Journal - june 2010

 
 

June 1st - Life Auction

Our team has continued to meet with the student council members (prefects who attended the leadership adventure camp) with an after school “Discovery Club.”

Today some members of our team had fun with a “Life Auction” – where the kids were given paper money (1000 R) and an opportunity to bid on things like wealth, fame, a successful marriage, unlimited access to drugs, peace with God, etc.

Daria, our team leader said, “I was surprised when two girls were willing to spend their entire pot of money on A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE.”

She thought it was very telling to see what each teenager feels is important in life and sparked a very interesting conversation about values!


June 3rd - Warehouse

Today we met with Warehouse – and were impressed! They work through local churches to…

  • provide high-quality used items to the poor (clothing, bedding, household items, etc.)
  • mentorship programs for gangsters and at-risk-youth that offer a refuge and support
  • find and nurture entrepreneurs -recognizing that entrepreneurs are those individuals who will create employment for others
  • offer training courses in Christian social transformation

We hope to get to know them better!

Craig, Julie and Elizabeth

Clothing to be distributed to the poor

 

June 4th - Sports Venues and Cottage Homes

Wow! Today we had breakfast with Joe O'Connor - an amazing man whose vision is to is to design, build and operate state-of-the-art community centers and sports venue in the poorest areas in the world!

He is also passionate about offering affordable housing to the disadvantaged.

One of his best and largest learning project is an inner city youth sports complex that he designed, funded and installed in an impoverished community in North Dublin, Ireland. He also has several projects in poor urban areas in the US.

As a lawyer and business man, he is able to leverage profits from his businesses to fund these community enrichment centers.

Another incredible idea of his is to build a community of small cottage homes for the poor.

A Village of Hope represents a new paradigm in developing non institutional, affordable and sustainable housing for the poor - as we also address employment challenges, family dysfunction, substance abuse and financial accountability.

 

A dignity cottage is about the size of a small apartment and can be “mobile” or it can be set permanently in place.

The Village of Hope is a network of dignity cottages designed to eventually serve up to 100+ families enjoying a fresh start.

 

We can't wait to partner with Joe on these exciting projects here in South Africa!

 

June 8th - Girl Shares Her Story in Film Club


The Amazing African Women Film Society has continued to go well and we have had many inspirational women come and speak to the girls.

Speakers have exclusively been successful women from South Africa (including a doctor, hair designer, social worker, CEO, and fashion designer).

Most of the speakers told stories about overcoming abuse, with the help of God, and achieving success and breakthrough in their life.

The girls have learned how to use the FLIP video camera to film the speakers and conduct interviews. Next week we will show them how to make a movie using iMovie.

This week we had a special time with one girl in particular who shared her personal story of rape at eleven years of age, murder and brokenness.

We are praying for ways to minister to this special group of 10th grade girls!

 

 

June 9th - Computer Class Expands


Over the last month we have been holding a free computer course for single moms in Ocean View!

We have helped about half a dozen women set up an email account for the first time and have showed them how to look for jobs online.

Today we finalized our “official computer class curriculum” and will soon open up the class to more people.

Certificate of completion notes these skills acquired...

  • Setting up and managing an email account
  • Locating job opportunities and items for sale online
  • Developing and editing a CV (resume)
  • Creating a Gum Tree account to advertise skills
  • Mastering 8 finger typing
  • Creating a blog (writing personal stories and contributing photos)


See Computer Class Curriculum

See Computer Class Completion Certificate

 

June 11th - The World Cup Begins


It's finally here! As many of you know, this is the first time an African country has hosted the World Cup.

Here is Floyd McClung's (director of our organization All Nation) recent twitter post:

God uses global sporting events to bring nations together, heal national wounds, break down racial barriers and create hope.

Pray for SA!

 

 

 

June 14th – Coke (The Real Thing)

Film Club 10th Grade Girls (with Suretha and Julie)


Our Amazing African Women Film Society girls met for lunch today to celebrate our time together and to interview our last speaker.

