A special thanks to my family and friends for making my 50th the best birthday celebration ever.  I’m extremely blessed and grateful to have such a wonderful support system and community.

The first evening’s coffeehouse event helped everyone get to know each other through humor, dance and song.  Some people’s characters revealed themselves early creating a sense of connection that continued throughout the rest of the weekend.  Various speakers, workshop facilitators and instructors did an excellent job addressing aspects of the theme, which set up participants to spend Sunday afternoon doing outreach in partnership with Mamelodi Baptist Church.  While chanting, “It’s harvest time”, students and staff, along with the church’s youth, went door to door sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Within one hour, 111 people were talked to and 59 people trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior…Praise Him!

Transformation not only occurred in those that accepted Christ but in the lives of the participants as well.  One student said, “It was truly an amazing experience that definitely changed my perspective and the direction of my life a couple of degrees.”  Stay tuned…the best is yet to come!

On 19th December, Thelma, Maria, Violet and I headed to Hammanskraal with our cars loaded down with donated clothes, food and a heart to serve. We decided during our meeting the previous month to bring “Christmas to Hammanskraal” for many who are considered orphans in this particular area. It’s amazing how it doesn’t take much to make it feel like Christmas to many of these kids. As usual, the kids with their grannies and aunties were waiting for our arrival. It took some time in the 90 degree weather to prepare a simple meal, put together a fun snack for the kids as well as coordinate sizes for the number of clothes donated. But we managed with other volunteers to lend a helping hand. Not only was every child fed and clothed with tops, trousers and shoes, but we were able to rent two jumping castles that seemed to be the best Christmas present ever. This is just the beginning of things to come as we continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus!

(James 1:27)

On New Year’s eve night, 1,100 students representing 35 nations chanted the above statement to commit to taking a stand to redeem their countries with the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to transform the continent of Africa.  The days leading up to this event held main session speakers challenging the audience to holiness, integrity and purity from the word.  There were training seminars as well as topics addressing various needs.  A special treat was a visit by the First Lady of Cote d’Ivoire.  She gave a powerful message challenging the audience to not hold back but to go for it in light of who God has created them to be.  Although the weather in Yamoussoukro, the new capital of Cote d’Ivoire, was a sweltering 97 degrees with high humidity, we did a Jesus march down one of the main streets.  Like every winter conference I’ve attended lives were impacted, life time decisions were made and several more laborers raised up for the harvest!

(Luke 10:2)

Feel free to journey with me as you read, look at pictures and add comments as you feel inspired to do so.  I pray that this website will give you a fuller picture of my experience here in South Africa.  Enjoy the journey with me!