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CWM: Sermon and prayer help youth missionary at South African city mission
Zambian Training in Mission participant Alice Zimba found how the power of prayer helped her overcome her fears while working with street children, writes Beccy Beard of CWM News.
Zimba's six week placement with street children at Cape Town City Mission street children began badly. On the day she arrived she was alarmed to hear that some of the boys had stolen knives and one had been stabbed.
It was only a church service on a weekend near the beginning of the placement that helped Zimba overcome her terror.
"That service meant a great deal to me," she said. They sang the hymn O Jesus I have promised to serve you to the end. The preacher reminded the congregation that Christians must serve Christ not for a day nor even for 45 years, but serve him to the end. "That really brought strength in me," said Zimba. "If I really want to serve Christ I have to do this thing."
As she took Holy Communion she prayed. She also remembered those who had worked for a long time at the mission and had been protected.
Zimba saw how prayer worked to calm the boys after a disastrous morning when she and her placement partner overslept, and had no time to pray. That day, the boys sang and beat spoons on the table at breakfast, left school early, and refused to got to bed until 2am.
Zimba said: "That day, I felt that prayer really worked. The following day, I read my Bible and I really prayed. They got up and had their shower and their breakfast. They said a prayer. They were in class until 12pm and we met up with a care worker, and the care worker was pleased with them. They went to bed on their own."
