Hey Everyone,
I hope you are all well, enjoying the holiday season, and are getting ready to rest during some time off. I am currently back in the USA for those of you who didnt know. I've really been enjoying my time in Colorado and California. Ive had a bit of time to reflect on the past year and even though it has gone fast, it has been a great year.
I'm very thankful for 2009, for the opportunity to have been in Cape Town, for you all helping to make that possible, for God carrying me through many tough and trying times, and for Him doing and showing me many great things. I also feel the excitement to be returning in 2010.
Part of the reason that I am home is that I am fund raising to cover my travel and living expenses in 201o, so that I will be able to continue my work with Africa Jam. We have big plans for next year and I would like to invite you to continue to be apart of that. I will continue to need those who are willing to continue communication and who are willing to support me financially and in prayer. I appreciate any form of support you would give.
If you feel led to support me financially you can make checks payable to Arvada Covenant Church with "Ryan DeCook - Africa Jam" as the memo of the check. The address is:
Arvada Covenant Church
5555 Ward Road
Arvada, CO 80002
I am also pasting a link below to a video that my roommate made. He is a talented director and had to make a documentary for his film school. He asked to make me and some of my experience in Cape Town the subject of his film. I thought I would pass it along to give you some more visuals of where I am spending my time. The video is split into two parts, so if you just click the link below and then click the picture in the gray box, it should start playing the 1st part and link automatically to the 2nd part. Hope you enjoy it. Peace
Ryan
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=325593D7E1E0E615
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Oct/Nov
Hello Friends,
I thought I would send out a quick new blog just to update on what's been happening. Since I last wrote, I've had some good experiences. For a week at the end of Oct, the guy I work with on the loan project Zukile, and I went to the cities of Pretoria and Tzaneen which are both far north in the country. The purpose of our trip was to do some research for our loan project from leading experts in the field.
We stopped first in Pretoria at the Center for Microfinance at the University there. They have been compiling research for years surrounding the type of work we are doing and they were very helpful in providing information and advising us. From there we headed further north to the beautiful province of Limpopo. We stayed with a friends parents from my church who were an amazing couple just outside the city of Tzaneen. Our reason for being in Tzaneen was to visit an organization called Small Enterprise Foundation. They are the leading small loan lender in South Africa.
This organization, working mostly with poor woman in the rural areas is overseeing 60,000 businesses that have been started. They have been doing what theyre doing for about 18 years. It was amazing to see what's happening there and what was more amazing was to see their hospitality and openness to our visit as well as sharing information with us. Rather than being protective and worrying about giving away their "secrets", they were just excited to be chatting with other people who were joining them in the fight against poverty. The trip was encouraging for us, we learned a lot, and we even had an extra day at the end of the trip to drive through a game park and see some animals.
Please pray for continued provision and guidance for Africa Jam and our projects. As well as continued closeness with the Lord for our staff and youth. Thanks!
Peace
Ryan
I thought I would send out a quick new blog just to update on what's been happening. Since I last wrote, I've had some good experiences. For a week at the end of Oct, the guy I work with on the loan project Zukile, and I went to the cities of Pretoria and Tzaneen which are both far north in the country. The purpose of our trip was to do some research for our loan project from leading experts in the field.
We stopped first in Pretoria at the Center for Microfinance at the University there. They have been compiling research for years surrounding the type of work we are doing and they were very helpful in providing information and advising us. From there we headed further north to the beautiful province of Limpopo. We stayed with a friends parents from my church who were an amazing couple just outside the city of Tzaneen. Our reason for being in Tzaneen was to visit an organization called Small Enterprise Foundation. They are the leading small loan lender in South Africa.
This organization, working mostly with poor woman in the rural areas is overseeing 60,000 businesses that have been started. They have been doing what theyre doing for about 18 years. It was amazing to see what's happening there and what was more amazing was to see their hospitality and openness to our visit as well as sharing information with us. Rather than being protective and worrying about giving away their "secrets", they were just excited to be chatting with other people who were joining them in the fight against poverty. The trip was encouraging for us, we learned a lot, and we even had an extra day at the end of the trip to drive through a game park and see some animals.
Please pray for continued provision and guidance for Africa Jam and our projects. As well as continued closeness with the Lord for our staff and youth. Thanks!
