Bezaleel Missions Report - May 2008

Dear friends

For some time now I have been thinking about three verses particularly in Psalm 90, verses2b, 12 and 17. Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. So teach us to number our days, That we may present to thee a heart of wisdom. And let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us; And do confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands. [NASB].Our lives consist of days that bear eternal significance in the lives of those we love, care for, teach, and witness to and so on. As we yield our lives to God to teach us how best to serve Him each day, He gives us the wisdom to do so. We also rely on Him to give permanence to what we do, thus seeing fruit in the lives of those with whom we have to do. Children, particularly young ones keep one’s feet firmly on the ground with the demands of the day a constant reminder to carefully weigh what is important and draw on the wisdom of God. One also realizes the significance of being faithful in small increments of time that are consistently being laid one upon another to produce the desired effect one seeks. For example: By faithfully giving our HIV+ children their ARV’s daily, we significantly halt the progress of the virus in their bodies. If we choose to be unwise and sporadically miss some doses, we create a very real threat of resistance to their treatment, ill health and a shortened life expectancy. So it is with our faith. If we play fast and loose with the Truth and fail to demonstrate observable love to those we hope to reach and the people we are in relationship with, there exists a real possibility that we contribute to a resistance in people seeking the Lord. Regardless of what the future holds, the Lord would have us be faithful in the task set before us.

A few weeks ago Dianne asked me if we could assist a foster mom and her twelve year old daughter whom she is in contact with on the informal settlement Kwazenzele where she and Salvador are sharing the gospel and bringing assistance where they can. Masesi is HIV+ and had just started ART in November last year. She weighed only 22kg and as it turned out had pneumonia and chronic lung disease. We took her to my pediatrician, had x-rays taken and started her on a course of anti-biotics and treatment with a nebuliser. She stayed with us for two weeks then returned home. We thank the Lord for her recovery and that she is also TB free. Masesi has also gained two kilograms in weight and it is a joy to see her appetite improve. I am presently home schooling Masesi with my children as she was experiencing hurtful taunting by the other children at the school she was attending because of her thinness and rejected because she is HIV+. She has a strong desire to learn and works at her lessons diligently. My children are very gracious to her and have happily included her in their lives. Mother to child transmission is still unacceptably high in sub Saharan Africa due to poor resources. With the correct procedure and treatment, transmission can be dramatically reduced. It is with anger and frustration that one responds to some of the erroneous hopes proffered to a people decimated by a pandemic that bears numerous implications to those with HIV and their families. Some time back I was asked to read a so-called prophecy and comment on it. One of the predictions was that HIV would be driven out of South Africa. My question is; where exactly, into a herd of pigs? Then what, into the sea? What nonsense. HIV is not a spirit; it is a virus with huge implications both physically and spiritually. Please pray for all those who are faithfully working at the coal face of HIV, that they would not lose heart in doing right for in due time they will reap their reward. [Gal. 6:9].

We give thanks to the Lord for the health of all our children at this time. They are all stable on their treatment and busily doing what children do. Music continues unabated with Lizzie writing Pre grade 1 university exams with UNISA for piano and Trinity London exams for recorder. Please pray for her as she prepares for them. Thabo is playing recorder, Ruth piano and Ernest guitar. Ernest and Ruth are playing soccer for the local football club and Walter participates in the practices. Rosie has just had a new splint made for her hand as the other one was too small. It gives her far greater movement for her fingers. We had Benjamin’s hearing tested by an audiologist as we were concerned by a heightened sensitivity to sound. Fortunately it is not too elevated and the rest of his hearing is fine. Due to concerns of Walter still being a non reader at twelve years of age we had him assessed. The report places him at a moderate retardation level with an IQ of below 50. It was also suggested that we see a neurologist to rule out petit mal seizures. We do so in the near future. My focus for his learning has changed and at the moment he is following a preschool curriculum with the five younger children as a remedial programme. Please pray for him and for us to have wisdom regarding direction for his future. We are focusing on dramatically improving reading skills with the older children and we’re also spending a lot of time with math. With winter upon us Lizzie, Thoko and Masesi are knitting scarves for family members. Whenever Allen sees them knitting he says, “Hello grannies” and they protest loudly. Our vegetable garden has been great this year with the encouragement of Pam in Australia and our hens gave us lots of eggs. Our rooster nearly landed in the pot when he attacked Allen, leaving puncture marks in his leg. We were very blessed to have gone on holiday for a week in December last year, generously provided for by friends. It was to a game park called Marloth Park next to the Kruger Park. The children swam every day and we saw a lot of game. Zebra came into the garden and the children patted them, monkeys came into the house and stole an apple, we had warthog also walk through and we saw a lot of giraffe. Many of the animals had young and it was a memorable time for the children. Our seven older children were baptized in water and we thank the Lord that we have the privilege of sharing our faith with them. Please continue to pray for Allen in his endeavor as he has experienced numerous problems setting up wireless internet.

Thank you all for your prayers, love and support and thank you for taking the time to read this letter. As we labour together may we give our Lord all the glory. I would like to leave you with a quote from the Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine Summer 2008 issue:

In 2006 more than half a million children were newly infected with HIV, most from mother to child transmission in resource- limited countries. The global figures are staggering: every day, 1400 children under the age of 15 die from AIDS-related illnesses. Of the 2.3 million children currently infected with HIV, most will die without treatment within the 1st 5 years of life-more than half before the age of 2. Even children not infected with HIV are affected by the epidemic: 15 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS, and these children are more likely to experience poverty, homelessness and early death.

He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker.
But he who is gracious to the needy honours Him.
Proverbs14:31. [NASB].

May the Lord bless you, keep you, make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Allen and Sue
bezaleel@saol.com