We Interrupt This Blogcast

Five months ago I waited anxiously in Anticipation for the next chapter of my life to begin. It was a period of time unlike any other in my life. After months of considering, waiting, preparing, roadblocks, and the final go-ahead I stepped out in faith for what has been the ride of my life. I am once again found in a similar boat. After months of consideration, continuous prayer, seeking the counsel of wiser men, and waiting for the hand of God to lead I have made the tough decision to return home at the closure of The African Exposure Team.

It is important for everyone; my friends, family, supporters, and myself to know the whole truth for my early return to The States as to avoid any speculation or assumption. My decision to return home was just that, a decision. There was no mishap, altercation, or misbehavior that led to this and I was more than welcome to stay on for the six months training.

From an early stage, I knew in my heart that there was a possibility I would return at the end of the first five months. As time and events unfolded the possibility solidified into a reality and I realized that this is not the place for me at this stage in my life. Even though I encountered and endured many hardships from homesickness, a lower standard of living, confinement, lack of spiritual guidance, and leadership these conditions were not the key factors in my decision. I acknowledge that they aided in the thought of returning home but were not compelling enough to make me leave. I needed confirmation from God and found this in seeking Him and finding the deep riches of His peace.

A great lesson I have learned in South Africa is that we all experience life differently and therefore should not compare ourselves with others. Doing so often sets one up for disappointment. I would ask the same from you. For many people who read this blog you have the ability to compare but keep in mind we are all individuals with different paths and should avoid judging others.

When a person comes to a crossroads in their life I believe that God will use that person whether they choose to go left or right. If I was to stay for training I think God would use that time, however, I also know that He will continue His work in me at home. I have had to remind myself over and over again that God paved my way here. With that in mind, I also had to remind myself that God is completely and fully sovereign not just almost sovereign. God knew when I would come and when I would leave. This is not a surprise to Him and He still opened up the doors and had a purpose for me to be in South Africa.

Finally, the most important part of this blog entry. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who have supported me during my time away. You have played an important and real part in God’s plan for evangelizing the nations. Thank you so much to those who gave financially and sacrificed your own comforts for others, know that it wasn’t in vain and that your gifts were appreciated and made a difference. Thank you to those who actively made a difference in my life and the lives of others all the way across the world through your prayers. I believe we are all called into missions. We may not be the ones who go but God can still use us and has definitely used many of you.

What does life look like after Africa? I will be returning home at an undisclosed time to spend time with my family and readjust to life at home. I am hoping to pick up a light load of classes at The University of Akron this spring semester and major in Art Education. I am looking for a ministry that I can really devote myself to and make a difference at home. However, I first must take some time for myself and renew my spirit. Our purpose statement at the Training Base is “Sending whole people, into whole communities, with the whole gospel” and that is what I desire but I first must make sure that I am a completely whole person. God has richly blessed me with so many life-changing experiences and I believe that God doesn’t give us experiences for the sake of the experience but to prepare us for something bigger in the future. Who knows where God will lead me but I know that He is holding onto me and has a purpose for my life.

Love,

Adam

Ways To Pray:

1) Adjusting to life at home

2) Spiritual renewal

3) A ministry to get involved in

4) Thoroughly processing these five months and making them apart of who I am

Stay tuned for my last entry at home and pics from this year!!!!

The Mother City

There truly is no place like Cape Town in all of South Africa. This great city is alive and booming with chic restaurants and trendy shops aligning the old Waterfront Harbor giving it a New England style feel. Skyscrapers and modern architecture cater to Cape Town’s sophisticated reputation. In comparison to other South African urban areas, Cape Town is very clean and relatively safe.

