August 2012
I woke up this morning to a sound I haven’t heard in a long time. It didn’t take long for that sound to turn into a little bundle joining Kelly and I in bed for a few more of the sleeping hours. It’s amazing how you get so used to your routine. It took a while for us to settle down again to sleep, but not for little Andile as he breathed gently in between us.
We are blessed to be available again to help a little child from our ministry area, who has been in a difficult family situation. His situation has been known to us for a long time, but only recently have we been able to step in and assist. Please pray for this little guy, for his future and the plans that God has for him. He is such a sweet spirit. He has definitely had his challenges in his short life, (we think he is around 5 years old) but you can tell that he is made for great things. His big beautiful smile melts your heart.
International Short-Term Teams
The team from Indiana blessed the community kids with a week of VBS at the sports field. During this outreach a couple boys from Melissa’s soccer team gave their life to Christ. Work projects included painting the exterior of the big rondavel and helping build some mud walls of homes in the community. The team of internationals from Shanghai installed new netball poles for the school and performed evangelical skits for the kids. Unfortunately during their stay with us we had a huge downpour of rain. On the last day the clouds parted and we ventured through the rivers to have a food and clothing distribution where we shared Christ to a group of 200 people.
We had a special time with the teams! Thanks Guys!
AngelAn Angel Among Us
The community continues to be blessed as Angel has begun to hold Sunday gatherings in her house, mainly attended by children. She has been showing the “Jesus film for Children” in Zulu. She wants to be trained to teach Sunday School to the kids, and our friends, Mark and Roxanne from Child Evangelism Fellowship, will start training her in their program this coming Tuesday. We are all so excited about that!! Angel has such a heart for the children.
Thank you for your prayers and keeping in touch with us during our busy seasons, like the one we just came through. We were truly blessed at our 10 day Missionary Conference. They were so equipped to help us through various issues, and give us time to be blessed and renewed in our peer groups or as a family. We have been serving here at 7 Rivers Farm, in South Africa for six years, and it was extremely beneficial to take that time away to really recharge. Thank you to all who prayed for us during that time. We returned home ready and refreshed for our lives and ministry here.We are now beginning our preparations for Project Christmas Blessing 2012. Please keep this special ministry in your prayers, as we start shopping for special gifts that will be a tangible way for the kids to feel God’s love at Christmas time. We thank the Lord that He has already started providing for this special day.