Just bring what you have......

Recently I was reminded of a time when someone asked what my favorite birthday ever was, and my parents were in the room when I answered. I said, "It was when I was a freshman at Berry College and my mom and dad drove over to spend my birthday with me and brought a picnic with all of my favorite foods - fried green tomatoes, okra, macaroni and tomatoes, green beans, etc." I could see my mom had tears streaming down her face when I answered, and I asked her what was wrong. She said that year they were completely broke on my birthday. They had to use change from their piggy bank to fill up the car with gas to get to Rome to visit me. She had been so upset and she told the Lord she didn't have money to buy me anything. The Lord told her, "You have food. Make some of her favorite dishes." Mom found that she did have several of my favorite ingredients in the fridge and pantry, so she just started cooking. They drove over and surprised me, and still to date that was my very favorite birthday. Just to be with my parents, and to be with people who really KNEW me and knew what I really loved. Isn't God amazing? Sometimes we feel that our gift isn't grand enough and we're ashamed to offer what we have, but God only wants our willingness, and for us to bring what we have, then He takes our little offering and makes it into something really beautiful. 

It’s like the kid in the Bible with the loaves and fishes. There was no way that child could feed the thousands that needed food, but he simply offered what he had to the Lord, and Jesus took that, multiplied it, and fed thousands.

And there is the widow in 2 Kings who came to the prophet Elisha pleading for his help because her sons were going to be taken away as slaves because she couldn’t pay her debts. Elisha asked her what she had, and she said she only had a small jar of olive oil. He told her to ask her neighbors for all of the empty containers she could find and go back to her house and pour olive oil from her little jar until it filled all of the empty containers. She did as he said, and her tiny jar of olive oil filled ALL of the empty containers, which she then sold to pay off her debts and save her sons from servitude. This was a miracle from God, but it required her simply bringing what she had.  In her case all she had was a little oil and her neighbor’s empty jars.

An American missionary here told me a story about when the Lord first called them to the mission field. They went to a big church in Spokane, Washington, and she was looking around the room and saying to God, “There are so many people in this room Lord that are so much more qualified to go overseas and do what you’ve asked US to do."  She said she received a very humbling answer from God as He said to her, “Yes there are. There are 29 people just in this church who are much more qualified to do the job I've asked you to do.”  “Then why US Lord?” she asked. “Because you said YES,” The Lord answered.

Humbling huh? Sometimes the best thing we can give God is just our willingness.  Even though we may look around and see people more qualified or with more resources or more talent, we just simply need to bring what we have, and let God do the multiplying.

Sometimes, after having Emi, I have thought I don’t have so much to offer anymore. I am only able to be at the Community Center a few hours each week with my Xhosa and Zimbabwean girls. 

After becoming a mommy my time is so limited, my resources are limited, I can no longer travel around singing or sharing at churches like I used to do, I can’t visit the teams with Marius, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like I have so much to give. (Yes, even on the mission field we feel like this too!) Aside from learning how to be a great mom to Emi which I believe is of the utmost importance, there is also this theme swimming around in my head, and God has been showing me real time that it is truly about just giving what I have. Here are a few recent examples.

There is a sweet elderly lady in our complex named Ouma Miriam. (Ouma is the Afrikaans word for Grandmother). I met her one day several months ago when I was pulling Emi around in her red Radio Flyer wagon. Since then, Emi and I go to visit Ouma Miriam every week, and we’ve grown to love her very much. She just turned 89 and I was asking God how I could bless her for her birthday. I had my last Betty Crocker cake mix and icing (from the States of course) and so I baked her a cake, picked her a little bouquet of flowers from around our little townhouse garden, and wrapped a few food items for her – a jar of curried carrots from my sister-in-law, some homemade rusks (similar to biscotti), a little beaded cross bookmark, and some toffees. Emi and I took the cake, flowers, and presents over in Emi’s wagon, and we had a tea party with Ouma Miriam to celebrate her birthday. We prayed for her after tea, and with tears streaming down her face, Ouma Miriam told me she couldn’t remember the last time somebody prayed for her. Now isn’t that great? A little cake mix, a short prayer, and wallllaaaaaaa…… God multiplied my little something small into something really special!

 Another example is my water aerobics’ class. I go 2-3 times a week to help strengthen my knee to prolong this knee replacement surgery. I am at least 30 years younger than most of the other participants, and I love it. I’ve made so many new friends, and I've been to several Ouma’s homes for tea, as a result of meeting them in this class. One lady even started a conversation with me in the locker room and ended up inviting me to sing in their Methodist Women’s Group meeting! I was their guest speaker a few weeks ago and it was really great!

