First Week at Witz

Hello! A lot of time has passed, but I promise the Good News still stands and is moving in the country of South Africa. Since I last posted we had our first full week of laboring on the campus of Witwatersrand (or better known as Witz).  In the first couple of days, Alyssa and I met many women who are full of energy and life. I kind of love the people here. Here are some names to be praying for, even if you can’t pronounce their names remember  God knows each of his creation: Keletso, Sonette, Natasha, Simy, Tinswalo, Chiara, Nolo, Tula, Mafunase, Kundai, Zee, Zeikle, and the women we still haven’t met at Sunny Side. I am blown away by the favor God has given us in simply loving these women and getting to know them as we get to know the culture as well.

In my personal walk with Christ, I have seen the extremes my heart goes to when I am outside my comfort zone which happens when you are in a new and unfamiliar country. The deep issue is pride, or me contending for the supremacy of God. Sounds ridiculous I know, but it is the truth of pride in my life. I think I deserve praise/recognition, that I am “right” in the situation, or pride surfaces by me taking the role of the victim. God has humbled my heart in showing me that true humility comes only from God and was manifested when Christ died for us and became the ransom for many. (Mark 10:45) John Calvin wrote, “God cannot bear with seeing his glory appropriated by the creature in even the smallest degree, so intolerable to him is the sacrilegious arrogance of those who, by praising themselves, obscure his glory as far as they can.” ….WOW…. I hate a lot of things, but I hate nothing to the degree that God hates pride. By reading C.J. Mahaney’s, Humility, I am excited for the transformation of pride in the lives of those who are in Christ.  As we know of two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John request to be exalted to the left and to the right of Jesus in his glory (because they are just so amazing, such great disciples..right?) It was their selfish ambition that caused them to desire this, but after Jesus died and was a ransom for many (even them) James in Acts 12:1-2 died for his faith, the first disciple to be martyred.  John got it too and was apparently the last of all the apostles to die, but suffered persecution and was banished to the island of Patmos. John wrote in 1 John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”  They are both not the same person they were before understanding the price paid for them, the ransom given for me as I am in Christ.

As you can see, my mind is turning and my heart is being penetrated more and more by the Good News.  This week’s scripture memory verse is Mark 2:17, In hearing this Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Thank God he didn’t come for those who have it all together, but us who see that we are sick with this illness of sin that has completely separated us from God and apart from Christ, nothing can heal us. “For this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” -1 John 4:10

Exciting Times

Here are some exciting updates since I last was online.

Thursday we had orientation to the Cross Cultural Project, toured Witz campus, found out our ministry partners and also the resident hall we will be going into to share the claims of Christ. I will be going to Sunny Side Girl Res Hall with Miss Alyssa Walter from IUPUI. We are excited to work together and feel so blessed to have the next 8 weeks to grow also as sisters in Christ. During our time in orientation, we learned that their theme for the school year is “BE”… Be what God has called us to be. They pulled this from Philippians 2:1-16. If you have a chance you should check this passage out. I have decided to memorize it in the next couple of days because I see the impact it can have on my mind and heart as I allow it to penetrate more of me every day.

On Friday we had some extra time to go and get cell phones because we found that they are only R69 which is $10!!! Being without a cell phone has shown me how dependent I am on my phone and how I go to it at times for comfort instead of going to Jesus.  Friday night our team hosted a Braai (Bar-B-Que) which is very attractive for Witz students especially when they do not have to pay! It was an amazing time to see God work and move in students Hearts. I met many women that I couldn’t even try to type their names! One guy at the Braai actually professed Christ. His name is Valentine, so please be praying for him.

