What up fam?! We are here in South Africa getting to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Durban. We arrived last Saturday and hit the ground running. We were at Olive Tree Church on Sunday morning and planning Sunday afternoon. Starting early Monday and Tuesday morning, we went to Durban Girl's College and facilitated a Courage retreat from roughly 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. On Wednesday, we facilitated a Courage retreat at a Township school near Durban and then I got to run a basketball clinic and share my testimony with a few students. Several gave their lives to the Lord. It seems that every where we go, we are getting GREAT responses and people are HUNGRY for Gospel Truth. Thursday we went into downtown Durban to Addington Primary, an inner-city school, to facilitate a Courage Retreat with over 200 students. Then we went to iMfolozi as a team to enjoy a little down time and see some indigenous wildlife.
We were up at 4:30 a.m. to go on our tour Friday morning, and let me just say, God's creation here is AWESOME!!!! We saw a chameleon, laughing hyena, indigenous birds, a martial eagle, water buffalo, babboons, an African elephant, a warthog, a wildebeest, giraffes, zebras, and rhino. It was absolutely amazing. We have spent some time at the beach, overlooking the Indian Ocean and I have just been taken by the Lord's beauty revealed through creation (Psalm 19; Romans 1).
Friday night, the Lord gave me the opportunity to preach at Westville Baptist Church to about 200 youth. Several made decisions to follow Jesus and others made the decision to recommit their lives to the Lord. It was AWESOME!!!! The Lord is truly working here in RSA and I'm loving seeing His hand move.
Saturday morning, we were up at 5:45 and headed to the beach for a surfing lesson from the Dad of our host family. It was AMAAAAAAZING!!!!
We sent 3 of our teammates home yesterday (Saturday) and are using today (Sunday) and tomorrow as refreshment days (Tomorrow is a national holiday). On Tuesday we will do a Courage Retreat at Clifton Boy's School, Wednesday at Durban High School (all boys), and Thursday I'll speak in the morning at DHS to 10th grade boys and then head to the Durban airport to come home.
Though my time here has been physically exhausting, it has been SOOOOO spiritually refreshing. For those of you who are praying, have prayed, and will continue to pray, THANK YOU!!!!!!! I love you. Grace and Peace.
