More outreach

More outreach

What a blessing to have another morning of outreach in Diepsloot! Who can say the wonders of the love of God and what happens when empty vessels step out to share that love with lonely discouraged sick people? All I can say is it was life-changing for everyone there.
Perhaps the biggest reward is when it dawns on the learners that evangelism is really love in action.
 It is not something you need specialist training for, you do not need to be an expert.
 They saw lives transform before their eyes with simple words of love, simple acts of love and simple prayers of love.
 It was just wonderful!

Samke, Lebo, Samantha and Aubrey making themsleves available. The best ability is availability!

Samkelisiwe and Samantha M. praying.

Samantha and team member Lena pray for a local  man

Lovely photo! This man was very down and cried as we prayed for him and shared how very much Jesus loved him. He came out of the darkness and into the light!One of the phrases I found myself sharing with people was "Jesus loves you, not for what you have done but for who you are." That's the love of Jesus. He sees the value in every soul.!

Samantha with baby boy she was asked to pray for.

Lebo , Aubrey and Jeoffrey with on their way back after outreach.

There is always time to sing!

Diepsloot Outreach

Diepsloot Outreach

Following the retreat, Paul Grey one of the guest speakers, invited the young people to join him on outreach in Diepsloot. I knew many of the youth would be quite intimidated by this , but I was thrilled when 9 youngsters showed up.

The results were awesome as the learners overcame their initial shyness to initialize conversations, pray for people and see God working through them.

Two girls aged 16 and 14 prayed for one lady with a bad leg and she testified that the pain left her when they prayed.

Another boy went with a team and met a drunk man. The man could not believe that God loved him due to his present circumstances, but the team kept on loving him and encouraging him. Eventually the man started crying and said, "Well I really love you guys!" Love really started to working his heart and he proceeded to pray with the team. It was a wonderful testimony to the boy of how outreach is all about love. 

As you can see from the picture below, (missing Robert who was still out) all the young people experienced a wonderful time and will be back for more!

           Bottom Row (left to right)Caroline, Kaugelo, Samantha M, Simonye and Jeoffrey
                                           Top Row Samantha N, Precious and Rebecca

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!
.

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

ls

                        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.