So today I was at a braai (it's a public holiday in SA today) and Gareth & Nicci start sharing about their fish and chips takeaway on Friday night. They were really disappointed with it - they phoned in their order but when Gareth went to collect it they'd given it to someone else, he had to wait for 30 mins for them to make his order and then apparently it only came with like 5 chips.
At this point Jeremy says 'that's funny we had fish and chips on Friday night too and ours was really nice'. Laura chips in 'yeah and they even gave us a side salad which was lovely'. (There's only one place in Clarens that does fish and chips takeaway which is how we can have this conversation in the first place.)
Comprehension dawns on Nicci who says 'how many did you order?'. Jeremy and Laura ordered 3 portions as Laura's mum was with them. Gareth and Nicci also ordered 3 portions as a friend was with them, and Nicci specifically asked for a side salad, something that doesn't just happen to turn up in your order.
Well it turns out Nicci phoned through their order for collection at half 6. Gareth was held up at a guest house so wasn't there quite on time. Just after half 6 Jeremy walks into the shop and orders 3 sets of fish and chips and is told 'they're right here ready'. He thinks 'wow great service I turned up at the perfect time' and walks off with Gareth's order. Meanwhile Gareth shows up late, is told his order has already been collected, waits half an hour for a new one, drives it home, arrives home as he gets another call to another guest house so goes straight out again. So not only were there only 5 chips, but by the time he got to eat them they were cold :-( As he said at least he knows now who to be angry with lol. Meanwhile Jereamy and Laura just high five each other. The joys of small town life.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Monday, 19 April 2010
HIV Sunday
Yesterday our church service was dedicated to teaching about HIV, both the medical facts and Biblical teaching; prayer for those infected and affected; and testing. It is estimated (many haven't been tested due to fear and many of those who do get tested keep the result a secret) that 1 in every 2 to 3 people in our community are infected with the virus, but there is still a massive stigma attached. As a church we are trying to break that stigma and tell the truth about HIV and the hope that Jesus brings.
Living here, I've had a lot of training on HIV - so much that I'm now a qualified tester. But there were a couple of facts given yesterday that floored me:
1. A rich person with HIV on average lives 5 times longer than a poor person with HIV. I knew that they would live longer but hadn't realised the difference was that significant. This is due to access to better medicine and healthcare, better nutrition and more awareness about personal fitness.
2. Last year in SA the same number of people who died in the Asian tsunami died from HIV every 3 weeks.
Looking at those facts it's easy to see why people in our community feel helpless in the fight.
One of the best things Dr Liam did yesterday was to teach that HIV is not God's punishment towards an individual. That it's a result of living in a fallen world in the same way that we live with many other sicknesses. In this community that is such an important truth - so many are ashamed of their status and therefore keep it hidden resulting in them not receiving the care they so desparately need. Many, many women in this community have been infected by unfaithful husbands, but still feel the stigma is too great to go and get treatment.
Our home-based care workers are doing a fantastic job of visiting in the community, breaking down the barriers, but as a church we need to stand up and speak the truth. The truth that being HIV positive doesn't exclude you from the community. The truth that knowing your status is better than not knowing. The truth that if you're positive you can be treated and live a normal life for many years. The truth that God still loves you. The truth that Jesus died that you might live for eternity in a new and perfect body in a world free from HIV. Only the truth will set you free.
Living here, I've had a lot of training on HIV - so much that I'm now a qualified tester. But there were a couple of facts given yesterday that floored me:
1. A rich person with HIV on average lives 5 times longer than a poor person with HIV. I knew that they would live longer but hadn't realised the difference was that significant. This is due to access to better medicine and healthcare, better nutrition and more awareness about personal fitness.
2. Last year in SA the same number of people who died in the Asian tsunami died from HIV every 3 weeks.
Looking at those facts it's easy to see why people in our community feel helpless in the fight.
One of the best things Dr Liam did yesterday was to teach that HIV is not God's punishment towards an individual. That it's a result of living in a fallen world in the same way that we live with many other sicknesses. In this community that is such an important truth - so many are ashamed of their status and therefore keep it hidden resulting in them not receiving the care they so desparately need. Many, many women in this community have been infected by unfaithful husbands, but still feel the stigma is too great to go and get treatment.