Peace
Ryan
Friday, October 16, 2009
Eastern Cape
Hello Friends,
Here is the most recent update. Our Africa Jam team is back in Cape Town after our trip to the Eastern Cape. We had a team of 5 staff and about 30 youth from Khayelitsha in the small town of Willowvale. The first days were a bit slow and the weather was bad, but after that we had several effective days of kid's camps for the local youth there. One of the days out there was unbelievable however and was probably worth the whole trip.
Our whole team did some community outreach in the afternoons and was at a house helping to clear some soil for a garden to be planted. There were 15 people living in these 2 houses on this plot of land. After working in their garden, we all fit inside their living room and asked if they needed prayer for anything. An old woman, sitting in her chair with a blanket covering her lap, said she needed prayer for her health. She had lung problems and couldn't really walk (she just sat in that chair all day). So as our whole group began to pray for her and ask Jesus to heal her, she began to squirm in her chair a bit, then slowly push the blanket off her lap. We all kept praying and before we knew it, this old granny was up and running back and forth between her chair and her bedroom praising God! Her daughter was so overwhelmed that she started crying and said she was turning back to God and was going to start going back to church.
All of our group was overwhelmed and amazed, singing the whole way back to where we were staying. That night a couple of our staff explained to our youth from Khayelitsha (especially for those who do not have a relationship with Christ) what had happened earlier that day with the miracle and how Jesus can heal people and demonstrate that He is alive and real in various ways. So that evening 5 of the girls from Khayelitsha, having seen this miracle, decided to put their faith in Jesus and begin a relationship with Him. That day definitely made the whole trip.
As for you all that I'm writing to, I hope that you know me enough to know that I do not lie (often ;) or fabricate stories. These are things that I have seen with my own eyes and I have been completely amazed at the power and reality of Jesus Christ at work. Up unto about several months ago, I questioned if healing miracles happened at all. But I just want to encourage you as you read these updates that these are not things that are only in South Africa, or limited to certain peoples, or because of anything special that I or any of our Africa Jam team has done. To know Jesus personally, experience His love and hope, to see His power and be used for a purpose is something that is open and available to every single person. So as someone who deeply cares for each of you, I would urge you to consider and respond to the reality of Jesus just by looking to Him and inviting Him to be with you forever. Many of you knew my life before I came to know Jesus and I can testify that it was the best decision I ever made and would be the best decision you could ever make, the one thing that can radically change your life as it has mine. I hope you will at least consider what I am saying as someone who cares for you and as a sane person just testifying to what I've seen and experiened. I love you all.
Ryan
Here is the most recent update. Our Africa Jam team is back in Cape Town after our trip to the Eastern Cape. We had a team of 5 staff and about 30 youth from Khayelitsha in the small town of Willowvale. The first days were a bit slow and the weather was bad, but after that we had several effective days of kid's camps for the local youth there. One of the days out there was unbelievable however and was probably worth the whole trip.
Our whole team did some community outreach in the afternoons and was at a house helping to clear some soil for a garden to be planted. There were 15 people living in these 2 houses on this plot of land. After working in their garden, we all fit inside their living room and asked if they needed prayer for anything. An old woman, sitting in her chair with a blanket covering her lap, said she needed prayer for her health. She had lung problems and couldn't really walk (she just sat in that chair all day). So as our whole group began to pray for her and ask Jesus to heal her, she began to squirm in her chair a bit, then slowly push the blanket off her lap. We all kept praying and before we knew it, this old granny was up and running back and forth between her chair and her bedroom praising God! Her daughter was so overwhelmed that she started crying and said she was turning back to God and was going to start going back to church.
All of our group was overwhelmed and amazed, singing the whole way back to where we were staying. That night a couple of our staff explained to our youth from Khayelitsha (especially for those who do not have a relationship with Christ) what had happened earlier that day with the miracle and how Jesus can heal people and demonstrate that He is alive and real in various ways. So that evening 5 of the girls from Khayelitsha, having seen this miracle, decided to put their faith in Jesus and begin a relationship with Him. That day definitely made the whole trip.
