Change of Seasons

I am not the kind of person who particularly likes change but it is natural in the change of seasons in nature so it should be just as natural in the change of seasons in my life. These past two months have been so hectic with the World Cup going on and all the schools being on 5 weeks of holiday. It is a bittersweet feeling as I see it come to an end. I have enjoyed being so busy and seeing so many things accomplished. In a way I am going to miss it.

With Justice A.C.T.s things will take a different turn as some things slow down after all the hype of the World Cup. Just during these past two months our team of 20 people have personally reached an estimated 14,000 people teaching them about human trafficking and how to protect themselves. That number doesn't even count all the ones reached by the newspapers, radio stations and public service announcements. Through that and the faithful prayers of the body of Christ we have definitely seen how God has protected many people and helped put a stop to many places involved in trafficking. Our job doesn't stop there obviously but it does feel like we are going into a slower pace of life as the hype of the month is over. It is good and now we can focus more specifically on helping the government put into place protective measures and help put more safe house for those rescued.

With Living Hope in Red Hill I have been helping run a 4 week holiday club as well to keep all the kids busy. I see how that has been an incredible blessing because I have no idea what kind of influences the kids would have found to fill their time. It was amazing as well seeing them be so faithful in coming to the Bible clubs and to the sports clinics. It was an incredible opportunity to build relationships with them and to speak into their lives. So many of them come from broken homes and they love the chance to be loved on and have people actually pay attention to them. It can be very hard at times with so many kids eager for attention but I also see it as an opportunity to help these kids see who they really are and who they can grow up to be. So, now even though spending 8 hours a day in Red Hill with over 80 kids was exhausting and stretching, now that it is over I realize that I really miss those kids. Funny how that works isn't it. Oh, well. I will just have to make more time to see them when I go in on normal days. I can't go in without them all calling my name anyway. ;)

So now the season is changing for me when life is not so hectic. Which is nice. :) But some seasons are a little sad to see end. The good times and the good people make it hard to say goodbye. But God gives grace to move on and to look forward to yet more good times with good friends! God only knows what lays in the next season but I am excited. There is a team coming from America for two weeks whom I am working with and who knows what God will do through them. Each season for me has something new it and I am looking forward to what surprise God has next!

World Cup Time

Wow, this past month has been quite hectic. I will try and use that as an excuse for having not updated my blog (haha). As I have said in the past I need to become more deliberate in sharing with you all that is going on in the side of the world as there is SO much. It is really exciting!! The World Cup of soccer is almost here and everyone is amped up about it. Cars have South African flags on them, resturaunts and stores have flags hanging from the ceiling welcoming all the different countries that are coming to play and watch the games. It is really neat to see the local people take so much pride in what their country is hosting. They are proud and eager to show off their home. I am really happy to be here during this time so I pray that it goes over well. This will be South Africa's chance to show the world that they can handle this. So, despite all the hectic programs that I am helping with during this month I am really excited! The energy and excitement are contagious no matter what team you are routing for. So, I will be routing for one of the top 20 teams in the world....the USA!!!
On the other side of the excitement I get see both sides of the World Cup. Working with Justice ACTs does tend to bring out the more sobering side of the crime that big events bring to cities. I see both the petty crime that happens and also the crime directly against human lives. It can be so hard to bear on ones heart as you see the despair that some men and women are in and you think of the countless others that are hidden, waiting to be found. As overwhelming as it feels sometimes, we serve a good God who sees all. Being part of Justice ACTs who is a small team of 13 staff we are blown away by how God has mobilized churches, government, NGOs, law enforcement, and individuals to take part in the cause of fighting human trafficing. In just the last month we have seen thousands of people be trained in what human trafficing is, and be trained on how to fight it. The 13 of us did some of it but it was so encouraging to see others that we have trained from all over the country step up and run with it. We realized that this project was to big to stay in just Cape Town so different ones of us traveled to the cities, found key people to train and put it in their hands to see their areas become Traffic Proof. Working with everyone from government officials to people in the townships I really see how far the enemy's hand reaches but how much bigger God is. We encourage ourselves with victories that may seem few in number but we rejoice over the individuals.
It is the stories of the 5 South African girls rescued from a trafficer in Cape Town, the 21 Thai girls rescued from a trafficer in Johannesburg, and the prostituted women that we have befriended and seen give up their lives on the streets to get proper jobs and regain their life that we rejoice over. These are the lives that I would give my life for and who make it worth living in South Africa. There are more people waiting to be rescued and God sees them. Just as He has already rescued the girls listed above, I rest in the promise that He will rescue all of them. Isaiah 45:3
So, this is just one project that I am helping with during the World Cup time and beyond. I will tell you of the others soon. The others aren't quite as intense. :) But please be keeping us in prayer as we engage in the battle for the lives that the enemy has taken captive. We want to see them rescued and rehabilitated.
If you want to see more about Justice ACTs check out my links next to this blog under the title of 'Who I Work With'. They will lead you to all the different projects that I am involved in and share with you much more extensive stories than I am telling you. ;)