day 135: depth & langa

thursday was mind-blowing.
we got to spend another day with "t" by our side during school & as she joined us to observe she quickly stepped into teaching, too. she's such a natural with the learners with a sincere passion for both the gospel as well as young people.

we shared the HIV/AIDs lesson on the immune system in 4 grade 7 classes at mzamomhle. then, in response to far too many heart-breaking anonymously-submitted questions, we posted tollfree child safeline telephone numbers again in all the classrooms. "t" shared with the students in xhosa how to use the public phones as many do not have cell phones.

after school we had girls' club where things got DEEP! we started off the class by asking who had shared the creation story at least 3 times last week. many had done so with their families! then, "o" re-told the story for the whole class & did an INCREDIBLE job.

we jumped ahead to teach them the 2nd part of the story...all about the 10 commandments & the idea of sacrifice. "t" got up & reiterated in their heart language. as i looked around the room at the wide-eyes i was struck by the silence. they were getting it. & i was again reminded that this is NOT about us. we are here to empower others...& it is nothing of ourselves.

as we split into smaller groups to practice i posed a question to the 7-8 girls in my group - one that i always LOVE asking young people. "why did Jesus have to die?" they gave the typical answers & the conversation proceeded a little something like this:

me: why did Jesus have to die?
learner: to save us from our sins
me: yes, but why did He have to DIE in order to do that?
learner: because He loves us
me: yes, but why did He have to DIE in order to show us He loves us?
learner: because He wants us to have a relationship with Him.

i turned to "t" & asked, "do you know what i'm trying to ask?" she nodded...& RAN with it. every eye was on "t" as she shared about sacrifices in the old testament...in xhosa. she talked about how many of the learners families are still slaughtering animals but that Jesus Christ was the all-sufficient sacrifice. she tied it all into the story we'd shared with them. & again, they were getting it. praise the LORD!

what's more is that we got to visit langa - where "t" is from. several schools in her community...PRAY with us as to how the LORD would have us potentially move into a partnership there soon!