First Mission:South Africa, Jan 2008
P2P EARTH
The Biblical example of Jesus’ ministry teaches us that Jesus’ style spanned a spectrum of activities, blended together, which encompassed the extremities of “Feed the Poor” and “Teach the Word.” Sometimes these aspects were blended simultaneously, sometimes Jesus started with “Feed the Poor” and advanced later to “Teach the Word.”
Christadelphian preaching ministries have traditionally focused on Teaching the Word but perhaps without including the service aspects of Feeding the Poor.
The brethren in South Africa have attempted to redress that shortcoming by designing a program which incorporates the fullness of the spectrum of activity which Jesus himself used.
The Ministry of Jesus
Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth… the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:11,32-33)
100 young people, mainly from Australia & North America, volunteered to assist in P2P Earth’s venture in South Africa (ZA) and were previously trained with the “Prepared to Preach” (P2P) program. In ZA they formed 10 Teams of 10, each named after an early apostle. Monies were disbursed from the Community Outreach Project (COP) fund in ZA. The large number visiting prompted the formation of the “Amanzi” youth conference directly before the preaching mission, which in turn drew yet more young people. Travel to ZA for the 24 North American volunteers was funded by the Williamsburg Christadelphian Foundation (WCF).
P2P Earth volunteers
Photo from Adam McGuigan’s collection
Continent AttendeesAfrica 52Asia 4Australasia 112Europe 35N America 40
International Night at the Amanzi conference, Jan 2008
P2P TeamP2P Project & Place featured
1 Orphanage upgrade, Tembisa Township, Johannesburg James2 Pentecostal church youth program, Umlazi Township, Durban Lydia3 Creche & WhizzKids office, Lamontville Township, Durban Philip4 Creche at Christadelphian church, Margate Paul5 Kingdom Kids soccer & classes, Mariannhills Township, Durban Stephen6 Creche & Sis classes at Christadelphian church, Candu, E Cape Andrew7 Bible Education Centre & Town Centre concerts, Durban Thomas8 Bible Education Centre, Kempton Park, Johannesburg John9 Preaching campaign seminars, Port Elizabeth Barnabus
Feed the Poor
Teach the Word
The projects described here are sequenced in the way I perceive they span the spectrum from predominantly “feed the poor”objectives to “teach the word” objectives.
Preaching Spectrum
This report is as complete as my personal visits and experienceswere able to make it, but I apologize to those individuals, teams & projects with whom my travels did not intersect. John Pople
P2P Project Locations
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Port Elizabeth
Margate
P2P CA crew in ZA
Also in ZA: Hailey, Jen, Beth, Pauline, Bev, Hannah, Sharina & Alyssa
Kyle, Nic, Vinca, Eric John, Roger, Sami
Jess, Levi, Colleen, Meaghan, Steve, Wendy, Becky, Leah, Kristyn
The Bible message: “The Good News of the Kingdom of God”was chosen as a ‘brand’for the preaching effort and applied in high profile manner.
Good News of the Kingdom of God
At the end of the two week preaching effort one of our friends referred to the volunteers as “the group from the Kingdom of God.”An encouraging thought!
P2P EARTH
Orphanage Refurbishment atTembisa Township, Johannesburg
TEAM JAMES
Tembisa Township, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Port Elizabeth
Margate
Johannesburg
Kempton Park
TembisaTownship
• Tembisa is a shanty style township by Johannesburg
• The P2P Plan is to upgrade an existing orphanage there
Tembisa Township, Johannesburg
Sally ThompsonAbi CatchloveDan CrawfordDan EggingtonLeah EggingtonKyle CloptonLani StrempleLarry GoodridgeRosie LawrieVinca Bullock
Tembisa: Team JAMES
Larry Sally Rosie
Kyle Abi
• Tiny orphanage sleeps 26 in front and rear buildings
• The overseers, a married couple, live in a shack on-site
• P2P Plan: Lay concrete floor and put roof between front & back buildings to increase “living” space by ~50%. Also install a shower
Tembisa Orphanage
Front building
Rear building: sleeps 8 boys
Overseer’s house
Rear building
These are the currently the only washing facilities, in which a shower was installed
Tembisa Orphanage
A volunteer surveys the scene out front…
…& a resident smiles from his bedroom out back
Tembisa Orphanage
Smiles all around.
…and the volunteers.
