Twelve disciples left the winelands, Stellenbosch, South Africa on a cold morning.  Destination:  Central Mozambique.  On a scale of 1 to 10 we would probably rate 1 on any tourism brochure.   I mean it’s bush, more bush and 500 km later more bush.  It’s just that sort of place.  To come here you really need to have lost loved ones or want to be part of something bigger.

Stellenbosch in its full glory!

Ok …ok … I know you get the full story.  But our Stellenbosch team gave a lot up to travel more than 6 000 km up and down to get to us.

Stellenbosch Congregation sent a team for a week to find out exactly what we are up to here in the bush.  The vision of Stellenbosch Congregation is to assure that they can make a difference in this world through following Christ in community.  Without hesitation they tackled the adventure …. with interesting consequences.   As usual my directions were …… well about 5,7 km out and the team stood on a lonely road in the dark trying to send sms’s to my phone (which I never carry around!).  They were looking for a white painted entry (which looked quite white to me) but was actually gray.  If you looked carefully at the individuals who travelled from Stellenbosch Congregation you would find out that 100 % of them are extremely successful leaders in business, community development, farming and other areas of expertise.  Their brain capacity is enormous …. (most are left brain functional) so I was so glad I was not in the vehicle as they were trying to make plans to find me in the “jungle”.  As I was worried I patrolled the long stretch of road with my motorbike ….. only to find their vehicle very close to our base.  Their faces lit up when I pulled aside – reassuring them that I was not a South African hi-jacker!  After setting up camp my transformational agents made sure to remind me of my faulty directions … over and over again (I think it was the left brain thing again – being analytical an all!!!).  Their stories of being “robbed” at border posts are ones that are not just sad but very common.  But …. they have crossed the border into the unknown successfully!

And what an amazing team they were.  We scouted our communities days on end showing them the great people of Mozambique.  Although we have great and enormous projects running daily – it really is about the people … ALL the time.

Explaining our vision:  “To love GOD and to love PEOPLE, so that others can love GOD and love PEOPLE” can only be fully understood when you visit the base in Mozambique.  The group from Stellenbosch Congregation understood!

To package their ordeal and experiences can only be done with photos …. so let  me share that with you as our friends learned the laws of the bush:

1.  BUSH LAW 1 – TACLE ALL TRANSPORT AS DIGNIFIED AS POSSIBLE

The Stellenbosch ladies being transported to some of the ministries in the bush!

 2.  BUSH LAW 2 – DO IT THE AFRICAN WAY

Visiting the Women’s Ministry – Simukai and sharing a lighter moment.

 3.  BUSH LAW 3 – CONTEMPLATION

Louise Fourie, Community Engineer from Stellenbosch Congregation in a deep contemplating mood.

Eunice, our Women’s Ministry national co-ordinator explaining how to teach literacy to women.

 4.  BUSH LAW 4 – YOU WILL HAVE THE BUSH PAPARADZI WITH YOU ALWAYS

5.  BUSH LAW 5 – TEAMWORK MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

The team decided to paint our entry wall WHITE as to overcome my color blindness.

 6.  BUSH LAW 6 – BANKERS MAKE GOOD PREACHERS

Dirk Ehlers, banker from Capitec RSA, bringing a good message for the huge Sunday crowd in the church.  Mathew Hurekure is his interpreter for the occasion.

THE TEAM: