This is the work I was called to do!

The week I got back to South Africa, Meagan (the church Youth Minister) asked me to help with Youth Night, which happens each week. She’s doing a series on the Basics of a Believer’s life (Fellowship, Evangelism, Serving, etc). This week’s topic was on Evangelism and sharing your faith with others.

We did games and other silly youth stuff at first, but then we broke up into 2 stations. Meagan did a session on sharing the Gospel with the Bridge Diagram and the Evangecube. I did a session on constructing and sharing your Testimony (Life Before Christ, Conversion Experience, and Life After Christ). 

Knowing there were non-Christians in the group, I had to alter my session by having those who did not know Christ think about their life now (before Christ) and think about the lives of those they know are Christians (life after Christ). There was one particular boy who I’ve known for over 5 years (his brother and sister have grown up in our church). When I let the youth write down elements of their testimony, he came to me and said, 

“I don’t know where to begin.” 

I asked, “Have you given your life to Christ?” 

He replied, “No.” 

I then asked him, “Do you have confidence in where you’ll be when you die?” 

He said, “Yes, heaven.” 

I said, “You can’t have that confidence unless you’ve admitted your belief in Christ and his work on the Cross. So, where do you go after death if you don’t know Christ?” 

He looked at me with a shocked look (knowing the answer but not wanting to verbalize the reality). 

His friend, who was in close proximity, answered for him, “you’re going to Hell.” 

While condemnation was not the goal here, I smiled and tempered the friend’s outburst and said, “Well, that’s true, but that doesn’t have to be the case if you believe in Jesus and give your life to Him.” 

We continued the discussion and he filled out his paper with what life is like without Christ: no peace, no joy, no hope, Hell. The bottom of His paper, descriptions of life with Christ, was the opposite: peace, joy, hope, love, purpose, Holy Spirit, Heaven. I could see his mind racing and a light-bulb going off in his precious head. 

We continued the night, all gathered to close in prayer, and while Meagan and I were cleaning up, this 14 year old boy came to Meagan and said, “Melanie was explaining to me what it means to not have Christ in your life. I haven’t made a decision for Christ  … “ He explained to Meagan that he’d done a lot of things wrong and didn’t know how to stop or be a better person. Meagan then went back to the Bridge Diagram that she’d explained earlier in the evening. She told him, “Jesus has already paid for those things. You only have to believe.” With a little more talking, he said, “Yeah, my mom is a converted Christian but my dad is of another religion (one that’s very devout and common in our community). Every time I come home from Youth with my Bible, my dad says, “When are you coming over to my side?” This little boy told us, “I know I want to be like my mom [in her faith as a Christian], not my dad, but I don’t know what’s stopping me from making a decision.” Meagan and I encouraged him to listen to the Spirit that’s drawing Him to the knowledge of Christ. 

We will continue to follow-up with this boy and hopefully continue conversation that leads him to a relationship with Jesus! These are the chats that keep this mission alive. This is the work that I was called here to do!

Pray as our church does Youth ministry in this community. Our young people face so many struggles that can challenge even the strongest faith. Pray that the Lord shines brightly in the Christians that are present in Capricorn and that they have boldness and strength. 

Just this morning, we got news that one of our Youth girls was injured due to some violence in Capricorn late last night. We don’t know the whole story yet, but we know it’s one of the girls we’ve ministered to for years; she’s coming home from the hospital today. This type of violence is not unusual, but now it’s even closer to home and our youth group might need to be debriefed and counseled through this experience. Pray for the Lord to use this situation as a wake up call to our church and community - for young people to be wise in where they go and what they get involved with. 

God is working here in Cape Town. Join us on mission and in prayer for this community!