Author:
Kristine Magbanua
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Date Posted: 21:00:44 05/02/04 Sun
Dear Friends and Family,
So much things have happened this [ast week, and we have also seen so many people receive Jesus and come to salvation. Let me start with Thursday of last week.
Thursday - we had our informational meeting for our Life Skills program and 270+ people came. Unemployment is such a big thing here in South Africa. Many, however, thought that we were giving out jobs, but only few left when they found out that what we were doing was giving skills that would help and enable them to find jobs.
Friday morning we went as a team to an all girls high school with about 700 people and I had the opportunity of preaching the gospel at their morning assembly. We also shared our dance and drama and Anna shared her testimony. We went to a few classrooms after that. It really blessed the students and they want us to come back. Straight after that we went to Durban (we are on the outskirts of the city) and had a a time of cororate worship at a church with the rest of the YWAM Perth teams. Not all were there however.
The fun part was that night where we had a stand up dinner prepared for us by the mayor of the city who just wanted to welcome us. He found out that our people (YWAM) were there and also what we were doing through Anne Mieke's team meeting one of the councilors and sharing with her about the Life Skills program. I was able to meet him and get a picture! He shared some words with us and Quenton also got to speak (we were all formally dressed - as best as possible anyway). But that was really good.
Saturday - we had a time of coporporate evangelism at the beach (by corporate it means all the teams get together and meet). Our team did an open air which means that we performed our dance and dramas and some people share their testimonies and do a gospel preaching. Then we all break up and share about Jesus one on one with people. We had a chance to see more of the city and meet the street children (Cora and Megan's teams work with street kids) It was really sad to see how people would mock them and treat them like dirt. Brook from another team gave one of the kids moeny to buy food and the store person would not wait on him. And while he sat outside and Brook got the food people would taunt him. It really broke my heart and i know even more so, God's heart because I know He loves them.
Sunday we just joined the church we are staying at (Here is Life Ministries) for worship.
Monday we began the course at 8 with registration. Then Joe White came and shared about VISION and having a vision for your life. It's so important here because people are just convinced that nothing else will happen in their lives and they will always remain in poverty. Hopelessness is so deadening. We had 250 people show up and we broke into 10 gruops. I'm leading a group with Nelly, one of the girls from the World Changers Academy - by Joe White. It was so full of chaos though, we had some problems with the dj on the radio because as much as possible the way that it's supposed to work is that (if we have live speakers) they come and share at 9 to 10:30 if not, then we have small groups. We break till 11, then we listen to someone on the radio from 11 to 12. 12 to 1 is open time to call the station and ask questions. It was just so confusing especially for the first day. Int the afternoon, thought, we did evangelism at the markets and Arlen and I got to share with a girl namedNcami and she received Jesus. It was just the beginning!
Tuesday (was a holiday so no Life Skills) morning we had an open air after which we talked to people. i started sharing with one person but soon had a crowd of 9. They asked questions such as "what if I want to be a Christian but there are too many rules?" or "what if I want Jesus but it's hard to stop sinning?" One girl said, "my parents keep telling me about Jesus but after you shared I think I do want Him in my life." All nine people received Christ.
In the afternoon we went to the taxi ring and again i was able to share with two people, and others gathered. With Muzie our co-ordinator in Mpumalangga translating, 4 people received Christ. All in all that day we had 21 people received Christ into their hearts.
Wednesday Satan retaliated by once again causing chaos in our program. So many people in our team ended up being frustrated. But the day ended well as we were able to join a lady from Germany named Martina who is beginning a weekly program with kids at the church. It was great to just hang out with the children from the community.
Thursday the speaker spoke on healing from the past. We related it as much as possible with vision and your future and people just shared hurts that they have had in their lives and it opene such an amazing door of opportunity to share the gospel. Those people really looked ready to have God become a greater part of their lives. In the afternoon we were going to help with some community thing about feeding aged people but it didn't work out. However on our way home we heard a school choir practicing for a competition the next day and we went to watch and listen to them. When we left we said we would watch them compete the next afternoon. They were so excited!
Friday we split the group between guys and girls. Since Arlen was leading alone I took the girls from his team 7 in all and he took the guys on ours. Then they all shared about their past hurts individually (one team had a girl - her brother believed in the myth that if you had sexual intercourse with a virgin you would be healed from AIDS. He did this to his young daughter till both of them died of the virus) So many people here are dying not only from physical hunger, but also from needing God in their lives. Many say they know God but are unsure of their slavation and what will happen when they die. These girls ended up giving their lives to God. One was already saved though. In the afternoon we went to the choir competition. Our team were excited that we actually came. We cheered loudest for them. Afterwards we just spoke with people and also found out that our team won!
This is my update for this week. I know it's quite long. But i hope that you are blessed to hear what God is doing in South Africa. we wish to really make a difference here and to bring change that will eventually be a catalyst for change in the whole nation. We are doing it one person at a time.
Oh, we went to Durban Thursday night for a church service where the worship was led by Matt Redman!!!! Zulu worhsip is great but sometimes you long for something familiar, so that was really awesome. I also was able to get a picture taken with him :-).
Bless you all and to those that have emailed me, thank you for your encouragement and support.
Please continue to pray for me. The outreach to Irq has been changed to Oman and Yemen because of the situation there. Please pray for that outreach, even as my finances are due in two weeks time for it.
Christ's servant,
Kristine
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