From the children…
Summer Youth Program atUmlazi Township, Durban
P2P EARTH TEAM LYDIA
Port Elizabeth
Umlazi Township, Durban
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Margate
Mariannhills
Lamontville
Umlazi
Durban
Umlazi Township is the biggest township in the Durban area, with a population of around 2 000 000. It is the second biggest township in South Africa, behind the world (in)famous Soweto Township in Johannesburg.
Umlazi Township
The P2P project was to provide a summer program for ~60 children from a Pentecostal church in the township. The ‘church’ is a tent over a concrete slab, (bottom right) plus a trailer (right). The church is run by the friendly pastor Leonard (bottom left) and his assistant Ayanda.
Umlazi: Summer Program
Leonard’s church in UmlaziTownship, Durban.
Team LYDIA: Belinda Dennes; Adam McGuigan; Nic McGuigan;Stephen Eggington; Donna-May Eggington; Gabriella Eggington; Pete Hardy; Melody Kingston; Hope Steel; Pete Shim; Nathan Gilmore; Stephanie Higham
Umlazi: Team LYDIA & ANDREW
StephanieHope
Gabriella Stephen & Donna May
Adam
Pete H
Pete S
Umlazi: Division of Labour
With two P2P Teams deployed, Lydia & Andrew, the volunteers subdivided into four groups. Sharon van Rensburg’s bright idea was for one group to teach drama for an hour; one soccer; one crafts and one lead a prayer group. The children would rotate around all four groups during the day. A fifth team was designated as a skilled maintenance crew to help upgrade the ramshackle trailer used as a worship room.
On the first day 50 children were already there when we arrived. Curiously they were all male - perhaps the program had been advertised purely as soccer? During the day word evidently got out that fun things were happening, by the end of the day 120 children were there - more than the lunches brought! Maximum attendance through the week peaked at ~150!
Umlazi: Maintenance
Matt VennJeremy VennSteve EggingtonSteve Hindmarsh
Exterior: Before
Exterior: After
Interior: After
Interior: Before
Final exterior colours were chosen to reflect the “Kingdom of God” brand
Umlazi: Drama
Nick Morgan, Stuart Bowen, Jenny Galbraith & Hope Steel led a drama group.One of their activities included acting out the Biblical parables.
Prodigal Morgan departs on a long journey… …but is ultimately welcomed home
Umlazi: Sports
Adam & Nic McGuigan, Pete Shim & Steph Higham entertained the children with sporting activities. Some of the boys enjoyed the sports so much they were reluctant to change activities at the break, there always seemed to be more than the requisite 25% of the children on the field!
Umlazi: Crafts
Belinda Dennes, Karlie Pogson, Nathan Gilmore & Pete Hardy led crafts: decorating cookies, drawing, making facemasks
Umlazi: Prayer
Melody Kingston, Gabriella & Donna-May Eggington & I led a prayer group
Each child was asked to choose one thing they would pray for. One said: “no more death,” one said: “that my friend can walk with his legs.” Some said: “a large family,” several said: “a home.”One said: “lots of money” one: “lots of fast cars” another: “to be able to fly” another: “to be the best soccer player.” The last child to speak said: “Every man should be with his God.” He was 10.
Summer Creche Program atLamontville Township, Durban
P2P EARTH TEAM PHILIP
Port Elizabeth
Lamontville Township, Durban
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Margate
Mariannhills
Lamontville
Umlazi
Durban
Lamontville Township
Lamontville is the oldest township in the Durban area, originally designed by the Durban City Council to house the black labour force close to their place of work. It now houses an estimated population of 400 000.
Lamontville Creche
A building has been refurbished with money from the COP fund to provide a community creche.
The P2P project was for the volunteers to care for the children in the creche and supply Bible stories and lessons.
Lamontville: Team PHILIP
John DennesBecky BrownDan RyanJared PogsonJessica RussellLaura EggingtonNicola WhiteSami ItaniKristyn GriffinJonno Nutter
Jonno Jessica
Tim
Nicola Laura Becky Kristyn
Whizzkids United
The building also houses the office for “Whizzkids United.”Whizzkids is the new name for FIFFA-Kids: (Football-Inspired Fighting For African Kids), the soccer oriented HIV awareness program run by Bro Marcus McGilvray.
