KwaZulu Diary

After nearly a month we have finally completed the KwaZulu diary. So feel free to check out the web site http://msindisi.googlepages.com where you can read all about it and see a few photo's. Sorry for such a delay.

Visitors

It was wonderful to be able to go and listen to Bill Randles when he came to teach at Elijah Ministries in Jo berg. We were able to attend 3 sessions which were all very encouraging and a blessing. It was good for Salvi to catch up with old friends there and the Church was very welcoming to us. We also were able to hear Jacob Prasch at Elijah Ministries who preached some edifying message on Truth and the importance of being people who are of the Truth.

It was lovely to meet Mani and his daughter, Kelly, from Pittsburgh in the US of A. Sadly Miriam, his wife, was unable to come due to health reasons. They helped at Ebyown with the completion of the new hut and Kelly helped with the kids. This enabled Lyn and Dave to go away for a couple of nights for their anniversary.

Violence?

Many of you would have heard about the violence that has broken out in South Africa. Some of it was severe, with even the necklacing of people. Necklacing is where they put you inside car tyres and set you alight. Fortunately non of that happened where we live. The violence was perpetrated against foreigners that ran businesses or that lived in townships and informal settlements. The foreigners were mostly Zimbabwean but they also were Mozambiquean, Congolese, Ugandan, Nigerian and Asians. The reason the arbitrators gave for their actions was that these foreigners were taking work away from South Africans. By the time the violence reached Springs the Police and the army were well on the case and had quelled it. One afternoon one of the workers here, Victoria, who is a care giver in the disabled children's unit was looking depressed. Her sister had been beaten up by these thugs because she was from Lesotho. She was scared that her sister would be killed. Salvador offered to go to the township and pick her up. He didn't go in but met her on the outskirts. It wasn't only her sister that was picked up but a couple of other family members. It was a good witnessing opportunity because none of them are saved. Victoria is a Roman Catholic and we are not sure about the other family members. Salvi told them that if they had been killed they would have gone to hell. Mary is not able to help them, and neither are the ancestral spirits. Some people linked to Moriel in Australia had given money to buy tracts and evangelism material. We had just bought tracts in every conceivable language existing in South Africa and so the ladies were given some in the Sotho language. However by the next day it seems the violence had completely stopped in their area because they were all on their way home laughing and joking. It seemed the violence had been quelled here but had sprung up in Cape Town. In the local settlement, we had prayed concerning the arrival of these thugs. No one was even hurt but a home and a tuck shop had been burned to the ground. The tuck shop has since been rebuilt.

Evangelism

As has been said we have bought evangelism materials, including the Jesus film in many different languages, including Cantonese. We have a fair few number of people that come to the church meetings. Quite a number of these attendees are unbelievers, which makes for good witnessing opportunities. One couple are from Mozambique. The man, Justice, is not a believer but attends with his partner who professes belief. They are expecting a baby and we hope to get to know them more in coming weeks. The have already borrowed the Jesus film in Portuguese and have also borrowed the one in Afrikaans to show their boss. Salvi should be visiting them on the 29th of the month. Salvi challenged Justice to turn to the Lord but he loves his drink. He knows that turning to Christ necessitates repentance so that is a positive thing. Mr Mbatha is slow concerning the Christian walk and his wife has been away for a few weeks as she has had an operation. She sincerely loves the Lord and has had a huge change. Mr Mbatha has been absent from some of the church meetings but he is still plodding along. There also have been another couple that seem to have slipped in their interest in the Lord.

Di has been doing a very simple and limited Sunday School. But it is a means of Evangelizing the children that attend the meetings. They are very simple lessons that are aimed at presenting the Gospel so that the children might come to believe in Jesus. Dave Royle recently preached the Gospel on one of the Sunday meetings and two ladies gave their lives to the Lord. One of which is a worker at Ebyown, Patience. We had shown the film 'Amazing Grace' a few Sundays ago to her and others at her home and it was encouraging to see her respond at the preaching of the word. The other lady was a lady who had been disruptive in the previous Sunday service. When we saw her this Sunday it was like we were looking at a completely different woman. Salvi has taken her to hospital a few times in order that she might get a doctor's note in order to get on disability allowance. She has four pins in her leg because she was knocked down by a car last year. It is a lengthy process but we hope that she will get there in the end.

