Today marks the end of our first full week of ministry.
The goal of this week was to unify the interns as a team and provide them skills to be prepared for work in the field. As with all new experiences and groups, it can take time for the group to blend and learn about one another. To accelerate the acclimation process, we surprised the interns with a 3 day camping trip. It is excessively cold right now (30-35 degrees Fahrenheit at night), and it provided a context to help the interns know what life is like for many of those living in rural villages. 8 year-olds and 80 year-olds are also shivering in this weather but most do not have the luxury of 3 pairs of wool socks and mummy sleeping bags.
One of the core values of Abba's Pride is to come alongside churches that are already ministering to their communities and engage them to become self-sustaining. To do this requires us to shift our thinking about how we work in under-resourced areas. Before their arrival, the interns read When Helping Hurts by Steven Corbett and Brian Fickert, and they found the book enlightening but perhaps also disturbing. Corbett and Fickert challenge the modern world view of missions to the Majority World. Are we, as the American church, doing more harm than good on sort term mission trips? It is a difficult subject because Jesus calls us to "go", but what does that mean in our modern society? As a group we reflected about how to advance the Kingdom by advancing the goals of Abba's Pride. This will be a topic we continue to address as we work through the coming weeks of ministry.
We also had 3 great sessions on language and culture in this complex post-apartheid South African society. Our South African language teacher, Jabu, laughed at us as we practiced some of the "click" sounds in Zulu. Luckily, most of the churches we will work with are in areas that speak Tsawana. Besides some different blended consonants and some rolled-r's, we all found it much easier to speak. Still, our attempts at learning the native languages provide an immediate bridge to those we will meet in the villages.
The other excitement of the week was driving. There is nothing like teaching 19 year-olds how to drive stick shift on the other side the road to get the adrenaline going =) So far, only one intern has passed our driving test, but the others are practicing and we'll hopefully have them out on their own soon.
This coming week will be the time for the interns to meet the pastors and the churches. We will meet with them, ask questions, and host community days were we can help the churches run activities for the students in their areas.
Please pray for safe travel, strong ministry, and wisdom for the interns as they are listening for God's direction in these villages.
The goal of this week was to unify the interns as a team and provide them skills to be prepared for work in the field. As with all new experiences and groups, it can take time for the group to blend and learn about one another. To accelerate the acclimation process, we surprised the interns with a 3 day camping trip. It is excessively cold right now (30-35 degrees Fahrenheit at night), and it provided a context to help the interns know what life is like for many of those living in rural villages. 8 year-olds and 80 year-olds are also shivering in this weather but most do not have the luxury of 3 pairs of wool socks and mummy sleeping bags.
One of the core values of Abba's Pride is to come alongside churches that are already ministering to their communities and engage them to become self-sustaining. To do this requires us to shift our thinking about how we work in under-resourced areas. Before their arrival, the interns read When Helping Hurts by Steven Corbett and Brian Fickert, and they found the book enlightening but perhaps also disturbing. Corbett and Fickert challenge the modern world view of missions to the Majority World. Are we, as the American church, doing more harm than good on sort term mission trips? It is a difficult subject because Jesus calls us to "go", but what does that mean in our modern society? As a group we reflected about how to advance the Kingdom by advancing the goals of Abba's Pride. This will be a topic we continue to address as we work through the coming weeks of ministry.
We also had 3 great sessions on language and culture in this complex post-apartheid South African society. Our South African language teacher, Jabu, laughed at us as we practiced some of the "click" sounds in Zulu. Luckily, most of the churches we will work with are in areas that speak Tsawana. Besides some different blended consonants and some rolled-r's, we all found it much easier to speak. Still, our attempts at learning the native languages provide an immediate bridge to those we will meet in the villages.
The other excitement of the week was driving. There is nothing like teaching 19 year-olds how to drive stick shift on the other side the road to get the adrenaline going =) So far, only one intern has passed our driving test, but the others are practicing and we'll hopefully have them out on their own soon.
This coming week will be the time for the interns to meet the pastors and the churches. We will meet with them, ask questions, and host community days were we can help the churches run activities for the students in their areas.
Please pray for safe travel, strong ministry, and wisdom for the interns as they are listening for God's direction in these villages.