In The Light

We love our city, we love our young people and most importantly, we love our Jesus and that is way we exist, that is the reason behind Hugs 4 Christ.

A month from now we will take a big step in our community, hopefully even in the rest of the world. On 1 and 2 September we will have our first In The Light youth prayer event. This will be something completely new to us and we are looking forward to bringing the young people together for a weekend of prayer.

In The Light will take place on social media and in different place in Windhoek. We hope to stream the event across the globe on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. The best part is we want the youth involved.

On 1 September we will start with a prayer event at Christuskirche in the Windhoek CBD. There we will reclaim the city and spread blessings over our leaders, future leaders and pray for each corner of Windhoek.

We will then continue by having a #FreeHugsNam event in the Zoo Park and Post Street Mall. It won’t stop there, throughout the day we will visit various spots in the city and pray about a variety of topics. The full schedule will still be shared on our social media pages. This event is not only limited to Windhoek, we urge other towns in Namibia and in the rest of the world to take part in it and to help young people pray for other young people.

On 2 September we will release a series of videos, poems, written sermons and a prayer topic lists on video. This will be done every second hour and will be completely online. We hope to get as many as possible people involved and to include every young person.

The date is especially important as it is set right before the commencement of the grade 10 and 12 year-end examinations in Namibia. It is also when a lot of university students will be getting ready for the last few weeks of their semester.

September will be a big month for us; we also re-launched our Writers of Hope (WoH) event which will take place on 29 September in Windhoek. There will once again be a tin-shaking funds collection event in Windhoek.

The money raised will be used to buy stationery for the Môreson Special School in Khomasdal and to further fund Hugs 4 Christ for future projects. We will once again be at the intersections of Jan Jonker Street and Robert Mugabe Avenue, as well Frankie Fredericks Street and Chasie Street. Donations of all kind are welcome.

To come into contact with us visit our Facebook or Instagram pages or send an e-mail to hugs4christ@gmail.com, alternatively you can find them on WhatsApp on 081 469 1568.

Free Hugs July

Not Unplugged

Have you ever felt like you’re no longer connecting to God or as if you’ve both become distant from one another?

This is problem we as Christians always seem to face, and funny enough it usually comes during our darkest hours. You know, the times when you are under so much pressure and your negative emotions seem to be running wild. The times when you so badly want to be closer to God, but you just feel so Unplugged from the spirit.

Why is that? Why does that happen? Why do you feel so alone during the troubling times? Did God unplug from your life or did you just switch yourself off?

I have felt this way on various occasions; to be honest I have been feeling that way a lot recently. I felt as if God was just watching me from a distance and as if I was all alone. I prayed, I read verses, I sang songs of worship and praise, but after all that I still felt Unplugged.

I mean there were a few moments where I felt that spark again, I felt ready to take life by the horns again, but then it all just faded away and I realised that even though I wasn’t losing faith, I was losing myself to things that weren’t sent by God.

You see, I began to realise, that I was still connected to God, but I just switched myself off. After all the hurt, challenges and bad times, I climbed back into my box and hid from everything. I didn’t unplug myself, I just pulled away.

But this is what God told me: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6-7

I still continued to share Bible verses online, I prayed for my loved ones (including food) and I went to church whenever I could. I tried to stay plugged in to Jesus, but at the same time I remained switched off.

I guess that’s the problem with us young people, when we get hurt we prefer to hide away from it or ignore it, instead of just facing it. We have to take the giants down, before we actually become Unplugged.

This is what God tells us: "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:17-19

It’s not an easy road, but it’s always worth it. You should never give up on the God who chose his Son to die so that we can be saved. Just continue to stay Plugged in and trust Father, you will get the breakthrough, even if it’s not the one you prayed for.

There are so many wonderful things in the Bible that can uplift us again, but then we have to live by them. Anxiety, pain, depression, loneliness and whatever else might come, but it is up to us to walk In the Light and to be the light.

Psalm 119:9How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your word.

#NotUnplugged

#InTheLight

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The Story of A Pageant Queen

She dreams of seeing the world and to introduce people to the God who loves her, Ellison Benade is from a small town called Rehoboth in Namibia. She has hopes to show the world what faith can do.

Ellison has been working hard to spread her Love for Christ and to share it with everyone around her. Last year Ellison took part in the Miss Rehoboth pageant and won the title. She says that through her title she hopes to reach out to other young people.

