FOF in Red Hill
We went up to Red Hill with Sam to clean out an area that will be used for Foundations of Farming (FOF). Our Red Hill Team removed trash and created walls around this piece of land to prepare it.
I used the opportunity to show our kids about ecology and conservation. Sam educated them about different soils and what to plant when and where. Jeanelle wrote down a list of questions & answers for her home schooling project. Emile and Maruche were helping, practicing stewardship the character trade we are busy with. It is all about using and not abusing what God has given us.
This was a good example of bad stewardship but now the community took responsibility and ownership and chose to be good stewards by cleaning and preparing the area.
The kids now also have a good reason to go back to the community. They’ve been involved and are curious to see what will grow in a few months from now.
Friends reaching out
A wonderful opportunity for our friends to reach out to the communities… The Joubert family wanted to make a tangible difference. They decided to come for an outreach experience in Red Hill. Over a period of time they’ve sorted their cupboards, throughing out clothes, toys and all those odd items and buying a few croceries. Sandra and her kids enjoyed a wonderful morning with us as we as families went into Red Hill touching the lives of those families we’ve been seeing the last couple of months.
An amazing experience for the kids (having fear at first) and then just the acknowledgement of what’s it all about ….. counting your blessings one by one and reaching out to the poor, praying, laying hands on the sick and sharing the Gospel. The kids carried bags of goods to the chacks also making it a memorable experience.
We share some of the pics with you….
Kids celebration
During our Celebration on Sunday morning, 23rd August we had our first organised kids celebration gathering. I took initiative and asked Floyd whether we could also teach the children during the celebration mornings. Our aim will be to share the God Story on the level that kids will understand the Gospel and enjoy fellowship together with loads of fun and activities as well. We are exited about our families involvement in helping us.
Jeanelle took responsibility in greeting & welcoming the kids with their parents and had boldness and courage to lead a small group. It was great! Maruche helped unpacking and preparing the lesson.
After teaching we shared the message of the Living Ball with the kids. We would like to send a ball into each of the communities. Tebogo is a thriteen year old boy from Red Hill (his mother is part of our ladies group meetings) and when I started to share the story, Emile interupted me saying: “No, you can’t share the story. It is for the kids. I will share the story”. So as Emile shared the Gospel, using the Living Ball as a tool, Siya translated for him in Xhosa. I was completely blown away with his understanding and passion.
With each of our next Celebration gatherings we will cover the rest of the God Story with the children and encourage them to be bold in sharing the Gospel with fellow friends in their communities. 
Foundations of Farming (Farming God’s way)
Were were looking forward to be part of Farming God’s Way. Phyllis and Euginia was the two ladies from Red Hill that showed interest in Foundations of Farming. We have spent Saturday morning, 29th August in lecture with Sam Adams helping us with hands-on training on how to farm God’s way.
I would like to share a few points with you, if you would also like to apply these basic principles in your garden. The main focus is to mentor and discipling individuals. If I could say, using farming as a foundation to share the gospel and also having the opportunity to uplift and help building communities in need to sustain and make a living for themselves.
We would like you to encourage even your own gardener (building relationships) so that they could take these basic principles home and make a difference.
A few principles:
- On time
- High standard
- Minimum wastage
- With joy
With FOF we do not burn! Our bug-buddies are killed and we need them! We do not plough. Weplant into the surface where the crop residues from the previous year are left (apply God’s blanket)
The reason for the God’s blanket is:
It feeds the soil
Organisms are balanced
High fertility in the soil
Soil structure is improved
Higher soil water holding capacity
Higer CEC
Stable soil
No slumping
Reduced land preparation cost
If you would like more information on Foundations of Farming visit www.farming-gods-way.org
Braai evening in Red Hill – Thank you from the bottom of our heart
Last night, July 21st, Bantu & Nono invited us for dinner to say thank you for our
support in the Eastern Cape. We were so surprised. With their first wages from
TOWNSHIP TEES (an American initiative) they shared their thanks
giving with us and spoiled us with a delicious chicken-braai, with stamp & beans and
roster bread.
Ladies group in Red Hill
I am thankful for our ladies group in Red Hill. We adjusted our time schedule to Tuesdays and Thursdays. Some of the ladies got jobs now – Praise God for answering our prayers!
