Next 6 months or so

- These are the children I got to serve for 15 months!








I had a moment to think about what the next 6 months hold for me. It is a time of uncertainty and questions but surprisingly I am quite ok with that. I’ll be in Baton Rouge for about 6 months working part time as I travel around to raise some more support in order to get back to Africa for two years. I need to expand my support base, find churches who will support me and get individuals or groups who will be monthly supporters. Two years ago this would have been immensely intimidating but for some reason I have a quiet confidence about the whole thing. Then there are the questions of how to reconnect with old friends, how to forge new relationships, how to adjust to life back in Baton Rouge after about 6 years of being away. Once again I feel like God will take care of these things. I realize some of the adjustments will not always be easy but I know that God will walk with me. I look forward to the doors that open, to the people I’ll reconnect with and the people I will meet. My prayer in all of this is one thing, to know God more. I think I find God in change, whenever I’ve had a major change in my life, God becomes so real to me. I can’t wait to move to the next level with God, to move to a deeper level of intimacy, to be filled and to pour out. Pray with me as I embark on a journey of uncertainty with the certainty that God will walk me through. 

Boards

My brother and I are going snowboarding in Colorado next week. I hope we fare a little bit better than when we went wakeboarding. I've been snowboarding twice before but both times were short trips and it was a while ago...hmm, we'll see.

Yes I am blessed and just want to say thanks to my parents for a sweet Christmas present and to John for organizing the trip. It'll be fun, I'll share pics

Heading Home

I am sitting in the Joburg airport waiting for my flight home. I am heading back to the states for some time to see family, get filled up with vision from God and hopefully to raise finances to come back to Africa. I'll be on the move the first month I am home and then hopefully I'll be working part time as I travel to raise some more support.

I am happy to be heading home and know that this is what I should be doing right now. Can't wait to see some of you again and hopefully meet some of the people who read this blog who I haven't met. Thanks for reading and praying with me!

Invasion 06'

So, we had Invasion 06’ and what I can say is that it wasn’t nearly as big as I thought it would be. It was a cool event but I just felt deflated the first half of the day since we had about 20 % of the amount of people whom I thought we would have. The room felt big and empty even though we probably had up to 800 people at one point in the day. I let this disappointment rob me of a chance to show the love of Christ, to minister, to truly reach out to the young people I saw there. God used this event, 14 people came forward to be prayed with, and probably 10 people asked God into their hearts for the first time. How awesome is that!!! There are missionaries and ministries that take years to see even one salvation. God used this day to teach us a lot but also to reach into the hearts of 14 young people. We also planted seeds of vision and love in other young people to carry out their callings to be passionate followers of Christ.
The event itself had an awesome line-up of entertainment, activities, worship and a strong message by Charles Young. We had Christian Hip Hop artists C-Jay and Spin the Flava both based out of South Africa. We had local performances by Christian Family Center Youth, Worship Center Youth & International Church Youth. We also had individuals from Eagles Wings & Christian Life perform in addition to a really cool group called VOG (Vessel of God). Jordan Becnel, Kristen’s brother, came over from Bayside Church (Sarasota, FL) to lead worship with Kristen, Roger (one of our Swazi guys) and Zinty’s brothers. -- Zinty is a Zambian girl that lives in Swaziland who helped Charles and I organize the event. She was very helpful and kept everything organized when we were running around doing other stuff for Children’s Cup. Props to Zintology!—During all the entertainment we had sports going on outside and inflatable games running on one side of the venue. Charles wrapped up the event with a strong message about following Christ in an authentic way, in a passionate way. Of those 14 that came forward a lot were from Waterford, Gabby Rehmeyer’s school. Some of the students were pronounced atheists 6 months ago…its amazing what God’s love, the prayers of students like Gabby and a youth event can accomplish in a persons life.

God Thank you that you are you. I love how your perspective is so cool!


- Vessel of God



- Spin the Flava on Stage



- Playing some Vball baby!



