YWAM AfriCom: AfriCom goes to Sudan

YWAM AfriCom: AfriCom goes to Sudan: "AfriCom exists to serve YWAM in locations all around Africa and our next exciting opportunity to connect with YWAM in the field is coming u..."

A weekend of false starts

Everyone who's gone through the process of having a baby will know of the feelings you have in the days building up to the 'event'. Becky and I aren't there yet. After twinges, aches and general discomfort, topped with the coming and going of contractions, getting ever regular (every 15 minutes at one point) both of us felt at several different times over the weekend that 'this is the time, he's coming'.

Just as we started to time contractions and put the hospital bag by the door 'ready' for the trip to hospital, all stopped. The most recent was last night, when I was psyching myself up (Pete) for a long night of supporting my wife through this amazing process of labour, the contractions stopped completely. To bed. Back to work on Monday

morning to think about developing a sustainable advertising campaign for our YWAM Africa magazine and do some testing on the database. But my mind is somewhat elsewhere and concentration is hard. Please pray for me.

I've been assured that, as twinges and contractions have started, things will be underway soon. I hope so for both our sakes!

Taking steps towards the goal

Yesterday I (Pete) spoke to my colleague, Anne, in Nigeria and Charles in Uganda. This three-way conversation - conference call if you like - is nothing new in the western world where virtual meetings are becoming ever-more the norm. Yet in an African context where electricity is often sporadic and internet connections are prohibitively slow, such a way of communicating is unheard of in most parts.

Virtual communications won't replace face-to-face contact. In fact we are increasing the amount of visits we make to our volunteers across the continent of Africa as we develop the communications structure. We are looking to develop a combination of roving reporters, who meet with YWAM teams in remote areas, gather information about their work and then feed it into regional 'hubs' for it to be collected and broadcast and passed on to the relevant parties.

With over 100 training locations and 1,000's of outreach initiatives happening across this continent, it is impossible to expect every one to just 'email' us the news. We are becoming ever more pro-active and

going to where the work is happening, encouraging those in isolated circumstances and advocating the work to a wider audience.

Speaking with Charles yesterday, his passion for communications is wonderful. With little resources to hand (their team has just one computer, one printer and a slow, expensive dial-up internet connection) yet he is passionate about putting East Africa and the work in the countries there on the map. Lydia, my colleague, will be travelling up to Uganda to meet with him in just over three weeks and then from there they'll take a trip up to Sudan to meet with volunteers there and find out what is happening on the ground.

Meantime, Anne is passionate about developing a stronger presence of the already good work done in West Africa. Based in Jos in the middle of Nigeria, her work entails meeting with and encouraging those across a vast region with many hundreds of tribes and tongues.

I'm really excited about the future of AfriCom and how we have a mandate to meet those in mission/volunteer work, encourage them and report the great things that they are doing. We are pioneering new ways of communicating, mixing the essential face-to-face contact needed in Africa with the cutting edge technology which means we can collect video interviews and publicise them online from some of the remotest areas.

**Mini Advert**

As always, we welcome support from friends who want to join us - think/pray about how you can be involved. We are in need at the moment of a web-editor who can help us further develop our website and manage it on a daily basis. If you're interested contact me - peterc@ywamafricom.org

Communication in Africa

Working in a communications team for a Christian missions movement in Africa is an exciting and ever-changing place. In the peaceful environment of the comms office, it's hard to imagine what friends in Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia or the DRC are going through right now. Yet we have the privilege of getting much closer to the action than most. And I yes I do mean privilege!

Sometimes that manifests itself in a visit to a region to report on the 'action', other times that might mean welcoming people here who have fled persecution or war. Next month we will be sending a reporter up to Sudan to gather data on how the recent referrendum on the separation into two states will affect the people on the ground. I wish I could go too, but as Becky gets closer to giving birth, I think it may not be the best timing!

The passion that the AfriCom team has to discover what is happening across this continent goes much deeper than what stories make headlines on the 6 O'Clock news. We have friends posted in some of the most remote areas of this continent, serving communities in whatever way they can. These friends email and text us updates for prayer regularly. So, when we sit down to pray, we have on our hearts what great things a nation can achieve and we remember our friends who are out there, serving with humble hearts.

It also raises lots of questions when you're reading through personal accounts of a crisis, like the one in Egypt, from our contacts and friends and then contrast that to the very westernised and, sometimes sensationalised perspectives of the BBC or CNN. Of course friends accounts are subjective and limited to their own experiences, but it does give a flavour and a insight that these big media agencies don't always get it right when it comes to accurately portraying the situation on the ground. And it's limited to bad news, because bad news sells newspapers.