Most of my days in Cape Town were spent relaxing, reading on the beach, and walking around The Waterfront at night. My dad was there with me and he definitely spoiled me with some of the nicer things in life. We spent Christmas on the beach and had sushi for our Christmas dinner, not so traditional but still welcomed. It was good to have my dad with me for Christmas but even if he had been absent I have really come to know my team as my family here in South Africa. On New Year’s Eve I met back up with the team. We ate dinner at an Asian restaurant and sang karaoke afterwards. Our team is a blast and it was hilarious watching everyone give it there all onstage especially, our Korean brothers singing I Believe I Can Fly, which sounded more like “I Beribe I Can Pry”. Later that night we toasted in the New Year at the Waterfront Harbor. We dangled our feet over the dock and watched a fireworks show. 2008 was a wild and unforgettable year and I look forward to what 2009 holds, as well.

Two days after returning from holiday we headed off to the OM Africa Retreat. There we worked as the catering team. Our workload was light and during the day we got to enjoy the pool. Today, January 10 is my 19^th birthday. It is so weird having a summer birthday this year. Two of my American friends had a surprise night planned for me. We first went to a restaurant in the mall called Baobab. The malls here in South Africa are far better than the ones we have back home. At our first visit to the mall I mentioned that I wanted to go there before leaving. So it was a fun time with my two closest friends here. I thought that was the end of my birthday celebration and that we were coming back to the base to watch the greatest American tv show, The Office, with two friends from home. When we got there my two friends were in on a surprise that the team had planned. I was sent into the coffee house and had a surprise party with the team.

Things to Pray for:

1) Processing all of my experiences

2) Spiritual Rejuvenation

3) What’s after Africa

Love,

Adam

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

The last two weeks have been non-stop for the A-Team. Two weeks ago we were at a weeklong youth conference called Teen Street. There we worked as the service team. Our responsibilities were to prepare meals, run the evening coffee shop, and facilitate different activities. We were on the go from morning to night and it definitely took a lot from us mentally and physically. However, I have learned some valuable lessons as to what it looks like to be a servant not in the things you do, but who you are as you do them.

Due to some careless planning at the conclusion of Teen Street our team left for a rural outreach in Limpopo Valley. It was a week of ministry packed days. Everyday we traveled to a different village helping a local team put on an end of the year celebration for their weekly kids program. In the African culture not much preparation is done in organizing events. Our day started in the morning with a march through dirt road in the village while the bus in front of us shouted with a megaphone inviting people to the service. Then we went to the church and…waited. Waited for the children to go fetch water somewhere, build a fire, heat the water, and bathe.

When all of the children came the music began. I have experienced something like this only once before in India, the repetitive track. The same four songs played all week and went something like this “Heavy load, heavy load, God is gonna lighten up your heavy load” (repeat 8x) and “I am so glad Jesus took my sins away, he took my sins away, he took my sins away” (repeat 8x). We went outside and danced from the road, around the church, then danced in the church for about 45 minutes to the same songs. Later we played some games, which were again dancing games. After games we had praise and worship time. During this time we danced some more to the same track. Then the sermon came. In the rural villages the louder the better, so for an hour we listened to a loud passionate African man preach the gospel. We concluded the program with…you guessed it more songs and dancing. The same program was repeated for a week.

Needless to say, we are all in need for a vacation. In only two days the A-Team will be heading to Capetown to spend 10 days relaxing on the beach. I really look forward to this break as a time of replenishment mentally, physically, and spiritually. I am often being stretched very thin and high expectations are set to perform at your peak, especially when it comes to ministry. Somewhere in that I lost focus and priority for the things that I need to continue pushing through. It is strange not being home with my family and friends this time of year but being in the middle of summer tends to take away the holiday spirit. So, thankfully I am not feeling sad from being separated from home this time of year. My dad will be here in three days, joining me for a week of my holiday in Capetown. I am very excited to see him! I hope everyone back home has a wonderful Christmas and enjoys it to the full.

Isaiah 9:6
“For to us a child is give, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Prayer Points:

1. Nothing will hinder our time to relax
2. We will get recharged spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically
3. No members of our team encounters homesickness on Christmas

Love, Adam

Zulu Country

South Africa is truly The Rainbow Nation with 11 official languages, occupied with many indigenous tribes, and European settlers. Our last outreach was in Durban which holds the largest Indian community outside of India. We however did not work with the Indians but with the Zulu people. Our time in Durban was divided in half. The first week we spent working with Lily of the Valley Community Development and Orphanage and the second half in Valley of 1,000 Hills.

