Today is Election Day in South Africa. This is the fourth election in the 15-year history of the democratic “New South Africa”. Election Day means that it is a public holiday and so though we can’t vote we are enjoying a day off of work and school, spending time together as a family in this very interesting and beautiful city. Johannesburg is a sprawling megalopolis… increasingly merging with another major city, Pretoria. We mainly stick to the northern suburbs of “Joburg” (as the locals call it). We live in a countryside area near Ruimsig and Honeydew, Peter goes to school in Randpark Ridge and we often shop and attend church meetings in areas like Little Falls, Fourways, Bryanston and Sandton. These suburbs are unique in being fully developed and first world, but sprinkled with “informal settlements” where Africans who have come in from rural areas of the nation and other African nations to find work in the city dwell.
We have still not made a final decision on which local church we will plant ourselves in, but we do sense that God is directing our steps. We are continuing to attend the churches where we already have existing relationship with the leaders and we are meeting with them and getting to know them, allowing for opportunity for clarity to come and God-ordained connections to take place.
We are able to share the wonderful news that in March we entered into a lease-purchase contract on our house in Dublin! We had peace and confidence that we were to take the step of moving to Africa and beginning the work here even though our house had not yet sold. Well, it was on literally our first day of work here in February that an offer was made on our home!
We also finally have our own car! We were able to secure a very good deal on a Toyota Corolla Verso which is a very comfortable and roomy family car with two seats which flip up in the rear area for extra passenger room when needed, seating as many as seven. This is perfect for when Minda’s parents are in the country – or for when any of you visit us! It is a manual shift (as most cars in South Africa are). Paul loves this, but Minda has not yet ventured out beyond the JAM grounds as she is a bit anxious about driving on the other side of the car and the other side of the road AND shifting with her left hand!
We’ve already shared in previous blog entries about our jobs and the fulfillment we are experiencing in our roles as well as our daily life as a family. In addition to our jobs at JAM, we have been asked by Peter Pretorius to carry the responsibility and leadership of the weekly JAM Staff Chapel meetings. JAM has a Headquarters staff of about 100 individuals and we begin each week with an hour of prayer, worship and teaching from God’s Word. It is a great honor and a joy for us to coordinate this each week. Peter and Ann are out of town so often on their international travels, spreading awareness of the work of JAM. Their hearts are so toward their staff and they love to spend this Monday morning chapel hour with them when they are in Johannesburg, but they need someone to carry it for them and represent their heart when they are away. Because of our long-standing relationship and history with them it is easy for us to do this and to lead, upholding the vision God has given them and helping to cultivate and foster a spiritually healthy atmosphere at JAM. For the year we are focusing on and reinforcing the “Ideal JAM Culture Characteristics” which the leadership of JAM has listed in their 5-Year Strategic Plan. We are teaching on things like Effective Communication, Teachableness, Honesty, Integrity, Excellence, Compassion, Mentoring, Common Goals, etc. We also lead the prayer time and facilitate the worship. The chapel meetings take place in JAM’s state-of-the-art studio with theater seating, projectors, studio lighting and the weekly experience is captured on video cameras, edited and sent out to field offices for the rest of the JAM team to experience. We feel that the responsibility of JAM Chapel is one of the most significant tasks the Lord has given us at this time. Thank you for your prayers, that we will allow the Lord to enlarge us and increase us and give us His supply for this work.
Exciting things are happening for JAM! We have just been awarded the largest portion globally of this year’s USDA McGovern-Dole Grant funds! $29.3 million for our feeding programs in Angola and $7.5 million for Mozambique, enabling the feeding of hundreds of thousands! The JAM Team have been pressing and working at getting JAM awareness out there and our exposure has grown in leaps and bounds even in this one past year. God’s favor is truly with this organization as we express His compassionate heart in Africa.
Our boys are doing very well. They are growing and enjoying their MANY new friends! We’re so happy for them. Peter is developing in skills at school and steadily picking up the South African expressions and accent. John David has started walking and talking, his favorite words being “ball” and “car” – a true boy!
We think of individuals in the USA so often. You are a part of our lives and we carry you in our hearts as we do what we do here.
With love from Africa,
Paul and Minda
