Oasis

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When you hear the word "oasis", what sorts of word pictures form in your mind?  Do you envision a cluster of coconut-laden palms rising from a glistening pool of blue water in the middle of a sandy dune?  Most people would.  Throw in a few camels and you'd pretty much cover it.

Today we visited a church where many Seed of Hope staffers attend, which is located in Amanzimtoti and is aptly named "Oasis Church".  It was just exactly that.  Not knowing what to expect, we arrived and quickly took our seats, awaiting the service to begin.  We were simply another little group of visitors; no fanfare, no grand welcome.  It allowed us to take in our surroundings and to notice, for example, a huge mural painted on a wall hanging- the church's vision statement: "Our vision is to see people come to know and love Jesus, becoming dedicated followers of Christ to the glory of God through the church".  Sound familiar?

Oasis church became for us a place where our souls received a cool drink of the water Jesus offers; that life-giving, living water that refreshes and replenishes.  From the familiar songs we sang, to the opportunity to pray over babies being dedicated, to an excellent message titled "the gospel according to Joseph", we felt that our worlds are not so dissimilar and not as far apart as we once thought.  It was so evident that we did not bring God to South Africa;  He has been here since the beginning and is alive and at work in the hearts of the people here.

Our visit to Oasis Church was an amazing time of worship and rejuvenation.  Tomorrow we head back to Seed of Hope to begin our second week there, and we're ready and willing to see God's plans unfold.

Simply an amazing privilege to serve these precious people.  Pray for the team to run the race set out before us, trusting that He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it.  Pray for the Seed of Hope staff to feel confident about sharing their stories with us.

Thank you for your continued partnership and prayer.
Angela