Author Archives: melaniebest2014

Meet Mr. Mayor

From Left to Right, Phumlani, Akhona and Leon “Akhona, will you be able to lead Cru Youth if I am not around?”               Most missionaries wrestled with this question. Is an individual you mentored able to sustain an outreach if missionary is absent? Three years ago Akhona, aka Mr. Mayor, expressed his desire to doContinueContinue reading “Meet Mr. Mayor”

Pace Yourself

“What matters is that you’re trying, and you’re learning to seek grace as you learn to pace yourself,” Morgan Harper Nichols Nyameka interviewing our teammate, Caroline Shave, for Episode 7.               April is the most notorious month in South Africa for ministry. The public holidays, observance of Easter and school holidays bring many interruptions toContinueContinue reading “Pace Yourself”

Girlfriends & Gifts

After one year of Covid-19 in South Africa… From 22 – 24 March, Leon and I attended the Campus Crusade for Christ – Southern & Eastern Africa (CCC – SEA) Celebration Staff Conference.  It was three mornings on Zoom listening to the great leaders from different countries share about God’s goodness.  We experienced a senseContinueContinue reading “Girlfriends & Gifts”

Bridges

Throughout this lockdown, Leon and I have created bridges to bring our different strategy teams together.  These collaborative efforts have helped reach people for Christ.  We have shared in our updates over the last year how our ministry has hosted several evangelistic & discipleship online events to engage people to share the gospel and buildContinueContinue reading “Bridges”

Variant

Doing some research, I discovered all viruses mutate and this includes Covid-19.  Viruses replicate themselves to spread and thrive in its human host’s environment. Sometimes during the process, small genetic changes occur creating a more infectious and harmful variant virus to humans.  In recent weeks, South African and United Kingdom (UK) variants have received moreContinueContinue reading “Variant”

Merry Christmas!

Left to Right: Nala(14), Noel(16), Mack(17), Melanie, Elle(4) and Leon Best For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6May the Prince of Peace fill your hearts with His joy and love.ContinueContinue reading “Merry Christmas!”

Indaba

Campus Crusade for Christ Western Cape 2020 Team Indaba – “Xhosa and Zulu word meaning discussion or conference.”             National SLMSA Meetings (9 – 12 Nov) in Cape Town, National Leadership Team Meetings (16 – 20 Nov) in Pretoria and Western Cape Regional Team Meetings (24 – 25 Nov) in Cape Town dominated my NovemberContinueContinue reading “Indaba”

Mentoring

Eugene sharing with Kuyasa volunteer On March 17, Cru Youth ministered at Kuyasa Library in Khayelitsha.  This would be the last time our volunteers would share God’s Word, worship together in song and have fun competitions with the children at Kuyasa.  The pandemic’s repercussions slowed the economy making it difficult for some volunteers to makeContinueContinue reading “Mentoring”

Earthquake

cracked road after earthquake(*stock picture) Low rolling thunder on a Saturday evening?  My wife rushes to the bedroom window and asks, “What was that?”  My daughter and I were on the bed online viewing.  I heard the sound, but assumed it was rare thunder from the Cape Town sky.  Two hours later cellphone notifications revealedContinueContinue reading “Earthquake”