Update from Johannesburg

We are having a wonderful time seeing God at work in Johannesburg.  We are feeling great and energized by all that God is doing here.

We had a great 2-Day Celebrate Recovery International Seminar in Johannesburg with over 60 people from 18 churches in attendance, some with existing or developing ministries and others just learning about Celebrate Recovery. They are excited to get their CR ministries going strong and then adding The Landing and Celebration Place for which there is a great need, including discussions of how to take them into the schools.

We have visited several churches and met with their leaders to coach them toward healthy Celebrate Recovery ministries. It is so encouraging to see how God is using this ministry in South Africa.

We’ve attended 3 General Meeting nights at different churches. We’ve seen much of Gauteng (the JoBurg region) as we travel from place to place.  We’ve heard many testimonies of how God is working in people’s lives and bringing healing through Celebrate Recovery.

We’ve enjoyed wonderful fellowship with our Regional Rep for South Africa and his wife, Tobie and Ria Tolken, and have been blessed to stay in their home. They are doing an awesome job representing Celebrate Recovery in South Africa and helping churches build strong, healthy CR ministries.

We visited Modderbee Correctional Facility with 6000+ inmates.  They have a church of 300 members led by inmates along with an awesome rehabilitation program that is serving as a model for South Africa.  They have 2 different 24/7 prayer vigils in the units.  Pray for them as they will begin Celebrate Recovery in the near future. 

This evening we fly to Cape Town where we will hold another 2-Day CR seminar for churches in the Western Cape before heading home on Sunday.

Prayer requests: Travel mercies, good rest, wake up refreshed for the seminar which begins in the morning. Pray for those that will be attending for willing hearts and open minds. Pray for the churches both in JoBurg and Cape Town as they go forward with Celebrate Recovery. Pray for Tobie as he carries the torch of Celebrate Recovery in South Africa.