and end of a time

I hope this letter find you and yours well and happy, enjoying the love of one another and of the joy of Christmas and the new year!

As I come to the close of this year and my time with YWAM, I look back on it and see it has been a crazy time. No more so then my time in South Africa. That was more amazing then I could have dreamed of. There where callings as all journeys have but in them I was able to rely on God and learn how to love Him and others!

In the month we spent in Durban we worked mainly with a community development project and a rehab clinic. To see poverty in a country seeking to recover from apartheid was tuff but it only highlighted the work and people we meet. People who were seeking the Kingdom in new way and that brought fresh air to the stale heat of brokenness. One example of this was a Swedish social-worker who had come to live and work in the Burlington the township where we worked. Even with the many twists and turns in her time there, it was so amazing to see her seeking the kingdom in a way that empowered people. Not just teaching them, but living and sharing in an open organic way. In our conversations, I found a kindred spirit who was seeking to bring change by asking questions and live them out. The other example was a man of 25 who I meet at the rehab clinic. He knew that if he failed this time he would be lost for good. He shared the stories of his life and the life on the street; a life that he not only lived but was a student of, a well educated one at that, having lived not only in South Africa but in the U.S. and England. In his stories I sensed a love for people and hart felt longing to see God and help others.

After Durban we went to Musenburg for 3 weeks. I can say that in this time all my hopes for my DTS came true. I had the pleasure to meet some amazing people and my heart aches in missing my time with them. It was amazing to sit in lectures on Acts and then go and live it in a township. This township, Masi, stole a bit of my heart. Masi or Masiphumelele, has more than 40,000 people living in it from all over Africa. It is colorful, stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking all in once. The 'wetlands', a section of the township, is built on a marsh and is a beautiful mass of life. All the structures are made from found materials, painted in bright colors; some burnt with past fires and some a stunning red of rust. In this bustling community there is a group of people that seek to live intently for the Kingdom and I was honored to live life for a few days with them. In these few days, so many of the spaces of my hart where filled! This time felt so natural to me that I was tempted to never leave. I am still thinking about going back as there is an opportunity to work with developing work opportunities that are unique to my skills. This is something I would appreciate your prayers for. It was so hard to leave South Africa after my hart had been so full. I was fighting all that was in me not to just stay. But as it is I did leave and graduated my DTS in York.

The past year has been one of learning and growing with many times wanting to give up, and to “just walk away for it all”. Even so it has brought me and others so much Joy and love. I have been given an education on how hard it is to living in community and in Christ can be. However, also how it can bring so many blessings and a bit of the Kingdom for God. With all of this in my heart and mind I am now at home in the Netherlands hoping to see what is next on this journey.

Once more thank you for coming on this journey with me till now.

week 1

This was written in the begging of my time in Durban :

so it has been a week now that we have been in Durban.

Some of the things we will be helping out with are a sup kitchen, work in a local town ship: mainly visiting women form the community, helping out with computer classes, and a reading club with some of the local kids.

What this relay looks like is

sup: so fare we have song some song’s, witch is a act of God beaus only 2 of us are gifted in singing. We also help serve and wash dishes as well as do some of the perching.

The work in the town ship:

Burlington is where we work. It is 20min from where we are staying. One of the guys from YWAM Durban lives in this Town ship. It is and exiting look in to south African cutler and life. In the coming weeks we will even be spending a nigh in the town ship and share a meal with some of the woman that we will be working with in the community.

This Sunday we attended to Church in Burlington. As we walked in form the dusty street we entered the small metal box room that was the church for the afternoon. As we entered we where hit with a wave of heat. The woman and children start setted to set up chaser and wiping them down. We took our seats 6 white woman and Zulu one. I could not help but feel like 'The white missionary', and it was very uncomfortable but as the music started and the Zule worship began I was given one of my first taste for it and liked it!

South African Adventure

I am officially a YWAMer!

I have graduated form my DTS and have finished my time with YWAM York. Since then I have had some time to reflect on my Journey with YWAM. One again I do apologise that I have not been the best at posting but in the next few days I will share some more of my adventurers with you. They may be written in a mixtures of present and past context but I will do my best and explain when and where they happens!

on reflecting on my time in South Africa I can say it was amazing! It was such a thrill to be a part of what was going on in all the many projects. It was also exiting to see a change in my self.

The amazing miracle

Adventists always need a start and this one had a bit of a chaotic one. Beginning with a fear of not being able to go to South Africa. Then a miracle happened and all my finances where covered in 24hours, 2 days before I was to leave. One thing I learned that day was: You can pray for a miracle but if you are not prepared for it to happen you will not see it as one. So when you pray you need to pack your bags too or the miracle will hurt more then help.

Me being unprepared for this overwhelming miracle was just one of the many challenges to the rocky start for our adventurer. Even with this all, many of these challenges later became the necessary catalysts to strengthen and deepen relationships.

During our time in Durban we stayed at a house that was the YWAM Durban base. It was lovely to be welcomed in to a home (even if that meant having to share it with numerous cats,100 in all!!). Our days where spent working with many ministers but the once that stuck out for me was the work we did in a township with a community development project and our evenings we spent at a rehab clinic.

after our time in Durban we moved to Muizenberg just outside of Cape Town....

Well that is it for now I will soon have some more stores about Durban and Muizenberg! Like a feast of chickens feet, our times at the rehab clinic and the lovely township of Masiphumelele!