Somebody’s Watching

In Jeffrey’s Bay there is a very fine distinction between the White Africans and the Black and Colored people. When we go through the township to do ministry in the homes, people stare at us. They know why we are there because white people just don’t come around there…ever. It’s a lot like the South in America. You normally don’t see average white Americans walking through the ghetto just visiting people in the houses. It happens some but it’s not common.

The other day, some of the girls and I were visiting Marta. Marta is my hero. She is HIV positive but she doesn’t hide it like everyone else. Although she has been hurt before by her neighbors moving away from her when they found out and her friends rejecting her, she still does not hide her sickness. She is a believer and encourages me all the time. I love to encourage her as well. Her family has become my own. She has 3 boys and a girl. Her oldest son is becoming more and more involved in drugs and alcohol and this break Marta’s heart and mine. We want to see him walk with God and hope he does one day. The two little boys and little Myna are wonderful. We took them to the beach last Saturday and also to get icecream and it was so much fun.

Marta is also working. She is always cleaning or cooking or who knows what else. Part of loving people here in Jbay is becoming apart of their lives and serving them. So wherever we go we look for ways to help around the house. Marta has taught me a lot. She taught me how to make bread and how to hand wash clothes like a true South African woman! J

I enjoy doing things with and for Marta. I really do. Sometimes though, you just wonder if you are making any type of impact at all. The fruit is slow in coming and some days you can’t help but think you did nothing at all but wash Marta’s clothes.

Yesterday, we were back over at Marta’s and Jenny really felt led to visit this woman we had met the week before. She lives across the street from Marta. So we stopped in to say hello and we met her boyfriend also. Jenny began talking and praying with the woman and I talked to the man for a while. I don’t think he is a Christian but he is hungry. He asked me a lot of questions about what day I worshipped and where I worshipped. He goes to church but he also goes to services of the witchdoctors. His mother is actually a witchdoctor in Jbay  As we talked I just sensed that he was really hungry for the Lord. He asked to come back and visit him again so he could ask more questions and we could talk some more. When we were leaving he said the greatest thing ever. He said, “I saw you the other day across the street. You were washing clothes…a white girl was washing clothes. I’ve never seen that before. I wanted to met you and look you are in my very house now.”

I’m making an impact even when I don’t think I am. Everyone is watching. Everyone is seeing something more than a white girl washing a black woman’s clothes. We are screaming Christ in our simple actions. Isn’t that cool?

Please needs:

Pray that as a team we can go deeper with God…we are all so hungry for more

Pray for focus for myself

Pray for encouragement

Pray for Marta’s son Xoloni (x said like a “c”)

Pray for healing for Norma who has AIDS

Pray for a job for Sandra

Pray for my team as we have a few days off for Thanksgiving.

Love you all! Thank you!!!

HE Provides,

Amber