Countdown Zimbabwe! By the Time You Read This I May be Flying... Or Arrived!

Honestly, it's been a whirlwind this week preparing for my Zimbabwe trip! From doing normal things to jobs around the house to preparing and packing, my heart is both racing and I can hardly believe that I am going!

Zimbabwe, where I am going
Photo Credit: Gogo Olive via Gogo Olive on Facebook

I haven't been on outreach - a missions trip - since 2009 in Thailand/Cambodia... Because really, I don't count living here in South Africa as outreach. It finally feels like "home" here - most days. I "own" it [South Africa] more. Cape Town, South Africa is being added to my list of "homes," places that have a piece of my heart - always.

But what would I want to tell you - this late at night - and too anticipatory of tomorrow to sleep? ...Even though I have to get up before anything sane should even be moving.

You see, I have this list of countries I want to go to, and the list just keeps growing. I don't know if it's God or if it's just me, but I get excited to experience new people, places, and cultures! I love history; I love learning about people. And I love seeing people through God's eyes. Really, I am in awe God's great love for people - for people in Zimbabwe - and my heart is interceding for what God might have in store for me, my outreach buddy Felicity, and for the people of Zimbabwe - together.

So, if I could ask you one thing,

could you lift up prayers with me?

- That the love of God would be displayed, that God would be moving, that there would be more of Him and less of me, that He would be glorified, and His Kingdom be known as the beautiful thing WE - American, British, South African, and Zimbabwean... - belong to, which is near His heart, in His throne room, and WITH Him!

Thank you so much! And please, drop me a line if so inclined!

I'd love to hear from you but unsure of my internet use while in Zim.

I will definitely be sharing A LOT when I get back!

Much love & God bless,

Shannon

And here's a few links I wanted to share!

• Who I'm partnering with in Zimbabwe: Gogo Olive
• What I'm listening to & inspired by lately Housefires, especially the song "Come to the River" for Free Download here: https://noisetrade.com/housefires/housefires
• http://shannonmintz.blogspot.com/p/how-to-give.html

Life Skills - More than For Work & For Life But also For the Heart

My first two weeks of the Life Skills Course in the South African township of Philippi is complete, and now I have a chance to reflect and rest (kindof) before classes start up again! We have 28 young adult students learning in an experiential and reflective environment. During the first week they learned everything from trust, acceptance, self-esteem, forgiveness, how our qualities and values affect how we problem solve, how to work together in a business, managing people and activities, and time management. They are eager learners ready to change their lives! I am so excited and blessed to be part of their journey. 

Students participating in a class exercise
All Photos Here Credit: HAC Staff

 Where? Hope Africa's concentration is in the township of Philippi, about a 20-30 minute drive away from where I live (near Cape Town). This is an area with many townships, numbering from hundreds of thousands to possibly a million or more people. It's hard to find a specific number.

Who? Philippi's majority are from the Xhosa tribe, and so are most of our students - some of whom have moved in from across the country in the Eastern Cape (I am located in the Western Cape) and live with relatives or a parent(s) in order "to find better life," as many of my students have expressed with hopefulness. 

A student's story may consist of a broken family, a tin home with a leaky roof, teenage pregnancy, finding it hard to concentrate, even in elementary through high school, because of hunger - and lack of finances even to buy food - just many difficult circumstances... But others' stories may include loving dads, close relationships with their mothers, although many families live in small homes - laughter and love, hope beyond their circumstances, joy and peace found in God... 

These 28 students have taken a step towards HOPE. They have names difficult to pronounce for my foreign tongue, like "Vukuzenzele" (Vue - kue - zenn - zae - lae) - actually that's not a name that I know of, but each name sounds similar to that and like it has a hundred syllables. Some names include clicking sounds - something I am not experienced with. Hopefully, I'll be learning some Xhosa language soon!

When? Monday through Friday my team and I car pool to our classroom in Philippi. The computer training and Bible overview sessions begin soon.

