Taste and See
(Written by Lorie)

We are now a little more than halfway through our adventure here in South Africa and it has been an INCREDIBLE experience for all five of us! During our time here, different people have asked us why we came and what we wanted to get from the experience.

CRM Nieucommunites’ three main values are communion, community, and mission. When we heard about that and understood what was involved, we were drawn to experiencing those values on a much deeper level.

Over the past 7 weeks, we’ve been sharing with you ways that we’ve experienced communion (connecting with God). Giving up television during Lent, celebrating the Passover dinner, walking through the Stations of the Cross, climbing a mountain and praying over the city, singing songs, getting alone to talk with God, being in the bush and absorbing the magnificence of God’s creation of wild animals and landscape, and taking time to give God our undivided attention have all been ways we have experienced communion here.

We’ve also been sharing with you different ways that we’ve done mission (serving God by serving other people). It has involved us in the lives of people in the Soshanguve township, playing with and loving kids at Tutela, serving hot meals to the street kids, fixing computers, helping the poor, getting to know new people at the braais, and letting God make room in our hearts for compassion toward other people.

Another value that has swept us away is community (being together with others). It has been fun to do life once again with our friends from Canyon Hills Church, Sean and Debbie Fraser and Rob and Laurie Yackley. Luc Kabongo, Arthur and Melissa Stewart and Bryan and Daleen Ward (also on staff with CRM), have warmly welcomed us into their community. Our kids have had a blast playing with each another, celebrated 8 birthdays, gone out for coffee (the gals!), golfed (the guys!), shared many meals, worshipped together, enjoyed long conversations, played games, and laughed a lot!

Last weekend, Nieucommunites led a Friday night/Saturday retreat called Taste and See. It was a time for anyone who wanted to come see what Nieucommunites is all about and/or be challenged with the idea of how to make a difference in your life and in the world.

The weekend started out with the story of St. Patrick. Did you know that when Patrick was sixteen, he was captured from his home in England by Celtic pirates and forced into slavery in Ireland? During his years of enslavement, he experienced the presence of God and became a devout Christian. Six years after captivity, he was able to return to his home in England. When he was forty-eight years old (already past the life expectancy of a man in the fifth century), he felt called to return to Ireland to love and serve the very people who had tormented him during his youth.

"For the next twenty eight years, Patrick devoted his life to this barbarian people and planted about 700 churches, ordained many clerics, kindled such a zeal in men’s hearts that it seems right to believe that to him was directly due the wonderful outblossoming of Christianity which distinguished Ireland in the following ages." Louis Gougaud

So, how were these Celtic communities established? Here are a few things we learned during the weekend:

1. They created a common life. They ate together, worshipped/prayed together, studied together, did projects together, they were vulnerable with one another, and had fun together!
2. They helped “barbarians” feel at home. They did life with people outside the church, made them feel at home, listened to people, helped people, and intentionally put themselves where people were.
3. They made soul friendships. They found someone with whom they could share their heart with.
4. They made space for solitude. They took the time to get alone to be with God.
5. They birthed new communities. They grew, developed, and multiplied. They didn’t get too cozy for too long but were always stepping out.

Jesus and his followers lived the same way and changed the world. John 20:21 says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”.

Jesus and the Celtics lived as “sent” people and were able to make a great impact on the world. We too are meant to live as “sent” ones. This does not necessarily mean living on the other side of the world. It can just as easily mean changing how we do life in our current location.

The question I am asking myself is, how does my life compare to how Jesus or the Celtics lived?

Much love and thanks to all of you!