Also check out the short video John and I made for the trip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvKHi8UEA-0&feature=plcp

After arriving here in Nashville on Monday, its hard for me to find something to say. I already miss Cape Town and all my relationships back in South Africa so much. John and I’s experience in South Africa was at the very least amazing, and truly believe God brought me on this trip at His perfect timing. God prepared my heart for this trip specifically, whether I realized it or not. In college, being on my own for the first time, I had a lot of struggle with my faith and lots of doubts and questions. I felt like I did not really know how to genuinely live for Christ. Thus, I know for a fact God brought this trip into my life at the perfect time. While in South Africa, God used His word, His Spirit, and the people I came into contact with to teach me. Pastor Ohm was a huge contributor to this, and God constantly gave him wisdom to speak into John and I’s life. Each day he would encourage us in the mission field, but he also would give us guidelines to live by when we went back to university in the fall. Through all this, I began to understand the true meaning of “For the Kingdom,” which I think every Christian should learn/experience. Our purpose on this Earth is to serve and love Christ, love those around us, and bring forth his kingdom. Every aspect of our lives should involve furthering God’s kingdom, loving others, and bringing God glory. Though I am not in South Africa anymore, my work as a missionary is not over. I don’t have to be in Cape Town to make disciples of Christ and love others. I pray very seriously that God will bring me back to Cape Town to work in the future because South Africa now holds a huge place in my heart, but right now I know God’s plan for me is in Knoxville. Already I feel the temptation to just jump back into my old schedule and live as if South Africa was just a vacation. But as I go back to Knoxville, I want to study for God and not seek money or approval. I also want to make my relationships more God focused and Kingdom minded. Lastly, I want play Rugby for God’s glory and experience His joy, as well as share Christ with my teammates. Please pray that God will give me the strength, focus, and grace I need to be obedient to Him and follow his will with every step that I take. I hope to pray harder, read more, love better, and live more joyfully as God takes me into this new year.

I can’t believe we only have one week left here in South Africa. It’s sad but these past 3 weeks have been amazing and I am super excited to enjoy this next week. Teaching character this past week in the Khayelitsha high schools was really interesting. We were joined by two local missionaries named Pumzelay and Twanda and a Korean missionary named Paul. We all enjoyed sharing with each other about our lives, about South Africa and American culture, and about God in each of our lives. We went to a different high school each day, and in the class room, John and I would be introduced and helped by Pumzelay, then I would explain the meaning of diligence, and John would relate it to the students lives and explain why it is importance. While in the schools, I observed a number of things. It was discouraging to see how students were always late to class, would just leave trash on the ground where ever they went, and most of all, made very very poor scores on their tests. It seemed like there was such a wasteful and apathetic attitude in the students. However, although this was discouraging, it showed me how important this character class was to these kids lives and made me thankful that Paul, Pumzelay, and Twando were giving their time for these kids on a weekly basis. Despite these discouraging things, it was also awesome and super encouraging to see these kids reactions to our lesson on diligence. At the end of the lesson, John got the kids to write down what they wanted to be when they grew up, what steps they would take to accomplish it, what distractions or obstacles there might be, and how they can overcome them. In Khayelitsha, there are a lot of broken families, unemployment, drunkenness, and gang violence, and so it was sad to see so many kids apathetic about school. But then to hear them put their dreams into words and write steps they want to take to become they dreams was such a blessing. In general, high school kids need hope, encouragement, and inspiration to make their situation better than it is, both in the U.S. and in Khayelitsha and I pray that the schools we went to can continue to be changed into places of hope and character. This is what we would do each morning of this past week, and then in the afternoons after lunch, we would go to the construction sight and continue building. We completed all the frame work this week, cemented the floors, and nailed on the roof and most of the walls. I pray that this preschool will be an encouragement to the community and be a place of hope, learning, and a place for God to do his work. Lastly, today, our team got to climb Lion’s Head Mountain, which was awesome. Every part of South Africa is so beautiful that it literally looks like a postcard or something out of National Geographic where ever you go. Anyways, please continue to pray for us, pray for the youth of SA, and pray that John and I would continue to grow and be obedient to God on this trip. Thanks.

