South Africans have been brutally ripped apart by the forces of British Government for nearly fifty years. Read "A Recovering People Need Love" to find out how to help.
Dear Friends,
The time has come to return to her, the Africa of which my heart has been bound for so long. Her wounds are deep and her voice is heard from the distant shores of her people. It is with great joy that I write to you, anticipating the wonderful opportunity to walk on her soil again, to sit in the great depths of her oppression with those whose scars tell their stories, their agonies, and yet, their dreams of a bright future.
Many of you remember the long struggle in our country for racial equality, mainly because it is still with us today, we are still working towards the dream of which Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us to pursue:
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal....let freedom ring."
Our brothers and sisters in South Africa have faced this battle as well, under the Apartheid government, and with the hand of the Almighty, have persevered until the end. In 1994, an election for a democratic government took place and freedom rang. Though they have been granted freedom, the people, oppressed for so long, divided and devoured, are stuck in a prison, held captive by their own minds.
The South Africans have been relentlessly battling for years and they are tired, broken and in need of rest. This, my friends, is why we are returning to South Africa. Not to change their lives, to "fix" their problems or to preach at them, but to be present, to sit with them and listen to their stories, to grant them permission to rest in God's grace and unfailing love.
Please join us in this missional endeavor as we cross the borders of a foreign land seeking to be the presence of Christ one to another. The total cost of this trip is $26,000, as we have ten team members participating. Mainly, the costs include: airfare, food, transportation, resources for children in poverty (HIV/AIDS), and a hospitality gift for each family (we are staying in host homes- South Africans who have volunteered to house us for the two weeks while we are there).
During our two week stay in Cape Town, South Africa, July 30- August 12, we will:
- Volunteer in two schools
- Work in classrooms with teachers providing care and one-on-one mentoring for students
- Assist in a homeless ministry providing meals for the many people in Cape Town who are homeless
- Work with local teenagers and children to educate them on proper personal care (girls as young as ten years old are impregnated daily)
- Spend time with host families and host church-Grace Chapel Baptist Church, encouraging them in their faith
- Visit several historical sites to better understand the history and lifelong journey of these people under God's care.
While the needs are many, I am asking you to: offer a monetary gift towards the total cost of this trip; pray for our team's safety and efforts; pray for the South Africans as a whole in their recovery process, and for the global church as she faces similar challenges each and every day all over the world.
Checks can be made payable to: Central Baptist Church, (in the for line write: Jenny Shultz, South Africa). Send to:
Central Baptist Church
Attention: Jenny Shultz
1500 Courthouse Rd
Richmond, VA 23236
May faith and grace abound,
Jenny Shultz
Minister to Children & Families
Central Baptist Church, Richmond, VA