Lily of the Valley is the organization that we have worked with thus far that has really struck me as successful. It offers many great opportunities and life skills classes to make an effective impact in the community. My favorite ministry outlet was working with the orphanage. The orphanage is predominantly made up of children who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. 85% of the kids in the orphanage are also positive. My heart was broken when we heard that a few years ago the orphanage was under different management and the kids were being solicited for sex.

One of the boys there really grabbed hold of my heart. His name was Thando, which means love in Zulu. He was 3 years old and attached to my hip. The first day I met him he seemed to be a defenseless boy that the other kids picked on. So I just held him and gave him love. After about two hours of playing with him it was time to go. I asked one of the English speaking kids to tell him I would be back tomorrow. When I put him down his bottom lip started to quiver and his eyes welled up with tears. The next few days I spent with him we grew to have a deep bond unlike I have had with any other kids here. I learned the phrase to say I love you and by the end of the week he was saying it back to me.

The second week we stayed in The Valley of 1,000 Hills with local families. When we have the privilege to stay with families it is a blessing and a challenge. A blessing because you get to interact so closely with the people and experience their lifestyle and culture hands on. A challenge because you are “on-call” 24/7. When you aren’t doing ministry you are expected to entertain and interact with the family after a tiring day of ministry. In the end I had a great experience with my host.

In A Valley of 1,000 Hills we did a lot of clinic ministry and visited an Aids Hospice. Basically the set up is people go to these free clinics, wait for hours in long lines and stuffy rooms, hoping to be seen, and receive the attention that they need. We would go in and sing songs, perform dramas, share the Word of God, and offer prayer. You could feel the atmosphere in the room change from when we arrived and when we left. The people were planning on spending a day in the company of sick and miserable people waiting to get some relief and were surprised with a story of hope. One of my greatest highlights from this time was at the end of our program we told the people we wanted to give them hugs before leaving. The people sprang to their feet in anticipation for physical touch. I especially loved the hugs from the big African mommas! ☺

On Sunday we went to a church service in an abandoned building. Only being a few years out of the devastating apartheid system there is still a great deal of hurt and prejudices between the Black, Indian, and White communities. The leader of our team is an Indian and he took a surprising leap to reconcile the gap between the races. Our leader shared a little from the Scripture and then took out a basin of water and a towel and said he would like to start by washing the feet of the pastor who was a black African. He did this as a tangible way of saying sorry for the pain his people caused the blacks. The room began to be filled with loud sobs from the congregation. Later our team also washed the feet of the black people as a way of bringing the black and white people together. You could feel the walls of resentment come crumbling down as they recognized that we are God’s children, equally loved in His sight regardless of our past or skin tone.

Well, the holiday season is fully upon us. I hope everyone back home had an awesome Thanksgiving. I was very happy that the Americans on our team left the training base to go to another Americans house for a very nice and authentic Turkey Day meal. As my eyes have begun to open to the realities of pain and suffering throughout the world I really have much to be thankful for. I am so blessed to have a family who loves and supports me. I am grateful for parents who have given so much up for me. I am thankful for the comforts of home like running water, fresh food, and heat during the winter. I am blessed for fun and loving friends. I am filled with gratitude for the church I come from and the many leaders, mentors, and friends who have helped to guide me down a path of godliness. Mostly I am thankful for my relationship to God. I have learned so much more of who He is and His great love for me.

We are back on the base for the next week. We then leave and go to Teen Street which is a big youth gathering for a week and then another outreach for 5 days then Christmas vacation in Cape Town!!!!!!! And my dad will also be joining me!