As for you all that I'm writing to, I hope that you know me enough to know that I do not lie (often ;) or fabricate stories. These are things that I have seen with my own eyes and I have been completely amazed at the power and reality of Jesus Christ at work. Up unto about several months ago, I questioned if healing miracles happened at all. But I just want to encourage you as you read these updates that these are not things that are only in South Africa, or limited to certain peoples, or because of anything special that I or any of our Africa Jam team has done. To know Jesus personally, experience His love and hope, to see His power and be used for a purpose is something that is open and available to every single person. So as someone who deeply cares for each of you, I would urge you to consider and respond to the reality of Jesus just by looking to Him and inviting Him to be with you forever. Many of you knew my life before I came to know Jesus and I can testify that it was the best decision I ever made and would be the best decision you could ever make, the one thing that can radically change your life as it has mine. I hope you will at least consider what I am saying as someone who cares for you and as a sane person just testifying to what I've seen and experiened. I love you all.
Ryan
Friday, September 25, 2009
Miracle
Hey Everyone,
Normally I dont send out updates 3 days after the previous one, but I felt that this was deserving of a post. My friends and I took a train yesterday to a small coastal community to hang out for a public holiday (dont ask me why there's a holiday on a Thurs). As we were walking around a homeless woman approached us. She was asking for money. When I spoke to her more she said she wanted money for pain tablets for her arthritis that's affected her for 20 years.
We chatted more and she also said she was blind in her left eye. She also said that she was a believer in Jesus and loved Him. We talked for a long time and as we talked I just got the sense that we should pray for her injuries. I told her that I believed Jesus is alive and can heal people still as He did back in the days He walked around. So we prayed, just asking Jesus to heal her. After praying she starting moving her arms and her legs, looking shocked, and said that she had no pain anymore. I asked if there was no pain at all..and she said there was none! She started saying "hallelujah!, praise the Lord!"
Then I asked her how her eye was. She said it was still very gray. So we prayed again asking for the healing of her eye. She opened her eyes with this surprised, excited look on her face and started dancing around shouting "hallelujah". I asked her what she could see and she said she could see everything clearly! Her blind eye could see again. So immediately my doubts jumped in that maybe this homeless woman was putting on a show to try and get some money or food. But she never asked me for anything and was just dancing around on the sidewalk and smiling excitedly saying she didnt need pain tablets anymore. We were all amazed at God's active hand on this woman and Jesus' power to heal her. Just thought I would share this story of God's amazing love and power! Peace
Ryan
Normally I dont send out updates 3 days after the previous one, but I felt that this was deserving of a post. My friends and I took a train yesterday to a small coastal community to hang out for a public holiday (dont ask me why there's a holiday on a Thurs). As we were walking around a homeless woman approached us. She was asking for money. When I spoke to her more she said she wanted money for pain tablets for her arthritis that's affected her for 20 years.
We chatted more and she also said she was blind in her left eye. She also said that she was a believer in Jesus and loved Him. We talked for a long time and as we talked I just got the sense that we should pray for her injuries. I told her that I believed Jesus is alive and can heal people still as He did back in the days He walked around. So we prayed, just asking Jesus to heal her. After praying she starting moving her arms and her legs, looking shocked, and said that she had no pain anymore. I asked if there was no pain at all..and she said there was none! She started saying "hallelujah!, praise the Lord!"
Then I asked her how her eye was. She said it was still very gray. So we prayed again asking for the healing of her eye. She opened her eyes with this surprised, excited look on her face and started dancing around shouting "hallelujah". I asked her what she could see and she said she could see everything clearly! Her blind eye could see again. So immediately my doubts jumped in that maybe this homeless woman was putting on a show to try and get some money or food. But she never asked me for anything and was just dancing around on the sidewalk and smiling excitedly saying she didnt need pain tablets anymore. We were all amazed at God's active hand on this woman and Jesus' power to heal her. Just thought I would share this story of God's amazing love and power! Peace
Ryan
Monday, September 21, 2009
August/September
Molweni,
I hope you are all well and I keep you all in my prayers while I'm here. Please keep your emails coming my way, as I love hearing what's happening in your lives. There has been a lot going on out here in the last month. As I last updated we are still running with our loan project and monitoring the progress.