I met another lady in that class who was a former prostitute and drug user. While she was in rehab she had an encounter with Jesus, and she has never been the same since. God has given me many opportunities through this class to meet new people and encourage them, and to share about Jesus. It’s so cool, and it is just about being willing to be used wherever we are with whatever we have to bring.

I hope this blog finds you well. Please know that we love you and thank you for helping us serve here in South Africa! You may not feel like you have much to give but I assure you, you are making a difference in lives with us here. Many many blessings!

Love,

Jodi

24 Hours to Cairo…

Today as I write, it is Sunday morning, and in less than 24 hours I’ll be flying to Egypt to meet up with one of our Global Challenge teams - the “Explore Africa” team.  After I spend a week with them, I’ll fly on to meet another team - the “Northbound” team in Croatia, only to return homeon July 17^th.

These teams have been traveling since the end of their training in January of this year, so they’re about half way through their one-year journeys. The focus of our visit is to help debrief the teams, encourage them for the rest of their year, and help them to refocus their vision. I’ll be having one-on-one time with the leaders to make sure there aren’t any issues that need sorting out, and to just let them “vent” a little. We’ll spend a lot of time together in the Word of God and allow Him to refresh us all.  I am very blessed to be a part of this. I’m also excited to be traveling with two other leaders on this journey.

The Lord has been so good to me. These last three months have been a battle for me to re-take ME –those things which the Lord has instilled in me, that which brings me life, that which encourages people. A big part of this process has been the rediscovery of my dormant creativity. I have decided to step out in faith and be all that I know God has created me to be. That choice has begun transforming my thinking, which is bringing me so much joy, courage, and peace. I believe the rest of the year will mark the rebirth of the blueprint that God has planned for me to be. (More on this later)

I am including a few pictures of some of the projects we’ve been up to lately. Two Saturdays ago a few of us Global guys were privileged to build a small house for a widow in the local township. Each of us on leadership meet weekly in our home cell groups and one of our leaders, Clara, has been building a relationship with this elderly lady named Maria. Maria was homeless, and so Clara let the need be known to all of the home cell groups, and we took up an offering, and were able to build her a home! What a joy to be part of this. I cut all of the corrugated tin for the roof and the sides and helped with the framing. Between about 10 of us, Maria had a house in 6 hours! How is that for an Extreme Home Makeover?

The moment that touched my heart was when Ouma Maria grabbed a bucket of water and started washing the cars of those of us who had come to build her home. This is what she had to offer, and so this is what she gave.

Sorry for not blogging lately. There has been so much going on in preparing for this Egypt trip, in local projects to help raise money for our new high school that is in the planning stages, lots of meetings with the full-time Global Challenge staff here, and in helping to raise our 19-month-old ball of energy, Emi.

Thank you for playing a role in everything we do here. We don’t take you for granted for a moment. Hebrews 10: 24 in the New Living Translation says this:

“Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.”

Let’s all be known by our love and good deeds towards the ones that the Lord puts across our paths. Thanks again for journeying with us in all of this. Pray for me while I’m in Egypt and Croatia, and for Jodi and Emi back home in South Africa while I’m away.

Thanks so much,

Marius

Great to be doing what you love to do!!!

The past month was so full of great stuff. Here are some photos to show you some snapshots of what has been going on....

I had the opportunity to teach 3 sessions on Worship, and it was so much fun! I haven't taught in many years, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to doing it again this year.

I got to help lead worship several times during training. During worship  Emi would stand in the back and point and yell, "Mamma!" I think I was distracting people from worshipping God more than I was helping lead them into worship!

Marius & I hosted an "International Night" for the 5 International students from America, Brazil, Botswana, New Zealand, and Australia. We had a nice meal together, and each girl had a flower and chocolate.  It was great to get to know these girls from all over the world. Hospitality is so at the core of who we are and what we love to do. It was such a blessing to get to sit around the table with many nations represented and all share the same heart, and the same love for Jesus.

I got to actually use my new place-mats and napkins for a very nice international braai. Marius bought them for me at Christmas in Georgia, and it was the perfect night for them to come out of the cupboard.

Four of the "international" students who weren't from South Africa. They are all on the same team this year called "Southbound" because most of the direction they take around the globe this year will be in the southern hemisphere. In June, Marius will meet up with them in Bosnia/Croatia to help with their debrief of the first half of their year serving all over the globe. They'll be helping long-term missionaries and pastors with building, taking care of orphans, painting, evangelism, and many surprises along the way!

