A Woman Who Would Not Give Up

Hey,

A few things from my heart to yours about the training center we are trusting the Lord to buy. The Lord spoke to me this morning through Luke 18:1-8. It's the parable of the Woman Who Would Not Give Up. She was unrelenting in her pursuit of an answer to her plea. God spoke to me to adopt the same attitude of faith. I want to be known as a man of faith who will not give up.

Jesus asks his disciples, "When I come, will I find faith in the earth?" As I meditated on this verse two things spoke to me:

"Will I find faith?" Jesus asked His disciples, "When I come...will I find faith?" When we have asked for something over and over again, and there is no answer, we are tempted to give up, to give in to unbelief. Jesus, knowing the weakness of His disciples both then and now, taught this parable about faith through unrelenting, persevering prayer. A widow who would not give up. She persisted, she would not give up. With that in mind, I encouraged my own heart this morning to lay hold of faith by faith.

"When I come..." We don't know when Jesus will come to visit us with answer to our prayers, but when He comes I want to have faith in my heart. By His grace, I will have faith.

The most recent news about the training center:

- About R200,000 has been given toward the property in the last couple weeks - we now have R2.2 million toward purchase (the Rand is going up and down a lot right now but that is about US $230,000). We need another R1.65 million (about $170,000).

- We have been given an extension in the purchase contract until January 7th to raise the money.

Next CPx leadership school:

- Our next leadership school (CPx) begins February 6th. Of the 45 students coming, more than half of them are young leaders from around Africa. We are coming down to the wire for housing and classroom space for the six month CPx. We have considered every other option for housing for the students coming for the school - so we are motivated to pray hard for the property.  Please join us!

Red Hill Baptism:

We baptized three young men from Red Hill last Sunday. One of the guys was Sibu. Sibu came to Christ a few months ago, then joined one of the simple churches in Red Hill, and within a short time gathered some of his friends and started another little church to study the Bible and pray. He will be attending CPx for further training.

Blessings,

Floyd

Reasons to Believe - Reasons Not to Believe

Every morning when I open my emails and read letters with news of people's prayers and gifts, I am deeply moved and encouraged. It builds my faith.

I confess it is quite easy for me to experience unbelief. I don't seem to have to work at it…when I think about the economic mess we experience right now in the world, and when I look at the faith steps we are taking, unbelief tends to creep in.

But when I pray, and when I reflect on the promises of God, and when I remember it is for Africa that we are interceding, then faith stirs in my heart. A friend once said to me, "If you intercede to God for people, then you have authority to intercede to people for people."

It is for Africa that I intercede right now. Not for us, or for a property, but for Africa. So I boldly ask you, would you prayerfully consider a year-end gift for Africa?

If you did not read my last letter, we are trusting God for a leadership training center. We have signed a purchase agreement to buy a property with wonderful facilities. We will use it for leadership training, to house students and emerging leaders, to host outreach teams, and to run a trade school.

There are two ways you can help us:

1. One is to pray. I really mean that – I believe there is power in prayer.

2. The other is to give a gift. I have asked people to consider a gift of $1000 (R10,000), but no gift is too small.

I asked last week for 200 people to give a gift. Quite a few people have responded. Thank you!

Yours for Africa,

Floyd

It's Signed! Help Us Ride the Big Wave

Hello,

Every year they have a "big wave" surfing contest here in Cape Town. It's hard to imagine surfing in Africa, but there are some huge waves that come crashing on the shores of the Cape of "Good Hope." The largest wave ever ridden in Africa, and maybe the world, was surfed by a guy earlier this year very close to where we live. It was over 75 feet tall on the face of the wave! It was scary to look at, believe me!

For Sally and me and the rest of our team it feels like we're riding the biggest wave of our lives as well. We just signed a purchase offer to buy a property that will serve as a leadership-training base and trade school for All Nations in Africa. The offer was accepted and signed yesterday by the owner.

We have to have the finances to complete the purchase by December 15th. That means we need over $200,000 (R2Million) in ten days time. We believe God wants us to be debt free on this property. That will allow us to give scholarships to many African leaders who are coming in February for the next CPx leaders school.

Already over $200,000 has come in for the property. That's a little more than two million South African Rand!! Several large gifts were given in South Africa. I am asking you to join your faith and sacrifice with Sally and me and our team, and with those who have already given, to help us complete the purchase debt free.

Help us ride this "big wave" would you?

If you break it down, that is only 200 people giving US $1000 each, or the equivalent in Rand or Euros (R10, 000 or Euros 900). In the next ten days.

But most of the money is going to come through those who gift $1000 dollar or R10, 000 size gifts. Would you pray about being one of those people? I believe God for one person to give $50,000 (R500,000) and a few others to give large gifts as well.

Just to be clear about the vision, this money is for a training center for equipping African leaders. We're launching a thousand African leaders into Africa in the next ten years. The focus is training leaders with job skills and Godly character to reach the poor and the unreached of this continent. It is a sustainable model of leaders discipling leaders while serving as tent-makers, working like the Apostle Paul did, to bring in their income.

