I had every intention of finishing my homework before I did this post but I just couldn't stop thinking about it so I figured I'd go ahead and do this so I can hopefully not be as distracted when I go back to my homework. Don't know if that will actually help, but here's hopin'.
So, the first full day we had in South Africa we split up into groups. One group of girls held a Women's Spa Day type of event at the Team House where we brought in the women from the Capricorn church community and had a devotional and prayer time with them and also did some spa type activities with them, like painting toenails and such. Another group stayed at Capricorn Community Church and watched the kids of the women who were at the Spa Day (basically a babysitting group). The last group consisted of guys that did a Men's Prayer Breakfast at Capricorn Community church. I was in the babysitting group and actually was able to learn some lessons through this experience about what passion for God looks like. When our little van of Shades people pulled into the parking lot at Capricorn, the kids immediately started running up to the bus and hugging us as we got out, going crazy. I mean they didn't even know us and they immediately fell in love with us! This blew my mind. We played with them outside for a while, doing small games of four square or soccer or drawing with chalk. We also had some teenagers from the Capricorn church (3 girls) come help us watch the kids. One of the girls introduced herself and said her name was Shanese (not sure if I spelled it right, but it rhymes with Denise). When she said this, I responded "Okay, I can remember that because my mom's name is Denise and your name rhymes with that." Later in the week when I remembered her name, she was impressed. I think (and hope) that this stuck out to her because I'm sure she's used to teams coming down to help with their church and not remembering names, which can get frustrating. Shanese (19) really touched my life because of her pure, passionate love for God, which she made evident at church on Sunday and during the youth rallies (will talk more about that in later updates). Another one of the girls, Taylin (16), was helping a child draw something with chalk and I noticed that after the child finished drawing, Taylin used the chalk to write out "Taylin loves Jesus" in HUGE letters. This simple statement made me grin and even think, "Is that what I would've written out about me? Is that the most important characteristic people should know about me?" (I'll be talking more about Taylin in the other updates as well). At one point while the kids were playing outside, the teenage girls called me over to sit with them so I went over and they started talking to me and we were just hanging out like old friends. I really enjoyed this experience, knowing that they were just like me deep down -- searching for God's plan for their life, going to school, etc. Being around these girls and knowing that we can help encourage each other made me think of this verse..."Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:23-25. This experience just really sunk in the feeling of unity among believers to me. The concept really became real to me.
Later in the day, while the men were having the prayer breakfast inside the church, we took the kids down to the beach, which is only a couple of minutes away from the church. As mind-boggling as it is, most of the kids live in this community and hardly if ever go to the beach. Most don't go until they are old enough and responsible enough to walk there on their own/with friends. I know this is a foreign concept to most Americans who go to the beach frequently. Seeing the kids play in the sand and in the water (which was cold, but they didn't care) was fun, just knowing that we were giving these kids the time of their lives. Afterwards, we took the kids back to the church and gave them a snack and let them watch The Incredibles on a projector in the church (which is just a small one room building by the way. it's a portable container, like a storage unit). The entire experience was exhausting...I can't imagine what life must be like for the mothers who take care of these children. We had a nice, long time for relaxing, going to the beach, etc. during the afternoon and evening and I absolutely loved getting to watch the sunset because literally it happened in 15 minutes. I guess that's just how fast it goes when you're that far south but it was seriously incredible and just reminded me of how big God is and how beautiful his creation is. Every landscape there was absolutely breathtaking. The beaches, the mountains, everything.
Anyway, before I start ranting and spoil the stories for the rest of the week, let me just recap and say God can teach lessons, big or small, at any time, even when you don't expect it (actually, usually when you don't expect it).
"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" -Matthew 19:14
"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters." Psalm 24:1-2
Grace and Peace.
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