There are some who are doing very well and with others we are facing the challenges of working with women who do not have much financial or business experience. But it is an exciting challenge to figure out how to adjust constantly and respond to their needs as we move forward. We are already planning for 2010 and have made our proposal in which we have a vision to see 50 businesses started and those who receive loans to get consistent workshops and training in terms of business, life skills, and Christian spirituality. We are excited about what's ahead for that project.
This week we are gearing up to take our Khayelitsha youth group to the Eastern Cape for a week long outreach trip. The Eastern Cape is the rural area of the Xhosa people where many of the people living in Khayelitsha or their ancestors come from originally. So maybe I'll get some more chances to practice the isiXhosa language that I've been trying to learn (dont be surprised if you hear me using the languages' click sounds when I get back to the States ;). We are excited for the trip and are taking 30 people. We will be partnering with a local Church and Bible College in the small town of Willowvale.
There will be a day camp for young kids that we will be putting on, some drama and dance performances that the youth will be doing for the community, and some getting to know the local people through home visitations. Please pray that in the next week we receive the rest of the funding that we are trying to raise before we leave, for leaders from our Khayelitsha group to be raised up, and for the local community to be touched by the love of Christ. Thanks
Ryan
I hope you are all well and I keep you all in my prayers while I'm here. Please keep your emails coming my way, as I love hearing what's happening in your lives. There has been a lot going on out here in the last month. As I last updated we are still running with our loan project and monitoring the progress.
There are some who are doing very well and with others we are facing the challenges of working with women who do not have much financial or business experience. But it is an exciting challenge to figure out how to adjust constantly and respond to their needs as we move forward. We are already planning for 2010 and have made our proposal in which we have a vision to see 50 businesses started and those who receive loans to get consistent workshops and training in terms of business, life skills, and Christian spirituality. We are excited about what's ahead for that project.
This week we are gearing up to take our Khayelitsha youth group to the Eastern Cape for a week long outreach trip. The Eastern Cape is the rural area of the Xhosa people where many of the people living in Khayelitsha or their ancestors come from originally. So maybe I'll get some more chances to practice the isiXhosa language that I've been trying to learn (dont be surprised if you hear me using the languages' click sounds when I get back to the States ;). We are excited for the trip and are taking 30 people. We will be partnering with a local Church and Bible College in the small town of Willowvale.
There will be a day camp for young kids that we will be putting on, some drama and dance performances that the youth will be doing for the community, and some getting to know the local people through home visitations. Please pray that in the next week we receive the rest of the funding that we are trying to raise before we leave, for leaders from our Khayelitsha group to be raised up, and for the local community to be touched by the love of Christ. Thanks
Ryan
Friday, August 14, 2009
Return to Cape Town
Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well. It has been about a month since I returned to Cape Town after my visit back home to Colorado. My time at home went by fast, but it was great to see my family and some friends while I was there. My family got some time to rest in the mountain town of Telluride, which is such an amazing place. If any of you Coloradans get a chance you should go check it out.
While I was gone our team went up to the largest township in South Africa called Soweto (in Johannesburg) and led a camp in which many youth learned about HIV/AIDS and many committed their lives to Christ. Since Ive come back, after I adjusted from the time change, I hit the ground running. We were picking up where we left off. It has been cool to see the businesses in Khayelitsha that started while I was home. Most of the business owners are doing quite well in their different ventures such as selling chickens, running a fruit and vegetable stand, selling frozen meat, and selling photographs and business cards.
The young man, Simphiwe, who started a photography business has also gotten involved in another project outside of Africa Jam. Along with some members of my church we have initiated a project called Freeway Football. There are soccer players from some of the townships of Cape Town who find themselves playing the sport they love off the side of the main Freeway in the city. We want to tell the story of these teams and their players, as well as using local photographers like Simphiwe to receive training and document the stories. The hope is to raise up and train local photographers in order to make a book that will be sold, with profits coming back into the communities where the soccer players are from.
It has been amazing to see the progress of the project so far and God's hand in it. Already for our pilot phase, Nikon has come on board to sponsor and provide cameras for Simphiwe and another local photographer. There is already a publisher willing to publish the book, and we are trying to line up more sponsors. If you are interested in checking out more of the project you can check out the website at www.freewayfootball.org. Please keep praying for this project, for Africa Jam, the success of the business owners, and for vision and direction for myself and others involved. Thanks so much for all your continued support. Peace
Ryan
I hope you are all doing well. It has been about a month since I returned to Cape Town after my visit back home to Colorado. My time at home went by fast, but it was great to see my family and some friends while I was there. My family got some time to rest in the mountain town of Telluride, which is such an amazing place. If any of you Coloradans get a chance you should go check it out.
