Freedom Park Celebration

Over the weekend, I traveled to Rustenburg, South Africa, to hang out with my friend Paul. Rustenburg is about a two-hour drive from Joburg.

So Friday, Paul and I went to Freedom Park Secondary School where he ministers, to attend their achievement celebration and Valentine’s talent show. During the celebration they recognize those students who have excelled in each subject and grade.

It was encouraging to not only hear how well these students performed but also that the school was taking a day to publicly recognize these achievements. It certainly is a morale boost for the kids and an incentive for them to work hard and succeed in their education, encouraging them to become productive and responsible citizens (I think I borrowed that thought from the Boys & Girls Clubs mission statement – hey, that was my life for three years!).

It also touched my heart to hear the administrators encourage the students to be strong in their faith and seek to glorify God in their achievements and life. Though it is not a faith-based school, the leaders appeared to be believers and opened the doors of their school for Paul to share the gospel of Christ and disciple believers there. They even had a time of worship during the celebration!

After the celebration, festivities continued with a talent competition. These students love to dance and it shows! They are talented in hip hop but definitely add an African flavor to it. It was a fun afternoon watching these kids show off their moves and the fun they had doing their thing.


Here are a few photos from the day…

Street ministry in downtown Johannesburg

Last night, I went with a group from Edenvale Baptist Church to give out bread and soup to those without homes who live on the streets of downtown Joburg. EBC partners with a ministry of the Central Methodist Church, located in the heart of the city.

We started at the church and I don't think I've ever seen a sight such as this in all my travels. There were literally hundreds, maybe even a couple of thousand people packed into the church. They are referred to as refugees, many from surrounding countries, but most from Zimbabwe. The every stairway, every inch of floor, every hallway was crowded with men, women, children and babies, all trying to find a place to stay indoors, seeking refuge from a chilly, rainy night.

As we made our way through the crowd, we passed a ventilator shaft in the hallway. I was shocked to see at least five people crammed into the small, narrow shaft in the wall. This was their home, among water heaters, eletrical panels and insulation.

We loaded the soup and bread and headed out to the city for the first of five stops. Those living on the streets know every Wednesday, the church group will be there to feed them. They don't line up, they don't fight, they don't beg. They know the Lord is providing them a meal and they are patient, knowing their meal will be hand delivered to them.

I visited with a man named Fred, who has been in Joburg for about six months, but calls Cape Town home. He came here to work but due to an injury and subsequent operation on his leg, he's been unable to work. He said he has no family in Joburg and no place to go. Fred seemed scared and unsure about his future. We gave him soup and bread and prayed with him. He sat down against the brick building under a small awning and seemed to enjoy his food. As we were leaving, I said my goodbye to Fred and he expressed his appreciation for the meal. I looked back as we drove past where Fred was sitting and he was gone, in an instant. My heart broke for him but I told him to have faith, that the Lord would take care of him, just as he had that night by providing a meal.

I would love to share this story through photos but sometimes, a camera is not appropriate in certain situations. Every person on the street and in the church has a story. If the Lord provides more opportunities for me to minister downtown, I hope to learn more about these precious people He loves so much.

Some great kids

Thursday mornings, I spend about four hours volunteering at Little Eden, a group home and non-profit organization for kids and adults with special needs. The residents range in age from three months to 58 years. Some kids were abandoned as babies while others have families who visit on weekends.

I help with the Yellow group comprised of about 26 kids who have severe mental disabilities. I think they are in the 10 - 12-year-old range but have the mental capacity of babies and are physically limited and confined to wheelchairs, unable to do much of anything for themselves.

We have music time for a bit and "dance" with them (pushing their wheelchairs in beat with the music), let them try musical instruments, help them with art projects and help feed them during tea time and lunch.

I'm really excited to have two of the Joburg Hands-On missionaries volunteering with me at Little Eden. Ryan, from Oklahoma, has worked at a camp for kids with special needs in the past and Jack, from Georgia, has staffed at Snowbird, a faith-based adventure camp. It was blessing to see these guys love on the kids and enjoy the time there. Ryan and Jack have already become good friends of mine and I'm looking forward to serving with them at Little Eden.

Thursdays are definitely the highlight of my week. I've always had a passion and love for kids with disabilities. My mom has worked in special education most of my life so I've always been around them. When I was a substitute teacher, I often subbed in special ed and any chance I had to volunteer at Special Olympics, I would.

I also remember as a portrait photographer, on days when I would be swamped and stressed with long lines of people, God would send in a family with a child who had some kind of disability that would totally change my mood. I got a boost of patience and took my time with them. I was always grateful for those kids and rejoiced in the blessing of the Lord sending them my way just at the right time.

