Fraternity-Testvériség, 1986 (64. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
1986-04-01 / 2. szám
FRATERNITY Page 13 BRANCH 13 - PASSAIC ABOUT MY SUMMER - 1985... “Wow!” That’s the most concise expression I know that can explain what happened last summer. It was a time of realization, struggle, evaluation, and even actualization. The first two weeks of my summer were spent in intensive training at the Lord’s Boot Camp in Merritt Island, Florida; Teen Missions Headquarters. And what I mean by intensive is tough. The training was rigorous — it included everything from personal devotions and evangelism to ditch digging and block-laying. The most exciting part of the two weeks of training was the fellowship of about 800 teens who were on fire for the Lord, and were willing to light that candle on commissioning night; signifying their willingness to go to a different country to serve Him. Between Marritt Island and Ynonda Zulu, where my team project sight was located in South Africa, there was a week’s worth of travel. The Lord really blessed us on our journey. We had no luggage problems, even though we carried an extremely large amount of items; ranging from portable stoves to empty boxes, to be used for TMI’s South African Boot Camp. In Israel, where we switched flights, they checked our luggage through for us. EL AL, our airlines, also gave us a royal supper, since we had a layover of about six hours. The Lord really provided! Once in South Africa, we were told our site was moved about 40 km. from the planned site. This was because of a 150-year old tribal conflict in the area that had been re-juvinated by the death of the Zulu chief. The day-care center of that area where we were supposed to have built, was burned to the ground. The missionaries we worked with through fervent prayer and dedication, were able to find an alternate area for us to build a month before our arrival. It was interesting to see how God was in control and was planning things out for us well before we arrived. About the project — my team, consisting of 16 teens and 6 leaders, built a 26’ X 44’ concrete block building. The building was to be used as a combination church/day-care center. We built it next to a day-care center that was already filled to capacity with innocent children from non-caring homes. A word about these children: Since they were constantly around us, they were a major part of our daily habits. So many times they would come and sit in our laps, or try to talk to us, or play with us. Many times, they were willing to serve us — I will never forget one day, after work, I was cleaning a shovel I had used. As I lifted the shovel out of the water barrel I was using to clean it, I saw two little black hands diligently rubbing the mortar and plaster off my work boots. The little five-year-old, whose mother and father had rejected, was out to make sure I had the cleanest boots in the world. She, who had no shoes, was there serving me by cleaning mine! It was a very humbling moment.... Although our building was our priority in serving the Lord in South Africa, we also had a bit of evangelism we were involved in. One weekend, we went to the Republic of Transkei, where we ministered to the people (basically children), of the very rural villages we visited by means of open air campaigns. We would sing, put on puppet shows, and give testimonies through a translator. At one point of our tour, we stopped at a small field, and set up our gear. We were told by a missionary that the building across the field was a Zionist church — a cult that mixed Christianity with spiritualism and witchcraft. As we started singing our songs, “Jehoval Jirrel,” “Unto Thee O Lord” and the rest, we could hear the drumbeats of the witchdoctors behind us. But we knew one things — our Lord is greater, we are on the winning side. With that in mind, we were motivated to sing louder to God. My prayer for them is that Satan may be bound, and the Good News of Christ’s resurrection may flourish. During the evangelical tour, the bus we were traveling broke down. “O.K.,” said Steve, the evangelist who was working with us, “Here are your translators, there are the huts. Preach it to them!” With that, we split into groups, and went into those thatch-covered round huts we find only in National Geographic here in the States. And how awsome it was to see “heathens” come to know Jesus! Is there any greater joy? The Lord has also taught me alot last summer. He has shown me, through “Bear,” my assistant leader, that Satan had been using my selfish pride to ruin my summer. I must struggle with it still today, but I know my (and your) prayers will be answered. BRANCH LIFE — OSZTÁLY ÉLET
