Hello! I
definitely cannot believe that my first semester has come and gone so quickly.
I have had so many opportunities and amazing experiences while I have been in
South Africa. I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose I will start with my
team.
I get the
opportunity to share this wonderful experience with nineteen other individuals.
I have fifteen teammates, thirteen girls and two boys. I also have five
outstanding leaders who continue to pour all they have into my teammates and
myself. My teammates and leaders are from all over the US and Canada. Our team
does everything together which can be extremely fun but also extremely
challenging! I share a bedroom with three other girls that connects to another
bedroom that sleep the other nine girls and we are share a bathroom. I have
definitely learned how to live in community. It’s a difficult adjustment at
first, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I no longer think of these other
nineteen individuals as my teammates, but my family. I get to work along side
them in ministries and watch lead people to Christ. I get to experience the
transformation God is doing in their hearts. Best of all, I have nineteen
lifelong brothers and sisters.
In
September, I spent one week in a town about an hour outside of Atlanta called
Gainesville, Georgia. This week was called “training camp”. All of the FYM
(first year missionary) teams flew to Gainesville for a week of intense
spiritual growth. Teams included: Dominican Republic, England, Mexico, Africa,
India, Swaziland, South Africa, and Peru. There were about two hundred total
FYM’s. We slept in tents, spent one week straight outside getting bitten by
mosquitos, showered with cold water out of a garden hose, and we used Porto
potties. The first few days of training camp were very hot and humid, but after
that it pretty rained non-stop, soaking everything in our tents. I can laugh
now about it, but I remember thinking that I had gotten myself into something
crazy! Even in the middle of being
completely stripped of everything comfortable, I knew that I was beginning one
of the greatest adventures of my life. During this week we spent time in
worship through music, time alone with God, prayer, and we did a lot of team
building activities. We also had three sessions a day. During these sessions we
usually had speakers fly in, or our leaders taught us. The topics covered
included: prayer, self leadership,
expectations, what God is capable of doing, the disciple of honesty, how to
grieve the losses in our life, spiritual instinct, believing in God, spiritual
passion, who I am and why I am here, spiritual warfare, intercessory prayer,
and culture. It was a very intense week. They broke us down from the minute we
walked in, until the minute we left.
Training camp was vital for me because I felt that God had to take me
out of all my distractions and all the things that I cling to in order to peel
back the dead layers that had built up around my heart. That saddest part is
that I never even realized how spiritually dead I truly was. God was so
precious to me and allowed me to experience a week of intense spiritual
awakening before hitting the mission field.
Next, we had
three full days of traveling. We flew from Atlanta to Frankfurt, Germany where
we had a fifteen-hour layover (ask me anything about the Frankfurt airport and
I probably can tell you!!). From there we took a red eye into Johannesburg,
South Africa. We went to a beautiful missionary retreat called Alabanza about
forty-five minutes outside of Johannesburg. My team was there along with the
Johannesburg, Swaziland, and Kenya FYM teams. There were about sixty of us in
all. We spent one week there, living in third world cabins and taking outside
showers. Alabanza was absolutely beautiful!
The next
week we traveled to the country of Swaziland. Swaziland is about the size of
Rhode Island. However, it has as many people as Texas! Swaziland has the
highest rate of AIDS in Africa! It’s predicted that by the year 2050 Swaziland
won’t even exist because of the AIDS epidemic.
Witchcraft
is practiced as much as Christianity is in Swaziland. Swazi’s believe that they
need to sell their souls to their ancestors to bring them honor and also for
protection. Families sell their children’s souls to witch doctors who then tie
a rope around the child’s tummy. It can be likened to a Christian dedication
service. In many prodestant churches, parents dedicate their babies to the
Lord. Of course this does not mean that the children receive salvation, but
rather it is a ceremony declaring that these children have been given to the
Lord and that the parents will do everything in their power to raise these
children to know the Lord Jesus. But in
Swaziland, these children experience so much wickedness and so many attacks
from the enemy because of this dedication. The children sit in the corner and
scream, run, or believe that something is attacking them. There is such a need
for Truth! Many people believe in the Lord but they will also visit the
witchdoctor. Swazi people must see that there is only One True God and that no
other things will ever satisfy.
