A Taste of Heaven

We have had a busy and blessed week since arriving in South Africa on Sunday. It has been great having Sandra and Douglas Shuff here with us this week from Northview Bible Church in Spokane. Sandra has been a part of two short-term mission teams that have served here with Two Tunics in 2008 and 2009, while it is Douglas's first time visiting.

Some highlights of the week for me:

• Worshipping at the tin shack church of Pastor Amos in the Mkholmbe shanty town
• Sweet reunions with the staff at Genesis Care Centre and many other dear friends
• Sandra's "Jesus Loves Me" presentations at 3 of our community creche (preschool) partners
• Home based care visits with Amos and Busi - humbling, disturbing and uplifting at once
• Seeing the "investment" in projects like Nokukhanya and Sinothando Creches bearing fruit (especially Lindiwe's teaching of the children and Pas's garden in a bag)
• Oh, and let's not forget lunch at the Waffle House and dinner at Edelweiss (it hasn't been all work and no play)
  

One of the words or themes that stands out for me this week is "progress". When one is here full time working in the community, frustration over lack of progress can become an everyday experience. The positive changes that do occur is so slow and incremental that it is easy to overlook them. Now returning after nearly 6 months away (our longest absence in 5 years) and with Sandra return 18 months after here last visit, it has been encouraging to see much evidence of positive changes around several of our partners.

I've already mentioned Nokukhanya Creche with Lindiwe's teaching of the children ( Two Tunics is providing her training through TREE) and Pas's incredible bag garden (Two Tunics provided "seed money" and training through Tim Barratt a local farmer). There are also many children Sandra remembered by names and faces who were sick, dull and full of rashes before who are healthy and vibrant now (thanks largely to good nutrition Two Tunics supplies through Food4Africa and Feed the Babies). And a man with TB lying dying on the dirt I saw during home based care visits in March is now sitting up, eating and interacting with his family (thanks to support given to family to consistently administer his medications and much prayer).

Yesterday I was reading in 2 Corinthians 5 and was struck by verse 4 which speaks of the mortal or dying being "swallowed up by life" (NIV). Paul was speaking about how through Christ, although our mortal bodies are dying we have future heavenly living bodies. But I was struck by the evidence I had seen this week that even while in these mortal bodies awaiting our desired heavenly dwellings, we can experience little pockets of life swallowing up death and hopelessness. This happens as each of us follows and serves Christ in the way he has been called. And I believe God is glorified whenever and however death is "swallowed up by life".

I thank God for the foretaste of heaven He has given me this week.

Amazing Day

I think this photo journal tells the story.

NBC Mission Team Update

Today was an amazing day for us and the NBC Team as we held Two Tunic's first of a kind "Creche Health Awareness Event" (creche = pre-school). This event was targeted to the creche teachers, helpers and parents but also to the children. Many of the basic child health, safety, hygiene and child development concepts that are common sense to us are not widely appreciated or practiced by the parents and caregivers of the children in the creches we support. The event brought together the teachers, helpers and parents from the 3 creches we support in the Gamalakhe township.

The NBC Team gave talks on hand washing, oral hygiene, child safety, basic first aid and importance of play in child development. some involved the children and others were focused on educating the parents and caregivers. Each child was given a packet with toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and other gifts. Each child also received a T-shirt saying "Jesus Loves Me" in both English and Zulu ("Ujesu uyangithanda").

Here's a few photos of the event.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Pastor Ranjeeth and Donna Seepersad put on a puppet show that the adults enjoyed as much as the children. We are so grateful that the team was here to enable us to put on this program. Tomorrow we will do another full day program in a rural community focusing on HIV/AIDS education. Hopefully we won't wear the team out! But we are putting them to good use and God is blessing us and many others.

NBC Mission Team Day Two & Three

Here's some more photos of the teams activities working with Two Tunics the last 2 days. They have been hectic but a blessing to many.

Northview Bible Church Mission Team Day One

Last night the Northview Bible Church Mission Team arrived in Durban, South Africa. They are such and encouragement to us in the work we are doing. The team of five women will be with Two Tunics doing ministry for about 10 days. This is a quick photo tour of their first 24 hours with us. Check back regularly the next couple weeks for more updates and photos.

Make a Smilebox slideshow