GERSHWIN

Gershwin This blog post is not about music, not about that music style that Gershwin the composer professed. It is a about a normal man, a man that suffers, a man that is desperate, a man that needs God. I am talking about Gershwin who lives near the area that I find myself these days: a suburb area of Cape Town. He lost his son of little age not long ago. Now he wants to give his son at least a proper place. He needs money for his coffin. He walks the streets to ask people for money. He walks the streets like so many people do. Some among them are not safe people……….but some are. One day, my doorbell rang. I went to see who it was. I kept the door closed for I did not know this man. He said: “Ma’am, I saw your car parked outside here and I thought I could ask you”. Then He went on telling his story. All that time, I am praying for insight, praying for wisdom. “Is this a safe person God or is this trouble?” My guts told me to step out of the door and pray with this man. SO I did. I prayed for open doors for him and for the money that he needed for his child’s coffin to come through. As we both said AMEN, I felt compelled to give 30 Rand towards that coffin. (30 RAND equals about 3 $ and 80 cents). The man started crying and thanked me. I encouraged him some more and he was on his way again. Gershwin was his name and I never forgot that name. In the nights I would pray for him asking God to bless Gershwin, to help Gershwin mourn his child’s early death and to provide for him. Three days later, my doorbell rang again. “Ma’am, do you remember me? I was the one man you prayed for a few days ago?” Surely I did. “It’s you, Gershwin?” I heard Gershwin start to cry. He was so touched that I remembered his name. He said: “This time I come because I need God and I want to be his child, Ma’am, can you please lead me to the LORD? Now?” I stood behind the door, still, praising God and in awe. I opened the door and came outside to lead Gershwin to Jesus. After the prayer, he looked at me with such shining eyes. “Now, I am a proud son of God, Ma’am!!” Hope filled this man’s face and heart and he showed me even the receipt of the funeral home where they had the coffin for his little child. I encouraged Gershwin in his new identity in Jesus now some more and off he went. At the end of the day I stand before my God, still in awe, thankful and praying for Gershwin that God provides for him, that God protects him and that now a new relationship between God and Gershwin can grow! Halleluhja!!! A new son in the kingdom, Lord please let Gershwin grow in you and give him hope for his every day life!

McGyver

McGyver Do you remember the series on TV in the 80is called “McGyver”? He was the one who could fix everything with the coolest tools. He was cool and he always had new ideas. If someone always knows how to fix things in new ways…I say this one can “mcgyver” things pretty well! I say, this one is a true McGyver. Can you follow me? I know a true McGyver. It is a Madame McGyver and I call her that a lot and we both grin. I want to introduce you to Madame McGyver, to my Madame McGyver: Her name is Granny Jenny and I live and stay here with her. She is a true Madame McGyver. She knows how to make a door UNsqueek, she knows how to get a stain of heavy paint out of my pants even after that one had been washed 3 times in the machine! She comes and just “mcgyvers” it!! I really loved watching that series on TV in the 80ies. And I love calling Granny Jenny Madame McGyver. Do you know a true “McGyver” in your life? I mean the ultimate McGyver is Jesus, the one who restores, the one who saves, the one who who knows it all very wel……yeah I guess that is HIM then, hugh? This post is for Granny Jenny and even more this post goes to my one and only real Mr. McGyver, my Savior, the one who saves my day, the one who heals my broken soul and helps me to see the world from different angles!!

niceMEMORY

I am looking at this picture. A few moments ago, while I was going through all my pictures on my computer, I stumbled over this one. It shows a scene from 8 ½ years ago. Back then, I was a freshly converted Christian (3 months old) and this was my first international student conference. That day I met Steven. He is from Africa. I don’t remember from which country. It has been a while . I was a bit late to get to my workshop about parents and family issues. I bumped into him at the stairs. We started chatting and went into a good conversation and some deep talk about family and generations. After two hours, I realized that Steven was my workshop for that day. In the evening, we had a session with everyone in the big hall and I sat with Steven not knowing what would happen. That night was a night with MISSIONS as the big topic. It did not really interest that much. However, I listened to the sermon. At the end the guy who presented that whole evening asked if we knew where God wanted to send us or if we had asked HIM about a special country. Had God put a country on our heart? Why shouldn’t we ask right there and then. I did not see me doing missions or going anywhere as a “missionary” (isn’t that funny? I am laughing here, God DOES have humor!!). “Oh well”, I thought and asked God in a little prayer. OOPS, I did hear something but totally disregarded it. I heard AFRICA. Oh well, I said to myself, that is not coming from God. I was talking to Steven earlier and he is from Africa and Missions and Africa kind of go hand in hand….no, God did not speak to me.” Having decided that, I tried to follow the rest of the evening session. Then I quickly forgot. MISSIONS and MISSIONARIES just did not really get me; get my attention for some reason. After I met the South African Pastor Xavier Adriaanse in July of 2006, I looked at GOD with a fearful heart and let HIM speak into my heart about this matter….finally….like 6 years after that first night sitting next to an African Christian. God said that night: It was me, Kerstin. The voice you heard was from me and I gave you the word: AFRICA. BOOOOM! Oh well, here I am, in one of the most beautiful countries of that same continent!! That moment there was a really great one and I will always remember it. Steven and I in Aschaffenburg, Germany in April 2000.