FEBRUaRY 2014 NEwsLEttER

JABULANI AFRICA MINISTRIES

Whats happening in Calitzdorp?

e are very excited about what God is doing in Calitzdorp. Calitzdorp is a community in the Klein Karoo, about four hours away from Cape Town. JAM, together with Stellenberg church, has been working with the youth in Calitzdorp since 2007. We recently started to see God move powerfully in the hearts of a group of young people in Calitzdorp, ring them up for Gods Kingdom in their community. Pastor Why Duvenhage (head board member and mentor of JAM), along with a local pastor in Calitzdorp, had the vision to start a service year team, similar to a JAM-year team, in Calitzdorp. This team would form a stable core group, guiding the youth in Calitzdorp. The local pastor in Calitzdorp, Pastor Gerhard, would mentor the young people who form part of this team, and guide them in their spiritual growth and ministry. JAMs role in this process is to give initial training to the Calitzdorp team, as well as checking up on them during visits throughout

the year in order to help guide them further. For their initial training, the Calitzdorp team joined us in Cape Town for about a month and a half. We fell in love with this group as soon as they arrived. They are so open, willing, hungry to learn, and enthusiastic to try new things and to be challenged. They were like sponges during the training, clearly trying to take in everything they could. They also really stepped up and practiced what they learned during times of ministry. Our hope is that this training and practical experience in ministry would form a good basis for them to work from when they are back in Calitzdorp. It has almost come to the end of their initial stay in Cape Town. We are sad to say good bye for a while, but we are so excited about the pioneering work they will do in Calitzdorp. Our hope is that this could be a model that can be implemented in other communities as well. Please pray for this amazing team as they go back to pioneer this vision in Caltizdorp. Thinus van der Merwe

Calitzdorp Team Q&A

ple was when they came to Calitzdorp and I thought I must go check these people out. I went and saw these people at the church in the morning, and I knew this was going to be the place where they do their ministry. They had a bunch of kids there and I just kept thinking: What is going on? It was crazy. Kids were running around playing, doing funny stuff. One guy came to me and said: you are big. Your time is going to come. Your activities are starting at night. In the night, I came back and I really enjoyed it. I didnt have expectations, and what I saw there was something good. I had never seen something like that before. They were just showing me how I can live my life and enjoy myself in God. I thought: I must go with these people. I must be with them every day. What have you learned at Apostle? Ive learned how to be responsible and how to count on Jesus and do as he wants me to do things. Ive learned how to spend time with Jesus because that is the most important thing. I never did that before, but now I am excited for him and I just want to be in His presence. Ive also learned how to be a leader and how to lead people and how to stand out and perform as a leader. I learned not to just say you are a leader, but to prove it in your actions. You must make followers. Now I can go back to my place and I can make followers. From those followers, will come leaders and from those leaders, they will make followers. Ive also learned how to be a disciple, which means to stand out and do things in a godly way. How do you want to apply that? To apply that in my hometown is to go out and act on everything I said. Im going to go into the houses and to children who dont hear much of god and keep doing service and pray for them if they want me to pray for them. Im going to spend most of my time with children because that is gods kingdom. They are tomorrows kingdom of god. I must watch out for them. They are the people who are going to lead tomorrow.

What is your vision for Calitzdorp? My vision for Calitzdorp is to see how Calitzdorp changes or to make the change in Calitzdorp as a youngster. I want to see how Calitzdorp youngsters stick together and do something that is effective for all of them, something great and powerful. I want to see us perform in everything we do and to be good to the people. How do you want to impact Calitzdorp for the kingdom? How I can start to be an impact on Calitzdorp myself is to hold camps with my team. Our team just came together as youngsters and talked about several questions: What do we do? What do we want for ourselves? How do we see ourselves in 2 or 3 years? How we can make the change in our circumstances? We mustnt look at our circumstances but we must stand out in our circumstances. How did you get involved in JAM? The rst time I heard about the JAM peo-

What is your vision for Calitzdorp? I want to go make disciples in Calitzdorp for God. Not just Calitzdorp though, I want to go make disciples in the surrounding areas as well. Go to them and tell them about God. How did you get involved? I got involved in 2007 at JAM. First it was Stellenberg reaching out and we got involved in Stellenberg. They brought JAM and we became JAMers in Calitzdorp. From then, I knew JAM. What have you learned since Apostle? Ive learned to come out of my own comfort zone and help other people know God. Ive learned to be myself. Not by being just Jeff and not caring about other people, but knowing myself I am a child of God. How do you want to apply that when you go back? Im going to apply that when I go back by working when I go back. Not just to sit and do nothing. Right when I go back, Im going to start right at home. What are you most excited about going back? Im going to be sad leaving Apostle. Ive met a few nice campers here. When I go back to