- Basketball with some of the guys

 

Invasion 15 hours and counting

Amidst the madness of the past 12 hours and the ensuing 24 hours I find myself with a bit of a quiet time as I wait for a guy from South Africa who is delivering our inflatable games. Invasion is fast approaching and it is exciting to see the pieces falling into place. We are tired but pumped about what God is going to do. Just last night we had an awesome time of prayer. We are just so thankful that God chose us to put together this event. Tomorrow starting at about 10:30AM Swaziland is going to be rocked with an invasion of God and his Spirit.

One of our South African performers arrived and did sound check today. He's got some skillz and then Jordan, Kristen's brother, arrived Thursday. He is going to usher us into some powerful times of worship. God is going to show up, we're going to walk away changed, hopefully that can be said for everyone who comes. Thanks y'all for the support and prayers. Get ready for the Spirit to pour out...it'll be passionate, authentic and energetic!!

Invasion updates

We’ve had a flurry of activity the last couple of days with my family in town, Kristen’s mom in town and a couple of ladies from Household of Faith church. That being said my brother & cousin are busy working on some playground forts at two of the Carepoints as we also do preparation for Invasion. We’ve been hanging banners, making phone calls, talking to youth pastors, organizing supplies and getting the word out about Invasion 06’. We were extremely blessed by a couple large donations the last few days which freed us up financially to do a lot more stuff. Thank you Lord for your provision! God bless to everyone…thanks for your prayers!

Pictrues from Mozambique

Here are some pics from a recent trip to the Mozambique site. Roger & I went to help Celeste (our teacher) start doing the Mission of Mercy profiles of the children. It was a good time away and I really feel refreshed spiritually. The project is coming along and it is exciting what God is and will continue to do through the CarePoint & Church. It is cool to be a part of what God is doing. Take a look at some pics!




 

Invasion 06' Poster

We’re having a big youth event in Swaziland on the 18th of November. I’ll be writing weekly updates as we move toward the event. The event is called Invasion 06’! We want Christ to invade their hearts, lives, homes so that they can turn around and invade their schools, communities, country and continent. We are hoping to connect the youth to local churches and expand the vision of those youth leaders & youth groups. Here is our poster we’re starting to put up around town. We want to extend a big thank you to Rob Gros, from Healing Place Church, for creating a top-notch poster. It rocks!!!
 

Pepe

Pepe has been on Dave Ohlerking & Ben Rodgers heart for almost 3 years now. She is a tiny 9 year old girl that goes to the Ka Khoza Carepoint. Her life has spoken to all who have met her. Her lifes speaks of how we should life life to the fullest. Her frail body screams at all of us to not waste our time. She makes us strive to have purpose and reach out in love to make eternal impact.

Her body is starting to fail under the stress of disease. She has lost weight and can't keep food down. Please would you pray with us for Pepe. Pray that God would heal her, pray that she would bring Glory to his name, pray that she would be a testimony of his love. We have done all that we can do for this girl, we have confessed to God that we need him. In Jeremiah it says, "Return to me and I will restore you" We have done our part, now we are believing God to do his part, to restore Pepe. Join us as we cry out for God to move on the behalf of this girl that has taught us all so much. Pray with us in faith...faith that God is able, faith in the miraculous! Most of all pray that God would be with Pepe, that he would be real to her, that she would recieve all his love for her.


 

My Brothers, Sisters

I felt while praying the other day that these guys, the Swazis are truly my brothers and sisters. I felt like we were one, of one human race, truly family. I had one other instance since I’ve been in Swaziland where I truly felt this. I’ve always kind of felt foreign or out of place but God revealed his heart for the people here that we are all sons and daughters of God. While I knew this truth in my mind, it was only this past weekend and that one other time that I felt that with my heart. So, I don’t know what this means other than I should embrace others because I only have so much time on this earth and what is the use of holding back. I don’t want to be careful anymore, I just want to live life and live it on the edge, truly making the most of every situation. To put my heart out there and connect, to give my love away, my affection away, to give my friendship away, to give my deep heart away, no more surface level friendships, relationships, I only want the deep stuff, Lord have grace on me as I try to transition to this deeper way of life.