Val, the CEO of a non-profit organization, was raised in a township but was able to get multiple degrees, has been happily married for 40 years and enjoys a successful career.

She spoke to the girls about the importance of not hiding your true self and keeping your dreams alive.

She performed a very powerful illustration by pouring a glass of Coke half full – explaining that Coke is the “real thing” (for those of you that remember the 1970 Coca-Cola slogan) and represents the "real you."

1. She then poured oil on top of the Coke and told the girls that life can bring along many hurts and pains that cover up the real you (oil suppressing the Coke – limiting your dreams and stifling your potential).

2. She sprinkled glitter on the oil, saying you often try to cover the pain with a glitzy fake you.

3. Then she poured a liter of Coke into the glass and flushed out the oil and glitter - illustrating that when you pour God into your life (the True Real Thing - a liter of Coke), you flush out the junk and become the person you were created to be.

This Amazing Women really spoke life and hope to these Amazing Girls!

 

June 16th – Karl Shares About Serving

The prefects shared their ideas on how to
change the school and leave a legacy
Desire sang a beautiful song
a cappella about All Nations impact

 

We took the prefects (student council members who went to the Adventure Camp) to coffee and listened to their ideas on how they want to change their school.

One girl wants to create a program to keep the bathrooms clean and another person wanted to start a school news paper with contributions from everyone!

They also want to meet together to do Bible studies and encourage one another!

See the video:Karl enouraging prefects to love each other by serving each other

 

June 16th – Discovery Bible Study and God’s Amazing Love

Ocean View Discovery Bible Study Women

We normally meet in the library for our Ocean View women’s Discovery Bible Study, but today was a public holiday and the library closed.

Instead, we devoured pizza together, and I showed them an incredible 5 minute video on God’s Amazing Love for us.

They were moved to tears, shared from their heart and the newcomers seemed interested in coming to future Bible studies.

It was a great day!

 
 

 

June 21st - CPx "Outreach Phase" is Ending

 

Our time in Ocean View has officially ended for CPx!

This week is a time for debriefing with our team and connecting with other All Nations students returning from outreach to...

- Zanzibar
- Zimbabwe
- Zambia
- Namibia
- Cape Town (Masi and Ocean View)

We will continue to meet for the Bible study with our Ocean View friends until we return to the states mid-July!

We will also spend time planning for the community center/sports venue, developing a model for micro enterprise, and expanding the computer course.


 

 

 

June 25th - Hairs on our Head and Cell Phone in Our Hand

One of Karl’s best friends from the US came to visit us recently. Karl had purchased a $20 phone for his week’s stay (since you don’t want to be caught in Africa in an emergency without a cell phone – have you seen Blood Diamond?).

I remembered one of the women from our Bible study had lent her cell phone (given to her as a Christmas present) to a friend – who then left town and never returned it.

It can take months for our friends in Ocean View to save enough for a cell phone, and I knew it was very stressful for her (she coordinates Bible study meetings via her phone and uses it to invite people and encourage friends).

With Karl’s friend's departure, we had no immediate use for the phone. I mentioned to her at Bible study that she could have it.

Unbeknownst to be she had written this prayer in her journal a few days before…

Father, that phone You gave to me as a Christmas present…I wait patiently for You to send my cell phone back to me, Father. If I made mistakes, I humble myself in forgiveness and stand before you naked in repentance… All I ask of you Father is to send my phone back to me in Jesus name. I thank you in advance for my phone that you gonna send back to me...You are the Beginning and the End. And I believe in my heart that you are will and shall come through for me. Thank you Father.

Isn’t it cool to be a part of God’s plan to bless someone? Sometimes God comes through for us like we think He will...and sometimes He doesn't. But isn't it awesome to know that the Lord of the Universe cares about the hairs on our head and the cell phone in our hand?

 

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