Calitzdorp its not about sitting and doing nothing. I have to go work and do what is best for my place. And not just doing it in the community but doing it in schools also. Theres where we start teach young guys, younger guys than us about Jesus. The younger you are, the faster you learn about Jesus. Where do you want Calitzdorp to be in the future? I want to see Calitzdorp as the Christian place. When people come in I want them to say: Wow what a beautiful change in Calitzdorp. I want to see Christians, and worship everywhere. You wont see people doing wrong stuff.
From then on, I started joining them. Since youve been here for the past month, what have you learned? There are so many things. But I can say now my relationship with Jesus is now stronger. I learned many things that I can go and teach to the people of Calitzdorp. My relationship grew stronger here through praying and reading my bible and all the stuff weve been doing here.

What is your vision for Calitzdorp? My vision for Calitzdorp is to make disciples and to see every young person in Calitzdorp is a Christian and following Jesus. What are some things you can do to achieve that vision? What I can do is to go out and talk with young people, something like that. How did you rst get involved with JAM? It was 2007; JAM came to Calitzdorp for an outreach. Thats where I heard from them.

How do you want to use what youve learned when you go back? Not to preach for young people, but to just tell them that Jesus is alive, to lead them and disciple them. When people come to Calitzdorp in the future, they have to see there is something different in this place. All the young people who were once drinking and stuff, they all are now disciples of God. What are you most excited about going back? Im most excited is to go out and talk to young people. I will start with the RES youth and my friends, and then I will go out from there.

Calitzdorp Team Q&A continued...

What is your vision for Calitzdorp? I see people dont get stuck in poverty anymore or feel sorry for themselves because they know that God is among us and God is with us. Young people dont have the desire anymore to do bad stuff but to stand on Gods word. What can you do to achieve that? I can start by going and joining some of the kiddies because they are the ones that are looking up to the ones doing bad stuff. When they look around they see that the people who are more mature than them are the ones that are breaking the place down with things like vandalism and doing drugs and doing bad things. I will go and join the kiddies and show them what a real character, a godly character looks like and how it is to be with Jesus. When they look at me I know God is going to let them see the light moving in me. How did you get involved with JAM? It was 2007. The people who were about Jesus came and I was curious to come have a look. I found out these people were really nice. Not nice in the sense that they need to be seen by others, but they really were serving Jesus and God. I got interested. When I spoke I would know things, because I was into my bible. In 2007 they had a camp in Calitzdorp; I was still naughty and stuff. From that year on, I was eager. I said: God, if you can do that to others, your word is saying there is no limit to what you can do. If you can do these things to others or for others, then you can do it for me as well. I was getting eager to join in. Every time they came back to Calitzdorp I would What is your vision for Calitzdorp? I would say that I know there are a lot of young people in Calitzdorp who actually want to know more of God. I think that I am as a young person going to do my part. So I am going to stand up rst in my community and make disciples of God. Firstly, I am going to start with myself before I go out to other young people. How did you come to know JAM? It was 2007 when Pastor Why and Git came to

join them. There were times when they got there and they went to visit the people in Calitzdorp. They went through the streets, going into homes and ask the people if they could pray for them. For me it was like: God is taking me somewhere. It was awesome to see how people could put their worries away and come ask the people in my town what they were struggling with. And people in my town, when they saw me with the JAMers, they remembered I was with the people talking about God. When they went away, they would have their eye on me. Since youve been on apostle, what learned? Ive learned the reason I want to follow Jesus is not because I have to because of my circumstances or where Im coming from. Its out of my free will now. Its my choice to be available for Him to use me however He likes me to be wherever He wants me to be. Since Ive been here its been great because now I have a better understanding why I sometimes do things and feel things. For me, Ive learned it doesnt matter what we feel but I know that even in my weakest hour, Im strong in God.

