The Kempton Park Ecclesia

We're very blessed here in Kempton Park to have a wonderfully uplifting and active meeting to be members of. It's an interesting dichotomy of South Africa life: most living in impoverished conditions, some in middle class, and even a few members in upper class living conditions, all worshipping together each week like family. We meet in the Kempton Park Girl Guides Hall, the South African equivalent of the Girl Scouts.

There are about 25 baptized members and about 25 children attending the Kempton Park meeting. The majority of the children come from the local townships of Tembisa and Esselen Park, and a couple of families pick them all up in the back of bakkies (pick-up trucks) every Sunday morning. The average family living in a township doesn't have a car and either walks or takes a train to get somewhere, sometimes walking four hours per day to and fro.

We knew the very first Sunday at Kempton Park Meeting that we weren't in Kansas anymore when prayer request time came up. Back home, a typical prayer request list might consist of a family member with a cold or a sick grandma. This is no joke: the first prayer request from one of our members was thankfulness for narrowly avoiding a shootout on the highway to get to meeting that morning. She calmly stated matter-of-factly that their family avoided bullets flying on the road to get there for Sunday memorial (this is Africa).

Teaching the adult Sunday School Class on the book of Job with PowerPoint slides.

Sis. Lilande leading the children's general Sunday School session before they break up into smaller age-appropriate groups.

Megan teaching the preschool and kindergarten age Sunday School class in an outdoor pavilion.

The fourth through sixth grade bible study group.

The older teens working on their Sunday School worksheet.

Talking with Bro. Stephen Blewett after Sunday School class.

Sis. Philippa and Bro. Itayi chatting between classes. Bro. Itayi is the ecclesial recording brother.

Tea time between Sunday School and memorial meeting.

The musicians warming up their instruments for playing the hymns. The hymn singing in Kempton Park is incredibly good.