The ladies take turns to lead the group and God is revealing so many things to us. We enjoy our time together with Xhosa, English and Afrikaans songs, prayer, Bible reading and sharing our hearts.
Prayer evening in Red Hill
Friday evening we had a prayer gathering in Red Hill. Although it was month end and people are generally more cautious to go into the townships, we were blessed to pray with two other families and a few singles. We have put all our needs and prayer requests before God. We felt that we should come together more often to spend time in prayer. Our family has grown with so many sincere hearts.
Woman’s gathering
So it was! A wonderful woman’s meeting in Red Hill. Thank you for your prayers! We explained that we will do M.A.W.L (modeling, assisting, watching and leaving) with them and that we don’t want them to be dependant on us. God will reveal Himself through the Holy Spirit to them and will teach them the truth.
This group of woman are hungry for God and we will spend time with them, going to their shack every week on Tuesday and Friday mornings. We start off with ABC, meaning asking questions, reading Bible together and commissioning (what are we doing with what we’ve read and discovered in the Word?).
They are so great full that we are willing to just spend time and be with them, loving them and share “our being” with them. We are encouraging them to start their own small church with friends and have a support and accountability group. I can just again say: “the harvest is ready – we need to help God with the reaping!” (Luke 10:2b).
They are thankful for their shack, God’s daily provision for food, family and friends.
Their prayer requests:
Discovering more about Jesus and to know Him better
Jobs (no work, no money, no food!)
To be able to go back to Zimbabwe (they need a minimum of R3000)
For their country and leaders
Woman of God’s heart
Eugenia, is one of so many ladies in Red Hill who wants more of God in her life. She is a traditional church lady and said that she does not want to be left behind. We’ve been sharing with the Zimbabwean ladies (whom she is housing in a separate part of their big shack). She originally didn’t want us there, and as she admitted to us, did not understand what we were doing there? But now she knows what we want to do. We visited her, sharing with her and she said she wants to be part of building the Kingdom of God.
This morning we will be going to Red Hill to have a woman’s group with Eugenia, the Zim ladies and Nono. God is working in Red Hill and we are so amazed with how the scales are coming off their eyes to see the truth… They realize that they are living in sin – going to church on Sundays, but still drinking, living in sexual sin and so many more that they don’t want to live this way any more and wants change.
Let’s put our trust in God that He will change their hearts according to Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one hearts (taking away stubbornness), and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh”.
To give more detail: Conrad and I are spending time with them, reading, praying, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us and finding out what God wants to teach us in the scripture and doing what God is asking us to do. We are so exited – God is also revealing things to us as we walk the road with these people!
In awe – home church with Bantu!
During the last week we’ve been blown – standing in awe how God is moving people. On Wednesday evening we visited Red Hill joining in a small church group Bantu and Nono is leading. Bantu took initiative and led the whole evening with so much confidence and faith in God. We are so thankful! God has been faithful to them – healing Bantu with his ear infection as well as their little girl, Azania with diarrhea.
Bantu had dreams the last few weeks and also read the book of Daniel in the Bible. Specifically Daniel 9 touched him – he is crying out to God (interceding and praying) for Red Hill’s people and we are so touched by his desperation. As Neil Cole said in one of his teachings: “Some people must drown or be close to drowning, before they will get saved and turn to God!”.
Ace, one of the men who joined in also said he wants to quit drinking. Please pray for Ace that God will set him free and that he will make a choice to want more of Jesus in his life – to live in truth!
Relocated
After two busy days, we have moved to another house. We are settled in and met the neighbours. Our family and Simon & Marieke (from Holland) will stay in a three bedroom house in Kommetjie for the next two months. It feels much more like home. A smaller “cozier” oikos with a garden and lots of friends in the street…. The kids were playing in the street and enjoyed a ride on their bicycles.
I’ve went up to Red Hill with our team this morning. Meeting new People of Peace, prayer walked and spend time with the T4T members. God is busy changing people. I’ve read a book titled Families where Grace is in place by Jeff van Vonderen. On the back cover he states the following words: the first step is learning the simple difference between God’s job and ours. God’s part is to fix and change people. Our responsibility is to depend on the Holy Spirit, serve our families and help to equip them to be all they can be. This is my prayer, that we will do just this!