Why? Classes go Deep. Interactive. Reflective. Because the deep stuff like our trust issues or our relationships and communication at home affect who we are and how we interact whether in our personal life or in our workplace environment.

How? To identify trust issues and learn to trust, we worked in groups. For example, a person had to lie on the ground as the group worked together to lift the person above their heads and return them safely to the ground again. Yes, I was the largest person in my group of small-sized girls - I practically held my breath the whole time, and my gymnastics training came in handy. And no, not for the dismount from above their heads (just kidding) but for holding my body tight and straight as a board!

Step 1: Get a good grip. Step 2: Lift.

Step 3: Don't drop! (and don't look down!)

My group and I lifting, lifting, lifting (and hopefully not dropping)!

On Monday the topic was communication. They were asked to reflect and discuss, "what is communication?," "hindrances to effective communication," and "how do we effectively communicate?" for each person and within a team (such as a business). This then led the class to look at communication at home/within their families and to identify and discuss how to work on/maintain communication in relationships. It was an emotional day as students addressed difficult relationships, such as with their fathers, and how the process of forgiveness is healthy for their hearts personally, even if the relationship cannot be resolved.

How can I pray? Yes please - please pray!

• For my students  - to share the deeper stuff and to take in all they can learn.
• For my team - to learn all we can and for God to give us wisdom in how to guide our students.
• For a family on my team - their little 16 month old boy has been having severe health issues (including emergency trips), especially in his lungs.
• For a great roommate and apartment to come available SOON!

Thank you so much for your lives, love, prayers, and support. I love the little messages I've received from you - I carry you in my heart (that little ocean really does make you seem so far away). 

                                                             Blessings. Shannon

I NOW live in South Africa. As you can tell, I'm really excited about this!

As you can read, I have arrived safely in South Africa,
the land that I now live in and hope to come to love!

At the Airport with my Sister

“See you laters”

After sad goodbyes - or as I like to call them "see you laters" in hopes that I would cry less - from Montana to California to Minnesota and Wisconsin and places in between, my flights from Minneapolis to Amsterdam to Capetown were uneventful. (Yeah!) This is the first time I have ever arrived at my destination in two flights, and to South Africa at that! But my legs did get a bit cramped with back-to-back flights. I arrived after 10:00pm, both of my checked bags made it (yeah!), and I headed out of customs looking for a familiar "YWAM" sign! And there it was, with a little crowd of people!

Destination Africa!

I arrived early, with a few days to settle in and get over jetlag before my classes started Monday. Jetlag was no fun! I was so tired the first few days. But I got a chance get to know my new hometown of Muizenberg (where the grocery store is, Checkers, some coffee shops, and the beach) and my roommate Anne and some of my other classmates and staff.

International Flava'
Both the town and the YWAM base are quite multi-cultural. In my School of Biblical Studies (SBS) alone, there are twenty-two students, representing six continents and fifteen countries (not including my staff)! I have nine classmates from African nations. As a school we are even blessed to have a local pastor attending classes with us! He has an amazing testimony! I am looking forward to get to know my classmates from such diverse backgrounds and experiences.

God Experiences

I have been praying so much about who my roommates would be, and they are so great. So far I have two from two different countries and continents. We get along well and have already had quite a few things to laugh about! I am thankful for all the girls in SBS. Together we are a small group of girls, but it seems we have similar hearts to love the Lord. I believe God will be showing us a lot of amazing things during this season at we seek Him!

The other night, we girls were talking and praying about this new season in our lives and the things that God has placed on our hearts. One thing I felt impressed by – my desire is that the Holy Spirit be evident in love and action in this SBS, my school – in our lives! Most of the time with school, we get wrapped up in head knowledge, but my prayer is that it would be about heart knowledge, centered around the Holy Spirit revealing to us what He desires us to learn! This goes so much deeper than that what I can learn in my own wisdom and effort.