While I was gone our team went up to the largest township in South Africa called Soweto (in Johannesburg) and led a camp in which many youth learned about HIV/AIDS and many committed their lives to Christ. Since Ive come back, after I adjusted from the time change, I hit the ground running. We were picking up where we left off. It has been cool to see the businesses in Khayelitsha that started while I was home. Most of the business owners are doing quite well in their different ventures such as selling chickens, running a fruit and vegetable stand, selling frozen meat, and selling photographs and business cards.
The young man, Simphiwe, who started a photography business has also gotten involved in another project outside of Africa Jam. Along with some members of my church we have initiated a project called Freeway Football. There are soccer players from some of the townships of Cape Town who find themselves playing the sport they love off the side of the main Freeway in the city. We want to tell the story of these teams and their players, as well as using local photographers like Simphiwe to receive training and document the stories. The hope is to raise up and train local photographers in order to make a book that will be sold, with profits coming back into the communities where the soccer players are from.
It has been amazing to see the progress of the project so far and God's hand in it. Already for our pilot phase, Nikon has come on board to sponsor and provide cameras for Simphiwe and another local photographer. There is already a publisher willing to publish the book, and we are trying to line up more sponsors. If you are interested in checking out more of the project you can check out the website at www.freewayfootball.org. Please keep praying for this project, for Africa Jam, the success of the business owners, and for vision and direction for myself and others involved. Thanks so much for all your continued support. Peace
Ryan
Monday, June 22, 2009
Exciting June
Hey Everyone,
Wow, it has been an exciting month since we last spoke. 1st of all it has been very busy and I've been working hard because I am actually coming home to Colorado to visit family and friends in 2 days! I dont think I've told many of you, but Ive had it planned for a long time to come home during my holiday for the year.
But our work has really been exciting to be a part of these last few weeks. Our team is preparing to run a holiday camp for youth in the biggest township in South Africa in Johannesburg...unfortunately I wont be able to go because I already had my trip home booked. We've also recently been able to purchase and put up a centre for the youth in Khayelitsha. It is such a great step from the large tin shack that they were using for a couple years.
We also just launched our small loan program (Income Generation Project) in Khayelitsha as well. This is the main thing we've been busy getting off the ground before I come home. We have now distributed over R31,000 (South African Currency) to help 12 people from the community, whom are mostly unemployed, start their own businesses. Through this process we have also hired another local guy Zukile to work with me on the project and be able to manage and run the project. It is really exciting and now we just have to monitor things and trust these new entrepreneurs to do their part and for God to do His part as well.
We had an exciting celebration in Khayelitsha with the youth, their families, and the local community to celebrate the launch of the loan project and the opening of the new building. It was an amazing day for our whole team to see the community supporting it, God shining on it, and the fruits of our efforts. So Im getting on a plane to come home exhausted, but knowing that the first half of 2009 has been a success and that Africa Jam is having an impact in the places we are working. Please pray for the use of the building in the community for God's purposes, for the success of the loan recipient's businesses and for the youth we work with.
Thank you, and I look forward to chatting over the phone or seeing some of you when I am home. Peace
Ryan
Sunday, May 17, 2009
April/May
Hey Friends,
I hope that you are all well. It has been about a month since I wrote to you. There has not been too much to update in terms of new events or things happening. The major thing that is happening is that Africa Jam has recently ordered a building for a community center in Khayelitsha. It will be delivered and put in the community in the next few weeks and we will be able to have our afterschool program there. Also, we will be launching our small loan program in about 1 month, which will be exciting to see people starting their own businesses.
Other than that, we have just been continuing with our day to day activities. The past month for me has really been a time of personal struggle and growth however. For the last couple of months I have been wrestling with a whole variety of things such as questions, doubts, negative emotions, and feeling a bit overwhelmed with life and community work. It has been a difficult time but I am starting to see so many good things coming out of it.