Ways to Pray:

1. The healing of the burdens the kids at the orphanage carry
2. Spiritual, emotional, and physical strength for the team (we are exhausted on so many levels)
3. God’s guidance in my life after this experience

Love, Adam

Namibia: The Bush

Three days of straight road that continuously vanished into the horizon, crossing through the Tropic of Capricorn, and watching the scenery gradually change from the lush vegetation brought on by the late spring rains, towering trees, and rolling terrain into the sun-scorched grass, stunted plants, and dried river beds, we finally reached the depths of the Namibian bush. Four deserts frame Namibia with the central part of the country being mostly savanna. The harsh conditions of the sun that cause temperatures to teeter around 105 degrees, lack of shade, and scarce water supply makes daily life for many Namibians a challenge. The main people groups we were in contact with were the Himba and Themba tribes. Only slightly touched by the Western world, the people’s lives and appearances look like something torn out of the pages of The National Geographic. Both tribes live in huts constructed out of mud and cow dung strategically placed around the holy fire. An animistic worldview binds both groups together by appeasing the spirits and animal glorification. The main source of income is livestock. Children, as young as ten years of age, are shepherds of over one hundred sheep. The initial reaction to the people makes you feel awkward and sheepish. The men wear only loin clothes and have intricately braded mohawks. The Himba women wear only a flap of cowhide around their waist. Everything on their bodies is covered with a mixture of cow fat and red dirt. They also mold their hair into dreads with the distinct smelling concoction. A sign of creativity and beauty for the women in the Himba culture is plucking out the two front teeth. The Themba people wear only brightly colored skirts, style their hair into hundreds of tightly woven braids, and are covered in impressive beadwork. At first sight the people were quite startling and seemed to be from a different world but we soon discovered we had much more in common than different.

Once we arrived to our campsite in Okangwati ministry began. A group of Himba and Themba believers traveled from the neighboring towns to camp with us to receive training from one of the pastors. When we were not doing ministry in the town we were trying our best to interact with the people. Like I have said in my past blogs my time in Africa has been the most spontaneous of my life and this trip didn’t let me down. Our first day of planned ministry we found out there wasn’t a plan and that it was up to us to integrate ourselves with the people. This was not welcoming news but we did our best to establish a program. Because we didn’t know the area, the culture, the people, or the language it seemed like we were facing an unfeasible task. Our first day we walked through the town, did our best to communicate, and make our presence known. Three key points from the town struck us; there were many idle children, drunken men, and a long heap of trailing trash. We struggled to find a way to combat the cultural barriers and to differentiate ourselves from the insensitive awestruck tourists shoving cameras in the people’s faces like caged animals in the zoo. We were striving to find a tangible way to show the people God’s love, that we weren’t tourist, and with the main goal of building relationships with the people. Our thoughts were that the best way accomplish this was to do practical work and begin picking up the trash throughout the town. This opened up multiple opportunities for ministry. The practical work we were doing was outside of the schoolyard. The next thing we knew we were asked to do a kid’s program with the children. A group of people who have been gifted with the ability to evangelize began walking around the town attempting to communicate the gospel to the people with the help of a borderline, cheesy magic trick. That same day we stumbled upon an orphanage where kid’s go to get fed. We asked if we were allowed to do a kid’s program with them and thankfully they responded yes. However, we had one condition. We were not allowed to mention anything about Jesus. We made a good relationship with the workers of the orphanage and an impact on the kids. Our hope is that in the future another A-Team will have the honor of sharing the good news with those kids. We repeated this same process day after day. As the days progressed we began to make connections with the people. The kid’s were anxiously waiting for us in the morning. At lunchtime they would follow us to a shaded area in the dried riverbed, even though we were really in need of some alone time. The people in the town now started coming up to us and saying thank you for our service to their community. Our last day for the school program a mob of kids followed us out of the gates. We pleaded with them to go back to class as they asked for us to stay. We shared hugs and what seemed like for them to be dreaded last goodbyes. That is a moment I will never forget. It was reassuring to see God’s faithful hand moving in Okangwati and how He ultimately determined our steps. After doing our best to make an impact on the people we felt a desire to give something of more significance than a clean road. So we took the initiative to have a church service in the center of the town. On the last morning we invited everyone we saw and had a surprisingly big turn out. It was our aim to always be culturally sensitive so we asked the local believers if they would be willing to share a testimony and the gospel to the people. In the end a woman gave her life to Jesus.

