I am reclining on a plush leather couch in the Nunley's new beach house overlooking Hout Bay with a stomache full of delicous fish and chips. The Ocean breeze is refreshing and life is good as my clothes are being washed by a washing machine for the first time in 2 months. Having electrity is nice too and I can't but think that I am learning how to be content in times of "plenty" and times of need as Paul wrote about in Phillipians 4.
The first quarter of 2011 is in the books and the Mavhuza JAM team has joined the rest of JAM in Cape Town. Tomorrow the whole of JAM team will be splitting up to reach out in two different communities of South Africa and I am excited to go minister in a different part of the country. We will continue to pour into young leaders in the towns of Kouvokaveld and Fosberg sharing the vision of the Kingdom of God and making disciples through the word of God and the teachings of Jesus. It's nice to rejoin the team in Cape Town. I am encouraged by my brother's and sister's faith expressed in love.
Two days ago, while I was still in Mavhuza, I had a meal with a man by the name of Artiwell. Artiwell's was raised in Zimbobwe by his mother because his father (who is from Mozambique) died in a war when he was 7 years old. He walked close to 500 miles to South Africa risking being eaten by lions and lepards in hopes for a better life. Today he acts as a security gaurd for the little shop in Mavhuza. As a former military man and martial arts specialist you don't want to mess with this man. His hands are like rocks from all the pushups he does on his nuckles. Our relationship began with Artiwell giving me 4 fish out of the goodness of his heart. He is a talented fisherman and fishes at the resovior just a few miles away with a net to make a little extra money. After catching the fish he then makes deliveries on his bike when local villagers call and make orders.
Artiwell explained how to prepare the fish and I asked him if he would show me. So he taught me how to prepare the fish using a tomato, onion, oil and seasoning salt. While the fish was cooking Artiwell shared his testimony with me. We was stabbed in the stomache and should have died but was spared by God. Now he believes in the God of the bible alone. He confessed to me that he struggles with smoking and drinking pleading that his life has been hard and that he is poor. Then he went and grabbed his miniature bible and read Romans 7 to me claiming that it's not him who does these things but the sin that's inside him. Following Romans 7 he had me read Ephesians 4 and got excited as I read that there was one God and one faith. Artiwell doesn't believe in ancestoral worship or sacrifice. I have a feeling that we're going to spend more time in the word together and I'm excited to see what God does. On a side note he is an incredible artist. As I spoke to him and experienced the love and joy that came out of his mouth I thought of Jesus' teaching that it's not what goes into a man that makes him unclean but what comes out of his mouth from his heart. I continue to be amazed at how hungry the village of mavhuza is for the word of God.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Dave
