FREEDOM PARK

FREEDOM!!!  

So Freedom Park is the focal point of the ministry here in Rustenburg.  Freedom Park is an area that is quite unique and challenging for the same reason, LANGUAGE.  While the dominant African language is Setwsana in the North West province, freedom park has a hodge podge of people from all over South Africa as well as Africa itself.  Today My supervisors and I were doing tract distribution in Phase 2, which is a part of Freedom Park.  So when you do tract distribution you have to come prepared.  We had tracts in about 10 languages, and I still ran into people that asked for a language I did not have.  It is crazy to talk to people at one house that speak one language and right next door something totally different is spoken.   We still have at least a few more days worth of handing out tracts before we reach all of Phase 2.  All ready though we have come across possible people to start small groups with.   It has been a great experience to work in this area, and I am excited to see how the Lord moves among these peoples.   The pictures are of Phase 2, where we will be focusing our work.

I have arrived!

I have made it to Rustenburg! I arrived here on Friday with all my stuff, and it was quite a load let me tell you. I am pretty much now settled in, and have begun seeing a little of what I will be doing here. On Mondays and Tuesdays I will be working at 2 schools teaching "Reach 4 Life". Reach 4 Life is a series of about 40 lessons that are weaved through a New Testament Bible and focus on a relationship with Christ and the battle against HIV/AIDS. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I may be doing some work in the schools as well but will also be doing church planting work in Freedom Park. Freedom park is a focal point of ministry here in Rustenburg. Freedom Park is an area where you will find TONS of different ethnicities all living together. Many are in this area looking for work in the mines, as this area has some of the biggest platinum mines in the World. They are all ready a few people that are being discipled and worked with. I'm excited to get to be a part of what's going on in this area. I will also be doing after school clubs and/or sports in the afternoons. I all ready have a few contacts to get started on this hopefully next week. The church that we mainly work with here is in a part of Rustenburg known as Tlhabane. Yes, I have trouble saying it as well, it kinda of sounds like Kla-ban-ee, the Tlh kind of makes like a clicking sound. Tlhabane Baptist is a mother church to about 3 other churches in different parts, so we do work on Saturdays and Sundays with this church. I thank you all for the prayers in this transition, and will keep you posted on the new things that will come while working for the next 9 months or so in Rustenburg!! As I get more into the work here I will post prayer requests and needs. Pray now that I will be involved and sensitive to where God would have me focus my time while here, and for establishing good relationships with the people here.

A Tswana funeral

I thought I would give you all a little taste of what a funeral is like here among the Tswana people of South Africa. I attended my first one this past Sunday, as a church member of one of the Rustenburg churches passed away.

The Funeral starts at about 6:00 am with people getting together at the the families house. At about 6:30 am the actual service at the church starts. The service in the church is similar to what we do in the states, as a few people will say a few words, and a preacher will kind of give a little message. However, in between people saying their words and the preacher speaking, is a lot of singing, a lot of singing! The Service ended at the church at about 8:15ish. Now it is on to the grave site, and everyone goes to the grave yard. The grave yard was about a 30 minute drive from the church. When everyone got to the grave yard, we all walked to the site where he was to be buried. Everything looked pretty similar to the way cemeteries look in the states when you are there for a burial. So at the site more words where spoken and more songs were sung. Then the casket is lowered into the ground. After the casket is lowered into the ground all the men come forward and start shoveling in the dirt, they take turns. The men are all in their nice clothes as well. Everyone who is not shoveling dirt is singing the whole time this is being done. After about 15 to 20 minutes the grave is filled and stones are put all around it. Next, everyone heads back to the families home for a meal. People are all ready there and have the food prepared, it is quite a big meal as well. The family is responsible for providing the food. After the meal is when the funeral ends. Often times a funeral really weighs
financially on the family of the deceased, as they are responsible for all costs involved in the funeral, even providing food for all who attend.

That was my funeral experience, and a little look at the culture of the Tswana people.