Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/278977
The suffering didn't end with the emotional abuse of her environment; Gigi's health began to suffer dramatically. Everything from an untreated and serious case of pneumonia to a rare tropical blood disease ravaged her body. Emotionally and physically she was nearly worn out. In all of this, she had one sweet and faithful friend who stood by her despite how wildly unpopular that was in their community. They were like sisters and this friend made up the sum total of Gigi's community outside of her loving husband. That is why, when this friend died suddenly by accidental drowning, it came as an epic blow. It is a wave of loss that Gigi is still riding. But blow after blow, she presses on. All the previous trials have, in some way, prepared her to endure the long and emotional nature of her work. AN IRREPRESSIBLE VISION She and her husband, Sihle, are living out a vision to bring the unadulterated gospel to Soweto, South Africa—the largest all-black township created in the Apartheid era. Sihle planted the Soweto Community Church just months before meeting Gigi in 2008. To this day, it remains one of the few Bible preaching churches they are aware of among the five million-person community of Soweto. Together, they pastor in this community, showing the love of Jesus, and miracles have come from it. To this day, it remains one of the few Bible preaching churches they are aware of among the five million-person community of Soweto. Together, they pastor in this community, showing the love of Jesus, and miracles have come from it. One of their primary ministries is working with the countless abandoned and orphaned babies of South Africa. They work with five orphanages in the area around Soweto, Johannesburg, and Pretoria and are in the beginning stages of starting their own. Their work connected them to one particular orphanage located in north Pretoria. This community was known for being home to many of the wealthiest white Afrikaners and many former military officers. The white workers at the orphanage allowed Gigi and Sihle to come and volunteer and eventually they learned to trust, respect, and admire the couple for the work they do. Sihle extended an invitation to the Afrikaners to host a baby dedication ceremony at their church in Soweto and they agreed to attend. Because the Afrikaners were anxious about coming into Soweto, they brought sixteen adults along with the twelve babies. Four of the sixteen were former military officers and one of the four was a woman. It was this woman who realized, upon driving up to the church, that its location was almost exactly where one of the bloodiest battles in Soweto happened during the Apartheid era nearly twenty years before; an event she was actively involved in. During the service, this woman began to weep. Not long after her tears fell, the woman got up and asked for the microphone. Through choking sobs, she said, "I'm so sorry for what we have done to your community. I repent. I am so sorry, please forgive us." By the end of the service all four military officers were in tears, along with the entire church congregation. Sihle took this opportunity to respond clearly and publicly to the Afrikaner military officers. He invited four of the core Sowetan men in the church to the front, then he said, "We want to show you tangibly how much we love, accept, and consider you part of our family in Christ. Please come forward because we just want to hug you." One by one, each of the former military officers received hugs from the Sowetan men; and the brokenness, forgiveness, and reconciliation flowed freely down their faces in tears. Occasions like this don't just happen, but they will more and more. The Lord has a vision for the future of South Africa and that baby dedication service was just one piece of His great plan. A LESSON LEARNED, AGAIN AND AGAIN "More than that," Gigi quotes Paul, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value 18 SPRING 2014 TAKE IT FROM HERE Havana1234/Photos.com