Bill and Trace DiCocco spent the first years of their marriage pursuing the American dream… Secure job, safe church family, cute little house, three kids & a dog… only to look around them one day, 10 years in, and ask “is this really all there is? Because I somehow once thought that God’s story was a little bigger than this.” Thus began an epic journey that continues each and every day with waking up to say “God, we are here and we love you and we are listening – whatever you ask for today, we will say ‘yes.’ “
By living in this “just the next right thing” reality, they have followed those individual steps into a community center based in South Africa – serving into one of the many poverty-entrenched informal settlements that are found clustered around Johannesburg. Zandspruit is one of the oldest of these settlements, created and occupied just after the fall of apartheid in 1994. In roughly 1.5 miles squared lives an estimated 80,000 people – most in handmade scrap shacks and many with little or no electricity or running water. The contrast of these pockets of raw poverty in the middle of a first-world city is stuttering.
Emthonjeni community center was established 7 years ago to enrich disadvantaged communities in a holistic fashion, by assisting people to live full, meaningful lives and empowering community leaders. Through caring for the overwhelming needs of African urban poverty and building trusted relationships with the local community, it is the community center’s hope to earn the right to share God’s love with them.
Bill and Trace and their children, Madyline (15), Harrison (12) and Avery (10) have been living in South Africa since March 2008. Bill works intimately with the daily management of operations, partnerships, programming in the community center and supporting and walking a journey with local leaders. Trace is a photojournalist and has worked with many organizations telling the stories of heartache and beauty within these disadvantaged communities.
If you are praying, you can pray for wisdom, love and grace that flows from the deepest of places and saturates every piece of their lives. ***For strong opportunities to emerge for the people of Zandspruit - not only to step out of poverty, but to grow stronger in character, personal giftings and knowledge and love of the Lord. *** For fluidity and unity between the center, local leaders, volunteers, government, and local and international partnerships. *** For the DiCocco children – it’s hard enough being a teenager without adding all that it is to start a life in international ministry. *** and that above all – in everything and through everything we do – God is glorified.
Home Church: Mars Hill Bible Church, Grandville, MI
To send a message to Bill & Trace DiCocco click here
|