What God values vs. What I value

Sometimes you look at an event or situation and go what is the point. You understand on a basic level what the point is but on the deeper level, what is the purpose, you don't understand why an event is happening. That was me, two days ago Dan Ohlerking, Earl Rentz, Mr. Dave Ohlerking & Miss Jean Ohlerking organized a day where we got all of our Children's Cup staff together. So I understood in my mind that it was an event to draw us all togther and speak about where Children's Cup is going. I knew that but I didn't really understand why the nice lunch, why the day of fun, why at this point in time. Ha, what God thinks is important is so often different, wildly different than what I think is important. The event brought us together, it was a direct action that spoke to our international & Swazi staff appreciation. Even more it was a time of vision, bringing all of us together as one and sharing what God has spoken to all of us. Vision, God sized vision, on where he is leading us. Thirdly, it was brotherhood. The day reaffirmed our status as brothers and sisters in Christ. We stood together, ready to take on the work ahead. Bound together in love, slaves to each other, slaves to the cause. Once again let me state, God looks and values things differently. It reminds me of being like Mary...it also makes me think about what Dan said to me this morning. Spiritual input, while maybe not measurable is vastly underestimated by the world, and dare I say the church. Lets get back to being a Mary, lets get back to valuing what Jesus valued, lets get behind his vision and his perspective.

Here are some pics of our group in powerful times of prayer, praise and unity.




More pics and another related post to be added soon, hold me accountable, please!!! 

Vusi & Sibongiseni

This past Friday I was busy moving around the Carepoints getting things done, visiting the ladies, checking in on the teachers and the like. I stopped by the Moneni Carepoint and Phindile (the teacher) told me that two of the boys in her pre-school were both chronically ill. Sibongiseni & Vusi both had visible signs of illness. Sibongiseni had snot running down his face and was showing signs of malnutrition. Vusi had a huge infection in his mouth. He was in a lot of pain. I took them to visit Miss Teresa at another Carepoint where she was hosting a clinic. She gave Vusi some antibiotic and she gave Sibongiseni a vitamin supplement and some ORS (a salt mixture used to stop diarrhea). Anyways, these boys are both really sick…I had to go to Ngwane Park Carepoint to check on some children that had stopped coming to the school. Vusi & Sibongiseni had to wait for me for quite some time as I went out in search of the Khoza boys and another little boy. I came back to Vusi crying because he was in so much pain and Sibongiseni kind of wild eyed…just in another world. I began to think and wonder who cares for these boys, who loves them. We try through our Carepoints, specifically our bible clubs & teachers to extend care for the boys but my mind wanders what about when either one of them is facing a crisis…who cares for them, who stands with them? Ben has said it before, maybe we are foolish to think we can care for thousands of children. While we might be foolish, it would be more foolish to just sit by and do nothing. Our role is to help a community & group of Caregivers to take care of children where they might not be able to on their own. We don’t have it figured out but we’re not about to give up. We have taken Vusi to be tested and he is positive. Sibongiseni we’re not sure about, we are trying to take him to the Baylor clinic but we need his mother’s approval and participation. Pray that we don’t let even one child slip through the cracks, pray for our teachers who almost every day come across more children that are chronically sick and probably infected by that scourge called HIV.

Here is a pic of Sibongiseni, looking much better after the simple treatments provided by Miss Teresa. He is the small one who is closest to me.



 

Lately...

So, what’s been going on you ask. Well we had a couple of days off because of the Reed Dance and everybody headed out of town except me. I had things I need to prepare for and just really felt that God wanted me to stay put. Well, that Monday when everyone left I was pretty sick and then for half of the day Tuesday I was sick too. I didn’t really move out of bed so I did finish a 550 page book in two days though. I swear if you ever want to do something the next day, don’t pick up a Robert Ludlum book. Can’t put em down, its kind of like the TV series 24, or Pringles potato chips….once you pop, you can’t stop…Good entertainment books, good for Swaziland, gets your mind off of the problems.
So anyways, on Thursday we held a soccer tournament for our Carepoints and some other U-13 & U-15 teams. It was a good time as we had over 200 boys show up and play. It was hectic trying to transport them all around and feed them but overall it was a success. Our whole aim of the tournament was to keep the boys busy during the school holidays. We held the tournament at the end of the school holidays so the boys were busy preparing over the whole holiday time, 3 weeks.
Next up on Friday and Saturday we had a teachers training. We talked about the start of the new school term but the main point of the training was to introduce them to our Child Leadership program. Three children from each Carepoint will participate in our DYNAMIC program. Every other week they will come to meet with Auntie Gugu for training & classes on leadership. The DYNAMIC program’s aim is to help these children become servant leaders and increase their basic understanding of the Christian faith. It’ll be a fun & exciting adventure as we try to unroll this new program. I think its impact could be amazing so please be praying with us for our DYNAMICS!!!
Oh and on Sunday I got whooped by an old guy in Tennis, eish, maybe I shouldn’t have shared that one…oh well?

