The Reality of Missions
Last week, we had the opportunity to partner with a group of 37 second year students from the Word of Life Bible Institute in New York as they came for their second year Missions Reality trip. Our goal was to give them a taste of the reality of full-time missions. While they were here, we had the opportunity to partner with other churches, organization & ministries in addition to introducing them to the different ministries that Word of Life South Africa does.
SATURDAY - We started out our first day taking half the group to Witbank, a city 2 hours away, in order to help one of our partnering churches in one of the townships to build a fence around their property. The other team went to Zakariyya Park, a community about an hour away, to work with a church where one of our alumni leads the youth group. There, the team ran a one day Holiday Bible Club for the children in the community.
SUNDAY - Our team went in 3 different directions, some to Grace Baptist Church in Daveyton, a township about an hour away, some back to Zakariyya Park, & the last group to 2 of our missionary's local churches. Each group had the opportunity to serve through helping with children's ministries, teaching, sharing through testimonies, dramas, and music, & evangelism in the community.
MONDAY & TUESDAY - The entire group headed to Welkom, 3 hours away, to work with one of our partnering churches where several of our alumni serve. There the team had the opportunity to run 2 days of Holiday Bible Club for the kids in the community as well as help at an Old Age Home where the cleaned the resident's housing & ministered to the old folk.
WEDNESDAY - After a trip to the Apartheid Museum where the students got a more in-depth look at the history of South Africa, we headed to Boys/Girls Town, a temporary orphanage for children from rough family backgrounds. What a great time of ministry as we got to share testimonies, drama, and song, all of which tied together perfectly and were exactly what these kids and teens needed to hear.
THURSDAY - In the morning it was back to Daveyton to partner again with Grace Baptist Church for ministry in 3 different local high schools. Again, the team had the opportunity to teach from God's Word, share testimonies, songs and dramas.
FRIDAY - The team had the opportunity to take a quick safari before packing up & heading to the airport.
Overall, it was an awesome time of ministry as we served alongside this group of students. There were so many wonderful things that came out of this time. First, we got to kickstart some new ministries that our team will continue to invest in on a weekly basis such as the ministry in Zakariyya Park as well as at Boys/Girls Town. We look forward to seeing how the Lord continues to grow these ministries. It was also a great time for us to come alongside different churches, pastors, alumni & leaders & encourage them in their different ministries. Through this, we were able to meet some of the different needs that these churches had. Many hands make light work! It was also a great opportunity to encourage the students on the Missions Reality team as the Lord worked in their hearts & as they think through decisions for the future. Many of them are considering the cross-cultural internship like I did & others are just looking towards long-term missions & seeking the Lord for direction. Please pray with us that God would lead many of these students to full-time service for Him & even send some of them here to us in South Africa. Finally, through this time, we saw many people make decisions for Christ which made it all the more exciting. During that short week, we visited 9 different churches, 4 schools, 2 community centers, shared the gospel with 1,686 people & saw 110 of them trust Christ as their personal Savior! Now, THAT'S something to get excited about.
The reality of missions, as these students came to realize, is often challenging, stretching, & uncomfortable. But it is also exciting, encouraging, & rewarding as we have the incredible opportunity to watch God at work at be a part of what He's doing. We are thankful to the Lord for our time with these wonderful group of students & can't wait to see where the Lord takes them.
The week in review...
SUNDAY - Our team went in 3 different directions, some to Grace Baptist Church in Daveyton, a township about an hour away, some back to Zakariyya Park, & the last group to 2 of our missionary's local churches. Each group had the opportunity to serve through helping with children's ministries, teaching, sharing through testimonies, dramas, and music, & evangelism in the community.
MONDAY & TUESDAY - The entire group headed to Welkom, 3 hours away, to work with one of our partnering churches where several of our alumni serve. There the team had the opportunity to run 2 days of Holiday Bible Club for the kids in the community as well as help at an Old Age Home where the cleaned the resident's housing & ministered to the old folk.
WEDNESDAY - After a trip to the Apartheid Museum where the students got a more in-depth look at the history of South Africa, we headed to Boys/Girls Town, a temporary orphanage for children from rough family backgrounds. What a great time of ministry as we got to share testimonies, drama, and song, all of which tied together perfectly and were exactly what these kids and teens needed to hear.
THURSDAY - In the morning it was back to Daveyton to partner again with Grace Baptist Church for ministry in 3 different local high schools. Again, the team had the opportunity to teach from God's Word, share testimonies, songs and dramas.
FRIDAY - The team had the opportunity to take a quick safari before packing up & heading to the airport.
Overall, it was an awesome time of ministry as we served alongside this group of students. There were so many wonderful things that came out of this time. First, we got to kickstart some new ministries that our team will continue to invest in on a weekly basis such as the ministry in Zakariyya Park as well as at Boys/Girls Town. We look forward to seeing how the Lord continues to grow these ministries. It was also a great time for us to come alongside different churches, pastors, alumni & leaders & encourage them in their different ministries. Through this, we were able to meet some of the different needs that these churches had. Many hands make light work! It was also a great opportunity to encourage the students on the Missions Reality team as the Lord worked in their hearts & as they think through decisions for the future. Many of them are considering the cross-cultural internship like I did & others are just looking towards long-term missions & seeking the Lord for direction. Please pray with us that God would lead many of these students to full-time service for Him & even send some of them here to us in South Africa. Finally, through this time, we saw many people make decisions for Christ which made it all the more exciting. During that short week, we visited 9 different churches, 4 schools, 2 community centers, shared the gospel with 1,686 people & saw 110 of them trust Christ as their personal Savior! Now, THAT'S something to get excited about.
The reality of missions, as these students came to realize, is often challenging, stretching, & uncomfortable. But it is also exciting, encouraging, & rewarding as we have the incredible opportunity to watch God at work at be a part of what He's doing. We are thankful to the Lord for our time with these wonderful group of students & can't wait to see where the Lord takes them.
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