We spent
some time with children but, while we were there we went to different ministry
locations everyday. One was a squatter‘s camp. Basically, this is a government
owned piece of land that people illegally build upon. They “squat” their land.
It’s a very poor and violent area. We did door to door ministry there and at
the end of the week we held a feast where the guys slaughtered a cow and fed
the whole squarter camp! It was quite a party. The women of the church brought
all the American girls inside the church to celebrate by dancing for hours!
Swazi people know how to have a good time!
We also
visited the sick in the hospital. This was the most heart-wrenching experience
I have had since I’ve been in Afica. The hospital in Swaziland is the worst
hospital in the world, literally. It reminded me a lot of the hospitals you see
in old war movies. It is extremely understaffed and lacks the necessary
supplies. Many times the patients must bring their own sheets, gauze,
ointments, and food. The government doesn’t provide for the hospital. It is here that I saw the disaterous affects
of AIDS. A teammate and I prayed over this one girl. We read on her chart that she was my age, 22.
Her breathing was so labored that I knew she would die within hours. She was
unconscious and weighed approximately 75 lbs.
I have never seen someone who was literally “skin and bones.” I am
certain that she died that very day…and she was only 22. We prayed peace and
comfort over her and spoke Scripture of her. And then we left. It was a rough
experience.
We travelled
to go to care points. A care point is a place that AIM (Adventures In Missions)
has created as a place where children can be fed and receive education. It is
free for any child. Many of the children are orphans and would not receive any
food or education if it was not for these carepoints. I was so moved by these
orphans though. We happen to be there on their chapel day, and we sat and
listened to them sing about how God is their provider and keeper. These
children who are only guaranteed one meal a day, who don’t have adequate
clothing, and who have insufficient education, stand there and sing about how
God provides! To say I was convicted, is quite an understatement!
We also had
sessions in Swaziland, two a day. Our speaker was Gary Black. He is an American
who has moved to Swaziland with his huge family to serve God and be a full time
missionary. Our focus that week was our identity in Christ. We also attended
Swazi church. It was the most beautiful experience ever. The little churches
are nothing more then a small structure with six or seven wooden benches. The
men sat on the right and the women and children sat on the left. There were not enough places to sit so they
pulled out little carpets and we sat on the floor. I got to share an
encouraging testimony and I think I will always hold that opportunity close to
my heart. The services usually go on for at least three hours, but sometimes
they go on for six or seven (quite different from America right?)! The people
there know the meaning of church and worship and what it’s really all about.
Swaziland is a beautiful country that is rapidly dying because of AIDS.
After our
week in Swaziland we went back for our last week at Alabanza in South Africa
where we continued with ministries in the communities. At the end of the week
we sad goodbye to the other teams and set out for Jeffry’s Bay!
Jeffrey’s
Bay, South Africa has a population twelve thousand. J Bay is the most beautiful
place I have ever seen in my life. It’s located at the very bottom of South
Africa. It is directly on the Indian Ocean. In fact, I can see the ocean from
my bed, out my window. J Bay is a very different town. It is separated into two
halves. The main part of town is the white rich community. It is where all of
the shops, restaurants, and the good part of the beach is. This area is a typical
vacation spot area. It’s beautiful and lively and is no doubt, a surf town.
This main area is where the world wide Billabong and Quicksilver surfing
competitions are held. Then there is the other half of the town which consists
of the black and colored community. These communities consist of three
townships: Pellsrus, Tokoyo Sexwale, and Ocean View.
While in J
Bay, we have internships where we go and do ministry at various locations. Some
of the different internship opportunities we had to choose from include: the
Joshua Project, Jeffrey’s Bay Primary School, day cares, Ithemba, churches, the
clinic, and house visits. I’m spending my time doing two ministries; house
visits and day cares.
I love my internship. Every morning I wake up and
have no idea what the day will hold. I
have three ministry partners who rotate days of visiting. There names are
Cassie, Jenny and Sarah. I spend most of my time with Cassie during our house
visits. We have six families we visit on a regular basis and two familes who
are at the beginning stages of become more regular house visits. We also have
met some ladies who run a creche (day care for children…but nothing like you
would ever imagine) and spend a couple hours each week holding babies so they
can have a little break.