After Whizzkids Utd, the young people can enroll in “Kingdom Youth FC,” run by Bro Mitch & Sis Miriam Hardy under WCF’s“White Fields” program. KYFC teaches the Gospel message, also through football training. Mitch & Miri enjoyed 3 baptisms during the 9 months they ran KYFC - by God’s grace many more will follow!
MarcusNicky
Mitch & Miri
Lamontville
Both the Creche and the WhizzKids United office are in the same building
Creche
Whizzkids Office
Lamontville
A couple of days were spent cleaning the facility, and then doors were opened for the children to come and play. As with other township areas, they poured in eagerly, one day saw ~90 kids inside.
The eagerness spreads across the ages, two women walking past (R) enthusiastically agreed to send their grandchildren to the creche. They were pleasantly surprised that there were no fees to pay.
One creche exercise invited the children to design their first prayer – with some inspiring results!
Creche at Margate
P2P EARTH TEAM PAUL
Margate
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Port Elizabeth
Margate
Team Paul were running a creche in the Margate Christadelphian church; which will also house a mini-BEC in the foyer.
Steve Adam
Margate
Adam, proudly posing in front of someone else’s hard work. ☺
Margate church
Steve also dug a vegetable plot, presumably using his camera, since it was always in his hands. ☺
Margate: Team PAUL
Lizzy; Jen N; Steve; Jen P; Meg; Jonno; Dave; Phil
Dave BoweJonno RussellBek KingJen NorthcottJen PaggiLizzy RendellMeaghan VaughnPhil RosserSteve HighamTim King
Photo from Meaghan Vaughn’s collection
Margate Creche
Crafts and music were high on the agenda for the Margate children
Photo from Craig Blewett’s collection
Margate Creche
Meaghan
Dave Photo from Craig Blewett’s collection
And many of the P2P team found relationships with the children, and even the children themselves, very difficult to let go.
Creche & Bible Classes atCandu, Eastern Cape
P2P EARTH TEAM ANDREW
Candu
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Port Elizabeth
Margate
Candu is a village in the Eastern Cape, undoubtedly the most rural setting of any visited by the P2P crews.
Candu
Christadelphian church /creche
Candu
Bro Templeton ploughs his field with a team of oxen
The Xhosa people in Candu lead a gentle & peaceful life (except for their dogs…☺) There’s no roads, no running water, just a beautiful agrarian society. Jake & I both spent a birthday there!
Templeton
Candu 1st Week: Team PETERPhoto from Bonnie Evans’ collection
Team PETER worked at Candu the previous week: installing valves on the water storage system to increase capacity, teaching cookery and making a roadsign.
The ‘showering in the thunderstorm’ event is now legend at Candu. Templeton firmly believes the locals will now be less nervous around storms, (whereas they should probably simply be more nervous around Australians…☺)
Candu 1st Week : Team PETER
Ben DellerShane KirkwoodLyn KirkwoodSharnie Kirkwood Jacob KirkwoodAlicia MansfieldBonnie EvansWendy GouldMichaela PogsonHailey RankinAlissa SillarsJonathan SmithColleen Uiga
Colleen; Wendy; Jon; Jacob; Bonnie; Liss; Sharnie; Mikki; Lyn; Ben
Photo from Bonnie Evans’ collection
Bro Templeton runs a creche at the ecclesial hall. A house for Sis Dorothy, who can’t walk, is next door.The P2P plan was to build a shade shelter for the children, build a kitchen workbench for the creche, assist with teaching children, stabilize the children’s playground structures, teach health classes, Bible classes and sisters study classes.
Candu
Candu church & creche Dorothy’s house
Children playing outside Sis Dorothy’s house
Candu 2nd week: Team ANDREW
John PopleWendy JohnsenJessica SmithSteve HindmarshJenny Galbraith Karlie PogsonNick MorganMatt VennJeremy VennJake Curtis
Karlie Matt Wendy Jake Jeremy
Jess Steve John Jenny Nick
Children were a staple diet of Candu
Candu
Candu Creche
Nick Jenny & Karlie
Jenny, Karlie and Nick taught the children new songs and games. Nick and Karlie also led devotionals for Team Andrew and Jenny taught classes for the Candu sisters.
Photo from Jenny Galbraith’s collection
Candu
Steve built a workbench with fiancé Jess
John secured play structures & taught Bible classes
Wendy performed invaluable doctor’s visits, taught sister’s class, cooked Xhosa-style and learned the speed limits in Idutywa. Eventually. ☺
Nick & Siyanda (both 17) became friends & herded Siyanda’s cattle
Candu Shade Shelter
Jem; Matt; Cob & Steve built a shade shelter, going frombreaking ground to finished in 2.5 days!