During our stay in Namibia we had the opportunity to experience some of God’s grand creations. While in Okangwati we bathed every night in a natural hot spring and grazing next to us was a herd of wild horses. We were so far away from any light pollution that it seemed like you could see every star in the universe. On our way back we had a surprise stop at an oasis in the desert. It was the Epupa Falls making the border of Angola and Namibia. We were able to swim on top of the falls, which was nice after a long week in the sun. The last stop on the way back to South Africa was the world’s second largest game park. The Etosha Park has one of the world’s most famous watering holes. During our night stay there we saw wild elephants, flock of zebras, springbok, kudu, rhinos, and lions. It was unreal being so close to animals that weren’t in the confinement of walls or cages.

I have been struggling to put to words the lessons God has been teaching me. I would not be being honest if I said that my time here in Africa hasn’t been my faith’s most tested time and almost a daily struggle but God has been more than gracious and patient with me. I was reading a book by Charles Swindoll that has been ministering deeply to my soul. I read this while in the desert of Namibia and it talks about when life lessons take place in the classroom of the desert. This is a long excerpt but words cannot express more precisely how I am experiencing life. These words have given me a renewed sense of hope and perseverance and I think they can be of an encouragement to many of you.

“The desert is a place of obscurity. Moses had to cope with being a nobody. All his adolescent and adult life, he had been a big-time somebody. Every time Moses stood, people looked up expectantly. Every time he addressed them people stopped and listened. Sheep don’t do that. You can say whatever you want, you can recite poetry while turning back flips, and the flock won’t be impressed. As much as you and I may appreciate wool sweaters and wool socks, sheep are basically unintelligible and unresponsive animals. And Moses had the pleasure of their company for four long decades of his life.

Perhaps you identify with this situation. As you read, you’re nodding your head. You are taking some course work in obscurity yourself; you find yourself struggling every day with the limitations you’ve had to endure. You have been forced by the very nature of the desert to give up many of the privileges, perks, and activities you once enjoyed and held most dear. Now you’re “just getting by,” subsisting on the absolute basics of life. That is God’s plan, my friend. And if you would graduate from His school of the desert, you must take classes in obscurity; it is the first required course of the school. Here is the unvarnished truth: if you don’t learn to live peacefully with obscurity, you will repeat that course until you do. You cannot skip this one and still graduate.

Notice carefully how the process took place in the desert. God must break through several hard, exterior barriers in our lives before He can renovate our souls. His persistent goal is to break through to the inner person. What are the resistant layers in our hearts, and how does He break through to that hidden part? First, He finds pride. And He uses the sandpaper of obscurity to remove it ever so gradually.

Then He finds us gripped by fear-dread of our past, anxiety over our present, and terror over what may lie ahead-and He uses the passing of time to remove that fear. We learn that things aren’t out of hand at all; they’re in His hands.

He next encounters the barrier of resentment-the tyranny of bitterness. He breaks down that layer with solitude. In the silence of His presence, we gain a fresh perspective, gradually release our cherished rights, and let go of the expectations that held us hostage.
Finally, He gets down to the basic habits of living, He penetrates our inner person, and there He brings discomfort and hardship to buff away that last layer of resistance. Why? So that He might renovate us at the very core of our being.

Reach for the hand of your Guide! He is the Lord of the desert. Make that your desert. The most precious object of God’s love is His child in the desert. If it were possible, you mean more to Him during this time than at any other. You are His beloved student taking His toughest course. While testing you, He loves you with an infinite amount of love.
Jesus walked through the desert first. He felt its heat. He endured its loneliness. He accepted its obscurity. He faced down Satan Himself while the desert winds howled. And you can be sure He will never, ever forget or forsake the one who follows Him across the sand.”