These past few days have gone really well.  Thursday we got to go teach a 7^th grade class about hope, dreams, and creativity at a deaf school. The kids laughed so much and were so much fun. We helped them make stars out of paper that they could decorate, and then we had them write what they wanted to be when they grew up in the middle. Then we took a picture of each of them holding their stars up. It was really cool to get to see these kids put their dreams into words and to get to see the smiles on their faces as they concentrated on coloring. It’s easy to think that these kids would let their situation or their disability discourage them, but they had so much joy and were so attentive. As we were leaving, the teacher came out of the classroom and stopped me real quick.  She told me the kids really wanted to know if they could have copies of the pictures. John and I hope we can print out each of their photos and give them to the kids before they leave. Also, construction on the pre-school has been going really well. Today we finished the frame of the building, so our next step is to lay the concrete for the floor and nail up the metal walls. Today was also my birthday, so yesterday after church, me, John, Asisipho, Luvvyo, Zulani, Josh 1, Josh 2, Sarah, and Jessica all went to eat at one of the malls in Cape Town and played mini golf. None of the local leaders had played before, so it was a blast. Today, they also all wished me a happy birthday and I got a card signed by everyone, which was awesome. Tomorrow, we will continue construction but we will also have our first day in the high schools teaching character. I think we might start with diligence. To close, I feel so blessed for all the relationships around me on this trip and everything I am getting to be apart of in Khayelitsha. Please pray that God will continue to work here, and that he will bring his joy, hope, and salvation throughout South Africa. Also pray for the people of Khayelitsha, because the gang violence and witchcraft is so much more prevalent than I imagined. Many of the local leaders, such as Pastor Mfundo, Lucky, and Luvvyo were all very deeply involved in gangs before the became Christians. But this violence even starts at early ages. This morning, one women gave a prayer request at Bible study asking to pray for some 15 year old kids who have been fighting each other and killing each other. So please pray for these people and for God to move. The local leaders mentioned above are amazing examples of how God has moved, saved, and redeemed people here, so pray that God continues to do so. 

Pictures of me(John)!

Pray for Khayelitsha

Whats up everyone!?!? I hope you are having a great day, and seeing how God is blessing you! Well I thank you ALL so much for your prayers because they are working! I was pretty sick this week and I needed super natural strength and to go on with my day. And God answered my prayers, but please be praying for Luke because I think I might have given it to him! :/ So just pray for Luke and I's health, because we are very active and it sucks when you feel terrible! In other news I just want to share with you all what God is doing here, and how He is working inside of me! Well one thing that I realized this week is God is working on my patience. I have just got aggravated this week over small things, but are affecting my day. Also  I'm recognizing that South Africa needs our prayers for; the parents, they are not accepting their responsibility as a parent. Also pray for the South African boys, there is a lot of teenaged boys getting involved in gangs, and terrorizing the community. And lastly pray for the men in the community. In Cape Town there is an 80% chance that at some point before your child is 18, that he/she will be raped, and a little more than 60% will be raped more than once! And what's even worse is that, most of the rapings are done by their own fathers! When I herd that my heart just sank.. I didn't what to say.. should I ask God if he fell asleep in Khayelitsha? I don't think so, I think this shows how much these men need God, and how we as a world are not standing up for what is unlawful , for what is unholy. I know that is some serious stuff, but it is time to start praying for serious, real problems. Thanks so much, and I know we have the power to move mountains through our prayers. Much love you all! I can't wait to see all of you soon!!
-John

Luke: Working in Khayelitsha

Above are just a few more photos from our time at Trans-Sky and Cape Point. At the beginning of this week, we were given our new schedule for the next three weeks. Now that we are in back in Cape Town, our work and focus is in Khayelitsha, a slum that holds about 1 million people. All the roads are mud and potholes and most everyone lives in metal shacks. Generally, each morning we will go into the public schools to teach classes on character, such as self-control or patience. This allows for us to play games with the children and teenagers and share the Gospel with them.  Then in the afternoons we are helping to build a pre-school, which will help educate the community and be a place for God to work. We also have children’s church after building each day, were we play games, act our Bible stories, and give snacks to the children. Today was our first full day, and I loved it. We arrived at one of the primary schools at about 930. We got to teach 3 different 7^th grade classes about patience, and John got to share how praying to God takes patience, but God brings blessing, even if it is not in the way we think it is. The kids listen so well and are somehow both shy and enthusiastic at the same time. In between two periods, the kids had break/recess, so we all got to play soccer with the kids, which was a ton of fun. Then we all went to lunch at this hole in the wall restaurant called Sasa before we went to the construction site. I had a plate full of lamb, beans, and potatoes with some gravy and vegetables on the side. When we got to the construction site, the outside cinderblock was already set, so we spent the afternoon cutting planks and nailing them again for the frame of the walls. Lastly, we did the children’s church, playing games, acting out Jesus calming the storm, and eating chips. There was one little girl and one little boy that came up and talked to me and wouldn’t let go of my hands or stop smiling, hahahaha. They even got in a fight with other children who were trying hold my hands too, woops. Any-who, I’m so thankful for each new experience I get to have here in Cape Town each day. It’s a joy to get to joke with the local leaders here and have them teach us new Xosa sayings each day. Their commitment to African Leadership and their joy in serving Jesus is so encouraging. Keep praying that God will send the Holy Spirit to each place we go, and that each community we are involved in would be given hope and encouragement and would come to know Jesus.