LIV4Change is a six-month discipleship school that desires to see young people find their identity in God.
This year 16 young people aged between 18 and 25 left their homes in the UK, Germany and South Africa respectively to come and serve LIV and discover more about the Christian faith.
The 16 LIV4Change students with Hazelmere Dam in the background. This is the view from our home!
The 2019 programme started in January with the LIV Conference followed by an ice breaker weekend away at Greystone camp where the students had time to have fun and complete outdoor challenges and activities as a team. This was great fun for all and a time for friendships to be built. The highlight of the trip had to be that four of the students were baptised on the weekend, dying to their old lives and committing their lives to Christ. What an incredible way to start the six months!
The very first teaching of 2019 – meeting LIV Founders, Tich and Joan Smith.
Every morning for the first three months of the programme the students attend teaching. This involves testimonies of what God has been doing in peoples lives, before moving into worship which was intentional and focused. Following this would be a thought provoking teaching on different topics regarding the Christian faith. The LIV4Change programme focuses on identity and we believe that the only place we can truly find that is in God. The spirit of adoption (opposite of the orphan spirit) is what LIV is built upon and this applies to the students as much as it does to the orphaned and vulnerable children of South Africa who are in our care.
“Over the course of the programme, the talks continued to challenge and redefine my expectations of what it meant to be a Christian living a life worthy of my calling,” says Josh Crichton, LIV4Change 2019 graduate. People saw healing, both physically and emotionally, prayers were offered and answered and the word of God was delved into and explored with a hunger that only Jesus can bring.
Another vital role of LIV4Change whilst they are on the village, is to serve. The students help out on Sunday with the running of the various kids’ groups in Promise Land (LIV Children’s Church) as well as helping run the youth group on Friday night and outdoor games for all on Saturday mornings. This is a chance for them to put their teaching into practise. Additionally, during the first three months, LIV4Change students help out with grounds and maintenance and several outreaches in our beloved Cottonlands community.
In the second half of this programme, LIV4Change move into internships. This is a time for them to really invest in a particular aspect of village life. These ranged from going off sight to visit Thokomala homes, helping in the marketing department, or working in the full-on school environment. This, once more, is an amazing opportunity for them to bring the kingdom culture they have been learning about and delving into their internships and bless the people of the LIV family.
During the course of the six months, there is plenty of down time to explore South Africa in its full glory – from surfing to safari and zip lining, the adventure filled weekends away (included in the programme) keep the students on their toes…
We are proud to announce that all 16 students have successfully completed the programme and graduated on the 22nd of June. The LIV4Change graduation is always a fun filled affair with loads of colourful, African outfits and plenty of cheers (and tears…)
LIV4Change Class of 2019.
If you would like to become part of the LIV family by enrolling as a LIV4Change student, visit this page and apply online. For more information, contact l4cadmin@liv-village.com.