These struggling times have forced me to really get honest with myself, with others, and with God. It has been so liberating to get back to being more authentic and transparent. Sometimes the most freeing thing is just to share something you're struggling with. And as for my faith, I have become very real and open with God. Rather than pretending things are perfect and feeling good, Ive really been realizing I can tell God anything, the good and the ugly. As part of that I have been finding different ways to creatively express myself. Ive been spending much more time writing, coming up with poetry, playing music, doing photography. I think it has been really healthy and helpful to have those outlets.
So it really has been a good month, as I'm seeing all of the good things coming out of these struggles. I am feeling more free, more alive, more close to God than I have in quite awhile. I'm once again seeing the amazing ways God can use our difficulties for good. So thanks for all your continued prayers and support. Please continue to pray for 1) The Loan Project we are starting 2) The youth we work with 3)Me and my fellow workers to continue to grow and be changed in healthy ways. Thanks! Love you all
Ryan
I hope that you are all well. It has been about a month since I wrote to you. There has not been too much to update in terms of new events or things happening. The major thing that is happening is that Africa Jam has recently ordered a building for a community center in Khayelitsha. It will be delivered and put in the community in the next few weeks and we will be able to have our afterschool program there. Also, we will be launching our small loan program in about 1 month, which will be exciting to see people starting their own businesses.
Other than that, we have just been continuing with our day to day activities. The past month for me has really been a time of personal struggle and growth however. For the last couple of months I have been wrestling with a whole variety of things such as questions, doubts, negative emotions, and feeling a bit overwhelmed with life and community work. It has been a difficult time but I am starting to see so many good things coming out of it.
These struggling times have forced me to really get honest with myself, with others, and with God. It has been so liberating to get back to being more authentic and transparent. Sometimes the most freeing thing is just to share something you're struggling with. And as for my faith, I have become very real and open with God. Rather than pretending things are perfect and feeling good, Ive really been realizing I can tell God anything, the good and the ugly. As part of that I have been finding different ways to creatively express myself. Ive been spending much more time writing, coming up with poetry, playing music, doing photography. I think it has been really healthy and helpful to have those outlets.
So it really has been a good month, as I'm seeing all of the good things coming out of these struggles. I am feeling more free, more alive, more close to God than I have in quite awhile. I'm once again seeing the amazing ways God can use our difficulties for good. So thanks for all your continued prayers and support. Please continue to pray for 1) The Loan Project we are starting 2) The youth we work with 3)Me and my fellow workers to continue to grow and be changed in healthy ways. Thanks! Love you all
Ryan
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
News
Hello Friends,
I hope that things are well with you all and that you had a great Easter weekend. Mine was great as I spent time with some friends from my church about 6 hours up the coast in a beautiful place called Plettenberg Bay. We spent the weekend just relaxing and swimming at the beach which was well needed after a busy month and a busy week leading up to it.
Things have really been going well in the community of Lotus River. At the end of February we began teaching in a primary school about sexuality, choices, and HIV/AIDS. Since we are working with 6th and 7th graders, believe me it is not the easiest task in the world (you can imagine some of the comments), but both Africa Jam and the school felt that it was a very necessary thing for a lot of these kids who just get educated on these issues from word of mouth through peers.
Then all of last week, before the Easter weekend, we had a holiday camp with 3rd-5th graders at that same school. We spent the week playing games, singing, sharing Bible stories, having competitions and lots of fun. There were about 150 who attended the camp. On one of the days after we acted out the story of Jesus and how God had used Him to bring people back into a relationship with Him, we asked if there were any student who wanted that for themselves, and every single student stood up to respond to God's love.
It was a great week and needless to say, we were exhausted by the end. But things are continuing with our programs in Khayelitsha as well. I have recently met some people who have gotten involved in the planning of our small loan program and are helping push us closer to launching it. So please keep praying for us here. Please keep your updates and prayer requests coming. I would love to hear from you all and want to stay connected to home as time passes. I miss you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Peace
Ryan
I hope that things are well with you all and that you had a great Easter weekend. Mine was great as I spent time with some friends from my church about 6 hours up the coast in a beautiful place called Plettenberg Bay. We spent the weekend just relaxing and swimming at the beach which was well needed after a busy month and a busy week leading up to it.
