On the 10^th – the 20^th this May I was privileged to travel to South Africa with Reach international, I have travelled with the team for some time for missions.

Each time I travel abroad particularly to Africa I am reminded of my early childhood and the early recognition of the call God placed on my life to missions. My passion was sparked during the sixties when my mother would receive what was presented as a newspaper that one had to open wide to read.

What astounded me were the pictures of thousands, millions in fact of black African people crowded together in one place for the most part, their hands were raised and there was excitement on their faces, and then there was the picture of people holding up crutches and walking sticks, and wheelchairs abandoned.

The person at the centre of the meeting was T L Osborn visibly preaching and I understood clearly that he was on a mission bringing the good news of salvation to the hungry the sick the poor the desperate, to those who wanted to hear the message and those who never heard with miracles signs and wonders.

God used those images to sow a seed in me and I decided that’s what I want to be, that’s what I want to do and that’s where I want to go.

I subsequently learnt in school of other missionaries like the famous historical figures such as David Livingstone born in the 18^th century (19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) he was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and an explorer in Africa, an abolitionist against slavery  and one of the most popular national heroes of late–19th-century in Victorian Britain, His motto—now inscribed on his statue at Victoria Falls—was “Christianity, Commerce and Civilization”, a combination that he hoped would form an alternative to the slave trade, and impart dignity to the Africans in the eyes of Europeans,  his legacy was certainly one of (stubborn determination in the face of suffering ) and then there was Gladys Alyward to name another,  a little evangelical  Christian woman and Missionary to china, who despite opposition went to china for the purpose of mission and ended up leading a hundred children almost single handily to safety during the time of an Japanese invasion on China.

Mission Trip to South AFRICA. Team from NTCG The Well and Reach.

Scroll down for part 2.

 

Their stories inspired me, because they were not bible figures but men and women in modern times. And on the back of that came The Arnolds, Bishop and Sis R.O Brown in Ghana, Bishop Curtis Grey in Liberia and other Missionaries would come and make the plea for those who would ‘go’. And there where the songs ‘so send I you’…, by Margret Clarkson and

‘ if Jesus goes with me I’ll go anywhere’ …let  me touch him…oh to be his hand extended… ‘send me’ and my favourite Jesus use me…. and the part where it says

I’ll stand for thee dear Jesus though death may come my way,

I’ll spread the Gospel to the fallen here,

and if it be your will lord to go across the sea                                                                                            just help me to be willing to say yes.

So, it was a joy to find myself for the 5^th time in Africa, to be more precise in South Africa for the first time, a place I always wanted to visit. The bonus was I got to see three places Johannesburg, Durban and Soweto. It was poignant for me because it was a place with so much historical significance, and the birth place of Nelson Mandela who I admire greatly. We visited the Regina Mundi Catholic church were the young people when fleeing from the police ran to for safety but was shot at, the holes from the bullets are still evident throughout the building.

For me at times it felt that it was a place of pilgrimage, as I could experience the place of true greatness, to walk and sit and stand, marvel and reflect in that great country that continues to command attention for its controversy, reconciliation as well as its vibrancy culture and beautiful people of all races.

The evil of Apartheid has left it ravages, but thank God we saw changes taking place, still a long way to go but further than they were before. The group could share fellowship with both rich and poor sick and the well.

The group went from praying with owners and staff of a business with 2, 500 diesel vehicles, to praying for the sick impoverished and dying, from handing out bread and sweets in poor communities, to preparing and serving over a hundred children at one time, with what could be the only meal they would eat that night.

Very moving was the feeding of babies and toddlers in an orphanage who were so trained they took the spoon back out of our hands to feed themselves and got up and took their bowls to the kitchen. We also visited a Mother Tereasa’s home for the disabled where we sang and befriended and fed the residence during meal time.

I along with Sis Jennifer Burk and another Sis Carmen visited the homeless shelter called the Nest in Durban town to encourage the occupancies, it had hundreds of beds, both men and women some with children, the Reach Team provided funds for the meal which we helped to share.

We had the experience of worshiping in a plush sanctuary as well as ministering in a edifice made of zinc but both of them in every way filled with the glory of God.

We were served impeccably the hospitality on each level was second to none. We met people and struck up new friendships, and could socialise for moments at a time and take time out to recharge our batteries.

Mission Trip to South Africa. Team from NTCG, The Well and Reach. Part 2.

The message

We all know Apartheid is the segregated political system deemed legal  in South Africa from 1948 to early 1990’s that separated the different peoples living there and gave privileges to those of European origin.

Apartheid speaks of ignorance, discrimination, enslavement, segregation, deprivation, ostracising, bondage, the antithesis or direct opposite of unity and freedom.