Our team will be leaving on November 11th to spend two weeks in Durban. We were originally scheduled for three weeks but thankfully for our tired bodies the plans have changed. I can’t believe it is already November. As everyone back home is turning on the heat and preparing themselves for winter we are beginning the heat of summer. I hope you all have a wonderful Turkey Day. Hopefully, we can have some sort of celebration here but we might have to discuss it with the five other nationalities ☺

Prayer Points:

1. That the local believers in Okangwati would be bold about their faith
2. Someday the orphans will get to hear the truth of Christ
3. Love, patience, and endurance for our team as we set out on another outreach and not quite rested from the previous
4. Wisdom and guidance from God about my future

Love,
Adam

Sonibonani

The last absolute monarchy remaining in Africa is the Kingdom of Swaziland. The rural country is rich in the majesty of its mountainous landscape and deep valley sunsets. Swaziland, one of the few southern African countries to still practice its ancient culture, attracts vacationers all over the world looking to experience the heart of Africa. However, underneath the allure of handcrafted markets, safaris, and skilled women balancing rice on their heads is a dying nation. Swaziland has the lowest life expectancy in the entire world at 31 years old. Swaziland is in the midst of the worst countries affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic with almost an entire generation wiped out by the virus. The barren land is suffering from a drought drying up all the wells and unable to produce enough food. These devastating conditions brought our team to have an unforgettable, life-changing adventure in Swaziland.

While in Swaziland our team was hosted by different Swazi families from the church we partnered with. I, along with two other team members, stayed with the Mabila family. The home we stayed in would be considered a low standard of life compared to the luxuries of The US. Despite the conditions we were battling; having no running water, two people to a single bed, and rice every night it was one of the richest experiences I have had. The family showed us much love and hospitality. We were welcomed as a part of their family. I quickly bonded with our house mom and especially one of the little girls. They gave me the name Siabonga, which means thank you in Siswati. It is amazing how in such a short amount of time you can grow to deeply love a group of people. The day we had to leave our family it was full of many emotions. They presented us with gifts and wrote us letters. In mine our house mom wrote:

“We were more than just friends we were a family, and not just a family but a happy family. We will really miss your presence here. I for one will always know that beyond the oceans I have family. Distance, time and direction will take you far away from us but our memories will always bring you closer. From my heart to yours: May your heart be filled with everlasting joy, peace, happiness, and above all else the love of God. I will always remember you and am always available to you. Just close your eyes and you will be here with us…”

My time in Africa has been by far the most spontaneous time of my life. One of my best memories was when our team was supposed to be doing practical work, but when we arrived on sight there were too many workers. So of course, the obvious thing to do is to start going house-to-house sharing the gospel. I am not an experience evangelist so this took me a little off guard. The area we were in was mountainous and not easy to get around, even by foot. But we went ahead and started trekking and praying that God would give us the words to say and the houses to go to. When we got to our first house we found a woman outside who greeted us. She invited us into her home. When we were inside we found a man close to death with an unknown illness. The woman told us that they believed in Jesus and asked us to pray for him. We prayed for healing over his body but most importantly for his soul. We gave the family a Siswati Bible and the woman said she would have her children read it to them at night.

The next house we visited was a man and his grandchildren. When he invited us to sit down he asked us if we could help him get running water, food, or money. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the resources to provide these things for him and his family. We, however, told him of the Living Water and how only God can satisfy our needs especially the thirst of our soul. I am not sure those were the best words to tell a man literally thirsty for water, but we listened to him talk, read scripture, prayed, and simply gave him company. He shared with us that sometimes the circumstances around him are so hard that he contemplates suicide but that our presence gave him a renewed hope and strength.

The first thing our team did upon arriving to Mimbekleweni, Swaziland was prayed over a lot of land that belonged to the government. It is a hope of OM’s to start a Medical Clinic on this land, but we must first get permission directly from the king. As you can imagine this is a lofty task. Much to our disappointment the king was in New York City having a meeting with the UN. The mother queen of Swaziland holds equal power as her son so we were still in luck. Three of the leaders from our team spent two days waiting in hopes for the queen to agree to meet with them. For two days they were sent away.

