[article.] Word to Durban, South Africa (November)

Published on November 22, 2012

When you grow up spending most of your life celebrating thanksgiving and find yourself in a country where “thanksgiving” is irrelevant, I must admit it’s kind of weird.  South Africa and the U.S share very different histories so naturally, South Africans have no reason to celebrate Thanksgiving for the reason us Americans do. Either way, as an American currently living abroad I plan on celebrating thanksgiving the best way I can, and as a start I’ll use this blog to do so.

Something I am truly thankful to God for is the way he has provided for my needs. Before I left the U.S to start the ministry God had laid on my heart, I had a stable job, great friends and family all in the good ol U.S.A.  Before leaving to work abroad, most missionaries secure a base of donors who support them on a monthly basis.

I left the U.S knowing that I would not be supported to that degree and pretty much had to just trust that God would provide for my needs once I had made the move to South Africa.

The first year of being in South Africa was certainly the hardest.  I stayed at my parents place for a full year and lived off my savings until such time as I was able to get a job in the city of Durban, the city I felt being called to start the ministry work that I do in. When all my savings were finished, I pretty had reached rock bottom.  God opened up a door and way for me to move to the city.

Today I can say that I am truly thankful to God for all the ways he has provided for me in enabling me to be in a position to carry out the work I believe he has called me to.  My current employer is extremely supportive of the mission work I do and has even gone to the extent of literally supporting it.

My goal as a missionary is to always be in a position to use my profession as a way to spread the gospel.  As a video editor and producer, I’ve always thought that a big reason why God had called me to South Africa was for the purpose of using media as a way of leading people to a better understanding of the gospel.  Two months ago for whatever reason, one of South Africa’s most famous DJ’s asked me to produce the music video for his upcoming album.  I saw this as a great opportunity to minister to youth all over Africa through the production and editing of such a piece.  To my surprise, the song I did the music video for is currently in the top 3 in South Africa and well over 10,000 South Africans have seen the video.

There is so much we can all be thankful for.

Take time this Thanksgiving to reflect on God’s goodness and grace. The more I do, the more I realize how amazing faithful and gracious He is. God bless.

—  Ndumiso Mafu

 

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