ChangingOne.com

fear factor

Caleb Price — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:37:25 +0000

So i wanted to start off by telling you all a funny story that happened to me not to long ago. So first i will start off by mentioning that here in the indian community they eat alot of curry and the result of that is me eating a lot of curry. I do enjoy it but lets say its always nice to have that juciy burger ever once and awhile . So the other day i got home and was hungry so i poked my head into the frig to discover a pot that had some cooked lamb in it. I dished it out, heated it up and dug into that thing! But for some reason I wasnt getting any meat, so i was just eating the fat to give myself a little something. I finished the meal and came back to our apt. to chat with Matt and asked him if he had alot of meat with what he ate..his reply “not really, but o yea i forgot to tell you I thought it was lamb but it was lamp trotters”…meaning i was eating lamb feet

Now that the story has been completed I want to give you the Durban, SA/TPF (the phoenix fellowship) update! Its was a great week. I was able to connect in with more of our youth and am going to be connecting up regularly now with my BOYii, Mongezi to do a Bible study. Also this week Thabo gave me the opportunity to head up games and speak at youth. Lets just say the activity we had left all the kids slightly moist at the end of the night hehehe. Besides that Ive been doing usual routine stuff with the church and helping with planning events and bouncing ideas of Darryl/Selvan about how to go about promoting the church in the community better.

I just want to close out by saying how great and faithful God is towards us when we are truly pursuing Him and His Will. In doing it He calms your worries and gives you peace, He provides for your needs, and builds you up in wisdom and character. I can say that I am in a different country thats not like home, yet have peace. I have been looked after and provided more then i would ever had imagined (even lamb trotters ) And I am being built up more in my faith and starting to see what I think is God’s vision for my life. A verse that comes to my mind is Proverbs 3:5-6 where it says” Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will make your path straight” Hope you all are doing well. If you have anything that i can be praying for you about let me know by emailing me at changingoneatatime@gmail.com. I appreciate your prayers and support so much.

some photos of temples/mosques in the area of Phoenix, along with a staff meeting, and the dark one is from youth..when we dumped a bucket of water on them, we are just the kindest youth leaders hehe

Is that Gandhi???

Caleb Price — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:27:43 +0000

Well it is true you will see a picture of Gandhi when you look through the photos that go along with this blog. The reason you will find Gandhi in this is because of a youth event we did this week that had 24 kids finding there way around the mall here “Gateway” taking pictures. They weren’t just taking pictures at random and we had to make it fun so we gave them a list of 30 things to do, from leap frog to hugging strangers..oo yea and getting a picture with Gandhi This week went was great and a good amount of my time was spent planning and organizing this event for our youth. Thabo has turned over youth activities to me now soo be praying the Lord gives me some killer (meaning fun) ideas that the youth enjoy.

Also this week the logo for BBC (the Bible college) was finally decided upon..meaning out of the 15 to 20 different logo ideas i created one finally was up to Darryl’s (missionary/Bible School MAN) standard. (i created this one zulu warrior one but it was to intense and dramatic..but i liked it, Darryl didnt haha) YAAAHOOOOOO..i celebrated the finish of that off by finding my way down to the ocean this weekend for a lil surf action with my buddy whose name also is Ryan. Funny enough his full first name is Ryan James…and im not joking or pulling your leg, im being totally serious, crazy right? If you are a older gentlemen and your reading this you may enjoy what im about to say. After surfing we attended a mens breakfast (different church then the one i help out at) and they had a NBA player speaking at it. His name was Bay…something?? and he played for the Suns! Awesome man with a heart for the Lord and a awesome message to tell others. It was cool getting to shake his giant hand and also talk with another American!

Besides the events of this week things have been pretty normal. Planning other events for the future, staff meetings, hanging with youth, and about to begin doing discipleship with one of the youth guys !! Be praying for that PLEASE! I am seeing how God is answering your prayers, for example I am figure out more how to relate with the kids here, God is helping me be comfortable with putting myself out to people, and I havent felt alone sense ive been here..i appreciate your prayers so much! We serve one awesome and amazing God.

On the flip side of the World a.k.a America I hope you are all doing well. If you are from NY i here that you have been pretty much snowed into your homes till summer haha well keep warm and get out and do some skiing or better yet snowboarding to embrace the winter weather.

To see more photos of what our youth has been up check out our facebook group: www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=354317958384&ref=ts

r.j.

I think i can play basketball

Caleb Price — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:42:13 +0000

The start of a new week..ahh time to start getting to work and getting things done..after i write this blog tho OF COURSE! This past week i think i ran more then i ever have in my life..I plugged in with a school called Northwood and help them with there Bball practice on Monday and Wednesday. It was pretty funny because i show up and i ended up right away coaching 5 guys. Then the next day(Wednesday) i showed up and the coach wasnt even there so i ran practice haha i dont even really play ball at all, making it even a little more comical. Its been fun helping out there and getting to know some of the kids on the team. It also has given me more time to hang with some of the guys from our youth. Come Thursday we had a mens outting to the mall here and played soccer! they have a field on the parking garage roof and we played 6 v 6. I think i ran all the curry ive been eating sense i got here during that game Inbetween all the activities and things i’ve been workign on doing some research for a possible church plant and also am doing some logo work for the Bible college here, Baptist Bible School. I was able to check out a Hindu wedding across the street, which was cool and the music (Micheal Jackson) was a good choice haha. It was a great past week and this week is already starting to look bright..I appreciate all your prayers and support as i am here.

r.j.

