First Weekend and Kids Club!!

Well we just finished our first weekend here in SA. So basically, this place is awesome. In think we are all in love. From the people, to the staff, to the kids in youth group we met friday night and again today, we are constantly thanking God for the work he has established here already. Saturday, Gordon (our awesome driver guy and new best friend) took us to cape town for some sights. We got to go to the market in capetown, each of us with our rand's in hand, and spend at least a few hundred bargaining with the people in the market for some sweet african stuff. Also, a few hundred rand is about $30, and that goes a long way, esp at the market. We spent the night together, ate some crocodile, warthog (molly's fav new word..), ostrich, and whatever else isnt normal we ate it. Sweet day, and a great time gettin closer to one another.

Sunday we went to King of Kings chruch and heard a great service. Afterwards we made the climb up table mountain, which was supposed to take about an hour and a half but since were such good climbers only took 3 and a half hours. It was sweet. We met a guy named lucas on the way up and he insisted that we go ahead of him (he was strugglin) but we stayed with him, talked to him, made a new friend and pushed him to the top. Go us! More than anything though, we got the chance to expirience Gods creation. As we talked to lucas and among ourselves, we could only think of the scripture which says "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." and in Romans chapter one, which basically says.. Creation shouts out GOD! We definately saw the reality of that sunday.

Today (Monday) was a very powerful day for the team. We had our first kids club in the morning, and wow.. these kids know how to sing and praise God. I think i burned like 600 calories just during the 20 minute praise and worship time. Singing in africa is a full body workout, and you can just feel the love and joy of the Lord in the presence of these children. Its really a moving expirence. What we found so great was that the lyrics were so spot on with the gospel of Christ, that we are lost sinners in a lost world, helpless and apart from God, but God still loves us and gave himself up for us when Jesus died on the cross and rose again, and is able now to call us his Children! Wow, still cant get over that one. One moving expirience that drove us into a long conversation tonight was driving through the small village of Capricorn. Complete poverty. Seems as if its almost a forgotten village, right inbetween a wealthy beach town and cape town. This is where our kids club and afternoon club is. A high percentage (about 75%) of the kids we are who attend the club and live in the village have aids, live in total poverty, and seem to be pretty much on their own. Living Hope is such a light in this small place, but theres still much to be done. As we drove through, with the people staring at us and while we were thinking about the amazing beautiful kids we just had at the club, knowing that this is thier reality, something changed within us. After that time we spent the rest of the day talking and searching the scripture about the issues of poverty, our salvation, Gods soverinty, how thankful we are, and pretty much everything else too. The harvest is great but the workers are few. We have a long way to go still, but we really need your prayers that we can show this community the love of God, who is the creator of everything, who loves and died for everyone of us, including the people of this town, and that we can serve them in every way we possibly can. Thanks for the support! Peace out!

-Steve B aka Jaape