During the course of the year, she used this title to make a difference in her community and to inspire the young people of her hometown.

“I want to use my title as a way to draw young people back to God,” she says.

Ellison has spent her whole life in Rehoboth, raised by her mother and grandparents and completing her secondary education at Dr Lemmer High School.

“I have lived my whole life in Rehoboth. It is a small town, but with a warm heart that makes it difficult to leave. I grew up with my brother and we are inseparable,” she says. “At the moment I live with my grandmother and brother. My grandmother is my hero and my rock,” she says.

According to Ellison, her favourite childhood memories are her trips to the farm with her cousins, brother and grandparents.

“My grandfather would always make the day memorable by doing something funny,” she says.

She never really dreamt about participating in pageants, only taking part in on other pageant in her primary school years.

As a child she dreamed about becoming a doctor. “My cousin and I wanted to open a hospital to build a family legacy,” she says, but adds that her dreams have changed over the years. “Now I want to become a flight attendant. I want to see the world and gain more experience. I want to learn from different cultures and I am still holding onto that dream,” Ellison says.

Although she took part in the Miss Rehoboth pageant, modelling is not really what she wants to do. “Actually, I never even planned on taking part, because generally this kind of thing is not for me!”

However, she took the plunge to see where things would go.

During the course of the pageant, she says that she made many friends. “Even though we fought along the way, it also drew us closer together.

“Initially I was afraid to take on this kind of leadership role, but with time I learned to understand what it feels like when someone looks up to you and you have to set an example. If you want to see change, you have to be the change.”

The title has opened doors for her to become a public speaker, which provides the perfect opportunity to spread the Gospel. Along with that she has especially been using her position to work with the youth of Rehoboth.

“I can truly say God has used me in ways that have shaped me as a person,” Ellison says.

Having gained more confidence, she now speaks freely about her faith and she hopes to continue doing so.

She says her heart goes out to the youth. “At the moment I am working with our young girls aged 14 and up whom have suffered sexual abuse or have experienced other tragedies. Those who I haven't had contact with, can feel free to contact me if they need to or have the urge to spend time with me experiencing the word of God.”

Ellison says she sits down with them to show them that they are loved and that they are important.

She is also planning on hosting a self-defence class for ladies and she has been working with government constituencies to sign off a bill for access to information.

“People in certain communities do not know most of their rights. This is mainly due to a lack of information and they continue to suffer because of it. This group wants to share the importance of an access to information law for you as an individual,” Ellison says.

She says she has to keep herself motivated to keep doing what she needs to.

Her biggest motivation is God and her family, including her spiritual family.

“I spend a lot of time with God. The moment you silence yourself before God, you can just listen to Him, hear and understand what He wants you to do. If I ever feel down, I just remember that He loves me. My family and spiritual family play a big part in my growth. They keep me in shape and accountable,” she says.

Ellison had big shoes to fill and she hopes her successor will continue uplifting the youth when she hands over the crown to the next winner.

“I'd really like to encourage other girls to take on pageantry, because everything around you influences who you become in the future.

“What you feed your mind will shape your future. Commit to feeding your mind with successful thoughts and surround yourself with those who have the same ambitions,” Ellison says.

Anyone can contact her via Facebook if there is anything they want to talk about.

“In the mean time I dare you to trust that God loves you just the way you are, and not as you or other people think you should be. 

The Story of A Christian Artist

She serves God in her music and she always puts her faith first in everything she does.

Raised in Walvis Bay, Whitney Movers says her childhood was easy and that she was always the quiet and shy girl, except when she was singing.

“I grew up in a Christian home where both my parents served God even before I was born. I think I am one of those blessed people who had a strong Christian foundation since day one,” Whitney says.

She was born on New Year’s Day, but she became born again on 7 July 2011. She says it was her choice to become a Christian.

“God was preparing me throughout that year, without me even knowing. I was busy singing and the next moment I found myself at the altar surrendering my everything to God. Seven years after that encounter I never had any doubts about wanting to go back to the world,” Whitney says.

Whitney uses her singing abilities to minister to others and she says that before she born her cousin knew she would be able to sing.

“When my mother was pregnant with me, my cousin just walked up to her and her, her name is going to be Whitney and she will sing’,” she says.

Her mother decided to give her the name and the prophecy over her life became a reality. Soon she became a singer and she really started to use her talent when she was five-years-old.

