Hume International Ministries

Our next team will leave for Okinawa, Japan on Tuesday, April 02.
The purpose of their trip is to run a spring break camp for American high school students whose parents are stationed there as US military personnel. This is an exciting opportunity to partner with Buddy Rathmall and Malachi Ministries as many of these students have never been to a church related activity before. others are solid believers who are looking for a spiritual boost before their families are posted to other bases across the world.

Our last full day: cleaning, showering, relaxing and enjoying a fabulous meal hosted by the Nel family.

Our final push to tie up those pesky loose ends while cleaning and organizing the cabinetry. All that remained was the arrival and installation of counter tops and a special surprise.

To all you back in the States, I thank you for your prayers and support. This trip has been amazing! I could write a small novel with all that I want to say, but will resist for your sake. South Africa is beautiful, wide open plains surrounded by an army of large mountains. The camp is nestled in the midst of some of those mountains and surrounded by the greenest grass. The work on the kitchen has been going great! We have most everything built and are waiting on counter tops. There have been countless side projects as well and they all are complete. We have been working long days, all of us, and God continues to bless us with energy and health which has been astounding. Nick and Isabel have been incredibly hospitable, opening their home and sharing the joy of their 3 wonderful little girls.
Their oldest Abby (2 years old), is just the cutest little girl and her running around talking in Afrikaans lightens our work day. She is nothing but smiles and laughs. Right now she is chopping play dough onto the floor in front of me. God is great!
- ERIC TURNER

When I found out I was coming on this trip, I was wondering how I could help to remodel a kitchen. I knew I could hold the babies, and cook and clean, but I had no idea that I could learn how to use a router, install drawer guides, assemble drawer boxes and make something come out “square”. Honestly, I have been so blessed by PK’s willingness to teach me and have been thrilled by all that I have been able to do here. I hope Niklaas and Isabel will be blessed by our work.
Today, we had a wonderful experience in a near-by township, which is home to about ten thousand Sotho people. I was struck by their poverty, and was near tears several times during our time there. We played Hume style games with all the children, served them cakes and juice we had made. My favorite moment was when I sat on the grass with a small group of the youngest children and made beaded bracelets with them. We could not understand each other’s words, but we communicated just the same. Their smiles and hugs warmed my mother’s heart and reminded me of my sweet grandbabies at home. My time there ended with a tight hug from the pastor’s wife, Maria and the words “I love you”. What an amazing thing that even though we had never met, it was our common relationship with Jesus that bound us together.
The Lord made this trip possible for me. (I found out I was going three days before we left) I praise Him for this gift. I will not be the same person when I get home. I have found out that with His help, I can do things I thought I couldn’t do, and I have seen Him in the faces of His people here in South Africa, and the amazing work that He is doing in this beautiful place.
- EUGENIE LILLEY

Our God is so amazing. We all took a ride into the township today. Everyone had a part in serving or playing with the kids of Rosendal and Pastor John. The older kids were split up into four large teams; I counted at least 25-30 per team. They enjoyed playing Kajabi Kan Kan, fight or flight, and Belly Bumper Soccer. The younger children made bead bracelets. It was an awesome hands on experience for them. I really enjoyed the Kulenyane dancing some of the kids performed for us before we left the township. Keep us all in your prayers. Love ya-
- ROSA COMPEAN

With only 2 1/2 days left we focused on finishing well. There aren’t as many photos because we were all busy working.

Today was to be spent in a nearby township running recreation for a local church. Our goal was to bring some exposure to the ministry while providing students a chance to enjoy Hume style games.

When I found out I was coming on this trip, I was wondering how I could help to remodel a kitchen. I knew I could hold the babies, and cook and clean, but I had no idea that I could learn how to use a router, install drawer guides, assemble drawer boxes and make something come out “square”. Honestly, I have been so blessed by PK’s willingness to teach me and have been thrilled by all that I have been able to do here. I hope Niklaas and Isabel will be blessed by our work.
Today, we had a wonderful experience in a near-by township, which is home to about ten thousand Sotho people. I was struck by their poverty, and was near tears several times during our time there. We played Hume style games with all the children, served them cakes and juice we had made. My favorite moment was when I sat on the grass with a small group of the youngest children and made beaded bracelets with them. We could not understand each other’s words, but we communicated just the same. Their smiles and hugs warmed my mother’s heart and reminded me of my sweet grandbabies at home. My time there ended with a tight hug from the pastor’s wife, Maria and the words “I love you”. What an amazing thing that even though we had never met, it was our common relationship with Jesus that bound us together.
The Lord made this trip possible for me. (I found out I was going three days before we left) I praise Him for this gift. I will not be the same person when I get home. I have found out that with His help, I can do things I thought I couldn’t do, and I have seen Him in the faces of His people here in South Africa, and the amazing work that He is doing in this beautiful place.
– EUGENIE LILLEY

Our God is so amazing. We all took a ride into the township today. Everyone had a part in serving or playing with the kids of Rosendal and Pastor John. The older kids were split up into four large teams; I counted at least 25-30 per team. They enjoyed playing Kajabi Kan kan, fight or flight, and Belly Bumper Soccer. The younger children made bead bracelets. It was an awesome hands on experience for them. I really enjoyed the Kulenyane dancing some of the kids performed for us before we left the township. Keep us all in your prayers. Love ya-
– ROSA COMPEAN

As the work progresses, our photo collection dwindles. The days have become a blur and all the photos look the same. Here are a few snapshots from pre and post meal times.

My apologies for the sporadic updates. Internet access is not that great. So far the trip has been good but today was difficult. It seems the cabinets declared war on us and would not co-operate. Gotta run. Another late work night.

PK

I think that all humanitarians are secretly believers in God though they may have convinced themselves otherwise. Naturalists and pastoralists too. It’s amazing to be here on the other side of the world in the midst of all this grandeur and splendor that in so many ways reminds me of home and at the same time is completely alien. The moon is upside down so it waxes the wrong way. The rock formations look like something you might see in Utah or Arizona but they’re the wrong color. And I don’t recognize any of the star constellations. But it’s still awe-inspiringly, jaw-droppingly, remarkably lovely. We’ve been having some rainstorms with deafening thunder, and we had our own little version of a star-talk the other night, which only made me think of how Jeff Lilley always follows his star-talks with How Great Thou Art. The lyrics reflect perfectly our experience here: O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder/Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made/I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder/Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then in the midst of all this beauty, we are here doing all this work—repairs, cleaning, tearing down old fences, putting up new ones, helping take care of children, swapping recipes around a cup of rooibos (Isabel taught us how to make rusks and we taught her how to make pie)—to help our brothers. But what is a brother without a Father to lead us and bind us? It makes me think this is how is must have been in the early church, with the apostles going off to other parts of the world and helping other people establish churches and do what they do better—whose children did they watch after? What recipes did they swap? What projects did they help finish? And in the midst of it all, the Lord’s presence, and us in the midst of Him. Wow.
– KELSEY FORBES

The day started with news of a successful hunt. From then on it was head down ’til the day was done.