A word from Barb

Thanksgiving Day in South Africa turned out to be just another day! No big celebration here and our thoughts flew to family and friends around the world celebrating in different ways! Our joy that day was to teach two classes to people who have made commitments to serve God with their lives and as we talked about: Loving People, Hating Evil and Trusting God, we were so blessed! And we were reminded over and over of all the many blessings of the Lord in our lives!

Friday, Nov. 23 – found me(Barb) teaching a prayer seminar to the Living Hope Community Centre Lay Counselor Staff. What a joy to get to know these wonderful servants of the Lord and I soon realized how much I have to learn from them! I felt so blessed to hear them pour out their hearts to the Lord in prayer, realizing their total dependence on the Lord for their every need.

Names are a big challenge but we’re beginning to recognize them. That day I met – Prudence, Tabisi, ‘du du, Hilary, Tozama, Nolizawe, Nokwanda, Nolubabald (last names are really beyond me).

These are some of the women who actually do HIV/AIDS testing, then they have the job of telling the person whether they are positive or negative. They then follow up with weekly counseling sessions – or more often if needed. Each of these Lay Counselors has their own stories. Some of them have AIDS and this also gives them credibility as they deal with clients. Most of them are single mothers. Hilary stayed after the class to ask me to pray for her and her family. She travels 2 hours to work every day. Her husband is unemployed and they have 3 children. Their landlord wants their house so they have 6 days to be out of the house. Hilary’s salary is very low and does not qualify them to rent in this area, closer to her work. We prayed for God’s provision and for a miracle of God to lead them in these next days. It will be exciting to see God’s answer!

Monday, Nov. 26 this Monday morning was rainy and cold but my (Barb) heart soon warmed as I met with the folks at the Muizenberg Homeless shelter for devotions! Their singing was incredible –not so much musically, but from the heart! Susie Pile played the “antique” organ and the Life Skills workers joined us with great enthusiasm and with singing and rhythm only found in Africa!!! I had the joy of leading the devotional time in a lesson on “Trust” – realizing that every day is a walk of faith as these people depend wholly on the Lord for their help! Some of those who come to the shelter are believers, and some still have very addictive lives with deep, deep needs. The staff reach out daily to share the love of God in very tangible ways offering them a hot meal, clothing, and sometimes jobs such as street cleaning or answering a call for a day worker. The hope is that each one who comes will find Christ and that they can be placed in employment, a place to live and in rehabilitation for their addictions. It is a long, hard journey! There were tears this morning as we learned of Lionel’s death. He suffered from TB and AIDS and was never able to get “off the street” but he had made a profession of faith.

What a contrast later in the day to go to a mega-store to shop for the upcoming Christmas parties we will help a team from Michigan put on for these folks and 4 other venues with children in poor communities. And…later to meet over coffee in a nice little coffee shop with a gal in med school who needed some counsel concerning full time service for the Lord. I’m grateful for each experience and opportunity to know and touch the lives of wonderful people.