The outcome of this vision is a goal to start discipleship based church planting movements among the 300 million unreached peoples of Africa who have never heard the name of Jesus – that includes 270 million Muslims.

We are not interested in a model of ministry dependent on buildings. The churches we start meet in homes and in the open fields and in offices and schools. We call it simple church – simple because it is a discipleship model based on training potential leaders in small, simple, easily reproducible churches of 10-20 people. All Nations has started hundreds of these simple churches already in Africa and different parts of the world.

We are committed to sustainability – that is, training leaders to support themselves with job skills while we equip them to be servant leaders. It is incredible to see the response of those we have already trained. I sat with a small group of Zimbabwean young men in a simple church last week, led by Munyaradzi, one of the African leaders who graduated from our leadership school. We trained Munyaradzi and he is now training others.

What will transform Africa? A grassroots, simple church movement of leaders discipling leaders in small groups, who in turn raise-up more leaders. In the market-place, in schools, in shops, in shacks, everywhere. The movement has already begun.

What will transform Africa is godly leaders who don't come with their hand out for money, who have learned to support themselves through trade skills, and who move into Africa making disciples, transforming one life and one family and one village at a time.

Please help us, would you? Help us train and send this kind of leader. Help us change Africa one leader and one life at a time. Please send your gift of R10,000 or Euro900 or $1,000. We need your help to ride this big wave!

Thank you,

Floyd and Sally

Red Hill

Hello,

I thought I should share some news and prayer fuel for Red Hill... this is the community where a fire destroyed many homes and wrecked havoc in many people's lives last February. We have been involved in serving the people of Red Hill and spreading the good news of Jesus there since the fires took place. There are new house churches, but also new challenges. I would like to ask you to consider taking a day or a couple days and commit to pray and fast on behalf of the people of Red Hill .

A passage that was impressed on one of our community members for Red Hill is ISAIAH 62. 

As you pray I encourage you to meditate on this passage and let the Lord speak to you through it.

- Please pray for the promises given so many years ago through Isaiah to come true in Red Hill.

- Please pray for transformation of the community, that every aspect of people's lives would be changed.  As Isaiah said, let's "give the Lord no rest until he completes his work."  Please thank God with us for the many wonderful changes already taking place in Red Hill. Gardens have been planted, jobs have been created and found, and people have been set free from alcohol, drugs and sexual addictions. House churches have been started. A leadership team from the community has been selected and is functioning to give a measure of governance for the people.

Here are some other prayer points regarding Red Hill:

- Strengthening, deepening and envisioning of the house churches. Pray for leaders of Godly character and faithfulness to be raised up in each church. Pray for the churches to multiply through discipleship.

- Pray for our All Nations team working in Red Hill, for faith, for financial provision, and for a "bakkie" (pickup truck) to take them back and forth and to haul supplies. Pray for team members Alexander, Joanna, Petrus, Eric, Gawie, and Bruce. Pray for financial provision, for love, humility, and unity. Pray also protection from crime and disease. For the team to grow in devotion to the Lord, and grace to accomplish all Father desires of them.

- The continuous cry for work by the young men in Red Hill. They are desperate to find jobs.

- Nomandla, age 34, due to deliver her baby today by Cesarean. She has diabetes and high blood pressure that could jeopardize the baby's safe delivery and life. She has had two pregnancies before and both times the baby died. Pray for safe delivery and a healthy child. 3 times she's been taken in to hospital and 3 times she's been denied a bed. Please pray that she would get a bed.

Injustice

“It`s extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can`t find $25 billion dollars to save 25,000 children who die every day from preventable diseases.”

Bono, rock star and anti-poverty activist

Why Leaders of Integrity Are the Key to Transforming Africa

“ I committed my life to Christ when you prayed for me for the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome temptation…I realised that I can have all the riches in the world, but if I don’t have Jesus in my life, what do I have?”

One of our workers in Red Hill squatters camp asked a young man named Asanda when he committed his life to the Lord. Asanda answered with the above.

Asanda is now helping lead a simple church in Red Hill. He has a way to go in his journey with the Lord, but he is responding to God's call to be a servant leader. And we are investing in his life, and the life of a dozen other men and women we are training to be leaders of integrity in Red Hill. It is a time consuming task, but we believe selecting, training and commissioning such leaders is the key to the future of Red Hill, and to all of Africa.

It has been eight months since the raging fire broke out in Red Hill and destroyed 78 shack homes. The focus of our work in Red Hill has now shifted from providing material relief to an emphasis on discipleship and leadership development. Why is this important? We have seen the beginnings of a movement taking place in Red Hill, a movement of simple churches multiplying and impacting the lives of others through sharing Jesus and disciple making. Red Hill is being transformed by the gospel. Small businesses have been started, garden plots have been dug, children are being care for, marriages are being healed and leaders are being trained. There is a long way to go, and there will be failures, we know that, but we will continue to sow the seed of the gospel, and disciple those with good soil hearts. We are believing for nothing less than a movement of transformational simple churches that multiply into a movement that spreads to other communities, all the way back to the Transkei and to other nations.