Our home-based care workers are doing a fantastic job of visiting in the community, breaking down the barriers, but as a church we need to stand up and speak the truth. The truth that being HIV positive doesn't exclude you from the community. The truth that knowing your status is better than not knowing. The truth that if you're positive you can be treated and live a normal life for many years. The truth that God still loves you. The truth that Jesus died that you might live for eternity in a new and perfect body in a world free from HIV. Only the truth will set you free.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
A great night at youth
Last night I had a brilliant time praying for some of the youth at church. A couple of the highlights:
1. I prayed for Seipati who had a tummy-ache which was instantly healed.
2. I prayed with Mamakgua who was manifesting not in a good way. I and Modiehi (one of the girls on the youth team) took her into a room to chat and pray. She had responded to a call for recommitment but when she was prayed for felt like she was burning. When we chatted we found that she has been hearing a voice whenever she tries to pray telling her not to and she couldn't worship. While we were praying for her about this I felt we should pray for the gift of tongues. I explained this to her and she was very keen to receive the gift. As we prayed over her she began to speak in tongues and as she did so her whole face changed. You could literally see the peace of God descend on her. She was just so excited to be speaking in tongues and to now have this weapon to use whenever she hears that voice lying to her.
What a privilege last night was!
1. I prayed for Seipati who had a tummy-ache which was instantly healed.
2. I prayed with Mamakgua who was manifesting not in a good way. I and Modiehi (one of the girls on the youth team) took her into a room to chat and pray. She had responded to a call for recommitment but when she was prayed for felt like she was burning. When we chatted we found that she has been hearing a voice whenever she tries to pray telling her not to and she couldn't worship. While we were praying for her about this I felt we should pray for the gift of tongues. I explained this to her and she was very keen to receive the gift. As we prayed over her she began to speak in tongues and as she did so her whole face changed. You could literally see the peace of God descend on her. She was just so excited to be speaking in tongues and to now have this weapon to use whenever she hears that voice lying to her.
What a privilege last night was!
That's My King!
"The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews
He's the King of Israel
He's the King of righteousness
He's the King of the ages
He's the King of heaven
He's the King of glory
He's the King of kings
He's the Lord of Lords
That's my King!
I wonder, do you know him?
My king is a sovereign King
No means of measure can define His limitless love
He's enduringly strong
He's entirely sincere
He's eternally steadfast
He's immortally graceful
He's imperially powerful
He's impartially merciful
Do you know Him?
He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world
He's God's son
He's the sinner's Saviour
He's the centrepiece of civilisation
He's unparalleled
He's unprecendented
He is the loftiest idea in literature
He's the highest personality in philosophy
He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology
He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour
I wonder if you know Him today?
He supplies strength to the weak
He's available for the tempted and the tired
He sympathises and He saves
He strengthens and sustains
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He cleansed the lepers
He forgives sinners
He discharges debtors
He delivers the captive
He defends the feeble
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
He beautifies the meek
I wonder if you know Him?
He's the key to knowledge
He's the wellspring of wisdom
He's the doorway of deliverance
He's the pathway of peace
He's the roadway of righteousness
He's the highway of holiness
He's the gateway of glory
Do you know Him?
His life is matchless
His goodness is limitless
His mercy is everlasting
His love never changes
His word is enough
His grace is sufficient
His reign is righteous
His yoke is easy
His burden is light
I wish I could describe Him to you...He's indescribable
He's incomprehensible
He's invincible
He's irresistible
You can't get Him out of your mind
You can't get Him off your hand
You can't outlive Him
And you can't live without Him
The Pharisees couldn't stand him but they found out they couldn't stop Him
Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him
Herod couldn't kill Him
Death couldn't handle Him
And the grave couldn't hold Him!
That's my King!"
From a sermon by Dr S M Lockridge
He's the King of Israel
He's the King of righteousness
He's the King of the ages
He's the King of heaven
He's the King of glory
He's the King of kings
He's the Lord of Lords
That's my King!
I wonder, do you know him?
