The diversity of the body of Christ is beautiful. One thing I am so thankful for about this experience is seeing the body of Christ in a new light. I mean how awesome is it to be in our weekly OM South Africa team prayer meetings with forty men and women from all over the globe -Switzerland, Lesotho, Germany, Mexico, Poland, Namibia, South Africa, Holland, India, Scotland, Canada, Zambia, and America (just to name a few). We are all so different. We eat different things in different ways, speak different languages, drive on different sides of the road, wear different clothes, but God’s love has all radically transformed us. Ultimately, we’re all the same. Struggling with the same issues. Warring against the sin inside of us. Striving for holiness. Just like Paul in Romans 7:21-25:
“So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
Working in a very multicultural organization has its challenges for sure. However, just like God promised the children of Israel in Ezekiel 37 that He would make them one nation with one king – I believe He promises this to the whole body of Christ. Though we are many, we will become one and though we battle to serve God and the flesh, we will bow down to only one. Jesus’ blood has redeemed us. Every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
What I've been up to:
The past two weeks have been spent in and out of the classroom completing 2 new training programs, as well as planning a sports ministry committee meeting for all of South Africa (SMSA). February 9th, Sportslink played host to sports ministry teams in South Africa. There were representatives from Athletes in Action, Ambassadors in Sport, J-LIFE, SCAS (Sports for Christ’s Action South Africa), TUG (The Ultimate Goal World Cup Initiative), various churches, and many other organizations. Thursday, February 10th- Sunday, February 13th the Sportslink team and I traveled to Alberton, ZA for a four day CYCAS TOT (Community Youth Children and Sport: Trainer of Trainers). A TOT is where leaders go to get equipped to teach a course, so we were getting equipped to teach CYCAS to future sports leaders. Sunday, February 13th the TOT group and I were in charge of running a KidsGames for a local church as our final test for completing the program (for more information and resources on CYCAS go to http://www.max7.org/default.aspx). The program we planned included sports, biblical teachings, songs, and skits. Tuesday, February 15th-Friday, February 18th my team went through another training called FLighT (Foundational Leadership Training). This was simply a leadership training course (not sport focused). We had classes on Team Building Basics, Mentoring, Listening, Team Roles, Motivating Your Team, Planning & Implementation, Team Communication, Multicultural Teams, and Confronting Constructively to name a few.
Random Shenanigans:
-After hosting the Kids’Games at a very Afrikaans church where I had the opportunity to act in dramas and teach cheers (where it is quite impossible for my American accent to go unnoticed), I was immediately swarmed by young adolescent girls asking what it was like to walk on the red carpet. Since, of course, every American has done so.
-While I am sure back in the states y’all are all gearing up for March Madness, we here in South Africa are preparing for the games of the century, the epic battles of country against country, where the Springbok will show its true colors. That’s right folks….the Cricket World Cup. This Week. Tune in.
-After 6 weeks of living in the South of Africa, I can finally say I am starting to pick up some of the “South Africanisms.” For example, whenever you are unsure of how to respond to a person you simply say, ‘Ohhh, bless you brother.’
A few pictures:
SMSA (Sport Ministry South Africa) Meeting
CYCAS TOT group
CYCAS TOT group again
Working out a coaching session
South Africans loveeeee their meat!
Great friends: Esther (South Africa) on her birthday and Finn (Germany)
One of my fellow Americans - Megan!
