This is something from Jessica, one of our FYM participants in Johannesburg, South Africa:

I can sit here and post pictures of our girls’ night out and I can tell you about how we went bowling one night, or even post pictures of

girls braiding my hair and kids sitting on our shoulders. We get beautiful sunrises and sunsets day after day, both here and in Swaziland. We have electricity and running water where we live and people helping us cook every meal.

I can also sit and tell you about the difficulties our team has faced. While at training camp, Carly fell and spent several weeks wearing a sling because of a shoulder injury. Shortly after arriving in South Africa, Sam had bronchitis and Val had tonsillitis. While we were in Swazi, sickness passed around the Alabanza staff, and it’s been running through our team since we returned. One day 7 team members were not able to make it out to the ministry site.

Let us not forget the people we run into every day. 5,500 people a day are dying in Africa from HIV/AIDS alone. The tsunami that hit southeast Asia was a disaster, but every month 150,000 people die in Africa of this virus.

Then there are the many people diagnosed with tuberculosis, and all of the children suffering from malnutrition. There are all the abandoned babies in hospitals. We’ve met person after person supporting children out of their own pockets, running care points, etc, but it’s still not enough.

We came not only to share eternal life with these people, but to be Jesus. We could spend hours sitting and just being with one person, or we can walk from bed to bed in the hospitals praying with everyone. Sometimes ministry may be as simple as taking the bag of chips we’re eating and handing it out of the car window to a beggar in the street.

While you sit and read these newsletters and look at the pictures, realize that this life isn’t all a joy ride. I’ve been blessed to backpack in Morocco and spend a month in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. I’ve lived in several different countries and met many amazing people. But I also get to see the face of death day after day. I know 2 year old Americans who are the same size as 4 or 5 year olds here. Every day people are not only dying of disease and illness, but they are dying without Christ. Jesus came to earth to “seek and save the lost.” As we practice “pure and faultless religion” of assisting widows and orphans, we are also bringing the Word of God.

As you read about our adventures, and especially the fun times our group has, don’t forget about the reality of life we face day after day.