Commissioned to Serve

 Our home congregations commission us to serve.   This is a very moving service  where we receive the commitment of our congregation to pray for us, and we each make a solemn promise to serve to the glory of God to meet the needs of His people on this trip.  Below is a photo from team member Charlotte's commissioning service.  She is in the center of the photo, wearing a Ndebele blanket from South Africa.  Surrounding her are her prayer partners.  It means so much that others are praying for safe travels and especially praying 


that God will bless others through us.  Thank you for your prayers!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kruger National Park

Image
 Today we were treated to a safari.  Although part of me wished that we could do another clinic as the need is so desperate, we were all exhausted and really needed this break.  It has been a joy to see the beauty  of Africa— first its people and then its animals.  ( Today I was able to add pictures and videos to some earlier posts due to better internet connection at the resort so check them out!)
Read more

Reformation Sunday at St. Peter Confessional Lutheran Church

Image
(Note:  Internet is spotty in South Africa.  I am posting when I can.  I can sometimes post text but not photos). This morning we worshipped with fellow believers at St. Peter’s Confessional Lutheran Church.  The service was filled with song in both English and Zulu.  The liturgy was in Zulu, as well as the sermon.  However, the Pastor summarized the sermon for us prior to delivering it in Zulu.  Services here are usually 2-3 and sometimes 4 hours long.  Today’s was about 2.5 hours long.  Even though we did not understand many of the words, the service did not seem that long due to the joy and warmth of the congregation.   In our drive to church we noticed small lean tos set against the road where people are selling services like fixing tires, etc.  The unemployment rate here is about 35% and the government provides very little assistance to the unemployed.  So you see people trying to sell what goods and services they can. ...
Read more

The Third Day

 Today we served at St. Peter College.  There was plenty of notice prior and the members of St. Peter Confessional Lutheran Church encouraged the community to come. We served 208 people and distributed many more pairs of glasses.  We think that this might be a record for an eyeglass clinic.  Unfortunately we had to turn some people away.   Each day brings fresh evidence of the great needs here.  I spoke with one young woman who lost her glasses five years ago and hasn’t been able to replace them.  She hasn’t driven her car since then because she can’t see well and she doesn’t want to get a ticket.  Reading had become increasingly difficult also.   Clean water is also a great need here.  We bring plenty of water wherever we go .  At our last site, Caring Team members saw people drawing drinking water from an area   where drinking water and flushing water are mixed.  One woman that came to the clinic had damaged eyes from a ...
Read more