- Kristen teaching a dance/drama to our teachers


- Some of the boys at the soccer tournament
 

Not Feeling Inspired

The last day or so I've been feeling really uninspired...just feeling like I don't have much to give. Its not that anything has been going badly lately just feeling worn out. Its not because I've been overworked or anything like that...just feeling worn out. Not sure where this came from...might be that most the people my age that I've known have left. Lindsey, Holly, Beth, Amanda, Kara, Patrick Murray, Caleb and many others have come and gone. Just kind of missing being able to get away and hang with some peeps my age. I know God is faithful in these things...its weird how much strength connections & friend can give you. God is my inspiration though, need to press into him and recieve so I can once again go out and reflect, overflow, give.

Much love to all of you praying for me, the Cup' Team and the Children!

I’ve found myself recently experiencing various events that lead me to believe that God is about to bring revival, restoration and healing to the land of Swaziland. The past two nights I’ve gone to a Meat for Men’s conference at a local church called Christian Life Center. They’ve brought in speakers from all over Africa and have one from Brooklyn, NY. These have been strong sessions where the word has been preached. The second night though, oh man did it have the flavor of God, it was tasty, it was God speaking truth through these men. The first guy was from South Africa and he talked specifically to Africans. He talked about the choices we make, how they don’t just effect us but they effect our seed…the generations to come. It was powerful…the second guy talked about adultery. Talk about a great subject for Swaziland…it was straight, it was powerful, it was from God. This dude from New York laid it down and spoke about how adultery tears things apart…he cited that even a terminal illness can bring together a family but adultery by its nature is destructive. He talked about how nations rise & fall on the strength of their families…a word for Swaziland yes, but man does America need to hear that too?? When I was at school in Florida I was the only one of my group of friends whose parents were still together. The pain and wounds in their lives can all be traced back to their broken homes…oh that God would guide us and that we would guard ourselves in that area. Lean on each other….I could type much, much more but I won’t because I couldn’t do it justice. I sat in church for 5 ½ hours and was fully engaged and into it the whole time…nuff said baby! This nation is changing, children’s cup is changing, my life is changing….oh that I would prepare myself and be prophetic in my prayers…pray over stuff before it happens, not reactionary but proactionary (yeah not sure that’s a real word, but hey)

Sibebe Rock

Since coming to Swaziland I go hiking a lot...here are pics from the two times I've climbed Sibebe Rock...the largest granite outcrop in the world. Its a fun hike/climb but you're definitely tired at the end of the day. I went with the Rehmeyer family the first time....Daran and I were the only ones who made it to the top. The second time Charles, Elrie (a young guy from AZ), Aguy (no seriously, that is his name) and I conquered Sibebe. Here are some pics!




 

Can you imgine a life where God on a weekly, daily, hourly, minute by minute basis shows up in a powerful way. Where one day a child is healed from near deather, moves on the hearts of 4 high schoolers and absolutely shows up at a staff meeting and speaks deeply to everyone present. This life, the God life is awesome!


On a lighter note, my parents went on our yearly family vacation without my brother or I this year. Here is a pic from last year and my wonderful form -->




 

Elevate pics 3

More elevate pics...that's all for now 

Elevate pics 2

More pics 

Elevate Trip Pics

Just some pictures from Elevate trip...it was fun!