c A m P 3D

artwork on our shirts

This was week of quite a lot of "lasts":

Last holiday camp

Last time we went to Easter Kloof (and my very first time)

Last time we felt we need to pry our eyes open with match sticks from exhaustion!

BUT

It was worth it!

This camp's theme was Camp 3D. Going from 2D to 3D. Sort of saying life without God is 2D and with Him is 3 dimensional.

Our theme verse was Eph 3:17-19:

...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

And just because I can, here's the Amplified Version:

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

I think personally it was a blessing just to watch these kids being kids in a safe environment surrounded by a bunch of people who loves spending time with kids.

Coming from another ministry where I also did holiday camps, I loved how different Kloofwaters did theirs. The kids basically put together their own activities, from beading to bumsliding to rock buddies to poetry slam...name it! Of course I have learned that holiday camps have one BIG thing going on: FOUR SQUARE!!!

Easter Kloof was sooo much fun. It has an amazing natural slide in one place with a little waterfall. I don't know who had more fun, the leaders or the kids? (According to the pictures, the kids' faces had a little “i am scared” look to the it, the leaders had the look of “wooooohoooo, oooooooh yeah!!!”)

I know I have only been part of Kloofwaters for a little while, but I'm really sad to go. This place has the tendency to knit itself to your heart, and it was after all the place where Jurie and I met.

(On our last day, the said a goodbye prayer for us, where everyone laid hands on us, kids as well. And as I walked out, everyone kept on giving me hugs and the more hugs I got, the more tears I shed!! The chapel might be small, but believe me people, it was a long walk to freedom).

One more camp to go, but it will be a lot different from Holiday Camp as it is only semi programmed and we only brief activities, not debrief. i.e. we will only be explaining the activity itself and leave the actual talks to the leaders who will come with the camp.

Last bit of information:

Megan (one of my friends from my SCAS/gap year) is following in Jurie's shoes. The long and short of it is that she was looking for a new job. Jurie's job was available. Jurie suggested that she applied. We left it up to Dad. She got the job.

I'm excited to see what Megan can bring to Kloofwaters. This little English lady is someone with a heart of gold and an iron side which you don't mess with. She's amazing with kids and I know that Dad will do great things through her.

We'll be praying for you Meg! You are MORE than able to do it!

God is in the detail

Looking back, this week was amazing...

December has dawned upon us and we are feeling the pressure as this is THE month where things need to happen...

So we decided to aggressively look for a little place we can call home in Rustenburg. We started at this quaint (no, she DEFINES the word quaint) but very lovely lady, Pikkie. At first I felt my heart dropping, as I had no idea what to expect from her, she runs a guest house AND is an estate agent? WOW. Anyway, she took our details (all the agents in Rustenburg will tell you there are no places now, but they will keep our details with them...) and then Jurie asks her if she can just direct us WHERE in town we need to look for. She rummages somewhere in the back for a map of Rustenburg and in DETAIL she showed us where's the good places, the bad neighbourhoods and also the "skuld bult" (debt hill). And before we left, she threw in this awesome piece of advise: Call the local paper and place an add that you are looking for an apartment, and even directs us there and tells us who to speak with... detail!

So, we headed off there and placed our add.

I have to say that this lady Pikkie's kindness blew me away. She didn't have to give us advise, she could've send us out on our own and gave us the same doom and gloom story all the others did...yet here she was, advising us to be on the lookout for other agents who will put us in any shack just to pocket the commission.

Then we went in search for another estate agent that Jurie went to see before and they said there was a house just around the corner, already vacated would we like to go and have a look?

Nice little one-bedroom house (we think it was someone's granny flat that the owner now just rents out as a house) with quite a large backyard - in comparison with the house. We started picturing our veg garden or where we will hold youth evenings...but decided that we will not put our minds on the place, it's still very early.

Later the week, after the paper came out, we had 3 calls!

We turned the first one down, it was in the dodgy end of town.

The second one blew our minds away...

The rent is less then what we have budgeted for, it is a 3(!!!!!) bedroom apartment, with garden, garage....it's just lovely. AND the owners rent it themselves. Which is actually what we wanted.

