Buy a Donkey! (Baie Dankie!)

"Buy a Donkey!" It's an important phrase in South Africa, but probably not for the reasons you might think. No, it doesn't literally mean to buy a donkey (which could come in handy in some parts of Africa), it just sounds like that and it's the easiest way to remember how to say "Thank you very much" in Afrikaans. Afrikaans is the language spoken by the white South Africans who are not of English decent. Most Afrikaner people come from Dutch, German, French, and Italian background.

About three and half days ago I boarded a plane with my friend Carli. Thirty-six hours later after a night in a hotel, three different planes, numerous movies, and the quickest layover on record in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we touched down in Johannesburg, South Africa. It's a different kind of Africa than I have experienced before. It's cold, so far we've met more vanilla faces than chocolate ones, and I don't think we've hit a pothole yet. At the same time, it is evident that God is at work here too. We have been hosted by some amazing people who worship God through their work with the least of these, who love their rugby, and are always up for a braai (barbeque).

It's been a little bit strange and surreal to finally be walking around in a country that I've wanted to visit for quite some time. I am thankful for this opportunity to see how God is working in anther part of the world and to form new friendships. A few nights ago we attended a worship service on the top of a small moutain overlooking the city of Pretoria. As we joined with young adults from this part of the world, I sensed that the cry of our generation is the same--God we want more of you! We want you to come in power to heal the brokenness of our land, to be glorified, to be known. And we all know that we are part of the answers to our own prayers. We must be the generation that pushes through, that takes God at His word, that does not give up or back down, but claims back the territory that the enemy has taken.

Today as we toured a museum that highlighted the history of the Afrikaner people in South Africa, many of us were struck by the fact that our countries' histories have similarities. We're only beginning to comprehend the cultures in South Africa, but at least we have more insight into the heritage and experiences that have influenced and shaped our hosts.

I am truly thankful to God for giving me and the rest of our team of nine the opportunity to come here and we are thankful to our new friends for their hospitality. Please pray for us, that we would be a light, full of peace and grace, and bring hope, healing, and refreshment to all we meet. Dankie!