Africa is a very diverse and beautiful continent. Its problems and issues aren't small (but whose are?). It's also such a vast place that while one community can be ravaged by war and hatred, another can be living in peace. As we travelled through Angola last year, we met communities who had never experienced war, yet on the road and in the large cities, the evidence of the destructive nature of war was everywhere to be seen.

As we build our communications network, YWAM AfriCom's vision is to support volunteer teams who want to live with and serve communities whatever each village/city is experiencing at the moment. We want to hear and tell others their stories. We will mourn with them at their loss and rejoice with them in their victory.

But we don't want to be sensationalist. Thankfully in our communications team, we are dependant on donations, so we don't have to rely on selling newsapaper/tv advertising to survive. In a media environment that is a great blessing. Our responsibility changes from making headlines that sell to having integrity to use supporters money wisely - and that means we are judged by our ability to be obedient to what we've been called to do: listen, report and serve those working in mission work across this continent. And the result of that is: most of the work of this organisation is carried out under the radar of big media headlines and journalistic spin. AfriCom is practically unheard of outside of YWAM, which is no bad thing. We pride ourselves in being obedient to our vision and valuing those who need our support. If by-standers don't know about us, then so be it.

Some friends will work in areas for their entire lives to see how they can serve, and walk with communities as they are transformed by God's love. That's not a catchy headline, yet it penetrates so much deeper than a sound bite from a president who says something stupid.

Taking the NHS for granted

It might be true to say that you only really understand the true value of something good when you have to live without it.

Moving to South Africa, we were aware that we would be using a different health care system and that we would be responsible for the costs incurred if we needed to see a doctor or go to hospital. As a requirement for our visas, we needed Medical Aid, which is the South African model for health insurance.

What we didn't realise is that there are lots of hidden charges and squirming ways in which medical aid providers try not to pay up or communicate what they are willing to pay for. Also, we didn't know that hospitals, doctors and other medical services are very unclear on their funding structures.

In fact, the other day a midwife told us "Often it's not until you get the bill that you'll know who is going to pay for what!"

We have had an acute experience of this system moving here right at the time when we are expecting our first baby. In the UK, as tax payers and British citizens, we had no idea how easy we had it. Attending check-ups with the midwife, booking into hospital, having scans, getting prescription drugs and all the other medical services used were all '"FREE". Of course we knew that these costs were covered by our taxes under the National Insurance tax system. But the beauty of the system is the focus: health care first and foremost.

It seems somehow wrong to be given choices, based on healthcare, like you were choosing a hotel room, or a bottle of wine. We have had to make some tough choices on where to give birth, how to give birth (water birth, home birth etc) and pain relief, not based on Becky's well being and future health of her and the baby, but on what we can afford. This makes it clear who has money and who hasn't. What's bizarre is that those with wealth, aren't necessarily given the best choices. Private hospitals in this area encourage those with money and good insurance to opt for a c-section. Why? Because of the safety of the mother/baby? No! Because of fear of litigation, if things in a vaginal birth go wrong. Choices are made, not based on the long-term health and well being of the patient, rather on what will enable the hospital or surgery to reduce the likelyhood of being sued!

We are embracing the life here in South Africa. We have made so many friends from many walks of life who also bemoan the system here. As visitors, we're not inclined to just complain about how 'different' things are here. This is more of a reflection and thanks for the services we received through the NHS.

The very idea of a health system, whatever country you're in, that works for greedy insurance companies and is in constant fear of law suits will never be as good as those that work for the good of the patient. Oh yes, you might get friendly service and a hotel-like environment when you check in, but is that a worthy compromise for behind the scenes decisions made on your behalf? I think that it's is our moral duty to look after the people that surround us and ensure that healthcare provision is based on need and not social status.

For all its faults and difficulties, I love the NHS and I wish that many other countries adopted its model. Never again will I take the services I received from this age-old institution for granted. Thank you NHS!

One on One

The strange thing about going from being a student to being staff in a training organisation means that people treat you differently. There's nothing un-normal about this, as students have a different status and purpose. As a student, you are given timetables, homework, assignments, work duties. You work in teams with the other students and it's only for a set period of time. For the Discipleship Training Students, things are done in 3-month blocks, so it's really hard for those who don't work directly in the school, but for other areas of the mission, to get to know the students in any deep or meaningful way.

