Saturday, January 22, 2011

Stolen Heart

Cape Town has officially stolen my heart.  
Not only is it one of the most beautiful places in the world, the people here are absolutely incredible.  Cape Town is this crazy and wonderful mix of civilized culture meets traditional Africa.  
This month we have been hugely blessed.  My team and I have been working with an American couple, Andy & Leigh Myers (www.reachingcapetown.com).  Andy, Leigh, and their beautiful daughter Norah moved here from Vermont just about 7 months ago.  They both have a huge passion for the youth here in Cape Town, and have been working largely through an organization called Africa Jam.  The focus of this organization is to serve high-school age youth in some of the most economically disadvantaged townships in South Africa's Cape region. Young people in these areas regularly encounter violence, hunger, drug use, sexual temptation and the perils of HIV/AIDS and need help building self-esteem, developing life skills, and establishing a promising future.

Andy & Leigh have an intense passion for these teenagers.  They dedicate a huge amount of their time just hanging out with these kids, loving on them, and exposing them to real family.  One township that has really stolen their hearts is Khayelitsha.  Just for some background information, Khayelitsha is reputed to be one of the largest and fastest growing townships in South Africa, housing at least 500,000 black African residents.  This township was established in the 80's, during the apartheid when a large number of people were forcefully relocated to the outskirts of Cape Town.  Many houses in Khayelitsha are made up of nothing more than scrap metal.  Poverty has largely infiltrated this community.  But, hidden in this community are lights.  Hidden in this community are beautiful, God seeking, passionate teenagers and young adults with hearts that truly beat for our Lord.  
Those of you that know me know that I have a passion for this type of population.  God has richly, richly blessed my life.  God has showered me with love, with grace, and with a huge amount of stability... and I truly believe He has done so in order for me to be that for other people.  During the race, God has only intensified and expanded my love for this population, and this month I have definitely gotten the opportunity to extend that love.  This month I have been able to stand along side these precious, amazingly talented, beautiful children of God.  I have been able to sit and listen to their life stories, I have been able to spend time in intense worship with them (and trust me, they know how to rock out for Jesus!), and I have been able to join with them in prayer, allowing them to reclaim their identity in Christ and as a generation of world changers.  
Cape Town has stolen my heart.

1 comment:

  1. so amazing, Micah!!! tel them who they are as God reveals it to you. they need to hear it, and i believe God is giving YOU the words to express his heart!! love you!

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