Jesus is our ultimate supporter as our savior! Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” This is a picture from our first support group at the church community center. Shara and I assisted social workers Eldah and Primrose from Christian Social Services run the support group for the caregivers of orphans in the Shongweni rural community.
Shara, Bishop Weber, Pastor Thwala and I will continue to work together through the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa to do mission work in Shongweni for one more year! I am thankful that Shara will also be extending so that we can continue to do this work as a team. I would love the opportunity to share more about the mission work here in Shongweni with you and your church when I am back in the States!
Bishop Weber visited our class taught by Deaconess Grace Rao from LCMS World Relief and Human Care. These women came from Botswana, the Congo and throughout South Africa to learn about serving God in their churches and daily lives. It was a blessing to learn a lot from the course and very encouraging to spend time with these great women of faith!
Deaconess Grace Rao had each of the nine women that attended the ministry course lead a Bible study. It was great to learn from all of the women and be encouraged by their messages!
The support group enjoyed an exercise where they shared about themselves and learned how they are all connected.
Shara and I spent time at another crèche to learn more about how to run childcare programs in Shongweni.*
Greetings from sunny and beautiful South Africa! Another month has flown by that was filled with lots of opportunities to grow in my faith and service. I am happy to share that all of the paper work for the crèche has been handed in to the government, and we are on track for opening the crèche in November! I am looking forward to having the church provide a safe and caring environment where the children can be taught about God’s care for them daily. I also had the opportunity to learn a lot this month when I attended a two week course at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Pretoria about various ways women are able to support ministry in the church and community. Throughout this month it became very clear that learning never stops and that the more that we are able to learn the better we can be at
supporting one another.
*
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 2:3-4)
*
All of us support various people and things in our lives. We support our families and we support our favorite sports teams. Being a source of support can be a lot of hard work, but it can also be a lot of fun! Whether we show support by listening to someone going through a challenge or by decking out in our team’s colors for the game, we know that our encouragement is needed and appreciated. This month, my missionary partner Shara and I joined forces with local social workers from Christian Social Services to provide support groups for the caregivers in our orphan project and the local community. These groups are designed to help the caregivers address the challenges that they face, while also providing time to socialize and develop friendships. Over thirty of us gathered at our first meeting and enjoyed sharing a little about ourselves and what topics we would like to have for the group.
*
The support group is now taking place the first and last Monday of the month and looks at how other people and local resources can help, but points first of all to our biggest supporter, Christ. Not all of the people who attend are Christians, but they still want to be a part of the group and are being shown God’s care by the other people. As the group meets in the church community center the members begin with praise songs and prayer. Pastor Thwala also comes down and greets everyone, so I am happy that these groups have become another opportunity for the church community to open its doors and invite people not just to the church building, but also to encourage them in their personal relationship with Christ.
*
I want to thank you for the support you have given me throughout my time as a missionary. It is with great joy that I want to share with you that I have been asked to extend my time of service here with the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa. I have accepted and will remain serving under Pastor Thwala with the Shongweni Orphan Project for one more year! I have been blessed to develop many relationships in the rural community, and am thankful that doors have been opened to care for spiritual, emotional and physical needs during this next year.
*
I will be coming back to the United States to fundraise in December and January and would like to ask you to prayerfully consider continuing to support me this next term of service. One of the upcoming ways of supporting the effort to raise the funds needed is to be involved in a garage and bake sale being held at Christ Lutheran Church in Normal, IL on October 1st and 2nd. Donations, volunteers and shoppers are all needed and greatly appreciated. I cannot thank you enough for your help and care as I prepare to serve again!
*
God’s blessings on your day now and always,
Julia
Hamba kahle!
(Go well!)
Greetings from sunny and beautiful South Africa! Another month has flown by that was filled with lots of opportunities to grow in my faith and service. I am happy to share that all of the paper work for the crèche has been handed in to the government, and we are on track for opening the crèche in November! I am looking forward to having the church provide a safe and caring environment where the children can be taught about God’s care for them daily. I also had the opportunity to learn a lot this month when I attended a two week course at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Pretoria about various ways women are able to support ministry in the church and community. Throughout this month it became very clear that learning never stops and that the more that we are able to learn the better we can be at
supporting one another.
*
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 2:3-4)
*
All of us support various people and things in our lives. We support our families and we support our favorite sports teams. Being a source of support can be a lot of hard work, but it can also be a lot of fun! Whether we show support by listening to someone going through a challenge or by decking out in our team’s colors for the game, we know that our encouragement is needed and appreciated. This month, my missionary partner Shara and I joined forces with local social workers from Christian Social Services to provide support groups for the caregivers in our orphan project and the local community. These groups are designed to help the caregivers address the challenges that they face, while also providing time to socialize and develop friendships. Over thirty of us gathered at our first meeting and enjoyed sharing a little about ourselves and what topics we would like to have for the group.
*
The support group is now taking place the first and last Monday of the month and looks at how other people and local resources can help, but points first of all to our biggest supporter, Christ. Not all of the people who attend are Christians, but they still want to be a part of the group and are being shown God’s care by the other people. As the group meets in the church community center the members begin with praise songs and prayer. Pastor Thwala also comes down and greets everyone, so I am happy that these groups have become another opportunity for the church community to open its doors and invite people not just to the church building, but also to encourage them in their personal relationship with Christ.
*
I want to thank you for the support you have given me throughout my time as a missionary. It is with great joy that I want to share with you that I have been asked to extend my time of service here with the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa. I have accepted and will remain serving under Pastor Thwala with the Shongweni Orphan Project for one more year! I have been blessed to develop many relationships in the rural community, and am thankful that doors have been opened to care for spiritual, emotional and physical needs during this next year.
*
I will be coming back to the United States to fundraise in December and January and would like to ask you to prayerfully consider continuing to support me this next term of service. One of the upcoming ways of supporting the effort to raise the funds needed is to be involved in a garage and bake sale being held at Christ Lutheran Church in Normal, IL on October 1st and 2nd. Donations, volunteers and shoppers are all needed and greatly appreciated. I cannot thank you enough for your help and care as I prepare to serve again!
*
God’s blessings on your day now and always,
Julia
Hamba kahle!
(Go well!)
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