However, one way I have found to combat this is to take the role of a so-called one-on-one. This is someone who is allocated a couple of students of the same sex to spend an hour a week with, to chat through with them how they are finding life in YWAM. It's great, because there's no set agenda or 'teaching' that I have to do, yet I can help two young men grow in their relationship with God by giving them a platform to explore, outside of the peer pressure/busy-ness of the week. I meet with my two guys and we just walk and talk. They share their journals with me and I can see how they are learning to become disciples of Christ. They are exploring their faith journey and it's such a priviledge to walk it with them.

It is done in my spare time, outside of my working week with YWAM, but I feel that it is two hours of the week very well spent - whether that's having lunch together, or taking a walk down the beach at sunset - to hear about someone else's walk with God is a great thing to do.

The other day, we invited the prayer and worship team over to our house to intercede for us as we move in and start a family. One of the team said to me: "In our department, we welcome people from the entire community to come and be prayed for. It is such a joy to do it, because as we pray for them, I start to see some of God's heart for that person and I just want to get to know them more and more. There has never been a time when we have prayed for someone and God hasn't showed up!"

I am not sure where God is leading me at the moment, or how the rest of my life will pan out, but what I do know is this: God is good, trustworthy and faithful.

S-Cape from human trafficking

Justice ACTs is now in the process of setting up S-CAPE - a haven for victims rescued from human trafficking. This safe house aims to address the immediate needs of victims including medical, legal and psycho-social as well as trauma support and counseling.

Becky is working to help furnish the property with her team and recruit a 'house mother' who will live with and take care of the residents when they arrive. She has been scouring house sales in the area, searching out materials - from blankets and bedding to white goods and other appliances, the safe house needs to be equipped if it is going to serve as a home.

As part of an effort to reintegrate and rehabilitate victims there will also be a skills training centre attached to S-cape. The type of training would be specific to each girl but we envision such things as basic computer skills, cooking, music & dance. We also have a number of volunteers coming to do art therapy and teach crafts which the ladies will hopefully be able to sell for a profit, to sustain themselves. Becky will be involved with this too. She is also currently recruiting and coordinating logistical details of new volunteers due to arrive soon.

When to give

Do you give to someone who begs you for money on the street?

Yes... what is a few coins to me, but it could mean a lot to them.

No... they're only going to spend it on drugs/alcohol.

I've been finding this question surprisingly difficult to answer. The debate appears never ending. It's a little easier to resist beggars as a tourist. But living here, the question becomes a little more complex. These are my neighbours.

In South Africa, the contrast between rich and poor is great. You can't escape from poverty when it's right on your doorstep. In many areas there are high walls with electric wires and 24-hour patrolling security on one side of the street, and shacks on the other with no security at all. Apart from, that is, the 'security' that comes from the gang culture which is ever-increasing here.

In the work that we do in Africa, it would feel somehow wrong if, after helping the people we reach out to in this continent, we do not care for those who live on our own doorstep. The easy answer (to say to to yourself) is: “the money you give all just goes on drugs, don't give.” or, “you'll be inundated...once they see you as a soft spot, they'll just come back for more and more.”. Both of these things I have said before – maybe to ease my own guilt/conscience in not helping those around us. That was until I had a conversation with the pastor's wife, who set me straight!

“What does it cost us, to help them a little bit?” she told me. “I feel so much more part of the community when I am friends with both rich and poor around me.”

This really challenged me. I know that the pastor's family is not rich. Far from it. They are living on a small budget and have to rely a lot of the time on the generosity of others for their own needs (they have just recently been donated a car to do their ministry). They live in a 'rich' part of town, protected by the usual security features. Yet they embrace the community around them.

“The communities here are very well connected,” she went on to tell me. “We had our car radio stolen and I was chatting to a guy begging outside the 7-11. He knows me and knows my heart. I've chatted to him a lot. He said to me 'sister, you are a good woman. I will help you get your radio back'. I kid you not, when I say that within two days, my car radio was returned to me.”

I wasn't sure what to make of that. Again, my cynical mind came up saying: It was the beggar who stole it in the first place or, There's a protection racket going on here but she wasn't at all thinking in that way. She said that she feels so much safer living in a community where she is not flaunting her wealth to those who don't have much, rather sharing what little she had with anyone and everyone she meets. She is a warm, happy, welcoming person whose love for others impressed me to do something. A small step, I know, but now when I go out I pledge to give what little I have (time, food, or even money!) to those in the community in which I live. Becky and I have budgeted our income and we aren't exactly 'flush with cash', but we are learning that we can still share what little we have.

