Information about ThriveAfrica

Written Morning 1-28-08

Orientation is over and I start classes in less than an hour. We had a staff meeting this morning and I thought it would be good to explain Thrive more as I have learned a lot about them this past week.
ThriveAfrica is celebrating 10 years of existence. It was started in 1998 by Niel and Alece Van Rensberg. Niel is a white South African and Alece an American. They got married around 2000 and purchased the base where the ministry is now located in 2002.
The base is a 2,500 acre game reserve with over 400 animals. Zebra, Wildebeest, Blesbok, Lechwe and Horses are all present. There are three mountains on the base, Mooihoek, Mount Everest and Eagle Mountain (also known as Glen’s Head). It has a campsite and a number of chalets on the property that are open to guests.
Thrive currently does a number of ministries in the township areas of Intabazwe and Qwa Qwa (on a map it is labeled Phutaditjhaba). These areas are adjacent and near the town of Harrismith, respectively.

The ministries include
1) Launchpad, biblical discipleship classes taught afterschool for young people but open to all.
2) Leadership summit, which is taught in local schools, that focuses on teaching young people positive principles and specifically AIDS prevention.
3) Hand in Hand, pastor conferences which happen a few times a year where pastors come from all over to receive teaching, ideas, training and support on the base.
4) Youth Camps, which happen during school holiday season (in September) where we bus in township kids to our base and we give them the time of their lives, with fun, teaching, and love.
5) Hope House, an orphanage in Harrismith where we visit weekly to give the kids lessons, fun and love.
6) Mission team hosting, where we host teams from churches in America and facilitate their experience, including shelter, food, and ministry activities.
7) Thrive Trip, where a mission team made up of many different young people from across the states comes for a slightly longer short term trip that includes many of the same things that other mission teams do it just is for 3 weeks.
8) Internships, which include twenty4seven and Outreach staff. Twenty4seven is my internship where young people come for a year of classes, work and ministry to prepare them for missions long-term. Outreach is a 2 month summer internship where young people come to work with Thrive during that time.

These are the main ministries and an important part is that almost all of these are free to those who attend or participate.
While the mission teams and interns raise their own funds to come here, there are very few revenue streams aside from dedicated giving by people in the states. Over this past week I have gotten to know the staff of ThriveAfrica and I can say they have stepped out in faith to follow the calling of God. This ministry is still small but they have a tremendous vision and desire for growth. Money is needed in all aspects in order to continue and grow the ministry. Would you pray for Thrive in the coming year as the other interns and I partner and work with the staff to bring about the vision of Thrive in our areas of ministry?

Your support and interest has been and continues to be invaluable and a great inspiration to me. Thank you and may God Bless you until I write again.