HEY GUYS!! I want to give you an update on what my last 6 weeks have looked like, the ministry I have been apart of, and what I have learned. We are working with a ministry called Impact Africa in Johannesburg and I have filled many shoes. Impact has many branches of ministry which include: Impact Baby Rescue (IBR), Impact Students (IS), Impact Kids (IK), and Outreach. Here is just a little bit about each and a little bit of what our day-to-day looks like!
Impact Baby Rescue: This is a sweet ministry that we have gotten to personally work with. It is very common here for women to dump their babies in a trash can or in a toilet because their boyfriend leaves and their parents won’t welcome them back if they have a baby and so they feel as though they cannot do it on their own. IBR as a ministry goes to different clinics each week and they do a presentation on baby abandonment. Within the presentation, sweet mommas are made aware of phone numbers they can call if they have questions about raising a baby or anything else and that is available 24/7 as well as options for counseling. We also have gotten first-hand experience at the baby home. It is a home where five babies, all under two, live full time with around the clock care from aunties. They are waiting to be adopted, but for the time being, it is a really sweet “homey” home for them to be at and they are very well cared for. Lastly, IBR has a baby box. This is typically encouraged as a woman’s last resort, but instead of dumping a baby, there are baby boxes set up in the different communities nearby and you can drop your baby in there at anytime, ring the bell, and a staff member will come get it and then they will begin the legal process. Impact Africa has a heart for children, even the smallest of lives, because they are just as worthy.
Impact Students: This is a ministry that we have not had an opportunity to work with, but I can give you an idea of what it is about. Impact Students is targeted towards teenagers and young adults that are in school, have dropped out of school, are in gangs, etc. It is common for young people to get involved with alcohol or drugs at a young age, even selling those things to provide for their family. IS targets these young people to give them the HOPE of Jesus and to help set them up for success. Impact staff tries to keep the same men and women disciplining them, typically locals, to keep consistency in their lives. It is a growing ministry and such a good way to raise up the next generation and believe for more for them.
Impact Kids: As I said before, Impact Africa has such a heart for children and believes that if we can influence them while they are young, it will hopefully set themselves up well for success. There are four different schools within IK and we have gotten to go to a few. On Fridays, our days are centered around the schools and children in the community. We have gone to the classrooms and been of assistance to teachers in the mornings, and then done JK’s in the afternoon. JK’s are kids programs with dancing and games and bible stories for the local children in the Squatter Camps. There are 4 locations reached each Friday and children come chasing our van when they see us on the way. It is a huge blessing to be able to love the Fathers children in such tangible ways.
Outreach: My favorite ministry! Most of our days, we are on outreach and evangelism. We go out in the local Squatter Camps in groups of 3-4 + a translator, and we are able to go house to house sharing the Good News. There are usually 5-6 groups of us and we each take a different street, walking up and down, seeking people out to tell them of the faithfulness of the Father. We have seen people be physically healed, we have seen people walk away from addictions such as alcohol, as well as we have seen many salvations. It is incredible to go out and seek people out, hearing their stories and sharing ours. Jesus is doing so much in the communities and lives of Johannesburg and it is such a blessing that we get to be a small part of it.
That was just a glimpse into the ministries that Impact Africa has and what most of our days consist of. It has been a really sweet two months. I have grown so much here. The lord has taught me so much about my worth since being here. Showing me that I am worthy of his love and that my story matters! He’s shown me how much he just wants to be present with me. When I can’t hear him or feel him, he is right there sitting patiently with me while I learn what he wants me to. I see him every day, in the kiddos that run up to me with arms wide open, and in the people I get the pleasure to love on everyday. I see him in the smiles of women in the communities when they let me help wash laundry, and in the laughter of my squad-mates. He is so evident. Everywhere. All the time. Realizing just now how important it is to stay present and have open eyes and an opened heart because if you don’t, you just might miss him.
Thanks so much for reading and supporting me! Gonna try to write more! Love you all!
Also shoutout to Colby K for helping me with this blog love u!!
Anna
