Sunburn! and all worth it!

There was something I wanted to share the last time I blogged but I didn't get a chance because I sort of went off with what God has been teaching me in class. Better late then never, right? .... anyway.... 

I have quite a lot of opportunities to get involved in the community with ministry's that run out of our base but I have been so busy with school work I haven't been able to step out like I had hoped. Every Sunday morning there is a Sunday Market, walking distance from the school, and it reminds me of the swap-meet at home, just a bit. There are two leaders within the school that have started a ministry that sets up at the market and paints kids faces for free. The cool part is I get to be a little artistic and play with the kids while others talk to the parents as they watch their child get his or her face or arm painted. This opens up great opportunities to tell people about Christ. We have little flyer's that we handout explaining  a little more about our testimonies and who the Lord is, but the real fun is building the relationships within the community. 

People can't believe that we are doing this for free! They just don't know how much we truly enjoy it. I got a nice sunburn but it was all worth it. I had offered to help the two leaders take some of the stuff down to the market with them, but I had planned to head off to church straight after... but as the kids started to role in I couldn't resist getting my hands dirty "literally" and getting involved. It was so fruitful I can't wait to do it next Sunday. Maybe this time I will wear sunscreen. 

The pictures are some of my friends/class mates... Renee is the one in class (color coding the bible "homework") she is from South Africa, Johannesburg and has become one of my close friends here at school "don't worry Reree you are my one and only Renee". Micheal "Mich" is in the picture with me and she is one amazing South African, from Derby. She is a staff for another school and "Tricia you would love her she is a Friend's addict just like someone else I know." The last picture is of Tanyse making fun of my height and she is from Zimbabwe, Harare. She is an introvert and yet when you pull it out of her she can be a little crazy "which reminds me of another YWAMer I know... Whits..." Anywho... These are great girls and the Lord has truly blessed me here in Muizenberg, but no one could ever replace you guys at home. I hope you know that.  

Side note...

I aced my first test! Hip Hip

Love and miss you all soooo much!  

Oh.... Mark

WOW... where to begin. 

So I am loving what I am learning but it becomes a little overwhelming at times. Please pray for me... I have been getting some crazy headaches lately. More like migraines. I think it has to do with the way I sit in class. I just finished Mark this week and because it was my first Narrative I was not sure how I would really take it. There are sixteen chapters in Mark and that makes it the largest book I have done. Still learning a lot about the people of the time and what it would have been like to live among the Pharisees and Sadducee in the time of Jesus. These leaders in Judaism were willing to go to extreme measures to make sure the Law of Mosses was kept. Now that I feel I have a deeper understanding of how zealous they were and the passion "good or bad" behind them believing they were doing right, I can identify in a truly more grounded way. I am studding the book of Acts at the moment and looking closer at the missionary journeys of Paul. This man, once a Zealot Pharisee, became the most influential apostle of all time. I felt that I knew a lot about Paul, but now I feel like I am meeting a new man when I read of his stories. A man that persecuted the Jew that followed Christ teachings. Trying to wipe them off the face of the earth. BUT, God being the amazing God that He is, uses Paul to bring the word to the Gentiles. Paul was a Pharisee! In his culture he referred to Gentiles (none Jew) as Dogs. A Pharisee would not associate himself with a Gentile. This would make them unclean and ultimately this would be defiling. This was the man that led the stoning of Stephen (who was proclaiming that the word is not meant for Jews alone but for Gentiles as well)! But God uses this very man to reach the non Jew. In Acts 9 God states that "Go, for he is an instrument who I have chosen to bring my name before the Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." When I read this it was as if I was reading if for the first time. There was nothing Paul did to be chosen by God but he was chosen and Paul's testimony was based on God's Grace... and that it was by no means by "works" Paul did to deserve to be chosen or set apart. Now it was never easy or safe for Paul after he gave his life to God it was quite the opposite, but the life as a Christ Follower is not going to be roses. Paul went through persecution after persecution and imprisonment, stoning(the act of having stones throw at you until you die) which he survives and yet he proclaimed the word of God despite. He was eventually Beheaded. Paul lived in a time of Roman rule. The Emperor Nero! If you have time you should google Nero... This was one crazy man. He was obsessed with suicide, so much so he would invite his dinner guest to commit suicide in-front of him after they ate. Or burn Christians as tiki-torches for the dinner-party. Anyway.... 

I tend to get a little excited about what I am learning.

On an happier note there was a Kite festival this weekend and I took a picture of it from my balcony and form the other side of the balcony you have mic's studying like a good student. Not the greatest shots but still cool. A picture of me at the back of the school. You can see my room to the far right at the very top. A picture of the classroom! Then there is another pic. of Micky and I hanging in the backyard of the school after lunch. Micky has decided to save wounded pigeons that fly onto our balcony. I see them as a heath hazard more then a pet so she has convinced one of the other SBS students "Jeremiah" to take care of them on his balcony. They are nursing these "rats of the sky" back to health while their comrades are waking me up every morning before it is a Godly hour to rise. Anyway this is a little side note of craziness happening in my neck of the woods. 

The base has quited down quite a bit since the last time I wrote which is really nice. Now there are only three schools in session, instead of six.  Almost half the amount of people! Anyway I have to run back to charting Paul's missionary journeys through "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."Acts 1:8

Much love!

Lauren-Jean

Another week of Amazing

Loving LIFE! 