Valentines in SA

Caleb Price — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:23:28 +0000

YAHOOOZEEE! That is just a word i made up to start this blog. If you really want to know a couple words spoken in the native Zulu language (which is prelevant in the area i am in) then here it is “Yebo go go” (said yea-boe-go-go) translation Yes grandman. I think it was used as a catch line for the big cell phone company Vodacom hehe. This week has been so awesome. Been pluggin in with more of the youth kids, young adults and church members! Coming up soon is a mission conference and Selvan had me design the logo and poster for it…pretty much for 2 hours ended up sitting at my computer trying to figure out photo shop 7..then either it was divine revelation or remembering some stuff i was taught at university and things started clicking in my brain! After that it was all about doing the WORK! Also had the usual staff meeting, growth group and so on…

But come Friday we ended up having a surprise braai for the youth! it was awesome and like a million degrees outside..ok like 25 degrees (celcius that is). Im not in NY, and i i was it would be 25 degrees F haha We had new faces show up played games and hung out. We were also joined by a herd of ants..for some reason they all come out at night and cover the bball court we play games on. I started developing a new dance called “shake that ant.” I think soon it will catch on in the states haha That night went quickly and Saturday started early with headin out in the community passing out fliers promoting the church and then later in the day we got together with our 1 junior youth kid (be praying for growth there). We had a good time with him tho and hit up the community pool! Then came sunday! Valentines day..YAHOOO! Hope everyone had a romantic one. We had a event at the church for Valentines day and i was a lucky man having 2 dates haha. Thabo and i both brought 2 to keep things balanced. It was a fun night and we had a turn out of around 30+ people. The food was awesome, the company, and the night ended with a water jelly bean looking thing fight (i think it stained my white shirt, owell). A really great week it was and i am excited about the busy one i have ahead.

To keep in mind please be praying for the guys im doing discipleship with (Mongezi, Du, AJ) and also im going to try this week to plug in with there bball team to help with practice monday and wed. so pray that goes well. Also for growth in the junior youth, church growth, people in church stepping up into leadership positions, and also for the young adults!

When it comes to me personally all is going well! God is teaching me so much over here, alot with patience but other things too. I feel super comfortable with the area I am in and am enjoying being told i talk funny (the upstate ny accent. a mix of a canadian and a new yorker haha). God is truly blessing me so much by placing me in such a awesome community and church over here. Be praying that He keeps open doors for me as i am here to meet more people and present Christ love to them!!! The best thing I’ve ever come across in my life..even better then purple skittles!

Ryan James a.k.a RICK! lil ryan, ry ry, pj !

can someone turn the heat down

Caleb Price — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:45:10 +0000

Wow what a week it has been…pretty funny that last week was so chill then this week felt like was non stop action from a young adult event, to youth, a basketball game, staff meeting, to shopping for things for the church and so on! The worst part about it being a hectic week was the temperatures were up in the 90’s! pretty much anything i did or any place i went it ended up looking like i walked through a rain storm due to the amount of sweat that was pouring from my body but non the less i survived. I think the highlight of the week was the young adult event! 9 of us got together and set up a big tent near the ocean and enjoyed hanging out, eating, swimming, and playing some soccer..cool way to really get to know the people my age at the church. Also i was able to help transport sunday school material to a ladies house (which we will organize this week). While doing this it was interesting to see how into Christian literature cockroaches are… I mean they were all behind the books so i assumed they must like reading or NOT! Youth went good this week and we are working on more and more to develop the junior youth at the church…we are seeing growing numbers, last week we had 1 kid and this week we had 2. Hey maybe next week 4 then 8 then 16 then ……so on. but be keepng that ministry in your prayers and that the flyer hand out we do will get more kids coming to that ministry.

Ryan

Chill week

Caleb Price — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:16:56 +0000

When i look at this week compared to the past 3 weeks it definitely has been alot more mellow. Now that i think of it i cant believe how fast time has passed by! just feels like i got here a couple days ago…CRAZY! This week though has been nice. Having my own car to drive around for the majority of the week was a added bonus as well;) reason for that was Darryl (missionary here) headed off to Cape Town with his family to speak at a camp and i watched over his house and car! I gave the car back today and i think i am already suffering from detachment issues haha. Also this week i was able to celebrate my first ever South African b-day, which was a great time. We ended up have a Braai (or what we call a BBQ) and a couple of the young adults from The Phoenix Fellowship came over to hang! well i wish i had more to say but not to much new has been happening so far..no jelly attacks, no lion sightings and no rhino stampedes. Hope all is well with you! Be keepin the ministry here and myself in your prayers.

