Our Address
Hello all,
There is a blog post comming so soon, just got back to our laptops. For now, I am posting our adress here, as I have been bombarded with requests for it… we will talk soon, so much to share, I am well and full in and of Him-
Derek and Shea Poe
1 Cartwright Ave
Grahamstown
Eastern Cape
6148
South Africa
heading to the Transkei
We have started to settle in a bit here in SA. Although my head still feels disconnected from my body. Must be the jetlag.
Today we got to meet with a guy named Donovan who has huge plans for South Africa and feels a calling to minister to the schools in the Eastern Cape. He is very organized and seems to have a cool heart for this ministry. Rufus was really excited to have another South African guy who wants to come on board with us and make this happen. That is rare here in SA. I'm finding that it is really rare to have South African churches who want anything to do with ministering to their own people. They may say that they want to be a part of the ministry, but they don't put their money where their mouth is. I want to still investigate this a bit further and talk to SA pastors a bit.
Today is a beautiful South African day. We traveled to East London before we head to the Transkei tomorrow. Today we have a lot of the Mercy Alliance leadership here and we are hanging out before we have a Braii (South African word for BBQ). After today we will be doing a scouting trip for beat the drum.
We are just overfilled with excitement for what God is doing here in SA. I can't believe he has given us this opportunity and we are just stoked to start with it all!
we made it here safely
I can't believe I'm actually writing this post. It's crazy to think that we've finally arrived!
Today we got our phones all set up so that was a huge relief for both Shea and I so we can let all of our friends and family back home know what is going on here and what is affecting our lives.
We went to visit with Peniel and Vera (Bible School teachers/mentors) today and left feeling very encouraged. Peniel has a real heart to serve these students in a way that lines up with our hearts for this ministry. He said today that they aren't looking to raise pastors, but to raise servant hearted leaders. In the Xhosa culture they want to wear this "pastor" tag because it gives them a status. This tag of pastor is also looked down upon in the Xhosa culture as someone who stands in front of a group of people and yells at them and tells them everything that they are doing wrong. I understand why they want to have a status of something...anything...because they want to feel important. They want to feel like they matter in this world and in their culture. Something that we have to challenge and break down.
I think the coolest thing that Peniel said today is that he wants the students actions to tell people who they are and what they're about.
That spoke to me too. I want my actions to reflect who I am and what I'm about. I want my actions to say things like...servant...humble...relational...leader. Instead I think they say things like...prideful...self-serving...and so on. Today I want to make my life look more like Him and consistently learn what that looks like. I want to be changed on the inside so that my outside can reflect that.
a guitar pick
My good friend Brett wrote this about me for a found gift around Christmas time. If you're wondering what a "found gift" is, it is a gift that a person pays nothing for, but finds and gives. It usually is a heartfelt message about what they have seen in you or in your spiritual journey. Thanks Brett for the encouraging words! He found a guitar pick.
I chose a guitar pick to represent the song being written in South Africa with God as the artist and you as the pick.
A pick is the utility used to strum rhythm or pluck the lead on a guitar.
At times, you will have flexible, like a pick, in playing both lead and rhythm at the same time.
You will be strumming the rhythm by forming new foundations in South Africa. The very basis of this song that will make it timeless - building up spiritual leaders that will in turn reproduce other leaders.
You will also be plucking lead because of the HIV/AIDS education you will be teaching. The solo over the song - changing a lot of the mis-education that people subscribe to.
You will have to stay in tune. A guitar needs tuning every few minutes when being played, otherwise it doesn't produce music, just noise. You must constantly be spending time with the Artist to stay in tune with the song He is writing!
You've had your practice time - time to learn and prepare financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Now, it's time to perform.
In the performance, don't forget that He truly is THE artist in this song. You need not know what note to hit ahead in 2 measures or 2 notes, just the willingness and connection with Him to follow his hand in the journey one note at a time.
Good word man.
This is the day! Kinda….
Today was bittersweet. What an amazing journey that God has us on, but it was really hard to leave behind our friends and family. Really hard. Didn't expect it to be really hard, but it was. I'm thinking that is a good thing though. If I wasn't sad I think that would be a bad thing. I think that would mean that we didn't have a community and family around us that we love more than anything. We have been so overwhelmingly blessed by many of your encouraging words, gifts, and prayers.
