More than Safe...

Recent headlines about South Africa have not been very encouraging. Stories about violence, xenophobia, and army involvement have probably left many Americans feeling at the very least a bit concerned about South Africa as a nation.

I would like to assure everyone that we here at Thrive Africa are quite safe. Living on a remote game reserve 3 hours from major cities does have its advantages. The violence is fairly contained to poor township areas around Johannesburg and is rooted in complicated issues of poverty and immigration. South Africans do not hate foreigners in a xenophobic sense at all. I personally was in Qwa qwa just the other day and it was as safe and calm as it always is. I plan to return next week with no fear in my mind. South Africa needs prayer (as does every country) but it is by no means falling into anarchy.

In fact we at Thrive are more than safe here in South Africa, we are blessed.
We are blessed to teach LaunchPad classes that disciple youth in seven locations. We are blessed to take part in an amazing Leadership Summit program that helps students at six different schools in Qwa qwa. We are blessed to facilitate mission teams from America that do ministry house to house and village to village passionately and effectively.

Most of all we are blessed by a God who has given us the opportunity to have an eternal impact in a place where no one else is ministering. My prayer is that no one who is committed to coming to Thrive this summer will be persuaded to stay at home because of the headlines on CNN. God is going to do great and amazing things this summer. Come be a part!