“I have seen God show up this week through the fact that even though these kids go through very dark situations, God’s light still shines through their life” – Luiza Reis
South Africa Team Three (SCHIJI) has been working alongside the Dream Center for our first week here in Cape Town, South Africa. The Dream Center, started by Extreme Response, is an afterschool program that offers a safe place for children in high poverty living situations. It has been a privilege to come alongside the staff at the Dream Center and serve the children in Cape Town through preparing the facility, leading devotionals, playing games on the field, or even through sweet, joy-filled conversations over lunch.
Our first two days at the Dream Center were spent meeting the staff, cleaning and setting back up the campus before the kids arrived, and praying over the students. Preparing the campus entailed cleaning and rearranging the classrooms, harvesting vegetables in the greenhouse, and being intentional to get to know the staff that will continue to get to know these kids through this coming year. Mrs. Amy, the director of the Dream Center, assigned each of us high school children to pray over! This was a sweet time spent in the presence of the Lord praying on behalf of these children and petitioning to the Lord that they are met with great peace at all times, even outside of the Dream Center.
After our two days solely being spent with the staff of the Dream Center, the kids had finally arrived! The staff describe the arrival of the kids as “Holy Chaos,” and that truly is what it felt like. After we spent so much time sitting in hopeful, eager anticipation, the pure joy that the kids were radiating as they came from their holiday was beyond tender. Knowing these students’ tough stories and backgrounds and seeing their kindness brought immense joy to us.
All the kids upon arrival were running through the gate and giving hugs to both the staff and us; it felt as if we had known them for years. Many of the students just wanted us to spend intentional time with them, whether that was spent playing soccer, running around the field with them on our shoulders, letting them play with our hair, or simply getting to know them as they ate their lunch. Any moment, big or small, spent with these kids blessed us beyond measure and they will forever be in our memory.
On our last day at the Dream Center, our team hosted a field day for all the Dream Center kids to run around the field. The day concluded with a game of kickball and group prayer with all ages.
This day is one of our teams’ favorite memories from our week because we saw the kids go from station-to-station learning new games and playing ones they had already known. Leaving the kids was one of the most bittersweet moments of our time spent at the Dream Center. We know that these students have teams come in and out of the Dream Center throughout their school year, but, even still, these kids gave even tighter hugs, smiled even bigger, and showed so much love when we departed brought. This act of love gave us immense joy and gratitude.
All in all, spending time at the Dream Center in Cape Town was full of intentional moments ranging from cleaning to conversing with the students and staff. This week was immediately life-giving, and as we loved on the kids the Lord tended to the garden in our own hearts as well showing us the importance of loving His children deeply.
KaylinGrace Lee
South Africa Team #3 (SCHIJI)