The Msindisi Monthly - October 2007

The Latest News

It has been one month since Dianne Vincent and I have been engaged. We plan to marry on the 24 th November and we are praying and waiting concerning our future direction together. We plan on visiting KwaZulu Natal together in December for a couple of weeks. One week will be purely ministry and then the last number of days we will see some places around KwaZulu Natal including visiting a good Zulu friend called Bongi who lives in Nkosi Bay. I still have a heart for the people who live there but we don't want to be presumptuous in any decision making. Please pray for our future direction together, that we will know God's will. This month we have seen the visit of Calvin Smith who has challenge us to think some contemporary presuppositions and to question what we think in light of the Word. While Calvin was hear we have had visits from Marg, the Moriel administrator from Australia, my friend Phumulani and one of Marg's fellow congregants in Aussie land, Pam Mott –who is still with us for another couple of weeks. Marg has been a great blessing and a lady who is perceptive and godly, with a big heart. Phumulani is such a gentle soul, who is not self imposing and has a genuine love to follow Jesus. I do thank God for the way He networks us together, the way He brings other believers into our lives. Even when we are without a Church at some time, there will be certain believers that God will bring across our paths who will encourage us. Dave and Lyn are in the UK at the moment visiting their grandchild and having a rest. They are due back in 2 Fridays time and we trust they will be refreshed and having a clear perspective of the work here.

Evangelism

It was great to have Phumulani with us. I took him to Tsakane with me both Phumulani, John and myself preached and spoke to a few people that passed one on one. It was great to see the confidence that Phumulani had developed and also how he had grown in his preaching from someone who just quietly taught through certain points within a passage to someone who preaches with conviction, zeal and authority. It makes me look forward even more to December. Phumulani also went with Di and myself onto KwaZenzele, the local informal settlement. We visited one of the poorer ladies of the settlement who had just given birth to twins. Di gave her some clothes for the babies. Then we visited a lovely old lady that we normally do bible studies with and Phumulani gave a Bible study and answered questions. I have done a bible study there this last month too and I hope to continue regularly visiting the ladies house with Di. I have been on Tsakane a couple of other times this last month. Both occasions has seen a limit of time by myself. We have had vehicle trouble to last Saturday I had to forego my visit. On one minibus there was a welsh plug that had rusted and on the other it was a burst water pipe. Dave's car motor has continually been a source of trouble since the day it was bought. But we hope to have one of the minibuses back within the next day or so. But I hope to start sharing meals with John in the future which will give me more time there. Things don't start punctually in the Township so if you mission there up to a point you must go with the flow. In terms of evangelism in Springs that was being halted but last week I decided that even if it was by myself I would still go out but just hand tracts. I first handed a tract to a Muslim called 'Allah had no son' showing that Islam is not the way to paradise and its roots in Paganism. Surprisingly he took it but asked if I was fasting for Ramadan. I said I wasn't. Then I spoke to 3 guys from Mozambique called Miguel, George and Da Silva. I used what limited Portuguese words I knew and communicated the Gospel, listened to their views, answered their questions. I contradicted the Roman Catholic teachings of prayers to Mary and the saints but found out that they weren't of that persuasion but challenged them that just believing in God will not save them, even demons believe and shudder. But to believe on Jesus for salvation, trusting in the cross and turning away from ones sins is necessary. I am thankful for that opportunity because not everyone will stop and chat like these people did. I hope Mike will gain a zeal like he once had to go out and to witness concerning Jesus but he still meets with us and I plan to meet up with him more when the vehicle situation is better.

Other News

I continue to preach in Aletheia and to do bible studies. I did a message last week about the church that Jesus said he would build and this Sunday I started a series on the letter of James concerning what real faith is and the perfecting of that faith. I continue with my series on the ministries of Elijah and Elisha on a Wednesday night, although this Wednesday night we will be watching an interview with the evangelist, philosopher, activist and missionary, Francis Schaeffer and running a discussion about the topic of suffering. Morne and I will be sharing the task of preaching and teaching between us and the last couple of studies that Morne has done on a Wednesday evening have been a very nice time of fellowship and something that we have been missing to some extent for a good part of this year.

Prayer Requests

• For Di and myself as we plan our wedding and that we would keep our eyes on the Lord, that He would direct us in our future together. That we would hear His voice and know His will.
• For Mike to overcome in his valley of the shadow of death.
• For our own devotion to Jesus. For that reality to be apparent in our own lives as we attempt to practice what the scripture tells us in love and humility.
• For the Royle family and kids at Ebyown and their future.
• For our relationship with Pastor John in Tsakane and the door and opportunity for more rigorous evangelism in Tsakane.

Contact Details

PO BOX: 10807, Strubenvale 1570
Springs, Gauteng. South Africa