As we head into 2019, we have been thinking about being more intentional with our friendship and in our support of one another. We recognise that we are all on personal journeys trying to live our Christianity intentionally in sometimes difficult circumstances, trying to confront the injustice within and around us, and trying to influence people and spaces we find ourselves in to also embark on journeys towards justice. As we do this, we think we should be asking a few questions: 

• How can we help each other in this journey?
• How can we support one another in the face of opposition?
• What do we each need to learn to be more effective in this and how can we embark on learning journeys together?
• In what ways can we work together to achieve justice?
• Who else could we include together on this collective journey?

​As we have thought about our (the Branken family and Neighbours) plans for 2019, we see us focussing in particular on:
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• Helping the church advance its mission though incarnational Christian living as a prophetic sign of hope calling the church to lean into a more holistic gospel proclamation
• Seeking justice together in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, SA, and internationally through standing with and amplifying the voice of the marginalised
• Seeking the flourishing of Hillbrow’s residents and children through supporting and running programmes initiated and/or led by marginalised communities (Asset Based Community Development)
• Growing our music school and learning centre
• Training and equipping churches, businesses and individuals to live more justly
• Supporting others on similar journeys

These are a few ways you could help us in 2019:

​I have started studying this year at UP. I am doing a short course called leadership in Urban Transformation at the Centre for Contextual Theology at University of Pretoria. It involves 5 x 4-day sessions over the year where we analyze, reflect and plan our work.

Today is day 4 of the block and lectures start really early so I arrived at 6:30. I went in, the lecture theatre was locked and so went to sit outside. While waiting there I opened up my lunch box and offered the young woman next to me a mango. She seemed quite eager to receive it and so I began to ask a bit of her story.

She is from the Eastern Cape and has come to study theology. She is currently sleeping at the Elim Church while she waits for her NISFAS funding to secure her residence. She should be placed in res by next week. In the mean time she had not had food (clearly for a while).

I gave her the rest of my lunch, my card to call if she needs help in any way and went off to class thinking about what's happenening around South Africa on our universities and how this story gives me a little more insight into why this is all so important.
#FreeEducationNow