jonathanbarnett - Not Going to Church for the Next 2 Sundays…

Not really, it's just that last Sunday church in Atteradgeville (first Safrican church) lasted for 3 hours 37 minutes and 46 seconds. And basically that is 2 hours 37 minutes and 46 seconds too long, coming from an American church. Actually the thing that really got to me was not understanding most of the songs, and the preaching was…interesting. If they are not yelling at the top of their lungs for an hour, only breathing because the Holy Spirit does it for them, they are not actually preaching. So we sat there and listened and danced and tried to be as much a part of the service as possible, with smiley faces.

So some updates, I am going to Kenya after Christmas, which is bittersweet. Some of my best friends here are going on the Swaziland team, including Marcus and Ben. The Swazi team is leaving on Wed morning to head up to Swaziland for the next 3 weeks and start to get plugged into their permanent ministry sites, while the Kenya team will stay here and work in either Atteradgeville, or the Hospital for the next 3 weeks. After the 3 weeks, Kenya, Swazi, and possibly J-Bay are all going to meet up for Thanksgiving, share the time and really be thankful, have the weekend off, then drive down to J-Bay (Jeffery's Bay, which I think is near Cape Town, not too sure but it is a beach town) to have a leadership conference for 2 weeks before coming back up for the last week of The Awakening, and before coming back home for Christmas.

Prayer Updates: We had an amazing time on Halloween, or as I called it this year, Celebrate the Light Day. Safrica, and Africa in general are very dark for their cultic actions on Halloween and full moon nights (which thankfully it wasn't one this year), but human sacrifice is very common, along with sexual sacrifice and prayer against missionaries and evangelicals, and lots of curses, which awesomely don't have effect on us cuz WE HAVE THE BLOOD OF JESUS COVERING ALL. Anyways, our team thought it was very important to worship and instead of hiding away on the darkest night of the year, just proclaim the freedom that we have and the joy that comes with it. So we had a Bible Costume Contest, and all of us dressed up (as lame as it was, I mean we are missionaries and our costumes were limited to what we brought and any markers we could find), but it was an awesome time, probably the funnest (yeah not a word back in the states) nite so far. We had a dance contest which I got 2nd Place in!!! Whoop! It was really like an AWANA fall carnival nite. We had silly little games, lots of junkfood, and yeah lots of fun. Then shot off some fireworks after we were done, then had about a 2-hour prayer and worship session.

Other cool things this week. Monday I went to Mamalode again after weeks of not being there, and got to see Sam (the man we met about 3 weeks ago and sells beer and sodas) who has been asking about me to the other guys every time they go and see him, and got to sit down and talk with him for about 2 hours about life and his family and a bit of bible stuff, and praying with him before heading back to the Cresh. Tuesday I went back to the hospital and got to see George, who although I'm not supposed to have a picture of we still have it, and I want you guys to pray for him, because he was discharged from the hospital and went back to jail until his court case on Jan 18. I gave him a bible because he didn't have one in jail or at the hospital, and am praying that the truth that I spoke into his life stays there and that the true light will shine out in the dark places. Then after talking with him for a long time I went to the cancerous kids ward and got to see some of the kids I hung out with last time and a few more and just sat and played with them or pushed them around in wheelchairs. It was really cool. Thursday, I went back to Mamalode to see everyone and say goodbye since it would be the last time we saw them, and threw a little party for the kids at the Cresh, which consisted of balloon animals, face painting, bubbles, and dancing. Then I went back up to Sam's house to get a picture with him, I'll throw that one on later. Thursday nite we went out to eat as a guy team one last time with Dave Gross (one of the head guys of the AIM program, he's been up here for the last 3 weeks and is taking off on Sunday to go back to Georgia headquarters) and Themba (pronounced Tim-Ba, Th's here are pronounced with a hard T) I forget his American name but that's the name he goes by now that he's living here in Safrica, and the rest of the guys to a Portuguese restaurant which was amazing, just really slow on the food.

Last Saturday, we were supposed to perform a youth service at the church that we went to on Sunday, so we spent all day practicing a service in case they wanted us to do the service, but when we got there at 3ish, there were no youth, just young adults early, mid 30's and they didn't really want us to do the whole service just do some dancing, and testify, which is huge here, I don't think you are allowed to leave church unless a billion people testify about what God is doing in your life.

One of our awesome guys Ben, built a cross about 11ft tall that we put on top of our house, just to symbolize that this is God's house. We haven't decided a name yet for the house, but have been thinking either, Refuge or Fortress in Zulu, or Saswhati.

Here are some pictures since the blog isn't too long. Make sure to check out the "Check Me Out!" Link on the top Left, to see some more than just these.

I love you all and keep you in my prayers. Send me some updates on life. jonathan.a.barnett@gmail.com or comment.

Thank you to those of you who have been.