We feel at home… We will send photo’s soon. Enjoy your week!
God is at work in Red Hill!
God is so faithful! I went on outreach on Thursday afternoon with my team members….
I have met Maputsi, a newly married lady who gave her heart to the Lord last year (2008). Raymond and I spoke to her about Acts 17:24-27 that reads the God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and earth, does not well in temples made with hands, nor is serving with men’s’ hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives life and breath and all thins to all. And He has made all nations of men of one blood to dwell on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling, to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and find Him, though indeed He is not far from each one of us.
We encouraged her to find her identity in Christ reading a few passages from Genesis 1:26-28, Psalms 8:3, Genesis 2:7 and John 8 together.
Her cousin-sister, Sanelisiwe (13 years old) from Delft, also joined us, eager to hear and study the Bible with us. We were reading together, sharing what we understood and what is God saying in these verses. We prayed together and just enjoyed one another’s company and time digging into God’s Word.
We invited them to come to the All Nations’ celebration, Sunday April 12th (a once a month gathering) where we will enjoy fellowship. Titus 2:11 reads The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men – God is to fix and change people. Our job is to love and serve! We are exited about God’s work in this community and in people’s hearts!
Maputsi was baptized on Sunday morning! She laid down her old life…
Sharing
On April 2nd I went to Red Hill for outreach. As we’ve mentioned: we have specific outreach days. Conrad goes on a Tuesday and I go on a Thursday. I’ve met Sabina, a lady from Zimbabwe. She is a single mom and so hungry for God’s Word. Maria and Elmon, my team members went with. We could share so much of the information we have received during the last few weeks.
Sabina said that sometimes it feels as if she’s praying but nothing happens. No work…. no food…. no solutions? She reads the Bible but nothing happens? We can share our experiences but it is God who changes peoples hearts and their situations!
I shared a story about a little boy who spend time with his Grandfather during holiday seasons. The Grandfather were a steadfast believer and was reading his Bible every morning at the kitchen table every morning. Then the little boy would join him and try to copy his Grandfather. Then one day he said: Grandfather I read, but I don’t understand and sometimes I forget what I’ve read. Is it really worth trying to read the Bible?
The Grandfather had a deep thought and then replied. Take this coal bag (dirty from the coal stove) and go fill it up with water in the river. The boy ran off and struggled to get a full bag of water at the house. After the third time the grandfather send the little boy down to the river, the boy started complaining…
The grandfather told the little boy: “I know you’ve been trying very hard to bring me water, but you feel unsuccessful. Do you see a difference in the bag?” The boy nodded his head and said: “Oh, yeah, its almost clean…”
“That’s what happens when we keep on reading our Bibles”, the Grandfather replied. “We get clean from the inside out. Although we don’t understand sometimes, the Holy Spirit will reveal new insights that will catch our attention and speak to our hearts. We will start thinking about specific scriptures and God will do the work, needed to be done: renewing our minds and thoughts to His will. What you and I have to do is to constantly read our Bibles and unceasingly pray!”.
We are very exited about our friendship with Sabina. We would like to come along side her and walk with her. We will take candles for a symbolic gesture of igniting candles to spread The Gospel with her next week.
My first outreach in Red Hill
Thursday 26th February 2009, was my first outreach to Red Hill.
I was very exited about going, but I also had mixed emotions regarding our safety. As a white South African lady, we grew up with so many violence in South Africa, knowing the reality of crime. But I know that God has a plan for my journey, I went with an open heart .…
Our team leader, Raymond and I started walking to see if we could start a conversation with someone. We saw a lady standing at her washing line. We introduced ourselves and her name was Nozuko. She’s about 37 years old and she looked very oppressed. Her daughter, 15 years of age is disabled staying with her mom in Northern Cape who is an alcoholic. She invited us into her house where she and her boyfriend was staying – small, very neat and clean, with little furniture. At this point we were sharing the God’s Story with her. We prayed with her and for her situation. We will meat Nozuko next week, again.
As we said good buy to Nozuko we saw two gentlemen sitting in front of a small white, wooden house. They were busy paving a walkway. While they took a break, we used the opportunity to ask them what they were doing and in return told them what we’re doing in the community.
