Gehenna

Last week I was in Freedom Park, a local squatter camp.  I was visiting AIDS patients; praying with them, and bringing them food.  I’ve visited hundreds of AIDS patients during my time in South Africa, but each time I’m shocked at the hopelessness that I find there. 

Truly without hope, beaten down, defeated, no end in sight, despair. 

The word most often used by Jesus to describe hell is “Gehenna,” translated literally, “valley of Hinnom.”  In Jesus’ day the valley of Hinnom was an actual place.  It was the city dump where a fire constantly burned and wild animals fought over the refuse, gnashing their teeth.  When Jesus used the word “Hell” people knew what he meant; they didn’t have to imagine it, they could walk to the edge of town to see “hell.”

Imagine that you are a single mom, inflicted with AIDS.  You are so sick, you can’t rise from your bed to care for your children.  All day, all night, you lay in a 4ft by 6 ft shack with no floor, no windows and a low tin roof, baking in the hot African sun.  You have no control over your bodily fluids.  Your children cook their own food in the shack using paraffin, a waxy petroleum based substance that puts off noxious fumes, burning your throat and eyes.

I can’t help but think that if Jesus wanted to describe hell today he wouldn’t use the word “Gehenna” he would use the word “Freedom Park.”  For those of us blessed with the opportunity to reach out to AIDS patients in Freedom Park, we know hell.

We’ve seen it, smelled it, touched it, felt it’s heat breathing down our backs, its stench has burned our throats, and its fumes have burned our eyes.  To me, hell is not only just a place in the future.  It’s a place here, now, with real people suffering.

Why is this important?  I take the Lord’s prayer quite literally when he says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  I’m confident it’s not the Lord’s will for this mother to suffer alone, dying of AIDS.  I’m confident it’s not the Lord’s will for her children to live as orphans.

My mission is to bring Heaven to earth.  Or more accurately, to destroy Hell with the incredible, overwhelming, life changing, life bringing, renewing, sustaining, healing love of God.

I’ve seen hell. 

I’ve seen God’s love. 

Love wins.

~Lincoln

South Africa Stories

Tshepiso* is one of the precious little boys that we’ve been able to work with.  When he was still a baby, his mom died from AIDS.  Tshepiso has horrible eczema because of the AIDS medication he is on.  He has dry and cracked skin from head to toe and he has to wear gloves so that he doesn’t scratch himself.

One day he broke out in blisters on his hands and arms from an infection.  The poor little boy was in so much pain his whole body was shaking.  He looked so pitiful.  I took him to see Dr. Neil (a local doctor who volunteers much of his time working with AIDS patients and orphans).  Tshepiso was put on antibiotics for the blisters.  We all felt so bad for him and were praying for his healing.

Two days later, in our weekly staff meeting, we were told that they could hear Tshepiso all the way in the office yelling, “I’m healed, look at my hands, I’m healed.” It was heartwarming.  Later in the day Tshepiso came up to me to say, “ Take me again. Take me again to Dr. Neil.”

He loves Dr. Neil so much that he actually wants to go to the doctor’s office. To me this was such a perfect example of how God uses people to be His hands and to perform His miracles. It’s nothing short of a God given gift and a miracle for God to send Dr. Neil to help heal the hurting children of South Africa.

*Name changed to protect privacy

~Lincoln

Red Rocks Church Team

We haven't had an internet connection since Sunday, so we haven't been able to update our blog at all.

A missions team from our home church, Red Rocks Church, arrived safely on Monday.  Amazingly, all of their luggage arrived as well!

They have been busy in Freedom Park this week, working on a garden and working with children in the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program.  Today, a few were able to tag along with Dr. Neil (a local doctors who donates his time caring for AIDS patients) as he made his rounds to the different AIDS hospices where he volunteers.

We will be updating and posting pictures as often as we can.

~Jenny

Video Update #1 - Freedom Park

I recently spent some time with Dr. Neil, a friend of ours that cares for AIDS patients in Freedom Park, a squatter camp that we visit once a week.  We were discussing the situation in Freedom Park and talking about the cycle of poverty there.

The video below gives you a small glimpse into the poverty and desperation that a woman with AIDS finds herself in after she has had several kids with several husbands/boyfriends and now finds herself with AIDS and no way out.

I remember the day a few years ago when it occurred to me that these women sell themselves not out of a love of debauchery and immorality, but out of a desperate struggle to feed themselves and their children.  These women often have such a hopeless and helpless spirit, that only the love of Christ can rescue them.



~Lincoln

Freedom Park

Lincoln recently came across a good article about life in Freedom Park, an illegal squatter camp in South Africa. The article also has information about an AIDS Hospice called Tapologo. We have visited Tapologo with Dr. Neil, a local doctor who volunteers his time to work at AIDS clinics and at the Lighthouse Shelter.

Lincoln's SA Trip - Feb. 2009 - Dr. Neil and an AIDS clinic

Pastor Chad and Dr. Neil

Pastor Shawn and Pastor Chad talking to an AIDS patient.

Kevin filming for the Red Rocks Church "Africa" sermon series.


Dr. Neil is a South African doctor who volunteers his time to care for the children at the Lighthouse Children's Shelter and for patients at several different AIDS clinics around Rustenburg, SA. Dr. Neil is an amazing man and we look forward to being able to work with him again when we return next year.