For the majority of the past two weeks I stayed in one of the townships with Anna Grace, another intern on my team and now a very dear friend of mine. The family of the pastor of Charity Christian Fellowship Church in KwaMhlanga opened their home to us and welcomed us with open arms. During our time there we were working with a few of the women at the church to develop a bible study for young girls in the community. The reality in many of these townships is the prevalence of teenage pregnancy because women find their worth in their ability to bear children, not much more. Anna Grace and I were both heartbroken at this news, which is why we were so excited to see what a bible study specifically for girls would look like in the church.
The foundation of our study was based on two bible passages that perfectly summarize us as humans and what it’s like to be loved and known by Jesus. (Shout out to Anna Grace for bringing these into our study)! The first part of Ezekiel 16 talks about Jerusalem and compares the nation to an adulterous wife. A nation that was known by the Lord and raised up by Him but completely turned from Him to other things. This is us as sinners. We so often turn away from God, going back to our sin and our mess. But then we go to Psalm 51, when David cries out to the Lord. He admits his failures, fully accepting the blame and then asks for a clean heart. Then he concludes the psalm by stating he will proclaim what the Lord has done for him, by renewing his heart. This is exactly what we are called to do when we invite Jesus into our mess. And the most beautiful part is that He walks right into it with us because He loves us.
In our time here as an intern team we have been studying 1 Peter. This book is so wonderful because Peter tells it like it is and writes about how to live for God. This is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times when his Lord needed him most- right as the rooster crowed, just what Jesus said would happen. After the resurrection, Jesus forgave Peter. He was welcomed back because that’s what the cross was for- to cover our sins, our mistakes, and our shortcomings. We were brought to life with the resurrection of Christ. When we first met with the three ladies in our study, we all went around and shared part of our stories. Each of us had testimonies that were clear reflections of restoration and love. Whether it was hurt from things we had done or from things done to us, Jesus restored us all. Their stories of faith inspired me and reminded me that God sees it all and will never forsake us.
One prominent thing I will always remember from sleeping in that community was waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing. (Side note- until my mornings here I was under the impression that a rooster crows once in the morning, like a real alarm clock, and then is quiet after you wake up. I’m not sure why I thought that but in case anyone was wondering roosters do not care if you’re already awake, they will crow and crow to their heart’s desire, so needless to say it is not a sound I will forget). But in all seriousness though, every morning I heard that crow and I wondered what Peter must have felt like when he heard the same noise so many years ago. The shame and pain he must have felt from betraying Jesus must have been so much to bear, but then the joy and excitement that came with being restored was unlike anything else. Every morning with that rooster crow, I was reminded that our God forgives. Our Savior is alive and there is nothing that can keep us from His love, even if we stray from Him.
The foundation of our study was based on two bible passages that perfectly summarize us as humans and what it’s like to be loved and known by Jesus. (Shout out to Anna Grace for bringing these into our study)! The first part of Ezekiel 16 talks about Jerusalem and compares the nation to an adulterous wife. A nation that was known by the Lord and raised up by Him but completely turned from Him to other things. This is us as sinners. We so often turn away from God, going back to our sin and our mess. But then we go to Psalm 51, when David cries out to the Lord. He admits his failures, fully accepting the blame and then asks for a clean heart. Then he concludes the psalm by stating he will proclaim what the Lord has done for him, by renewing his heart. This is exactly what we are called to do when we invite Jesus into our mess. And the most beautiful part is that He walks right into it with us because He loves us.
In our time here as an intern team we have been studying 1 Peter. This book is so wonderful because Peter tells it like it is and writes about how to live for God. This is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times when his Lord needed him most- right as the rooster crowed, just what Jesus said would happen. After the resurrection, Jesus forgave Peter. He was welcomed back because that’s what the cross was for- to cover our sins, our mistakes, and our shortcomings. We were brought to life with the resurrection of Christ. When we first met with the three ladies in our study, we all went around and shared part of our stories. Each of us had testimonies that were clear reflections of restoration and love. Whether it was hurt from things we had done or from things done to us, Jesus restored us all. Their stories of faith inspired me and reminded me that God sees it all and will never forsake us.
One prominent thing I will always remember from sleeping in that community was waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing. (Side note- until my mornings here I was under the impression that a rooster crows once in the morning, like a real alarm clock, and then is quiet after you wake up. I’m not sure why I thought that but in case anyone was wondering roosters do not care if you’re already awake, they will crow and crow to their heart’s desire, so needless to say it is not a sound I will forget). But in all seriousness though, every morning I heard that crow and I wondered what Peter must have felt like when he heard the same noise so many years ago. The shame and pain he must have felt from betraying Jesus must have been so much to bear, but then the joy and excitement that came with being restored was unlike anything else. Every morning with that rooster crow, I was reminded that our God forgives. Our Savior is alive and there is nothing that can keep us from His love, even if we stray from Him.