Durban Summer Project Debrief

Well we have been back in the States for 2 days now and we are still catching up on sleep and getting use to being back on Central time! However, adjusting to different times and schedules has not been the most difficult part, but adjusting to now having our team around us at all times. Spending five weeks in a foreign country without your friends, family, or any form of technology means that you cling pretty heavily to the team that you are living with. So you can imagine that not having that close group of people around you anymore requires quite an adjustment! We love being back home with our friends and family but we have been missing our sweet Durban team (and not to mention our sweet Durban friends!) a great deal.

The past five weeks have been an incredible journey for Mitch and I and we are so thankful to our supporters, friends & family for making it possible for us to go to Durban to serve the Lord. Because we had never staffed a summer project before, this trip was quite a learning experience for us. However, we have never felt more prepared or more assured of our calling to minister to college students. God was so gracious to us in allowing us to go on this trip and be able to learn & grow into more effective collegiate ministers. In addition, God truly used our trip to Durban to break both of our hearts for international ministry and different people groups. 

I wish that we could write down every single detail of our entire trip but that would be an overwhelming blog to read! We hope to get the opportunity to see everyone soon and be able to tell of our trip in person, but until then, we want to at least share some of our pictures- Hope you enjoy!

Music: After All (Holy)- David Crowder; Let us Love- NeedtoBreathe; Down at the Cross- St. Andrews Hymns

Durban: Week Five

We are finishing up our last week in Durban and although we do miss our friends and family very much, we are so sad to be leaving! We have spent the past five weeks with a group of 15 amazing students who we have become very close with and saying good-bye to them will not be easy. In addition, we have made such great friends with the UKZN students and interns, as well as Anele. Thankfully, Christians never have to say good-bye forever!

We have spent this week again at the UKZN Westville campus sharing the gospel and disciplining students. This past weekend, we had the privilege of witnessing 4 of our students get baptized in the Indian Ocean: Maddy, Paige, Jacob & Katherine. Although the morning was a little colder than usual, as a team we listened as they shared their testimonies and the things that God has been doing in their hearts while in Durban. It was such a sweet experience to be able to be a part of that special day with them.

This past week, we have spent on campus going out in pairs and sharing the gospel with students who are willing to let us share what we believe. Although we went into the week pretty tired and drained, God has amazed us with the number of students who have been not only receptive to the gospel but who have voiced their true desire to begin a relationship with Christ and walk with Him! It has been an incredible week getting to witness God use us and the students to share the gospel- as well as giving us all the boldness we didn't think we had!

We had our last small group on Tuesday night down at the student's favorite restaurant: Mugg&Bean (yes, its an American restaurant). Wednesday night, we spent the night reflecting on the past 5 weeks and all that God has been doing through us and to us. We also have slowly begun the debriefing process, which is going to be harder for some than others. After being on a 5 week trip overseas, it is often extremely difficult for people, especially students, to go back to their lives without having the support of their mission team around them. Because of this, we have been spending extra time encouraging students on how to make the transition as easy and comforting as possible.

Tomorrow we will attend our last weekly meeting on campus and then we will be heading for a night of bowling with the team to wind down. Saturday will be filled with more debriefing discussion and activities and our last night out to dinner. We will be leaving around 9 a.m. (3a.m. eastern time) Sunday morning for the States and will arrive in Atlanta on Monday around 2 pm Eastern Time. Please pray for our last couple of days here as well as for safe travel and lifted spirits as we leave. We cannot wait to get back and give you more details and stories from our trip and we look forward to seeing all of our friends and families!