Ordinary people...extraordinary God!

On August 12 2010, a team of ordinary people who worship an extraordinary God set out from Harvest Bible Chapel of Prescott and boarded a plane with little more than what ordinary people usually bring on an overseas trip. The most important item, however, didn't require any luggage at all...they were carrying the Light of the World to the continent of Africa.

As pilgrims and missionaries have done from the time of Christ, they gathered together for weeks before the trip, to pray and seek the Lord for direction, guidance, protection, provision and purpose. They overcame barriers one after another, financial hurdles, governments, travel arrangements, immunizations, illnesses, entry into schools and hospitals, equipment. Again and again, they saw the Lord open doors for them in miraculous ways.

They are traveling from a small town in central Arizona to Senegal, Dakar, Johannesburg and Durban on a 37 hour journey by car, plane and bus. They range in age from 14 to nearly 70. They come from different families, different cultures, different backgrounds, different lives, but they share a common goal: to lift high the name of Jesus and share His love with everyone they encounter along the way: young or old, sick or healthy, rich or desperately needy. Their desire and prayer is simply to serve their King in whatever way He should choose to use them.

This is their story.

Monday, August 23, 2010

A wonderful warm people!

 Well, it has been a few days of very busy ministry here in South Africa!  God has done amazing things in our lives, and in the lives of those we came to minister to.  We have been blessed to experience several church services with our brothers and sisters, some of them a bit charismatic but all were a great time of worship and fellowship.
  Our ministry with HIV and AIDS education has been filled with amazing stories of God’s hand at work in both circumstances and hearts.  ALL of the government offices of South Africa are on strike right now!!!  That means no students in school, unless they are in private schools or universities.  Despite the strikes, God had plans for us to meet with upwards of 600 kids last week in several schools and other venues, and most of those kids made commitments to Christ for the first time.  Praise the Lord for that harvest! 
All of our team members have done a great job of humbly communicating this very tough subject to a country that is in desperate need of the information.  I am blown away at how little the people here know about the virus that kills most of them.  Even the adults know little to nothing about how HIV is transmitted and the truths about the damage that it does.  So this “Better Choices” curriculum is very effective in two ways:  It teaches the people about the virus, and then we bring it all together with the only hope that any of us have, JESUS CHRIST!!!


  We have also been able to have some fun together.  We went to a local game preserve and saw many of the amazing South African animals that are here.  It’s springtime here so many of the animals had their young.  Baby giraffes are really cute!  We saw a lion, many rhinos, monkeys, warthogs, Kudo, etc. etc..  We were also invited to a brii (bbq African style) so tasty, and a fun way for us to hang with some of the locals and eat some different types of meat.
 We are now in Greytown, South Africa.  If any of you have seen the movie “Faith Like Potatoes”, that is where we are.  Angus Buckham’s farm and ministry are right around the corner.  We are hoping to swing by there on Tuesday afternoon to see him and hear about his ministry.  We are staying at the house of a gentleman that was one of Angus’ elders.
  



The government strikes are still going on.  So please continue to pray that God will provide safety and many people for us to share with.   That’s all for now.  We covet your prayers and know that God is in total control!
God Bless,
South African Missions Team
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