ministry updates

Petrol Station

The ministry at the petrol station was actually started by a friend of ours who no longer lives in the area, but they still talk about her at he petrol station like she was there yesterday. That’s the sort of impact she had on them. Jackie just lives her life and the love of Christ radiates from her. She stopped at this petrol station to get gas all the time, made friends with the attendants (it is full servivce here), and then one day they asked her to pray for safety for them because they had been robbed the night before. That’s how the whole thing started. Then, when Jackie was in town for a few days before taking off for Swaziland, Dawn, Anne, and I went with her to the petrol station and saw how much she meant to them. We then began stopping by there multiple times a week to pray with them.

What I learned from ministry at the petrol station is that God is so very faithful. I knew that, of course, but we would literally pray and see the answer, pray and see the answer. He is so faithful to them. They have been robbed twice (remember, I'm int he crime capital of the world-- worse than Columbia), and no one was injured. We spoke to Vanessa after the most recent one (which was last week) and she said that she was very frightened, but knew to pray through the whole thing. She didn’t stop.

One of the huge answers we saw from prayer with them was for justice in how they were being paid. We showed up one day and everyone was upset. There were no smiles that day. They explained to us that their manager told them they wouldn’t be paid as much as they were supposed to be paid. So we prayed. We prayed that they would be paid for every hour worked. We also prayed that they would be faithful servants, and continue to work hard even though they were not being treated fairly. We shared Scripture on this, as well as submitting to and respecting authority, but also on the power of prayer. And then they saw it. They were faithful servants and the next time we showed up at the petrol station we were told that they were under completely new management and the station was even changing names. Praise the Lord!

This happened again a few weeks ago, where they were told they wouldn’t receive as much money as they were supposed to (and these people live so far from their homes just to keep these jobs-- they aren't easy to find in South Africa). Dawn prayed with them (I was home sick) that day and that very evening they received phone calls that they would receive full payment. Their children are healed from illness, as are they. When they needed a new housing situation, the Lord provided. They see Him answer them over and over. It is so beautiful to watch.

A few of them, namely Thomas, David, and Vanessa, have expressed interest in coming to Alabanza for Bible teaching. They want to be better equipped to share their faith. They had all come before to visit, but they wanted to come and be poured into, so that they could turn around and pour out into their workplace. We arranged this, but several circumstances prevented them from being able to come out. Please pray with us that God would make a way for this to happen.

It’s just so amazing—the way that God has opened up this ministry and worked so mightily. They are simply the people in our daily lives. You don’t have to go to another country or take a training course. All you have to do is let God do what He does best, and that is love. It’s that simple. And I know that for me, I am so excited to go home and be on the other side of this. As a barista at Starbucks, I am that person that my regulars see all the time, and who is always there with a smile. So I plan on going home and letting God do what He does best.


Refilwe

Refilwe Community Project is a non-profit, public benefit organization. Refilwe means "gift" or "to give" in Tswana, and focuses on spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ by addressing critical needs in the areas of child care and education, life and specific skills training, medical, and income generating activities. Their God Parent Project provides a stable and sustainable environment where orphaned and vulnerable children can be cared for spiritually, emotionally, and physically in homes with a God parent (foster parent) as the head of the household. Several children from this project make jewelry for the gift shop at Alabanza (i.e. the ministry that Dawn and I came here to jumpstart). The support raised by the purchase of their jewelry goes into the savings account of the individual, which is intended to help them begin their own lives when they leave Refilwe.

Dawn and I go to Refilwe at least once a week, more if time affords, to make jewelry with the kids at Refilwe. It began with two girls, Yonela and Sibongile, and then spread to about twelve children, both girls and boys. Sometimes it is a quiet time as we string beads and talk to the kids about their families or their weeks. Other times it is mass chaos and kids are screaming for the pliers or the beads and we are doing more crowd control than intentional ministry. But it has been such a blessing to go and do this simple thing with the kids.

