Culturized

It has been one whole week since I have posted last, which means that I have plenty to update you on!I titled this post "Culturized" because I thought it appropriately describes what I've been up to here. So here goes...
Last Sunday was our first day attending church here in South Africa. Everyone goes about 30 minutes early to drink tea or coffee and fellowship with each other. I really enjoy hearing them sing worship and pray in one of the many native languages! The most common around campus is Zulu and I've been attempting to learn some of the words, but it's much harder then I thought. After church, our CCP team got to have lunch with Neil and Jennifer Gooch. Neil was involved with Campus Outreach ever since he was in college and was part of the original team to begin CO in North Carolina. He is the head of Campus Outreach Johannesburg here! They have lived here with their four boys for several years so it was neat to hear perspective from both of them. They also have an amazing backyard perfect for playing soccer!

We recently traveled to Soweto, just outside the city of Johannesburg, to watch the Orlando Pirates Soccer Team play in what could have been their final match of the year. But, they won by a score of 2-1! It was such a neat opportunity and I just really enjoyed watching competitive soccer live right in front of me! The stadium is literally right smack in the middle of a slum or poor township. Houses are right next to each other and it's not clean either. We got to give our tshirts we got from the soccer game to some of the little kids running around. They absolutely loved it and we could tell that it made their day!

We just finished our first full week hanging out and laboring on the campus of Witswatersrand (Wits).  We have met several first-year girls in the res hall! My ministry partner is Kayla Burns so we spend time on campus together and it's been really sweet! Our floors we are spending most time on are 8, 9, and 10. Please pray that we would meet plenty of girls and get to share with them the love of Jesus. Some of the girls names are N'kule, Mafunase, Rouda, Nthabiseng, Noumvoula, and Nokwazi.

This past week we helped host the final Campus Outreach meeting of this semester. It was called High Definition (HD). Our CCP leader, Kyle Wallace, got to share some perspective with us. His talk was really encouraging! Basically, he opened by stating that everything we do is the result of our pursuit of happiness. But we put our faith in other things such as athletics, academics, wealth, a spouse, our reputation, etc. Ultimately, like at hamster running on a wheel, we spend all of our energy chasing after these idols only to find ourselves exaclty in the same spot we started. Perhaps we are just far too easily pleased, which comes from a quote by C.S. Lewis. Just when all seems lost, God made Him who had no sin, to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (1 Corinthians 5:21)

Throughout this journey (our first 11 days), I've been attempting to become familiar with the culture as much as possible! At times, I've definitely felt uncomfortable and anxious because I'm in another country out of my comfort zone. It has caused me to draw closer to God to put my strength in Him rather than my own. I have been trying to rest in the fact that it is God that pursued me first and loved me despite me always turning my back. 1 John 4:10 says this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. I don't have to worry because God loves me unconditionally and will never turn his back! Praise Jesus for his unfailing love and perfect grace!

Time once again has just flown by and I must wrap it up. We have church again tomorrow that I'm really looking forward to! take care and thanks for reading!