Africa needs men and women of integrity, servant leaders who find their significance in God's eyes, not who seek success in man's eyes. This is what we believe and this is what we impart in our leadership training. Africa will stand or fall on such leaders. We are finding them in the disadvantaged communities where we work and we are equipping them. We are finding them in the market place, in local churches and in the university campuses of Africa. We are preparing them to be leaders in their communities and in their nations. We emphasize character, integrity, and servanthood. We mentor people in the skills they need to be leaders who can change Africa.

Training African leaders is at the heart of our calling in Red Hill and other communities and cities in South Africa. But we need help if we are to carry out our calling. We cannot do it alone.

As I write this letter to you, we are trusting God for facilities for a trade school and leadership training program. We need a place to take the leaders we are training out of the noise and crime and busyness of the disadvantaged communities to go on retreats and for special training seminars and courses. We will start a trade school in January - and we start our next CPx leadership course in February, but we don't have a place to house the school. We need a home for All Nations.

We are getting closer to the goal of being able to buy a training center. People are responding and giving - for which we are incredibly grateful. But we still have a ways to go. Every gift will make a huge difference.

Please partner with us to train men and women of integrity for Africa, would you?

With gratitude,

Floyd

Raymond's Sorrow

I just received a message from Raymond on his way back from a weekend in Mozambique. Four churches were started with over a 150 new believers just two months ago. Raymond went back to encourage the believers and to appoint leaders. That is not particularly unusual news in Africa, but it is unusual when the people are disciples not just decisions.

Actually, these simple churches were birthed in SORROW. Raymond went home to Mozambique to plant a church in his birth-village. You see, Raymond was an orphan. His parents died when he was 1 year old. Or so he thought.

That was 30 years ago. Raymond returned to his birth-village only to find out that his family was alive. Raymond's father had simply decided to give him away. He discovered his whole life was built on a myth, a lie. He discovered things about his father that he didn't want to know. Raymond was shattered, heart-broken. He was consoled by his team members. He spent weeks grieving.

Meanwhile the team carried on. They persevered without him. His wife, Delina, 18 year old Thandi, and young Petrus and Eric were soldiers, going hut to hut, traveling on harrowing roads to outlying villages, leading people to Christ, gathering the new believers in Bible studies, and teaching them the basics of simple church life. Older papa Abram stayed with Raymond to comfort him, to steady his shaky world.

Raymond came through. The team grew. And four new churches were born.

So... to hear from Raymond that he is encouraged, that he went back home and is coming back excited, well, I'm deeply moved. And grateful. And confirmed to keep on pouring my life into young men like Raymond.

Raymond leads our work in Limpopo, the northern part of South Africa. It is men like Raymond and his young band of disciples that are the hope of Africa. They live sexually pure lives, a miracle in Africa today. They openly share about AIDS/HIV and how to prevent it, they care for widows and orphans, and they disciple others to follow in their footsteps. Raymond and Delina, Eric, Petrus, Abram and Thandi attended CPx, our leadership school. They learned they could start simple churches. They are on fire now.

Thanks for caring, for standing with us in our work in Africa.

Floyd and Sally

Our Awesome God

Several years ago, while we were still living in Kansas City, I felt a desire growing in my heart.  It was pretty simple and straight forward......a desire to live by the water.  I must say that I couldn't understand it!  Here we were, living in Kansas City in the middle of the U.S.  You couldn't be much further from the water!

I wondered if it was something going back to my childhood.  I grew up in Galveston, Texas - an island.  The Gulf of Mexico was about a mile from my home.

I tried to forget about this desire, ignore it, think it would go away.......but it got stronger.  I really didn't know what to do about it, except to pray and give it back to the Lord.  As I did this, I became increasingly convinced that it was of Him, but I just didn't understand it.

If you are reading this you will know that we now live in Cape Town, South Africa - an ocean city.  When we moved here and began looking/searching/praying for where we would live, I kept thinking of that desire that had been in my heart.  It could be that God was preparing me for our move to Cape Town, but I wondered if there was more to it.  The end result is that we have ended up in a neighborhood that's on the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula.......looking out at the ocean about a mile away.  It's still hard for me to believe how specifically the Lord prepared my heart for the change that was to come in our lives.

One of my delights is looking out at our ever-changing view of the water and mountains.......and thinking about how what I'm seeing reflects different aspects of God and His character.  Beautiful, peaceful, calm, stormy, awesome colors, majestic, ever-changing yet solid and firm, cloudy, sunny, rainy, windy.  Every time I look out the window, I feel like my soul is touched and blessed.  God always ministers special things to my heart.

If my heart is troubled, if I'm concerned for our safety and security, if I'm tired, if I'm discouraged, if I'm missing friends and family........being by the water and thinking of how it reflects my Father constantly speaks to me.

I would have never known I needed this - or what it would mean to me in this season, but God did!  He prepared my heart by the desire He put there.....and He carried me through all the changes to where we are now.  He also, very literally, fulfilled that desire He put in my heart.  I am in awe!  What a great God He is.  He knows and understands us better than we know ourselves!

