Day 6 – South Africa Mission Trip 2024
Morning Agriculture Program in Dihatshwane Village
The first half of the day was spent in Dihatshwane Village with the Agriculture Program where we helped to dig and plant four garden beds for a local resident, Mama Sarah, who was very grateful to now have her own food supply.
Orchard:Africa is really making a difference, but it’s a long haul commitment. That’s the kind of missionary partner that we have here with Orchard:Africa. I think another thing that Michael stressed that goes along with with the speeches that we heard is the idea that so many of the things Orchard:Africa is trying to do is not to just give them “stuff.” They’re trying to help the people develop programs on their own, in their own communities or longer term that’s gonna go on and on after they no longer have money given to them. And I think that’s the opposite of our approach. Think of Mama Sarah. She will be followed up by Kealeboga, the North West Agriculture Manager, over the next 11 months to see that the agriculture practices she has learned will continue to be a permanent dynamic in her life. We got to be there to help plant four plots. That won’t be just for one harvest, but we’ll be ongoing.
Orchard:Africa is really making a difference, but it’s a long haul commitment. That’s the kind of missionary partner that we have here with Orchard:Africa. I think another thing that Michael stressed that goes along with with the speeches that we heard is the idea that so many of the things Orchard:Africa is trying to do is not to just give them “stuff.” They’re trying to help the people develop programs on their own, in their own communities or longer term that’s gonna go on and on after they no longer have money given to them. And I think that’s the opposite of our approach. Think of Mama Sarah. She will be followed up by Kealeboga, the North West Agriculture Manager, over the next 11 months to see that the agriculture practices she has learned will continue to be a permanent dynamic in her life. We got to be there to help plant four plots. That won’t be just for one harvest, but we’ll be ongoing.
“Many of the people we all ran into were really faithful people. There is so much they have to pray for. They are doing a good job of passing their faith on to the next generation.”
Youth Empowerment Program – Day 2
Mel Stager and Mary Robb led the lesson on Deborah. We learned how Deborah was a judge, prophetess and was faithful in her calling. She was not afraid to speak the truth and call out Barak for his disobedience to God. God uses both men and women to accomplish his work.
We completed our puzzles and even played the limbo game!
What happens with the mission team like us? It becomes a bit of a catalyst to both spread the mission of what Orchard:Africa is trying to do and connecting with the youth. But then the ongoing relationships are there with the church, the leaders and the Orchard:Africa network of leaders. We may not feel like we’re delivering all the empowering message, but we are jump starting what they’d like to see happen here. They have in place the church, the community, and the processes to continue to engage with these youth in this formative time of their life.
What happens with the mission team like us? It becomes a bit of a catalyst to both spread the mission of what Orchard:Africa is trying to do and connecting with the youth. But then the ongoing relationships are there with the church, the leaders and the Orchard:Africa network of leaders. We may not feel like we’re delivering all the empowering message, but we are jump starting what they’d like to see happen here. They have in place the church, the community, and the processes to continue to engage with these youth in this formative time of their life.