On the third day the queen agreed to meet with them. They explained who they were and asked permission for the lot of land. The queen said that she heard we were in the country and was thankful for our service to her nation. She told them that she herself was a Christian and yes the land could be ours to begin building a med clinic. She also requested that our whole team come to have a meeting with her to pray for her and her country. It was an amazing blessing from God to not only be able to minister to the poorest of poor but literally to the richest and most powerful woman in Swaziland. We sang songs of worship to our King in front of the queen, had a small devotion, and myself and another team member showed her a funny skit that we had been doing for the children of Swaziland. It is our hope that God will use our interaction with the queen to influence godly decisions for the nation.

I am now on the Training Base for the next two weeks. It is refreshing to have some down time to relax and process what God has done. After having time to reflect one of the main points God has been teaching me is that He didn’t bring me to South Africa to change the world (of course God can use me and you for his service) but to fixate me in a place where he can really change my heart and do his work in me. After these next two weeks we begin traveling almost nonstop. We leave the 19th of October for Namibia and return on the 6th of November. After then we will be on base for four days and leave again for three weeks for Durban, South Africa. So, I am thankful for the time of rest we are having now on the base.

Prayer Points

• God would continue to cultivate the hearts of the people we came in contact with.
• The physical needs of the Swazi people would be met as well as the spiritual needs.
• Love and unity amongst our team and wisdom for our leaders.
• That God would continue to teach me to look to Him and trust Him in all seasons and conditions of life.

Love, Adam

The A-Team

Well, I am finally here in South Africa. I apologize that it has taken some time for me to update my blog, internet access isn’t apart of our accommodations I have been living on the Training Base for a week and a half now. The adjustment has been a little more difficult than I had expected but still very valuable.

Our whole team is now together and we are beginning to prepare for our five month Outreach. We have been spending our days learning about creative ministry, children’s ministry, and aids training. We wake-up at 6:00 am to spend an hour and a half doing personal devotions. I really value this time to focus in on God and to start my day off in his arms. My room has 3 different nationalities with 3 very distinct cultures. Together we make up Korean, German, and American, it makes things fun!

We leave Sunday morning for Ga-Rankua, our first outreach. This is a town two hours from the base in the countryside. There we will spend one week doing practical work and children’s ministry. I am very anxious to get off the base and experience why I came here and too see the real Africa. After we return from Ga-Rankua we will be back on the base for two days and then head off to Swaziland for two weeks! This is probably the outreach I am most excited for.

While we are in Swaziland we will mainly be doing in home care for people affected by HIV/AIDS. We learned today that there is almost a complete generation in Swaziland that has been killed by this epidemic. This means the children take care of themselves because the elderly are not able and their parents have passed. So needless to say, we will also be doing a lot of Children’s ministry.

Thank you all very much for your prayers as I am being acclimated to my new way of life. I appreciate everyone’s support from back home! Also, if anyone has tried emailing me or sending anything to me on facebook I am not able to retrieve them here. Please write me at my new email address: adam.pittman@tt.rsa.om.org

Things to Pray for:

1. Adjusting to my new home and not feeling homesick
2. Preparation and unity for our team as we begin our ministry
3. That God works on the hearts of the people we will be ministering to

Love, Adam

Holla from Holland!

I have safely arrived here in The Netherlands and finished my first week at The Go Conference. Thank God all of my luggage arrived some people were not so lucky. Our schedule is pretty much repeated everyday. We begin our morning with personal devotions (the very ambitious wake up in time) and then have breakfast. Our day is usually filled with sessions that cover everything from the accurracy of the Bible, Who is God?, to cultural diversity celebrations, aka a talent show. We are given meditation time for a half hour, we are to do nothing but clear our minds and focus on God. This time is very comforting and satisfying.  There are about 300 people here mainly from the ages of 18-30. It is good I can now walk into a room and have many friends from all over the world! Our South African Team is made up of 3 Americans, 8 Germans, and 3 Koreans. We are really beginning to bond as a team and two of the guys are quickly becoming my good friends. This time has been a great reminder that God transcends all cultural and language barriers. It is so awesome to awaken to what God is doing all over the world. We are learning so much about what God is doing in the nations, the oppressions people face, and the dangers that many of the OMers here will face as they enter the missons field. It has blown me away the number of people my age soon to be entering a country where the gospel is illegal and have to face the realities of dangerous potential persecution. Tomorrow we are taking place in an activity that will last all day and possibly all night. We are not told what it is, except, the name is mission possible. The only insights we have is that in the morning we must pack our own lunch, an overnight bag, and extra clothes. We are told that the mission is over at 7:00 pm but could be likely that we will not make it back to base and must survive the night. I am so excited! I think they will put us in a context we may face in our culture and we have to deal with it to the best of our ability. I will be sure to let you all know what my experience is like here. It is getting very late and I am exhausted. I will be sure to update before I leave.

