Friday, January 30, 2009

LifeSkills, MSE & a little surprise ;)

Hey everyone,
its the end of another week and I just wanted to write you a short note to let you know how things are going over here. I've been really getting down to business in terms of my work here. Life is getting busy but I'm excited about what I'm involved in and I wanted to tell you about it!

As I've written here before, I work for an org called World Changers Academy. They are involved with going out in township areas around Durban and speaking to young people about different lifeskills, world views, and life attitudes which, as you can imagine, makes a huge impact on students. It gives them a broader perspective and not only helps them with approaching job opportunities but also helps them see the world in a different way. It also introduces Christianity and many of the young people that come to our LifeSkills class make decisions for Christ and their lives are changed in very, very radical ways. My favorite story is of a friend of mine who actually attended a LifeSkill class because he heard that there were computers there that he could steal. He heard the teaching and the messages, kept attending the classes, and actually gave his life to Christ. Now he is making a huge impact in his community.

I love my work because I work with people whose lives have been changed and I'm working to see more lives affected. What my job title here at World Changers is, Human Resources Coordinator. I have the fun job of going to the different classroom settings, or centres, where the classes are being taught and support the teachers or coordinators, as we call them here. We say that they don't teach, they coordinate, because they are teaching the students but they are also being taught by the students.

This past week I visited 2 different centres and sat in on classes being taught on Vision and Worldview. It was great to see the students being challenged and asking questions. It was great seeing the excitement of the coordinators too - they are so excited to make an impact in their communities. To share the knowledge that was given to them and see it passed out to other people.
It actually challenges me in my own life - what am I doing with the knowledge thats been given to me? With the New Life thats been given to me? Am I afraid to share it? Or is it so hope-filled and life-giving that I have to share it with others.

I'm also involved with some other work here in Durban. Its work that I am super excited about but feeling pretty challenged about as well. I'm feeling challenged because if the students in the LifeSkills are being challenged and having their worldviews & attitudes changed, then so am I! I've been asked to help administrate and coordinate a new school called "Mentorship School of Excellence" or MSE. Its been started because the directors here at World Changers have been finding that LifeSkills lets them input into the students spiritually only to a certain point. MSE has been designed for people who really have a desire to grow in God and to be radical and unique here in their country. They are challenged to be helping out in their communities, to develope a culture of learning, debating, and asking questions to broaden their understanding... basically the school is built around principles from the New Testament where Paul speaks about what the Kingdom of God is alongwith, the lives of radical people in the Bible like Daniel, Esther, and Joseph who stood out and made a difference in their countries. I am so excited to get to be a part of this and to be learning too.
The director here is really wanting to input into us as MSE staff so we've been asked to also be students in another school called BSM: Breakthrough School of Ministry. The staff and I went to the introductory session on Sunday afternoon and my mind was blown away. I am pumped by what we get to learn and I'm so excited that 2009 is really seeming like a year of radical growth for me. I can't wait!

My excitment with work related things has been really good for me - its been helping me settle in here and feel like I have purpose and that this is truly my home. I am loving my roomates: Precious, Phindile & Mabusi. I am loving my co-workers. Maybe its just because today is so sun-shiney but I am loving life.

Haha, although I will give you a little clue as to why I may be so excited today. I had some plans to hang out with a friend of mine this weekend. Mthoko is going to come here to the org for a Mens' meeting but I was going to be leaving and going elsewhere which was a bit of a bummer but good for me too as I'm making good girl friends and getting some good quality girl time. Anyway, I just heard this morning from my friend that the plans to go to her house actually don't work for her so I'm looking forward to surprising Mthoko this afternoon when he gets here. Woo who! Haha, I can't wait.

Oh! And before I sign off, I just wanted to apologize for not putting up photos this week. I actually made a video but it was too long and so my blog has been unable to upload it onto here. I'll keep trying and I will be putting up pictures in the very near future.

Lots of love out to you guys!

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