Hope Africa

We spent 12 days in Cape Town, South Africa. We spent many days hiking, driving the coast and exploring different areas around the city. Another thing we did was spend some time learning about an organization called Hope Africa. Our friend from Seeds church in Altona has moved to Cape Town and married a wonderful guy from South Africa. They both work at different ministries here. We spent some time this week at his ministry called Hope Africa. Hope Africa works with local people in a community called Philipii. So we went down there to join their street team. We spent some time going through each area of the ministry, learning how they are involved in the community and how they are trying to make an impact through classes teaching life skills, business skills and practical skills like hairdressing. 

Then we joined them in the community. We went and visited a lady and her kids that they have  been visiting for over a month. We spent a couple of afternoons with her, Listening to her life story and asking how we could help that day. She has had her life changed since meeting this street team. She has found hope in her life. She has had so many changes happen in her life through the power of prayer and meeting people that speak truth into her life. It was pretty cool to see.  We saw first hand how when one person in a community makes change in this way, how it can impact a whole community and extended family. It made a huge impact on our family to see how people can find hope in for all appearances appears to be a hopeless situation.  

We had the opportunity to listen to multiple stories in this home of family and friends that were trying to overcome huge Obstacles of alcohol abuse, infidelity and poverty. In situations like this it's easy to feel helpless. Here is a home with cinder blocks for walls and a tin roof with winter temp's as cold as +2,.  How can people survive here?  How can people thrive here?  It feels helpless, and yet there can be joy here. They desire the same things that most parents desire. So we listened. We hugged. We prayed for them. Then we left and this team of people will continue to go back day after day, week after week and help these people empower themselves through classes and friendship and prayer. Very inspiring to me.