This story comes from our partners in South Africa, Mark and Cyndi Parris.
ITMI’s Mark Parris isn’t a man who seeks attention. Yet behind his quiet, unassuming manner is a heart deeply committed to serving Jesus Christ and the people God has placed in his care.
The son of missionaries, Mark studied at Dallas Theological Seminary before returning to South Africa to serve the Lord. Today, he and his wife, Cyndi, faithfully minister through Durbanville Community Church, outside Cape Town.
What does a month in the life of this faithful pastor look like?
In September, it included encouraging a young engineer named Marko, who decided that spending time with the Lord each morning was worth getting up earlier and facing heavier traffic. It meant visiting hospital patients, celebrating the birth of a church family’s baby, and encouraging believers to share their faith through simple “What Would Jesus Do?” wristbands.
It also meant repairing a broken water pump so children could enjoy the church grounds, celebrating a preschool concert in an impoverished community, and exploring how pickleball and running might open doors for relationships and Gospel conversations.
But Mark’s heart reaches well beyond his congregation.
Alongside ITMI’s Charl van Wyk and Dr. Bradley Kuhn, Mark helps lead ministry in Stone Hill, also called Klipheuwel, an impoverished settlement where hardship, broken families, and limited opportunities are everyday realities. Through discipleship, education, medical assistance, and practical compassion, believers are demonstrating Christ’s love to people often overlooked by society.
As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, Mark’s September report reminds us that God’s faithfulness is often revealed through ordinary acts of obedience.
We thank God for Mark and Cyndi, their congregation, and the faithful partners who make this ministry possible.
Please pray for wisdom, strength, and discernment as they navigate the many needs around them—and for lasting spiritual fruit as God continues building His church in South Africa.
— Mark Parris, Steve Evers
