Saterdag, 20 Nov 2010

The Loy Krathong Festival was a feast!  The water festival takes place on the full moon of the 12th lunar month.  Families make the little floats (krathongs) traditionally from banana leaves to resemble the lotus flower (the most beautiful flower living in the dirtiest of water), putting on other offerings such as yellow candles, flowers, incense, money. When the Thai people put it on the water it symbolises their troubles floating away from them, their sacrifice to appease the water goddess..... 

 

 

 

The Yi Peng Festival of sky lanters used to be celebrated during the 2nd lunar, but has recently fallen in with Loi Krathong at the 12th lunar month when a multitude of khom loi are launched into the night sky, resembling a large flock of giant fluorescent jelllyfish gracefully floating away. The lantern is made out of oiled rice paper and a small candle/fuel cell that when lit, heats up the air inside thus causing it to rise in the air. Many Asian cultures use the sky lanterns all year round for special occasions and celebrations but for the Thai people it symbolises their problems & worries floating away...

  



Wat beteken dievolgende vir ons geloof?
water,

festival

12

families

dirty water

offerings

incense

troubles floating away

sacrifices

multitude

candle/fuel cell

lit

problems & worries floating away

Sat 14 Nov Buddhist Temple

Nan Hua - the 3rd largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere in Bronkhorstspruit.... It was a Gereformeerde dominee/mayor that donated 15 hectares to the Taiwanese Buddhist community in the 1992.  The Lord said to Philip: What man gave away for money God is able to repossess with people's hearts....

  

Buddhist Worldview: suffering, self, mind, meditate, good works = karma = reincarnation = nirvana.  All people can become god by following the teachings of Buddha. Silence when eating the most delicate and delicious food (we all went for seconds).  No bodhi trees at this temple.  The supporting/imported Chinese community had to go to the cities to sustain themselves in their family businesses. The new intakes are the local black community and so our guide Sipho is also Buddhist....and can speak Mandarin... The most beautiful museum and architecture and design and colours and proportions! The temple is actively working in the area and has an African Buddhist seminary as well as a college and mercy work at a local orphanage - to name but a few local evangelistic activities.

It was great to have Danny Hughes with us, who worked among the Hakka people in Taiwan for 20 years and because he is back in SA at this time, could join us for the outreach.  Afterwards he gave his testimony, which highlighted the practical outworking of the very same values we hold true at KE. Philip also accompanied us for the day and got very excited when asking Sipho if it is possible to cheat karma?  (the loop is to marry into a much richer/higher class than what you were born in.....) 

Saterdag 6 Nov 2010

Wat is die Koningkryk?
Wat die hart van vol is loop die mond van oor! Elkeen van die 12 ‘karavaners’ het hulle harte gedeel vanuit hulle verskillende plekke en ondervindings op die journey tot sovér. Dit was duidelik dat God, op Sý unieke manier, oppad was met elkeen. Mark het ons herinner aan Philip se woorde nl. hoe nader jy aan God beweeg hoe moeliker raak dit maar dat daar niks anders is wat hy eerder sou wou doen nie. Daar is niks meer awesome, exciting en fulfilling as om hierdie Koningkryk pad saam met Hom te stap nie.

Ons het vinnig gebreek vir ‘n lafenis in die hitte en Paulien het ons almal verras met ‘n heerlike sjokoladekoek om haar verjaarsdag mee te vier. Sy se die koek is haar skoonma se pride and joy!

Werner het ons bespreking oor wat die Koninkgryk is gefasiliteer. Almal het deelgeneem en is gekonfronteer met die vraag wat die Koningkryk wérklik in elkeen van ons se lewens is. Die Koningkryk moet begin om alles te deurdring en Sỳ heerskappy moet ín en déur ons lewens manifesteer. Hy het ons konings, priesters en profete gemaak en daarom moet ons met dieselfde zeal as wat Petrus vir Christus gehad het, die Koningkryk terugvat!  BESTORMERS........ Matt 11:12
Rom 8:19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Saterdag 30 Oktober 2010

Gaan ons hierdie ding doen of wat?  To have a different result you need to do something different.  Dankie vir al die mense wat laat weet het hulle kan dit nie maak nie en baie dankie aan Jacque en Jana vir die gebruik van hulle huis.  Die journey is een tree op 'n slag, een Saterdag op 'n slag.  Die Here se tyd is nou.

Die volgende KE Outreach is nou in volle swang en dis die Pta mense wat dit laat gebeur.  Ons was by Kobus en Hannecke se Tabazimbie plaas die naweek om voor te berei vir Jan 11 - Jan 29 na Thailand, Cambodia en Vietnam.  Ons voorbereiding is soos die van strategiese sendelinge (nie evangeliste nie) sodat jou fokus kan verander van churchcenteredmissions na missioncenteredchurch.