Day 4 - Siyabonga and Mafambisa Community

 Siyabonga (Thankful) 

This word seems to have been reoccurring over the last couple of days in our singing, praying and praising and this thread continued today both at Ladies prayer and within our time at the Care Point. Yesterday we thanked God in the Monday morning meeting also and then at the end of the day after we saw the Care Point full of life, hope and joy! 

The girls were up just before 8:00 this morning for Ladies prayer (very thankful for the extra hour in bed!)

Ladies prayer started with introductions and a test of how many names “Sally” could remember! Then we went through the prayer requests from last week and thanked Jesus for all the prayers he had answered. New prayer requests were added and then Jacqui led us in a reflection about FAITH. 

She shared this verse from Hebrews 11 verse 39 and 40. 

”God said good things about all these people because they trusted him. But they still did not receive everything that God had promised to give to them. God had already decided to prepare something better for all of us. As a result, those people did not receive everything until we could join with them.“

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She shared that Faith is often evidence of something not seen and we need to trust that God is for us and where prayers are unanswered we need to stand on the truths in the word of God and have hope. It is about the attitude of our heart and not to give up when we think we have waited enough. He has said it so we trust it! Our job is often simpler than we make out - we share our request with God and the how/when/where etc is not our business but his and this can often be mysterious or look different than we think and that’s ok. We then finished with a time of prayer. 

Following morning prayer we headed out for another day in Mafambisa. Holy Home visits were on the cards and there was a mixture or apprehension and excitement amongst the team. We were given a warm welcome at the Care Point again and while some helped to chop chop the cabbage, others played with the Under 5’s and some kept the cement watered for the new toilet block! 

Shortly after we all gathered together and shared how we we were feeling about the day before praying and thanking Jesus for the day by singing the phrases “Siyabonga” and “Thank you Jesus” before splitting into 4 groups to embark on some Holy Home Visits. (Check out the next blog about the homes we visited and the stories we heard) 

Once back at the Care Point there was time for more playing with the children; catching up and debriefing on home visits with each other, Care Workers and the Hands Team; last minute cooking adjustments and some 1:1 interactions. Praise and Worship came next with the children before a meal of Pap, Beans and Cabbage.

This led to more playing; chatting and some intentional interaction by the Hands Team. Skipping, Bubbles and Football continued and just looking around at this busy Care Point demonstrated how far Mafambisa has come on its journey particularly since Covid. We are so thankful for the demonstration of Gods love through the Care Workers that are being Jesus’ hands and feet on the ground and creating a beacon of light and hope in a somewhat broken and challenging community. 

We couldn’t finish a day in the community without some singing and dancing so Ben and Pippa along with one of the twins led us in ‘Shine’ amongst other Holiday Club favourites! At one point even John was on the stage reliving his Holiday Club days leading us in the classic “Whose the King of the Jungle” with actions and everything! We finished our time at the Care Point with the lads playing football with the older boys and the rest of us being treated to Choir Practice by the older girls in preparation for a wedding at the weekend of one of the International Volunteers at Hands. 

There was so much to be thankful to God for today from start to end. Yesterday during our time with the Care Workers Psalm 100 was shared and this definitely resonated throughout our day today. 

Psalm 100: For giving grateful praise.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Blogged by Alice