I read Matthew 5 today on the flight from Kansas City to Chicago. It was crazy how much we felt like this reading was meant for us today...even crazier that I don't even think it was supposed to be our reading for today with Shoal Creek's 7 Journeys.
Matthew 5:3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. (The Message Version)
Jesus brought a different Gospel. One that was counter-intuitive...one that said that those who are poor in spirit will be blessed. One that had a heart for those who had nothing...for the poor. Today we feel like we are at the end of our rope. There is nothing left to put our hope in...and I am pretty sure that is where He wants us. Today we lost all that was dear to us. Our community, family, and friends. I say we lost all that was dear to us, but we truly didn't lose ALL that was dear to us. Africa is very dear to our hearts and we are about to embrace that!
So this is where we find ourselves. A place that only a Father can take us in His chest and hold us close as we leave those we love and hold dear to us. A place where little orphan children may have a hope, a meal, a future. A place where indiginous leaders can emerge and radically change the Transkei for Jesus. A place where mama's and papa's can feel like someone cares about the fact that they are caring for 21+ children.
This isn't for everyone. I didn't think it was for me and I now feel incredibly blessed and humbled tonow be a part of this whole thing. Jesus had a counter-intuitive way of doing life when he walked this earth and related to those around Him. He loved BIG and left the rest to the Father. Where is God calling you to move? It may not be half way around the world, but it may be the cubicle next to you. The single mother caring for all of her children on your block all alone. The homeless guy you see on your way to work every day. I don't know...I'm not trying to say that I have any clue, I just feel like He moves in our uncomfortability. When we go to the end of our rope and have nothing else to rely on but Him.
This is the day! Kinda.....I've been building up this countdown for our leave, but we don't leave the US until the 17th. We are in Buffalo visiting Shea's family and then we will be off. Soooo.... 5 more days!
3 days
Here lately I have found myself pretty emotional. Really high highs and really low lows. Times where I want to cry, times I want to scream out how excited I am, and times where I want to punch through a wall. Today I kinda want to punch through a wall because of all the little things. The things that I didn't think would cause this much trouble in our lives.
We are in the process of trying to cancel our phones, defer our school loans, and set up an IRA. Wow lots to do not much time to blog...only 3 days left...come see us tonight at the Foundry in Westport for a going away partay!!
wow…really?! 6 days!!!!
This is all starting to feel really surreal!
We got a super cool email last night that I wanted to share with all of you. It basically sums up why we're doing what we're doing. Thank you so much for emails of encouragement! They mean so much to us, especially when they come from the innocence of a child. This one is amazing...check it out.
"You visited our small group one night a few months back and since then you have been on my heart. I have been following your blog recently and my 6 year old daughter tonight came up to me and asked what I was looking at. I explained to her where you were going and she had tears in her eyes and said, "But that's too far." Our conversation continued and I allowed her the opportunity to ask questions about the children in the pictures you have posted. We talked about why you were going and what that meant. She so sweetly responded, "Maybe that is something I would like to do, to help people." So thank you for what you are doing, not just on the other side of the world, but right here. I promise it won't be something she forgets."
6 more days before we leave!
8 days of magic
Folks we are getting right down to the nitty gritty!
We are leaving in 8 freaking days! Wow...never thought we'd be this close.
If you didn't know, we are having a potluck at Shoal Creek Community Church on Wednesday the 6th at 6pm. Please come join us if you can make it. It will be a farewell of sorts, but more a celebration of what God is going to do with this mission. There will be prayer and worship and talking and laughing and crying. If you're into that sort of thing we'd love to have you come say goodbye to us.
We are having a second going away party at the Foundry in Westport KC. It is going to be this Saturday the 9th. We'll be there from 7 - 11 pm and would love to see each and every one of you there as well. This will be a good time to come to a chill environment and hang out with us one last time.
Kinda weird to have two going away parties, I know, but they will both be very different and special in different ways. Please pleease pleeeaaase come see us before we leave all we know as comfortable to move into the uncomfortable!
Blogroll
- Church Planting Movement
- Discipleship
- Hunt SA
- meaningfulchurch.com
- Mercy Alliance
- roymoran.com
- Shoal Creek Community Church
Categories
Archives
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009