Ripe Harvest
I was so overwhelmed on Monday. I can't fully describe how it felt to see so much growth displayed. I've heard it takes two years before you begin to really reap the harvest of ministry and I completely agree. These past couple of months, I have seen so much fruit come from what I've been pouring my heart out to harvest. It seemed to happen over night. All of a sudden the coaches are showing leadership, passion, devotion, problem solving skills, responsibility and taking ownership of what they do.
I start to cry thinking about how much they have grown. Drops of hope and excitement accompany my tears, for I know that they will change many more lives and grow much deeper in Christ. Tears of astonishment soak my pillow at the thought that God used me, someone that has no experience in management or teaching, to change the lives of 16 adults. But despite the goodness, there are also tears of loss. I won't be a part of everything that God does in and through them next year and I feel like I'm missing out on one of the greatest stories going on in my time.
Over all, I cry tears of joy. The excitement of seeing their eyes light up when they share how God works through them or the passion that bubbles from their speech is more rewarding than anything I have experienced so far. I am privileged to have taken part of their cultivating process.Labels: Coaches, Dreams, Happiness, Memories, Spiritual
My Life
It has been awhile since I posted last. Life goes by so quickly and before you know it, it has been two weeks. My days have been full, but not long. I had the chance to teach the coaches three days this past week. I love teaching them. I feel in my element. I feel so alive. I live for when they grasp a concept on leadership or feel more confident in how they can communicate a difficult topic to their students. This is why I am here. Labels: Coaches, Dreams, Life
Why I Am Here.
 My heart sunk as Matthew, a coach, explained that he was leaving Leadership Summit. I was excited for the wonderful job opportunity that God had opened for him, but sad to see him leave. Before he left he wrote how much his time with us meant to him:
"When I first came to Thrive Africa in 2007, I only happened to know half of the things I now know about the kingdom of God and his ways. Even though I was already a born again Christian, the truth remains that I couldn't pursue spiritual excellence as I should have until Thrive Africa Leadership Summit featured in my life with a greater contribution in my spiritual growth, by making what was previously just a part time concern to me to now and most recently be a full time concern. For what I could only be able to do sparingly (during my spare time) I was now with Thrive Africa LS doing it all the time. And it felt good! As incomplete and spiritually lacking as I was when I arrived here, Thrive Africa LS became a path which lead me to my spiritual maturity. What can I know compare or refer to Thrive Africa as? It's like a filling station... and we are like vehicles. It has been filling me." As he explained the impact that Leadership Summit had on him, God confirmed again and again that this is why I am here. Labels: Coaches, Leadership, Memories
Day to Day
Most weeks in my life are relatively the same. I know what to expect when and each week generally takes on the same schedule. This rule applies for most of the year. When I'm driving mission teams to the village for their ministry my week schedule becomes a little tricky, but generally stays the same. Here is a look at my schedule. This was taken back in March, but like I said, it hasn't changed much:
 I like to color code. Green is for discipleship classes. Black are either coach classes or meetings. The brown writing is ministry related actives. Red squares are pay days (for the coaches). And orange is staff or personal information!
Labels: Coaches, Life
Did You Know?
 Each year we give our students surveys at the beginning and at the end of our classes to see if their beliefs have progressed or not. After our first survey here is some of what we have found:
- 1 in 5 students in Qwa-Qwa believe that AIDS does not exist
- Half of students in Qwa-Qwa believe that their sin is too big for God to forgive
- Only 55% of youth know that God wants us to wait until marriage to have sex
- Less than half (43%) of the youth in Qwa-Qwa know the consequences of drugs and alcohol
Continue to pray that we see God drastically change their knowledge and beliefs. Labels: Coaches, Leadership, Spiritual
The Office:
Do you ever wonder what my office looks like? Do I work in a mud hut? How about an open field? How about a building with four walls? Well none of those actually. My office is round, so it doesn't even have four walls, but it is nice! Take a look:
 Labels: Coaches, Life
Discovering the Truth
 Leadership Summit classes are in full swing now. The students have their books and have begun to share and develop opinions on difficult subjects. One of the coaches, Busisiwe, shared this after her class at Boitsebelo, "It was good to be with the learners and they were very happy and they told me that they are ready to learn more this year because they found out that we talk about hard topics and it will be easy for them to discover the truth about the topics. I am happy to hear that and to be a part of their life to tell them the truth about the Word of God."
I know that God has great plans and this is just the beginning of the many testimonies we will hear throughout the year.Labels: Coaches, Leadership, Life, Spiritual
Changing Lives
All of the trouble in getting to the schools was well worth it! Having the opportunity to see the student's faces as their new books were passed out was priceless. After each class I became more energized and strengthened for the next. In one day, I had the opportunity to give 2,025 books to students whose lives can be forever changed by the contents of the book and the sacrifice of the coaches teaching it.
The "Break the Silence" curriculum touches on 10 hard topics that are not talked about in schools, churches, or homes. Topics like drugs and alcohol, sex, pornography, self-image, and many more. The classes are designed to provide small group discussion on each topic to help students begin to talk about issues that have never been discussed before. The book then focuses on the truth about each topic taken straight from the Word of God. I am so excited about what God has in store for the students this term.Labels: Coaches, Fun, Life, Memories, Spiritual
God's Picture
 This past, hmmm practically month. I've been training the coaches and getting them ready for the new year. I love working with them. It amazes me sometimes that I am doing exactly what God showed me over a year and a half ago. I am pouring into people under me so that they can pour into people under them and so on it will go.
This year I am working with 20 young adults that will then in turn work with approximately 4200 students. Wow. It just hit (again) me what an incredible, bigger than myself, position I stand in. I can't believe God has entrusted to me to something so BIG.
I have to keep reminding myself that God is the one that is doing it and not me or else I would become easily overwhelmed. Labels: Coaches
Igniting Leadership
 I have been preparing the last two months for a retreat for the coaches to reignite their passion for Leadership Summit that they had at the beginning of the term. I was amazed at how quickly three days of lessons and activities flew by after all of the preparation, but every bit of it was worth the effort. Over and over again they told me how much the lessons meant to them. One of the coaches, Joseph, shared with me the following:
“I have learned that I need other people and God in order to accomplish my vision or goal. From now on I am looking forward to see myself working together with my teammates to accomplish the Leadership Summit vision.”
As I was teaching, I could see light bulbs coming on for the first time in many of them. I know that they have seen what God has called them to in a different light and I am excited to see how this next year will be affected by it.Labels: Coaches, Leadership
New Things
 As I read the note from my aunt, huge smiles formed on the coaches faces as they heard that they each would receive a necklace. They were all laid out on the table behind me as I was finishing the meeting, and the girls could barely concentrate on what I was saying because they were trying so desperately to peer across the room to see them. Finally it was time and there was a mad dash. Each pendant was delicately lifted up to each of the necks to see which would match and look best. Over and over I heard them exclaim, “Thank you,” “They’re beautiful,” and “Tell you aunt thank you so much!” We took many pictures and their smiles never seemed to never die down. It was so great to see them light up!Labels: Coaches
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