One of the many weekly activities that goes on at NCF Church is the Thursday night prayer meeting. After I moved into the house Lucille often would ask me if I would like to come with her. I always would reply no thanks. I usually find that I enjoy the quietness of the house for those 2 hours, and decline the offer. But two weeks ago I decided to go since I needed to speak to someone.
The prayer meetings last about 1 hr, and the first 1/2 hr is spent singing worship songs and the other 1/2 hr is spent praying for prayer requests. What I have found in this church is when they pray, they say their own prayers aloud together at the same time. So the room gets very noise with every bodies prayers. That night the leader for the night was asking for people to come to the front to share an experience of how they have seen or experienced God in their lives. Some people came forward and shared stories about God providing them new transportation after their car was stolen, witnessing children accepting God into their lives and there was a man that came up and share his experience of being diagnosed with diabetes and then becoming cured of it. For some reason I also felt called to share that night, so I stepped onto the stage with the mic in hand and shared one of my experiences of God that I had back in September.
Around the 23 of September, I had decided to walk the 1 hr walk home from work to my reps home. I hadn't yet moved into Destiny House yet. A couple blocks into my walk there is a street(West St) with a very steep hill that I walk down, at the bottom of the hill there is a street that crosses through it named Prince Alfred St. . I had just only half crossed Prince Alfred when all of a sudden a short bed truck came racing down the hill and made a very quick right turn onto Prince Alfred St. right behind me. On the bed of the truck were 2 wrapped bundles of bricks and a third partial bundle of bricks and when he made that quick turn those bricks from the partial bundle went flying. I stood there for in moment of shock, digesting what was happening as these bricks came flying at me. A few bricks landed in front of me, behind me and a large path of bricks to my right trailing behind the truck. Not one brick hit me! And right then and there I knew God was there protecting me. He had wrapped his loving and protecting arms around me and I knew right then and there I am here for a reason, God's plan. Another realization that came to me right away was that he also answers prayers. A couple weeks earlier I had made a prayer request back home, requesting for safe travels as I travel around this country, and again right then and there I knew that my prayer request had been answered.
After sharing this experience I got such wonderful support and encouragement from the many people I had made. They were all so impressed that I shared a testimony.
Well I thought that I would also share this one testimony of how I am experincing God here. There have been a few other's but this one will always stick out.
Last Thursday I attended the Prayer meeting again, not sure if I'll continue every week, but I'll see. The group size that attends is probably between 100 - 200 people, which is a small group compared to that meets Sunday night for services. And here at this church I am finding myself at home, but I do miss my traditional style of church service back home. NCF is very different but good. I have come to know some of these people at the church well that will be live long friends I'm pretty sure.
Signing off...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
A few Photo's
The thought I would add a few photos that go along with my previous blog entry. Enjoy!
The children feeding the animals at Crafty Duck.
The children feeding the animals at Crafty Duck.
Thanksgiving Dinner with other Fellow Canadian's and American's 
Destiny Project House Mates,
L -R Me, Lucille (house mother), Thuli, Nandi, Rebekka and Chloe
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Recapping November
November 30th, 2009
Since it’s been a few weeks since I last blogged I thought I would do a little recap, actually it’s a long recap so now is the time for you to grab your favourite mug and fix yourself a drink.
Since that beautiful hike in Ferncliff with Liesel, I have had some busy weekends. The following weekend (Saturday Nov. 14th) after the hike, Andrew and Felicia came up for the weekend. I couldn’t spend the whole weekend with them but spent as much time as I could. The Pastor (Principal), at Gateway Christian School, invited me to attend Lion Park, with his family. I had been crossing my fingers again that weekend for a nice sunny day, but didn’t quiet get my way. It turned out to be a very damp, drizzly, overcastted day, and didn’t take long for my shoes and socks to get soaked in the wet grass.
Lion Park, is located just outside of Pietermaritzburg, and one side of the park is a zoo with animals in cages from around the world and the other part of the park is like a game drive through a long curvy bumpy dirt road through the park. We really only saw 3 types of animals along the way, which were elephants, guinea fowl, and lions. One of the rules of this part of the park was that we were to remain inside the vehicle at all times.
