God, Gangs And The Gospel Report Back

On Saturday 18th January I set off with my son, Andrew, to meet up with Evangelist Edward Ackerman, André Britz from Christ For All Nations (CfaN) and the team of soul-winners that were trained by CfaN the previous week at Reconciliation Ministries church in Steenberg.
Sharing the vision
We arrived at a big tent in Lavender Hill, which belongs to one of the churches in the area. Edward and I shared the vision with the other evangelists and we were informed of the possible dangers and reactions we could encounter.
We prayed the prayer of faith for protection as we put on the armour of God. The folks then assembled into groups of 2 or 3. Each group, about 20 in all, took ten Bibles (as we calculated that each group would visit about ten homes that afternoon) and we set off. My son and I were privileged to go with Evangelist Edward, so I knew we would experience great things!
Welcomed into homes
At the first house we met two couples and were invited in. Edward took time to share the Gospel and the benefits of making Jesus Lord and Saviour of  their lives. They all prayed the salvation prayer and two committed to attend the open-air church service in the area the following evening. We took their names and details to give to a pastor in the area.
We then moved to the next house. Outside we found a lady chopping stones, Edward greeted her respectfully and gently began to share the Good News of Jesus. She listened intently and cried and invited Jesus into her heart. We left her a Bible, took her details and moved to the next place.
Seeing lives changed
There we found a lovely family, a granny, two young daughters and two little grandchildren. We were invited in and it took some time for the granny to get up and come into the lounge. She was suffering with a hip and knee problem and couldn’t walk. She eventually shuffled in with her stick and sat down.
Edward stated our reason for being there and we both ended up laying hands on her and praying for her healing and restoration. With tears in her eyes she managed to walk across the room without her stick. Praise the Lord! Her daughter also invited Jesus into her heart and we prayed for her and the little grandchildren.
We also ministered to and prayed for the other daughter. We took their details, left Bibles and moved on thinking about how this family’s whole life could change because of what had just taken place!
The Lord brought us more people
Next we entered a home and the whole family was there, Dad, Mom, Aunty and daughters. Edward began to share the Gospel and the difference between belonging to a church and surrendering one’s life to Jesus. What followed was rather amusing, just as he finished sharing the Gospel and praying for someone, the front door would open and someone else would step inside.
This went on about three or four times. It was so funny; the Lord was just sending the people. The reaction on their faces as they walked in was unforgettable. We took all their details, handed out Bibles and moved on.
Used by God
We soon encountered a young man standing in the street watching us and who was very open to listening to what we had to say. Edward shared with him, prayed for him, took his name and gave him a Bible.
Next we reached a little road where there were many children of all ages playing cricket with a squash racquet and a tennis ball. Andrew quickly got involved and was soon bowling and catching the ball to the delight of the kids. Edward went off to chat to a young man on the corner and very soon the man was saying the salvation prayer and calling on Jesus to change his life. What a privilege!
He invited us to follow him home to meet his family. Edward and I went into the second floor flat and found his mom, sisters and extended family. The one lady just cried and said she had been waiting all day for us. (I think she heard we were in the area).
We shared the Gospel and chatted and then told them about their young son and brother who had just accepted Christ. They were all naturally thrilled. We took their details and left Bibles for them, thinking that this would be a perfect home to start a prayer group.
Just one more…
Soon we headed back to the tent.  Time had gone by so fast. We still had one Bible left and Edward said, “I need to find one man to receive this Bible”. Whala – there sitting on the steps in front of us was a young earring-clad man, playing with his little sisters.
We approached him and as soon as he heard the Gospel, he was ready to surrender his life to Jesus. We prayed a long prayer together with many blessings included.
Could this be a future leader in the community? We believe so, because when we asked the Lord for one more soul, he specifically led us to this young man.
Defeating the enemy’s plans
When we got back to the tent we listened to excited testimonies from the others. Some had encountered only Muslim families, others drug addicts, others gangsters. All had good reports and there was only one negative incident. Some young addicts had held up a pastor with the intention of robbing him, but all he had was a coke that had been given to him by a previous resident he had just shared with. This satisfied them and they went on their way. Glory to God!
We will be back!
And so we will return again and again until our task is done in Lavender Hill. Thank you to all the intercessors and prayer warriors who have emailed me to encourage and exhort us in this outreach. We have another 4 000 Bibles to distribute and will not stop until every home in Lavender Hill in the Cape Flats has one or has at least had the opportunity to receive one.
God’s Word has the power to change hearts and minds and together with Evangelist Edward Ackerman and CfaN, JOY! Magazine is committed to distribute the Word of God into all the homes. Once Lavender Hill has been reached and some sports ministries implemented and some prayer groups established, we will move to the next suburb. 
 
By Erin Georgiou