As I returned home I spent time reflecting on the history of the struggle and the journey of the ministry whiles in South Africa and was conscious how the spirit was using that event to bring to the fore how when evil and lies prevails it bring death, and carnage and darkness but how when the message of truth is heard it liberates and brings order, abundant life, joy peace and light, that’s what the bible means that when sin is conceive it brings forth death.

And so again the spirit brought to my mind in the spiritual context the importance of the Christian Gospel and its significance to the liberation of mankind, and that unless we as Christians revolt against the spiritual political and illegal kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of God as Jesus said will continue to suffer violence, violating mankind’s God given right to serve the living God in spirit and in truth.

We know that there are some things from the beginning that were never supposed to be. A violation accrued in the heavens subsequently leading to the fall and the separation between God and man.

Thank God for Jesus who agreed to be or sacrificial lamb slain before the foundation of the earth to reconcile man back to man.

Before returning to heaven Jesus gave a command to his followers to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, Acts teaches they were to begin at Jerusalem and work their way out.

Jesus travelled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. ³⁸ So pray to the Lord of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Consider where God has called you, and how he has equipped you. Not all will be sent overseas. If you are not sent overseas, stay in your town, pray send. You have a mission field around you every day. Your house, your neighbour, school colleges.  How will they hear without a preacher, how can they go if they are not sent. You can support.

The Disciples had to wait to be empowered before being sent out. Behold I send you out as sheep amongst wolves.

We need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit
Corinthians 12: 9-10 Romans 8:26

• We need the Power of the Holy Spirit so that you can demonstrate the fruit of the spirit.
• You need him in your witnessing.
• The Spirit does the drawing, the convicting and He brings revelation, He’s the guide, protector…
• He sets up divine appointment.
• The Spirit will help us in our weakness. 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 Romans 8:26

 

We need to be Prayerful.
‘there is a harvest that small churches can reap’

• The first thing Jesus said is Pray.
• What strategy does God want us to use for soul winning?
• How best can we implement them; we don’t want good Ideas we want God ideas.
• What is it that as a small church we can do that large churches cannot Do.
• We can still be on the cutting edge, ‘there is a harvest that small churches can reap’.

Our Mindset must change.
We must See people as people and not trees

• Positive things can happen if we change our mindset.
• We must see the harvest through the eyes of Jesus.
• See people as people and not trees, a number or a commodity.
• Take example from the master of the vineyard as to how he ministered to people, win them and make disciples of them.
• He met people where they were at.

 

WE MUST BE ABLE TO Let go of your own personal perceptions or values when they don’t have any root in scripture.

Some of us have belief systems that are born out of the way we were bought up, principles based on strict discipline tradition, and experience, rather than Godly fear and precepts, and Christian love.

We must release how we view people. Without prejudice. (Not only colour) Other culture or lifestyle. Everybody can’t live their life according to you.

We point people to Christ and His Cross. Paul was only able to say follow me, because he followed Christ

We are going to have to allow the spirit to deal with His people in His time.

• Let go of your own personal perceptions or values when they don’t have any root in scripture.
• We must be people of conviction and compassion to position the Church for the future.

Our compassion must urge us to pray

36. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Globalisation
We live in a community of different culture colour tribe and tongue.
Globalisation is the process of international integration

What does God say about it?

‘After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.’

There is but one race, and that is the human race. Race and denomination are ‘man made’ barriers. There is neither Jew or Gentile bond or free, male or female,’

The Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile, although they shared many beliefs. The two communities seem to have drifted apart in the post-exilic period. 2 Kings 17:23 Ezra 9 Nehemiah 13.

There were many issues here.
The Samaritans were the subjects of prejudice. There was the issue with race. An issue with gender. An issue with culture.

How did Jesus handle these issues?

In his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus broke three Jewish customs:
First, he spoke to a woman;
Second, she was a Samaritan woman, a group the Jews traditionally despised;
And third, he asked her to get him a drink of water, which would have made him ceremonially unclean from using her cup or jar. This shocked the woman at the well.

Jesus offered life. Talk to people about life

Jesus didn’t condemn her He broke down the barriers and asks her for a drink.

• By reaching out to the Samaritans, Jesus showed that his mission was to the entire earth, not just the Jews. In the book of Acts, after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, his apostles carried on his work in Samaria and to the Gentile world.
• Ironically, while the High Priest and Sanhedrin rejected Jesus as the Messiah, the outcast Samaritans recognized him and accepted him for who he truly was: the Saviour of the world.

Ephesians 2:11-21

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ … So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

The Text of Scripture is not Israelocentric
but Christocentric

• According to Ephesians 3: 4-6, God made known a mystery to Paul.
• This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”