We had a great time at Hand in Hand on Monday! If you’ve seen the event promo video, you know that the theme for the pastoral development conferences this year is Salt and Light.

Here’s what some of the pastors had to say about the event:

“I have reached a new understanding about being Salt and Light in the world – that I can impact my community and attract them to the Lord.” – Joyce Motete

“I have learned many things today, I am loaded.  I know who I am, I know why I’m here on earth, and I know how I can impact people around me.  I just want to thank God for bringing Thrive Africa and Hand in Hand into my life today.” – Amos

“I have learned that I’m the Salt and Light of this world.  This makes me want to read and learn more from the Word of God.” – Motsoeneng Anna

We know so many of you were praying for this event. Thank you! Your prayers are making a difference in the lives of these African pastors and church leaders.

See more photos of the pastors conference here.

Our Leadership Summit coaches are passionate about instilling truths into the young people! Over the past few weeks they have been digging into the curriculums they will be teaching throughout 2010.

We asked them what they hoped their students would learn through one of the curriculums, “Living on Purpose”, here’s what they said:

“They will learn that God has designed them with a purpose and a destiny. It will give learners proof that God loves and cares for them but also that God has a plan for their lives. They will be taught how to DREAM BIG.”
- Dimakatso

“These learners will have all the tools necessary in order to make wise choices and pursue the life God has created them for.”
- Busisiwe

“I hope that they learn not to let anything hold him back. They will learn that God is their map and compass through their journey of discovering their dreams but also as discovering themselves.”
- Nthabaleng

South Africa is ripe with potential.  You can see it in the eyes of the youth- this is a nation hungry for change.  With insurmountable obstacles standing in opposition to hope (the AIDS pandemic, extreme poverty and crime- to name a few), Thrive Africa exists as a light in the darkness.  We are raising up leaders who will change this nation for God. See what we see: The Face of Leadership.

Some of our Leadership Summit coaches are getting the opportunity to step into leadership roles this year. As leader coaches, they will have various opportunities to take on more responsibility—they will also be intentional about pouring into and developing other coaches.

We can’t wait to see how the leader coaches step into their new roles! We know God is going to do great things in the lives of all of the coaches and the students they’re teaching this year.

Our Hand in Hand pastoral development conferences kick off this year on February 1st.  Our theme for the year is Being Salt and Light. Each conference, held quarterly, will provide foundational teachings and practical applications about how to live as the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt 5:13-14).  These conferences are life-giving to our pastoral partners, many of whom have no formal training and serve in communities ravaged by poverty and HIV/AIDS.  Choosing to live as salt and light in their communities is choosing to pierce the darkness with the love of God.

Pray with us for the Hand in Hand conference on February 1st!

Our 2010 Twenty4Seven interns arrived last night. We’re so excited that they’ve joined in South Africa for the next 10 months!

Coming from all over the United States and Canada, there’s no doubt our interns will be an integral part of the ministry for 2010. We can’t wait to see what God does in them and through them throughout this year.

Join us in praying for them as they get settled into life on the field!

We serve a creative God. A God who demonstrates through His word and the world around us, that He is passionate about making all things new.  My prayer as we start a new year of ministry is that we will allow God to make us new- as individuals, as a community of believers, and as a ministry.

Part of being made new is also a call to to forget “the former things” (Isaiah 43:18).  The decision to let go of our expectations based on what has been familiar can be really tough.  But when we do, we give God permission to knock our socks off. We let go of our self-imposed limitations. We dream bigger and reach higher.

That’s what we’re doing this year at Thrive Africa.  Will you join us?

In Anticipation,
Amy Riep

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been busy binding books for the next term of Leadership Summit. Each book will go into the hands of one of nearly 4000 students in our AIDS Prevention Program. How cool is that?!

Here’s what June, our Leadership Summit Director, had to say about the binding project:

“Times of binding became times of bonding for our Thrive family. Everyone went above and beyond in such incredible ways, it caused a huge, challenging project to become enjoyable!”

We can’t wait to see how God uses these books to impact the lives of students in 2010!

Earlier this year our adult Thrive Trip brought people together to work alongside us in South Africa. Before the trip, the team members didn’t know each other, after spending two weeks working together to further the Kingdom, they have a lifelong bond.

Here’s what some of them had to say about the experience:

“It’s amazing what God will do when you make yourself vulnerable to His word. The trip has truly helped me to pray, obey, and allow Him to make a way…Everyone inspired me to push into the Lord’s will and seek to know him more.” -George Washington III

“That trip was amazing. My first mission trip. Our team was great and worked so well together. Which is so good since none of us know one another. The ministry was awesome; I loved the people, especially the locals! I definitely made lifetime friends and met people who will live in my heart forever.” -Mindy Miller

We still have spots open for 2010! The application deadline for December 15th. Interested? Why wait? We’ve even gone paperless, you can now complete the entire application online, apply here now.