July 9, 2007

• South Africa Update #4

  Note:  South Africa Update #3 has not arrived yet.

  Hello again,

      Sorry about the delay in getting a report out, but
  it has been a very full week since I last wrote. Today
  I am writing from Strathyre Girls Home in Johannesburg
  where we have just finished the first Roots conference
  ever in South Africa. Before I get to that, I should
  pick up where I left off after Vryheid.
        On leaving DHQ, we headed to the township of
  Madadeni (which means ‘ducks’ incidentally) to stay at
  a home for boys. The complex consists of a Corps hall,
  two dormitories, and the corps officer’s quarters. We
  were busy straight away with two consecutive open airs
  in the neighborhood. The boys all assembled their
  uniforms and instruments and played ‘Onward Christian
  Soldiers’ about a dozen times before we stopped
  walking at an apartment cluster where we sang to draw
  attention to where we were. People trickled out of
  their apartments until their was a sizeable crowd
  encircled around the band. After the first meeting, a
  few women stayed to talk to the mission team for
  prayer in some very difficult situations.
       As we spent more time at the home, we got to know
  the boys better and really enjoyed their company. Most
  of the boys are orphans or were brought there by the
  police. There are so many tragic stories of abusive
  parents and things that just should not happen to
  people, but God is so doing remarkable things at this
  home. The boys are required to go to school, and are
  taught responsibility by receiving a monthly allowance
  for completing chores. Many of them are now uniform
  wearing Salvationists and have all been taught by the
  Major Zondo how to play brass instruments. Before
  these boys got to this home, there was no good thing
  they could expect out of life, but because of this
  place, they have a chance to become responsible
  Christian adults who have the ability to break cycles
  of poverty, crime, and abuse.
      On Sunday morning, the team divided in two where
  some us stayed at Madadeni and the others went to the
  nearby town of Newcastle. As we have come to expect,
  there was lots of singing and beating on the bass
  drum. The band played loads of congregational songs as
  well. I was called up very early in the service to
  give the message about salvation and holiness with
  Bongani translating.
       The guys played a lot of soccer with the boys
  (who are very skillful at maneuvering the ball) and I
  was glad to hold a band practice on Monday morning.
  The team has been really great at getting to know
  people and it shows in the number of handshakes and
  hugs we distribute when we leave a corps. This had
  been a very moving stop and we were sure to remember
  the boys here.
      Next, we set out for Johannesburg to prepare for
  the biggest event planned in the Southern Africa
  territory’s 125 year history: Roots. On arriving at
  the Strathyre home for girls, we were welcomed by the
  officers in charge, Captains Rossouw to some
  traditional Afrikaans food, fat cake with mince meat.
  We were joined by a team from USA Western, a girl from
  the USA Eastern, two girls from the UK, a Canadian
  girl, and the South African mission team (which is a
  year long program here). It has been really great to
  work together and share experiences from our travels
  with the other Salvationists. We were in charge of
  planning a prayer concert to start of the Roots
  weekend properly and we had some good collaboration of
  ideas in how that would take place. We decided that
  the first section should be guided prayer in which we
  all pray out loud for specific issues such as the
  weekend itself, the Salvation Army, and world issues
  like poverty and human trafficking. Then we had a time
  of praying the Bible (which is becoming a widespread
  way to pray in large groups by reading scripture out
  loud in any fashion that you like), followed by a time
  intended to practice the discipline of silence in
  order to quiet people’s hearts and listen to what God
  had to say based on Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know
  that I am God”.
      On Thursday, we went to THQ and all pitched in to
  help load a truck of trade supplies. At the venue,
  Beula Park Institute, we unloaded things and began
  setting up tables, sound equipment and all sorts of
  preparations for the weekend. We had all been assigned to teams
  for the weekend. Some worked with the kids programs,
  others with youth, some in registration and trade, and
  others as time keepers and ushers for the breakout
  sessions.
       The conference began early Friday morning with a
  bible study led by Col Brian Tuck and the day was full
  of breakout sessions covering issues such as human
  trafficking, Brengle in the 21st century, and figuring
  out what the Salvation Army’s identity is today. There
  was praise and worship for the weekend led by Graham
  Kendrick and his band which has been really great.
      Saturday was a similar program to Friday with
  different classes offered and other speakers. I really
  enjoyed working at the Trade store and talking to the
  customers, especially the ones we had met during our
  time in Northern Kwazulu-Natal division. Their night
  program was a praise concert by Graham Kendrick which
  was very lively and we were able to join in some of
  the South African songs that we had already learned.
      Today (Sunday) there were two large meetings. In
  the first, Commissioner Linda Bond brought a very
  challenging message in which she defined the greatest
  danger facing the Army is the lack of holiness
  teaching. The TC Comm. Trevor Tuck spoke at the second
  one about the ways we need to approach the inevitable
  changes in the world.
     It really was a great weekend to be in cooperation
  with Salvationists from all over the world. We have
  had a very encouraging time here and  are amazed at
  how fast the week went. We are glad to get back to
  ‘our division’ (N. Kwazulu-Natal) for the next two
  weeks and excited for the divisional youth councils
  coming up at Ombinbini. I will write when I can, until
  then,

  Sala Kahle,

  Doug, Dana, Sarah, Alberto, Grant, Katy, Mona,
  Thandeka, Bongani and Chris Shay.
  

  • 8:46 am
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