The Msindisi Monthly - May 2008

I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Proverbs 30 v 5
 
The latest News

As some of you know we have been praying for Guy. Guy is about 2 years old and the son of Di's brother's best friend. He was taken into hospital in a very critical condition with Cardio Myopathy. He had a 50% chance of recovery. They drained 1 litre of fluid from around his heart. The family are not Christians but had been asking for prayer. Guy is doing better now but still needs prayer. You can check  on his progress on this blog page that the family have set up http://flyguymegapixel.blogspot.com/ .Thank you for all your prays for this dear little man and the family. Please pray for him and that his family may perceive the work of the Living God in all this.

We have just returned from KwaZulu Natal from a few days to help Phumulani do some Gospel outreach and to plan a more formal outreach in July, God willing. The trip was very successful, we got to meet with a guy from the Coastal Assemblies of God who was very encouraging about supporting Phumulani and the outreach to the region. We are in the process of writing up the diary and putting photo's on our web page so keep checking it for a more detailed description of our trip.   

Anthony Royle had a good visit here and preached well on 2 Sundays concerning the Gospel of peace and attributes of God. He also visited our friends Allen and Sue Wells, who we meet regularly with on a Sunday night to listen to bible teaching. Here Anthony and his wife Liz shared about their mission trips to Rome and their testimonies. We were all encouraged by it.

Di and Salvi have enjoyed 2 passover meals this month. First with Salvi's Hebrew teacher's husband who did a Jews for Jesus presentation. One thing that was brought out that Salvi had never seen before was the spiritual meaning of the woman of the house lighting the Kadesh candle. Just as the light of the house comes through the woman, so the Light of the World had to come through the seed of the woman and not of the man. Secondly we enjoyed it with a couple who run a ministry called Bezaleel called Allen and Sue. What was meant to be a simple affair became more organized as more people were added to the list. The evening included viewing of Ben Hur for the kids and then the Passover with music and poetry complimenting the Seder. There is much to learn about redemption and the Messiah in this feast and it is well recommended to anyone who would like to participate in one in the future.

Evangelism

Much has happened in the lives of some of the people Zak and Salvi have been visiting. The couple that we mentioned in the last newsletter, who got rid of the ancestral bands, are growing in faith. More so the wife than the husband at this moment. Their names are Mr and Mrs Mbatha. Mrs Mbatha has not long ago visited her family in a place called Vosloorus and said while she was there a child had died suddenly. She washed the baby's body and the family told her that she shouldn't do it or she would have bad luck or a curse. Mrs Mbatha replied simply that her God would protect her. Since then, apparently, some of the family want to know about the bible. The scriptures are opening to her in great ways and you can see the hunger she has and the pleasure she gets when something from the Bible is illuminated to her. Her eyes light up. Especially when she saw that John the Baptist as the lesser light, reflects the light of the greater and true light and thus hoped for people to believe through him. And she also saw this truth expressed in her recent experience with the family. Her husband is not growing as much as has a job as a security guard doing 12 hour shifts. This is extremely tiring as he also does night shifts. I am recording myself reading the Zulu bible so that he will at least be able to hear the scriptures as they have a DVD player but I do not want it to be a substitute for his own study. So we will see what happens.

There is another couple called Mr and Mrs Mabutha who have really been struggling with wanting to change their ways. And there has been great change in them turning away from Alcohol which has had a hold on them. But theirs is a simple faith and they need prayer to grow in understanding. They don't know how to read and so this is something that we plan to address so that they can read the bible themselves. The great thing about Zulu is that it is a phonetic language and thus once they learn how to pronounce the letters in the Zulu alphabet and certain combinations of letters they will be able to read anything and because they speak Zulu they will be able to understand what they are reading.

