It’s true, lives are being changed all across the globe yesterday, today, & tomorrow. Currently I am living in Johannesburg, South Africa with a new team called Thunder. I am with a group of insanely equipped women and our prayer this month is to share the love of Jesus with all around us.
On our first day of ministry we went out into a squatter camp to learn about the local culture and present the gospel of Jesus if an opportunity was given. Many individuals that live in the squatter camps come from surrounding countries and provinces to find work to provide for their families back at home. Many people come with the hope to make a good life for themselves, but end up living in poor conditions with not much work. The people living in these camps are eager and waiting for hope to fill their homes again. This presents an incredible opportunity for missionaries, like my team and I, to come in and share the hope of Jesus with them.
My very first encounter with a group of neighbors, Jesus immediately began to move. There was a group of men and women sitting around a small fire heating up bath water and hand washing their clothes. I felt like the Lord was highlighting a woman who I learned was named Nova. Nova approached me and asked me what we were doing. She said, “what is a group of white kids doing out here in the squatter camps?”, to which I replied, “hoping to learn more about you and your story”. Nova smiled and immediately opened up. She shared that she had recently been walking through something hard, but didn’t go into much detail. I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to share some of my testimony with her. So I did.
As I was speaking, Nova began breathing heavily when I shared the freedom that I found in Christ when I gave my circumstances and poor decisions to him. I shared that in the same way, Jesus could do the same for her and that I felt that God was wanting me to speak his truth over her. Nova shared that she felt like a weight had been lifted off of her chest and that a peaceful spirit came over her as I was speaking. She began to tell me that she knew Jesus at a young age, but had walked away from him when she felt like her life was in ruins. She turned to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain and didn’t see hope for finding a job after living in the squatter camp for months. Nova expressed that she too, felt it was no coincidence that Jesus was speaking through me and that she wanted to recommit her life to the Lord!!
What a praise!!
I shared with Nova some scripture about freedom and identity in Jesus. Our translator also connected Nova with a local church to attend for Easter near her home. Nova allowed me to pray over her as she recommitted her life to Jesus again. We prayed for the Lord to provide, and break her free from her addictions to numbing her pain. We prayed that the Lord would move in radical ways in her life and that he would give her a community of believers.
Let’s give a shout to heaven y’all. The Lord is working in this place. Please join me in thanking the Lord for growing the seeds he asks us to plant, and pray for continued discipleship for Nova as she returns to the Kingdom. A life is forever changed!
XOXOX,
Katherine
This is a photo of some of the bathrooms in the squatter camps.
Evangelizing in one of the squatter camps.
A typical meal here in the squatter camps called Pop.
God bless you and the wonderful work you are doing????????
Amazing to read all that you’re doing! So glad God is using you and each team
you’re surrounded by. We’re praying for more of this!!
Love hearing how God is working and through your life. Keep Serving Him IN Everything you tHINK, sAY, and dO!
Bless your loving heart, you are special, in a world that needs more of you. I still miss you! You are doing a great job. Thankful, Love you babygirl ??
So, sweet to go back down memory lane with this blog! Beautiful story and opportunity for the Lord to move! Thanks for letting Him use you!
“We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
This story is so refreshing, Katherine… and an obvious example of a divine appointment God prepared in advance for you. Your response to Nova — “hoping to learn more about you and your story” — was perfect. So kind and respectful. Thankful for your willing heart, thankful for translators, thankful for whatever God is doing today to continue pursuing Nova!