Salvi and Zak have started to do open air preaching on the settlement. We went out today and Zak was pleased to have Salvi start to preach because his voice was packing in and Zak needs to preach tomorrow. There has been a tremendous change in Lorraine's husband, Sam. He is truly a disciple who has a hunger for the things of God. He often gets his daughter to read him the scriptures because he can't read. Salvi has been doing literacy classes on Saturday mornings with him and he is learning fast. One day we walked past his place and there he was trying to read the Bible. Because they desire to follow the Lord, both he and Lorraine have sought to solemnize their relationship through a marriage union. We took them to Home Affairs where they had a civil union. This is a huge step for them because in Black culture it is not acceptable for a couple to get married without the husband paying a bridal price which often is quite high. Instead of promoting fidelity, many couples end up living together and having children without getting married. If a man marries a woman without paying the bridal price, it is seen as stealing the woman. The problem is that living together outside marriage has become accepted as normal. Thus we can see that Sam is wanting to honor the Lord. Di had the pleasure of giving Lorraine a wedding ring which she continually wears. What is even more encouraging is that Sam seems determined to try to pay some of the bridal price in order to have a traditional wedding, where he says there will only be soft drink and no beer. This would be a huge testimony to the local community. Apart from that we have been handing out tracts and chatting to various people that the Lord brings across our path. Please pray that the Lord will give us His opportunities to witness.

KwaZenzele

Each month seems to go quicker than the next, but the change in temperature tells us we have left summer behind and winter is upon us. Di was laughing with Sue Wells the other day saying how most people take off their clothes when getting into bed but we are piling more on to stay warm.
So with that in mind it really has been wonderful to be able to give out warm baby jumpers to the kids on the settlement. That is thanks to the great knitters, Pam and friends in Australia and Jean Benade and her family from Krugersdorp. Di and Salvi have walked from one end to the other of the settlement trying to spy any little ones that these jumpers may fit. We have given nearly all the mittens away. We always explain where they have come from and who the knitters are. The surprise on the faces of the mums, not to mention the kids, when we give them out is delightful. Thank you for the time, love and effort you have put into these, please be encouraged because you are blessing many. It has been good that we only have jumpers for children as it makes the gift special to the mothers and it takes away from the whole expectation that the white man is there to supply all their needs.

Masesi is doing well, ( 12 yr old girl mentioned in our newsletters). She has gained several kgs and now is set to face the winter with a better chance of keeping warm and fighting off sickness. She continues to school at Sue Wells' and has great delight in showing Di her work that she completed for the day when she is picked up. But for some reason she isn't as forthcoming with Salvi... She has made great friends with all the kids and now whenever we pull up they ask if Masesi is with us. The boys are also chivalrous and seem to always open the door for her making her feel at home.

Marg from Australia and her church very kindly donated money to give towards evangelism so Zak, Salvi and Di piled into the car and headed for Pretoria to purchase different tracts in many languages. We also got the Jesus movie and The story of Jesus for children movie in many languages.

Di had a movie afternoon during the week. Kids were invited over to watch the Jesus film in Zulu. This worked well with about 20 kids showing up. It was a great opportunity to share the Gospel.

Di has been sitting in with Salvi's "learning to read class". Sam, Lorraine's husband comes over each Saturday morning for his lesson and this is also helping her master the language.

Other News

We hope to visit Phumulani at the end of July. We are just waiting for his exam time table in order to choose the best week to go. We cannot go during his holiday period because of our commitments here while Dave is away. However we are thankful to the Lord for this window period that we have been given with the Exam period at the college Phumulani attends. Please pray as we help to reach out with the Gospel there, that we might make most of the visit.

Prayer Requests

• Thank the Lord for the marriage of Sam and Lorraine.
• Continue to uphold baby Guy and the family
• Prayer for the new believers from the settlement.
• For Masesi's and Sam's health as the days get colder.
• For our friends in KwaZulu Natal, that God would strengthen them and use them.

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