I'm Back...On Blogger, Not In The US...

Okay, everyone…it’s official…I am an honorable YWAM graduate! Wahoo! We had our very multicultural ceremony in the township about 1.5 weeks ago, and it felt like home again after being out of Capetown for 2 months...It was really amazing and it felt like God was as excited to see this day become a reality for our group. Seriously, it’s been a very long 5.5 months together from different backgrounds, cultures, languages, belief systems, walks with God, ages, etc., etc., etc. and for me, this is a TRUE miracle about the grace and faithfulness of God to see our group make it to the end together still loving each other…man, where should I start?????

I am leaving for a journey to Rwanda starting next Tuesday…Yikes! It’s been complete chaos because I feel like South Africa has become my second home for the last 10 months and it’s very difficult to find time to spend with all the beautiful people I met. It’s impossible actually to plan and treasure every second I have left here. I have fallen in love with this place, seriously, and I know this place has forever changed my character and relationship with God and people. If I sound a bit random in my blogs, it’s because I have a million things on my mind in order to get out of the country by next Friday…I still have not made any plans to get out and I have to find a way to add more pages in my passport because I have traveled to too many places…what a shame! 

So my idea is to make it to Rwanda by bus, not plane where I could be there in 5 hours, but by land, which in Africa could be months…I plan to visit Iris Ministries again in Pemba, Mozambique as well as the Salyer family, my adopted American African missionary family. They would like to take a vacation to Malawi, so they may help me get more on my way…Wahoo! I have not set really an exact plan for the journey, but I am trusting God’s timing and guidance for this whole trip. I could explain what lead me up to this decision, but I am afraid I don’t have the time or space on this website to go into great detail…I am going! I am going! I am going! So please pray for my safe travels and God’s guidance and discernment.

As for the rest of my blog, I would like to include pics that will give you a general glimpse into my world over the past 4 months and the places the team has been to minister. We got to do a lot, but I believe the most ministry was done internally with eachother, teaching us to lay down our rights, prefer others more than ourselves, patience, sacrificial love, perseverance, and to treasure the small changes like seeing a hard of stone slowly become accepting of correction and real love. It’s not exactly what I wanted to go through, but I know God is answering my prayers to learn what reconciliation really looks like, and it’s not easy, no way! It requires a lot of stability in God and choosing to die to yourself…how many people want make that conscious decision every day to do that???? But then I find myself asking, What if Jesus had done that for us? I don’t like to think about that.

So enjoy the pictures…most of them aren’t mine because my camera was stolen with all of them from the beginning, but these should give you a good idea of God’s work!

At New Jerusalem, the children’s center we ministered at in Johanessburg, we go to talk the HIV babies to the clinic for their medication…my spirit stirred a lot this day, looking at their innocence and asking God, “Why?” and realizing the unlikelihood that these children would ever have a real family someday...


This is a precious picture because it rare for African males to spend time like this with children…It was one way God was softening Sandise’s heart. This little one sadly died while we were ministering there and we attended a funeral and burial…nothing like in the states…just a hole in the cemetery with a cardboard tombstone…another reality of Africa. Why do we spend so much money to celebrate the death of someone we love? Why not celebrate them more when they are alive?

Out of all the African guys on this team, it was Mfuneko who had the biggest heart for children...He lit up and was always kissing their cheeks...

“Brenda, Jesus loves you, do you know that?”

"I need more arms, God...Can you do a miracle?"

We need to chew on the Word of God daily!

We spent two weeks visiting sick people in their homes to give them hope and encouragement. After just a couple of visits, Brinley and I felt like we were a part of the family, enjoying tea, worship, prayer together...The case worker even blessed me with her beautiful white sweater before I left...it humbled me to tears.

We had a youth retreat for the teenage girls at a group home one weekend on who we are in Christ! God was so cool! He challenged me to speak for 1.5 hours on being in God’s family! It was so fun!

"More babies! Mom, can I keep him?"

I taught the African guys how to make homemade peanut butter cookies to take to their families. It was their first time baking! It was fun, as it turned into a flour fight…

Our last week of Outreach was back in the township church! Alleluia! Now this was home to us! The children we fed good healthy meals and then we did dramas every night and gave them the Word of God to eat!

This teenage girl attended and translated the services for us every night…I felt it on my heart to really pray God’s protection and dreams over her life because I know He has an incredible love for her. She really has a love for God and it’s a rough life to live out when poverty is all around her.

Here I got to preach about the dreams God has for His children, not as the world gives, but REAL KINGDOM dreams that are eternal, more than success, money, fame, materialism, but using the gifts He’s given to build the Kingdom of God.


Our last days of Outreach we spent debriefing on a Lion Game Reserve….Isn’t the cub cute? He is safe to hold because he doesn’t have teeth, but I did get scratched!