new years day

New years day 2008, I went to bed early last night, thinking that really, what is a new year, just a change in numbers on a piece of paper, but it was not to be a night of sleep. I spent long hours lying in bed, interceding for L’abri wilderness school, where we are staying with my family this week. So much has changed here since I left 14 years ago. The place that was such and incredible home and community to me is now nothing more than a shell of buildings and abandoned trails, overgrown and unused. They still run camps here, but many of the staff are not even believers and most are afraid of the forest and stay out of it. Only two people live here full time compared to the 3 couples and 7 single staff in community when I was here. I don’t know what goes on here day to day , but I sense that Jesus is no longer the centre of attention as he has not even been mentioned in their newsletters for the past 10 years.

Two days ago I got to sit with the new director and chat for a few hours, which was very encouraging. His heart is to see the Gospel once more become the focus of the program and the staff who don’t know Jesus be introduced to Him. As I sat up on the hill at the foot of the cross which has been erected at the corner of three of the four properties I sensed more of Fathers heart to come and dwell here so that those who come to one of the four ministries here will meet Jesus and be transformed. There is much work to be done here, both Physically and more importantly, spiritually in repentance and worship, building unity of heart, relationships and attitudes.

Let me back up and describe where we are. We are about 1 hour drive from Pietermaritzburg in Kwazulu/Natal province in the NE corner of South Africa. The terrain is Mountainous, rather like the Appalachians, with plantations of pine, wattle and blue gum, interspersed with grasslands, sugar cane fields and deeper valleys and kloofs (gorges) filled with dense indigenous forest.

The 4 properties I mentioned are adjacent to to each other and have the Mshwati river flowing through or alongside them. The majority of the land is indigenous forest with some small patches of plantation and a lot of grassland. On the river are 5 significantly beautiful waterfalls, many pools and deep rocky clefts through which the river flows. L’Abri outdoor center approximately 400 acres belong to Youth For Christ and has been used to run camps for teenagers primarily. Bekezela Adventure Farm is about 300 acres and is at the top of the hill and has mostly been used to minister to younger kids and was started by Anton and Hazel who we are now staying with. Vumelana ( Zulu word for “place of covenant”) is owned by Anton’s brother and is the Family foundations international Africa headquarters and ministry centre. They do Ancient Paths seminars here and all over South Africa. Anton and Hazels property as yet unnamed is about 120 acres and his vision is to see it used for men’s ministry and Father/son ministry, though he is wiling to establish it he is not wanting to run it day to day and so is looking and praying for someone to do that. Currently, Bekezela and L’abri have the infrastructure to run programs, Vumelana is partially able to and is building more and Anton’s place is almost finished. The lodge which I have been working on is at the finishing stages, interor walls are going up and we are needing the finances (approximately $5000) to finish it.

We have a men’s camp booked in early February. So that’s a brief overview of the physical situation. The people are way more complex and we are just beginning to see into some of the relationships here. All in all I would say that everyone has been working really hard for a really long time and could use a fresh visitation from Jesus, even more that He would come and dwell here and change the atmosphere!

As for us we have just spent 12 days with my whole family except for my youngest brother and his family who could not make it. The 7 boy cousins ranging from Tim at 5 years old to Jed at 12 years old have had a blast together as only boys can. My two brothers Rod and David and I have enjoyed being together for the first time ever as we have all come from a very distant family, not to mention the geographical distance in my case. David’s wife Charmaine dared him to shave his head which then led to Rod shaving his head and then all the cousins ending up with either skinheads or Mohawks. Keldan and Tim are currently sporting Mohawks and Skye looks like a cancer patient. Hair however does grow so this is not a permanent state! (I hope) In spite of all the years of not communicating and all the messes contained in a dysfunctional family (and what family is not in some way?) we have seen Jesus do so much healing in our lives that we can now enjoy being together and dealing with our history in healthier ways.

Yeah God!!!

Well I’m going to Quit this chapter for now other than to say that it is good to be here, challenging the default modes we have lived in for so long, and most of all great to have time to be silent, time for my boys and much time for Becky and I to talk, enjoy each other and pray about the new season ahead of us as a family.