We also have another "maybe" option...we are still praying for it. One of the couples in church made in offer on a house, but it is too big for them, so they will split it in two. The church will then rent the other half as office space. Riaan, our pastor, said that then maybe we can rather rent the place, they will only use 2 rooms as offices.

If this deal goes through and it is ok with all the parties involved, we would like to take the option. It will mean a really low rent and no travel costs.

The amazing thing for us, how awesome God is. How INTO detail He is. That He knows exactly what we need, when we need it and where to lead us.

I don't always look for funny signs or ask for wool fleeces to be wet/dry... but everywhere I turn, it's as if God's writing is huge and it all says:

I love you

I provide for you

I know what you need

I'll lead you.

One thing on the list which was a big need (from a woman's point of view) was a washing machine. And this week I just remembered that my mom has one at home that they're not using at the moment. Thanks my dearest mom for borrowing it to us! You are an amazing woman and we love you to bits!!!

Another blessing: We need a bed and thought about buying the one we use now from Kloofwaters. Jurie told me this evening that they are GIVING it to us. FOR FREE. GRATIS.

what a mighty God we serve.

Jurie and I spoke about my past experiences in the ministry, and I have to say that I carry some baggage from it. I humbly confess that some days my faith fails me, that I don't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, that I don't see where God will provide, that my past hurts makes me doubt that we will have sufficient - that we will lack some things.

But God is so faithful, at the end of each day, as I lay in bed and rethink the day and how I failed to believe in God's goodness, I realise how vast His love and mercy is. To still love me and to just go on showing it to me.

He's in everyday's detail and in the places where we don't always look.

And how can forget the people who said they will partner with us?! It's a privilege to have these people come on board with us! We are grateful for everyone who is willing to support us in prayer as well as financially. We are truly blessed!

We are currently preparing for our last holiday camp at Kloofies, second last in total. Then it's off to Werner & Jana's wedding. Then visit some other friends as we make our way to Groblersdal where we will be spending the holidays with my family. Jurie's first official holiday with the in-laws.... Then the Small Trek past the Magalies Mountains to our new home!

If you will be traveling soon, may God send His angels to guard you. Rest well and may God shower you with love and peace!

Accelerating towards 2011

We are on a fast track towards next year!

I can't believe it is Movember already!)

But to update you on the Versterre's life and happenings:

Jurie's time at Kloofwaters is slowly but surely running out. He's been here for three years now! They are looking for someone new to replace him, but I can only imagine the size of shoes he has created over the years that the next person must fill. Working with him on a couple of camps, I know he has set a standard when it comes to directing and especially ropes/knowledge on ropes (for abseiling & rock climbing). Seeing him work will leave you mouth agape!

But not just him, Kloofwaters is very special to me as well, this is after all where we met...dated...courted and finally moved in after we got married. Although I have to say, we are super excited about next year and where God will take us.

Speaking of next year.

We thought about sharing our hearts about what God has stirred within us.

Riaan (our pastor) told us this one story that changes ones outlook on ministry and serving completely. (if I get the facts wrong, I apologise)

A very rich atheist once owned a whole island and he had 3 000 slaves working on the island for him. He refused to let any Christian missionaries on his island, didn't want his slaves to come in contact with God or anything remotely Christian.

Two guys (can't remember from where?) decided to be sold into slavery to go to this island to minister to the slaves. So they left their families, even though they (he families) pleaded with them not to go, that it was absolutely madness to go. And when they were on the boat, on route to the island, they looked back and shouted: The Lamb that was slain is WORTHY because of the suffering He had.

So, when we decide to minister to someone who hasn't accepted Jesus yet, it's not because we want to see that person in heaven, or because we want to score Brownie points with God.... Jesus, the Lamb, DESERVES it. because of His sufferings.

Jesus deserves Rustenburg (we made it personal for us).

Another thing that God also placed on our hearts was: Truth and Honour.

Now, being married to a man that LOVES cars and how they perform around corners and such...I'm amazed and encouraged by Jurie. He keeps to the speed limit like I haven't seen before. We live 30km outside of Rustenburg, and I've never seen any traffic cops even remotely close...yet, he says: I have to honour God who says I have to honour my goverment.

I know it is something small, but it makes you think about the little things, and do we really honour God, even when no one is watching?