"A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul."  Prov. 13:19

Growing Older

One of my "heroes" is a lady named Lura Garrido.  She was Floyd's secretary in Amsterdam many years ago.  Lura speaks Spanish and was very concerned for the Spanish speaking prostitutes in the Red Light District where we worked.  She asked Floyd for half a day a week to minister to those ladies.  Then she needed a day a week, then 2 days, then.......she went full-time working with them.  She eventually planted a church among the converts.  That church has grown to become quite large and is thriving.  She went on to plant churches in other cities as she led more women to the Lord.  Lura is now 89 years old, still living in Amsterdam, still pastoring/mentoring, still vibrant, still going strong.  She's such a wonderful example.  She's truly a hero for me!  What a wonderful, Godly lady.  Someone said, "what we weave in time, we wear in eternity."  Lura is going to have some beautiful "garments" in heaven!!

I recently turned 60 - the big Six-O!  I told Floyd he's married to an old woman now.  :}  A friend told me that 50 is the new 30, so I guess 60 is only 40 - so actually I'm not very old yet!  The amazing thing is my mind still tells me I'm about 25!  I'm not sure how all that works.  I guess whatever season of life we're in, attitude makes all the difference!  I want to still do so much.  It's just some days my body can't keep up with my head!

I actually don't mind becoming older.  I've found that as the years add up, God's faithfulness multiplies!  I love thinking of His goodness, His faithfulness, His provision, all the answers to prayer.  What an absolutely wonderful, fantastic God we serve.

I've decided to enjoy my age.  With great glee I got my first "senior discount" this past week!  I always love a bargain!  I couldn't wait to tell Floyd about it.  One of my friends encouraged me that I'm now in a season when your kids and grandkids begin to tell you you were "right" about things.  I look forward to that!  :}

Birthdays, especially the big ones, are a wonderful time to reflect.  I've been thinking that growing older isn't a time to coast, but to climb.  I want to keep moving into all that God has for me.......which, hopefully, will include many more years here to serve Him.  I trust my best years are still to come.  I want to die young at an advanced age someday.

"They shall bring forth fruit in old age....."  Psalms 92:14

Stories from Baby Safe

Baby Safe is our ministry to young mothers in need and babies that are at risk. This story is written by Bethany O'Connor who leads Baby Safe.

"There was a young girl I had been looking for this week, after having been told about her, from friends in Masi.  I found her yesterday. Basically she had a baby a week ago, she was so desperate as her boyfriend was supposed to take her in, as she just arrived from Zimbabwe, but he left her, because he has a wife here. He would not take her calls and she described wanting to take her life. She had the baby at False Bay Hospital but then left him in the field next to Food Zone grocery store. So she is staying with her cousin, and he asked where the baby was, she said that it died at the hospital, but he didn't believe her and so then he made her go back and get the baby who was alive. She was so afraid and distraught because she had nothing, no money, etc...and her cousins wife, didn't want her there, etc.. I was told before meeting her that she still didn't want the baby, which is why I sought her out.

But after one week with us, she is feeling much better, she has attached to the baby, she does want him, she has made some friends, and although her cousin's wife is being very mean and will share nothing with her, including nappies ( she was using a towel).. she wants to keep the baby. I explained adoption, what the options are for the baby, etc.. She was very closed to the idea, as she really seems to want her son. I was very comfortable with her state of mind, she was very sweet and she was honest about how she feels so much better about things now. She does know the Lord, and said she loves Jesus very much. She named her son, a Shona name which means "thankful to the Lord" . I left her with some nappies, clothes, blankets, etc that the Michigan team brought. We prayed together. It is great because Porcia and Nosiviwe ( two girls from our house churches) have become her friends now. They prayed with us. You can pray for her, as she desperately needs a job, and also needs to get her asylum paperwork figured out at Home Affairs. She had tears in her eyes, when we talked about God having good plans for her here, plans of a hope and a future, for her and Dion ( her son).

Thats the second Baby Safe client this week. The other was a 19 year old in Ocean View who I was connected with through the clinic. I counseled with her; her mom was forcing her to have an abortion ( her 2nd) on Monday. But she didn't want to do it, and thus needed a place to stay for her pregnancy. We found her one of the last beds in Cape Town, available for a pregnant woman. When I left her, we prayed the Lord would turn her mom's heart before I came to pick her up on Friday to go to the home.  Thats exactly what happened and her mom had actually decided to not make her abort, and let her stay living with her. Pray for her, as she battles drug addiction. She has been clean since she discovered she was pregnant. I am going to see if she will commit to outpatient drug counseling (which I know of a free place and nearby). She gave her heart to the Lord a year ago, but needs to be cared for and discipled desperately."

We Take So Much For Granted

I've been reflecting lately on how many things we know and learn in life that we just take for granted.  They don't seem like a 'big deal.'  For instance:

• knowing how to plan/organize

• knowing how to study

• having/managing a bank account

• knowing how to use an ATM machine

• having a budget

• how to mail a letter

• learning how to drive

As we grow up, we learn so many of these life skills so easily.  The opportunities are there to learn them.  We don't really stop to think about them, we just learn and do them.

