Days 4-7

September 28 - October 2, 2008

This entry brings us through the South African Bible College (SABC - but commonly referred to as SABS (South African Bible School)) Lectureship: “Spread the Flame”.
We left Maseru and headed toward the border. The body wasn’t meeting that morning because so many people were leaving. They had planned an evening worship so we just packed up and left. The plan being to meet some of the members from Maseru there and caravan to Johannesburg where the school is. Turns out they left late and the line to get through immigration at the border was long and we passed through a shorter line (“ignorantly”) and pressed on. 5 hours later we’re driving in the hustle and bustle of busy Joburg. We didn’t arrive at the Benoni Church of Christ until after the opening ceremony had started but not much was missed besides the formal initiation words and the singing on the anthem. Oh yes, that song we all know and love so well . . . 728b.

A sermon, some singing, bread and wine, and formal introductions all accomplished in a fairly short time span. Team 1 had driven up (or some of them) with Shawn Fortuin from Fairview CoC and we followed them to the school. Mike and I got a dorm room to ourselves and went to sleep. The next morning we turned in a voucher we had purchased for breakfast. Mind you, there’s isn’t a fancy cafeteria there, it’s just a big pot of oatmeal, hot water for coffee or tea, and some other dishes for your dining pleasure. I will now give you a basic overview of each day at the lectureship:

8:30 - breakfast
9:00 - opening lesson and dismissal of youth to alternate building for separate lessons
9:15-11:30ish - class, quiet time, small group, and singing (for the youth classes that we worked with)
11:30 - lunch break
12:00 - return to classroom for afternoon session
12:00-14:00ish - final session
14:00is-19:00 - time to be spent as one wills
19:00 - Meeting of all people involved with the lectures at the Benoni CoC building for worship, sermon, and evening closure

Now I may not be remembering the times correctly but that’s just about how it went. The first day I didn’t go to youth and sat in on some of the men’s classes that were really well done. The rest of the time I was in the youth room and headed a small group. Daniel was the book that was gone over through the week. Luke Wright from Oklahoma, USA did the class and I enjoyed his approach so much. He covered the first 6 chapters and presented in a way that wasn’t drab or boring but it was easy to relate to. I’d sit in on those classes again if I could.

The week was encouraging and lots of swell things happened. Someone found Dr. Pepper at the Spar down the road (regrettably I didn’t have one) and we contacted and met some great brothers and sisters from the northern part of Suid Afrika. One day at lunch a man named Freddy Mayala came up to me and just asked for my email out of the blue. I had never really talked to him but recognized his cute children that I had played with the day before. So, now I’m in correspondence with him and at least one other student at the South African Bible College.

This young girl was struggling up the steps and I helped her with her bag only to find out that I would be staying at her house in Swaziland just a week later. God has a funny way of connecting His people young, old and otherwise. Glorious.

Jerry Hogg. Someone to note. This man has been on the board, a teacher, and administrator at SABC for a number of years and is now going back to Texas, USA to work with Sunset as the ambassador (some position name here) to all of the African extension schools. There are currently 17 and he will be overseeing and working with them all. I look forward to hearing about the work God will be doing through Him.

KCK