Durban Ministries

Roger and many Christian leaders around Durban are preparing for “Power to Change”, a comprehensive Christ-centered media campaign that will embrace Durban throughout September through print and digital media of all kinds.  Testimonies of local believers will be shared across the city, and local churches will follow up those who desire more information.  Pray for wisdom for all aspects of preparation, and for more laborers for this potentially great harvest.

*As Roger & Meg prepare to leave Durban in May, there is much to do. Please ask God to raise up willing people to continue mentoring various folks we work with, and for someone to lead the Discovery Group training Meg is doing at World Changers Academy.

*N and T lead a Friends of Jesus Club that meets Mondays at Upper Room Lighthouse Church near Chatsworth.  Forty-five children from the shack settlements nearby attend. Ask God to grow these kids into strong Christ-followers, and to protect them as they live in great poverty, amidst rampant drug, alcohol, and sex abuses.

*Mrs. S is a big-hearted lady who runs the Drop-In Centre for Orphans in Tshelinyama (Blackstone) township.  The 45 children under her care live with either a parent dying of AIDS, or on their own. They come to Mrs. S weekday mornings for breakfast. Little ones stay for daycare while older siblings go to school for the day.  In the afternoon they receive a meal, homework help, and then go home.  Thank God for Mrs. Shozi and others who run 9 such centers, caring for hundreds of such orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). 

*“T loves kids and is starting a Friends of Jesus club for the orphans at the Drop-In Centre for Orphans that her mother runs.  Pray that Meg will be able to identify and train a mentor/co-teacher to help T learn to lead the Club well. Ask that the children, from pre-school to high-school, will absorb the teaching at their own level and learn to trust their heavenly Father for all their needs.

*S is a young mom who has begun a Friends of Jesus club for her little sister and other children in the township of Chesterville (Umkumbane). Ask that God strengthen S in this new challenge, and help her to balance caring for little 8-month old, her home, and college studies. 

*Meg is helping to forge a partnership between the Bible Society of South Africa and the Community Outreach Centre, a Christian non-profit group that caters for the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in nine townships near Pinetown.  The project will train 47 community workers to share God’s Word with AIDS-affected parents and children using the “Proclaimer”, an audio player that is solar-powered. Pray for successful training on March 27th and 30th. Ask that as God’s Word goes forth, it will empower the listeners to live upright lives in the midst of many challenges.  As many as 600 households may be reached in this way.

Windhoek

Although many Namibian profess to be Christians few live in obedience to God’s Word. It seems as if many in the country have responded to the Gospel, but that the Gospel has not yet transformed the culture. In order for the Gospel to transform the Namibian culture an emphasis must be made in teaching nationals deep Spiritual truths in a culturally appropriate manner. This is why Ron spends many hours a week preparing and lecturing in the local seminary. Four of his students will be graduating on the 24^th of this month. Please pray for S, Z, A, and E as they begin leading the local church. Pray that they might be faithful in applying the truths they have learned, choosing to be obedient to God’s Word, and encouraging those they lead to do the same.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  2 Tim 2:2 NKJV

Muslims of Southern Africa

A reproducing church.  Among most of our peoples, there is no church at all.  It is our desire to find believers and train them to reach their own people.  However, among one of our people groups, there is church!  We are working with a body of believers to train them to start cell groups that are reproducible and sustainable.  This outreach began in February, and by the time we return to the States in July, we hope to see 5 to 10 sustainable groups that are reproducing themselves and abundantly sharing the gospel among this Muslim people group. Please join us in prayer for this.

Soon after our Christmas visit with one lady in particular, a worker was invited to a birthday party at her house.  As the worker was leaving the party, the lost friend told how she had been reading the Bible the past 5 nights and she wanted to ask some questions.  She said, "I'm restless to know the difference between our books."  The worker stayed and talked for an hour, and in that time, was able to share parts of 3 different Bible stories in order to speak to her very candidly and ask good questions. Please pray that this lost friend will continue to be "restless" and seek Truth in the Scriptures.

Journeygals

XHOSA OF SOUTH AFRICA (KOH-sah). 
How do you prepare to serve as a missionary in a foreign land? As new Journeygals, Britnie and Sarah are finishing an intensive training of teaching, sharing, doing and praying this month in preparation to be Urban Youth Transformers among the Xhosa in Cape Town. Soon they will be saying goodbye to family and friends, boarding a plane and arriving in a land that is very different than what they have called home up to this time. How can you pray for them? Paul has this answer from 2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12, “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Cape Flats

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (KAYP town).