But many of the poor and disadvantaged in the world don't have this opportunity.  In our almost 2 years here, I have found myself helping so many people fill in a bank account deposit slip - or showing them how to use the ATM machine.  The look of helplessness on their faces at facing these simple tasks and not knowing what to do is heart breaking.  One day I stood in line at the ATM for a long time behind a man.  I couldn't imagine what he was doing that was taking so long.  Finally he turned to me with a look of agony on his face, and said, "could you please help me?"  I was so glad I was there to do that.

A friend here told me of a recent experience she had.  She knew her husband was meeting a couple of young men from Masi, one of the townships nearby, at the bank to do something.  She went to the mall, and was surprised to see one of the young men just wandering around.  She asked him about the appointment with her husband, and he gave some vague explanation of why he wasn't there.  They talked for a few minutes, and it suddenly dawned on her.  He didn't know how to get in the double lock security door at the entrance of the bank!  You wait for a green light, open the first door and go in, let that door close, then wait for a green light to go in the second door to then enter the bank.  She went to the bank with him and helped him get in.

Such a simple thing - but if you don't know how to do it, it's a big thing!  In the culture many of us have grown up in, we would have looked at the door/system if we didn't understand it and thought "what's wrong with this door?!"  To those who haven't had the opportunities and training we've had, they look at the door and think "what's wrong with me?!"

It is so important as part of our "mission" here that we impart self-worth, security, and dignity!!  It's one way of spreading the "glory of God" when we let people know how valued they are in God's eyes because He created them.  When we have opportunities to teach and pass on simple life skills, it does so much to do that and to help a person feel good about themselves!

"God created man in his own image."  Genesis 1:27

Baby Safe for Baby Dumping

When the storm drains are cleaned twice a year in our area, the city's waste management reports seeing small, dead, baby bodies. This is traumatic for the city workers, and its reported that a psychiatrist is on staff to debrief the workers. "Baby Dumping" is officially undocumented by officials, but it is not uncommon.

What is more alarming than mothers literally throwing their newborns away, is that no one is doing anything about it in our area. Until now. "Baby Safe" is a ministry to rescue unwanted babies. A team working under the auspices of All Nations has come together from various ministries and churches to make the project a reality - including caring for the mothers who are struggling with poverty, fear and abuse. We have prayed, done "due diligence" research, and now we are ready to launch the ministry. Through Baby Safe we will be able to help mothers who choose life over death for their babies.

One baby's life was radically changed when he was found in Masiphumlele, one of the poorer communities where we work. He was tossed aside, still in his mother's placenta, abandoned in a black garbage bag. He was left for dead, but thankfully found by a group of children. This little boy is now a thriving 5 year old. He was adopted by a wonderful couple found through a local church. Through Baby Safe we aim to save other baby's lives like little Luke.

Baby Safe is committed to presenting an alternative to abortion, and we hope to prevent children from being abused and severly neglected by presenting mothers with an alternative.

Children rescued through Baby Safe will be placed in loving, Christian adoptive families. The precious hope of Jesus will also be presented to women in crisis as well as other social service resources meant for women and children in need.

When the little boy mentioned above was rescued and brought to his new home, this verse was read over him: "On that day you were born, your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean...no one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather you were thrown into an open field, for on the day you were born, you were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood, I said to you, "Live!" (Ezekiel 16:4-6 NIV).

We believe that God will rescue the helpless through Baby Safe and make a life long covenant with the children who will be saved.

The Importance of One

Recently I read the story below of the starfish.  It made an impact on me!

"Once a man was walking along a beach.  The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.  Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and the beach.  Back and forth this person went.  As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was struck by the apparent futility of the task.  There were far too many starfish.  Many of them were sure to perish.  As he approached, the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the person, he said, 'You must be crazy.  There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish.  You can't possibly make a difference.'  The person looked at the man.  He then stooped down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean.  He turned back to the man and said, 'It sure made a difference to that one.' "

I remind myself that this is the approach and attitude I must continually keep in my heart.  The needs are so overwhelming here in Africa.......impossible to meet them all, but I can daily look to make a difference in one person's life.  I think this is true for all of us whether we live in Africa, Asia, America, or anywhere.

Last year I noticed a man living in an empty lot on a busy corner by a traffic light.  He lived under a tree with some pieces of cardboard, a wooden box, and several dogs.  People would sometimes stop and give him money or food.  I often looked at the man, thought about him, wondered about him, prayed for him.......but I never stopped.  One day I noticed he was gone - and then I found out he had died.  I felt so convicted!  I had never once stopped to talk to him about Jesus, and now he had passed into eternity.  I don't know if I'd talked to him if it would have made any difference.......but it could have.  One person......a few minutes.......it could have been like the starfish.

It's made me more sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit to say something, do something when I feel that tugging on my heart.  I can't make a difference for the hundreds, but I may be able to make a difference for the one.

"Rejoice with me for I have found my (one!) sheep which was lost."   Luke 15:6

Violence Rips Apart South Africa

It is a sober time in South Africa. Violence has swept through the nation like a wild fire.

