Jacob Meads Short Term Mission Report #1

Jacob Meads Short Term Mission Report #1

May 2011

On arriving in South Africa, I was amazed by the incredible amounts of sugar cane growing around Durban. It, from a distance, looked like a lot of grass, but on getting closer I then realized it was sugar cane.

One thing I noticed, that is not so common in the western world, was the many signs that are on almost every lamppost that say things like “Pain Free Abortion” or “Safe Abortion Please Phone” etc. Promiscuity is very wide spread, and a lot more blatant than back in NZ. Unfortunately some folk do not care about the effects, namely spreading of AIDS and sickness, etc. In a similar way to back home people close their eyes and block their ears to the effects of sin.

Another thing that stands out is the attitude that some people have in regards to being quite lazy in serving customers. Often if they don’t want to serve you, they don’t even acknowledge that you are at the counter wanting to buy something. So you lose interest and leave the store and they lose a customer.

But South Africa is a beautiful country, and I have met a large variety of different people who have welcomed me into their homes, given hospitality and treated me like family. Praise the Lord for brothers and sisters in Christ who are willing to serve the Lord by serving their fellow Christians. I have enjoyed many hours with those I have met here!

I have been privileged to stay in Phumlani’s Kraal and I am thankful that he has not only welcomed Salvi and Di into his home but also that he welcomes their visitors!

We are all getting busy preparing for Phumlani and Thabi’s wedding and it’s going to be neat to see a Christian wedding of Zulu folk who are both dedicated to the Lord and His work. It has been neat getting to know Salvi and Di in a greater way and to be playing a small part in the ministry that they have here among the Zulu people and with the Afrikaans people.

There is a lot of spiritual darkness and confusion here. There are many who believe and worship ancestral spirits and some who worship Shembe (the supposed black messiah) and then some who believe that they can just add Jesus and the aspects of Christianity on top of all their other beliefs.

Pray that God will unblind the eyes of all these people who are walking in darkness and are so confused. Pray for the ministry to expand and that God will give us all wisdom as we endeavor to live in God’s way, and show the light of Christ to those we are living around and with.

From Jacob Meads.