by D.A., University of Texas

I had the opportunity to go with my family to South Africa for two weeks in January 2009. The saints there do not get many visitors because it is not a place that you pass through, and it is expensive to get there. However, we decided it would be worth it to pay the price and go and be able to blend with the saints as well as see the beautiful country. We spent about six days in Pretoria. Our time there was so precious. Even though our trip was a family vacation, we split up and stayed with different saints. I would not have had it any other way. My sister and I stayed with a sister serving full-time with college students and it was so sweet. We had planned to not fill every second with touristy activities so that we could just take time to be with the saints. We were able to have really good fellowship about the church in Pretoria, the situation with the saints and the college students, her experiences with serving, and our experiences in Austin. I really enjoy when the members can open up to each other and share their experiences and burdens, because it broadens my view of the Lord's move and operation on this earth, gives me a heart for the saints in other localities, and gives me a specific way to pray for them that they could receive the supply in the Body and be encouraged.

We were also able to attend a home meeting at a couple's apartment and meet a number of college students. It is always encouraging to blend with other college students who love the Lord and are pursuing the Lord. In the U.S., we are fortunate that there are so many young people around us that have a heart for the Lord. It is also very easy for us to visit other localities and blend with other young people, but in South Africa it is much more difficult to travel and visit other saints. The nearest locality is Cape Town, but that is still a very far distance and the saints are able to blend only a few times a year. The church life in Cape Town is very small, about 14, but very sweet. The saints really poured out to take care of my family in a practical way, and we really enjoyed fellowshipping with them and being built up. They also felt encouraged by our visit, that we would come to the bottom of the world to visit them. Although we all felt that our time was too short, it was a trip that had eternal value. It wasn't only vacation, but also a time of encouragement, building up, and seeing more of Christ and what He is doing on this earth. He is gaining the Body as His enlargement on this earth that He would be expressed. Lord, enlarge our vision to see your Body.