schools, in our churches and communities, and also in our own Thrive Africa family. We know that we must model Godly leadership ourselves before we are able to pass truths on to others.

So within our Outreach Department, Pastor Abram and I have been digging deep into the Foundations for Christian Growth with our team of interpreters. Our most recent lesson was about becoming free from sin and being fully alive through Christ. The weekly classes have been life-changing. It has been wonderful to grow together, challenge each other, and equip ourselves to teach others.

We asked our interpreters “What impacted you most as you reflected on achieving freedom from sin?” Here is what some of them shared:

“That we are forgiven for our sins, but also that we should not misuse the grace of God by continuing to sin. We have the power and freedom to make good choices in our lives.” - Rabele

“When we sin, it’s by our own choice. We have the power to say no to sin.” – Eric

“In order to stop sinning, we need to identify the root and remove it, or like a weed it will keep coming back.” - Christinah

Please pray for our Outreach team - that we continue to grow as Godly leaders better able to serve and pour into others.

PS. In this picture are Rabele and Elias leading Children's Ministry with one of our Thrive Africa mission teams.

Through Tornados in Life

Through the tornados of life, literally and figuratively, God is with us. And our Thrive Africa family is experiencing this right now… Our Director, Amy Riep has expressed this so powerfully and beautifully that I wanted to share it just as she did…

"I’m thankful that God doesn’t sugar coat things for us. He tells us in His Word that living by faith and following His direction will be tough (see James 1:2). He uses words like trials, tribulations, and persecution. So I don’t know why I still get surprised by hardships or momentarily discouraged by circumstances. Like I did yesterday. In the late afternoon hours our mission base was hit by a tornado and several cabins were destroyed. When I stood looking at what is pictured above, I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. I felt angry that Thrive has faced so many challenges in the last 18 months and I was battle-weary.

But then I heard that still small voice inside me say, turn around. I did, and arching over my head was the most spectacular double rainbow I’ve ever seen- literally spanning the borders of our ministry home. My heart was immediately assured: We can look at His promises rather than the wreckage, and press on. My heart was also full of thanks that no one was hurt and that the damage was minimal compared to the destruction that could have happened.

After grounding myself in what I know to be true about God, I went back to our Thrive community covenant to help steer my emotional response, which reads in part: “We live from the heart. Without passion, what we do means nothing… We laugh in the face of hardship and we press on in spite of opposition. We are enthusiastic about the task that God has placed before us. We maintain a positive attitude regardless of the condition or situation.”

Our ministry will not be hindered because of the damage. The remaining cabins provide enough housing for our upcoming mission teams and ministry guests. We will press on, trusting in God’s provision to restore what’s been lost and to provide with abundance for every financial need Thrive has.

Today we are standing on Romans 5:3-5 which reads, “We also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Thank you for praying for us and standing with us!"

- Amy Riep, Director, Thrive Africa

Indeed, thank you for standing with us.

Seven Pounds

Yikes! Seven Pounds! No, I’m not talking about the Will Smith movie…4 weeks and 7 pounds later I’m back in South Africa.

What have I missed the most being in South Africa? Definitely Jets Pizza and Chinese food! We can get pizza here, and even make it homemade, but it’s not as THICK and YUMMY as Jets. That’s why Jets was on the menu for my family going-away party Friday night. And for Chinese food, we pretty much need to go to Johannesburg (or another big city) which is 3 hours away.

Other yummy treats I enjoyed while in Michigan included Middle Eastern and Italian food, the best steak dinner ever, Cheezits, Golden Grahams, Mt. Dew, Panera, Taco Bell and Arbys. And I chowed-down the Arbys while driving just because I could…yay for automatics!!

I had such a great time connecting with family, friends and partners, typically over a delicious meal. Now I just need to keep remembering that when I restart my running. Thanks Rob, Wendy, Paige and Brandon for the early birthday present – Trailing Running and Hiking Shoes.

Interdependence

I knew this goofy picture would get your attention! When people ask how my visit to Michigan is going, I usually say something like “Great. It’s been fun to see family and friends.” Which is so true! But this doesn’t even begin to express what it has been like.

I’ve also been humbled, overwhelmed, and blessed by the outpouring of love and support.

I’ve been intimidated and even a little embarrassed about being in the “spotlight” as I’ve shared my testimony and heart for South Africa.

And I’ve had to trade my once-valued independence for God’s design of interdependence as I’ve relied on partners in various ways – everything from prayers and encouragement to accommodations and a vehicle here to additional finances so that I can stay working in South Africa.