Things have really been going well in the community of Lotus River. At the end of February we began teaching in a primary school about sexuality, choices, and HIV/AIDS. Since we are working with 6th and 7th graders, believe me it is not the easiest task in the world (you can imagine some of the comments), but both Africa Jam and the school felt that it was a very necessary thing for a lot of these kids who just get educated on these issues from word of mouth through peers.
Then all of last week, before the Easter weekend, we had a holiday camp with 3rd-5th graders at that same school. We spent the week playing games, singing, sharing Bible stories, having competitions and lots of fun. There were about 150 who attended the camp. On one of the days after we acted out the story of Jesus and how God had used Him to bring people back into a relationship with Him, we asked if there were any student who wanted that for themselves, and every single student stood up to respond to God's love.
It was a great week and needless to say, we were exhausted by the end. But things are continuing with our programs in Khayelitsha as well. I have recently met some people who have gotten involved in the planning of our small loan program and are helping push us closer to launching it. So please keep praying for us here. Please keep your updates and prayer requests coming. I would love to hear from you all and want to stay connected to home as time passes. I miss you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Peace
Ryan
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Feb/March
Hello Everyone,
The past month has flown by. And it was a seriously hot month. I think that February is the warmest month of the year with several days reaching up to nearly 100 degrees. I sweat driving around town, but thankfully I now have those tinted windows (courtesy of the guy who stole it) on my car to keep some of the heat out. Haha.
The day to day work that Africa Jam has really gotten back up and running for the year. We started our after school program in the community of Lotus River again with over 40 kids coming. Its quite a challenge to try and quiet down and teach guitar to such a large number of 5th, 6th, and 7th graders though, haha. We also started our tutoring program in Khayelitsha again, bringing University of Cape Town students from my church to be with our youth once a week.
A lot of my time recently has actually been spent brainstorming and meeting with different advisers to get input into the loan program we want to launch in Khayelitsha in the next couple of months. It is exciting that we will be putting something in place that will be helping better provide for the needs of the youth and their families through helping them start businesses, but it is a bit daunting to do it well and work out all the details.
So please pray for this program and for all of Africa Jam's projects to be led forth by God's Spirit. Also please continue to pray for the youth we work with, specifically the ones I mentioned last time who were dealing with the rape recovery and the drug addiction. Thanks so much and please send me all of your updates and prayer requests. Peace
Ryan
The past month has flown by. And it was a seriously hot month. I think that February is the warmest month of the year with several days reaching up to nearly 100 degrees. I sweat driving around town, but thankfully I now have those tinted windows (courtesy of the guy who stole it) on my car to keep some of the heat out. Haha.
The day to day work that Africa Jam has really gotten back up and running for the year. We started our after school program in the community of Lotus River again with over 40 kids coming. Its quite a challenge to try and quiet down and teach guitar to such a large number of 5th, 6th, and 7th graders though, haha. We also started our tutoring program in Khayelitsha again, bringing University of Cape Town students from my church to be with our youth once a week.
A lot of my time recently has actually been spent brainstorming and meeting with different advisers to get input into the loan program we want to launch in Khayelitsha in the next couple of months. It is exciting that we will be putting something in place that will be helping better provide for the needs of the youth and their families through helping them start businesses, but it is a bit daunting to do it well and work out all the details.
So please pray for this program and for all of Africa Jam's projects to be led forth by God's Spirit. Also please continue to pray for the youth we work with, specifically the ones I mentioned last time who were dealing with the rape recovery and the drug addiction. Thanks so much and please send me all of your updates and prayer requests. Peace
Ryan
Thursday, February 5, 2009
January Summary
Hey Everyone,
I apologize that it has taken me so long to get back to you after my last email and update about camp. I have been waiting to get pictures from our camp so I could post them and send you all the link (pictures always make the words more clear). But I have to update give an update about our big youth camp that happened from Jan. 4-9. It was an incredible week. Out of the last 3 camps I have been to, it was the best yet. This was so amazing to me coming out of a year with such transition in the organization - to see God work it all out in the end showed me that He is still behind all that we are doing.
We had 200 people from all over Cape Town and a large visiting group from the US. Once again it was so cool to see all the relationships that were built, fun that was had, and walls that were broken down. Since camp has ended I have spoken to many who tell me how much God did in their lives over this week. And it incredible to hear about the diversity of things that God did in each individual life, including introducing Himself to some for the first time.
