South Africa

Hello to YOU!! Oh how we miss you, love you and appreciate you.  Your prayers and support have and continue to mean so much to us.

 

Where is the time going?  Hard to believe August is here.  This past month was a bit busy for us, i(mitch) have been to the bank 15+ times and made as many phone calls and emails to rectify the account(still not open or functional) for operating Children’s Cup in South Africa.  (a VERY small example of differences between usa and Africa…as we say.. TIA (this is Africa). Along with that, we have started several more feeding locations and added on days of feeding at others- all in preparation of future partners and USA churches to come alongside.  We hosted a pastors conference, and have had many Swazi missionary visitors staying with us (we have been alone in our house only 6 night since we moved on March 15)- what a blessing to have a place where others can stay!  I am heading to Mganduzweni tomorrow.  We have been feeding children twice a week there on a neighbors land.  Now that we have built a stove there(and put in 4 other stoves this past month) we need to “secure”(purchase the land)-so negotiations begin tomorrow.  This is a PRIME site for a USA church plant with an African Pastor-right now- just the community kids and a local pastor helping us out(he already has 2 other projects and a full time church)

 

This month brings the NODAK and SODAK team(with a few folks from elsewhere) to stay with us and serve.  We will butcher chickens, host vbs, garden and machete a field down to prepare for future gardens to feed the kids in Mahushu.  We are SO excited to have a team to work with and show the community what passionate people can do.  We also have 8 tons of rice to haul over from Swaziland to feed our kids here through November when our first full 40’ container comes in with a years supply of food for 1700 kids!  We are planning the Christmas parties, back to school campaigns and outreach camps now, and believing for great things to come out of each of those.  Char is having ear surgery here the first week of September-as we believe for great results there as well.  Been connecting with a number of churches locally, and two local families are helping us build a church facility (poles and offcut wood walls) in Mahushu right now. 

 

Have to share this story with you and then we will leave you alone to your other emails and tasks.

I was in Nhlazatshe(en-shlaw-zawt-she) yesterday working with our builder as we finish the last stove for now.  He has 2 jobs lined up after other people have seen his work(hooray!) and will be able to make a business for himself now.  While there(at Pastor Daniels Church) we needed to get firewood-as they are cooking 6 days per week.  So Daniel took us(picture attached) to Babe(bah-bay)(Mr./Sir)Makhane’s place.  (he buys loads of wood, splits and resells as a business).  He was happy for what we are doing and gave us a HUGE discount on 1 ton of wood ($30)-enough to burn for 6 weeks for hundreds of kids 5+days per week.  Pastor Daniel looked at me and said “Mitch, let this be the last load Children’s Cup pays for.  The church(his church) needs to do their part-and they will need to pay for the wood to feed their children.  You have so many others you can help-take your resources to other needy people and start a new work there.  Please keep coming back and bringing bible clubs and tutoring to us, but as for wood- … we got this”  I was so blessed and in awe-this is the first time in 3 years that someone who could have taken advantage of a handout has said- NO-it is our job too.  I am LOVING the partnerships in South Africa- amazing hearts and amazing pastors.

 

We love you and miss you- it really boosts our hearts to hear from you! (hint?)

 

All our best,

M & C

just another day

A day(all too normal) in Africa.  (Missionary work unfortunately does not have enough time just holding kids.. lol)

-wake up, devo, pray...

-Visit bank re:bank about the account set up 2 months ago that still can not be used-advised a non existant form from 2009 is required(the SA govt no longer has this form)-account still on hold.

-Contact auto shop re: CV joint going out on vehicle,  drop vehicle and be called 4 hours later "your car is via swaziland and an import from japan(illegal in South Africa)-so no parts are available, but someone can "manufacture" one for you- will just be twice as much..(hey at least they called- THIS was a silver lining)

-receive bills from municipality for electricity- a 30% increase in one month and 9 days double billed (i am no accountant, but luckily saw their error and contacted their accounting offices- manager on leave till next week)

-contact builder (final stove being built in Elukwatini)-only to find out he did not go to work today(somehow "forgot" to tell me")as the building company neglected to deliver supplies ordered in June.  (ahh.. lesson to self that i have learned so many times.. Inspect what i Expect)-noted

-receive early morning text that one Carepoint is out of wood(thank God i cut a tree down this weekend)-and can not cook today unless they get wood.  Drop everything to go see them and bring a load of wood-TEACH them to call minimum of 1 week prior to wood running out...decided to visit a local mill and ask for donations of wood-if we just come collect- because i am "white" they agreed(oh Africa, you break my heart)

-swing by accountant and ask if/when company registration and updates will be finalized so we can hire staff and pay according to Government regulations.. response- "soon" (same response i received in may and june...

...now its 1pm.... the day must go on... See- aren't you glad you can relate to us in a deeper and more profound way now?  LOL.. much love from Mbombela!

Freedom?

As I sat there I felt the Holy Spirit say "you must apologize". My mind and spirit struggled as he owed me an apology! I deserved it! I needed it! I wanted it! But God...

Isn't life full of "but God" moments?

I went to the Mbabane Hospital today. This is the place that sent us on a one year medical journey and nearly sent me home to Jesus. I went to see the surgeon that operated on me. As we made eye contact I nearly froze. I haven't spoken to him since I was ambulanced to South Africa in March 2012. Followed by 11 months of pain, suffering and agony with 13 surgeries and extraordinary expenses.

We shook hands and went to his office to speak. And that is when I heard "you must apologize" in my spirit. I looked at him and my compassion increased as I recognized that he had done the best he could with what he had available and I said "Dr. I am So very sorry, im sorry for the bitterness and im sorry for the anger I have had for you and shared with others. Can you forgive me?"

There
Was
A
Long
Pause...

He bit his lip as it quivered and began to twitch a little-adjusting in his seat and looked up with tear filled eyes and said "I am so very humbled and amazed that YOU would apologize to me. Because of your case I have second guessed most of my cases and become a liberal user of CT scans"

I shared that I love him and had God not used this situation that there would be many others that would not have heard the saving gospel message. And shared a few examples of those that had come into our journey.

He sunk in his chair and I could see his heart leap at discovery that something bad was turned to something so very good.

He remarked "I'm not very religious(hey, me neither I joked) but there is no question after all of this that God was in control"

Freedom on a day that my American friends and family celebrate freedom. But this is the freedom we all look for in life; freedom in Christ, and I could be behind bars, beaten and abused and still be the free-est man alive.

We parted hoping to both see each other again, prayed, hugged and said goodbye.