I have to tell you about the terrible events unfolding in South Africa, and what God is doing in the midst of tragedy. But it is a long letter. I understand if you are in a rush....

You've seen the news: Unbelievable racial violence has broken out all over the country. There are xenophobic riots taking place in every major city of the nation. Much of the violence has actually been under-stated for a change. It is worse than any one TV network can cover.

It is a case of the poor attacking the poor in the townships and shantytowns and squatter camps. No one knows how it actually started, but it has spread from one part of the country to the other, until tens of thousands of people are homeless and hundreds of people have been killed.

It is mainly jobless, homeless poor people turning against political and economic refugees from Zimbabwe, Malawia, Mozambique, Angola, Somalia and the Congo. There are 3,000,000 refugees from Zimbabwe alone in South Africa! South Africa is looked upon as the breadbasket of Africa, a safe haven for the destitute and oppressed. There are ruthless dictators in Zimbabwe and the Congo and other countries close to us that squash any sign of criticism or freedom of speech. So people come from those countries to South Africa looking for jobs so they can survive and send money back home.

Massiphumelele, or "Masi" as we call it, was spared from the violence. Many people worked tirelessly to stop the violence from breaking out. We held prayer meetings, worked with the local pastors and community leaders and police, and did what we could to help.

Community meetings were held in Masi, foreigners from neighboring countries were invited back to the community (many had fled in fear for their lives), and people went door-to-door recovering the stolen property of the refugees who had left in haste, fearful for their lives.

I spoke with some of our Malawian friends in Masi, and they were frightened for their lives. About 25 Malawians, Somalians, and Zimbabweans fled Mai and spent the weekend sheltered in our team house. Vuyo, who is part of one of the little churches we have started in Masi, got assaulted - he is a local but was in the wrong place at the wrong time - he got hit  twice on the jaw and head.

Last Saturday night there was a joint community and police effort to recover all stolen property by going door to door, and Sunday morning people were still spontaneously bringing stolen stuff back. A national Television news station reported on how local Masi community pastors and leaders acted to stop the violence. In effect they were saying the violence was not acceptable in their community. They condemned the violence, acted proactively to stop it, and set an example for the rest of the country!!

Sun afternoon the premier of Western Cape Province arrived in Masi to congratulate the pastors and community leaders. A deputation took a memo to the refugees to invite them back to Masi. More than 70 foreigners were welcomed back to Masi with a KFC supper late last Sunday evening!

But things were much different in the refugee camp just a few minutes walk from where Sally and I live. This is the camp for the foreign refugees driven from other communities by the violence.

I would like to quote from a report I read about what the conditions were like in the camp:

"There was Alvin from Angola, whose brother was killed on Friday, and who was so traumatized by the guilt of leaving the body to save himself, he could barely speak. There was Maria (not her real name) from the Congo, who was raped on Thursday, didn't know where her teenage son was and just wanted to be given a pair of panties and a place to sleep. There was Noor-Ali from Somalia, a very smart young man in a stylish leather jacket, who had spent years working his way up from cleaning cars for change to owning his own business, only to have absolutely everything he owned snatched away from him in minutes. They, and most of the estimated 1500 people there, were in an extreme state of shock

Helpless? Hopeless?

In recent weeks we've been encouraged by things that are happening here in South Africa.  At the same time, we've also been overwhelmed by the wave of upheaval and violence that has shaken our nation.

Some of the things that have blessed and encouraged us have been taking place in Red Hill (the community that was destroyed by fire in Feb.).  Every week there are individuals who are coming to personally know Jesus.  There are now 7 small house churches started......most being led by new believers as students from CPx (our church planting school) coach them.  Namandla (a former bar owner), David (a well known drunkard in the community who was saved & delivered of his addiction), Shepherd (who was touched by the story of Zacheus), and Archie (captain of the soccer team)........all are new believers and growing in their faith.

Just as we've been rejoicing in these wonderful testimonies of new life, some very distressing events have taken place.  They call it "xenophobia."  Many of the poor in the nation have turned in violence upon the foreigners, the refugees in our midst, from other African nations.  Many have been beaten and killed.  Others have lost all their possessions.  The spirits of hatred and fear have run rampant through the poor communities.

The events of recent days have been "shocking," to say the least.  "Unbelievable" would be more like it.  "Heart-breaking" only touches the surface of the emotions we've experienced.

Our workers have helped house and feed the refugees who are, yet again, trying to find security and safety.  We've joined with community leaders and pastors in trying to quiet the rising violence.  We've supported those who are trying to recover all the possessions that have been stolen.

Through it all, and indeed in facing so many of the needs/problems that we've encountered in South Africa, I find myself feeling helpless, even hopeless.  How can we meet such huge needs?  How can we see things changed?  How can our small efforts make a difference?

The conclusion I've come to is this.....we can't - but God can!  We may feel helpless, but we aren't hopeless.  Seeing the need confirms to us the importance of what God has called us to do to make a difference.  The hope of Africa is a new generation of leaders who are not caught in the grip of greed, hatred, or fear.  God is up to something!  He's at work!  The enemy would have us see the needs, the problems, the bleakness.  God would have us keep our eyes ON Him, our trust IN Him.

