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|| Newsletter Archive ||
June 2005
Dear Friends and Relatives,
My heart is full as I think of the blessings of God in my life! I returned from a week trip of ministry to Zambian pastors this past Friday. Quick jots: 55 attending, cold nights, lectures on the book of James, taking notes, rode in from villages on old bikes, fires to keep warm-talk around-and cook food, fish, sheema, warm hospitality, bucket bath, mosquitoes, hippo tracks, old lady’s large glasses on men, cement pews, coal bucket to keep room warm, 4 - hour and a half lectures daily plus evening service, teachable, old and young, times of prayer, fruitful. I thank God for connecting me with these men of the Book who earnestly are seeking to walk with Him and lead others properly.
The opportunities to have significant impact in their lives are manifold. One of the most exciting is to bring capable teachers (I’m thinking of those from the States who have already expressed interest) to these men and see God’s work multiplied through their enablement. USA churches could get involved practically by providing reading glasses for these men, giving money to purchase a bicycle ($110.00), or sending study books for pastors and/or the Bible college library. Be assured of the thanksgiving such sharing of God’s resources would evoke.
Our family is currently enjoying the company and ministry sharing of a team of ten from Prior Lake Baptist Church. They came loaded with Christmas Stocking stuffers for the ministry to orphaned children through African churches in the area (Of course, Christmas is a bit away yet, but we will have to be prepared ahead of time as we will be in the States). Some of the ministry activities they will participate in are - evangelism in the village of Opperman with Pastor Nicholas, preaching and testifying and special music in tent meetings with Pastor Mpho in Kekana Gardens, working on a street children’s shelter at the Baptist church in Soutpan with Pastor Manaka, ministry in a government clinic, assistance in an AIDS ministry, a work day at Bethesda, painting Pastor Sammy’s “prophet’s chamber”, and much more! We thank God for the encouragement these brothers and sisters in Christ have brought to us.
As we approach our first furlough, we would covet your prayers. We will be traveling many miles and meeting with a lot of you in your local churches and seeking to clearly share the expanding vision of ministry God has given us.
I conclude with the worded picture of a man who demonstrated joy to me in the pain of life’s circumstances. He came from a neighboring village in Mozambique to sleep all week under a tree with a fire to warm him, apparently just to be near believers. He was a pastor with a badly wounded leg. Cut open in the war, open and bloody, his leg, from the knee to the ankle, caused grimaces from the nursing staff. He bore a crutch and walked on his toe with a swagger. He could do more with one leg than many do with two. He cut limbs with a machete, he hauled long logs for our toilet, and he danced. One thing he could do - and do with joy - was dance. When the African hymn was sung under the starry sky and the people moved in a God honoring dance of joy, I could see him, smiling from ear to ear, dust all around him, praising God with all his heart on one leg. Words fail to express what only a heart in love with his God can - and that man was in love with his God. It was obvious. The pain and the discomfort and the seemingly great trial of affliction he bore were proved to be significantly small by this old pastor’s abounding joy. May I dance as he.
Sarah continues to be a pillar of strength in this ministry - preparing meals for teams, providing education for our younger children, household duties, and keeping her Norwegian husband from getting old too quickly. The children are all on a three week winter holiday as we have school all year long here in South Africa. The South African Springbok Rugby team is doing well. And Pastor Sammy moved onto our property today to start ministering, along with us, to the people in this area of Onderstepoort. He will be staying at our place during our time of furlough.
Praising the Father of Lights,
Kevin, Sarah, Ben, Nathan, Caleb, Luke, Cortney, Jacob and Josiah
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African Churches Rooted and Built up in Him. - Col. 2:6,7
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