From the moment I met our team (Todd and Cindy, Anna, Nancy, Robin and I) and we all truly "meshed," I knew this trip would be great. I approach most mission trips with little or no expectations. That may sound odd, but truly if you're walking into a completely different culture, you have to be in "learn" mode. And after learning about the travel schedule, I knew I'd have to be extremely flexible as well. Happily, our trip (though LONG) was flawless. And thanks to the Hunger Games book, which I finished about 8hrs in to the 16hr flight, it felt a lot shorter than it was!
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| Our team at the end of the week on the wildlife safari! |
When we arrived, we were greeted by KarenK (our team leader had gone over ahead of us) and our driver for the week, Dickson. A huge black South African Rugby guy with dreads and a booming voice!! Ha. I LOVE DICKSON! Turns out he's only 23, plays for the Vickings, and is in seminary!! He quickly became my buddy as we had lunch pick-up duty together daily, driving around in his huge Rugby Combvi van :)
Hope2Africa has been blessed to partner with a family who owns a Cucumber farm. We stayed in some cottages at the back of their land, toured the cucumber farm, and woke up every morning to Impala grazing in the front yard. It felt like a tropical paradise!!
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| Our view from our cottages each morning |
In stark contrast, we were blessed to visit the squatter camp area of Mkholombe where some of our youth live, before camp even started. This was so helpful to give us a context for where these kids are coming from. Because, truly, at camp, they are all loving, hugging, joyful, beautiful, and normal everyday teenagers. But it's incredible to see more of their lives, the struggles they face, the difficulties they have to overcome, their need, and the situations some of them are walking through. I'm humbled to have visited some of the youth in their homes (some live in the township of Boboyi in Redevelopment Program (RDPs) one-room block houses) and met some of their family members (Moms, Aunties, little cousins running around)...We prayed with them and over them where they live.
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| Mkholombe shacks |
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| Boboyi Township RDP house |
Camp officially started Saturday and each morning I taught girls discipleship (devotions) for an hour while Todd taught the guys. Then we each broke up into small groups where we'd talk about the lesson and pray with each other. The Lord lead each day so perfectly--from who got paired with whom, to what subjects were taught, and even to answered prayer before our eyes! Afterward, they'd go to their chosen classes and I'd go with Dickson to pick up lunch or shop for supplies, clothes or food for the students. In the afternoon, I'd help arrange the "gift of the day" and enjoy watching the amazing repertoire these kids were creating with sweet Mama Becky (founder of H2A).
Each afernoon after camp, we'd have the kids sit in a circle with their eyes closed and explain that God sees their needs and that there are people in America who love Jesus and love them and desire to meet their needs. That these people, who they may never meet, have provided these things because they couldn't come themselves. Then, we'd lay whatever the days' gift was in front of them and have them open their eyes. The squeals of excitement, the thankfulness, and the humility in these students was so refreshing and beautiful to see as they received a backpack with school supplies, vitamins and a washcloth on Day 1. Hats, scarves, socks and a USB drive on Day 2. A bag of groceries on Day 3. H2A t-shirts, a blanket and a notebook on Day 4. And jeans, a white long sleeve t-shirt and their H2A sweatshirts on Thursday-performance day!
On Thursday, we all loaded up and headed to and area of the townships where the students performed the entire repertoire at a fork in the middle of the road. It was completely student lead. A student named Melissa sang a song called "Never Give Up." It's got both English and Zulu words. The rest of the students pantomimed a drama while they sang. They did several songs this way. Each proclaiming that HOPE is found in Jesus and not in the things of this world such as drugs, sex, ancestor worship, popularity, money, etc.The purpose of Hope2Africa is to use the creative arts to empower these students with leadership and the gospel so that THEY can share with their communities. So that THEY will be able to reproduce this and perform it and use it through out the summer when we aren't there. And they are. And they are doing it well!
I felt like NEVER GIVE UP was the theme of the week! From the songs they sang to the dramas they performed, to the devotions Todd and I taught (which were amazingly similar even though we never collaborated!)...Running the race with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus...Putting on the Full Armor of God...Trials produce patience, character, and Hope in Jesus that doesn't disappoint...if we confess our sins God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us...and we fight FROM victory, not for it, because Jesus has conquered disease, disaster and death! Even though there was a difficult situation that arose in the very middle of camp, the Lord used it for good and rose up students to become leaders, as a result. God always wins. He is our Hope.
Three things set this trip apart from other trips. First, these are responsive and spiritually hungry teenagers who long to be loved and who long to share their lives. They are easy to get to know! Second, they speak English and write it as well!! Ha! I will never take for granted ease of communication! And Lastly, I get to keep in touch with them through email or facebook, through updates from Becky and KarenK, and know that they are followed well, discipled in bible study weekly, provided for, and that they are part of a team that loves Jesus and loves them. As part of Hope2Africa, each student has responsibility, accountability, and a camp week twice a year to encourage and teach them. Some are applying to college this year. It's amazing to see what happens when we share the love of Jesus, teach Truth, and provide for needs. It truly changes lives.
I'm so thankful for new friends and I can't wait to see them again next year, Lord willing!
