Let this bring you Hope & Joy – God is on the move!

If you want encouragement please read the blog below from a middle school student from Holland Christian. God is truly on the move empowering a new generation with His Spirit!

Today was another wonderful day in South Africa.

 It started off by another sunny morning at the Care Center where the kids came running out to greet us with huge smiles on their faces, hugs, and loads of energy! I prayed right before this time, asking again for the Spirit of God to give me and the children His peace. Sure enough, God showed up to me, blowing me away again by giving me His peace. The kids in my room were all very peaceful, and there was almost no violence that happened today. The Spirit definitely allowed me to see the kids with clearer eyes and allowed me to really see the true joy they found in each other and the little things I did to help. The Spirit was alive and working in that place and was working through all of us, which was an awe-striking experience.

We then headed out to Jim Se Bos, where we were able to make food in a ginormous pot to serve hundreds of people, providing them with a meal. I definitely felt God’s presence there, and getting to see hundreds of people’s faces light up with happiness when they received a small amount of food melted my heart. The contentment of the kids in the place was jaw dropping. After they had eaten their food, they were playing soccer with a plastic bottle, laughing, and smiling as big as the sun. This really made me think of having faith like a child because these kids have absolutely nothing, yet they delight in getting small portions of food and playing soccer with bottles. They’re not worried about tomorrow or questioning what they have to eat, which is incredible to see. We should be like that with God: we should find that same contentment in God. We shouldn’t be anxious or skeptical but instead run into the father’s arms, trusting that He already knows what’s going to happen to us and loves us more than every single star in the sky!

Right before we had to leave, Pastor Raymond spoke some very powerful words to us (that I personally think were 100% led by the Spirit). He told us that our sinful nature is selfish and wants things for ourselves, but when we’re born again and live into God’s nature we serve and love others first over ourselves. That really shows the heart of God and how loving and powerful He is. I mean, His Spirit can convert someone so broken and selfish (like me) and make them loving and wanting to serve others. That’s mind blowing to me.  Another thing he said was that the food we gave was a means by which to show a child the love God has for him or her. I thought that was also super powerful because we didn’t even have to do much to see God’s joy be present and deposited into a child’s heart. It also showed me the impact God’s love has when the people of God take action. It almost brought me to tears because God is so awesome and works in ways we can’t even imagine! All we have to do is trust and obey, and He’ll do the rest!

Pastor Raymond shared with us Deuteronomy 15:10-11.

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”