In Africa, there's always room for one more.

Learning to give birth in a foreign land

At 34 weeks pregnant, we have now begun the antenatal classes in our new home: South Africa. As first time parents and 'newbies' to SA, we are somewhat unnerved by not knowing the healthcare system. Seven couples were there at the class, most of whom were preparing to have their first baby.

It is apparently increasingly popular for women to give birth at home and the professional medical advice now is that giving birth at home is a natural and normal thing to do and going to hospital should be limited to high risk, complications and emergencies. However, Becky and I are unsure of this and we are still weighing up the options. We have our first appointment with our obstetrician next week and we will discuss options with him and our midwife. It is essential to have a meeting with, and a referral from, an obstetrician to activate the medical insurance (apparently).

We learnt about the transition from being a couple to becoming parents, getting the baby into the best position for him to ‘engage’ – “be open, upright and forward leaning!” – as a modern man, I did my best to join. Angela had a model of a pelvis and a toy puppy to demonstrate the journey of a baby during labour. She showed how the baby engages, turns to allow the head through, then drops and turns again to allow the shoulder’s through. She also talked about all of the different hormones that a woman may experience around child birth and how to stimulate the good hormones (oxitocins, protoglandins and endorphins) and prevent/reduce the hormones which would prolong labour/make it harder (Adrenalin).

Tonight is our second session with Angela. Let's see what I can learn as a dad-to-be!

Learning to give birth in a foreign land

At 34 weeks pregnant, we have now begun the antenatal classes in our new home: South Africa. As first time parents and 'newbies' to SA, we are somewhat unnerved by not knowing the healthcare system. Seven couples were there at the class, most of whom were preparing to have their first baby.

It is apparently increasingly popular for women to give birth at home and the professional medical advice now is that giving birth at home is a natural and normal thing to do and going to hospital should be limited to high risk, complications and emergencies. However, Becky and I are unsure of this and we are still weighing up the options. We have our first appointment with our obstetrician next week and we will discuss options with him and our midwife. It is essential to have a meeting with, and a referral from, an obstetrician to activate the medical insurance (apparently).

We learnt about the transition from being a couple to becoming parents, getting the baby into the best position for him to ‘engage’ – “be open, upright and forward leaning!” – as a modern man, I did my best to join. Angela had a model of a pelvis and a toy puppy to demonstrate the journey of a baby during labour. She showed how the baby engages, turns to allow the head through, then drops and turns again to allow the shoulder’s through. She also talked about all of the different hormones that a woman may experience around child birth and how to stimulate the good hormones (oxitocins, protoglandins and endorphins) and prevent/reduce the hormones which would prolong labour/make it harder (Adrenalin).

Settling in...

Settling into a new community is something many of us have experienced at some point in our lives. It always takes longer than you think it will… especially when you’re setting up home in a new country with no furniture and little spare cash in the bank. Trying to figure out how to pay the electricity, whether you need a TV licence, how to get hot water working, where the nearest shops are, what’s the exchange rate, how to work the security gate, what’s the number in emergency etc can be somewhat draining.

Then comes the culture shock… “I miss Christmas in the cold”…and …”it’s snowing back home and I’m missing it!” Or, “they don’t do that here?!” or “Why can’t we go out alone at night?” or “Why is everything so expensive?”

Thankfully, we see these as tell-tale signs of moving to a new place and despite our – relatively minor – struggles, Becky and I have been blessed by such a great community around us. We do miss England and our friends from Luton.

This year we will be celebrating Christmas with some people we got to know already (albeit briefly, as we were students then) last time we were here and some people we have only just met. None of the people we are spending Christmas with are family and none are ‘old friends’. Christmas with family will be limited to telephone calls and ‘Skyping’! Thankfully telephone calls and internet is much more accessible and cheaper than it was just a few years ago.

Christmas will not be the same this year as it was last, but should it be?

Christmas in the warm

Stepping off the plane from -3 degrees in England to +24 degrees in Cape Town was a pleasant feeling, though we were far too over dressed, with socks, shoes, coats and scarves - shedding layers as we drove across town to our new home in Muizenberg.

It has been a great time meeting and greeting folk from the time we were here last and seeing some new faces around. People have been extremely accommodating and welcoming.

