Reflections: “The God who sees me”

Thanks for reading about our summer in South Africa this year! This will be the last post about our time there. Be on the look out for more posts from our other ministries, and before long we’ll be getting ready for another summer back in Port Shepstone.

These reflections were written in response to being asked, “What is something you’ve learned while on mission here in South Africa?”

“El Roi: The God who sees me. I love that picture of God seeing me and caring. It’s a good reminder when I don’t feel good enough for anyone or worthy for anyone see me or like me. I can remember that He is the God who sees me, not sometime sees me or mostly sees me, but always sees me.” –Libby B.

“God has taught me that it’s okay to have doubts/be lost and thirst for him because it is what brings us closer to him.” –Emma M.

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Reflections: “He will fight for us no matter what.”

These reflections were written in response to being asked, “What is something you’ve learned while on mission here in South Africa?”

This oft-repeated quote about short term missions is almost a cliché now. In some ways it represents an issue with the problems there are in going to serve for a short time and expecting to change the world. But overall I think it shows something that will always be true, no matter how well we serve or for how long. It goes something like this: “I thought I was meant to go in order to teach lessons that God wanted me to teach, but it was actually to learn the lessons he wanted me to learn.” We expect for the greatest change to happen through us and our ministry, but often the greatest change we can see happens in us. These reflections are a testament to that.

“God had been opening my eyes to see his powerful grace. He’s taught me so much about the importance of obedience and that it’s not a perfect performance that brings him honor. He has given us so much grace, and he is such a good God. Just by loving someone, we are bringing him honor.” –Ellie K.

Reflections: “Out of My Comfort Zone”

One of my favorite parts of getting to be a leader on an mk2mk projects is how much we emphasize giving our teens the chance to lead and take ownership over the ministry we do. But that is never easy – it takes a lot of stepping out in faith, trusting God, and doing things that aren’t comfortable. But it is also so rewarding and encouraging to see how they experience God working through them. So here are some more comments from our students on their favorite memory moments.

“My favorite ministry moments were connecting with the safe play kids: building relationships with them over that week was the best interaction to the community + culture in general. Day by day, you would usually see a specific few really light up when they saw us, like we really impacted them personally. Even weeks really impacted them personally. Even weeks later when I saw a few at house visits they remembered me and immediately trusted me again.” –Lexe V.

Reflections: “Memories I Will Never Forget”

As we wrapped up our last week of ministry in Port Shepstone, we took some time to reflect and hear about some of our team’s favorite moments throughout the trip. A big focus we have within the last few days is marking what God has done, both through us and in our own hearts. Here are some of the students responses to being asked what their favorite experience or moment in ministry was.

“Going to the care center yesterday, I got to see a patient I had talked to a few weeks before. We talked for almost two hours, and I gave her my teddy bear. She was crying, saying over and over “I love my teddy bear, now I have a brother.” It was such a blessing to talk to her and so hard to say goodbye.” –Rachel J.

Social Action Night In The Rainbow Nation

By Hannah Broadwell

Although the country of South Africa has experienced incredible growth over the years, it has a long history of hardship. During our last few weeks here, our team has gotten the opportunity to interact with South African culture in many different spheres. Hospice. School. Vacation Bible School. Youth Group. With the routine of ministry, it is easy to forget the painful past of this region. But, just this past weekend, our team got to gather and spend time looking at the issues this country still faces today.

Xtrack: When Moving Becomes a Reality

By Jessi Bullis

 

J, one of the teens helps his “child” make her passport

Over the course of the last two weeks we have had the opportunity to lead the kids in three different shaping and training simulations! 

The first was the Airport Simulation. This gave the kids a chance to experience what the travel process is to go overseas. They had to do everything from getting a medical examination and applying for visas, to exchanging their currency and going through customs control on the “other end.” The teens were each paired up with a preschooler to create their own little “family” units so that the preschoolers would have help throughout the process. We knew sending in a four year old to fill out a visa form on their own would not have been very effective! It was also exciting to see how this helped the teens take more ownership, seeing them step up and protect or provide for the younger students, while even giving them an extra challenge of keeping the kids calm while they waited to board their plane.  

Friendships Made- Speak Out

By Ben Babione

“Welcome to Speak Out!!!” The shout enthusiastically rung out across the courtyard as each camper came into the high school compound Monday morning. The Bosnian students made their way to the registration table, received a colored bandana representing which team they would be on for the week, and began to meet new people. This week was going to be about one major thing: friendship.