Candu
It’s 10:30pm and I’m giving a ride home to a sister from Mbele, a village a few miles away. We’re driving through pitch darkness: the only light is from the headlights. We’ve long since left roads behind, even dirt ones; tall grass whips against the vehicle as we ride over the crest of a hill. In all 9 people are crammed in the car, most shouting good-naturedly in Xhosa, a language I can’t hope to understand. I think: “What on Earth am I doing? I’m a British physicist who’s supposed to be at work on a particle accelerator in California. Why am I bouncing across a hill in remotest Africa in the middle of the night, being guided to a place I don’t even know exists by a man I’ve known for less than 2 days?” Yet due to the astonishingly varied call and work of the Lord’s family, I realize that’s simply what’s needed, so there’s no better place on Earth for me to be right then than right there. As Shane succinctly said later: “That’s the beauty of the gospel.”
Kingdom Kids FC soccer & classes at Mariannhills Township, Durban
P2P EARTH TEAM STEPHEN
Port Elizabeth
Mariannhills Township, Durban
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Margate
Mariannhills
Lamontville
Umlazi
Durban
Mariannhills Township
Mariannhills is a township close to Durban. There are some asphalt roads, some dirt roads; and some stone houses interspersed among corrugated iron shacks and outhouses.
Kingdom Youth FC
Mariannhills Township is where Mitch & Miri Hardy were last running their 9 month WCF sponsored “Kingdom Youth For Christ” soccer program, to bring children to a knowledge of the gospel. Mitch & Miri connected with Sylvester & Phinda, adult residents in Mariannhills, who were interested in the gospel and proved a helpful connection to meet all the local kids.
Mariannhills: Team STEPHEN
Todd &Kelly
Mitch
Miri
Keren
Kezia
Jake
Darren
Carmel
Kezia Kirkwood; Carmel Mansfield; Jake Eggington; Keren Stone; Steven Woolstencroft; Darren Bamber; Todd Mason; Kelly Boyle; Mitch Hardy; Miri Hardy
Mariannhills
The youngest children didn’t join in the soccer, but Darren had brought some steel bocce balls for them to play with. Given the long grass the target ball had to be balanced on a traffic cone. The occasional “Ouch! Stop that!” from Darren indicated that some of the children, either by accident or design, misunderstood their target. ☺
Darren
MariannhillsThe enthusiasm of the response to the gospel is well illustrated in Mariannhills, following the work from Mitch and Miri. Invitations to sign up for correspondence courses resulted in 27 sign-ups from those pictured, and several came to church the next day, as invited. Mitch advised that Sylvester and Phinda were wonderfully close to baptism and some hint should be given during class that baptism was the entrance to the Kingdom of God. When that was stated, Sylvester turned around to Mitch and wagged her finger at him, grinning broadly. He was busted. ☺
MitchSylvester
Bible Education Centre atDurban
P2P EARTH TEAM THOMAS
Port Elizabeth
Durban Bible Education Centre
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Margate
Mariannhills
Lamontville
Umlazi
Durban
Durban Bible Education Centre
Bible Education Centres (BEC) are key features of the preaching projects in the urban areas. Based on a precedental model in Dandenong, Melbourne, they are Christian bookstores in which browsers can also sign up for correspondence or attend free gospel lessons taught at lunchtimes. In Durban, Sis Mary is supported by the COP fund to manage the BEC.
Jemima serves at the desk
Durban BEC storefront Adam holds a book upside down ☺
Durban BEC: Team THOMAS
Sara-Rose PogsonJodie ErringtonRochelle ErringtonLevi GelineauJessica SweenyJemima JamiesonAmy McClureNicolas PrattEric LangeJohn Ashford
Matt; Levi; John; Eric; Amy
Jess; Jemima
Dan; Jonno; Nicolas; Rochelle
Photo from Jodie Errington’s collection
Open air Christian music concert in Durban
Advert for BEC
Friends from Lamontville helped sing in Zulu
Durban BEC: Town Centre ConcertRepeating a previous idea, Team Thomas, with recruited assistance from Team Philip, held open-air concerts in Durban City Centre, less than a mile from the BEC. Support P2P crew filtered through the crowd handing out flyers for the BEC and chatting about the gospel.