As we approached the elephants, we discovered there were two empty cars, and the passengers of the cars were out getting their picture taken with the elephants, and the rule of staying inside our car was quickly forgotten. When the people were finished getting their photos with the elephants we drove up and asked the elephant keepers if we too could get out and have our photo’s taken with the elephants, and as soon as they said yes we were out of the car. And so I for the first time, I met my first elephants in Africa. As I was standing beside the elephant with one hand on his side waiting for my picture to be taken, I noticed that they do actually grow hair.
A little further into the drive, there was a very large fence in field with lions, where we were able to drive around in a circle with the lions. This was very fun, neat and scary all at the same time. As we drove around the circle, some of the lions were playing with each other, but one lion liked to hook his paws onto the boot (trunk) of the car. Now I say that’s as close up of a lion I need to get! After the park we drove to Durban, had lunch and drove back to Pietermaritzburg, and I finally was dropped off at James & Joan’s to spend the rest of the weekend with Andrew, Felicia, and James & Joan. It was an awesome weekend!
The next weekend (Nov. 21) was the Alpha course’s, Holy Spirit Day, where I met up with a couple from my table (Noel and Kath), and listened to different speakers speak about The Holy Spirit. At lunch time we sat outside in groups and had a picnic, where I shared with some new friends some photos from home and a few taken here in SA. During the afternoon session the next speaker spoke to us about allowing the Spirit come and visit us. I don’t think I experienced anything, but others in the room were crying or laughing uncontrollably, which is a form how the spirit can visit you.
This past Thursday (Nov. 26th), I was invited along with the Grade R (kindergarten) class to Crafty Duck www.craftyduck.co.za . Crafty Duck is a petting farm where a lot of schools send their students for a fun class outing. The Grade R’s loved the farm, for some of the activities we did was have a short horse ride, feed some sheep, goats, and a pony, have a little train ride, saw some different types birds, snakes, bunnies, an alpaca, and springboks. And we finished up the fun day with a nice cold treat!
One of the things I noticed as we drove through the city on the way to and home from Crafty Duck, and not too far from the city’s busy down town, there is a squatter community of very small houses built of sheet metal. I have seen these houses before, but usually in the townships outside Pietermaritzburg or other towns or cities. I didn’t expect to find them where I did. I cannot imagine living in such poor ways and being able to survive. The other week we had a lot of rain and some of these types of homes, families were flooded out.
This past weekend, the girls have been busy finishing up their Destiny Project program, and also been saying goodbye to Rebekka. Rebekka’s flight leaves on the 1st of December back to Germany. I have found that I could relate the best to Rebekka, since we both were from different countries. I know I will miss these girls, but I am also looking forward to some quiet and cleanliness around the house for a couple months until the next years girls arrive in February. It’s not easy sharing a washroom and getting your shower before work with 4 other girls needing to use it too!
Yesterday, I finally had my Thanksgiving turkey with other fellow Canadians and Americans. There was maybe about 20-30 of us sitting down to a very long table enjoying the awesome meal which included turkey of course with bread stuffing, peas, mashed potatoes, carrots, salad, rolls, and a awesome collection of home made pies which included pumpkin, pecan, and apple. I hope this answers my families questions back home about what food was served! The meal was delish, and thanks to all that prepared it, it was really good! Some of these Americans and Canadians that made up our group were the Radical Journey Participants, through Mennonite Mission’s Network. I finally got to meet you all, and I look forward to our joint Christmas Retreat in January in Port Shepstone.
Anyways I think this about raps this really long November recap up, but I just want to lastly say that this coming weekend, Simon and Anna are traveling down from Lesotho, Andrew and Felicia are coming over from Durban and we are going to be spending time together for an Advent Spiritual Retreat. I am really looking forward to this since it’s been two months since we all have seen each other.
Signing off…..
Since it’s been a few weeks since I last blogged I thought I would do a little recap, actually it’s a long recap so now is the time for you to grab your favourite mug and fix yourself a drink.
Since that beautiful hike in Ferncliff with Liesel, I have had some busy weekends. The following weekend (Saturday Nov. 14th) after the hike, Andrew and Felicia came up for the weekend. I couldn’t spend the whole weekend with them but spent as much time as I could. The Pastor (Principal), at Gateway Christian School, invited me to attend Lion Park, with his family. I had been crossing my fingers again that weekend for a nice sunny day, but didn’t quiet get my way. It turned out to be a very damp, drizzly, overcastted day, and didn’t take long for my shoes and socks to get soaked in the wet grass.
