Friends and family,
As of yesterday my team and I are walking into our 4th week here in the township named, Masi. Anywhere from 40,000 to 60,000 Africans surrounding us, we have been walking the streets and have started to meet many, as well as building relationships with a handful of women, men and children.
Many are longing to know the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Many 'know' Jesus or have heard of Him, but they don't have a relationship with Him or see Jesus as, friend. Our team has learned that when we preach the Gospel it isn't just about asking, "Do you know about Jesus? Let me tell you about Him." But it really comes down to, "tell me what you know about Jesus," and praying that would lead into sharing our story and sharing the Gospel we know but also praying that it would increase vulnerability to hear their story and lead into a relationship. Also, sometimes I think it starts with persistence in the place of friendship and simply visiting with them. This is something I have really been struggling with but also trying to walk out.
It has looked a little different for me as Jesus really put teenage girls on my heart back in Sioux Center, IA before I left to YWAM. As I have had a longing to speak identity into teenage girls, I have really been seeing Jesus fulfill that here in Masi. Other girls on the team have also had teenage girls on their hearts, so we have been pursuing girls in the place of friendship and reading the Bible together. It's exciting, at times it is intimidating, challenging in the area of 'how do I make reading the Bible fun for their age!?' I absolutely love it because I am learning day after day.
Something else I have been challenged with is, community. I believe I was living in community in Sioux Center, and Kona, but in South Africa Jesus is really showing my how to realistically live in community. To me it looked like what you can go to or find where you are at but I'm finding that it starts with how you live and how you serve the people you live with. As I live in a house with 10 others, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, and 1 dining area, I am beginning to learn how to give up control, self focus, and selfishness. I am learning that it is actually true what my mom has taught me my whole life. She has always said it in many ways probably to try to make me understand but it comes down to this:
"How you are at home, is how you really are."
It's so true. But how I have been living the last 19 years of my life in the home has not looked like Jesus. And it is okay because as I ask to be transformed more and more into His likeness, He is really teaching me how to do it in the home and many are holding me accountable. I think many of you would agree that it is easier to be nice to those outside the home simply because you don't live with them. What would it look like if we started to look to Him to transform us and shift the atmosphere and culture of community?
Jesus is changing my view on many things in my own life and is really widening my perspective. I find great delight in taking a few steps up to look from His perspective before I go forward. It begins to change how I think.
Love to you from South Africa.
