African Escapade's: Day 62 - Jonno's final blog

Hello bloggers

Grab a seat, make yourself some coffee, unplug the phone and get comfortable. This is going to be a long blog.

Our day started at around 7:30am with me pushing Stefie Brennocks into the pool. That's how the past 2 days have started with someone being thrown into the pool. We hope to keep the tradition alive for the next few days. We all then sat around the breakfast table and munched down on some cereal with toffee syrup and toast with toffee syrup.

It was time for church so everyone got organised and we hurried to make the start of the service. Pastor Jeff continued his series, 'Designing life that works' and presented to the congregation a brilliant sermon. He spoke about how there were over 700 unconditional promises (promises with no strings attached) made by God and over 2000 conditionals promises (promises where actions from us are needed). Just using the book of Psalms, Jeff extracted around 20 conditional promises, all with one action needed from man, to fear God. Fear in the sense that we need to acknowledge God is smarter and stronger than us. Jeff used the example of the life of Jacob, a schemer with a conniving attitude who realised his wrongs when wrestling with the angel of the Lord. It was a great sermon and it kinda sucks not being able to listen to the rest of the series as it was very applicable to everyday life.

We were booked to lead the afternoon service at Bulawayo Baptist with Andrew also preaching and we thought it would be awesome to tell the congregation at the night service what we've been doing in Zimbabwe for the last 2 months, hanging with the girls at Sandra Jones Centre. We thought it would be even more awesome if we got the choir girls from SJC to perform at the service. The plan was to bring a busload of girls to Debbie's house for a pizza lunch and so Debbie could help the girls practice their 2 songs. Alex drove the bus with Lisa and Senzo to pick up the girls at Willow Park while Andrew and I stayed to entertain our guests from church, T.K, M.K, Groove, Shakes and Elyse who were also joining us for pizza lunch. We sat around and just chatted to our friends with Andrew posing his theological questions to everyone. It definitely got everyone involved. I think Andrew was just using this time as practice for when he would preach in front of the night service. Des and Pete also joined us for lunch and we were now just waiting for the SJC girls to join us for the 10+ pizzas, boxes of donuts and soft drinks. Can I just say that the pizza in Zimbabwe are much better than Australian pizza. Alex drove into the driveway and it was a welcoming sight seeing all the girls colourfully dressed with their creative hairstyles. We all tucked into the delicious lunch kindly donated by the Taylors and the Wawns and now it was time to get down to business. Debbie took the girls into the house to practice while us guys continued chatting and then started to organise for the church service. We could hear the girls' voices and harmonies from outside and it was just an amazing sound to hear. It definitely impressed our guests from church. We were all excited to see the girls perform. With chord sheets printed, cameras charged, sermon printed and bags packed, we all jammed into the bus and headed for the church, all 20 of us. The bus fits maximum of 14. Thank God there was no police roadblocks.

It was 4pm and we arrived at the church after the cosy but uncomfortable ride. We all pile out of the bus and headed inside ready to rehearse. It was our turn first so Andrew led worship with lead vocals and guitar, Shakes was backup vocals, Alex was on bass guitar, Yonku on lead guitar, TK on drums, another mate on guitar and me on keyboard. It was a great rehearsal and we were pumped for the 6pm service. It was the girls turn to practice and the world felt like it stopped when they began to sing. Their harmonies reverberated throughout the church and everyone just stopped and focussed on their angelic voices. Words can't even begin to describe their sound. That's why Alex decided to record them so we can bring the audio home and show everyone. 6pm rolled around and the service started. Des and Pete arrived as well and brought a very important item for us, an Aussie flag. It was draped over a music stand for everyone to adore. We played four songs, My redeemer lives, Oh happy day, Mighty to save and lastly How great is our God. The songs got people up on their feet and the coolest thing about African churches are that the people do their African dance moves to the songs. It's really cool to see especially when you're performing. It was now the SJC girls' turn to perform in front of the congregation and they did not disappoint. I'm sure their voices sent tingles and shivers down people's spines after hearing them for the first time. They received a massive applause when they finished their 2 song set. It was now time for Andrew to preach but before he did, he promoted SJC to the youth at Bulawayo Baptist, encouraging them to hang out with the girls as we had been doing for the past 2 months. Andrew then started to preach about chapter 30 in Jeremiah stating how the promises in this book were parallel to that of Christ, the promised Saviour. It was a great deep and meaningful message which Andrew summed up with how it was applicable to our lives. We played one more song and then finished the service. We thought it ended there but then pastor Jeff and T.K both raced for the microphones to say a few last words as a final farewell for us. I was flattered and humbled and I'm sure Andrew and Alex felt the same. Being put on the spot we were asked how God has changed us since coming to Africa. It took some time to think of an answer so I'm so glad that Alex was volunteered first. Pastor Jeff then asked the crowd if anyone had any questions for us and it was dead quiet. That's when Alex thought it was fitting to shout out 'These two are single!'. We'll get him back somehow. And that concluded the service. We said our goodbyes to many friends we've made at the church, all of them asking the same question, 'when are you coming back?'. My answer is, 'Next year, hopefully'.

As this is my final blog I just want to finish it off with my final thoughts. Coming to Africa changes you. Meeting and hanging out with the babies and girls of Sandra Jones changes you. Meeting Debbie Brennocks and hearing her stories about Sandra Jones Centre changes you. Meeting the staff of SJC and the Gogos that look after the girls at SJC changes you. Meeting and chilling out with all our friends from church changes you. Seeing the amazing Victoria Falls and game parks changes you. All my perceptions of Africa have been totally quashed. Yes, there's things I appreciate back home like no pot holes and constant electricity but my appreciation for Africa has sky rocketed. Africa has opened my eyes at just how friendly people are. With little to no money and possessions, struggling to make ends meet, Africans are still constantly smiling, always laughing and would just stop to have a chat. Africans have a great sense of humour and are very sociable. Alex once told me that when you've been to Africa, you leave a part of yourself their and I for one can only agree with that. That's why this is Alex's 4th trip and Andy's 2nd. It's a place that you just want to come back to. Every foreigner we've met and spoken to has stated the exact same thing. So I can only highly recommend that you come to Zimbabwe, meet Debbie and meet the girls at the Sandra Jones Centre. I will guarantee you that they will change your life, as they have done mine, and when you go home all you can think about is when you will come back to Zimbabwe.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people. Deb, thank you for being a sensational host. Hearing how you and Sandra Jones took a dream and turned it into reality is truly inspirational. The work you, the staff and the Gogos do to give the little ones and the girls opportunities at life can only be applauded. Des and Pete Addison, thank you for your gracious personalities and all the help you’ve given us. Every time we’ve had a problem, you had the solution. The guys and girls of Bulawayo Baptist, thank you very much for your welcoming gestures. It’s been brilliant jamming, playing Frisbee and just hanging with you all. To the Hickeys, you are just awesome. The Brennocks kids, you guys are so cool! And lastly, the girls at Sandra Jones Centre. You girls are so inspirational. Thank you. Umuhle ladies.

Thank you bloggers for reading, commenting, supporting and praying for us over the past 2 months. Apologies if you didn’t know any of the names in the above paragraph. Come to Zimbabwe, meet them and then you too will be writing a ‘thank you’ note for changing your life.

Thanks for reading

Jonno