One of the coolest days there was when we brought them their money for the first time. The way it works is that we have them come to the front office with us to give it to the people in charge, who then put the money into their savings accounts. When they saw the bills it became real to them. One boy wanted to run and turn the money into coins to place it in his piggy bank. One girl took off to call her mother (birth mother) to tell her that she had earned money for the first time in their life. But the looks they gave us were priceless. They saw the fruits of their labor, so to speak, and the joy on their faces was such a delight.

Another fun memory is when Dawn and I took Yonela and Sibongile to the mall for Yonela’s birthday. We browsed, ice skated, and ate dinner. Watching those girls on the ice skating rink was hilarious. Sibongile was terrible—truly terrible. But much to her credit, she continued to try until she hit the ice with such force that I was certain she had broken something. I skated with a camera to capture these priceless moments, and the both girls tried to use Dawn as a stabilizer—at the same time! It was just a funny day, and the girls loved the chance to get out and have a change of scenery.

We pulled others into the ministry at different points, and I think some of them will continue on in the spring. Dawie definitely will, and Lillian insists that he return so she can beat him again in hand-standing contests. Tylo and Heidi said they would come again—they are two of the youth that I hang out with every Friday. Please pray with us that God would appoint people to continue this ministry in our absence, and then even after I return. The kids at Refile are precious gifts and have been such a blessing.


Ubuhle Bezwe

Ubuhle Bezwe is a children’s home located in the township of Tembisa. Barbara and her husband care for thirty children in their very small home who would otherwise have no place to go. The children come from many different backgrounds, almost all of which deal with more pain than any child should ever have to deal with. Barbara fills her home with the love of Christ, and the children are healed through this love. They all work very hard to care for one another in this tight-knit community dedicated to prayer and trusting in the Lord for provision. The ladies of the house make jewelry and bake cookies to sell, and they have given some to the gift shop for us to sell for them. Support raised through the selling of these items goes to their basic necessities like electricity, food, and putting themselves and their siblings through school.

Claud and Mary, a missionary couple living at Alabanza, along with Dawie, have been working with Ubuhle Bezwe for some time. At first, they would bring jewelry from there to place in the gift shop, but then Dawn and I decided that we needed to meet these talented girls. I was amazed. Thirty children and two adults live in a two bedroom shack-house that has a couple of "buildings" in back for the overflow. But they make it work. Barbara loves these kids so very much. They pray for the most basic of necessities and the Lord provides. Last visit we had with her (a couple of days ago), we sat and listened to Barbara tell us about the way the kids pray all the time, and the ways the Lord has come through for them.

She told us that she had taken one of the girls to court that day because she was raped by her father. This girl is so quiet and soft-spoken. When they showed up at the courtroom, she refused to go up and testify; she was too afraid. Barbara called home and told the other girls to pray NOW. She told us that the young girl was then able to go the front of the courtroom, and suddenly she didn’t recognize her at all. She spoke with such courage and confidence, remembered specific dates and details, and blew Barbara away. Then, she stepped down from the front and became her quiet, shy self again.

On one visit to see them, Dawn and I saw the cookie baking. Holy cow! In that tiny, tiny kitchen, they bake box after box of the most beautiful cookies you have ever seen! They have the production down to an art, and I think we were more of a hindrance than a help, but they humored us and let us play along with them.

We had a Christmas party for the kids at Alabanza. They came out for a day, swam in the pool and ran all over the yard, spent intense discipleship time with us in small groups, and then watched a movie and opened presents. Dawn was given a sum of money from the U.S. with which to bless the kids, and they each received a backpack with goodies inside, and then from other donations each received a new pair of shoes. The barn (where we were gathered) was full of screaming and laughing as they opened their gifts. The kids were elated. Then, on this last visit to see them, one of the girls I discipled at the Christmas party was gone. I inquired about her only to find out that she had the opportunity to shadow a woman who gives manicures—the exact thing she and I had prayed for when we were at Alabanza! God is SO GOOD!!!


