molo from south africa!

Molo from south Africa!

FINALLY, here is my first blog update from cape town! My time here has been great so far! I do have to say that I am sorry that it has taken me so long to update but I feel that as we get settled into more of a schedule I will be able to figure out more times to spend communicating with everyone! I just wanted to do a brief overview of my time here so far:

Travelling was amazing! We truly had the Father’s travelling mercies! Our flights and layovers went so smoothly and the Lord surrounded us with the kindest, most open people on each flight! On my first flight from OKC I sat next to the most incredible woman of God, who was just overflowing with the light, love and joy of Jesus! It was really orchestrated that we were sitting next to each other because I LOVE flying and she is scared of flying! We soon learned that we both loved Jesus and I got to pray for her and contend for her during the flight and she spent time praying over me and encouraging me. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to sit next to! A quick story about the goodness and power of God: the pilot came over the speaker and told us that when they were flying to Tulsa the flight before there was pretty bad turbulence most of the way because of a storm. We soon hit some crazy turbulence, the worst I have felt in a while. Of course my dear friend was NOT enjoying the bumpy ride, so I just began praying peace over her and praying the turbulence to calm down. I got a picture of huge angels on either side of our plane surrounding us and also going before the plane and smoothing out the clouds. As soon as I shared this with her and declared this as truth, the turbulence STOPPED! And there was no more turbulence the rest of the plane ride! Praise God! Nothing is too big for him!

I LOVE where I get to live! I live at All Nations main team house and meeting place, called Africa House. The majority of the students in CPx live there as well, and the rest live in a house right across the street. I live in a room with the two norman girls and a girl from Florida named Nicole. There are 42 students in CPx and we represent 12 different nations: USA, UK, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Colombia and Canada. I LOVE living in community and with people from all over the world! I was definitely made for community housing and it is so fun and energizing to get to be with people all day long.

Two of the students in our class are from Masiphumelele (Masi), the township community that I have worked in each time I have come here! One is a woman named Vovo who is around my age who has fully given her life to Jesus and the other is Lucas, a former Rastafarian who has encountered the living God and been consumed by his grace and love. It is so sweet to get to go hand in hand with the sweet fruit from seeds sown into the community! God is doing so much in Masi. SO much has changed since I first went in 2007. The locals will tell you, Masi is NOT the same place! The atmosphere is changing and God is turning hearts to himself. Most of you will remember that when I was there in 2008 our team spent a lot of time praying that a curse that was over the land would be broken off. For many years on the 16th of December there would be a massive fire that would destroy dozens of homes. That year there was no fire! And Vovo shared with me that since then there have been no more big fires like that! The people of Masi are beginning to know that have a Father who loves them and is protecting them!

Here is a little bit of an idea of my weekly schedule:
Tuesday and Wednesday: Teaching days (from 8 to 5)
Thursday, Friday and Sunday: In the township communities
Saturday: Work day
Monday: Rest day

Our first week of class began last Monday and I really enjoyed it so much. We did a lot of orientation and getting to know another. We even spent one day at an adventure camp doing team building activities. It has been so stirring and exciting to get to have a few class sessions with Papa Floyd (the founder of All Nations and our primary teacher). We also spent a small amount of time going into each of the townships and prayer walking to begin receiving the Lord’s heart for his people there. I found out that I am on the Masi team. I will explain more about that later, but I know that the Lord has so much for my time in Masi these next few months. He has been giving me so much vision and excitement for what he has for our team in Masi! As most of you know it is my heart’s desire to learn a language. One of the African guys in CPx has offered to give Xhosa (the main language spoken in the black townships) lessons! We had our first lesson and my heart was so alive and excited thinking about getting to spend three months learning a language! English is spoken a little bit by most people in Masi; however, language truly is an instant bridge when you are able to connect with someone in their heart language! I can’t wait!

I really am so expectant of my time here in Cape Town. I feel that the Lord has been saying that this is a time of JOY and a time of drawing to the deep places of His heart. I know the Lord is going to pour out much of his heart and vision for my life, but more than anything my heart cries out to see God face to face and to be consumed by His love! I am praying that this is a season of being overwhelmed with God’s heart. I want to be one with Jesus, loving the things he loves, mourning for the things he mourns for and longing for what he longs for. I pray that each of you is doing well and that you are filled with the love, truth and joy of being children of God!
MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL!
Whitney

PS I can not check facebook at the team house, so the best way to contact me is my email: WhitneyElise211@hotmail.com I would LOVE to hear from you!!!

OH here is a pic of me on my birthday! i celebrated my 23rd birthday last thursday...and i received my first birthday sunburn!! i LOVED having my first summer birthday :) thanks to all my friends and family who loved me so well from across the world!