Through this whirl of emotions the Lord just keeps reminding me of how blessed I am to do the work I love, for people I love, with people I love (those in South Africa and partners in the US). What a joy this past year has been!

So I guess this is just a huge THANK YOU to everyone who is helping to make all this possible! May the Lord bless you as you have blessed me.

Meeting Christ

As the music blared throughout Pastor Maria’s village, kids came from all over to hear Bible stories, play games, sing, and learn what it means to follow Jesus Christ. The kids loved hearing about Jonah, Noah and Daniel, and the important lessons they still teach us today. Lessons about obedience, faith, prayer, and what can happen when we run away from God. Remember the whole whale "situation?"

Our Thrive Africa mission team did a great job of teaching Biblical truths in a way that was fun, memorable, and kid-friendly...something that kids don't really experience in their home churches. And in a few short days they impacted these young ones for a lifetime. Not only did the children learn about Jesus Christ, but they also met Him through each of the team members.

The Power of Prayer

Tshehla has a long, difficult road ahead of him. His family does as well. We met them last week while visiting the Harrismith Hospital. Tshehla is 14. So handsome. So bright. With an infectious smile that lights up the room.

It was a joy for our Thrive Africa mission team to meet him, but it was heart-breaking as well. What had started as a fun, innocent soccer game ended in a fight. Tragically, Tshehla was badly beaten by an older bully and he suffered a stroke.

When we met him, he had been in the hospital over a month. His outside wounds had healed, but half of his young body was still paralyzed, and he was just learning to speak again.

We also met his brother and sister, weary from visiting everyday to help feed, bathe and change him. As they poured out their grief, we listened, encouraged them, and prayed together. Through the grace of God, grief was replaced by hope. Anger was replaced by forgiveness. Weariness was replaced by perseverance and strength.

Please pray with us for the family’s continued strength and for Tshehla’s full recovery and bright future.

Peaches

What do canned peaches have to do with sharing the Gospel? Last week I would have said “Not a thing”, but this week is a different story… I spent the week with our Thrive Africa mission team. 4 awesome women from Michigan, Tennessee, and Georgia who came to share their hearts with the people of South Africa.

As they spent time with Paulina, they learned about her work as a traditional healer (Sangoma in Zulu, Naka in Sesotho). Traditional healers practice natural medicine and communicate with ancestral spirits for wisdom and guidance. Paulina believed in God and Jesus, but didn’t know that the Bible spoke against communicating with spirits and consulting the dead - basically a rejection of the Gospel.

As the ladies helped with laundry and canning peaches, they also built friendships and opened the door for heart-to-heart conversation. Now Paulina has some real food for thought. Can she forsake her traditional spiritual beliefs in order to commit fully to Jesus Christ? Please pray with us that she does.

Blind Trust

Imagine walking through the woods. Blindfolded. Holding the shoulder of the person in front of you (also blindfolded). Being led only by someone’s voice. Sounds scary, right? But it’s also a lot of fun, and a great way to build courage and trust within a team – in this case it was with our fabulous team of Outreach Interpreters!

We had a great time hosting them this past weekend! Our interpreters serve such an instrumental role in supporting and equipping our missions teams. It was a blessing to celebrate the fruit of last year, and to relax and refuel for our 2010 Outreach season.

Together we enjoyed touring the beautiful property, doing team-building activities, watching movies and just hanging out. And God showed up in a miraculous way – with me cooking both dinner and breakfast for the interpreters AND interns and everyone survived! Halleluiah!!

Flashpoint

Have you ever experienced a “flashpoint”? A flashpoint is the lowest temperature that a combustible substance bursts into flames, but in a more general sense it’s also the point at which something or someone suddenly bursts into action.

Through Leadership Summit and our IMPACT youth leadership conferences, that’s exactly what we aim to do. Ignite a fire in our youngest leaders, bursting them into action in their schools and communities.

In February, we kicked off our 2010 Leadership Summit program with 95 classes and more than 4000 students. And on February 17th, we held our first IMPACT youth leadership conference called “Flashpoint”. IMPACT is where select leaders from the various schools come together for deeper learning, coaching and action planning.

Several coaches gave testimonies about their flashpoints – how Jesus changed their lives forever helping them through struggles such as teenage motherhood, drugs, alcohol, and abuse. It was clear that the students were gripped by the stories – by the candor and because they could relate.

The teaching afterward solidified the truth that Jesus loves us just as we are, but too much to leave us that way. Please pray with us for the students who attended IMPACT – that through Christ they experience flashpoints of their own.

