Ngiyabingingela!

Greetings from South Africa!
Praise the Lord for a perfectly smooth and easy flight. I arrived here safely Saturday evening. I flew in with Mike Takas and 3 business professors from CU, Scott (I'm blanking on his last name right now)and Rob and Claudia Simpson. All for of these individuals are super sweet. They spoiled me rotten while they were here. Tehe. I spent my first few days here with this team.
Sunday we went to the Soweto Vineyard church in Kliptown. The service was incredible! While we were there, the pastor, Mpo (sp?)introduced us. It was encouraging to see the excitement on the faces of the congregation when Mpo announced that I would be here for 6 months. I also loved seeing the massive amount of children at the church. Tehe. After the service, we gathered together in small groups to pray. Mpo called me over to join his group. His prayers and leadership were comforting. After the church, we went out for lunch and then to Mpo's wife's (Pokie's)coffee shop where Scott and Rob were giving a lecture on business principles. Pokie's coffee is amazing! Tehe. I don't usually like plain coffee, but this stuff was so good. And she was super sweet. I hadn't had a chance to get cash yet, so she gave me a cup of coffee for free (which I really needed considered I hadn't really slept the previous 3 nights). The people that I've met here so far are so friendly! They're very good at making one feel welcome.
Monday I went down to Swaziland with Mike and the CU team. The country is so beautiful! While we were there, we met with Martin, an area pastor who is heading up Vox's sewing initiative. This man's passion for his community is incredible! Not only is the program teaching life skills to the women who are involved, but some of the proceeds go to help fund a feeding program for local orphans. wow! It's incredible what God is doing through Martin and his family. Please pray for them. Recently, they have been attacked by thugs twice. The first time the thugs broke in to steal from the family; the second time they came for Martin's life. Please pray for them. Pray that God keeps them safe. Currently they are not living at home because it is too dangerous. Martin thinks the thugs are attacking him because God has blessed him. Please pray for a change of heart in these men. Please pray that Martin and his family have the strength to faithfully follow God's will.
Yesterday I spent most of the day shopping with Sarah for groceries, a phone, a 3g internet thing, and other things that I needed. She and Jeff have been incredible hosts! I'm so glad that they are here. I'm so thankful for them. They've done an incredible job helping me get settled and setting up my phone and such. It seems like they're constantly taking care of me. They truly are a blessing from God! I'm so glad that they're here. Later last night, we joined Mike and the CU team for a movie at Carnival, a local casino with a bunch of restaurants as well as a super cheap movie theater.
This morning we all went out for breakfast (it seems like I've eaten out more this week than the rest of my life combined) at Pokie's coffee show (Weezy's coffee and book bar). Then me, Mike, and Jeff met up with Reagan and Nikki, a sweet couple who work in the area schools who I will be working with while I am here. They showed us around the high school and around a primary school that I'll be working in. Seeing those kids made me so excited! I can't wait to start working with them, nor can I wait to work with Nikki and Reagan. After touring the schools, we went out to lunch together in order to get to know one another. This couple is amazing! Their passion for young people and their determination is unbelievable. They simply won't take no for an answer. Because of their program, the students at the high school had a significantly higher pass rate on the exam that they take to determine if they pass high school (I know that they had a 90% passing rate, but I don't remember what the average was. I remember that the difference was HUGE though). During lunch, I was able to hear a bit about their testimonies. I can't wait to get to know them better. Nikki reminds me a lot of Monica Ayers, which is really comforting.
Wow! God's provision is outstanding! My God is so big, so strong and so mighty; there's nothing my God cannot do!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good:
-Thanks for safe and smooth travels
-Thanks for safety and health here in SA
-Thanks for the incredible people that He's put here with me
-Thanks for His provision
-Thanks for His unconditional love
-Thanks for the passion that He's given me
-Thanks for the peace that He's given me

Please pray:
-for continued health and safety
-that I'm able to build strong friendships while I'm here
-that I put God first in everything
-as I continue to adjust to living her
-that God fills me with courage and confidence
-that I learn to rely on God fully

Scott, Martin, his wife, Claudia, Rob


Swaziland