Becky's pregnancy is going well and we're due to go for the next check-up (with our new midwife) next Tuesday. The house we've moved into is lovely, albeit a bit furniture-less. Over the past week we have managed to acquire a refrigerator, two sofas (although one needs repairing - time to buy some tools!), a kettle, a toaster, a single bed (yes, we know, a double bed would be better, but as it stands double beds are hard to come by or extremely expensive).

Christmas is not going to be the same without family around us. We will definitely miss all in England and wish we could be there with them. We had our work Christmas 'do' which was a picnic in the park with salad, chicken wraps and soft drinks. It's not like any Christmas meal we've had before! Christmas falls in the middle of a long summer break in SA, so while everyone in England is busy with carol concerts and family gatherings with mince pies and mulled wine, most here are gradually winding up their work to go on a camping holiday or something similar. Muizenberg will certainly be quiet this year. We have attempted to decorate our house with some fairy lights, but it is still looking somewhat bare!

Some friends (those who haven't left already) have invited us over to celebrate Christmas with them, which will be lovely.

Please keep sending us your messages, we love to get your updates on how things are going your end. You can email us, pete@clemison.co.uk or Facebook message us, or call, +44 (0)1344 576494.

Baby coming

In case any don't know, Becky and Peter are expecting a baby! We are now more than 6 months into the pregnancy now. We have had the scans and both mum and bump are doing well.

We are hoping to have the baby in South Africa, if all goes according to plan. Becky will be having a baby shower in early December, so if you're around in Luton, UK then, please get in touch and we'll let you know the details. Please pray that our South African health insurance will cover all the costs of the birth and that there'll be no complications.

A new perspective on mission

I have had the privilege of spending the past two weeks travelling with Ismael (pictured) through Angola. I have a great admiration for Ismael. He is a hard working man who has a passion for mission work in Angola.

He is a Brazilian whose job it is to oversee the work of YWAM mission in Angola. This vast country has several bases and many ministries in extremely remote locations. Travel around the country is not easy, but he manages it with enthusiasm and an everlasting smile.

He once went to a village for a pastoral visit where a team was working. As a gesture, he took with him a blanket, because it was approaching winter and he knew it was something that they would value.

The blanket was very well received. So much so, in fact, that the chief decided to bless Ismael with a live pig. Ismael tried to refuse. He said: “I can’t take this, it’s far too valuable for you to just give away.”

The chief responded with: “It’s ok, sir, I am rich. Please take it.”

To which, Ismael said: “Please, I cannot take it. You need it more than me.”

“I am richer than you, so I must insist that you take it.”

Ismael was taken aback by this comment. Ismael had turned up in fine clothes and drove a new car. Here he was in a dusty village where the people lived in mud huts and valued the donation of a blanket. ‘How can they think that they’re richer than me’, thought Ismael. So he asked: “How come you think that you’re richer than me?”

“How many cows do you have, sir” asked the chief.

“Five.” Ismael responded, positively, knowing that he’d just taken over a farm and inherited five cattle.

“I have 30. How many goats do you have?”

“Eight.” Replied Ismael, wondering where this was going.

“I have 75.” Said the chief.

“But I have a new Toyota Hilux. It’s very valuable.”

“Can it reproduce?” said the chief, inquisitively.

“Well....”

Angola is a rich and beautiful country. Wealth is so much more than where you live, what you drive or how much you have in the bank.

Our work in Africa

Now the World Cup is over, our work is finished, right?

In reality, our work has only really just begun. For Becky, the Justice ACTs team are continuing their anti-trafficking work (more on this later) and Peter is busy in the process of communicating the work of YWAM in Africa.

Communicating remote ministries
Peter is currently heading up on a three-day drive towards Angola on a three week trip with AfriCom. As the communications team for Africa, AfriCom staff need to keep in regular communication with the ministries of YWAM – and sometimes that means physically going there to see what is happening and update the international office on the activities.

This particular trip will be an opportunity for AfriCom to put together some video footage of the work in several of the bases across the country. We will be interviewing people and gathering information on some of the ground-breaking work done by these teams. It's a really exciting time for Peter as he ventures out on some of his first 'mission' work since studying the DTS.

The particular mission posts we are visiting are very remote. For one of them, we will have to hike 6-8 hours from the nearest road. There aren't many details that we can share until we've completed the visit, but we'll look to update you on return.

Becky will be returning to England on 23rd July and Peter will follow after his Angola trip on 9th August. We look forward to meeting up with friends and family. This will be a visit as we are planning to return to South Africa in November 2010. If you'd like us to visit you when we're in England, please do get in touch soon as our diary is filling up quickly!