My king is a sovereign King
No means of measure can define His limitless love
He's enduringly strong
He's entirely sincere
He's eternally steadfast
He's immortally graceful
He's imperially powerful
He's impartially merciful
Do you know Him?
He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world
He's God's son
He's the sinner's Saviour
He's the centrepiece of civilisation
He's unparalleled
He's unprecendented
He is the loftiest idea in literature
He's the highest personality in philosophy
He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology
He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour
I wonder if you know Him today?
He supplies strength to the weak
He's available for the tempted and the tired
He sympathises and He saves
He strengthens and sustains
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He cleansed the lepers
He forgives sinners
He discharges debtors
He delivers the captive
He defends the feeble
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
He beautifies the meek
I wonder if you know Him?
He's the key to knowledge
He's the wellspring of wisdom
He's the doorway of deliverance
He's the pathway of peace
He's the roadway of righteousness
He's the highway of holiness
He's the gateway of glory
Do you know Him?
His life is matchless
His goodness is limitless
His mercy is everlasting
His love never changes
His word is enough
His grace is sufficient
His reign is righteous
His yoke is easy
His burden is light
I wish I could describe Him to you...He's indescribable
He's incomprehensible
He's invincible
He's irresistible
You can't get Him out of your mind
You can't get Him off your hand
You can't outlive Him
And you can't live without Him
The Pharisees couldn't stand him but they found out they couldn't stop Him
Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him
Herod couldn't kill Him
Death couldn't handle Him
And the grave couldn't hold Him!
That's my King!"
From a sermon by Dr S M Lockridge
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Masterbuilders Conference 2010
Over the Easter weekend Dihlabeng hosted the 6th annual Masterbuilders Conference. This is a conference for leaders from the churches in our sphere of Newfrontiers - the Eastern Free State, Lesotho and now Dubai. This was the most international conference yet as we also had visitors from the UK and from Zimbabwe.
It was a fantastic weekend. Once again we had the privilege of having the father of Newfrontiers, Terry Virgo and his wife Wendy, come and speak ot us over the conference. We had times of fantastic praise and worship, and some excellent teaching. I was particularly impacted by Thabo's preach about bearing fruit that will last and Colin's preach about following spiritual parents. We also fellowshipped over fantastic food.
This is a big conference for a smallish church like Dihlabeng to host. We had 300 people attending, many of whom then have to be hosted by local families, and all of whom are cooked for for 2 meals a day in our little kitchen. It's quite a logistical achievement, especially when the weekend follows a week of some of the heaviest rain of the year making our marquee unusable for meal times! There were moments in the week before the conference when cars couldn't even get up the road to church as it had turned into a mudslide but thankfully by the weekend it was safe enough to use.
It was great having the Zimbos with us, and as usual they had a great impact. They had come to the conference full of faith that they would never be the same, an attitude that they take everywhere they go. It was so refreshing and such a challenge to many of us.
All in all I can't think of a better way to spend the Easter weekend, celebrating the death and resurrection of our beautiful Saviour, than by spending time in His presence delving a little deeper in the riches He bought for us on the Cross.
It was a fantastic weekend. Once again we had the privilege of having the father of Newfrontiers, Terry Virgo and his wife Wendy, come and speak ot us over the conference. We had times of fantastic praise and worship, and some excellent teaching. I was particularly impacted by Thabo's preach about bearing fruit that will last and Colin's preach about following spiritual parents. We also fellowshipped over fantastic food.
This is a big conference for a smallish church like Dihlabeng to host. We had 300 people attending, many of whom then have to be hosted by local families, and all of whom are cooked for for 2 meals a day in our little kitchen. It's quite a logistical achievement, especially when the weekend follows a week of some of the heaviest rain of the year making our marquee unusable for meal times! There were moments in the week before the conference when cars couldn't even get up the road to church as it had turned into a mudslide but thankfully by the weekend it was safe enough to use.
It was great having the Zimbos with us, and as usual they had a great impact. They had come to the conference full of faith that they would never be the same, an attitude that they take everywhere they go. It was so refreshing and such a challenge to many of us.
All in all I can't think of a better way to spend the Easter weekend, celebrating the death and resurrection of our beautiful Saviour, than by spending time in His presence delving a little deeper in the riches He bought for us on the Cross.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
