Why Life Team? Shannon Strydom

Shannon (left) with Faye Mc Clean, who also did Life Team in 2004.

Thinking about – or know someone who’s thinking about – doing Cornerstone’s Life Team next year? Shannon Strydom was part of the Life Team in 2004. She was 22 at the time and had just completed her studies and year of community service as an occupational therapist. Here’s what Life Team was like for her.

I found Life Team to be an incredible experience involving lots of hard work, many challenges, tons of fun, awesome team mates – some of whom remain my closest friends – and times in God’s presence that were so life-changing that I remember them with clarity, even nearly 10 years later.

I’d like to highlight one aspect that was definitive for our year: the trips that we went on as a team. We went on more than 11 ministry trips and each provided unique opportunities to learn, grow and give. These trips included outreaches to Mpumalanga, Viljoenskroon in the Free State, Mafikeng and Mooi River; accompanying Marcus as he ministered in Port Elizabeth; braaing more than 2000 chicken wings for the celebration of a church transition in Venda; hanging out with another team in Cape Town; ministering to the church in East London; team building in Ramsgate; assisting at the Junior Youth Camp; serving at the Bloem LTT (now Equip) and the Lesotho LTT; and serving for a month in Malawi. Throughout the year, an understanding and appreciation of the apostolic heart of the Gospel was birthed in my heart.

Looking back over nine and a half years, it’s easier to pick out the milestones that shape your life, and I can say that 2004 was definitely one of those.

How you choose to respond to the opportunities and lessons that the experience of Life Team brings is up to you.