About truth. Megan (a friend of mine from my Service Year for Christ days) came to visit the past weekend. She's working currently at Silverton High School as a youth worker (hope I have it right) and even though she told us some hair raising stories about what's happening amongst the youth, with the youth, because of the youth... it boiled down to: They not just want, I think they NEED: the truth. Speaking from a Christian point of view: Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. And He also said that the truth shall set us free and when the Son has freed us, we are free indeed. We (Jurie & I ) personally know Truth, He is our Saviour, Friend, Father, Counsellor...what an awesome opportunity to be able to go and introduce the kids to Him. I'm sure Jurie will agree with me when I say: Hold me back! Hold me back! I just want to goooooo!

On a more serious note, I realise that our youth grows up in a world where anything good, pure, and holy is smothered by the availability of anything else that isn't.

When I had to decide whether I want to leave my job at the guesthouse before the end of the year, I once confided to my mom that I feel my passion for the industry is slowly dying. She said maybe God is doing that in order to give me passion for what we will be doing next year. Only then did I remember that I wrote in my journal that if God wants to do something COMPLETELY new in my life, I'm open for change (this was even before we were called to the ministry!). And I can feel how God is preparing my heart for new year.

We are still not too sure how many youth we will have, or how we will begin or exactly how everything will work.... but we do know one thing: We want to show those kids God's undying love for them!

Please join us in prayer while we are (sometimes frantically) preparing for next year:

We still need to find a little kaya of our own to live in. We need to be out of our house at Kloofwaters by the end of December.

We need some vital furniture/household things as well (washing machine, curtains, bed....)

We are in the process of raising partners for financial support. God has already supplied some partners (and we are immensely thankful for that!) but we still need to go and see quite a number of people. Please pray for humbleness, that God will lead us to the right people and that their hearts will be open to hear us out.

If there is ANYTHING we can pray for, please facebook/sms/tweet/blog/mail us!

We would love to share in your laughs, tears, joy, victories....

Prayer list / Wish list / Need list

This is to keep you up to date to what we need.

PRAYER

We need your prayers! It's so vital for us to have the Lord go ahead of us and prepare the way, we can NOT do this on our own!

Please pray for the youth next year, open hearts.

Pray for us for wisdom and to really LISTEN to God's heart as to what HE wants us to share with the youth.

Pray for a house(!!!!) we need to look for a little place of our own and property in Rustenburg is expensive, but we trust God already has the perfect place ready for us.

Pray for financial support. We went for training how we can raise this and the amazing thing is, it's a ministry in itself, we are sooooooo excited to start this, it's like having two-fold ministry: the youth and our partners. We believe God has already prepared our partners and called them by name, be we need to go find them....pray for moments of destiny! (will share more of this later in another blog).

Pray for anything that you feel we might need.

Needs/wish

As you know, we are newly weds, we have a seriously (cute) small house at the moment and thus never had the need for much furniture. However, we need furniture: washing machine, bed, couches, tables...etc.

Jurie says I must put on: Landcruiser (wink wink)

Camera - we would love to take pics as we go into ministry, a visual tool so we can share all the memories with you. Don't want a paparazzi-size lence...just a good quality camera.

Other than this, we are blessed with what we have at the moment.

Also another way you can help, if you know maybe know of someone who is selling (let's say) their washing machine for a super bargain, let us know? We will appreciate it sooo much.

Thanks for supporting us (and especially me) through every season so far in my life! You are awesome!!!!!!!!

And the journey is starting

The biggest question for us at the beginning was not "Lord, IS this your will" but "Lord, is this your will for NOW?"

Both Jurie and I have received Word of Prophecy even BEFORE we've met that we will be in ministry one day.

I remember that I was praying with my sister and one of her friends Karin. My main focus was NOT to pray for any of my own things, but to really focus on what God wanted me to pray for. And Karin was led to pray for me and she said two things which was very significant to me (I wrote it in my journal!)

1. There was a strong feeling that my husband and I will be in ministry one day.

2. The love we have for one another will be a testimony in itself.

It's exciting, still don't have the how and where and when of most stuff. But we're eating the elephant bit by bit!

Trusting God FULLY for all our needs and desires.

Keep us in your prayers, we need it!

Watch this space!!!