Marius got to teach several times during training. This picture was at a Festival with 3 Christian organizations joining together  for a week of teaching, worship, and fellowship. He did such a great job!

He says part of him just comes alive when he teaches! 

This is our full-time Global Challenge staff. Marius and I seriously feel privileged to work with these quality people. They are just amazing, and we're learning alot from them. We were at a staff retreat at a beautiful private nature reserve.

This is the cabin where we stayed. It is called Barakke, which means "barracks". This house belonged to a former South African President, and this was the barracks of his secret service men. 

Someone let us stay in their two homes for free at a very exclusive private nature reserve. It was absolutely beautiful and so peaceful. We got together and prayed for the weekend, for God to continue to lead us and guide our organization.

Beautiful ocean views.

We had a great guest speaker from Scotland, and I got to spend some time with his lovely wife, Yvonne. We really enjoyed hanging out and laughing together. 

This is me with Elaine from Brazil.

Marius and Emi with Helen from New Zealand and Erin from Australia.

Can you believe it? This is Erin's belongings for the whole year! Each Global Challenge participant was allowed one backpack and a small daypack, which had to include their tent and sleeping bag. I was seriously impressed.

Emi was saying goodbye to Linel and Heather before they left.

The students were just about to embark on their year long journeys around the world.

These are 3 of the young girls I've been tutoring at the  Ithemba Community Center.

I just love these girls. 2 of them are from Zimbabwe and they are very smart young ladies. We have lots of fun doing homework and learning about life and about God together.

Well, these are a few snapshots of the past few weeks. Please know how deeply we appreciate you keeping up with us and being a part of all that we're doing here in South Africa. We are making a difference in these lives together! Thank you and bless you. I will leave you with one last photo of our sweet Emi girl, who is also thoroughly enjoying her little missionary life here in South Africa!




love,
Marius, Jodi and Emi

Awesome Photos from the Transkei.........

There is so much more to say about our outreach to the Transkei,  They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'm just sending you pics with the descriptions in the captions. Hope you enjoy!

Emi's 1st missionary journey.

This is me at South Africa's "Hole in the Wall"

Traditional Xhosa huts. Can you imagine waking up to this view?

The brave Global Challengers testing their gear in Coffee Bay for the year ahead.

One of our teams built a jungle gym for the orphan's school in Coffee Bay

Someone donated paint, so they were able to paint Scriptures all over the structure.

Willem digging the first of two holes for the outhouses the team built for the chief's homestead.

This area is called the Wild Coast. So, so beautiful!

One of the Global Challenge teams building a stone house. They worked so hard - leveling the land, gathering the rocks from the area around, and building the house.  This team also built a greenhouse to start seedlings for the community.

Morning in Coffee Bay

Evening in Coffee Bay.

The  42 Global Challenge participants hiked 4 hours to the "Hole in the Wall"

Emi with her friend "Tonto"

You had to wade through a river to get to the beach and then fight the cows for a place to sit.

The teams had a challenge to get from Coffee Bay back to Jeffrey's Bay (an 8 hour drive) on their own with only $14 each. They had some amazing stories of how God provided rides for them on their way back.

I was able to visit an amazing place called Khaya Lethu, where they take care of several AIDS orphans. There is  a nice place to sleep, a little pre-school, and a library. There are 8 children living there now. Such a precious place.

One of the sweet little kiddos at Khaya Lethu

Christine and her husband Gerrie run Khaya Lethu and this is one of the little ones they are taking care of.

Some of the wonderful Global Challenge participants.

Marius training the GC participants on cultural sensitivity and having a servant's heart. He did a great job!

Some of the school children in Coffee Bay watching our progress on the playground we were building.

One of the teams also was able to repair and waterproof the leaking roof of the orphan school.

This is Heather from Dothan, Alabama. She is the only American of the 42 Global Challenge participants this year. Of course she and I had lots of good "southern" times together.

Marius helped the teams to build a fence around the orphan school playground.

Emi and mommy by the sea

This is Bongi, the chief's daughter, who became a Christian and was baptized. She is still reading her Xhosa Bible the team gave her. Please keep Bongi in your prayers.

She has such an amazing smile!

 Hope you enjoy the photos. We will blog more about what has been happening in the past 2 weeks. Thanks for being a part of our journey with us. For your prayers, for your support, and for just keeping in touch. We love it that God brought us here for "such a time as this" and are sure we are exactly where He wants us to be!

lots of love,

The Deetlefs Family (Marius, Jodi, and Emi)