South African Dispatch, Pt. 3

The time in South Africa is flying by - I’m almost down to my last week! The days have continued to be filled, hanging out in Khayelitsha, praising God in song, playing with kids, doing various odd jobs - we finished tiling and grouting the bathroom at the retreat center, and we are very proud of our beautiful creation. On Sunday we we went for the second time to Pastor Yeza’s church in Site C, one of the regions of Khayelitsha. It was so good to be there again worshiping with that congregation. One of the mamas let me look on at her Xhosa hymnal and actually complimented my pronunciation - it made my day!

This past weekend we traveled to the city of Port Elizabeth for a graduation of pastors. Back in Khayelitsha, our home base of operations is the African Theological College, a small school which trains pastors in an intensive two-year program. This is where Pastor Ohm’s ministry is most closely connected to the larger organization African Leadership led by Larry Warren which focuses especially on equipping pastors. Unlike in the States, most pastors in Africa do not have the chance to study at a seminary before entering ministry - like Apollos of old, they simply preach what they know with great fervor. African Leadership works to train these pastors, especially focusing on teaching them how to study the Bible.

This is why African Theological College was established. However, for the many pastors who live far away and cannot come to Khayelitsha to study, something else was needed, so satellite schools were set up all over southern Africa. We traveled to Port Elizabeth to take part in a graduation for one of these satellite schools. Pastor Ohm and a couple other pastors who traveled with us spoke some word of encouragement to the seven graduates. Joey and I sang “Be Thou My Vision” as a blessing over them. It was really special to be a part of such a significant day for those pastors.

Things are about to pick up rapidly. A team from Canada arrives today, and Joey and I will be working with them to do ministry in the high schools, which just recommenced this week after winter holidays (yeah Southern Hemisphere!). This weekend, we’ll be taking student leaders from Christian clubs at the high schools on a retreat for discipleship and training. While I am at the retreat, Joey will be traveling with Seyeun to Transkei to finish work on the clinic and later to do ministry with the Canadian team as I did with the team from Seattle. After the retreat, I will have just a couple days to wrap things up here, and then my time in South Africa will be over as I return to the States to celebrate the marriage of Adam and Jenn.

South African Dispatch, Pt. 2

The time here in Cape Town is passing quickly. Joey arrived last Sunday and has been my partner-in-crime in Khayelitsha. After a day of sightseeing at the beautiful Cape Point, the team from Seattle said their farewells. They were soon followed by two other guys at the mission house, Steve and Jeremy, leaving just me, Joey, Solomon, and Seyeun (two longer-term missionaries). The great benefit in it all is that between the various departures and visiting pastors, we’ve enjoyed three Korean feasts in the last week :) In Khayelitsha, we’ve gotten to see all different pieces of the ministry. Doing manual labor at the African Theological College and the retreat center, I’ve learned such practical skills as brick-laying and tiling - I feel like quite the handyman.

We’ve also gotten to be a part of the Rainbow Sports Ministry, which ministers to Khayelitsha youth through soccer and netball (a game resembling basketball). Last Wednesday, we went with Solomon to play in a small 3-on-3 soccer tournament he had organized for the kids in one of the neighborhoods. Joey shared his testimony, and we entered a team of our own that made it to the semi-finals. Soccer provides a great way to start relationships and expose the youth to the Gospel - it was cool to be a part of it in this neighborhood where it is just in its initial stage of contact.

African Leadership’s biggest ministry in Khayelitsha is the Sunday Schools. Every Saturday and Sunday morning, all over Khayelitsha, committed teachers meet with as many as 70 eager kids, ages ranging from 4-16. They sing songs, play games, teach Bible stories, and just love the kids. I got a glimpse of the impact of this as I saw a flock of kids run up to assault Joey with hugs as he came to help teach them - this is an amazing chance to show these children the love of Christ. I’ve gotten to be a part of 5 Sunday schools now, and each has been an adventure and a joy.

It is such a joy to see God’s Kingdom in other cultures - to be welcomed into churches where they boldly sing in Xhosa, to visit a Chinese house church and hear their passion for Khayelitsha, to meet Korean pastors who have come to see the work God is doing through Pastor Ohm - the Gospel and the Kingdom are not bounded by lines of nationality, culture, and race. I’ve been continually coming back to Galatians 3:26-28: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In Christ we have a new identity as children of God that breaks down all other boundaries - this is what lets me, a white guy from America, worship joyfully with my brothers and sisters in South Africa! I’m reminded of something Pastor Ohm said: in Heaven, people from every tribe and nation will be worshiping God together. As servants living for God’s Kingdom here on earth, this is something we need to be practicing!

The time here so far has been especially encouraging coming out of a spring where I was feeling more distant from God. It is forcing me to really dig into the Gospel and the incredibly good news that it is - news worth sharing and rejoicing over. I was especially encouraged last Sunday as we did door-to-door evangelism near one of the churches in Khayelitsha. One of the last homes we visited was a Christian family whose son had been at Sunday School that morning - the big hug he gave me as I came in totally made my day! I decided to encourage them with a passage from Ephesians (1:15-23) - it ended up being a great encouragement for me as well, and I urge you to dive into it yourselves - it exults over the fact that God’s power working in us is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead - this is pretty amazing to think about!