Ever ponder taking a "One Year Challenge" for God in a foreign land to help the poor and help Christ's church? Elizabeth Ann Deam has kept a blog journal of her journey anecdoting such an adventure in South Africa.
"(There is a chorus behind me singing "Hallelujah" as I write this, so pretend you hear them too...)
I got my visa! Like, I actually have it IN MY HAND!!
Flight updates soon to follow. :)
- E"
"Today (Saturday), I went to "Kids Club". This is a section of an area that is full of people living in shacks; complete shantytowns. Every Saturday morning, from roughly 9am to 1pm, over 200 kids come to this...area (that is really all it is...a fenced off area with trailers, kiddie tables, a few computers, and nowhere near enough coloring books or frisbees)...to play, to wait, to sit. Most of them get dropped off while their parents go to the store or just try and get things done. There are so many kids; and from ages two to 15. ... I truly respect that and agree with it; especially coming from a country that floods the news with "starving children in Africa", but really, is desensitzing us to it. Hopefully as I spend more time there, I can earn enough trust to take some pictures, because it is apart of my life now."
"There have been so many times in preparing to come here, and even since being here, that I have felt unequipped and plainly, not the best person for the job. But I do feel so needed. I’m reading a book by Max Lucado called Outlive Your Life, and in the chapter I just read, he says: “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” This statement 
stopped me in my tracks when I first read it because it humbles me and encourages me tremendously, at the same time. Even though, yes, I wanted to come here on my own, God planned this for me; therefore, I am qualified to be here. "
"So the whole reason I’m here is actually to work with the campus and teen ministry of the Johannesburg Church of Christ. I’m doing this because I want to (obviously) and because they need help. It has been overwhelming the number of people who want to study the bible. On UJ (University of Johannesburg), we had our first bible discussion of the year (they don’t do semesters here) this past Thursday and had 30 visitors! People are definitely just more pleasant here and don’t like to say no to an invitation, but I do think they are also very open and looking for God. Realizing firsthand how many people need help knowing God in Joburg is opening my eyes to how many people need help knowing God everywhere!"
To enjoy the blog, and offer prayers as it is updated go to somegumption.blogspot.com/
posted by Jerry Maday, Worcester, MA