Settling In

After 2 weeks over here I think I am finally getting use to the people and the culture of Joburg. I am definitely finding it easier to get up in the morning. Ko FiFi is still a wonderful place to live. Jan and his live-in girl friends of 20 some odd years (marriage is not the ideal over here) continue to surprise us with random delicious treats. The most notable of which are these delightful deep fried dough balls call "fatcakes" for a very obvious reason. My usually is to take several of those and dip them in sugar, basically having a funnel cake for breakfast. I hope that Delta doesn't charge us for the extra weight on the way back.

Though that has been a staple of my diet for the last couple of days, this weekend started in a much less then desirable way. I had a touch of food poisoning last Friday night around 4:30 in the morning. It was amazing to see how the guys took care of me during the whole ordeal. Matt May, our fearless leader, stayed up with me the rest of the night making sure that I was getting some water every so often. In the morning him and John Saye, a rather close friend of mine, took me to what is supposedly the best health clinic in the city. After telling the doctor I had eaten a Borawors (a incredibly tasty sausage) sandwich on campus the other day, he immediately told me it was food poisoning. He prescribed me an antibiotic and sent me on my way. By that night i was feeling better. It is amazing how selflessly those guys took care of me. Situations like that really make John 17:21 jump off the page.

That verse has also been quite important on campus this week too. We have been meeting guys left and right in Majuba, the dorm we are in. Devin and I have to sit down and discuss the name of the guys that we meet just to keep up with them. There are some guys in the rez that are already Christians and some are involved with Campus Outreach. These leaders are so encouraging being that they are less then a year old in their walk with the Lord and they are already passionate about reaching the guys in the rez. The guys that are on our floors are Aubrey (Sabello), Sbu, Zwia, and Mpumi. Aubrey is involved in all kinds of musical ventures with several extracurricular choirs. Sbu is kinda a big brother figure to all of the guys in the rez. He says that there are many of them that know him that he has no idea who they are. But that guy has great influence over them and normally has a pack of guys following him to bible study. Zwai is very similar to Sbu in that respect. He is very influential. He also is an IT major so alot of the guys he has introduced me to have alot to discuss with me. Mpumi is one of the best futbol (soccer) players in the rez and plays intermurals for Majuba. That futbol team is very exciting because Zwai is the coach and Sbu is the manager. There is a great deal of influence around the team all the time. Hopefully as God grows these four men the team and the rez will see what John 17:21 is talking about.

Devin and I also got the chance to lead the weekly bible study that the guys have on Monday night. That was interesting and quite exciting. We talked about Mark 2:17 and Romans 3:10-12 quite abit.

Mark 2:17

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Romans 3:10-12

As it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;

no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside;

together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

When we got done, one of the guys asked us what the point of being a christian was if there was no way to be good enough for God. I could not have been more excited because this guy had originally said he was not going to come because he didn't want to seem like he was just contradicting Christianity with all his questions. I was amazing to see his eyes grow and grow as we told him about the righteousness that comes through a life changing belief in Christ. I think that sharing with him 2 Corinthians 5:21 answered so much for him.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Back in states it is rare to find some one completely surprised by that. And I was pretty certain it would be the same way here. South Africa is the bible belt of the continent. I guess that is Gods way of reminding me that the reason many don't believe is because they haven't heard and the reason many have heard is because it isn't preached (Romans 10:14). I am very much looking forward to getting an chance to talk with him later. He is an IT major and we are going to study some together.

2 Timothy has been quite good also. Been learning alot about what Paul and Timothy's relationship. The entire letter is an encouragement to Timothy from Paul about not being afraid to share the untainted offensive gospel and trust God for the growth of the church. I wish i had the time to tell ya'll all that God has been teaching me through just even the first few verses but i am running out of time quickly.

I guess the rush or packing and moving before I left was enough for me to forget to bring a cable for the camera that I brought. Hopefully i will find away around that soon. I have some great pictures and really want ya'll to see the guys that I am living with, working with, and ministering too. If I can't figure it out I will steal some pictures from someone less absent minded. Love you guys and hope all is well in the states.

Anders

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me

John 17:20-21