Vineyards and Mountains

Last week we got to experience some of the sights here in Cape Town. Right down the street from us is a vineyard...actually we live close to many vineyards in Durbanville, but this one is "home of the Tygerburg Mountain Bike Club". Christian may be their newest member! Last week wasn't the best experience for him though, as he ended up getting a flat tire two rides in a row! However, for date night last Tuesday we walked through the vineyard where he bikes. I got to see the grapes before they are all harvested! It was beautiful- the vines, the grapes, the view of the mountains, and the sunset. Seeing the grapes on the vine, as well as the ones on the ground brought such life to the passage in John 15.  "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5) Especially in seeing the grapes that had fallen and were all shriveled up. They couldn't survive without the vine. It made me wonder too, how do we die on the vine...is that possible? What does it look like when we grow weary. Christian has been feeling weary. It's not that he isn't seeing fruit- AMAZING things are happening! (I'll explain below) It's just feeling like full days of initiating conversations on campus, full speed when he gets home with the kids, and then a full plate of things that need to happen administratively at night. Pray for rest in his heart, mind, and body, and that we would remain in Christ!

We also went up the gondola and watched the sunset from Table Mountain. They were having a half price special in February if you go up after 5:30pm. It was BEAUTIFUL! It was beautiful when the sun first went down, but just kept getting better as time went on. A masterpiece of yellows, oranges and reds were painted in the sky as we looked out over all of Cape Town. Perfect!

Yesterday on campus (UWC) was AMAZING. Here's the scoop. Yolenda is one of our main student leaders. She loves Jesus and it flows out of her like a waterfall. She did an evangelism training at their prayer meeting at UWC last week because all of the women were wanting to learn how to share their faith. In fact, last week one of the girls (Aviwe) was PRAYING that God would send her someone to teach her how to share her faith. Lauren (staff) happened to text her and ask if she wanted to go sharing with her 5 minutes after she prayed that! The last time they met, Aviwe led the way to initiate with a girl that ended up accepting Christ! Two other girls from the training also went out last week and saw two girls accept Christ! Praise the Lord! Now, back to Yolenda...she and her friend felt led to walk up to this "intimidating" group of people, including a lesbian couple. They walked up and asked if they could pray for them. The whole group started mocking them. Yolenda and her friend just started praying together out loud. Then the group got quiet...and they joined hands in a circle and started listening and agreeing with their prayers. Yolenda sensed that the Lord wanted her to speak/pray into some of the areas the people in the group were struggling with, and as she did, one of the lesbian girls started nodding and agreeing ssying "Yes, Jesus!". Finally, Yolenda closed their time because she and her friend were going to their prayer meeting. Three of the girls from the group, including the lesbian couple, were so moved by their time that they came with Yolenda to the prayer meeting! Praise God! We haven't heard what has come of that time, but God is obviously doing a work! And that's not all! Yolenda had had a dream that Lawrence (one of the guys Christian's been working with in trying to start a men's movement at UWC) was going to say they'd like to join the women's prayer meeting on Mondays. She wrote "men and women meeting Monday- exalt the Lord" on the board just to remember to come back to talking about it. Christian was meeting with the student men at the same time, and then they walked over so Lawrence and the guys could meet Yolenda and the women leaders. They hadn't met yet. Lawrence walked in, and after Yolenda told the story of the group they had prayed for just before, he said "Before you say more, I just wanted to let you know that the men have been talking and we'd like to join you on Mondays to pray and then have our Bible study afterwards." The girls started jumping up and down in unbelief that this guy, Lawrence, whom they've never met, was there saying the exact words as it happened in Yolenda's dream! And it was even more exciting, because the women have been praying for Godly male leaders for a year...and now it's happening! Praise God!
I am just blown away...it just feels like the spiritual realm and reality is so much closer (for lack of a better word) here. Good and evil. I was processing this with one of my new South African friends, and she said maybe it's because there is so much need here. Poverty of body and spirit. Makes sense. I'm just blown away by Yolenda's passion and love for Christ, and boldness in proclaiming His love to others. She embodies what I think it means to be in step with the Spirit. She seeks, asks, listens and follows...and people respond because it's GOD doing the work! I am challenged, humbled, and excited to walk this way. I'm studying Acts in BSF, and I've been challenged and encouraged by Paul's example as well. I want to run the race to get the prize...not just to finish. I want to seek and take every opportunity the Lord gives me to tell others about the abundant life we have in Jesus. I'm going to UWC tomorrow to spend time with Lauren and talk to students about Christ. Christian initiates these conversations all day every day. Please pray for us- that we would seek, listen and follow the Spirit's lead. God is AWESOME! It's such a fun adventure to follow Him!
Oh!  And thank you for praying for Anya's eye.  We've been putting a warm compress on a few times a day, and the sty seems to be going away...keep praying!  Thank you!