Zimbabwe recap

This trip to Zimbabwe was life changing for me. I didnt think that it would impact me in such a way because I have been in Africa now for 10 months. Zimbabwe did shake my soul and for that I am grateful.

The trip started out with a late night arrival on Thursday in to Harare. My friends with Athletes in Action and Campus Crusade picked me up and drove me back to Chris' place (AIA national director for Zim, and only 27 yrs old). We stayed at his place which didnt have hot water on the tap or electricity sometimes but it did have alot of love and faith inbetween the walls. In Zim everyone is thankful if the have a roof and if they get a meal. That goes for everyone. Everyone in ministry, everyone driving a taxi, everyone carrying a baby, everyone. Life is much more simple when the world's amenities are stripped from you and there is just living and breathing for God. Zim is blessed in one gigantic way in that they dont have the daily distractions of the 1st world.

My second day I was able to go in and meet the newly appointed Director for Campus Crusade of Zimbabwe(pictured on the right). He is a great guy that is looking to bring Jesus in to every corner of Zimbabwe. It was just an honor to sit in his office and chat to him as he shared his passions for reaching his people. He is new to the role of National Director so he needs prayer and support along the way. Please lift Zimbabwe Campus Crusade up as the new leader takes charge and leads a vibrant group of people laboring for Christ.

Later on Friday I went down with my buddy Chris and Tafadzwa to hear the 'honorable' Robert Mugabe speak at the Zimbabwe National Agriculture Festival and Show. Mugabe even gave a shout out to our friend Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about his donation of some tractors to the country of Zimbabwe. I think I was one of 3 white people in attendance but it didnt bother me as Ive been in many situations like that and its the norm for me now. I was thankful I was able to be there.

Saturday we had a day full of ministry planned in some areas about 45 minutes outside the city of Harare. We ran soccer drills and facilitated games for the boys in attendance. They come to this soccer ground every Saturday to hear about Jesus and learn more about what he has done for them. We reached out to the boys through sport but the more important message was that they left with the Gospel. Pictured to left is one boy explaining the colors of one of our 'message balls' that have the colors represent a part of the Gospel. Both boys pictured were able to recite back to the group the gospel just by the colors of the ball as hints. Well done guys!

Later after the football clinic we traveled down the road to a local orphanage where we had the great opportunity to love on some kids. They have some fantastic leaders there that really do have a vision to help them succeed in life. It was just amazing to me to see that God in His great plan had them there in rural Africa and had a plan for me to be from America yet with them in that moment. Our God's plan is incredible and I honestly have reached the point somany times in asking him 'why me?' 'why this moment' but he has called me here and I gladly accept over and over the gracious gift it is to be in this continent. It was a blessing to be with these kids and over the span of a short time give them some hope to keep fighting and keep pressing deeper in to God.

From the orphanage we walked around the neighborhoods to the local rec center and football pitches. It was rough seeing the areas these people live in. We donated a ball at the soccer pitch to the guys there but I had to share the colors on the ball before handing it over. The message of the ball was simple. The colors represented 'the greatest story ever told' I explained. These guys were to think of the story of the ball each time they played with it and not just that its a soccer ball. Pictured below is myself and the main guy in charge at the orphanage. Its his role to help the kids in the community and with the donation of some balls to me by Wayne, a player I disciple in South Africa, we were able to donate a ball to the orphanage to play with for as long as the ball lasts.

Its my pray for these guys and girls that now use the ball we gave them that it has a greater eternal impact upon their lives.

We ended our time with them by praying for them and then we left so some of out friends helping us for the day from Operation Mobilization could catch a taxi before the sunset.

This trip really helped me appreciate even what I have here in South Africa. SA is really a gem inside of Africa and its definitely the exception to the rest of the continent in terms of its technology and resources. Sure it still has poverty and brokenness but not to the extent as far as a nation as do some other countries in Africa such as Zimbabwe.

On the more interesting side I felt a bit of racism towards myself from the people there. White people in Zimbabwe are not accepted by everyone there and through a few instances I felt what it was like to be on the other side of discrimination. It was honestly a tough thing to swallow at first but as you begin to understand the history of this nation you can understand a little bit more of why people may think the way the do. It all goes to shaping me to become a better person and I praise God that all things work together for my good. Overall this trip really helped me get a fresh start to make the most of what I have left here in South Africa. I am excited to push further and go deeper with athletes here over the next couple months.

Starting Saturday I am flying down to Cape Town for a few days of holiday with the Durban Stint team including my great brother and life-long friend Barrett Grant. After the few days of holiday I will be speaking and helping organize a Conference in Stellenbosch for people in Sports Ministry in Africa. We will be training them in the principles of God and Sport from Athletes in Action and showing them practically how these two seemingly different things come together. Its basically like an African Ultimate Camp Experience for any of you readers who have been to Fort Collins for UTC.

Thanks for your recent prayers to keep going as they are felt in a number of ways through the Spirit. For anyone who prayed over my time in Zimbabwe THANK YOU so much. It has helped me catch more of what God desires and expects for me here in my last couple months in SA and also in the rest of my life. I just keep taking ever single experience from this place and use it to expand my knowledge on how to reach out to the lost and hurting on this planet as best I can. I am looking forward to seeing what is next for sure. Goodnight from Johannesburg.