Jerrod Runkel’s Africa Blog

We had a great service on TUesday!  We had 4 in the baptism class and we had a great time teaching that.  Next Sunday we are having our baptism service and we know God is going to do great things!

I’m kind of starting to feel the effects of my trip coming to an end here in South Africa.  Things are starting to wind down, but I’m trying not to think about that as hard as it may be. I love this country and this city and I know God is only going to do greater things when I am not here.  Bro. Davis has an awesome vision for Johannesburg and we are starting to see some things come to pass.  Turning Point Community Church is having revival and we are growing!  If you get a chance go to www.turningpointza.com and check out the church’s website and Bro. Davis’ blog, but dont forget to download the messages he has been preaching the last 3 Sundays.  I beleive they are messages every body needs to hear.  The Jesus Life, The Examined Life, and The Holy Life!  Keep SA in your prayers!

Simba got big

Me petting the Lion Cub

the white lion

the lion yawning

Yesterday we picked up Bro. Ronny Ingle from the airport (awesoem man of God by the way) and we all got to just hang out for a little bit and we headed off to the lion park… I hope you enjoy the pictures

Well these last couple weeks have been amazing weeks in Africa! We had sub-regional meetings a couple if weeks ago and they were great. I witnessed something I only read about in the Bible I think it is in 2 Corinthians 8 where Paul is talking about how the macedonian church gave out of extreme poverty. We were sitting there in the last day of these meeting having our missions service and everybody was giving their offerings and the people from Zimbabwe came up with an offering of R200 which is only about $26 in the states. That might not seem like much, but right now and the american dollar equals about 35 billion zim dollars. The Holy Ghost started moving in that place and everybody began to match their offering and before we knew it an offering of R200 turned into R2000. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

We have been extremely busy of late. We have church on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thrusday, and we go to the bible school on Fridays. We have been having great services. Three were filled with the holy ghost last Sunday!

Bro. Simoneaux son Timothy had to be medically evacuated out of the country of Malawi into South Africa because he is suffering from bacterial mendingitis. So please keep him in your prayers.

The last two days has been so cold here in SA.  I had to wear my jacket and my zip up. Most people when they think about Africa they think the sun is up all the time and it’s always hot, but that is not always the case. June-August are the coldest months here in SA and last night it was 32 degrees.

Well Today we went to a funeral in Eden Park. One of the ladie’s in the church husband passed away and we went to honor and pay our respects to the family today. Then after the funeral Bro. Davis deciedes to let me drive the van again today. It went ok i guess. Bro. Davi’s van is a stick shift and it’s kind of wierd driving on the opposite side of the road. I think I only made the van quit about 13 times and only squealed the tires 4 times, but other than that it was an enjoyable experience.

Tomorrow night we have a youth concert and then church on Sunday! God has been, is, and will continue to do great things here in SA. There is no place else I owuld rather be right now than trying to spread the gospel of jesus Christ here! Thanks for all the prayers!

>>JERROD

The past few days have been really hectic and I haven’t been able to post for a while because the internet had been out for the past 3 or 4 days… Last Wednesday we were on our way back from the airport and a guy came up and smashed the window and took Sis. karissa’s purse and from then on it seems like we have just been running non stop trying to get things together. Most people here would say South Africa is a God forsaken country, but there is no such thing and I believe Gos is wanting to do something great here in SA and that it is only beginning!  WE had a really good time at the bible school on Friday and we went to the biggest mall I have ever been to that evening. 

On Saturday we went to a funeral. In Africa funerals are a big part of the culture and are really important to the people. We were there all day from about 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We went to the grave site afterwards and there were probably about 20 funerals that day which really blew my mind, but that is the way it is in South Africa. Afterwards we went back to Sis. Julia’s house and had lunch which consisted of Rice, Somp, Beef, Beat root salad, Seanoed carrots slaw, spinach, and seasoned cabbage. I really didn’t eat much that day, but I did try somp which is made up by mashed corn and bone marrow. Pastor ishmael sat beside me and we kind of swapped plates after he got done with his so he made up for what I didn’t eat.

Sunday Pastor Ishmael preached and we had a great time at service. The spirit of the Lord really moved and many people were blessed.

On Monday we awoke to some tragic news Pastor Mpofu’s church. Bro. Davis called and told us that the youth were on their way back from a youth conference in Limpopo and the church van wrecked and the youth pastor was tragically killed and others are in critical condition. Please keep the church in your prayers and the family’s of those on the bus.

Hello everybody!!  It has been forever since i have updated so I figured I better do it. These last few days have been awesome!!  God has been doing great things and we are expecting even greater things.

Last weekend the Davis’, the other aimers, and I went into downtown JoBurg into a place called Braamfontein to have church at Pastor Mpofu’s church and we had an amazing time. Braamfontein is a part of Hillbrough which the most dangerous peace of real estate in the world. On Friday night Bro. Davis preached and he tore it up! He talked about all the Xenophobic violence and how the Holy Ghost has our back and it was a great message. At the sunday school camp the next morning Matt, Brandi, and I taught a mornign devotion to 112 kids that stayed over at the church that night.  We acted out some stories and talked to them about the Holy Ghost and had an awesome time of prayer at the end. Then after the devotion we all went otu to the park and played games and had a Braai and Bro. Davis’ done a little sermon for the kids. Saturday night we went back to the church and Pastor Freeman preached a good message. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday we went downtown to pass out tracts in the downtown Alberton. WE have currently passed out about 4,000 tracts, but we have a ton of more work to do!

Thursday night we went to cell group and had a good time of fellowship.

Today we went to a Roodekop ext. 2 and passed out tracts. After we where there for about 1 hour until we realized that a funeral was going on.  Im pretty sure we are going to go back sometime soon and try to get a few bible studies.  But while we were there this woman got off of a taxi and her hands we so full she started to drop things so I asked her if I could help her carry some of her groceries to her house and she said yes. Even though it was just a little thing I couldn’t stop smiling cause i knew I had helped someone and I knew that that’s what it was all about!

Well I will update more often. Everybody have a good day, God Bless!!

Here is an excerpt from last Sunday at Turning Point Community Church.

Here are some pictures from some fo the townships we have been in. Eden park is where we go on Tuesday nights to a bible study Bro. Ishmael teaches. There are usually about 10 people that show up and we have bible study for about an hour. 

Rundebelt is where Bro. Elphus pastors and has a great church there. The church is curreently running about 80 people.

On Tuesday and Wednesday we went down to the city strip of Alberton where the two malls are and we handed out tracts for two hours each day. I think we probably handed out close to 800 tracts in those two days but we have about 4,200 more to pass out. So pray that we get good responses out of that and that we get a lot of visitors.  Ill be back with more pictures later.. Have a great day!