Learning to Shine

March 2, 2015

We are working with young girls and guys all over Ocean View and feeling so excited about it so just wanted to share today what it is we are doing!

Hillsong Church has written a curriculum called Shine and Strength and we are partnering with them to teach these programs in the schools of Ocean View, and have done two Shine Women courses already at our church.

What is Shine and Strength??

“Shine is a collection of personal development mentoring tools for girls and women, designed to develop an understanding of personal worth, strength and purpose and to help girls realise their full potential.”

“Strength is a unique personal development and group mentoring tool for boys and men, that uses an inspirational, practical and experiential approach to learning.”

These programs are powerful and fun and based on biblical concepts that really come alive when we are sharing them.  For the community of Ocean View, many young people don’t really know their value and worth because of the many challenges they face before of poverty, gangsterism, violence and hopelessness.  These young people have so much potential for bright futures but often they don’t recognize it in the haze and peer pressure and negativity that can surround them.

We have found the young people are SUPER open and really enjoy coming to the course.  They take it seriously and share openly.  What a GIFT it is to us!

We look forward to continuing to expand the program and work with all the guys and girls we can get our hands on.  God is growing our team to lead the course and opening doors so we can reach more kids.  Please be praying that God would continue to use us and help these young people to SHINE!

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Colour: Love is on the Way

“Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!” – Jude 1:2 (MSG)

COLOUR Twenty-14 was something. I’d been preparing for months in advance as we took ninety women from the township community of Ocean View.  I serve there as a pastor and community developer and have been privileged to build a relationship with Hillsong Church, who supports our ministries and enables us to do new things. This was the fourth COLOUR that we attended as a community and there was more expectation than ever before.  Our women were ready!

At the same time, I’ve been caught up in a storm in my personal life and, daily, I’ve just been trying to keep my head above the waves…

See more at: http://hillsong.co.za/colour-love-is-on-the-way/#sthash.Ed1LMzDV.zifJngL3.dpuf

Ocean View at COLOUR!

Hello friends!  Just wanted to share an update from the Hillsong Colour Conference!  The Ocean View community took 90 women (and some sweet kiddos) with us to the Colour Conference this year and joined almost 7,000 people worshipping Jesus.  It’s a short conference all packed into just over 24 hours but it was insanely rich and beautiful.

How do I put into words what happened over these 24 hours?  I cannot.  I hope to share more stories from women themselves from Ocean View who experienced a new revelation from God.  I felt Him so personally in my own heart and feel set free with new vision and life.  We laughed, we cried, we danced, we sang, and we WORSHIPPED.

We WORSHIPPED.  I think that is the way I would sum up all that happened.  In the midst of all the presentations and lights and preaching and fanfare of a conference such as this, something happens unexpectedly and you just come to Jesus in a new way.  You let go, you give up, you come just as you are.

In addition to some incredible worship, the Ocean View ladies just enjoyed being together.  And I feel so deeply privileged to shepherd and love them.  These women are extraordinary and they are my heroes.  Doing life with them is such a gift.

And still to come will be the sharing of how the seeds planted in this weekend will still bloom.  God has begun so many beautiful things in the hearts of these ladies and I can’t wait to walk it out in life with them.  Jesus may you give us the strength to be all you have created us to be!