REACH February 2012 Class

A brand new class here at REACH!

We started a brand new semester this week and are ready to dive right into whatever it is that God has for us!  We have a small class this semester, three colorful gentlemen.  This semester will be different from the rest, it certainly will be fun to see it all unfold.  Week One at REACH is always a week of Silence and Solitude.  It gives the students time to specifically commune with God, and build a focus on God for the weeks ahead.

We pray that God uses each of these young men for his glory and his glory only.

Meet Amwalana

My name is Amwalana Nawa and I live in  Lusaka, Zambia with my parents.  I love my family and my friends and all the people around, I want to be a lawyer and most of all I love God and I thank Him for his grace.

Meet TJ

I am TJ, 23 years old and I am a Pastor. I have passion for young people, I love preaching and teaching the word of God that is were I find  my joy in.  I love challenges the reason for that is because they either break you or build you depending on your respond towards them.  I live by the saying, “Winners are not those who never loose but these who never quit.”  Therefore whatever challenges that I come across in life I never quite because Christ never quit on me.

Meet Thapelo

My name is Thapelo.  I love sports, I love to read the Bible and I  enjoy praying.  I spend most of my free time with God and my Family.

“The strength of a man’s virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts.” -  Blaise Pascal

Cyprian’s Post on Madiba’s Day!

Madiba’s Day

On 18 July it was Mandela’s day. I went to the community of Mapela in Limpopo Mokopane to spend sixty seven minutes. As Madiba did to us he spent his life for us. When I went there I found people from that community and African National Congress Members (ANC) working with them.

I was so surprise on that day because I don’t think that I will find people from government trying to help the community. They came to participate and work not just to see what the community is doing.

They give us the uniform Madibas’s day working together carrying society. Even the people from the media were there on that day. They took all the information that was happening to tell people around the country what went on.

The Municipality meet’s the need of their community and try to help them. We helped an old man that did not live in a good building. We tried to finish up the new house that was built by the community and municipality.

-Cyprian

YOUTH EVANGELISM EXPLOSION

This past weekend the students at REACH participated in the Youth EE training. In 1967 Evangelism Explosion’s first Leadership Training Clinic was taught by its Founder and President, Dr. D. James Kennedy, in the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Fort Lauderdale, Florida with 36 pastors attending.  In 1972, EE spread to other cities, in 1983 to all the continents, and in 1995 to every nation on earth! EE started in South Africa in 1978 and is at present in use in many denominations over all of South Africa.

Youth EE aims to equip the youth of every denomination, every nation and eventually every people group for the work of friendship evangelism, discipleship and healthy growth. This training equipped our students to share the Gospel more effectively with their friends, relatives, and other young people. Here is what Thembi, a student at REACH had to say about Youth EE:

“Wow! Youth EE is so exciting making disciples out of young people, imagine young people making disciples of other young people, we can make so much difference in the world, God’s word spread throughout the world by people who still excited to live, people who make so much impact and have so much influence in society.

Building relationships, we are so fortunate to be able to be taught at a young age, how to build relationships, how to witness and to also teach those who we disciple, to disciple others as well through a dynamic and innovative approach, we are chosen by God and yes as young as we are, he expects us to go out and make disciples, teach them to obey God’s commands as he has taught us. This is so amazing can’t wait to get back to my community and start implementing it. The main aspects in disciplining are contact, permission, Gospel, commitment, assurance, follow up. Understanding these headings are ways to make contact with people, asking for permission before you start asking questions or telling them anything. Then you start telling them about God, and what you need to do in case they want to commit their lives to God, and what you do incase their not ready to commit. Also give them assurance and maybe your own testimony which needs to be true by the way and then finally follow-up, don’t give birth to a child and then just let them fend for themselves but you need to help them grow spiritually, build a relationship with them, fellowship and show them ways to grow spiritually, build a relationship with them, fellowship and show them ways to grow spiritually. I could write a book about this it’s so amazing.

YOUTH EVANGELISM EXPLOSION: BOOM!!”

Working in the Communities of South Africa

While working in the community I learned many things. Before working in the community there are things you need to prepare for.  First of all I want to say it is both easy & not easy working in the community, why I say it is because you need to know about that community first before you start working.

Things that you must know are what kind of community you want to work in and know what the need of the community is.

Secondly, you need to communicate with the Chief of the community, first ask permission to work in his place and tell him who you are, why you want his place, what are you going to do or what kind of work you bring in that community and when you finished telling him what you bring in that community.

When he saw your kindness of you and also when he saw that you bring a good achievement in his community, he will give you permission to what you want and he will give you a person who will work with you.

I say it is easy because you prepare everything you are going to use their or do.

We visit different schools, primary schools and high schools. We have fun day, encouragement to children and teachers we have night prayer with the community we have different games with the children we have prizes that we give the children when they finish playing games.

-Shirly

Our MASSACHUSETTS Team!

Here at REACH we had the pleasure of teaming up with a 10 day team from Worcester First Assembly in Massachusetts! Their main focus while in Africa was on families: a husband’s role, a wife’s role, the role that a mother and father have to each other, their children and to the Lord, and lastly, the role of children in the family.  We worked in the village of Mepela, visiting primary schools and high schools in the morning and in the afternoon helped out with the after school program at Hans Primary School. Once again, the Body of Christ came together for the purpose of service. It is an honor to be used by God and to show His love to the community of Mepela in a practical way.  

Our July 2011 REACH class!

 At REACH our mission is to Mentor young Christians who will return to their communities and churches ready to serve and proclaim Christ in such a way that true transformation is the only possible result.

We are very excited for the kickoff of our July 2011 REACH class! We believe God has ordained these eight students to be here at Shikwaru during this time.  The program is a 10 month commitment broken in two terms. The first 5 months will be in a classroom setting. The second 5 months we will see the students back in their local community launching the programs and skills they acquired while in the class.

For the first week the students will engage in Silence & Solitude and Team Building. There are two rules during Silence & Solitude: 1. You must remain alone. 2. No talking. You may talk to Jesus through prayer. We have them participate in this activity so they can focus solely on the Lord.  After their Silence & Solitude is completed then it is team building time! This is an opportunity for the students to bond and get to know each other on a deeper level.

Stay tuned for pictures!!

Meet Rosemary!

 

                                                                 My name is Rosemary I like socializing with people and bringing them close to God, counseling them spiritually and psychologically building the spirit of confidence, encouraging them to know who they are. I’m an interpreter for my pastor. The most important thing is that I like working together with the community and giving them love.

Meet Elisa!

I’m Elisa and I am a person who loves to sing worshipers song for God and I love to praise and worship. Also I love to share the word of God with other people so that they can see where they belong.

Meet Cyprian!

Hi! My name is Mqayana Cyprian Shongwe. I live in Mpumalanga, the place called Kabokweni Bhuga. Im a care giver there am taking care for orphans through my community, I like going to church to praise God as my Savior of my whole life.

Meet Shirly!

I’m Shirly Nkosi. Im 39 years old and I have four children biological and I have also nine children that are not biological. I live at Mpumalanga. I’m a person who grow without parents, I was living with my uncle who was looking after me. I thank God I am alive to help take care of the sick people and orphans. I volunteer at a community home based care from 2003 until now. I want to see my community achieve and accept Jesus Christ.