Discipleship in South Africa

South Africa - a beautiful country with rich nature and beloved people. It's a nation that strives for justice and equal rights for all people since the apartheid. The people here is very proud of Nelson Mandela and his radical way of wanting to change the whole nation and after watching movies like "Goodbye Bafana" and "Invictus" I can't do much than agree. He showed us what it's like to fight for the good, what we need to do to change, that it starts with us - for the South Africans that meant: not wanting revenge. It's crazy how people were mistreated during the apartheid, just 20years ago.

My four roommates; Daniel (Nigeria), Richard (Ghana), Edmund (Ghana), Larry (South Africa)

I've lived in the country for a month now and have a better insight what the apartheid really was like from a personal kind of view. I've had the opportunity to listen to stories in which the discrimination between skin colors was obvious. There were banks, stores and even benches in parks that were only for white people. The gap between blacks and whites was huge.

My schedule which is flexible enough so that I can go travelling, maybe study at a leadership school, teach guitar and observe leaders and missionaries in action.

I went the other day to Pietermaritzburg and visited my grandparents’ old friends. Margit, 83years, invited me to her home with open arms. She also told me some stories of the past in South Africa, how it was when she came in the fifties. Apparently missionaries (who went to help the black community change) got stuck in between the races. They didn’t like the mistreatment (of colored and black people) but didn’t want to break the laws and regulations (that were all about giving the whites privileges). Because of this they had to take a lot of difficult decisions.

When I followed Margit to the bank to do some errands the queue was long. Luckily they have a line for retired people so we went there. As she spoke to the bank man another guy came up to me saying “I and the others have been waiting a long time, standing in line. Why don’t you do the same?”. It was an uncomfortable situation, to sort of be accused for racism. At the same time I did admire the courage it took for that man to ask that question. That he was willing to take a step to make a change. I explained that I was with Margit and wasn’t standing in line and he understood that I wasn’t trying take advantage being white.

Petru and Nelly. I and a few others went to a high school to share our testimonies, teach some ethic and morals and just love on those students. That was a week ago and we’ll keep on doing that every second week. So this coming Friday we’ll be back

This is one of the biggest reasons I believe the ministry in Burlington is important. We want to see the community changed and the prejudices about different races to be laid down. I therefore spend a lot of time going for prayer walks and starting conversations with random people. I also believe I’m supposed to support, help and encourage a few men to take important steps towards a better future. I have no idea how that will look like at this point.

As you can see most pictures aren’t at all fitting the texts I’ve been writing, but that’s just because I don’t want to make my friends in Burlington “tourist objects”. I will bring my camera later on, when I know them good enough to be a friend taking pictures for memories and nothing else.

This picture was taken last Monday when all staff went to the beach to have fun and enjoy life. The waves were big and so much fun. Johanna is here sitting at the beach. She’s another Swede working in Burlington.

I appreciate this time a lot. I get to know some great people and also have some divine appointments that only God can set up. I was praying specifically for divine appointments last week at Wednesday.

I and Larry were praying and then I went. 20 seconds later, when I exit the gate of the base, an unknown guy came up. He didn’t introduce himself despite we’ve never met before. He just came up to me starting to speak. He spoke, talked and formed words forever. He shared how he feels the pressure to perform, that “everyone” wants him to be a world evangelist, that he couldn’t stand the spiritual pressure (at this point I was just bursting out in laugher, inside of me, because of what I prayed minutes ago) and that if he didn’t obeyed what his mind told him to do, people in his presence got hurt (it was like he was describing a curse or something). The incredible thing was how God lead me during this conversation. Because, as I mentioned, this guy - Efson - spoke a lot but God gave me a few words at times, usually questions that fit perfectly. And it was sooo sweet to realize that it wasn’t me at all, but God, the Holy Spirit – Jesus! who ministered to this brother. He got encouraged but was still talking and seemed upset, unsettled, stressed and pressured. Finally I felt that the Lord wanted me to pray with him, so after a 40min walk down to Burlington we prayed together. What a change in attitude and atmosphere! He calmed down, didn’t speak as fast and was so thankful. He didn’t mention anything about the long conversation we had, he was just thankful. An awesome divine appointment if you ask me.

I couldn’t resist paying a visit in downtown Durban to join a worship night with Jesus Culture. It was great!

I wish you all God’s peace and blessings