We don't have all the answers, but we can live here, love and serve those around us, pray, share His goodness, and be faithful in the things we face each day.  These may seem like small actions, but in God's sight they are powerful weapons.

There IS hope!  In fact, the tide may already be turning - we just can't see it yet.

"When everything was hopeless, he hoped anyway."  Romans 4:18  The Message

Good News From Red Hill in Cape Town

I am so excited to send you news about our ongoing work in Red Hill. We are deeply encouraged. The report below is written by one of the students who attended our leadership/discipleship program. Take a few moments and be encouraged with us, will you?

Blessings,

Floyd and Sally

"These last two weeks we've felt so humbled and honored, like Jesus said, "These fields are ripe for the harvest! I sent you to reap what others worked for. They have done the hard work, you are reaping the benefit of their labor." With the same enthusiasm that we saw for getting the nicest shack and filling it with the best stuff, people are hungry for Jesus! About seven house groups are meeting now! Also, Nick + Paula + I (Liana) are finally moved in to Red Hill! We felt we must move in and believe that "all these things shall be added". Specifically, we're hoping for electricity, beds, and warmth to be added at some point...

A few highlights:

+ Paula has been meeting with a woman named Namandla. (Floyd wrote briefly about her- a shabeen/bar owner before the fire, she realized that God still loved her when she saw the skit that some CPX students did.) She's gathered her friends and is excited about leading the bible study! She's had such a revelation of God's grace towards her and is getting a vision to share/pray for her friends and neighbors. Paula meets with her before the bible study and helps her prepare.

+ David, the notorious drunkard, has renounced the drink!! Late last Thursday the Spirit of God spoke to him. We sat with him as he prayed to ask Jesus to help him quit drinking, then exclaimed, "There will be no more drinking for me!! You will come to my house and study the bible, and soon I will be the one leading it!" God plants his vision in his people.

+ Shepherd, after hearing the story of Zacheus and how his heart changed just by being with Jesus, pressed Alexander, "It seems like there's a difference between believing in Jesus and in following Jesus. Tell me about it." After presenting the basic gospel, Alex asked if they'd like to consider these things for awhile. Wonderboy said emphatically, "I need this change in my heart NOW. I don't want to wait until next week." Shepherd agreed. "I want to follow Jesus now."

P.S. Thank you for your love, prayers and financial support for Sally and me. We are very grateful!

On the Edge of the Kingdom Among Rastafarians in Cape Town

God is doing some amazing things through our people as they serve on the edge of the Kingdom:

Baby Safe project for abandoned and unwanted babies: Bethany has been meeting more people about  "baby safe" project. She has been really encouraged by the feedback and advice received.  Her desire now is to have a drop off place staffed.
Child headed households: We are doing a survery to confirm how many child headed households there are and how we can serve them.

A Man knocks on the door and asks to know more about Jesus: Tim had someone from his street come to his door Tue. night asking to be saved!  Tim was really encouraged by the man's desire to "have what Tim had".  He wants to get plugged in with the rest of us that are working in Masi also.  I think that is really encouraging for Tim and also for Jeremiah, who has really been praying for that street.

Meeting with Rastafarians: From Stephen Taylor, one of the team members: "Jonathan and I had a great meeting with the Rasta's on Tue. night.  I felt that we had built a strong enough relationship with them that I could be more bold than I would normally be, and we shared openly with them.  I challenged the leader of the group to ask the Almighty if Halal Salassie really is the Christ.  He believes in the Holy Spirit and His power to teach us, so we ended the meeting praying that God would teach us the truth.  I am confidant that he will come to the right conclusion." PLEASE PRAY FOR THE RASTA-MEN!

Xenophobic attacks against refugees taking place all over South Africa: Our workers are meeting with different refugees and foreign workers in South Africa, including Zimbabweans, Malawians and Somalians and have built a relationship with them. LAst night some of them came to us for help because of attacks against them.

Simple church during the week: Two of our CPx students, Jonathan and Jeremiah, had a great time with a guy who was really discouraged that he wasn't able to 'go to chuch' because he works on Sunday.  They discipled him and empowered him to start his own church.  He is friends with people from a number of different countries, which makes his potential to be a example to others even greater.

Floyd and Sally

When Opportunity Knocks

When I was growing up, I often heard my mother say - "when opportunity knocks, answer the door."  My mother had sayings for just about everything - I only wish I had wrote them all down!  Common sense, fun, amusing phrases of wisdom!

In my mind, the word opportunity has always had a positive meaning or connotation to it.  It's an unexpected benefit or possibility......a chance for something because of some favorable circumstance.

The idea of "opportunity knocking" has taken on a different, and much less positive, meaning here in South Africa.  Crime has been rising, and some of the most common crimes are what they call "crimes of opportunity."  Someone may not be planning a specific crime (usually robbery), but when they see an opportunity, they go for it.  Usually there is an open door or window that is right there in front of them, so they reach in or walk in and grab what they can get quickly.  The most popular items seem to be lap top computers, cell phones, money........but anything is fair game.  I heard of one person who had a vase stolen that was sitting by the window, and another person lost a jar of peanut butter.  It doesn't seem to matter how valuable the item is.......it's just there ready to be taken.