The P2P support team sat in the blistering sun… discerning locals looked on from the shade ☺
Durban BEC: Town Centre Concert
Other members of the team entertained the crowd with face painting for the young ones and manning stalls advertising correspondence courses and literature at the nearby BEC. Amy
Jess
John
P2P EARTH
Bible Education Centre atKempton Park, Johannesburg
TEAM JOHN
Kempton Park BEC, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Port Elizabeth
Margate
Johannesburg
Kempton Park
TembisaTownship
Kempton Park BEC
Kempton Park is a city 11 km north-east of Johannesburg, with a mixed race population of ~600 000
The BEC is located in a busy shopping precinct, and was launched by seed funding from WCF in 2006
Bro Andrew• Runs the BEC full time, frees Bro Lucas to leave premises, buy stock, etc
• Is sponsored by a brother from the UK
• Speaks English, Zulu & Xhosa; the 3 most prevalent of South Africa’s 11 official languages
Kempton Park BEC
Bro LucasKempton Park BEC is overseen by Bro Lucas Scheepers, who works full-time as a missionary with WCF’s White Fields program
Photo from Lucas Scheeper’s collection
Kempton Park BEC: Team JOHN
Ben
Nathan Osborn; Peter Osborn; Hilary Osborn;Roger Anderson; Leah Anderson;Ben Brenner; Hannah Fadelle; Lara Morgan;Samee Lapham; Tara Venn
Lara
RogerSamee
TaraLeah
Lucas operates a simple and highly successful preaching methodology from the BEC:
• Browsers are encouraged to sign up for free Bible correspondence courses• Colourful signs are frequently made up to advertise the newest Bible class• Correspondence course sheets are printed and folded ready for distribution• Bible classes are taught during lunch hour for the keenest contacts• Flyers for the Bible classes are handed out in the streets just prior to a class
Kempton Park BEC
Tara folds courses
Hannah & Lara prepare adverts A browser buys a
Bible and signs up for correspondence
Roger & Hannah teach a lunchtime Bible class. The scene is from a traditional Christadelphian preacher’s dream:
• People come off the streets partly as a result of handing out flyers• Ask questions concerning specific Biblical doctrines• Happily absorb the scripturally supported answers supplied
Kempton Park BEC
P2P Quote Chains in use!
A BEC browser asked Roger to help him understand the Biblical teaching concerning the trinity. Better yet he readily accepted Roger’s diligent explanations. Roger was sufficiently moved by the positive experience of preaching being directly blessed he was moved to later quote:“I beheld Satan fall like lightning from heaven!”
Preaching seminars atPort Elizabeth
P2P EARTH TEAM BARNABUS
Port Elizabeth
Johannesburg
Durban
Candu
Port Elizabeth
Margate
Sadly I didn’t get to visit this Team. P2P activities at PE included billing for & teaching seminars, teaching Sunday School classes and hosting a sports afternoon/braai for the community to meet the brethren.
All photos from Tim McClure’s collection
Cooking the braai
Sharina & Liz teaching Sunday School
Ben & Tim off billing
Sports afternoon
Port Elizabeth
Ben DaileyRhoda AdamsBeverley BarlingLiz JosephBeth MacAdamsTim McClurePauline MinterCara MorganJacob PogsonSharina Zantingh
Photo from Tim McClure’s collection
Beth; Liz; Bev; Cara; TimJake
Pauline
Ben
RhodaSharina
Port Elizabeth: Team BARNABUS
Conclusions:South Africa, Jan 2008
P2P EARTH
Perceived strengths (such as are under our control) of mission; recommended to be employed for future missions:
• Sufficient faith to launch an operation of this vision and scale
• Operations within the community that well-matched both the ‘feeding’ and ‘teaching’ aspects exemplified by Jesus’ own ministry
• Preparation of preaching ‘stadia’ in which to operate: i.e. BECs were already open and trading; township contacts were already established
• Preparation of volunteers. Volunteers had been trained & had bonded at P2P sessions; and bonded at preceding Youth Conference
• Scale of operation. That each member was one of a team of 10 and each team was one of 10 generated and carried its own momentum
• The prevalence of the Kingdom of God brand, in T-shirts, hats, car magnets, was also powerful in generating momentum for the mission
P2P Earth: ZA Mission
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”