Final Days

Hi Everyone,

 I just want to take this opportunity to update you all briefly about what has been happening here in Africa over the past two weeks and what I will be doing the rest of my time here.

MINISTRY

*Our time here in Africa is quickly coming to a close; the students are finishing up their final exams and heading home this week.

*We had very successful men’s and women’s events last Friday night full of fun, games, and talks from Kristin and Phil. The girls came over to The Butterfly (our guest house) and the guys went over to 9 Surbiton (the staff guys’ house).

* We have been facing some barriers along the way, but recruitment for the Joint Winter Conference (JWC) has been going well. The JWC is a great way for students who are investigating, to come learn more about who Christ is and get connected to the Campus Outreach Staff. This is our last week for recruiting the students to this significant event and critical follow up by the staff as our team leaves this continent.

*We have been privileged to see 11 students (guys & girls) make professions of faith at UJ-Bunting during our time here.

TEAM

*Last weekend we visited a local orphanage, which broke my heart. We also visited Soweto, where Nelson Mandela’s house is located, and we attended a local rugby match in the extremely sketchy downtown Jo’burg. They don’t have overtime in rugby…I don’t get it!

*We just completed a ‘Week of Woo’ for the 3 guys that are on the team. We planned a whole week of encouragement for the guys to show our appreciation for them and all that they have done to love, serve, and care for all 9 of us girls during our time here. They are amazing!

*We returned late last night from an amazing weekend away in Swaziland. We attended the wedding of a couple who came to know Christ through Campus Outreach. This couple is now making a significant impact in the city of Johannesburg.  Such a great picture of the gospel and the mission statement of Campus Outreach.

 *Sadly, we will be packing up our things here at the Butterfly on Thursday. This place has become our home away from home and Judy has been an amazing housekeeper and dear friend to us all.

*Our last day on campus is Wednesday June 22^nd.  We are heading to the JWC on Friday June 24th until Sunday June26^th.

* After the JWC we will spend a few days building a house and doing VBS for kids in a township close to the camp.

*Our final days in Africa will be spent on a Safari in Kruger National Park and then we will fly out of Johannesburg on July 3^rd sometime in the evening.

PERSONALLY

There are definitely things about America that I miss like my family, friends, grandma’s southern cookin’, Chick-fil-A, free parking, normal houses with no walls/fences, filtered coffee, and sweet tea. I could go on forever but the more that I have been here the more I have been thinking about what Scripture says in Isaiah 6:8, And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

I want to be a woman who lays down the small dreams of my life and takes up the large world changing Christ centered dream that God has given to all believers in His Word. The Great Commission.

After visiting the orphanage last weekend, if God blesses me with a husband I definitely want to be open to adoption.  I can’t describe to you what that experience was like. Typical me…I cried the whole time I was playing with the little tots.

This past week something that I’ve been seeing more and more here is the overwhelming amount of poverty and disease in Africa. Elaine (a student) shared with me that 73% of the students at UJ-Bunting (which is all of 2,000 students….maybe) are HIV positive. Not only that, but on every street corner there are at least 2-3 beggars. Occasionally, we pass by a park with TONS of homeless people scattered around sleeping. My heart breaks for this situation, there is nothing I can do about it, and it frustrates me. May God send out laborers into His harvest.

-L

Prayer Requests:

-JWC: final recruitment, speakers, open hearts among the students

-Final Days in Africa and for safe travel home

-Kabello, Fortunate, Patience, and Fresh- women that  recently gave their lives to Christ.

-Need for a full time staff girl at UJ-Bunting