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John 12:26 "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also..."

Time and again, Jesus shows us that he has come to this earth not to be served, but to serve.  In this verse from John's 12th chapter, Jesus reminds us that in order to serve, we must follow him.  Where Jesus goes...we go to serve.  So, where is Jesus?  We know this to be true, Jesus is in the littlest, the lost, and the least..."in as much as you [loved, fed, clothed, sheltered, served] the least among you, so to you did it unto me..."  Wherever the least are living, wherever the poor are hungry, cold, oppressed and yearning...there is Jesus.  The Senior Youth of the International Church of Copenhagen (ICC) know of a place where Jesus is standing, we followed him there...to serve according to John 12:26...

...SERVE 12:26...

In the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, is a township called Khayelitsha.  Khayelitsha was set up as a ghetto during the years of Apartheid as a place for the poor and the outcast.  For decades, poverty has stricken this place with high unemployment and all of the symptoms of oppression.  With men and women trading life for survival, this area saw a disproportionate rise in HIV/AIDs, and an increase in child sexual abuse and neglect.  The St. Michael's parish, in the False Bay Diocese of the Anglican Church in South Africa decided that they were going to offer their loving service for these littlest of God's children suffering from our brokenness, for to such belong the Kingdom of God.

While itself a mission congregation, the International Church of Copenhagen has been financially supporting Sophumelela Preschool for several years with our own benevolent giving.  It was our desire to grow this relationship while we grow our faith as we experience God's Spirit at work in this most marginalized part of the world.  From June 24-July 2, 2007, we served, fed and taught the children in the classrooms of Sophumelela preschool, worshiped, lived with and shared life with the staff and members of St. Michael's parish.  We now hope to bear witness to the lives of these children, and the ministry of the Church that is helping to share the hope of the Gospel.  But we also hope to bear witness to the way in which the lives of these children can change the Church and our sense of purpose and calling to be an instrument of God's peace in this world.

We are including a few items at the bottom of this page in order to help you understand our mission, experience it from the perspective of our youth, hear news of our trip, and find out how you can contribute to Sophumelela Preschool through financial giving.  Our youth will participated in several acts of fund raising - a benefit concert here in Copenhagen, and the 40 hour famine, using the Lenten discipline of fasting to raise money, and awareness of hunger and poverty in South Africa - and now, we ask for your continued support of our brothers and sisters in Christ in Khayelitsha.

We pray that you will be inspired by the will of our Senior Youth to live out their faith, and their desire to be changed by the experience of God's work in the world through the lives of these children.  They saw Christ through the eyes of the most vulnerable, marginalized children in our world.  While we share our ministry with these children born to HIV/AIDs, abuse and poverty, we want to share with you the word of hope that is rising up from God's people in South Africa.

Please prayerfully consider supporting Sophumelela, and pass along this web page to a few friends.  We thank you for your support, and may you be blessed in following Christ, wherever he leads...