The Rest of the Story, Plus Today!

So to finish off the highlights from Monday I will continue. The ministry time was certainly the highlight. It is amazing how God can work to bring this whole group together to serve in unity.  Everyone had such a willingness to serve, no matter the job, and I didn't hear even one complaint!  Everyone was willing to adapt and trouble shoot together, as so many part of your day are beyond your control. Similar to Mexico, African time and planning are different than North America. I think the lesson for us is to be more flexible and let God work rather than stressing about changes beyond your control.

Once we left the school we were treated to lunch in a local Mokopane restaraunt. Nothing exotic, but the chicken was delicious. School here ends at 1:30 or 2pm so we have just been working through lunch and eating after our day is done. Supper here is also a little later, like 7:30 pm or so!  The meals and the hospitality here at Shikwaru Lodge is incredible.  Being served like this certainly doesn't make you feel like your sacrificing to be on the mission field. It is a unique place but you can tell that all of our hosts, chef, managers, kitchen staff and wildlife staff treat this as their full time ministry!  There is a joy around this whole complex!

The rest of our day we were treated to a surprise "game drive" with a purpose. There are several areas to the large property and some younger Sables needed to be moved to a new area. This was done with the assistance of a vet and his dart gun, plus all of us to assist in holding the animals, blindfolding them, and assisting to lift and move them to the back of the truck.  It was nice to help them in this way but it was also pure entertainment to be in the back of the truck with a half drugged sable or impala while racing them across rough terrain and rough roads!  I felt like I was back at work as a paramedic in Regina. Just as Ardon about trying to not fall out of the back of a truck while holding an impala that is too unsteady to get away but knows it doesn't want to be in a truck!  Rick was truly in his element working with the game and quizzing the PH (professional hunter) and vet about game farm management.

After that adventure we had a meal that included kudu and impala that had been shoot by members of our team prior to our arrival. After supper we headed upstairs for a debriefing of the day and a planning session for our next school.  These have been good planning sessions emphasizing what has worked well, what we need to change, and how can we adapt to meet the needs of the kids with the time we have.  The knowledge and wisdom of all the leaders is evident but it is particularly seen in Kevin,  John and Jacques!  These men amaze me with their ability to work on the fly and come up with great ideas of how to most effectively touch these kids lives. It is great that we are here showing them Christ's love but we want to be intentional to try to reach deeper and be clear about speaking God's message of Salvation to them.  Jacques was great at pushing us to spend quality Bible Study time with the kids from today (Tuesday) as we had a more manageable number to work with!

Today the wildness continued, in fact I think we turned it up a notch in many ways!  Although we were working with a much smaller group it was plain to see right from the start that these kids energy level was off the charts.  It wasn't the same quiet Assembly we had the day before.  These kids had endless energy yet during Bible studies listened well.  Even during the archery instruction they listened and participated better than most Canadian Centershot classes I've been involved with.  Today was certainly more how I pictured ministering in Africa.  These kids show such joy and emotion and are quick to pose for a photo or cuddle in close to a leader for a picture. Check your personal space at the door with these kids. I don't think I've ever had a day with so many hugs. Not even Crystelle and I's receiving line at our wedding could rival this!

Today a highlight in ministry for me was being able to lead three one hour long Bible Studies with groups of about ten kids each.  It was special for me to have two of my groups be all girls that were the same age as Terrace.  I know these girls would have loved to meet both my girls!  It was also really fun to involve "Flat Pete" in my Bible Studies. Flat Pete was sent by Glenda with Ardon from our Seeds of Faith preschool to come along on our adventure. He usually travels with kids in the preschool on their vacations, but this time he felt the call to missions with us.  I was able to use him in a game of "Monkey, Monkey, Baboon" (my renamed African version of Duck, Duck, Goose) to illustrate how sin makes us dead and God makes us alive. The kids were excited to play especially knowing that Pete would return to Canada with special stories and pictures for the kids there!

Winding up our time at the school with these kids turned into a mosh pit of love and appreciation shown with hugs and shouts of joy during group pictures.  It was fulfilling to hear of some kids who possibly made decisions to ask Christ into their life today. It was also amazing to see the number of kids that already know Christ and are walking with Him. How awesome to also be able to work these last two days with the local pastor and his wife, Pastor Rolf and Betty, who intend on launching Centershot Clubs in these two school in the near future!

The rest of this day was spent back at the Lodge where anyone interested in hunting was blessed with the chance to have a bonus hunt to attempt to shoot animals they were hoping to get on their recreational day. Again this was done at no charge and in a way that you felt so blessed by Jacques and his staff. He as already multiple times shown His appreciation for our team being there and reaching into his local community. This is just another way that He wants to use what God has blessed Him with to thank us and give all the glory to Christ for what is happening there with Centershot!

Returning after dark with all the hunters for supper made for a special time to review the days events in ministry as well as some great hunting stories!  I was blessed to be with Rick as he was able to take a Wildebeest. I was so happy for him to have that opportunity and look forward to some more hunting  but know we both look forward far more to our next ministry assignment here.

After tonight's planning session we now know that tomorrow we will divide and conquer.  A small group of leader will be going to three small rural school to serve while the rest of us will spend the day at one larger rural school. I look forward to the next opportunity to share Christ and archery with these kids. Serving side by side with two good friends from home and all our new found American friends has been great!

As Kevin shared in our devotional this morning (Tuesday) when we are doing God's work as Nehemiah was we are going to encounter distractions, opposition, attacks on our character, and