10 Questions with Jason Mendonca
We have embarked on a series of interviews entitled 10 Questions, where we will be shinning a light on all the weird and wonderful, frothing, Jesus-loving surfers that make up this global organization. Starting off with the national directors before gradually branching our way out to other legends that make up our CS Fam.
This week on the 10 Questions agenda, we have the South African director, Jason Mendonca, aka BIG Jay MONEY
1.) Full Name, Location & CS Chapter?
Jason Carlos Mendonca, my wife and I live in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa and I am the director of Christian Surfers South Africa.
2.) How did you come to know and follow Christ?
I met Christ through a youth ministry in my local hood. I was a very keen skateboarder, and this youth group offered us a space to skate inside the church with a couple of rails and ramps. I grew up in a Catholic Church and the idea of skating inside a church was so bizarre to me. I never went there to meet Christ, but he sure had me there to meet him. I was there purely for the skating and after going a few times I couldn't deny him and Christ was clearly working in my heart. I surrendered my life to him after one youth night while in the back of a friend's dad's bakkie (South African version of a pick-up truck) with a group of friends. I was about 11 years old and got baptized soon afterward. I've never looked back since and it has been the best decision I've ever made.
3.) Tell us a bit about where you’re from and your local surf spot.
I grew up in the northern suburbs of Cape Town in a little suburb called Richwood. It was about a 20-minute drive to the beach on a good day without traffic. Add traffic into the mix and you are easily looking at close to an hour's drive to the beach. I guess the short answer is that I was a weekend warrior in the beginning days of my surfing. I grew up surfing a stretch called Table Bay. It mostly consisted of beach breaks. Summertimes was a good motivation to have an active prayer life as we'd pray for our safety as kiteboarders and windsurfers took over the line-up and would most often come very close to landing on your head. Winters would consist of a more active prayer life as the waves got bigger and the conditions got gnarlier. Every now and then the good old Table Bay offers up these dreamy days where the sandbanks align, the oceans glasses off, the air smells like waves, and there are A-frames for days. Some breaks offer up some sick barreling peaks. Some breaks offer up some shore breaks. And most days we are offered some high-performance canvas to shred till we dead.
My home break boasts beautiful sunsets and always serves up a great view of Table Mountain.
4.) What does it mean to be a Christian Surfer?
It's all in the name. It means that I'm a follower of Jesus first. I'm a Christian that surfs.
Jesus comes first and surfing comes second.
Jesus first, then surfing, doesn’t negate the fact that Big J Money knows how to drop hammers when the time is right.
5.) Your favourite verse and why you love it.
Proverbs 3: 5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
I love the simplicity of it. Seeking God in every moment. not depending on my own understanding, but working towards what it looks like to seek his will in all that I do. To be a God-fearing man that has him at the forefront of my thoughts.
6.) A cool story of how CS has helped changed a life or brought someone to Christ.
It's not necessarily a story, but more admiring what's happening in Christian Surfers Durban (South Beach Stoke). There's a team that side that is sowing into the lives of street children. They have consistently shown up on most Saturdays of the year for about the past 10 years and have ministered to these street kids in such a beautiful way. It's incredible to hear the stories of the many different lives that have been changed through their consistent showing up. I'm looking forward to hearing many more stories about what God is doing within this outreach. Shout out to Willem and his team.
Jason and his lovely wife, Michaela.
7.) One piece of advice you can give to your Christian Surfers?
Abide in Jesus!
8.) Funniest moment serving at an event.
Serving at the WCT event in J-bay.
One of the legends of service teams, Uncle Merv, and I were helping out with the commentary team on the top floor of the contest structure. Ronnie Blakey had just finished commentating a couple of heats and grabbed a bunch of grapes. Halfway through his grapes, he decided it would be a good idea to start chucking grapes at the people passing by the contest tower. It was absolutely hilarious to see the grom come out of Ronnie. Good old Ron getting up to mischief behind the scenes.
9.) What verse has God got frothing on your heart at the moment
John 15:5 "Yes, I am the vine you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
10.) Last time you burnt someone and had to ask God for forgiveness
Dropped in on a longboarder while surfing Point the other day. Did that little high line check to see if he was going to make it back onto the open face. It's safe to say that I broke the section down, which ending up being the reason for him not making it around. All in all a mistake nonetheless and thankful for repentance and God's mercy.