Saturday I got to experience a REAL soccer game as we watched the Orlando Pirates take the championship for their league. I cannot wait to put pictures up because it was a party like I have never seen before. Everyone in the stands rushed the field and of course, our guys had to join. The CO (Campus Outreadch) guys and girls from Atlanta decied to stay back as did us girls from CO Indy which was best because the security came into action and brought out the mase to get the crowd back to their seats.  I got to experience the city of Seweto which is a much poorer town than Johannesburg.  You could see that their worship was Soccer and their hope was only in that game. I hope to return to Seweto and have more interactions with the community. Just think, through one man or woman coming to know the riches of Jesus Chrsit, that whole city could be changed! Wow... just somthing to think about as you drive by the fifteen churches on your way to work. Well until next time... Genesis 31:49  

Down and Out

Sunday night we gathered at the Hyatt Place Hotel near the Indy airport. If only I could explain the excitement in the room as we received our resources and books that we will be utilizing this summer.  Our theme for the summer is Down and Out. Which means this summer we are focusing on the Gospel going DOWN deep into our hearts in order that it may go OUT from us to the nations. As a team, we will be accomplishing Down and Out by studying the book of Mark which is one of the four Gospels of Jesus Christ.  As Kyle Wallace put it, “This summer is so much more what God does in us than what he does through us.”  Kyle is who is leading our trip; you can call him the ring leader of the 18 of us students. Hearing what he was saying was much easier than visualizing how that actually will play out in my heart. So often I am like Martha. Fooled by my own pride, thinking I contribute to my salvation, that my marvelous self is actually needed by the God of the universe! It isn’t, but by his grace he wants to use me, his daughter, for his kingdom. I am so excited (and nervous) for this theme because it is something I know I struggle with.

Arriving last night, well it was night time here; we got into our rooms at our bed and breakfast. I am rooming with Caroline, Abby, and Kayla. Three women that know and love God deeply, and in ways differently than me so I am excited and blessed to have this next 8 weeks with them as roomies!

This morning I work up around 7:30am which is 1:30am in Indiana. I hadn’t yet made it to a store to buy an alarm clock so my cell phone had to suffice (which I set for 1:30am because I have no service here for it to change to this time zone). Today has been a tour of Johannesburg, grocery shopping, and oh yah… finding out I am the girl that is driving while we are here! Just image me driving a 10 passenger Toyota Quantum on the LEFT side of the road, with my steering wheel on the RIGHT, and this beast of a “boot” as they say here is a stick shift. I hope it is funny to you all because honestly I was most worried about the stick shift component, but God gave me rest and the guys teaching me were all very gracious. Now we are about to head to the campus for dinner with some of the Witz students that are involved in the ministry. I am not sure when I will be time on Skype, but I promise when I find out I will be posting that on here J remember I am 6 hours ahead of you, but I will be sure to put the time it is for me and all of you.

I love all of you and am excited for my time here. I challenge all of you if you are not studying anything currently is to read through Mark. It has been such a treat for me to see God’s word reveled to me through learning about the life of Jesus. The scripture I am memorizing this week is Mark 1:15! I totally had no idea that I would be studying the Book of Mark and already God has showed me that verse as I planned to write this blog and call it The Good News.  A verse I want to leave you with today is one I found when reading during my layover in Atlanta. It is Mark 16:15; He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Jesus has called us to the whole world, but that world could just be your next door neighbor, or the lady in the grocery store line right behind you. I have been sent by God to JoBurg for a short time, but this verse applies to my life even when I am living in my home town of Liberty, Indiana.

Welcome

Welcome to The Good News and thank you to all of my supporters. I would not be boarding a plane in just a day without your prayers and financial contributions. I hope to use The Good News to keep all of you up to pace with my journey to South Africa, and to keep all of our eyes on the Cross of Jesus Christ. Whether I have an amazing interaction and Gospel conversation with a student from Witz University or a day full of rejection, persecution, and second thoughts on why God sent me, the news I report from this mission is always Good. The Good News is mentioned in Mark 1:15 which says, "The time has come," he said, "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (NIV) This message is something I pray I cling to...always repenting of the sins that drench my flesh and always believing that Jesus died, resurrected and intercedes for me DAILY.

Three prayer requests I have for my time in South Africa:
1. The hearts of the South Africans will be softened by the Gospel (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
2. I will have a servants heart, ready to give my life away out of an overflow of what Christ has given me (Ephesians 5:1-2)
3. My hope would be in Christ and not my own abilities to relate to the South Africans (Romans 5:3-5)

Again thank you! Can't wait to travel and spend this next 8 weeks walking alongside Christ with all of you :)

Genesis 31:49