South Africa Nov 2024

by Lynne Kreher As I reflect back on the past 10 days as I sit on the bus heading back to Hopewell after our 16 hour flight from Cape Town to Newark, I can't help but smile. It was a great trip with a great group of people who each brought their own special and unique gifts to the team. My "gift" or certainly what I enjoy the most is the physical labor of the house building.  On the first morning of each trip the entire team assembles at the job site to how the houses are built and try their hand at brickwork. It's not for everybody and I appreciate that. Some have a heart for Avodah, the adults with special needs group, some have a passion for the children in the Ma's and Mosaic programs, some want to spend time with Mom's affirming them and praying with them. It's all good stuff and there's certainly crossover among the opportunities.  But, if it's a build day, I'm there.  After lunch on the first day, I was the only woman in our group who re...

  by Stephanie Fabian Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’”  John 21:12 Before we feasted on eggs with cheese, or granola and yogurt, we gathered together with our devotionals, praise songs and prayers to thank our generous Father for giving us such an extraordinary opportunity.  What a blessing it was to start each day by praying for our team and for all our new found friends. There is power in the name of Jesus! For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

by Carrie Argro I give thanks for the grace to endure the roller coaster ride of a lifetime.  Mountains, hills, valleys, sorrows and pains are evident that the dry bones can live, testify and speak life as a living witness to the manifestation of the presence of God anywhere at anytime.  No matter what we see here or feel.  We serve a mighty, awesome, wonder working God that can do more with our crumbs than we could ever do with a whole loaf.  Thanks for the grace to endure the journey of a lifetime.🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

 by Karyn Ross This was my third trip to South Africa. Each time the relationships I have built here continue to grow and deepen. It is hard to describe to someone that hasn’t been but to those of us who have, the ten days seem much longer. We form bonds and friendships that sometimes take months or even years to build. Perhaps it is because when we’re here everything else seems to fall away. We focus on those relationships. We take the time to really learn about and understand each other. We laugh together, we cry together, we share stories and we build trust. Every time you go back, you go deeper. People become more vulnerable, we share more together, the love grows and suddenly, somehow you find your lives are intertwined.   This trip was amazing and full of God moments. This trip was a blessing in so many ways. This trip was also hard. The more I grow to love them, the greater my desire grows to help them. In one particularly tough moment I was reminded of something m...

by Karyn Ross One of the highlights of our trip has been our Reach for the Stars celebration on Thursday.  We gathered along with members of the community, ninety guests in total, to celebrate our Avodah members and their guests.  Avodah is a group of young adults with special abilities.   We spent the days prior to the event practicing songs, trying on their formal clothes and walking the red carpet. On the day of the big event it was all hands on deck, with volunteers and the members themselves all pitching in to help move furniture, decorate the hall, set up tables, media equipment etc. We transformed a simple room with wooden tables and chairs into an enchanted fairy land!  There was a velvet couch with sparkling lights and silver balloons as a backdrop for pictures. There were beautiful centerpieces and table settings and the entryway was flanked with the members’ pictures dressed in their new clothes. There were hundreds of sparkling silver stars and white fair...

 by Carrie Argro  It was in all the eyes of the little children that caused me to pray liquid prayers. Silent prayers are most powerful. I consider the smallest of things to be the hinges of the universe. It's when God is magnified the most. Even the smallest things in universe are known to God and they are regarded with love. Even mountain sized obstacles can be overcome with small seemingly insignificant things. Always start small and watch God go big in your life.

 by Carrie Argro Blessings everyone I have discovered on this trip that I am one of the best builders ever.   As we began building the house I came to realize that I was either in the way or I knew nothing about what to do.  Then as I traveled for home visits I discovered that I was best at building relationships with others and praying that the Lord would meet them where they are and answer the prayers that were uttered on their behalf.  Spiritually one of the best builders ever.  Live your witness.  Carrie🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

by Cammy Brantzeg      I am sorry we haven't been posting blogs.  Our trip has been super busy and we haven't had much time to write blogs.  I am going to post some pictures to show you what we have been doing. On Wednesday morning part of our group helped set up for the Avodah Reach for the Stars event and the rest of the group was working on building the house and painting a house that a German mission trip team build in October.   We took Wednesday afternoon off to go visit a winery and eat dinner out at a restaurant. Avodah Reach for the Stars Set Up Untangling Stars House Building & Painting German Built House Delaire Graff Winery

by Karyn Ross My time here in South Africa is blessed by spending time with Avodah, a group of young adults with special abilities. The unconditional love, joy, light, and love of life they possess is truly inspiring!   Thursday we will be celebrating them at Reach for the Stars, an event where they will be dress up, walk the red carpet, dance and dine together with friends and family! We want them to feel beautiful and special just the way we all see them! Well today we had a dress rehearsal for this event. We got them dressed in their clothes complete with glitter body spray for the girls and cologne for the boys. They looked amazing as they glittered and sparkled, and we announced each one of them as they walked across an empty room and bare floor where a red carpet and close to 100 guests will be in two days. We wanted to practice, to get it right on the big day. As I watched them twirl and smile and laugh together, I realized that to them this was not a dress rehearsal. T...

by Cammy Brantzeg      Our days have been crazy busy but I wanted to share some pictures before I went to bed tonight. The pictures below are the house when we arrived.  The house that we are building is a duplex.  The other half was built in October by a German mission trip team.  We are building the 2nd half on our trip.   We received a warm welcome from the Mosaic families and the children when we stopped by on Sunday for a tour of the Mosaic house site.  Braai at our house on Sunday night. House Building on Monday... Pastor Carrie sharing her testimony with the Ma's for Wellington staff on Monday morning. I need to go to bed.  It is 10:30 pm Wednesday night and I need to get up early.  I will post more pictures tomorrow.