Below are a few pictures from the school. Due to confidentiality, I can't post names or individual pictures of the kids.

Jack & Ryan with one of the kids

Epic Adventure with Weibs

January has been a busy month and my blog has been severly neglected but thanks to some accountability from Suzie Rodgers and Megan Norton, I'm finally updating!

Last weekend, me and my friend Paul Weiblen decided we needed a guy's day of fun and it all started with the idea of going in search of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa. First, let me introduce Paul, or as I like to call him, Weibs.

One thing that's been difficult here is being the only single missionary guy in Joburg. Don't get me wrong, I love the friends I have and the relationships I've built with my team but for me, I need the fellowship of other guys who are in the same walk of life as me. Paul is a journeyman in Rustenburg, about two hours north of Joburg. We connected on Facebook, met a few weeks back and were instant friends.

Paul and I split MK duty at Strategy Leaders training that's been held at the Baptist Camp in Roodepoort. I worked the first half and Paul has been working the second half. He came down and stayed the weekend with me in Joburg and we designated Saturday to be our epic adventure.

After breakfast at Mugg & Bean, we set out in search of Oprah's school, which is in Henley On Klip, SA. We didn't know how far away it was but in less than an hour, we found it! The school was locked up like a compound, of course, but that didn't stop us from taking some photos in front of the sign (see below).

Although going to Oprah's school was pretty epic, it wasn't epic enough so we chose to head back to Joburg for a visit to the Crocodile and Reptile Farm. Call me crazy, but I've always been fascinated by reptiles since I was kid, especially snakes. We got to hold a one-month-old Nile Crocodile, a hairy tarantula (which was a big step for me because I'm not a fan of spiders) and best of all, an albino python.

We took a tour of the park and saw Nile crocs ranging in age from one year to 60 years. We happened to be there at feeding time so we watched the crocs feast on dead chickens and rib meat from whatever larger animal died the previous week.

We topped off the epic adventure with lunch at the Gourmet Garage in Montecasino and Paul stocked up on Dr. Pepper and A&W Root Beer (which is imported from the States and only sold in this little American trading shop for about $1.50/can).

For two single missionary guys, our adventure was no less than epic. Hey, we are easy to please! Enjoy the photos...

Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy

Weibs and I at the school

Weibs has a crush on Oprah

I have a crush on South Africa

Road into Henley On Klip where the school is located

Me holding a baby Nile croc

The bearded lizard

Weibs and the baby Nile croc

The albino python!

I'm thinking about adopting her so Jeff and Nick can have a roommate when they come visit

The tarantula (I'll admit, I was a little nervous with this one)

Ready for lunch!

Dining on chicken

Zambia - Part III

After our 12-day stay at bush camp, we were paired off for our homestays with a local Zambian family. Jeff and I were assigned to the Benson Phiri family in town, where we spent three days & nights with pastor Benson, his wife, Agnes, and their children.

Jeff and I had no idea what to expect when Kevin Rodgers dropped us off at the Phiri’s home Friday morning. As we pulled up to the small brick home, several kids appeared, seemingly excited about their guests for the weekend. Kevin introduced us to pastor Benson who showed us inside and to our bedroom.

The Phiri’s were kind enough to give up their bedroom for us while they slept in their living room. As we entered the house, the air felt 20 degrees warmer than outside. Pastor Benson had built their home but has not had the funds to install windows so the window openings were bricked up to keep the house secure. In doing so, however, there was little ventilation so the heat was nearly unbearable to us.

Jeff and I went into our small bedroom and looked at each other. We instantly read each other’s minds. “How are we going to make it this weekend?” It was hot. The room was small. Our “shower” was nothing more than a small stall with a wash basin and a drain. The only toilet was outside, which was another stall with a hole in the ground. This was sure to be an experience.

We unpacked our things, decided we had to make the most of it and have faith that we could endure whatever discomforts may come. We sat down with Pastor Benson and visited for a bit and were served hot tea with bread and butter before we went into town.

All weekend we rarely spent anytime with the Phiri family as a whole. In traditional African culture, women are still considered second-rate people. Agnes stayed in the small kitchen with the girls much of the time; I even caught a glimpse of her lying on the concrete floor taking a nap as the breeze coming through the house flapped the sheets hanging in the doorway.