Calitzdorp Team Q&A continued...

the church. I was in the youth and they asked the pastor if they could steal us for a weekend so they could know us and we could know them and what their vision is. Thats where I learned about JAM. I was so thankful to God for those young people. Because, before I met JAM and those young people, I was in my own world. When people or my friends talked about that Jesus thing, I was put all down. I wouldnt listen to the Jesus thing. But, when I went to that camp, I realized how great it is to help God. I am so grateful for that. What have you learned on Apostle? How to be patient. Every time that I think you say something to me and I dont like it, I would jump on my horse. I would shout at you or Im mad the whole day. I learned to be patient and how to work with young children. It was so nice because I am 22, and here are children who are older than me and I am their leader. I never experienced that in my whole life. It was very exciting. I would love to stay but I am going to go to my community and stand. How are you going to apply that? As I said, there are a lot of young people in Calitzdorp. But some of them are judging. They say: Why must Lina be our leader? She is still 22. Why cant I be the leader? I think that is the rst step. People will say: Lina is doing this and Lina is still young. So, whats standing in my way? I can do this. The things I learned here, to be patient, kind and to love one another [I will put into practice]. Never in my heart did I trust people, not even my own mother. But, when I come in the presence of God, and I know who God really is or was or were, I will follow His path. I will be a Jesus kind. Im going to be loving and patient and Im going to start there in Calitzdorp and I know through that, everyone will become patient and kind and loving. Then, I know Calitzdorp will be a lovely place.

JAM INITIATION 2014

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Gerhard on 2014 vision

014 came quickly and with a BANG! Our friends from Cornerstone Christian University ew in on New Years day and immediately after that we started with a back-to-back January Camping schedule. But as the dust of the rst month has settled, we are looking forward to what God has in store for 2014. Isaiah 35 talks about the transformation that God brings and I know that He wants us to partner with Him in this process. There is excitement and anticipation in the JAM family and I would like to share some of the things we are looking forward to this year. Last year was marked with decentralization and faith. As staff we were physically scattered between the different bases most of the year. I remember at our last staff meeting how we all agreed that it was a hard year, but so GOOD because we saw GROWTH. After a good time of evaluation and prayer we felt that God has brought a lot of this growth in the areas of Camps and Partnerships, and that these would also be a major emphasis of 2014. With four campsites that are now up and running (Apostle Battery, Prince Albert, Mavhusa and Bambisana) we know that camps are a great way that we can reach our mission of discipling and training young people. What is more exciting is that the staffs at three of our bases are able to

present camps by themselves. In other words, we can run three camps at the same time! This year we want to take camps at all four bases to the next level and are planning to see a 30-50 percent increase on the amount of leadership camps presented at each base. We have found that bigger is not always better in terms of partnershps, but more is better. If we join hands with churches and organizations that share our vision, we get to reach more young people to become Godly leaders. Joint ministry endeavors will be a major part of our focus this year and we are excited to learn from and serve our ministry partners. One of the partnerships that I am very excited about is the Calitzdorp ministry team. In partnership with Calitzdorp and Stellenberg DRC, JAM has had the privilege

The desert and the dry ground will be glad. The dry places will be full of joy... the desert will bloom with owers. Is. 35:1,2
of training six young adults from Calitzdorp to start a full-time ministry team. This team can be a blessing to the entire Klein Karoo!

We have also sensed Gods leading when it comes to changes in our weekly outreaches in Cape Town. We are going to discontinue in two of our communities, and re-adjust our strategy in other ones. We are also excited about coming alongside other communities and churches on a weekly base. We know that there are seasons that God wants us to be involved in different areas, and being sensitive to His leading has been an important lesson. Necessary endings has been a topic of discussion among us as a staff and we have also experienced it in the make-up of our team. We are so thankful for Ashley Krachts contribution to this ministry as her season with JAM ended in Dec. 2013. We are also sad to have to say good bye to the Nunleys as they will be leaving in July

of this year. On the other hand, we can see how God provides more people as we have welcomed Laura Assmann as Junior Staff and Cameron Smith as our Site Manager on Apostle Battery B (JAMs home base). We have also welcomed our new JAM-Year team who has just completed their training and are jumping into ministry right away. My hope is that, by the end of the year, we would sit at our staff meeting again and say: It wasnt easy, but is WAS SO WORTH IT! My prayer is that you will be encouraged by this newsletter and that you will always know you are part of this MOVEMENT of God. With Love from Bambisana, Gerhard (Git) Duvenhage

Join us in Prayer
Pray that as we say goodbye to the Calitzdorp guys, they will feel Gods empowerment to really be the change in Calitzdorp. Pray that God would continue to grow and strengthen the camp ministries, and we would be able to see fruit in the leadership that stems from them. Pray that God would lead us to the right partnerships and that those partnerships will ourish under His guidance
Pray for Gods wisdom and guidance.

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