Ryan

Attack of the Jellies

Caleb Price — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:46:01 +0000

Man it is awesome getting to know more and more of the people that I will be working with here as I am in South Africa. I am apart of a Growth Group and the topic being covered is Networking….so i’m networking hardcore over here trying to get to know people from The Phoenix Fellowship church and surrounding churches. Over the past week i have been falling into a routine and am all settled in my place. Its definitely a new culture, but not a shock. The people here are so hospitable, kind, and socialable it has been making the transition very easy. Over the past week I’ve been plugging in with the youth and really getting to know a couple of the kids. On Friday last week Matt (who I live with) and I decided to hit up the Bball court and play some ball with a couple of youth kids. We represented our homeland and dominated the court! …ok maybe not dominated but played a good game and squeeked by. Also I have been working on develop the media at the church, promotional materials, and planning event for the young adults/youth.

When it comes to things for you to keep in your prayers be praying for unity among the young adults, for the youth and boys i am doing discipleship with, and the youth minister Thabo. Also I am taking on a fairly big event come April. I will be organizing the activities for a junior youth camp of about…80 kids. Be praying the Lord keeps me sane:) during the event and gives me the ability to be organized and creative. I appreciate your prayers so much!

O and if you are wondering why I named this Attack of the Jellies I went out surfing early in the morning and ended up surrounded by blue bottles(small blue jelly fish that floats on the surface and stings). I found this out to late and they got there stingers wrapped around me..OUCH!! see the pictures to understand what i am talking about…i lived through the event and today they are only slightly itchy.

p.s. -the amount of spam i get along with comments is overwhelming, making it impossible for me to check comments anymore. If you want to let me know something send me a email: changingoneatatime@gmail.com

Ryan James

A place where the Sun Shines

Caleb Price — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:53:22 +0000

Well Hello everybody!!

I must say that it has been an awesome first week here in Durban/Phoenix, South Africa. Thabo has been taking Matt (room mate) and I around the area to do things and I actually just started driving a couple days agos. I guess all i can say at first it was a interesting experience because I was shifting with my left hand and driving on the left side of the road (only one time did i try to turn into the right lane..which i thought was good for a beginner) But any way I am still alive and accident free. Also this week I was able to plug in with the youth and enjoy hanging around them. We played a game called move your bum, which i think would be illegal in the states to to the intense contact and falling out of chairs that occurs doing it (fun game tho for sure:) ) i am excited to know that i will be discipling 3 to 4 of the youth guys as well. I’d try and spell there names but I would mess up horribly because they are all Zulu boys haha but once i get the spelling down i will let you know so you can keep them in your prayers. Church also went well this week and Matt and I were introduced in the church and upped the minority from 3 white people (Missonary -Darrly, wife Casey, and child Emma) to 5 haha..The church and the people are awesome tho and i think I will have to up my work out schedule due to eating over at peoples houses. Satz and Angie have been a pleasure to live with and are super hospitable! A huge blessing to Matt and I for sure. Besides that life is good, and I have been enjoying the warm weather and sun lit sky I am looking at as I am writing this. Hope everyone is well. Please be keeping me in your prayers for discernment, outgoingness:), and ability to relate with the youth…o and also that i keep driving in the left lane;) God Bless

ryan james

In Phoenix South Africa

Caleb Price — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:17:34 +0000

Wow…can’t believe how quickly this day came. All my flights from Rochester, NY to Durban, South Africa went smoothly and I was able to connect with some pretty cool people along the way. A girl from Johannesburg, as well as some people who resided in the Durban area. At the airport in Durban I was greeted by my aunt and uncle, as well as the pastor of the Phoenix Fellowship church. It is awesome being here in Phoenix, South Africa! Last night I was able to meet my Indian host family and hang around them a little bit before hitting the sack. They are so kind, and hospitable. Today around noon I met my room mate Matt, who is from the great state of Washington, he should be around till early June. Also I was able to meet up with the youth pastor, Thabo, who helped get Matt and I around to do some errands making the settling in process almost complete! Now its getting late..like 8:57pm and i am feeling the traveling and time change a little bit. So its time to sleeP!:)

Back to Reality…

Caleb Price — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:12:21 +0000

So it is kinda crazy that the trip is over! The guys and I have been apart from each other for about a week now, which is strange due to the fact that for 2 months striaght we never were 20ft away from each other. But I think it is safe to say that we are doing ok through this time of seperation:). Jon is back at work for his pops in Dunedin, FL and hanging/helping with the kids at his churches youth group. Caleb is out in San Diego, Califorina dreaming with his buddies from Indiana and pursing music. And I am currently getting ready for the next part of this journey with me heading to Durban, South Africa come the 11th of January. And even though the trip is over the ministry that was being done through it continues on. Each day there have been oppurtunites to share about the experience with others and to tell about how good God was through the whole trip; good to provide safety, shelter, food, answers to prayer, perservence, strength, patience and the list goes on. I challenge people to take a step out there in there faith or to begin pursing a relationship with God because He will always look after you and never let you down. How awesome and faithful He is!

To check out more information about the church I will be serving at over in South Africa check out http://www.thephoenixfellowship.com/

Ryan James