In January, the Lord sent an amazingly talented, Christian Counselor who is serving with us for a couple of months from Johannesburg, to minister specifically to our children and mommies. The bible says there are those who plant and those who water and those who yield the Harvest. Well so many people, tears and so much time and energy have all been poured into the children and mommies in Children of Promise Ministries, Namibia. The Lord is blessing each conversation she has with His presence and is producing a lot of fruit through the time, experiences and words she is giving them. Pray for continued fruit!
Mr B is coaching/disciplining the soccer team and doing an excellent job chasing our kids around the field until we learn to play by the rules and respect the sport! My roles at TKCA have changed in the past couple of weeks. Praise the Lord, they found an excellent, Namibian, grade 3 teacher (though I really miss them) and I am now doing individual training for the children with special needs along with teaching 2 upper primary classes. The challenge now is fitting everyone from the different grades into my day and coordinating with classroom teachers so that I am reinforcing the classroom work as well as meeting their individual needs. God's grace and mercy and patience has been extended to me and others during this time, but only through your prayers for peace and flexibility. Thank you!
Guitar classes are every Wednesday and they come for supervised practice on two seperate days. Please pray for ideas and guidance as far as keeping the children interested and helping them to see they can do it and become successful with practice. Commitment is very important - weather it's to school work, a hobby, family, church, anything however it's very difficult to teach them. Pray that the Lord will build the confidence in themselves. There is so much desire, but only two come on a regular basis.
Speaking of church ministry, I am so privileged that the Lord has been using me daily at Eagle Christian Center, Arandis. I have seen the desperation for our heavenly father in this place and it's amazing during a Sunday service to see people so intent on loving Jesus and drawing closer to Him through the songs they sing. He gives me words to teach, motivate and encourage - nothing I "plan" to say can ever come close to the clarity and power of His message. I know the peace and success in their life is coming as they invest in God's word. Pray for the young people as members of the worship, youth group and choir to listen to the Lord and be open to commitment to Him. I know they will be blessed if they reach beyond themselves to a loving, Father.
Birthdays are a tremendous blessing in Arandis! We celebrated Cyprian and his wife Rejoice (an elder at Eagle Christian Center) on a beautiful afternoon of some more of Ms Nan, Hospitality. Christmas Eve (attached) was another example when we had more than 30 people at the house to eat! Her gift is so evident and it's great to see. Pray that the Lord will bless her even more as she consistently gives generously. While on the topic, I am humbled and amazed daily at God's provision for my life and the Lord is using her to willingly provide for my living here. If and when I hear about birthday's I try to give words of encouragement and some chocolate to each child, but since it's been more than a year - they are all coming back for round two, YIKES!
There are 7 weeks to wrap up before I will be reunited with my family on the other side of the coast, to return and finish out the year. No matter how strong you are, 10 months is a long time to be away from family :) Pray that these last few weeks, I will give all that I can to help establish leaders here in Arandis.
As you open you're eyes, may you see God and experience that peace that, Lord knows, we all need.