I want to
spend some time telling you about these families we visit. Some of them are believers where others
proclaim to know God, but actually know very little. I have found a family that
is like my own little African family. The mother’s name is Marta and she is a
strong believer. She is HIV positive but is boldly speaking out against the
inconsistancies she sees in her own culture regarding AIDS. Although one in 4
South Africans has AIDS, it is very taboo to speak about the disease (so that
statistic is actually much higher). Marta is not ashamed and has decided to not
hide her disease like most South Africans but rather gather together a support
group. She is my African mom and her family and home feels like my very own.
Noma is
another woman we visit. She is also a believer but she is dying of AIDS. As of
two weeks ago, I received word for Jbay that she is very sick and back in the
hospital. I do not believe that her family knows the Lord. Her 11 year old
daughter is so worried as she watches her mother slowly worsen. Please pray for
Noma and her family.
I also visit
a family that lives in Ocean View township (don’t let the name fool you, it is
far from your average family beach vacation). None of them are believers so we
have spent months building relationships with them and gaining their trust. It
is important for us to step outside the typical view of Americans. We are seen
as white, rich American girls who are coming into their culture to “save them”.
So whatever the family is doing we do. Sometimes it’s sitting in their living
room watching their kids, or drinking coffee and eating cookies, or watching a
movie, or slaughtering chickens!!! Yes I slaughtered some chickens one day (and
I thought about Chick-fil-A the whole time!). We are hoping to speak more
boldly about Christ these next few months.
I met a
sweet lady named Sandra. She is a White African who I met in an internet café.
A week later we were getting coffee and talking about life. Since then she has
warmly embraced us Americans and we spend a lot of time together!
In addition
to my house visits, I also work with two other ministries. One is called “Hands
and Feet Ministry.” This ministry is based out of a church that we attend on a
regular basis. This church planted a church in one of the townships and they
partner together to help build floors and many other need for needy people in
the township. So every Thursday I roll up my sleeves and get to work! At first
I wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy this part of ministry, but after I
layed my first brick floor I was in love! I enjoy it so much! After a week of
relational ministry, it is nice to have a task in front of you an see it from
the beginning to the end result. It’s also a great way to release any built up
frustrations from the week due to living with 18 people!!! The other part of my
ministry is working in those two creches. These are little lean-to shacks on
the side or back of people’s houses. It’s quite different from American
day-care with all the toys and nice facilities and many paid workers. There
have been many times I have opened an old wooden door to a creche and with the
only light coming from the open door can I see 20 babies lined on the floor
with only two workers. This is very common. Sometimes the workers are paid but
sometimes parents do not pay. The kids sometimes show up without any food for
the day and without diapers. It’s so sad. We like to spend out time in two
different creches. One creche, the focus is to help the workers and minister by
holding babies. It’s very fun but it’s also extremely difficult to see the kids
sick or without toys. The strange thing is, most of the kids are happy even
without toys. One particular creche was damaged by a very bad flood that we
had. We are so excited to go back and tell them that we are going to build a
new creche for them thanks to some sweet members at one of my leader’s parent’s
church. Americans CAN and DO make a difference across the world!
I have so
many stories I could tell of all the ministry and all the amazing things God is
doing in my life and in Africa. But it would almost be like trying to explain
everything you learned in Alegebra 1 in a simple letter! There is just to much
to say. But above all the things that I have said, please know that YOU are
making a difference in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa and I am so grateful for
you. I get to be the very hands of Christ in Africa and you are no doubt along
side of me!
Please
continue to pray for my team and myself. Prayer is essential to my time spent
here. I can truly tell when people are praying for me and I am always in need
of great prayer warriors! The best way to keep up with me is at this website. I
beg you to visit it regularly and subscribe to it so that you are notified in
case of an update.
I have
reached my goal financially for my trip! PRAISE THE LORD! That was such a great
experience to watch people believe in me and the work God is doing in Africa
and give so freely. Thank you! You can also contact me by emailing me at :
[email protected] and you can also write me at:
Amber
Mullins
PO Box 921
Jeffrey’s
Bay, South Africa 6330
(FYI-we have
learned by experience that those who send packages from the States are
incredible people! We love getting stuff in the mail, however, we are taxed
HEAVILY for our packages. Many times we pay more than the price of all the
contents of the box in tax alone. So this is just a fair warning! J)
I hope this encourages
you and may you smile big knowing that you are changing the world! THANK YOU!!!
HE Provides,
Amber
Mullins