Things to pray for:

That this time would be a time for God to grow and prepare the deepest parts of my heart

God would break my heart for the people of South Africa and the struggles of rural Southern Africa

A bond for our team and God’s provision in finding me a close friend

 

Love,

Adam

On My Way

As I write this I am waiting to catch my connecting flight to Amsterdam. Today has been a day full of so many emotions. It was the last time that for me to be able to see some of my mentors, family, and friends for a year. It was difficult to say goodbye and my heart literally felt broken. But now sitting here in the airport excitement is beginning to return. It is such a good place for me to be. The time has finally come and there is no turning back. A good friend of mine told me I am ready and I am as ready as I am going to be. In ten hours I will be meeting the people that will help fill the places in my heart that feel void. However, I am also reminded that my comfort doesn’t come from man but from God. And God has definitely cradled me in his arms these last few days and helped ease the pain from separation. I want to say bye to all of you that I may not had a chance to back home. I love you all very much. And will keep you posted on what my time in Amsterdam will be like (because as of now I have no idea )

 

Things to Pray about:

 

1) That God would comfort my family and friends that I said goodbye to.

2) Use this time to prepare my heart and help me move out of my comfort.

3) My luggage would make it to Amsterdam with me!

 

In God’s Awesome Peace,

Adam

Anticipation

A week from today, I will be landing in Amsterdam, Netherlands to begin my final preparation for a year of missions in South Africa. It is hard to believe that the time is finally here and in a few short days I will be saying goodbye to most of what I know; family, friends, comfort, food, and my culture. I CAN’T WAIT! I am so excited to see how God writes South Africa into my story and my story into South Africa. This next year is sure to be full of both liberating heights, difficult lows, and a new perception of God and the world. I am so glad to have the opportunity to have you all “come along” with me through the connection of this blog.

What will I be doing? Good question, I am not sure I completely understand. However, from what I gather my first five months will be spent in what is called The African Exposure. In this program, I will be traveling all over Southern Africa and meeting the needs of the people through practical help and ministry. During this time, I will be traveling a lot, living mostly camp style (so tents), and working with a team of all ages and from all over the world. My second half I will be doing a South African Training Program. In these last six months I will be learning and applying various ministries which include; children, youth, and outreach to Hindu and Muslim communities.

How am I feeling? I am ready to go, it is time. I can’t wait to embrace this next year and allow God to mold my heart and mind into something closer to His heart and His mind. I am pumped to dive into the many cultures that South Africa has to offer, learn from the people, and grow on so many levels both spiritually and personally. I am blessed to be able to rid myself of so many comforts and grow by living the conditions of over half of the world’s population. However, I am reluctant to go. Goodbye won’t be easy. The pains I will grow through are promising to be difficult. And rice isn’t my favorite dish. But, what a comfort I have in Christ. I am comforted that He goes before me and is going with me. And He alone will be able to ease my hurts and bring joy and purpose to my time away no matter my conditions. Looking back over these last six months it has been obvious how God has paved my way and it is great to rest in His faithfulness.

Ways to pray: 1) That God would prepare my heart and mind for goodbye

                       2) Refocusing that Christ is the reason for going

                       3) The final preparations would go with ease and little stress

I can’t wait to go through this journey with you all.

Love,

Adam