Gift Shop

One month ago were able to move into the space above the coffee shop delegated for the gift shop to set up. One month ago. It was a long and difficult road to finish the interior of the upstairs of the coffee shop. It could not have happened without Dawn heading up individual projects, recruiting slave labor, and insisting that it be finished (even though no one else at Alabanza had the desire to even look at that building again after the actual coffee shop opening).

Before we moved into the building space, we sold items on a few nights and mornings where we set up in the hall (or barn) for the visiting teams. We also sold things from our room—just excited to have customers. It is so nice to have a building, though. It makes it feel so much more real, even though the point of the whole thing isn’t the shop at all, but rather, the relationships and discipleship taking place.

We have receipts, accounting, organization. The shop generates its own profit—just enough to pay for the gas to visit the artists and supplies to get them going, but that’s all it needs. It exists now, and it didn’t before we got here. I know that it was what I thought I was coming for, and as it turns out, not what I was actually here for, but I’m excited and grateful to have been a part of getting this ministry off the ground, and working with it as it grows.

We were able to truly bless the family from Zimbabwe I told you about in one of the earliest posts. All of the tablecloths are gone and we just received a box of metal birds they made. Our contact with that family told us that we were a huge blessing to them (by selling all of the tablecloths and at a good price). God didn’t need us to take care of that family. He can provide for them on His own. It’s just awesome that He allows us to be a part of what He is doing.

Mama Lizzie has also been very blessed by the gift shop. She made several beautiful skirts (many with material we bought while in Swaziland), and they sell well. She began to try new patterns and techniques and stayed up every night one week because she was so excited about making the skirts. It’s such a joy to take the money to her after a sell and watch her light up as she asks which one sold, how they liked it, and talks about what she is working on at the moment. One evening we took Mama Lizzie to House of Coffees to have a chance to hear her story. We took Hugo and Dawie along as translators, not only for language, but also for cultural translation. It took her a long time to open up. No one had sat her down before and asked so many questions about her life. We didn’t mean to pry—we just wanted to know when her faith began, how she came to Alabanza, and anything else she would tell us. It was a wonderful eveving, and as we sat at the table all sharing desserts and coffee, we encountered a whole new Lizzie from the one who greets us everyday with a smile and a hug and cleans up after us.

I finally finished all the stories this week that go along with the things bought in the store. It was a struggle, but (of course) I finished them the last week of my time here. It’s my favorite part of the store—that with each purchase the customer learns who their support benefits and how it does so. Luiza, Mariet, and Anmerie, all South Africans on staff at Alabanza, make things for the shop. Mary made a few things, and recently Lizzie’s son and friend began to make boxes and paint things to sell. It is growing and expanding and taking a shape all its own. The gift shop is nothing like either one of us had imagined, but is a beautiful ministry and now an important part of the Alabanza community.


Valhalla Youth Group

Many of the staff at Alabanza participate in youth group on Friday nights in Valhalla, a community about half an hour from here in Pretoria. A pastor’s wife at a church in that community had a vision of revival there that began with the youth. I started going about a month into my stay here, and I instantly became a regular.

What I love about it is that we do nothing. There is no program, there are no games. We sit and talk about what God is doing, and usually whatever He has laid on Luiza’s heart that week. We always find a theme in our concerns or questions, and God is always glorified. Sometimes we just pray the entire time. It’s awesome.

The kids are great. They are awkward, unique, and each one an individual. They are honest, they ask whatever is in their minds or hearts, and many of them continue to come even though they would tell you they are not Christians. It’s just so authentic and genuine that they continue to come and learn and hang out with us, even though I’m pretty sure they think we’re all crazy. I’m okay with that. I do well with this group and feel free to truly be myself. I love Friday nights.

This is also where I met Heidi, who I’ve mentioned before. I love this girl! Her faith is so passionate and she seeks after Him with her whole heart. God has done some amazing healing in my time here, and Heidi is flourishing. Since school got out at the beginning of this month (remember, it is summer here), Heidi has basically lived in my house at Alabanza. I plan on making her one of my main ministries when I return to Alabanza, and I hope to have her bring her friends to hang out as well.