Little faces say it well

Load up and drive out to the east... 45km thru traffic and turn into Windmill Park. How many times have we done this? Into the little tin building and 3 smiling faces waiting expectantly for us or the local team to arrive. Forgot the right cable, search for something and end up showing the movie on our lap top. More and more little faces appear. Some speak little English, some are the children of children we were ministering to over ten years ago. They watch, they listen, they hear the Word, they respond, they know Jesus, they know He is in their hearts and they will be back next Monday for more! They don't have much in this community and are overlooked by most. Amidst revival meetings and church gatherings they are playing in the dust. The focus is their parents, and grandparents but at Hope Street they are the focus... the children... this is their church, their afternoon, their people and their God. Hope Street.

In da schools today

Started when our team walked into Parkhurst. A whole bunch of kids came for small group discipleship on church, then it was the same again for the special needs class. Leaving Letty to do breaks and have opportunities in the staff room, Jesse and i went to Craighall to chat with a group at both breaks. In between we went to 8 staff members who had celebrated their birthdays in January with a chocolate and a prophetic note. They were all so blessed. Then as we sat writing the notes we prayed for two people with physical needs who were healed. God just wants to show His goodness to people. Wants to reveal that He is still interested in them and knows them. Then they must turn to Him and accept His Lordship! On my return to Parkhurst after school I found Letty with over 80 kids jammed wall to wall in our room. They will be our Scripture Union group in 2011. Just felt like God was breaking into lives all over the place.

B1 make 1

Discipleship is following Jesus and then taking others with you on the journey so that they can in turn take others. This took me to Mac Donalds today to meet with two brothers. Great 11 year olds or there about. We will meet regularly every second week and they will be raised to lead their friends, so the group is open for them to bring friends.
Letty was doing band and discipling our three kids in the area of worship and leadership. This is what we are about and it feels good to be so focussed on it. The kids are getting it so B1 and Make 1. what? then ask!

Some maybe helpful thoughts from today...

Some maybe helpful thoughts from today...
1. Wake up and pray first
2. Make your family breakfast
3. Do something creative with your toddler if u have one
4. Take your wife out to Fish Aways
5. Sit with your wife and reschedule your week to bring structure for the whole family but not too rushed and remember all you need to include
6. Incentive for your toddler, 2 bowls one with a smiley face, one looking sad. Each day starts with 5 stones in happy one. when naughty stone goes to sad dish, good behaviour can win it back. If not all are in the sad one at the end of the day they get a reward.
7. Attitude chart for older kids with rewards. Half an hour of Wii works
8. Play with your kids and make a banana milkshake
9. Support your Proteas against India
10. Prepare for the next day and pray some more.

Passion or dragging feet? The start of 2011

This year I am committed to being a disciple of Jesus, which means following Him and doing what He wants me to do. This is not a hardship as He is the best, kindest, full of love, and the kind of man I want to be anyway. Yes there will be hard things but He always knows what is best for me and roots for me. Out of this identity I can make disciples to follow Him. This then becomes the work we do. This should inform our choices and be the focus of any ministry we do. This must be the passion that we flow with. When I look at our fellow team members I rejoice to see how God has used us to disciple them already. More Lord, I say. I met someone recently who said he just goes to work, doesn't enjoy the job but it is good for his family. How long can one sustain that kind of life of passionlessness! Then I have read books in the last week about a guy so passionate about books for poor kids that he leaves so much comfort and finances to start an NGO to build libraries. Another one is of the CEO of Starbucks, passionate about coffee! And changing the way business is done. I see a room full of passionate pastors this morning ready to give their all in 2011. I see and run with our senior pastor today who leaves for Nigeria tomorrow to assist the churches there. I talk with Neil who goes back for another year to serve in Sierra Leone. I see my wife laying down so much ease and comfort to disciple kids. I am inspired, are you?

Bulembu, Jozi..2010.... Jozi, Bulembu ...2011.

An hour ago we drove in from Bulembu, Swaziland, to find a tree fallen thru our garage roof but hey we will call outsurance on Monday! We had such a great time there for 16 days. Started off with loads of family for Christmas and just catching up with the Nevilles who are doing such a great job there. We helped to do a party for the orphans and this was sponsored by people in our church. We also showed movies to the kids and preached a little. On Christmas Day I got to lead worship at the church and Dennis preached well. Then the family started leaving and eventually the Nevilles too, leaving us to look after their home. We so enjoyed being in this blessed town. We had awesome family time, walks, runs, good food, trips into more of Swaziland, reading, Telly, games, prayer, so much that was good. We also got to do some more ministry, a training for teens doing kids church and another movie time. So got the heart for the kids. A town of kids and teens with so much need. The second Sunday I got to lead worship again and chose to use the young musicians which was a treat. God was so faithful in helping us to worship Him. He is the hope for everyone in this town. We also spent a morning with the Bulembu babies, well the toddlers actually. That was fun. Shucks we did so much! Hard to leave this morning and if we decided only based on the need we would have to sell up and move. Our prayers are for them to receive many good ministers this year, and for us to play our part when we go up. Jozi Kidz needs us too and we need to develop the discipleship culture and our leadership base. We are willing to be and do what we need to do. God must speak. Just really know that there are kids and teens everywhere who need Jesus so much and we can be there for them. We want to wake up each day and be passionately doing what we are called to do. Anything less would bore us and not be what Jesus made us for. Pray for us!