Carolyn and I had supper with one of the orphans from Masoyi last week. She is busy studying in university at the moment. I asked her about the youth in the communities. She told me, “More girls are getting pregnant than ever before.” Although I heard it from other people I found myself gobsmacked when I heard it from her. “Why!” I cried to her, hoping she would give me some kind of answer that I could understand. She just starred to the ground seemingly thinking how to answer me. I was impatient and again shot another question at my guest, “Don’t they know about HIV?”

I am sure I’ve asked that question a million times in the last year, and I felt stupid asking it to my friend! She looked at me and said, “George of course they know about HIV, but they have no hope!” She said it softly to me as if she was trying to help me to hear with different ears. She continued, “I remember when I was in school. I had no ambition to finish school, left alone to do well. I knew once I was finished I will just join all the other young people sitting on the corner of the street doing nothing.” There was silence in my house while all of us there saw the picture in our minds we saw in so many villages through the years… young people sitting on the corners the street doing nothing. “What changed your mindset?” I asked. She sat up straight and her voice become strong as she spoke, “Someone took me out of the village and showed me the bigger world. I realised there was hope.”  I realised there was hope. Is that all it took?

The next day I sat with Brooke, Samantha and Robyn trying to wrestle through ideas how to reach the poorest, most vulnerable children in Swaziland. Their voices fainted away in my head as I thought of what I saw in Swaziland and the overwhelming need of so many children. Swaziland is much worse off than Masoyi in many ways, and if Masoyi ‘s youth have no hope, where do we start in Swaziland?  I was looking for someone to accuse: “It is those in power who abuse the weak and they are too powerful;  no one can stop them.” But Gary Haugen corrects that thought by saying “Most injustice isn't driven by the overwhelming power of the perpetrators; it's driven by the weakness of the victims.” Just as Jesus did for us, bringing power on our side by His life, death and resurrection, so we too are called to bring power to the side of the oppressed, of the weak, through our humble obedience and faith.  Just how much do I do to bring hope and encouragement to the youth in Africa?

It is just after midnight and I am in Melbourne. I arrived here this afternoon after a week in Sydney, and as you know, the week before I was in Perth. I want to share a short testimony to encourage you.

At the start of the year, I said I believe that the miracles this year will be done by ordinary people like each one of us. God wants to do great things through each one of us. Here are four stories that not only encouraged me but humbled me so much. The four stories are of ordinary people who believe in our dream and who said, “I can make a difference.”

The first story is of a lady from Perth. I met her the Monday after I spoke in her Church. She came to see me at the pastor’s house where I was staying.

She emigrated from Angola to Australia with her husband and eight children many years ago. Soon after they arrived her husband died. She could not even speak English and as a single mother, she struggled on day by day. She told me she wanted to give me something for the children in Africa. In her hand she held $160. It was all she had and she had probably saved that for a rainy day

Click to read more ...

What is more joyful and exciting than to return home to your loved ones after a long journey? I recently experienced this joy once again after being away from my family for more than a month. Jesus also understood this fully and used it in the parable of the prodigal son. This is a God-given gift to us – to have people we love and belong to. It is the cornerstone of community and called ‘family’. This becomes even more focused during the Christmas season when family members will travel thousands of kilometers to be together.

Jimmy is a friend of mine. We have been friends for most of his life. I met him as a young boy who lost his family. He became an orphan at a young age. Today at the age of sixteen he lives alone in a small house close to me

Click to read more ...

I recently met a lady living in an informal settlement just outside Cape Town. Her name was Margaret and I guess she was in her early thirties.  She came to me after I spoke to a group of people about justice and the fact that God’s throne was built on righteousness and justice. “I want to share my story with you”, were her opening words. “At the moment I am caring for 20 children at my house. They just keep arriving at any time and I feel compelled to care for them.”  “Why do you feel compelled to care?” I asked Margaret. “When I was 8 days old my mother had a big fight with my father. She took me out into a field and left me there on my own. An old man walked past me lying in the field and he picked me up and took me home. People went out of their way to help me and give me a chance in life. Should I not also do the same for others?”  I was quiet and didn’t know what to say, or maybe I just didn’t want to disturb the atmosphere she left in the air. Lord, I wish all of us could have an experience like that! I thought. Is that

Click to read more ...