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|| Newsletter Archive ||
May 2005
Dear Partners in Ministry,
When he was just a young boy, his aunt tried to kill him with boiling hot water. He was in the hospital for over a year with multiple skin grafts and rehabilitation. Upon being released he lived on the streets for over two years. Today, I sit with him in a South African market. His name is Frans Minaka and he is a pastor in the African village of Soutpan. I watch him gather street children around him and tell them about the hope of the Gospel. But he doesn’t stop there. Why? Because Christians see needs - spiritual and physical - and respond. It is not just enough to give out the Gospel message without the adorning fruit. Without action evidencing the genuineness of what is internal, we have every reason to question if we ever possessed “new creation” life in the first place. Christian compassion gives an earthly significance and authenticity to the Gospel. And it is more than just earthly significance. Jesus said in Matthew 25, “…as you did it (fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave drink to the thirsty, visited the sick and the imprisoned) to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”
Following our visit with street kids, Pastor Minaka and a few of his church men came over to our house and started tearing down three chicken coups on our back property - with our permission, of course. They will use the material to build rough shelters for more street children that they envision ministering to through their church. The excitement is in seeing grassroots ministry taking place with African leadership through the local Baptist church. I can really get excited about coming alongside and assisting with time and encouragement and wise resource bridging to see an indigenous and self sustaining ministry like that progress. It is small right now - only one boy being sheltered in their church building - and it will not have the beautiful American niceties surrounding it (Soutpan, where this church is located, doesn’t even have electricity), but it is an indigenous Baptist Solution for an amazing African Opportunity!
Pastor Minaka and I visited Bethesda to receive some encouragement in this new ministry. Bethesda takes in children who have lost both parents. Most of the street children have a living parent. We also visited a home where an African lady has taken in over 200 street children - feeding and clothing them, but not much spiritual input into their lives. Later we went to an African church that at one time cared for over 200 street children, but the ministry has vanished because of lack of godly leadership. May God give wisdom to Pastor Minaka, his wife Salome, and the church in Soutpan as they reach out and care for street children who are so often ignored.
It is Mother’s Day as I write. This morning Sarah received breakfast-in-bed, Ben preparing the eggs, Nathan making Orange Julius, Caleb putting away the clean dishes, Cortney toasting bread, Jacob pouring yogurt, and Luke supervisingJ . Homemade cards, 2 rose bushes and a “Yesterday, Today,& Tomorrow” flowering bush were paraded into the room. What followed then was the typical morning hussle of getting the family ready and out the door to church. We praise God for Sarah and her ceaseless enthusiasm in caring for the family and reaching out to the many African and American guests we have coming to our home.
Nathan says: “ I really enjoy the school I am going to. I have 16 classmates. I like my Arts and Culture class best. I like to write and direct the plays. Last week we did a play on Omaha Beach. I really like the church we go to. We have tea after Sunday School and after the evening service. Last Monday was Freedom Day here in South Africa so I had a friend from church stay overnight. We had a good time. I am looking forward to coming to America in July to see my cousins and Grandmas and Grandpas. Tsamaya pila!”
Our itinerary for our coming time in the States has all of our available Sundays booked for ministry. We would be open, however, to visiting other churches on available Wednesdays. Let us know if you are interested and we will work out a date.
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African Churches Rooted and Built up in Him. - Col. 2:6,7
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