It Takes a Village

it takes a villaGe Written by yolanda m agida

On the 12th of January 2020, my two daughters (now 1 and 3 years) had their baby blessing ceremony. This was a significant moment for me as this was something I had been wanting to do for a long time. I know in some Christian circles baby dedications and blessings are not mandatory or a big deal. But for me it was because I know that it takes a village to raise a child. It’s my desire for my children to know that they are a part of this big, amazing village with a rich heritage in Christ. Community shapes and forms who we are. As a colleague wisely puts it, we become who we associate with. Like all good mothers I want my children

to be raised within a church community where their spiritual growth and development will be nurtured and prioritised. No parent should ever do this alone. The task is too big and too important! My pastor asked me why I felt the need to do a baby dedication for my daughters. My answer was simple and as follows: I want my children to be fully planted in a community where their identity in Christ would be solidified and their spiritual gifts be nurtured and sharpened for the edification of the church body as originally planned by God. I have come to know God’s love,

grace and compassion through a community of believers in as much as I have been disappointed and hurt by them. Despite all of this, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it was not for the special people that God brought into my life for my growth and my development. I have also come to learn and know that a community becomes what you make of it. Hence, I want my children to see themselves as contributors and participators in the building of the church community. I feel blessed that I get to walk the talk (building the community) through the work that I do with Superbook. We as a team are passionate about serving the church community as a whole, through training and empowering children’s ministry leaders in advocating for the prioritisation of children’s spiritual development. This year was successful despite barriers. We hosted two successful webinars that we conducted in partnership with New Gate Ministry, an organisation based in Swaziland that focuses on equipping churches with administration. We are launching #SuperbookPlay in a couple of months, an arts and crafts programme targeted at parents of toddlers who want to share the gospel in a fun and interactive way. We have been working hard on building community through social media since Covid-19 and we’ve been delighted to see how God’s working online. Superbook Clubs will be re-opening soon with the lockdown ease. Raising the next Kingdom generation is indeed going to take a village. This village is going to take all shapes, forms and sizes with the intention of glorifying God. We are so glad that you are part of that village!

lookinG for some wholesome Christmas Content for Children? Download our app and watch The First Christmas to discover the true meaning of Christmas! The Superbook app is available on android and IOS. Simply go onto your app store, search Superbook and download! The first 3 seasons are free.

the power of Community: the botshabelo family

W ritten by l eonie n ortje

We met the Botshabelo family in July. They were referred to us by a community member who is associated with Love Botswana by virtue of being a member of one of the support groups for parents. Love Botswana’s OVC department runs support groups for parents and guardians in the community, where they share their experiences and get training and capacity building from Love Botswana. The Botshabelo family has been going through a series of challenges and was at a point where they were in dire need of external support. The mother, who is the head of the family, lost her husband earlier this year, and was banished by her inlaws together with her children. They found a piece of land and decided to occupy it illegally because they had nowhere else to go. They received a caravan as a donation from their new neighbours to use as shelter. Later, their caravan burnt down and they lost their shelter along with everything that was in it: their food, clothes and furniture. WoMen Against Rape jumped to assist them by providing accommodation for the family at their shelter for women and children. After the lockdown in May they were released from WoMen Against Rape Shelter. Life was very difficult after that because they had to start from scratch and they did not have any resources. Through Orphan’s Promise, our staff members were able to assist the family with a grocery package which they will receive for the next three months while they get back up on their feet. Our Social Work aides managed to start counselling with the family, to provide the psychosocial support that they need to regain their economic, psychological and emotional independence. At this point the family has

already started working on constructing a mud house which will be better than the reed house they are currently living in. The family seems to be regaining strength and hope because someone is holding their hand and offering both material and psychosocial support. The family is not going hungry anymore. We hope to journey with the family for some time and report on the long-term impact on their lives. We hope to impact this

family positively – the mother, her daughter, and her six grandchildren. We thank God for our partners who support our initiatives to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community. If you would like to stay up to date with our on the ground ventures, follow us on @cbnsouthafrica on social media. Share our posts and videos with your friends and family on social media and WhatsApp.

From a pile of rubble to a new home! We’re so thankful for your support in helping make projects like this possible.

4 ways minimalism reshaped my Christian faith

W ritten by j arryd d oyle

Recently my very pregnant wife and I moved houses. The move was two-fold, with our first child on the way we needed to look for a better suited house to bring this gift into the world. We were living on a shared property, with paper thin walls, and it wasn’t going to work. My parents were also in need of a place to stay, so we ended up moving out and moving my parents into the spot we were staying in. So, we packed all our stuff into a garage and moved into a small garden flat that friends graciously offered to us while we transition. The flat is a small – it’s nothing special. It came with the essentials - a bed, fridge, plates, cups, knives and forks, one or two pots and a pan. Initially we had to switch gears from what was by no means an abundance of stuff, to a much more minimalistic living space. I realised that this is more than most of our fellow countrymen have. It has proven to be life changing. Here are 4 ways living with less has shaped my Christian faith. It has made me redefine treasure. “Wherever your treasure is there 17 your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:21). Recently this verse has taken on new meaning to me. I thought I had it figured out, but boy, was I wrong. By no means did nor do I think I will ever have it fully figured out. I would never have called the stuff we had “never ending piles” or “treasures,” but there has been a subtle accumulation of stuff that just seems to happen. Recently I asked myself, what was I forgetting about by putting my time into the subtle accumulation of stuff. And by stuff I mean those pots that sit in the back of the cupboard that NEVER seem to get used, or that shirt that was worn once, or that pair of shoes you got for a special occasion and never wear. All that stuff took time, it took your time. What could that time have been focused on? That was good, lovely, and Kingdom expanding? I challenge myself with this every day. “Life is not measured by what you own” (Luke 12:15). It has shown me we need to trust in God’s provision more. As we went through our home

to declutter items we had held onto for years, I began to investigate what it was that was motivating us to keep so many of these “just in case” items? From an old sauté pan to mounds of unused linens and clothes. We were holding on to so much. Why? I slowly began to realise that it might stem from a trust issue. While I thought I believed my God would provide all my needs, I was living as though it was my job alone. “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable, their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:1). In this era of credit cards, robotic vacuum cleaners and online shopping, it’s easier than ever to become self-reliant and forget our need for God. I tell you what though, it’s a deceiving and slippery slope. It has shown me how important it is to be a good steward. I used to believe that being a good steward of my possessions meant holding on to it all. However, when we stockpile our “extras” and “back-ups” in our garages, closets and storage units, we become like the servant who hid his bag of silver in the ground, afraid he’d lose it all (Matthew 25:14-30). We have a responsibility to use what we’ve been given to glorify God. There are people who genuinely need some of the items we hold on to for our “what-if” scenarios. Whether it’s your skills, faith or extra crib sheets, don’t bury them. It has shown me that we need to love people more. “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion- how can God’s love be in that person?” (1 John 3:1). As we moved our stuff into storage, I have been challenged. We should find more joy in generosity than we do in accumulation. When we see our stuff for what it is - stuff, we are in a better position to give generously, lean into greater trust, and love people the way we are told to. Letting our excess become somebody else’s treasure has sparked more joy in me than any material item ever has. Generosity plants a seed of hope in both the life of the giver and the receiver. My revelation was more than an encounter, it was a divine appointment. God promises to meet all our needs. He will lift you from the muck, mire and mounds of clutter so that you can ditch the abundance of stuff and pursue a more abundant life with less, which I believe is a more God glorifying life.

we want to pray with you!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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