I’ll fly away oh Glory, I’ll fly away!

I am so excited to say that I will be heading back to South Africa on Wednesday the 23rd! I was originally returning on the 15th of January, but I’ve been sick over the holidays. Thank you for all of your prayers! I am so much better and I am very anxious to return to my team and my internship in Jeffrey’s Bay.

I feel that I have had quite a humbling experience while I have been home. Before I left Africa, I felt that I had grown tremendously in my faith and my knowledge of the Lord. I had seen Him work in new and amazing ways. It was even a little scary to watch God jump out of the box I had placed Him in for so long (this is still a current struggle to allow God to be God outside of my pathetic box). I’ve experienced so many wonderful things that have altered my mindset and mentality. My whole day is committed to serving the Lord and growing closer to Him. But then I came back to America…and it just wasn’t so easy or exciting. It’s been so humbling to realize I have so much more growing to do. I have so much more to learn. To be honest, I do not love God here in America like I do in Africa. I love Him selfishly and I’m quick to return to my American mentality of “it’s all about me.” I really despise the Christian I am while living in America. I walk in such freedom and have such fruit while in Africa. Needless to say, I have much to learn this next semester in Africa. I want to love God completely, wholly, and fully no matter where I am and no matter what is going on.

Although I have struggled in seeking the Lord, I have been overjoyed at the love I have received from the dear people of Ridgecrest Baptist Church. If it had not been for each compassionate heart, generous spirit, and every tshirt purchased (haha!) I would not be in Africa. I wish that I could yell this at the top of my lungs, THANK YOU! You are impacting the world! You are changing Jeffrey’s Bay and you are changing me! Thank you for believing in me! For loving me! For praying for me! For giving to me! I know that all of this is done from pure hearts that are devoted to the Lord and His workings around the globe. I have never met anyone like the sweet people of Ridgecrest! Yall will always hold a VERY special place in my heart!

I cannot express my gratitude to the folks at Germantown Baptist as well! It rocks my world that people I have never met pray for me and love me. I am shocked to have so many people ask about me or email me or give money without even knowing me! THANK YOU! I am so thankful for yall and your support and how much you mean to my family! I am so grateful and I hope to see many of you in March!!

I must also tell of some very exciting news! Below is a picture of a tavern in Jbay. It’s a place where men come and drink heavily and return to their houses and beat their wives and molest their children. (let that sink in for a second). I am not exaggerating by any means. I do not want to say that every man does this, but the majority do! It’s so sad and I hate that this happens. My ministry team has to walk past this tavern everyday to go on our house visits. We’ve had some problems with the men and began to pray for protection as we walk past. During the semester we began to pray “dangerous prayers” as my dad likes to say. We started praying that the owner would shut the doors or that the walls would fall down. Haha we prayed all types of things. We even prayed about purchasing the tavern and maybe turning it into a place for street kids to sleep since there is no orphanage in Jbay (the government thinks it looks bad…ironic eh?). We just felt so strongly that God was going to do something through us with this tavern. I love the verse from Ephesians that says that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or image! If I could title this picture it would say “immeasurably more.” And I feel that God is in the middle of working out the “immeasurably more.” My sweet teammate, Cassie, and I began to pray about returning home for Christmas and creating a base of people who would be committed to praying for a vision for what God wants regarding the tavern. About two weeks ago, I spoke at Ridgecrest and handed out pictures of the tavern and asked the kids to join with us in praying for this tavern. I mentioned that we believed to purchase the tavern would only cost about $2,000 dollars (this is an estimate). Afterwards, some precious people pulled me aside and told me that they would have a check for me to purchase the tavern by the next week!!!! Praise God for the body of Christ! I was shocked and excited and so many other emotions. I felt that the Lord spoke through their response. So….WE ARE BUYING THE TAVERN!!!! I am so excited to share this with each of you! Please pray for this tavern. Print this picture and stick it on your refrigerator or in your Bible to remember to pray. We need your prayers so badly! Pray that the day we walk into the tavern to buy it would be the day that the owner would wake up and decide he doesn’t want it anymore. Pray for the logistics of purchasing land and buildings in South Africa. Pray that we have enough money. Pray for what the tavern should be turned into and who should partner with us in this adventure. Pray for lives to be changed and impacted for Jesus Christ in the old tavern! Pray for God to move and speak boldly to all those who are involved first hand! I will continue to update as soon as I know anything. As of today, those in South Africa are working on finding a local friend to inquire about the tavern and the owner about selling it. If you are interested in doing more please click the “talk to me” link to the left. Also to clarify, by clicking the “support me” link you will be giving money to Adventures in Missions and NOT to the tavern. I’ve already raised my personal support so please contact me if you are interested in partnering with me in the tavern and the children of Jeffrey’s Bay.

HE Provides,

Amber