HOWDY!

Well, we are settling in up in North Dakota.  2 weeks ago we said a lot of "see you laters" to our African friends and family and since then, it has been great to connect with family again and see how large the nieces and nephews have grown.  WOW.

Wanted to thank you for your gracious support and prayers once again.  The work in Africa is and will always be near to our hearts.  We continue to provide funding for food for hundreds of children 3-5 times per week, assist with 4 preschools, and stay connected with 2 young adult schools of ministry we started(pic attached of the last class we were part of in eManzana South Africa that our dear friend Claire is now teaching).  100% of all donations go to those efforts.  Other missionaries and local leadership are overseeing all project work in Swaziland and South Africa.

Our plan?-

At this point, we hope to remain in ND for a few months, assisting on the farm and getting to know family again (sporting events are a lot of fun when you are the crazy uncle that embarrasses the kids).  We wait on the Lord to see the next step of the journey.

We are so grateful for you, we love you and hope to speak to and see you again soon!

God's Richest Blessings!,

Mitch & Charlotte

July Update

Youth, kids, feeding, farming and more

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Brief update

June is nearly upon us, and winter is setting in here in South Africa.  Cool nights and mornings and beautiful sunny days abound.  We have started the countdown here as we look to our return to USA. Now less than just 100 days to go.  It has renewed the urgency in us to make certain that all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted before we go.  We are so thrilled to report that our feeding program/kids program partners are doing such amazing work and major steps have been taking to start creating self-sustained programs for the long term. 

Last weekend we attended the Masters of Theology graduation of dear friend, sister and partner; Pastor Lasalette Duarte.  She is a special woman that loves so so well.  We believe the Lord will continue to use her mightly.  She is a widow that cares for orphans. (I read something in a book once about those people groups J) 

We have been traveling a lot; speaking at a number of churches, being part of conferences, and encouraging as many youth and young adults as we can squeeze into the days.  The Lord is so good and gracious.  We are seeing a great work happen in these young people's lives.  We are filled with Hope!

We have had Kira here visiting with her mom and step dad for several months.  She is CRAZY smart and the kids have been loving her as their algebra and physics tutor. Claire has started teaching the youth in the school of ministry, and they love her and her approach with them.

For more pics and info, please visit us on facebook at www.facebook.com/mitchchar

We love you and look forward to hugging your neck and hearing about all the Lord has done in your life this past season.  Please forgive us in advance.  When we return, we may speak a bit funny, we may not recognize you immediately, however, we will LOVE you the best we can!

 

Grace and Peace

Mitch & Char

To support us in the cause, please click the link below and select our names.  All funds will go to the local feeding programs and young adult ministries we have been part of. 

www.worldoutreach.org/donate

Update from Mitch n Char

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Moving to America before the next president is elected- What are we thinking?

Hello dear friend! We hope you are well. So appreciate all you do for us and have done for us.  Big news for us:

God says in Psalm 1 that those who live for Him, who are planted by His streams, will flourish. They will bear fruit in season and the fruit will last forever...the work we are able to do in this short time and small space can be planted and watered in a way that will make it eternally fruit - bearing. 

We hope that speaks to you. It gives us great peace as we look to our source and our next season...

We are moving back to the USA at the end of August 2016. 

The ministries we have been blessed to start and watch the Lord grow, are all at strong local leadership and accountability points. Decreasing our need to be as physically involved (truly a blessing as we have seen the model work.)

The farm is to a point with local leadership and partner missionaries that the vision will continue and grow!  We thank God!!

We have spent 6 years to get to a point of comfort that ministry efforts are showing long term fruit. 

We will always love the people of Southern Africa and are filled with hope in seeing that the Lord has made a difference that will last beyond our years and He continues to equip the local church and local leaders to grow. 

Upon returning to the states, we hope to spend a time reconnecting with family in the Dakotas and prayerfully with you. A lot has happened in 6 years time and we want to hear all about what the Lord is doing and has done in your life.  We will always be involved in some form of ministry and service to others as unto the Lord. We don't have clarity on what the long term will look like, but we know the One that does. That gives us comfort!

Please know that your prayer support is highly valued. And your financial support is still needed and appreciated.  We still have 4 months left in Africa and relocation needs upon returning. Any gifts of support that come in beyond August of this year will accrue and be allocated with our partners for the ongoing works in Africa that you have helped us create over the years.   If you are supporting us via an automatic monthly gift and want to continue, then do nothing.  If you want to cease your automatic monthly support after August, then please email World Outreach and they will cancel your auto-gift.  You can email them at wom@WorldOutreach.org 

Again, We really appreciate your prayers and ongoing support as we make this transition.  

Over the next few months we will press in here in Africa to ensure longevity of the programs and ministries we have been a part of. 

Thanks so much for your grace, your love and your support. We could not do what we do without you. 

Stay tuned for more updates and photos as we plan to finish strong the next 4 months. 

See you soon, just in time for a presidential election. (Eeek)

Mitch & Charlotte Hildebrant 

Missionaries to Southern Africa

Spring for you is fall for us

March Newsletter – Spark Foundation and Mitch and Char

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A day, (Uhm rather) a week at a glance ;-)

What does a day in the life look like?

