Training in Progress.....

As you guys know, since we moved to South Africa we are focusing our efforts more on training this year, and using what we learned in Swaziland for the last few years to help teach young people as they commit for a year to serve all over the world. The  44 Global Challenge students arrived a little over 2 weeks ago.  There are young people from 19-26 years old from South Africa, the USA, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. They are preparing and being trained for their one year journey which will take each of them to at least 10 countries in the next 12 months.

Marius is part of their training. Last week he taught for 3 hours on "God's Story" which was a big picture of God throughout the Bible, mixed in with stories of God's faithfulness in his own life. He did a great job. This week the students are in "the bush" testing their gear and doing a bit of survivor training. They don't have much food and it's raining on them, so it's a tough training week, but good prep for the journey ahead.

Next week we will go with the students to Transkei, which is about 8 hours away. It is a very rural, poverty stricken area.We'll be doing a construction project at a school and Marius will be in charge of the content of their teaching which will mostly focus on cross-cultural sensitivity, adaptability, humility, and flexibility. That's a mouthful huh? 

Please keep our family in your prayers as baby Emi and I are feeling a little under the weather with colds. We will  be in a remote area next week on this outreach, so please pray for us to get well before we travel there, and for safe journeys for everyone. Also pray for me as I have MANY ministry opportunities in front of me - teaching English, Bible studies, working with local orphans, and African pastors in the area. I need to really have wisdom about what to take on and what to say no to. The same with Marius - the wisdom to take on the right things and leave the rest to someone else. There is definitely no end to  the need which we already learned in Swaziland; we just want to be obedient to do what we believe the Lord wants us to do.

A sweet picture of Emi with her favorite person - Dad!

This is one of my dearest friends in the world -Anna Contival. Anna was my outreach leader on my very first outreach with YWAM in Papua New Guinea in 94. We have remained friends through the years, even though we haven't gotten to see each other in 8 years.  She and her husband Scott have been missionaries in Taiwan for the last decade. Anna was in South Africa for her brother-n-laws wedding. She contacted me a few weeks ago to let me know she was going to be on the same continent as me,  in Port Elizabeth. She thought I was still far away in Swaziland. I let her know that I now live 40 minutes from P.E.! We got to spend a great morning together, catching up, laughing, and praying for one another. What a gift from God to spend time with my precious friend.

We will continue to be in touch. Lots of love from sunny Africa,
Marius, Jodi & Emi

Making our home in South Africa!

We are finally here in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa. It was a great start. We arrived a week ago at about 3 pm. We drove to two rental units, signed a lease at 5pm, and moved in the next day! We love our little 2 BR townhouse, and Emi is loving to live so near to the ocean. We had a chance to go to the beach yesterday for about an hour and she was a hit in her red Radio Flyer wagon (they don't sell them here - I can see a serious market to import those Steve....)

We have been in lots and lots of meetings with the staff here as we are praying and prepping for the students that will arrive on Tuesday. We both have lots to prepare for as Marius will be teaching on Ephesians, Corinthians, and Galatians, and I will teach 5 sessions on Worship. I will start my work at the Community Center for orphans and vulnerable children next week - starting with 1/day a week to start until I figure out a good schedule for Emi. Then, we'll be going on an outreach to Transkei in about 3 weeks to help orient the students to outreach, as they'll be doing a construction project in a poverty stricken area.  We just wanted to say a great big thank you for staying in touch, for your prayers, for giving, for caring. We pray that we continue to make a difference here in Africa in 2011, and we're excited about the journey! From now on this will be what our blogs look like. Please stay in touch!

lots of love,
Jodi, Marius, and Emi