Finished Galatains (which has been my favorite book so far) and now I am trying to dig into Mark. It is my first Narrative in scripture and a little scary with how much bigger it is then the rest of the books I have done.... all I can say is bring it on ;0)

I went to visit Micky's (my roomie) family this weekend and had the BEST time. Her father is a pilot and I convinced him to take me for a ride next time I come over. Micky's place is about 3omins or so from school and so she plans on making many trips home within the school year. The cool part is that she has extended the invite indefinitely so if I ever want to get away I can go with her. Did I mention that her family ROCKS! They are the most down to earth family and I feel so completely at home in their house. Yes... they love me :0) but who wouldn't... right? Just kidding.. ok maybe not. They mentioned that they were now my surrogate parents, just within a couple hours of meeting me. Did I mention how cool they are! They wined and dinned me the whole weekend. 

So the Base has a DTS (Disciple Training School) that just got back form a portion of their outreach this weekend along with two other DTS's who came in for a special lecher for the whole week! That is 61 extra students on top of the already existing three schools and 80 staff. It is so CRAZY around here right now. Then each one of the schools that just arrived have staff as to boot! There is well over 200 people on the base at one time. God is sooooo Good to have let me get away for the weekend... :0)

So I did a boo boo and forgot my camera at schools so I will have to get some pictures from the other side of town plus some from the air very soon.

Here are some more pics of the School and the Braai last week.

P.S. Thank you all for your posted comments they really me a lot to me!

Talk to you again very soon!

Love,

Lauren-Jean

(the pics are of Micky sleeping while the boy's Braai and then we all celebrate together in the dinning hall. The last pic is of the Ocean from the top of the school.)

Skubalon

Today in studying the book of Philippians... Paul makes some pretty profound statements to the church of Philippi and I thought that I could just share some of the revelation God has been giving me. Working, studying and living in community is not always easy and God likes to use sticky situations to bring us into closer relationship to him and others. Philippians vs 3:14-15 "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you." This also relates to vs 2:5 "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" The idea of Unity runs throughout the text of Philippians and becoming of the same mind. Thinking as Christ would think and consequently live. I love how Paul can be so poetic with his approach. The way he states that if we think differently about how to live... God will bring clarity. That we are not responsible for the sin in our lives until we are made aware that it is sin. That we are only responsible for that which God reveals to us, but as the Body of Christ we are to be of one mind so that unity flows in the church and out into the world. 

Imagine if we could unite in our families... our cities... imagine if we could unite in our nation. What would that look like? I think we need to stop imagining in these things and believe in them. It has to start somewhere, so I guess I am just asking why not with me? Why not start with you?

Thanks for letting me go off... 

I ask if there was anything that I said that struck a cord with you maybe just pray about it, and if not that's ok too... all things will be made known in there right time.

huggggggssssss and kkkkissssssessss

p.s. the only place of silence in this building is on the roof and sometimes that isn't all that quite but here is a picture of the way up to the top and what it looks like from the roof.

Side note I learned that the word Skubalon in Greek means "poop"... try using it in conversation some time today and let me know how it goes.... ;0)

My Roomies

I know that my room-mates are going to kill me if they ever see this post... but I love these pictures. Vera is from Cameroon and trying to take the camera away from me on our balcony and Monique "Micky" is from South Africa and I have just woken her up from her nap in the sun. I love these ladies. God has truly blessed me with great roomies. 

Braai in the backyard

So here are some more pictures of the base and my life over here in Muizenberg... We had a welcoming party for the new schools that started this semester and had a large South African Braai "Barbecue" in the backyard. The ladies of the base made the dinning room look all pretty by putting all the students flags up, and the boys were busy out in the back cooking up some hot dogs. The last shot was taken in my class room where the real YWAM tradition came out. Yes, Titus skits appeared in full force and this was taken form my team portraying a true Lazy Glutton. (Titus vs. 1;12)

Update and pic of Base

I am soooo Sorry to all my Family and Friends for not being able to send more pictures and updates on my BLOG. The South African Government owns all the communication lines over here and consequently can charge whatever they like for Internet and phone time. The prices are quite outrageous and to upload pictures cost even more. Well... this sad news does have a happy ending... I think... I believe that I have found away around some of the costs and in turn my hope is to send more regular updates. I will be updating again at the end of the week and hope to continue to do so throughout my stay in South Africa. 

The work is getting a little more manageable now that I sort of understand what I am doing... tehehe... 

Here is a picture of the Base (my home!) and my local grocery store (good old "Checkers"). The selection over here is so much better then in the States. I would have never thought, but I guess this is one of the largest import and export community in the world. Hip hip for me...

much love,

Lauren-Jean

Simon's Town

So I have successfully completed my first week of class... Can I get an "Amen".... anyway it was long but soooo good. After reading  the book of Philemon over and over and over again I feel that I have the book almost to memory. Every little point Paul made would turn over in my head till the passage was going to explode. I really had know idea that there was so much in one letter. Looking back in history and finding that Paul was one of the first every recorded to attempt to abolish slavery. I love being able to really look back in history and have the time to cross referencing that reference. Yes this sounds a little crazy but I am extremely excited by all this new information and can't wait for more. I know that once I come to a book like Isaiah I might be crying. This next week we go through Titus and the "fun" never stops. 

This weekend we went as a class to Simon's Town... This was labeled as compulsory fun. It was really nice to go see a little more of South Africa. Simon's Town in known for their penguins. I really had the desire to bring one back with me to the base and call it Petie... He could live in our base pool and be known as the "Petie the pet pool penguin". Anyway the one I want is closest to me in the picture up top.