Getting the Hang of It

I can’t believe they talked me into this…I only said yes because I wanted a picture for my blog. Crazy, huh?

Actually, I’m glad I tried rappelling this weekend. According to Wikipedia, abseiling, or rappelling, is “the controlled descent down a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.” Had I read that definition beforehand I probably would have chickened-out.

Those of you who know me well know that I’m not all that outdoorsy or adventurous – so this was a bit of a stretch. But Lucas, our instructor, did a great job of teaching us step by step, and giving us encouragement along the way. It was scary at first, but once I learned to trust the harness and ropes, I got the “hang” of it and it was a lot of fun.

Nothing Off Limits

What are the biggest problems facing our churches and communities? What can church leaders do to face these problems head-on and reach people for Christ? We tackled these questions and more in our first Hand in Hand conference for 2010.

On Monday, more than 60 pastors and church leaders joined us to learn about Being Salt and Light – our theme for this year. Thrive Africa Director Amy Riep, and Pastor Abram Moloi taught how each of us are not only called to be Salt and Light in the world, but fully equipped as well. Abram then gave an example showing us how to dive into the Word of God to make critical decisions and tackle important issues related to Sex and Relationships – a difficult subject rarely talked about.

With the help of our Missions Interpreters and Leadership Summit Coaches, we then broke into small groups to talk more about the difficult issues facing our churches and communities. We were amazed at the bold responses. Divisions within the church. Promiscuous youth. Unemployment and poverty. HIV/AIDS. Counseling people in need. Financial stewardship. No topic was off limits.

Next we’ll use the feedback to develop future teachings for Hand in Hand. Our goal is to equip church leaders to be Salt and Light tackling the specific issues they are faced with today.

The Great Commission

Commissioning is the intentional act of granting authority, casting vision and sending others out for a specific purpose. This past weekend we celebrated and commissioned our 2010 interns. We’re so excited they are here!

Amy set the stage with a teaching from Matthew 28:16-20 known as The Great Commission. In this passage Jesus grants authority to his disciples, and sends them to make disciples of all the nations. Jesus also equips them with a promise to be with them always.

Matthew 9:35-10:20 is also packed with a wonderful example of commissioning. Here Jesus gives his disciples the authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons and perform other miracles. Jesus also gives detailed instructions on where to go, who to reach, and what to take. There is so much to be learned from this passage. That each of us is sent with God’s authority and power. That I need to expect the same miracles, model Christ in every way, and expect the same results. That when God commissions us he also provides for our needs. That when Christ sends us out into the world, he also gives us his words and his gifts to share.

The passage goes on to reveal some pretty serious cautions as well. The Lord is transparent with us that the road won’t be easy. We need to be on guard, to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Keenly aware. Wise and discerning. In loving relationship with our Father and Creator. Being sent comes with a price to pay, but also with the Lord’s promise of authority, power, provision, and blessing.

So please join us in welcoming our 2010 interns, and sending them out into an amazing year of ministry in South Africa.

Why Are We Here?

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16 MSG)

This past weekend our Thrive Africa family headed to Durban for a staff retreat. It was a wonderful! A time to have fun together, chill at the beach, worship and pray, and set our sights on an amazing new year of ministry. We’re so excited for what the Lord has in store. Please pray with us as we challenge ourselves to first be who God called us to be, and then do what he has called us to do.

This year’s theme is Live the Light and it's all about living as Salt and Light in the world. Salt seasons and preserves, and is also comprised of elements we all need to survive. Light shines into dark places and illuminates our paths. As individuals and as a ministry, we are called to be God’s Salt and Light. Please pray with us that we live out this calling – that we do so humbly, courageously, and brightly for the world to see.

Praise Report - Thank You

You may know that a huge prayer request has been for the Lord to provide me with a vehicle. Praise God for His answer to my prayers and for His provision!

-Provision through praying friends and family.
-Provision through generous financial supporters.
-Provision through the savings that made-up the difference.
-Provision in that one of our missionaries who returned to the US offered me a well-maintained vehicle for a good price.

I’m so thankful for all these things!!

So here I am with my new-to-me bakkie (pronounced “buckey” aka truck). I love that is has an extended cab for passengers, and can haul things around the mission base. It already came in handy as we moved our houses around over the holiday break, and I know it will be useful if we need extra vehicles when hosting mission teams. I’m also getting used to the diesel engine and manual transmission. Learning to drive a manual has been an interesting experience, especially given that we drive on the opposite side and that there are a lot of hills around here. You should see our new driveway!

So thank you for your prayers and support. I’m grateful that the Lord used you to bless me and our ministry in this way!!