Dear Family, Partners and Friends, I just returned from a month of meetings in Cape Town and the response from students and churches alike was tremendous. We have held over 100 meetings in South Africa in the past year and the momentum of our endeavors has begun to grow, not just through the television and media side, but through the communities as well. God has opened amazing doors of future ministry here that we are honored to invest in.
A great deal of our focus on this trip was in the extremely poor communities, including Mitchell’s Plain, one of South Africa’s largest townships. This colored community carries the burden of being neither black nor white and are therefore stigmatized in many areas of society. But it has been among this community that God has chosen to pour out His grace and power. The school events during the day have been unusual in that there is a diverse mix of faiths and ethnicity. Normally this would pose problems for any communication of the Gospel, but in fact it has been one of the strengths. Unlike the schools in the USA, we are allowed here to preach the Gospel in each and every assembly. Granted, some ask that we keep it a bit neutral, but all do encourage the communication faith, and I am more than willing to communicate authentic faith in Christ!
My friends from Radio Tygerburg in Cape Town were thrilled to get a picture with “Eve”.
This young man recognized us from our Daystar program which airs in South Africa.
As the snakes are used as a visual example and the message that follows captures the heart, it is the manifest presence of God that confirms the word spoken. Young people begin to weep openly as God exposes the hurting areas in their hearts; addiction, rejection, suicide and hopelessness has left a generation hungry and desperate for answers. The message of Christ brings that hope in a powerful way.
At an event in an area called Valhalla Park, amid crack houses, gangsters and squalor, a school had a powerful visitation from the Holy Ghost. As we brought out the snakes, explaining the principle of everything that is small grows, the visual of the small, medium and giant snakes did exactly what they were created to do - expose the nature of sin.
As God stepped into the room, a hush descended on the 300 in attendance. Teachers, administrators and students looked at each other, amazed at what was happening and what they were feeling. The spirit of God was a tangible force, imparting life to all. After the event, the administrators were amazed, thinking our events were purely animalbased morality tales, not knowing that the snakes were strictly used as examples and that the real message and example was Jesus and His heart for young people! A week later we were in another school and the same thing happened; in fact it happens in every school and church we attend. Whether it be Brazil or South Africa, God shows up and shows off!
The principal from Valhalla approached me asking if we would please come back, that in fact the Muslim teachers and students were asking that we return, having never experienced anything like that before. I was thrilled to see that Jesus, when communicated in the purity of His Word, will reveal Himself to all men.
In another colored school we had many young people approach our team after the event and want to speak to us. Muslim girls would come forward revealing self-inflicted scars, done in desperate attempts to silence the internal pain they were experiencing, asking if we could pray for them and expecting Jesus to really help them. Stories of sexual abuse, incest, suicidal thoughts, anorexia, addiction, divorce, adultery and possession were common as the young people approached us for prayer.
This type of thing happened again and again, regardless of the school or color of their skin, Jesus wanted to touch and heal all who were in need.
After a week of school meetings, the culmination was a 3-day weekend event at a local school or church. These meetings were designed to avail the young people to come and experience more of what God had started during the week. As the churches filled and expectant hearts expressed faith, God again showed up to continue His mighty work. Young and old not only experienced an 18 foot, 260 pound python, but were touched by the power of the Gospel and the presence of God.
We also held Life Events, meetings whose sole purpose is to expose the lie of suicide. Utilizing the powerful tool “Sea of Trees”, these events are a continual source of life and deliverance. As the church lights fall, the video begins to play. Without fail, in every event we hold, young people will begin to weep before the conclusion of the video. The power of God will fall at times with such force, that people will fall from their chairs, manifesting the pain and spiritual bondage that is slowly killing them. After the video I share a very short message about my father, his suicide and the freedom that Jesus can bring, and the altars are open for prayer. Hundreds of young and old alike come forward desperate to receive a touch from Jesus. And without fail, their faith, in Him, is always rewarded.
Stories of deliverance, healing and salvation continued for days after the events, confirming to me that we desperately need to get the message of LIFE to a generation before it is too late.
I have already confirmed 4 events in South Africa for 2014, and Cape Town is quickly becoming a destination ordained of God. Although it was an unusually long trip, I felt it was necessary to invest on many fronts, realizing the seed planted today, is tomorrow’s harvest. I am confident that our efforts are not in vain!
Thanks again for your continued partnership; we could not do any of this without you!
Chad & Shay Daniel