A friend of mine has been trying to save her extra rand to buy bricks to pave her walkway.  Whenever she has a little extra, she buys a few bricks (R.7 - $1 each).  She was getting a nice sized pile of them and was ready to make her walkway.  Then one day she looked and the pile had almost entirely disappeared.  She found out people had been taking them 2, 3, 4 at a time from her yard and just walking away.

I would like to suggest that we pray for this trend to be reversed........that we ask for eyes to be blinded to these types of opportunity!  I think we should pray for a greater fear of the Lord in people's hearts.  Fear of the police or of being caught doesn't seem to be working!  I remember hearing testimonies of the revival that came to the Hebrides islands.  When revival came, most of the bars were closed because no one was going to them!  The move of the Spirit was so great, and the fear of the Lord was so strong in people's hearts, that they left the bars and knelt in the fields crying out to God in repentance.  I believe that type of move of God can happen again!  Would you join with me in praying for a miracle like that here in South Africa?  Let's believe for a revelation of God and His righteousness, a birthing of the fear of the Lord in people's hearts, that will begin to break the stronghold of crime.......all kinds of crime, including the ones of opportunity!

"The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil."  Psalms 8:13

Home

The months seem to be flying by in a blur.  We've been here almost 19 months now.  For most of that time I've seemed to constantly be running around just to trying and keep my head above water.  To say it's been busy would be a gross understatement!

We've just had a week in the African bush.  It's been heavenly.  I feel as if I've finally been able to take a deep breath!  The warm, dry climate - the stillness - the wide open space - the gorgeous sunsets - all have been so refreshing.  Even Sossy, our dog, seems to have a new lease on life!

During the busyness of these past months, there has been so much I've wanted to write about.  I'm going to attempt to still do that.  There's never a dull moment, day, week, month here!

One of the things that's become very evident to me here, it that this has truly become "home" to us.  When you make such a big/major halfway-across-the-world move, well, you wonder if it will "work."

Almost immediately it "felt" like home.  When we moved into our own place and then unpacked our stuff, our memories - we were surrounded by home.  Now it feels like we've been here forever.

It is a wonderful testimony to us doing the possible (we moved), and God doing what seemed impossible (even away from family, friends, the familiar - it's home).  He is so faithful!

Home is where the heart is, and I guess my/our heart is here now.

"God gives.......a home."   Ps. 68:6

Did We Fail Red Hill?

I sat with a group of our leaders yesterday, debriefing our efforts for the last three months to plant churches in Red Hill, and other communities where we work among the poor and needy. It was an honest discussion about whether our efforts have really made a difference.

One leader said, "If we had sown more seed of the gospel we would have definitely reaped more fruit. Did we do enough?" Another commented, "You encouraged us to reproduce our church with new converts in the last three months. I think we may have failed."

Around the circle set some of the most awesome, Godly, dedicated people I have had the privilege of working with in the last 45 years of ministry. Their humility and passion challenge me deeply.

The one leader who felt she may have failed to reproduce themselves as a church, was the team leader for our work in Red Hill. Red Hill is where we have done the emergency relief work the last three months (all of the shack homes in Red Hill except two were burned down in terrible wildfires three months ago). We have rebuilt 78 homes in three months, held several out door celebrations, prayed with countless people, developed very deep and meaningful relationships, been a voice for the people to the government and to citizens groups, and prayed for deliverance for people fearful of harassing demons and "spirits." Many in Red Hill live with continual fear and hopelessness.

One lady in Red Hill commented that she never thought Jesus would take her back because she ran a "shabeen" from her home. A shabeen is a township beer hall, and usually a center of violence and prostitution in the community. After seeing a drama about a father forgiving his daughters for their drunkenness, this lady had hope that God will be merciful to her.

The battle to plant a church through holistic discipleship amongst the poor is a tough battle. One key, the most essential key, is leaders who are trained with the skills and attitudes to know how to overcome the cultural and spiritual obstacles of working with the poor.

Africa will not be changed without developing a new generation of leaders who are not fixated on authoritative, hierarchical power over people. That's what CPx, our training program, is all about. And by the way, we graduate 68 leaders today from the teaching phase of CPx!!

As we held our debrief with the leaders, I helped them gain perspective on how well they had done in Red Hill.We asked the question,  "If our goal is to plant a church that produces lasting fruit in Red Hill, when do our relief efforts start counting? Only when the church is up and running? Or do all the hundreds and thousands of hours of love, prayer, fasting, hammering nails, listening to the people tell their stories, does all this count as well?"

On a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of amazing success stories, Red Hill is probably a 5 or a 6 - now. But the story is not over. In terms of faithfulness, love, service, wise and humble leadership, I would give our efforts a ten.

Not just a ten for good works, but a ten for wisdom and skill in working with the people. The people of Red Hill were blown away by the fact that our team is a multi-cultural team of whites and blacks. Our team members speak local languages.  They took time to listen. We did a lot of things right.