Our Father convinced me of His love at age 19. Someone, that later became a friend, was telling us about a relationship that did not work out. He had a conversation with God the Father about this relationship. His discussion sounded like he actually knew the Person he was talking too. I never knew that God the Father could be known personally.

I wanted that. Not knowing what I did, I told God that if He really was that personal, I also want to know Him this way. He blew my expectations out of the water! He was so much more than I ever thought!

Early on in my new life of faith, while at university, I got involved in outreach work. We were groups of students that went to caravan parks and other place where people would spend the summer holidays and present programs where we kept the young people busy. In doing so, we actively shared the gospel. This was a calling! It was hard work, but we enjoyed it more than one would expect. I felt God at work in and through me! It was a glorious time!

Then I entered the job market… Soon the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth took over and the Father I learned to know so personally felt distant. I knew it was because of my choices, my priorities.

Many years later, I joined in on one of the Daniel conferences held in Pretoria. I heard several people speak of being involved in actively building God’s kingdom. These people were working on strategies to spread the gospel, the good news. How was it possible that this could be someone’s reality and mine so different?

What was special and important to me so many years ago was still important. I still want to be involved in actively building God’s kingdom, just as I was while a student at University. What has happened is that my reality has shifted away from God’s reality. Being involved in building God’s kingdom is a choice. It is a choice of whom we interact with, how we spend our time, what we choose to be involved in and I wanted to be actively involved in missions and evangelisation.

I started out getting involved in short-term missions and actively sought a friendship with a missionary family in Zambia. I had a lot to learn. My impact on a short-term outreach is limited. Because of both the amount of time I could spend on an outreach and the amount of money it requires arranging a short-term outreach.

I also noticed that there are many people involved in mission permanently, the so-called missionaries. They are dedicated and energised, but in some instances seems to be fighting with one hand tied behind their back. They lack resources, and this eventually comes down to finances.

Eternal Investments has been able to bridge the gap for me. Eternal Investments is an initiative that invests money from individuals and businesses, with the returns focused on missionaries, movements and evangelisation in Africa. This allows me to invest the excess that God gives me into a fund with the sole purpose of bringing Heaven to Earth in Africa.

Through Eternal Investments, I have the ability to get involved in the lives of the missionaries, experiencing first-hand what is required on the mission field. It pools together resources, making the missionary more effective, increasing their impact, starting movements. I can be part of this, while working hard at my full-time job. Still doing what God made me good at, I can positively influence God’s Kingdom in a sensible, sustainable way.