Welcome to Part 2 of South Africa, Ministry! After the first few weeks in Africa, when my team was on kitchen duty and doing ATL days, we started our regular ministry at a private Christian elementary school in one of the impoverished neighborhoods near our base. They have donors who pay for some of the kids’ schooling and scholarships that help others, but it is a very small price even for those who have to pay it. The name of the school has to remain confidential for safety purposes as well as child protection laws of South Africa, but I’m going to tell you all about our amazing experiences there.
First of all, each of us were helping a teacher in a different classroom throughout the days only from 8 AM to noon. I was in a classroom with around 16 three-year-olds who speak Xhosa, not English, or the most common language of SA, Afrikaans. So my teacher was very strict with them in the few Xhosa words she knew. When I tell you it was almost freakish how well behaved and quiet these three year olds were, I’m serious.
While we were there we helped teachers with crafts, attendance, serving the kids their meals (three in the four hours we were there), sometimes cooking lunch, and mainly helping watch out during recess. The kids were obsessed with our hair and constantly wanted to be twisting it or pulling it or braiding it. It was so sweet to let them have fun in that way, but I think I might’ve lost about a fourth of my hair 😂. My favorite day of the week was Friday when we would start the day off with VBS style assembly. We learned a lot of dances and to this day we still sing the songs in my team. The kids enjoyed it so much and their energy and joy was contagious. I loved our time there so much and was able to build beautiful relationships with my kiddos even through the language barrier. Just being there and sharing God’s love for them was so special.
I think the main things I learned through our time in Africa is that love is universal, and don’t be afraid to talk to people when you feel led to. You don’t have to know someone to love them. You don’t have to speak their language or know their whole life story. You just love like Jesus did, and when it’s hard or you really don’t like someone, you ask Him for help. It’s impressive to see how much something as simple a smile or a thank you can do in someone’s life.
One night, while we were getting hot chocolate at The Mexican (yes, a restaurant in South Africa called The Mexican) my friend Logan was outside talking to a homeless man who was known for doing coke and being a con artist, and my friends Maddie, Gianna, and I had just gotten done talking to our waiter who brought up Christianity to us out of the blue. He was walking through figuring out if it was possible for him to have a relationship with God even though he was homosexual. He had been hurt deeply by the church in the past, and wanted to know about how we decided to follow Christ. So we just talked with him about our stories, prayed for him, and gave him our mentor Aaron’s phone number for a future conversation.
While this was happening I noticed a man named Sean who had been our waiter multiple times at another restaurant down the street. I had the thought that I should go over and thank him, since it was one of our last days there and I wouldn’t see him again. He was eating with a lady and I didn’t really want to interrupt. But I didn’t want to regret walking away without saying something, so I walked up and said “excuse me, sorry to interrupt but you’re Sean right?” He looked confused and said yes. I explained that he had been our waiter at BruCo and that I just wanted to say thank you for doing such a great job. This man’s face lit up. He said “I was your waiter and you remember my name?” I nodded. He got out of his chair and gave me a hug. “Thank you so much, you don’t know how much that means to me” he said, starting to choke up.
So yeah, if you feel led to say something or share something, do it. What’s the worst that could happen? They think you’re weird for saying something encouraging to them? Oh well 😂.
Also, last but not least, our deadline for being fully funded has already passed and we are now in a grace period until about April 15th! I cannot begin to thank you all enough for all the prayers and contributions to my race. It truly means so much to me and is such a testimony of God’s faithfulness through His body. I’m SO CLOSE with only $753 remaining. Pray for me and my team, share my story, or donate directly to help me finish strong!! Again thank you SO much for your help.
https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/2023-world-race-gap-year-route-3/donate?user=rayajreiswig
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I love this story about Sean so much! Well done, Raya. We never know when a word of encouragement may be exactly what a person needs, right when they need it. Very proud of you.
More often than we realize, God puts people in our path for us to help, encourage or simply give a simple greeting and we miss it because we allow our own selfishness, busyness or fear keep us from being the blessing God wants us to be.
Thank you Raya for sharing your own everyday experiences that you didn’t miss to be an encouragement and blessing in those God appointments.