On Wednesday and Thursday, the three of us who arrived early had begun the groundwork for the venture by calling on previous clients and following up on the emails that had been previously sent out by the home office.  This in and of itself was a great opportunity to discuss with each of the clients how things were going in their lives and with their households/businesses/organizations. 

We took prayer requests on the spot from a number of the client alumni and scheduled follow up prayer meetings with a majority of the alumnus.   We also talked to the clients about the upcoming Kingdom Economics Forum seminar as well as the Lemon Leadership training and available 10P Booster. 

Friday was no different, following up with the remainder of the clients who we had not yet been able to connect with and scheduling more prayer meetings.  We also spent some time getting some supplies and such ready for the upcoming events for the next week.  Most importantly, we had the opportunity to go into Johannesburg and visit Alida and Jaap Van Deventer which would serve as the venue for the aforementioned seminars.  This was an amazing experience meeting with Alida and hearing from her about her passion for marionettes and telling Biblical stories to children through puppet shows.

 As the founder of some of the country’s first children’s television shows in the 1970’s, Alida’s work was warmly recounted to us on our way to her home by Lyn and Jodene, both of whom had fond memories of a number of the shows that Alida worked on. 

Alida and Jaap’s home is a phenomenal historic manor from the turn of the century.  We were spending time there to pray at the venue as well as have some time to meet Alida and Jaap, and in the time we spent praying in the home and the surrounding gardens, a number of items came to light.  Specifically, the area is host to a number of Jacaranda trees (large deciduous trees with lavender flowers, similar in look to a flowering cherry tree, but much larger in scale-see photo above).  From the back yard of the home, you can see into the valley that is Johannesburg, and with the Jacaranda’s in bloom, members of the team felt that they were similar to the team members and believers in the area, like beacons of light in an area where there was a lot of pain, desolation and darkness.  As the trees lose their petals, the ground is covered by a carpet of lavender, very similar to the way God’s love spreads out from each person who spreads his word.  In addition to these prayers and confirmations, a few of the members of the team prayed specifically for the Kingdom Economics forum, and that this house, as a historical representation of a number of worldly economic bulwarks, has been repurposed by Alida and Jaap through Alida’s business and now this discussion and forum of Kingdom Economics as it contrasts worldly economics will be set in that venue, which provides for a rich backdrop from which to discuss change, repurposing, generosity, gifting and stewardship. 

We really can’t wait to get back to visit with Alida and Jaap again and to spend time at this welcoming home. 

Jason Griffith