In 2011, Ronnie taught an evangelism course at the Cape Town Baptist Seminary.  During that semester, the students had over 250 witnessing encounters with the people of Cape Town.  Of those, 81 professed faith in Christ and were connected to Christian churches near their homes.  Since then, one of Ronnie’s students has become pastor of a church of a church in the Cape Flats area, a very impoverished part of Cape Town.  He asked Ronnie to train his church on how to evangelize the lost.  Ronnie led an evangelism conference in February.  Please pray for the safety of the people as they go out into the Flats and witness.  There are many gangs in the Flats.

February 2012

MUSLIMS OF SOUTH AFRICA. The real Christmas message.  Even as many struggle with the true meaning of Christmas in America, many of our local friends have no idea about the precious gift that the world received when our Savior was born.  On Christmas day, workers were able to give small gift bags to local friends that contained the gospel in the heart language of each lady.  Pray that these ladies will be able to understand how truly great the gift of salvation is, and that it really is a free gift.

January 2012

Cape Town Metro Evangelism Team

During this year of 2011, almost 190 people, from all walks of life, became new Christians.  They will have celebrated their first Christmas knowing the real meaning of the celebration and had the opportunity to share that with their families.  Pray for each of these new believers to continue to be discipled and to grow in their faith as disciples of Christ.  Pray for the churches that have undertaken to follow through with being a family to them that they would seek to grow these individuals.  Pray for the families of these new believers that they would see a difference and would seek to understand what has made a change in their loved one.  Pray also for the person who led them to Christ that they would continue to be allowed to be led by Christ to speak to others about the gospel and to share Christ’s love.

January is the beginning of the school year in South Africa. The Cape Town Xhosa Student Ministry team will be starting this new school year in a total of 7 different Xhosa schools.  Nomilinganiselo and Siyazakha schools are the newest additions.  The team will be working in the life skills classes with opportunities to share about Christ to grade 6 and 7 boys and girls. Please join us in praying that God would continue bring in His harvest among this unengaged people group.

Answered prayer:

Many township children decided to give their lives to Christ this year.  Missionaries Bonnie, Bruce, Sheri, Sarah and Michal work in 6 township schools each week tutoring children in their schoolwork and teaching them about Christ.  During this year the Bible studies have become times of worship that the children call their church.  Over the course of 2011, more than 90 of these township students have accepted Christ. Pray that each of these children will grow in their knowledge of God and in their faith.  Pray that the missionaries will stay strong and run this race with endurance and joy as they lead these children to God.

Durban Urban Evangelism Team

Please pray for the Heschs as they work to share the gospel and disciple believers and leaders in Durban.

Johannesburg Evangelism Team

Around the middle of January, school and work begin again.  Students will return to the Baptist Theological College. Please pray for them as they strive balance work with study.  Pray that the students at BTC will also spend time developing their personal relationships with God while they prepare for ministry.

Port Elizabeth Evangelism Team

Continue to pray for the Halls, their family in the States and their ministry in Port Elizabeth.  Pray for the Jensens as they serve in a support role.

South African Urban Muslims

No place to call home.  During our time at our current location, we have come across several refugees, most of whom are from East Africa.  These refugees have come from terrible situations.  They have seen family members die in front of them, been victims of abuse, and lived with deep emotional scars that can only be healed by a touch from the Holy Spirit.  Most urban refugees look like everyone else, but they carry a great burden and a vast sense of hopelessness.  As followers of Christ, we are called to compassion and love.  Pray for God to move in a powerful way, and open hearts to his saving gospel.

Soweto Evangelism Team

Pray for Faith Baptist Church in Snake Park, Soweto.   Pray for the leadership to be diligent and faithful to God and the church as missionaries go on STAS.  Pray for each one of the members and adherents to hold fast to the knowledge they have of Christ, and that they may do so in spite of false prophets, gossip and superstition. Pray they would grow in spiritual strength and share their faith. 

Tswane Evangelism Team

Please pray for the Vicks, their family in the States and their ministry in Pretoria.

Windhoek Evangelism Team

Please pray for the Bullingtons and Jones as they work with the youth and train leaders in Windhoek.  Pray that God will provide work visas for new members of this team.

Support Ministries
Please pray for all their work in Africa.  We praise God for all they are doing among the African peoples.  
Please pray for refreshing daily as they meet the demands of taking care of all our workers around Africa!  We appreciate them so much!