I'm learning how to live with OPEN HANDS

Open Hands: Matt Papa

To give unselfishly, To love the least of these

Jesus, I'm learning how to live with open hands.
All these treasures that I own, will never satisfy my soul.
Jesus, I lay them at your thrown with open hands.

And I lift my hands, open wide, let the whole world see,
how you love how you love, how you died, how you set me free.
Free at last. I surrender all I am with open hands, with open hands.

To finally let go of my plans. These early kingdoms built of sand.
Jesus at your cross I stand, with open hands.

And I lift my hands, open wide, let the whole world see,
how you love how you love, how you died, how you set me free.
Free at last. I surrender all I am with open hands, with open hands.

You took the nails, you bore the ground,
you hung your head, you love poured out.
you took my place, you paid the price.
So Jesus, now, I will give my life.

And I lift my hands, open wide, let the whole world see,
how you love how you love, how you died, how you set me free.
Free at last. I surrender all I am with open hands, with open hands.

Lecture Phase Video!

CLICK HERE to watch a short video my friend Dawoon made during lecture phase!

1 week left!

Outreach is done and we are finally back in J-Bay!! I really thought we would never
make it back. In the past 3 months our cars have broken down 30 times not including all
the times they overheated. So as you can guess it was a long drive back. We were supposed to
leave on Thursday but our Kombi broke down and took a long time to be fixed. The mechanic said it would be ready on Friday but that didn't happen. Saturday morning we packed our bags and got ready to leave at 5 when the kombi was supposed to be fixed but things kept going wrong and he was working on it until 3am. We finally left at 3:30 but then we got to the gas station and it was closed so we sat in the parking lot there until 6:30. Around 10:00 we got a flat
tire. Around 12 the car overheated. At around 5 the kombi ran out of gas. And at about 5:20
the car ran out of gas. When we finally got gas in the car the battery died or something like
that and it still hasn't started. The first kombi of people were back at the base around 11pm and
the car was towed back at 2. Thankfully the drivers could stay awake after not sleeping for over
24 hours! So as you can see we are all very glad to be back at the base in J-Bay! Overall outreach was amazing! We saw God moving in every place we stayed. We learned so much about patience. Everybody is singing the song "give me patience in my heart" so many times everyday. We had to completely rely on God for the last few weeks when we started to run out of money. We continued to learn about what it means to be content even if we didn't have food for a meal or if we were sleeping on the floor with bugs all around us or if we couldn't take showers for 5 days. We learned so much during the past 3 months. Now that outreach is done I am realizing how soon I am going to be home. 1 week from today I will be getting off the plane! I don't know how I am going to say goodbye to the people here but a few hours later I will be seeing everyone at home again so it's going to be a very bittersweet 2 days. This week is a busy week with debriefing and planning for our graduation on Thursday. My plane leaves on Monday at 12:30pm and 30 hours later I arrive in Grand Rapids! Thanks for checking! See you next week!

A Few Pictures!

The Jungle Life

It finally feels like I'm in Africa!! This week we are staying in tents on a nature reserve. I don't even know how to describe it except for monkeys, rivers, lots of bugs, and darkness. It has been a good week though. We have been working a lot with a AIDS hospice center that the church started and different orphranages in the area. I don't think I will ever get sick of the kids here. I want to take them all home with me! The internet is really expensive here so I need to go! Have a good day!

OUTREACH!

The past month and a half of outreach have been amazing. We have been to 5 different places in South Africa already and we are only 1/2 way done. The past few weeks we spent in Cape Town and Hermanus- 2 of the most beautiful places I have ever been. In Cape Town we did a lot of door to door evangelism and a few youth services. On the last day we went to a domestic violence shelter and spent the afternoon playing games and talking with the women and children there. The second week in Cape Town, we stayed at the Muizenberg base. Our leaders actually forgot to plan that week for us but it was a good chance to relax. We helped a lot with different things on the base and went to one of the townships for the day. On Friday morning we left for Hermanus. The first day there was my birthday. It was definantly not a normal birthday. 7 hours of door to door evangelism is not a way I have ever celebrated my birthday before! We did have a little party thing with the team when we got home so that was fun. The rest of the week was the busiest week we have had so far. We spent most of the week in schools leading assemblies and classes. We also went to a lot of church services and things like that. This week we are back at the J-Bay base for the Nations to Nations conference. All the bases from South Africa are here for the week. There are about 230 people staying on the base and there are usually about 50 so it's crazy here this week. After this week we have 5 more weeks of outreach when we will be traveling more around S. Africa and then going to Mozambique for a few weeks! It's hard to believe that I will be home in a month and a half already. It's even harder to believe that Christmas is coming up.. It is just not the same when it's this hot here. I am almost out of internet time but I will try to post some pictures next time! Have a good day!

Outreach weeks 2 and 3

Outreach has been amazing! I can't believe how fast the time is going. Right when we are getting used to the new location it is time to move again. After next week, it will already be a month that we have been on outreach. Last week was definantly my favorite week since arriving in Africa in July. We spent the week working with a church in Paarl, South Africa. We had so many different oppertunities and worked with a lot of different people. We didn't start the week off too well. One of the cars that we travel with broke down a few times so me and the 4 other people that ride in the car spent a few extra nights in Mossel Bay when everyone else went to Paarl to lead a youth service that night. We ended up taking a taxi and we were back with the group on Sunday night. Throughout the week, we did a lot... Kids programs, prison ministry, hospital visits, youth services, church services, old age homes. Also on Thursday night a few people on our team had the oppertunity to be on the raido so that was pretty cool.

This week and next week we are in Cape Town. This week we focused a lot on prayer so we did a lot of prayer walks and evangelism. Last night we led another youth service. I realized last night that I have spent almost every day this week with gangsters and I love it! It is so awesome to see how they come into the youth services trying to be all tough and cool but as soon as they realize that the presence of God is there crack and we see a whole different side of them. This week we also had the chance to go to the YWAM base in Muizenberg and to lead worship there. That base is going through a really hard time right now. One of the guys from the kitchen staff fell off the roof and died last week. It was good to be there with them during this hard time.

In a few minutes, we are going to a childrens home to play games with them and paint their faces and things like that. Tonight we are having a movie night with a few of the kids from the youth service we were at last night so that should aslo be fun. Tommorow morning we pack our backpacks again and move to another part of Cape Town. I think they said that we are going to be working a lot with the street kids there so I am excited about that.

A few weeks ago, we found out that we aren't going to Namibia anymore for the last part of outreach. Instead we are going to Swaziland and Mozambique. I am SO excited about that!! We went yesterday and everybody was able to get their visas which is awesome! I'm not sure if we will have internet in the next city but thanks for checking! I will try to update again soon!

PRAYER REQUESTS:
* stregnth for me and the rest of the team as the days are so busy and there isn't too much time to sleep or relax
*finances- I still don't have all the money I need to finish paying for outreach and there are also a lot of people from our team who really struggling with money.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECCA!!! I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!! SEE YOU SOON!!