Lion Park, is located just outside of Pietermaritzburg, and one side of the park is a zoo with animals in cages from around the world and the other part of the park is like a game drive through a long curvy bumpy dirt road through the park. We really only saw 3 types of animals along the way, which were elephants, guinea fowl, and lions. One of the rules of this part of the park was that we were to remain inside the vehicle at all times.
As we approached the elephants, we discovered there were two empty cars, and the passengers of the cars were out getting their picture taken with the elephants, and the rule of staying inside our car was quickly forgotten. When the people were finished getting their photos with the elephants we drove up and asked the elephant keepers if we too could get out and have our photo’s taken with the elephants, and as soon as they said yes we were out of the car. And so I for the first time, I met my first elephants in Africa. As I was standing beside the elephant with one hand on his side waiting for my picture to be taken, I noticed that they do actually grow hair.
A little further into the drive, there was a very large fence in field with lions, where we were able to drive around in a circle with the lions. This was very fun, neat and scary all at the same time. As we drove around the circle, some of the lions were playing with each other, but one lion liked to hook his paws onto the boot (trunk) of the car. Now I say that’s as close up of a lion I need to get! After the park we drove to Durban, had lunch and drove back to Pietermaritzburg, and I finally was dropped off at James & Joan’s to spend the rest of the weekend with Andrew, Felicia, and James & Joan. It was an awesome weekend!
The next weekend (Nov. 21) was the Alpha course’s, Holy Spirit Day, where I met up with a couple from my table (Noel and Kath), and listened to different speakers speak about The Holy Spirit. At lunch time we sat outside in groups and had a picnic, where I shared with some new friends some photos from home and a few taken here in SA. During the afternoon session the next speaker spoke to us about allowing the Spirit come and visit us. I don’t think I experienced anything, but others in the room were crying or laughing uncontrollably, which is a form how the spirit can visit you.
This past Thursday (Nov. 26th), I was invited along with the Grade R (kindergarten) class to Crafty Duck www.craftyduck.co.za . Crafty Duck is a petting farm where a lot of schools send their students for a fun class outing. The Grade R’s loved the farm, for some of the activities we did was have a short horse ride, feed some sheep, goats, and a pony, have a little train ride, saw some different types birds, snakes, bunnies, an alpaca, and springboks. And we finished up the fun day with a nice cold treat!
One of the things I noticed as we drove through the city on the way to and home from Crafty Duck, and not too far from the city’s busy down town, there is a squatter community of very small houses built of sheet metal. I have seen these houses before, but usually in the townships outside Pietermaritzburg or other towns or cities. I didn’t expect to find them where I did. I cannot imagine living in such poor ways and being able to survive. The other week we had a lot of rain and some of these types of homes, families were flooded out.
This past weekend, the girls have been busy finishing up their Destiny Project program, and also been saying goodbye to Rebekka. Rebekka’s flight leaves on the 1st of December back to Germany. I have found that I could relate the best to Rebekka, since we both were from different countries. I know I will miss these girls, but I am also looking forward to some quiet and cleanliness around the house for a couple months until the next years girls arrive in February. It’s not easy sharing a washroom and getting your shower before work with 4 other girls needing to use it too!
Yesterday, I finally had my Thanksgiving turkey with other fellow Canadians and Americans. There was maybe about 20-30 of us sitting down to a very long table enjoying the awesome meal which included turkey of course with bread stuffing, peas, mashed potatoes, carrots, salad, rolls, and a awesome collection of home made pies which included pumpkin, pecan, and apple. I hope this answers my families questions back home about what food was served! The meal was delish, and thanks to all that prepared it, it was really good! Some of these Americans and Canadians that made up our group were the Radical Journey Participants, through Mennonite Mission’s Network. I finally got to meet you all, and I look forward to our joint Christmas Retreat in January in Port Shepstone.
Anyways I think this about raps this really long November recap up, but I just want to lastly say that this coming weekend, Simon and Anna are traveling down from Lesotho, Andrew and Felicia are coming over from Durban and we are going to be spending time together for an Advent Spiritual Retreat. I am really looking forward to this since it’s been two months since we all have seen each other.
Signing off…..
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