We told them that we were part of a group of people all over the world who are passionate about Jesus and would like to share the Gospel with people like them. Eric wasn’t very interested and left, but Dumisani took part in the conversation. He seems to be a man of peace. We will go back next week to tell him more about Jesus.
While Raymond and I started heading back to the point where we will meet the rest of the team, we saw kids coming back from school. High school kids, Primary school kids and then these little ones – my heart was touched! To think that these kids are the same age as Maruche (6 years), my youngest little girl and they would haveto come home on an afternoon, walk alone by themselves, feeding themselves on what is available in the kitchen and then, just play around the house withfellow friends till their parent/s arrive by 18:00. My inner voice screamed: “NO!”.
I cannot imagine this, but this is the reality for so many kids in these rural communities. Not having their mom, picking them up at school, driving in a car, arrive to be exited about time with mom, having a special lunch prepared and doing home work together or taking them to activities as we are used to doing it! How do we often take for granted all the blessings we have?
There were also a lot of youngsters sitting around, listening to their “jam music” and having conversations with their friends. Here and there someone would peep out their front door to see what we were doing and waving with a curious “hallo”.
As we went up the one hill, we passed an elderly lady. She llooked very reserved, but we greeted with a warm smile and “hallo”. As we passed one another, we both came to a halt. Asking Rose, “where do you live?” She replied: “oh, I’m coming back from my work. I char once a week.” In a nut shell we shared the reason for our visit to the community. Rose comes from Zimbabwe.
Raymond and Rose found common ground, because he told her of his work in Zimbabwe during 2006. Then he asked if we could visit her? She immediately invited us to walk with her. A long and dirty gravel path, climbing over rocks, wire, rubble, going through a small little path, passing a house or two. Passing the newly built library and an old red car wreck. Turned left and passing a shack where we came to a stop in front of this little rusted corrugated iron box. She opened her hand, saying “welcome to our house”. Shoes were lying outside so we assumed we should take of ours as well but “No!” she said, “just come in as you are”.
Inside, we’ve met four ladies. Hendriette, Rose’s daughter, her friend Mary and Mary’s daughter Ester, with Ester’s friend, Jane. One bed, on the ground this hard wood stack bed covered with a white sheet only. All of us in this “bachelors”- house squeezed in to get a place to sit and two of them, on the ground busy cooking supper on a two plate stove. The walls covered with news paper sheets and for decoration a nice candle stand. Clothes, not in a cupboard, but hanging from the roof against the wall.
The welcome was so warm and friendly. We’ve spend almost 30 minutes with them. Sharing the Gospel. They took out a little gospel booklet which they were reading and didn’t understand some of the words (“fussing”), which I was eagerly explaining and sharing with them the message in context. Wow! What a divine appointment.
Will you please pray with us for our friend’s country – only God can save them. Pray for the Christians among these people that they would still have hope and peace in their hearts!
They are eager to see us next week.
New Glasses
During the last two weeks in class, it just struck me that not only do I need God, God needs me as well – to tell everybody about Him! In Acts 2:17, 18; God speaks of pouring out His Spirit on all mankind – menservants, maidservants, sons and daughters. I’m just starting to look through new glasses – God’s glasses.
My prayer is that I each out to someone that I will be able to see what God sees, feel what God feels and have the compassion, discernment and love that God has for all mankind.
The Red Hill Community
Red Hill is a small Black African Community between Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town. Mountainous beauty surrounds this little community with a beautiful view over the ocean.
A wild fire destroyed a large area of this community in December 2007. The very next day after the fire destroyed their houses, land and literally everything they had, a CPx’s team of 2007, arrived to help these devastated individuals and families to start a new life. They’ve returned day after day, putting their hands together, rebuilding houses, using sponsors and donations to put up new houses.
After more than a year, people still talk about the people who arrived the day after the fire. Because of the fire, the CPx team had the opportunity to build relationships with the people. The CPx team asked some of the community members: “When did Jesus really became real to them?”. Their answer: “The day after the fire. Those people came back, day after day after day. Did what they said they would do. They were real and true”.
We can bring short term relief by giving money but what they need is Jesus to be able to bare the load of the world’s pressure. We need to walk beside them, guiding them and coaching them into new insight and having hope for the future.
