Stambiso's Church

This past Sunday the Orlando team, along with the staff here on base, were invited to Pastor Stambiso's Church (the Church located in Ebonsweni). This was intended to be a great time of fellowship, worship, and rejoicing between the team/TTH staff and the community all coming together to build more relationships so that projects like the current house being built would become easier and more common. Also, many of us had just never been to a local church service in one of the poor communities.

In preparation for this Laura and Hayley (a full timer here) spent a long time on Saturday making wonderful cakes to take with us for post service goodies. Without going into it too great, let's just say that the cakes were a big hit with everyone, especially all the kids! We also took the water kettle from the base so that we could serve tea, which the older ladies of the church REALLY appreciated.

The church service itself was very amazing. To see so many of the community together worshipping with accapella songs to very nice harmonies was very uplifting. Pastor Stambiso and his youth leader Franci did a lot of translating between the team and the community. It is also common practice for whenever someone new visits a church, THEY are expected to do the speaking! so, Chase, a guy from the Orlando team brought the message (translated by Pastor Stambiso).

Before it was all over, Pastor Stambiso did say a few words to encourage and thank the team and his youth for what they were doing in the community. He talked about how for many in the community the biggest worries are "where you put your head when the stars are out and what to put in your belly when the sun is up". He encouraged the team by saying that even though there are many problems in this area of South Africa, we should not think that we aren't making a difference just because we are only building one home for one family. Healing takes time, and that it is one less family that has to wonder where they will lay down at night. Also, as Laura pointed out in the previous post, lots of times we want to do things not because they help someone, but because you want to SEE the change or PROVE that you have made a difference, and that is hard when there is so much left to do, but Pastor Stambiso again sais "we want to impress God and the world, but it doesn't work that way."

Laura and i were both very touched by the worship and the message of the church. we really enjoyed meeting a number of the youth from the church who are helping on the construction of the house. There is a very promising relationship forming between Pastor Stambiso, his church, and the TTH community.

Love,
Laura and Mikey :)