Every generation reaching their generation

SMASH Teens Missions Trip

Our annual SMASH missions trip In September was really an encouragement for me this year. Some of our church’s youth joined us on the trip. This year we went down to Cape Town and partnered with a ministry organisation called Genetik. They do ministry in a different way. What they focus on in their ministry is not only sharing the gospel but equipping kids and teens with life skills to be involved in the community as they grow into working adults. That was very encouraging. I participated in making a rap song in one of the Genetik workshops and it was encouraging to see how we could come up with a rap song that shares the gospel. The group that I was with were very encouraged by what we wrote.


We also had the opportunity to go and feed homeless people in one community and this opened our eyes to the extreme poverty and even drug issues we face in different parts of our country. It was great to be involved in this because as Ephesians 2:10 encourages us that “we are made to do good works through Christ.” It is good to share the gospel but if we can also share food with those who are in need then they are much more likely to listen and accept the gospel. At the very least, they take time to think it through because of the kindness we show even if it is small like giving a sandwich to someone who does not know where their next meal is coming from. God worked through the ministry and it even challenged the students to see that there are people out there facing struggles in the world and without God there is no hope for real change. 
We also got to serve by helping run a one day holiday bible club (VBS) in two communities. During this ministry the teens from my local church shared their testimonies. It is encouraging to see students going out of their comfort zones and ministering to others through their own personal stories of how God has worked in their lives. On one of the days we partnered with a church to share the gospel in their community and then we did our own outreach at a beach. This was very effective because the whole team goes out and shares with people who are living their everyday lives. We do this to equip young people to see that the gospel can be shared at any time at any place but we have to be willing to do it. It does not have to be an event that is organised so you can share the gospel.

Other happenings...

In October we hosted  a camp at the property for a church’s youth group. I enjoyed sharing during one of the sessions about how to do quiet time and why it is important in our lives.  I’m also still a part of our weekly ministry on Wednesday mornings at Refilwe, a children’s home. To be honest I don’t do much any more but I watch as the Genesis students run the ministry under the leadership of one of the interns, Shane. They do a great job all the time. This is what Word of Life South Africa is all about - equipping young people to do ministry and then go back to their own local churches and do the same thing that they have been trained for. We are almost at the end of  our time with Word of Life South Africa and we are thanking to the Lord for the equipping in our lives for the ministry. We are looking forward to summer camp in a few weeks, our last camp for the year. Please pray with us that God would use these camps to change lives for eternity,

Big Changes Ahead

As we have shared, we have some big changes ahead as we prepare to move to the Bahamas in January for Thato to begin as a youth pastor at New Vision Ministries, my parent's church in Abaco. These last few months are filled with mixed feelings as we eagerly anticipate the excitement of new ministry opportunities in the Bahamas while also grieving a bit as we say goodbye (for now) to our home, ministry, community, church, friends and family in South Africa. We have been busy with immigration paperwork, making arrangements for where we will live and also sorting out things with our house and stuff we'll be selling.  Please pray for us because it is hard leaving what we love and the family that we have formed as we served together throughout the years. Please pray for us as we transition from the ministry and sort out the final logistics.

Thank you again for your love, support and prayers. We are grateful for your partnership and continue to pray that the Lord would bless you and use you to build his kingdom wherever you.

Please Pray...

- Upcoming summer camps (Dec 6-13)

- For the Lord’s wisdom as we sort out the final logistics of moving

-For the Lord to grow the WOL team as we transition out

- That the remainder of our time would be fruitful and that we would be intentional in all we do

-For our students as they finish out their year with us and for wisdom as they each figure out what’s next

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