There was another lady who has made a profession of faith. Sometimes we can wonder whether there was a real conversion taking place or did the person just pray for salvation because they were asked if they would like to. But last week the father of her children walked out on the family in a drunken rage and said he wasn't coming back. She was heartbroken over this as Zak and Salvador sat and listened to her story. Her tears and broken voice makes you wonder what actually happened that afternoon and also feelings of pity for the lady. Salvi shared from the scripture about what  Peter says concerning the conduct of a wife with an unbelieving husband. Then we prayed. The following day when we visited, this time with Di, she told us that she now had peace and that continued even to when we saw her on Sunday.

Zak is as zealous with his evangelism. Though he likes to go on to the settlement with Salvador, he will still go on by himself if he needs to. But we have all gone on together numerous times and met lots of people, just to share the Gospel or to meet need. The atmosphere of the settlement is vibrant. Sometimes we are concerned when drunks try to talk to us and sometimes people ask us for money to which we reply by asking them for money if we are feeling cheeky enough. But most people have been so friendly towards us. Actually being on makes you see that the settlement is a community of individuals and you will get different responses from different people. Not all people are peaceable. We have seen a few people fighting, and they were drunk. Nearly everybody enjoys greeting us and chit chatting as they do with Zak. May God bless the work that is being done in His name and grant protection of not only the workers but also the work.

KwaZenzele      

As you know from the last news letter Di has been working closely with a 12 yr old girl called Masese. Her Foster mum Annah was very concern with her health and was feeling overwhelmed with what to do next, so asked for our help. Masese was taken to the doctor where x-rays confirmed she had a chronic lung condition and pneumonia. She was a very sick child, so after a discussion with her mum, she was taken to stay with Sue Wells for a period of ten days to rest and restore her health. She slept a lot and gradually started to get her appetite back. We visited most days, taking her foster mum Annah to reassure her that she was doing well. I am pleased to say Masese is doing very well now, she has her smile back and her appetite . She is back home on the settlement with her family. Over her stay at Sue and Allens she made new friends with the kids. This has been wonderful in helping with her recovery as she was bullied a lot from school mates as she struggled to get through her day. Sue has kindly offered to school Masese along with her own children, Masese has a great capacity to learn and is thriving in the new learning environment. Thanks Sue.
Masese had her regular monthly visit to the hospital to pick up her ARV's. (Medication for HIV) She was also tested for TB which came back as a negative result. Please continue to pray for her and the family.  

We have had many hospital visits over this last month, with Lorraines partner Sam getting sick also. He was also told he had pneumonia. The hospital visits are interesting to say the least. The level of care is so different to what we get in NZ. Very basic care is given over here, you can queue for half a day easily. Always take a book with you !!!!! and something to eat and drink.

Gardening Project

This is only small, the kids from Ebyown helped me plant seeds and have been watching them grow. I have given out plants and seeds but need the time to take a spade over and encourage the big kids to help me dig. We start with humble beginnings and hope to see this grow. When Lorraine gets back, her and myself will be able to spend more time over there. My Zulu teacher is missed very much !!!!! I visit her whenever I can but do not want to burden her with lessons while she has the time off to spend with her new baby girl N'tombi. 

Prayer Requests

• For a miracle with baby Guy that there is no long term damage to his liver and for the family.
  
  
• For Masese's  and Sam's health as the winter approaches.
  
  
• For the people we meet in KwaZenzele that they may be saved and touched by the love of God in the projects that we undertake.
  That God will be in the planning of a return short term mission trip to KwaZulu in July. For the timing and the activities that will be entered into.
  
  
• Give thanks for the servants of the Lord who have helped in so many ways to reach out to others and ourselves.
  
  
• On a personal note please uphold our dear friends Eril and Lindsay from NZ. Eril has been diagnosed with cancer of the colon. Please remember them in prayer. They have both been instrumental in Di's walk with the Lord.

Contact Details

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

Web site: http://msindisi.googlepages.com  
Email: msindisi@gmail.com, salv.di@gmail.com
Phone: +27 (0) 72 831 1008