Retreat

Youth Retreat October 3rd and 4th

We had an awesome two day camp with the Diepsloot Combined School learners at our plot in Laezonia. Over 20 learners came on both days and on the second day we were also joined by 10 teenagers from the the local area settlement. We were amazingly blessed with 5 guest speakers over the two days: Tina Almstadt, Saleem Siddique, Isaac Bleich, Paul Grey and Chris Olsen, the youth pastor from Bryanston Bible Church. The learners were in fro a very special few days of input as well as lots of swimming and relaxation. Unfortunately we only got pictures of the first meeting which you can see below. We pray this is the first of many such events we can hold on our plot which is just a few kilometers from Diepsloot.

As usual the learners enjoyed singing and inspiration

We were joined by a young Shaun from Bryanston Bible church.

It doesn't take too much to bring out their beautiful smiles

Jeoffrey is one of the leaders in the school and has encouraged so many of the learners by organizing and leading Angel's Voices, the 20 strong singing and drama team. 

Robert has also stepped forward

And Harry

and Kaugelo (souns like Howhello!)

We had some other young visitors including Martin

Tina was flying to England at 1pm on the first day but still came to say good bye to the young people and share her testimony.

All the learners then prayed for her in the new work that she was going to start. 

                                                        Time for hugs!

Malawi trip Part 3

Stirring nzema, which is the local maize meal.  We are back in Lilongwe with Gospel Harvest pastors for some time with them in the tent.

                           You can start to see the size of the tent as Isaac starts teaching back in Lilongwe

      Isaac and I distribute Bible study Manuals to Bishop Maston and his elders

                                                 which he then distributed to his pastors

                                                We also donated some local language Bibles    I

Isaac also gave some solar light and phone chargers to the rural pastors for the areas that have no electricity.

Malawi Trip 2012 Part 2 Pastors Conference

On Monday after the crusade we drove the five hour drive to Blantyre to meet with Pastor Danilieck for the
three day Pastors conference. I enjoyed teaching on More :Like Jesus, the Gospel, Why Preach the Gospel, and Jesus' Return the Simple Truth. 

  
We had the blessing of  having interpreters. who did a very good job not only interpreting our words but also following our every movement. 

My friend Daniel who pastors the small local church we helped launch joined  us in Blantyre. He has had alot of training in the last years and has spent ten years as as assistant pastor which is a hard training ground and gave him  ammunition is describing what pastors shouldn't do!
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Daniel and I did the first two days training and then Isaac took the third day all for himself to teach about evangelism . This included a practical outreach after lunch.

Earlier in the year Isaac visited the States to attend different seminars  on evangelism and healing and it was a privilege to listen to him teach and to see him in action.

Below is a group picture.

 

At the end of the seminar one of the organizing committee members spoke to thank us for coming. They are very keen for us to come again next year and have an expanded program even visiting different regions for pastors training; so this visit was a great stepping stones for future trips..

Malawi Trip July August 2012

                  Our first task was to take the last remaining parts of the  marquee tent up to Lilongwe and    hopefully get it up safely. After a year of delays finally we were going to see the Gospel harvest Church have a headquarters to support its growing network of 26 rural branches. 

                                                      Crossing the Zambezi  with the truck

 After three days of driving, a truck came to the bishops house to take the canvas and large poles already in Lilongwe to the plot

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                        This is what we were carrying in the truck 50 7.5 kg tent pegs, 44 side  poles                        4  base poles, light fittings  and assorted ropes and cables.               

                   

                            I spent rather a lot of time trying to explain how the tent should be put up

                                                      Let;s try to look on the bright side

                              Laying out the canvas..for awhile the locals thought is was just too big for the plot!

                                        I soon decide my limited technical expertise is not needed !

                                                        Raising the first pole
                   

 

All four poles raised and canvas attached  . Relieved at that level of progress we left for our planned crusade in the eastern region  hoping against hope that when we returned the tent would be ...up!

                                    Well a day and a half later, we were so thrilled to see the finished product!!  YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!

Shongwe mission trip

Shawn in the camper on the way to Shongwe

Aaron Shawn and Gem outside the camper. It was a six hour drive . Long by UK standards but short for South Africa

Rather dirty after first day on site

The massage circle after long day's work. Aaron doesn't like his picture being taken!

Shawn and Aaron ready to go in the morning.

Walking together down to the site.

Mixing "dugga"- cement!

"Now Shawn you better make sure this one is straight!"

Gem in front of Kidz Club

It;s getting there!

Gem with friends

Yet another brick gets laid!

On our visit to the Kruger (twice the size of Wales!), these four rhinos came close

                                            Aarona nd Shawn on camper roof watching the rhino's.

Why Baptism?

Its been a busy time at the church Natasha and I are members of, Bryanston Bible Church.

Over 120 people have been baptized there this year and so it was natural for us to bring up the topic at the High School. I haven't had much of a background in water baptism so its been very interesting to explore.

 I am a simple soul and I personally love the imagery of the children of Israel crossing the Red`Sea as a type of baptism. 

In Egypt the Israelites were slaves, in suffering with no purpose, identity or destiny. This is how Gods children often feel before they find him.

    
So God send Moses to bring them into the Promised Land and after the plagues Pharaoh finally let them go. Free at last!
However as they reached the impassable barrier of the Red Sea, they realized  they were being  pursued once again by the Egyptians. They must have felt their bid for freedom was doomed. Much like how we feel when our sinful nature seems to pursue us even when we have come to Jesus.

In obedience to God, Moses lifted his rod and the Red Sea parted miraculously. 
The children of Israel passed through.

Likewise  Jesus raised his arms on the cross and we passed through safely out of the condemnation of the law and into the grace and freedom of the new covenant.
  .

As the Egyptians tried to follow they were drowned as the sea overwhelmed them.

In the same way,  our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus. We can now walk freely, unhindered and unobstructed into the land of promise and fellowship with the Father

. Its just a lovely illustration; almost as if the Old testament story is a living parable of the Gospel. I just love it!   

By getting baptized we recognize and testify that we have crossed "the Red Sea" by faith in Jesus and have entered  into a new identity and a new future.  
                               ------------------------------------------------------

   One other interesting fact about this story  is that the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea in the middle of the night! From Exodus 14 we read that only as the sun began to rise, did Moses from the other side of the Red Sea raise his rod once more.

Exodus 14 :27 So  as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea.

This makes the story even more extraordinary.  Can you imagine having to cross the Red Sea in the middle of the night  without being able to see where you are going?


Often we may feel as discouraged as the Israelites did when they got to the Red Sea only to see the dust of the approaching Egyptians in the distance. We can end up also sinking to the ground in despair because we cannot see  a way forward.Perhaps God  says the same thing to us as he said to the Israelites.


 Exodus 14:15Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!"


Even if it is dark and we cannot see a way forward, let us still have a positive attitude and move forward in whatever we can!