Riding on the wave of excitement, we have been planning and preparing for the year for our day to day work in the schools and with after-school programs. I am especially excited about planning our small loan project to help provide income for some of the youth and families we work with. So as the schools have gotten back from vacation, we are getting back into the swing of things.
However, we are always faced with the hard realities of life, humanity, and some of the communities we work in. Just this past week, I had a youth come to me and share his battle with drug addiction. And a girl heavily involved in one of our programs was abducted, forced to witness robberies, and was raped. Thankfully she got away and is in the process of proper counseling. So I would really ask for prayers for these two youth specifically for healing and comfort. As well as wisdom from our team as how to better serve the youth. Thanks so much for all your continued support and prayers. Peace
Ryan
http://picasaweb.google.com/decookr (pics of things this year in "Cape Town 09" folder
I apologize that it has taken me so long to get back to you after my last email and update about camp. I have been waiting to get pictures from our camp so I could post them and send you all the link (pictures always make the words more clear). But I have to update give an update about our big youth camp that happened from Jan. 4-9. It was an incredible week. Out of the last 3 camps I have been to, it was the best yet. This was so amazing to me coming out of a year with such transition in the organization - to see God work it all out in the end showed me that He is still behind all that we are doing.
We had 200 people from all over Cape Town and a large visiting group from the US. Once again it was so cool to see all the relationships that were built, fun that was had, and walls that were broken down. Since camp has ended I have spoken to many who tell me how much God did in their lives over this week. And it incredible to hear about the diversity of things that God did in each individual life, including introducing Himself to some for the first time.
Riding on the wave of excitement, we have been planning and preparing for the year for our day to day work in the schools and with after-school programs. I am especially excited about planning our small loan project to help provide income for some of the youth and families we work with. So as the schools have gotten back from vacation, we are getting back into the swing of things.
However, we are always faced with the hard realities of life, humanity, and some of the communities we work in. Just this past week, I had a youth come to me and share his battle with drug addiction. And a girl heavily involved in one of our programs was abducted, forced to witness robberies, and was raped. Thankfully she got away and is in the process of proper counseling. So I would really ask for prayers for these two youth specifically for healing and comfort. As well as wisdom from our team as how to better serve the youth. Thanks so much for all your continued support and prayers. Peace
Ryan
http://picasaweb.google.com/decookr (pics of things this year in "Cape Town 09" folder
Friday, January 2, 2009
Back to CT
Hello Friends,
I hope that you all had a great Christmas and holiday season. Mine was amazing, especially since I got to see or chat to many of you. My few weeks in the states were very busy with fundraising and catching up with friends and family, but it was a great time.
Two nights ago I arrived safely back in Cape Town. It was a long flight and Im a bit worn out, but adjusting. It's always hard to leave home, but much easier to arriving in a place where Ive been able to build so many great relationships.
The main reason I had to return so quickly was our big youth camp for the year. We are starting in a couple days (Jan 4-9). We are trusting it will be a great camp as it has been in the past, with 150 youth from all over Cape Town attending. So...
Please pray for: 1) Camp to run smoothly and for local leaders to be raised up - 2) Everyone attending to be touched by the love of God
Thanks for all your continued support and prayers. Looking forward to walking forward with you in 2009. Peace
Ryan
I hope that you all had a great Christmas and holiday season. Mine was amazing, especially since I got to see or chat to many of you. My few weeks in the states were very busy with fundraising and catching up with friends and family, but it was a great time.
Two nights ago I arrived safely back in Cape Town. It was a long flight and Im a bit worn out, but adjusting. It's always hard to leave home, but much easier to arriving in a place where Ive been able to build so many great relationships.
The main reason I had to return so quickly was our big youth camp for the year. We are starting in a couple days (Jan 4-9). We are trusting it will be a great camp as it has been in the past, with 150 youth from all over Cape Town attending. So...
Please pray for: 1) Camp to run smoothly and for local leaders to be raised up - 2) Everyone attending to be touched by the love of God
Thanks for all your continued support and prayers. Looking forward to walking forward with you in 2009. Peace
Ryan
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