Heeellllllloooooo from Africa! We made it to Johannesburg, South Africa, and are partnered this month with a ministry called Impact Africa. We are staying on a base with a group of interns, so we get to do ministry with them this month as well. This organization has a large variety of different ministries working with the community, kids, babies, and schools. The part that my team is involved with this month is community outreach. Gettin’ real good at it at this point haha.
Our ministry this month looks like going out to different sections of the outskirts of Johannesburg to what are called “squatter camps” and reaching out to people to share Jesus with them! There is an incredible team of translators that come out with us each day. There are 11 official languages in the country of South Africa, so the translators here are awesome. They know like 8 languages each! We split up into groups of 4-5 and walk through the camps for hours and whoever the Lord leads us to, we go up to and just try to get to know them, ask questions about their family and culture, and share Jesus’ love with them.
Easter Sunday with my new team (minus Kaley)
Katherine – SQL this month
Samantha – samantharouse.theworldrace.org
Makalah – makalahdavis.theworldrace.org
Aliseya (ya’ll should know this one by now, we’ve been on a team the entire year!) – aliseyawilliams.theworldrace.org
Allie – alliewhite.theworldrace.org
Lindsey – lindseycrown.theworldrace.org
anddd not pictured: Kaley – kaleymoorhead.theworldrace.org (sorry Kaley)
As we walk through the camps we run into lots of kids that want to play!
Sophia, one of the interns for Impact Africa, and I in one of the squatter camps
One of the awesome families we met. When we went to their home we found hundreds and hundreds of fish drying out in the sun for selling at the market soon!
Washing clothes with a mother we met. This is a great way to connect with the locals and show them we care and are not just there to talk to them, but really to have a conversation and help in any way we can.
We had the opportunity to stop by a school and do a presentation called “Bible Exposure” with some students. The topic was suicide, and my team all had a really cool opportunity to share testimonies for 25 kids and just pour into them different options and ways to get help. The kids we met all have such big, amazing dreams. There is a lot of joy in their eyes and they are so strong. It is not an easy place to grow up, and I think they all know that. But the kids here have a strength and perseverance and joy that I haven’t seen all that much, even in Europe, where there were more sustainable living conditions.
Allie teaching at Bible Exposure
At Bible Exposure the kids were high school age, but we got to it for the little ones as well, on the topic of potential!
The other day we were in one of the communities and we stopped to pray and ask the Lord where we should go. I just saw these big, bright colors of yellow and blue in my mind as we prayed, and so I knew I should keep my eyes out for that as we walked on. We passed by some yellow homes, some blue homes, but kept walking. As we passed by a side street, I stopped and went back. I saw a woman with a bright yellow t-shirt on and a bright blue skirt, like the colors of the Ukrainian flag; exactly the colors I saw in my mind when praying. I had the group turn that way and we went on to chat with her. I ended up talking with someone else close by as my teammates talked with that specific woman, but it was really cool to no longer feel scared or intimidated to share Jesus with people. It is just a way of life at this point. The majority of my race has been street evangelism and house visits, and although I don’t feel like that is gifting or my passion, I do feel like God wanted me to grow in boldness and evangelism, and it has taken 9 months but it has finally happened. The morning that we went and visited this woman in the blue and yellow was the first day on my world race that I wasn’t the least bit intimidated by evangelizing to strangers. The conversation itself wasn’t anything spectacular, nothing big happened, but we got to share Jesus’ love and it was empowering to follow the Lord and obey Him as He painted that picture in my mind.
I didn’t get any photos with that woman, but while we were there we met her children and got to have a fun photoshoot with them. The kids absolutely loved it and all wanted their photos taken, so this picture is of me showing them the photos I took!
On Friday we had the opportunity to be part of Impact Africa’s Jabulani Kids program, where the team shared Bible stories, memory verses, lots of jiving (dancing) with the kids, and played games. They do it at multiple locations around town. Some of the programs are set up in preschool centers, but they also just set up in the middle of the squatter camps and the kids flock to it when they hear the music! This is one of my favorite things we have been a part of here.
Sat down for the Bible story and within ten seconds had 4 children sitting in my lap! It is typical for over 100 kids to come to each event, it is beautiful.
Another pic from the kids program – they just adore all of the interns and love playing games with us all!
The other day when we stopped by the school, one of our translators shared a 10 minute story, asked a group of students if they want Jesus to be part of their life, and then proceeded to pray with 9 kids that said YES! There is an eagerness here to experience HOPE. And it is rewarding to see the fruit of our labor!
In Romania, a few days before we left, Jesus came to me in a dream. I have never, ever had a dream with Jesus in it before, but it happened. And I won’t go into all the details here (feel free to ask me personally) but I will say that Europe was a tough season in the race. Endless winter geographically and spiritually, but even though we are heading into the winter *again* as we are now south of the equator, I felt like the Lord was sharing that a time of spring is coming. And it’s way warmer here than in Europe so it really does still feel better even if it’s considered winter. But spiritually as well, I feel a season of spring coming. A season of growth, seeing fruit from all of the hard labor, and of freshness. As we left Romania and arrived in South Africa, going from winter and dreary skies to sunshine and lush, green warmth (and a lot of rain), that winter is gone and even though it is *technically* fall, in my heart spring is COMING!
African Sunset
Went on a safari and these zebras walked right across the road in front of our vehicle:)
Something God is teaching me right now is that no matter our circumstances, we always have a choice. A choice to choose joy, choose to live well, and choose to do things now that will positively affect our futures. There are so many things about this year that were not what I expected. So many things that I struggled with. So many things out of my control that were traumatizing. I still have two months left of the battle here, and I am so excited to go home. But for now I have the choice to live well, keep my eyes on the Lord, and focus each day on how I can serve Him. So I’ll just keep doing that, one day at a time. God is moving, no matter how empty we are or how exhausted we feel.
Another team photo – right before our safari! With two of our amazing translators and now friends, Dennis (top) & KB (bottom)!
Jess, I’m so proud of you. You’re walking just as Jesus intended us to. Through hardships and pain, but with your eyes focused on the Kingdom and everything for His glory and he’s with you in it. That’s a sweet testimony right there 🙂 love you so much and keep holding fast!
As always, Jessie, I love your photos and I love your heart. I can’t wait to see you soon and talk about all this—and more—in person, especially your dream. We are keeping you close in our prayers.
Jessie! amazing testimony! Praise God! He is so alive and active in this world! His glory and love WILL be seen in this world! Keep going! you got the cloud of witnesses and all of us down here cheering you on!!!
Okay, firstly that zebra photo is incredible!! Also, I’m so grateful to know you and to finish off this hard but beautiful journey with you. Love you dearly and always, friend.
Jesse
I love what your saying and what your doing. The people in your team and the people your ministering to are blessed because of you. Most of all Jesus and the expansion of his kingdom is right on target with you
Hi Jessie, Thanks again for the update. Praying for your strength and endurance to finish the race!
Jessie God is smiling down you and your team as you run the race of freedom in Christ!
Sharing the love of the Gospel to the children and the women. How beautiful it must be to be filled with Joy unspeakable and full of God’s Glory.
I’m amazed that your team is allowing God to continue to do a creative work in every situation! God bless you and your team
Champions for Christ
So sweet to look back and read this from last month! You are truly battling and fighting like nobody’s business! Proud of you for leaning on the Lord, continuing to share your truth, and having your eyes open to see purpose and growth! Love you!