She prepared our meals and the girls often served us in the living room but never joined us for a meal or tea time. African women are strong; some of the strongest in the world and can endure some of the harshest circumstances imaginable. Coupled with this resilient strength, though, is oppression unknown to most.
I have more to share from the weekend stay at the Phiri’s, such as the traditional African wedding celebration we attended. That will be a post all its own. Until then…

Jeff with neighboring kids at our homestay

Me with neighboring kids at the homestay

The Phiri's home



The Phiri's church in the village


Jeff and I with some of the kids after church


Living room in the Phiri's home


Jeff and I with the Phiri family

Zambia - Part II

So maybe blogging isn’t one of my strengths but I’m determined to do better. Picking up where I left off…

After our time in Lusaka, we headed for bush camp in Petauke, a good six or seven hours drive from the city. For any who know me, you are well aware that I’m not a camper and have never actually been camping, which may be strange to some considering I’ve lived in Arkansas since birth. Surprisingly enough, my time at bush camp were the best days of 40/40.

We stayed in tents where at night, we could hear bats chirping and bush babies peeping among the trees overhead. Bathing was a bit of a chore as we first walked to the well to hand-pump our shower water, then carry the bucket to the showers where we lowered another bucket to pour the water in, then raised the shower bucket with a pulley. My first experience with the bucket shower was a memorable one as I didn’t properly tie the rope for the pulley (this is when previous camping experience would have been helpful) and my bucket, full of water, came crashing down on my head, then bounced off my shoulder (go ahead, I give my blessing to laugh).

Our DFA’s were similar to those in Lusaka but the topic of marriage and child birth is when I learned how traditional beliefs hold African people in a bondage of fear. We visited with several families in the villages, asking about special rituals or steps taken when a couple wants to marry and when a child is born. One family shared, in graphic detail, about the husband and wife’s relationship after a baby is born. Without going into much detail, they told us about traditional medicines that are taken and rituals performed on the baby before the couple may come together again. If these acts are not taken seriously and followed through with, they believe the newborn baby will die immediately by its body being separated within at the waist.

As they shared these beliefs, I questioned them on the validity of their rituals and asked if they had ever seen a baby die is such a gruesome way due to its parents not following the customs. While they could not say they had witnessed it themselves, they simply repeated “it has happened.”

As we left the village, God reminded me of the bondage of animistic and ritual beliefs that have a stronghold on many people in Africa, especially those in rural villages.

In my next post, I’ll share about mine and Jeff’s homestay with the Phiri family. Until then…



My tent at bush camp



Visiting in the village



Jeff and I visiting with kids in the village



Pumping water for my shower



Guy's shower


Shower stall with bucket shower

Zambia - Part I

For anyone reading this blog, my apologies for being slack in updating.

I’ve been back in Joburg for a week now, getting adjusted and settling in to life here in the big city. Driving a stick shift on the left side of the road is a bit tricky….okay, a lot tricky but I’m gaining confidence every day. This week, my goal is to make it to the Greenstone Mall which isn’t far from my apartment but there’s lots of traffic between here and there.

Allow me to catch up to speed on my month in Zambia. I left South Africa Oct. 22 for Lusaka, Zambia, to participate in 40/40, an on-field training to better acclimate us to African culture and help us be effective ministers in our assignments. One of the best parts of 40/40 was reuniting with our FPO group from Virginia. It was wonderful reconnecting with everyone and catching up on the past three weeks since we left ILC and our lives in the US.

During our 12-day stay in Lusaka, we were housed at the Baptist Seminary and visited surrounding townships, or compounds as they are known there, for our Daily Field Assignments. Each day, we were given a different topic to visit with the locals about, including healthcare, life cycles and spiritual beliefs.

One day, Evan and I, along with our Zambian partner Mangani, went to visit Moses, an older man suffering from tuberculosis. Moses lives in the Bauleni compound in a small, mud and brick house with a tin roof. His house, barely bigger than a bedroom, contained only a single-size mattress, a small table, a couple of chairs and a few random knick-knacks. Upon entering the house, thoughts of TB being an airborne disease ran through my head but then I saw Moses and his frail, weak body, sitting on the side of his bed, waiting for our arrival.

The Holy Spirit quickly reminded me not to fear such things but only to love this sick and seemingly helpless man. Moses told us he was on medication to treat the TB but he was very weak. He shared with us how he had lived a reckless life, abusing alcohol and other drugs, and how he deeply regretted the poor choices he made in the past.

Evan began sharing about the love of Christ and the redeeming power of God’s grace on our lives, despite the sin in our past and present. He told Moses that our Lord would rescue him from sin and change his life. Moses seemed to understand the good news and believed he could be saved in the name of Jesus. We prayed with Moses and he received Christ as his Lord and Savior.

I have much to share about Zambia so I’ll write more in additional posts. Until then…


Evan & Moses

Jeff, Evan & I at lunch in Lusaka

The lady in this picture told us she's HIV-Positive