We have been asked this question many times by many people. There really is no precise or simple answer. But maybe the below will help you understand a bit. 

We realized that in 2015 we had so many "urgent" things come up, that we allowed them to override the "important" things. Our challenge in 2016 to ourselves is to not let the urgent distract from the important. (Instead of putting out fires, we want to prevent them). 

We are gifted at planning and strategizing. And the Lord has always gracefully allowed us to walk out those plans when we submit them to him. So this is our 2016 plan as laid before the Lord and you!

Monday's-it's our farm day-good ol sweat and dirt. It's our way of helping to steward the great gift the Lord gave us in this place

Tuesday's-young adult mentoring and one on ones with teens, then a partners and missionary study. 

Wednesday's-lesson prep, ministering in the dump ground, after school tutoring and young adult school of ministry. 

Thursday's-errands and admin for ourselves and Spark Foundation(our South African non profit-there's a stack of paperwork. It is surprising the amount of info and detail needed to run a simple non profit.)

Friday's-partners meeting and after school tutoring. 

One weekend a month working and serving with our partners and projects 2 hours north of us (5 sites with bible programs and feeding). 

One weekend a month working and serving with our partners and projects 3 hours east of us in Swaziland(2 sites with preschool, bible programs and feeding)

One weekend a month hosting youth in our house for deeper ministry and overnights away from their circumstances. (2-3 kids at a time)

When we are available on Sunday evenings we help our dear friend Darryl with the local church called "grace". It's a great bridge for the white and black community to come together. 

Then we have several teams throughout the year-and we try to incorporate them as best we can, into our daily lives. 

2-3 times a year the local schools have a term break. This presents perfect opportunities to host, teach and work with youth at the farm for several day "camps"

This is not a self promoting post. 

Please know our hearts. We just know that for you(if you haven't been here) it can be hard to understand what you are supporting and why. 

All that we do-we incorporate the Lord Jesus into it. Farm days, meetings, tutoring, feeding, schooling and all activities point to the cross!  Mornings start with prayer and devotionals for farm workers, tutoring grows out of relationship with kids around talking about what the Lord is doing in their lives. Feeding programs grow from the local church and their desire to meet the needs and present the gospel-so we provide training and resources to equip them. It's truly a sweet season we have entered. 

We always try to provide a hand up and not a hand out. 

We are so grateful that you allow us to be here to do this. 

We had a missionary legend named Dave that told us years ago-"relationship is the best spent currency". Oh it's so true! 

At Spark Foundation our moniker is to Engage, Equip and Empower

We truly believe that by doing so-Jesus will be known, seen and felt. And this side of heaven will be a better place for those that know Him and have the Hope that only He can provide. 

New Year, still here!

What an incredible new year!  Have you made resolutions?  Broke them already?  Yah, that’s what seems to happen all too often…Isn’t it amazing that every day, every minute, every second you have a new chance with the Lord.  All debt’s gone with a repentant heart.  Oh what a Savior!  We pray you celebrated His birth with those you love!

We were blessed to have 6 weeks with Mitch’s Mom and Dad here in Africa.  They hit the ground running with Christmas parties and presents for the kiddos and staff(pic of one granny jumping), Chicken handouts(over 1200 families got a Christmas chicken thanks to you), individual time with the young adults we are working with, labor on the farm for Dad and Mitch, baking for Mom and Char, tree planting, mowing(dad running the 73 Fiat and mower), and a game drive through Kruger park (pack of hyenas and pups just feet away from the car)

We start this new year with a jump start.  Today, at near 100*, we mixed concrete, painted walls and prepped one of our partners(Emoyeni) preschools to open next week.  The next few days will be full of great joy.  We will mow the farm, irrigate all trees, and clean debris from trees from recent storms-all to prepare for our farm manager to return from USA without having a stack of work to jump into.  Then we shift focus to preparing the youth house in the township nearest us(Badplaas)-paint, roof patching and more, to open by February 1.  This house will allow us to start a new school of ministry with young adults, and begin an afterschool tutoring location.  So many young people have failed math and physics in 10^th and 11^th grade, we hope to give them a leg up this year.  Half of the teens we have worked with in 2015 are forced to repeat their grade this year.  We pray the Lord will give them great understanding and put teachers in their lives that will love them and educate them well.

Lots more to share, so please keep up with us on facebook!

We love you and miss you.  We thank you for your prayers and thoughts!  All our best,

Mitch & Char

P.s. – the BEST support you can give us is Prayer and a word of encouragment! 

If you like, supporting our ministry financially is easy and gifts are tax deductible.  The fastest way is to make an online donation via www.WorldOutreach.org/donations  and select our name from the list.  You have flexibility to set up automatic monthly gifts or one time gifts.  You can also mail your gift to World Outreach Ministries, PO Box B, Marietta, GA 30061 and designate it for Mitch & Charlotte Hildebrant.

Don't forget to keep tabs on what the Lord is doing in Southern Africa at www.mitchionary.blogspot.com  and www.facebook.com/mitchchar