“I knew this was my passion since day one, because when I saw a microphone nobody could stop me from picking it up,” Whitney says.

Her love for music and singing has led her to also write songs. She says that although she does not play any instruments, she wants to learn, because it will improve her writing.

“The best feeling about writing is when I find myself in a place where the Spirit of God just leads me and directs the melodies,” she says.

According to Whitney she loves being an artist, because she gets to see God work through her gift and at the same time she gets to speak God’s glory into people’s lives.

“The testimonies I get after ministering makes me want to go on and on with what I am doing and making a positive impact in people’s lives is a blessing as an artist,” she says.

She says the reason she become a Christian artist is because she simply wanted to give back to God, who entrusted her with the gift.

“He gave His everything to me so the least I can do is to honour Him with my talent and singing for Him gives me the greatest joy ever,” Whitney says.

She says she hopes to go international with her music, to make a global difference. She wants to use her gift to not only inspire others, but to also show them what God can do.

“I see myself on huge platforms with some great artists and some of my favourite international artists. This is not to be seen or to be heard, but just to bring the lost to the light so the Kingdom of God can grow,” Whitney says.

She says that planning is good and she has no problem with planning ahead, but she is a firm believer in going where God will send her. She says she will follow the plans that God has for her life.

“People think I am crazy when I tell them this, but then those same people stand amazed when they see what God has done and after all that I get questions like, ‘Whitney, how did you get there?’ My faith in God has taught me to never look around when you put your trust in Him,” Whitney says.

She says that through her faith she wants to inspire other Christians and other upcoming artists. According to her other artists should just be willing to give back to God and to keep working for their goals and dreams.

She says they should seek first the Kingdom of God according to what is written in Matthew 6:33.

“I can personally testify that this has brought so many unexpected blessing and brought me to a place I never imagined myself to be. I have been in places I was not qualified to be, but God prepared me in the stillness and I reaped the fruit of it,” Whitney says.

According to her obedience to God is key and that He will reward those who are obedient to His call and voice. She says other Christians should diligent seek God.

“When you have a goal, make sure to put God first, even in your weakness He always has a way of coming through when you least expect it,” Whitney says.

My Story, A Christian Woman

I grew up in church. My parents would make me go to church every Sunday and being the diligent that child I was, I always felt obligated to attend. It wasn't until I was 15 that I gave my life to Jesus for the first time.

Now our relationship was a bit on and off. He would try and I would backslid. Whenever I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, I would crawl back into His arms; and He always welcomed me.

Throughout the years, this would become the norm for me. The start of 2017 was incredibly difficult for me. I thought I had everything worked out, but then the mat got pulled out right under me and I fell hard. Getting up proved to be even harder with my anxiety and depression looming, but on 16 February 2017 at 05:00 I woke up with reassurance that everything will be okay.

I cried, laughed and sang for joy because my Father took my hand that morning and has not let go of it. Throughout the year, His presence has been a tangible part of me; I have grown. I went through a journey that could have broken me, I discovered; and ended journeys with people I thought were meant to be a part of my life, but all of that has shaped me into who I needed to become.

As I stepped into a future unknown, I needed God to guide me. I prayed restlessly for the new journey He took me on and now more than ever I am more aware of my identity in Christ. I have discovered who I am in Christ.

I realised that no matter how many times I failed and fell, God always came through. He always stepped in and pulled me up; I was just too self-absorbed that I could not see. As I reflect back, I realise that all endings became beginnings.

Where I was once soft-spoken and always talked over, I have a voice now; where I lost a friend, I received others that support and fulfil my journey; where I lacked confidence, I now am able to look at myself and say that I am worthy. I am HIS BELOVED.

I chose to continue my life as a new being in Christ. I'm looking forward to growing more in Christ. I joined Hugs for Christ in 2016, mostly because my cousin wouldn't stop pestering me, ha-ha. But after the first outreach, I was hooked!

I experienced Jesus in a whole other way... The joy of people running with open arms to you is a feeling indescribable. Just one hug from a random person; just one hug from someone that ''needed'' it… It's truly been an awesome blessing to be part of this beautiful project.

Father has been faithful to this cause. What started as a sharing hugs on a Saturday has turned into a winter drive, collecting stationery for under privileged children, giving gifts for those who don't have families to spend Christmas with and keeping the city, our communities clean.

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