Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! - Psalm 96:1-3
This is what Knysna Hope is about. We are very excited about the calling God has for our family to help start the Knysna Hope organization and the Garden Route academy
of Fine Arts in the beautiful city of Knysna, South Africa. Situated at the Southernmost coast of the African Continent, right on the Indian Ocean lies the Knysna. With a population of about 70,000 it is a town of myriad races, languages and cultures. Knysna is in the heart of the beautiful Garden Route and five hours east of Cape Town. Situated around a lagoon, it's a mountainous region and one of the only forested areas in the country. It has one of the most mild climates on earth, with high temperatures consistently between 65-80 (F) year round. The spectacular natural beauty of the region drives the local economy through tourism. Yet like much of South Africa, the contrast between wealth and poverty, success and struggle, is stark. In just a few minutes drive from the gorgeous vacation homes and tourist hot spots are the outer townships such as these where life is much harder. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of permanent Knysna residents still remain below the poverty line. Homes are often pieced together with metal scraps and, if one is lucky, cinder blocks. So how do we reach both Knysnas for Christ? In addition to the economic disparities, the neighborhoods of the town are fragmented due to the extreme nature of the Knysna Estuary and it’s surrounding hills. Each suburb is clearly disconnected from the other, offering church planters a natural opportunity of starting an outreach from their home, attempting to reach their own neighborhood first. The township community also has a similar challenge geographically as there are scores of housing settlements scattered over a wide area, divided by the harsh topography. Again, this invites a strategy for multiple church planting start-ups in each smaller community. Knysna Hope is a registered Non-Profit Organization (NPO) designed to serve Christ by meeting the needs of the Knysna community. As a strategic ministry partner, Knysna Hope will come alongside the existing and future church start-ups to build relationships throughout the community, with the sole purpose of bringing people to Christ. It will do this through co-operative upliftment initiatives such as skills development, food outreach, a crisis pregnancy center, youth engagement, and the fine arts. We have been called specifically to help bring the Knysna Hope vision into reality. Caleb will use his educational and professional experience to coordinate the operations of the organization across all its various ministries. Terrah will use her musical training and skill to open and help run The Garden Route Academy of Fine Arts. Knysna Hope, The Garden Route Academy of Fine arts, and the other future initiatives under the umbrella of the non-profit organization, exist for the sole purpose of engaging the community, building relationships, and bringing people to Christ through His church! Through God’s power, we seek to transform all of Knysna, each neighborhood, no matter what the barriers are or what individual circumstances are. Through this impact, particularly through the South African Institute of Christian Music, we will strengthen local bodies of believers throughout all of South Africa. Knysna Hope is the vision the Lord has laid out for us. We could not imagine anything more exciting than to be called into His Kingdom work in South Africa! It is at once humbling and overwhelming. And yet, because we know that He who called us is faithful, we have complete confidence in His provision and proceed with boldness in fulfilling His call. Our journey to South Africa depends entirely on financial support from individuals and organizations. Any size gift is crucially important for the success of the mission in Knysna, but we are in particular need of committed monthly support. We would be honored to partner with you in this effort. Secure online giving: https://www.globalservicenetwork.org/give/50716001
