When we were preparing to move here to South Africa, we talked about the problem of crime in the country. I wanted to work it through in my heart so that I was prepared for whatever we would face. If God was calling us here, I wanted to live in peace, not fear. I believe that everyone who follows Jesus should live where they live because they are called to be there. I believe we're all called "full time." Sadly, a lot of Jesus followers don't know that, or live that way. The sad result is they don't live like they are called, with a sense of destiny and passion. And of course, they don't have grace for what they do and where they live because they are doing it on their terms, not God's. I was determined to prepare my heart for our new location.

We talked about the fact that we would probably face a robbery or something worse someday. Unfortunately, it is all too common-place. It's rare to talk to anyone who hasn't been effected by crime in some way. Well, the anticipation is over. We've faced our first......and second experiences.

One of the crates containing some of the things we shipped over was broken into while in the locked customs warehouse, and boxes of our things were stolen. Very sad after making it half way around the world!

We also had a man attempt to break into the house where we were living with our friend. We were very suddenly woken up at 3 a.m. one night when a burglar was prying open a window and broke the glass on the window. Fortunately no one was hurt, and he ran away. After dealing with the police, etc. we were all awake for the rest of the night.....and slept lightly for many nights afterwards.

During the same few weeks, there was a shoot out at a grocery store nearby when some men tried to hold up an armored car picking up cash from the store. A coffee shop was held up the next night. A friend who had also just moved here had quite a few valuable items stolen by a workman in her home. It was not only a financial loss, but each piece was a symbol of a special time, season, place, event. Very sad for her!

Two guys on one of the visiting outreach teams were robbed at knife point and threatened one evening. They weren't hurt, but it was a frightening experience.

I'm sure all our guardian angels work overtime watching out for us here!!

The poorer people in the townships suffer even more. They face crime and risk to their lives daily. They live with the threat of danger and violence constantly.

It would be easy to become "accepting" of this problem - to see it as just a part of life here. I've instead been feeling the need to rally prayer support that the "stronghold" of this crime spirit would be broken and contained. And that faith for the country to be changed would invade the hearts of believers. I know we can't do that alone. We need hundreds, thousands! to do that. Would you join us in praying for this?

"One shall put a thousand to flight, and two put ten thousand to flight....." Deut. 32:30

By Sally McClung

The paragraphs below were written by Inesa, one of our team members. She wrote it as a memorial for Nkolo, who died a few days ago of AIDS.

--

A member of one of our short term outreach teams, Ella, has spent the last 3 weeks ministering at an AIDS hospice. She mostly spent time with 2 ladies. One was released today as she was better and her family was there to get her. The other lady came to faith in Jesus a few days ago. Ella went to read Psalm 27 to her and while she was reading the lady passed away. She was alone - there was no one to inform about her death.I was so touched by the fact that Our Father would not forsake her but would send her someone from afar to be with her in the last 3 weeks of her life. I have written a little " sketch" about this lady. I don't know her name so I have called her Nkolo. She died while listening to Ella read Psalm 27 to her...though she was alone she was not forgotten.

" My name is Nkolo, I have lived in the Cape all my life. My family has moved away and all those who were close to me are dead. I am 68 years old, ill and alone… I spend my days looking at faces. They come and go – some kind, some cross & I will never know who I will see next, for you see, I am a patient in hospice care, terminally ill & dying.

"I love watching faces. They fascinate me – the emotions, wisdom, life… sometimes you can see person's life reflected on their face. Sometimes we get strange faces. The last 2 weeks one face keeps on coming back. She is young and pretty and speaks English. My English is very limited – I spoke Xhosa all my life. She is from America. She takes me for walks in my wheel chair and reads to me out of her Bible. Some of the words are strange, but comforting. Her presence brings me peace. She often prays for me and I pray too… to go to the place where I am not alone." Last night some more faces prayed for me and I have reached my hands out to God and asked Him to keep me close. Last night was the first night I slept through in a very long time…

"This morning I opened my eyes to the sound of the American girl reading to me. She read:

 




"Listening to that, I lifted my eyes to Him, and reached for Him. He smiled at me and called my name. I was lifted off the pillow and followed Him. As if from far away I heard her reading: 

When we moved to South Africa it seemed like a huge impossibility for us to buy a home. Many reasons - lack of funds, very high prices, not being able to get a mortgage (a "bond" in South Africa), etc. We looked at places to rent, but found that to be a very discouraging process. There were few places available, and the ones that were on the market were too small, too expensive, or too awful!

Through a series of God-ordained events, we found "our home." It's a house that had been on the market for quite a while, but because of it's different, not really South African style, had not sold. The owners had lowered the price considerably, but it was still too high for us.

At the counsel of a wonderful Christian realtor (the father of a young man in one of the All Nations house churches), we made a very low offer. Unbeknown to us, the owners had also received a full price offer, but they would have had to move out right away. They are retiring to England, and wanted a longer process for their move. We could continue house sitting/living with our friend Maureen, so that was fine with us to wait longer. They countered our offer with a price slightly higher than our low offer, and we had a deal. It was really quite remarkable. It all happened in 4 days.

Meanwhile, the dear realtor had investigated and found out we could get a mortgage on the type of visa we have, so things moved speedily ahead. The Lord wonderfully provided the down payment........and here we are now renovating and hoping to move in in a few weeks.

Early in the process, a missionary friend shared how the Lord had provided a home for her and her husband. They had been blessed in such a way that their home was paid for before they moved in! When I heard this, something stirred in my heart. I've felt an urgency to pray daily for a similar miracle for us - because that's what we would need......a "mighty miracle!"

There are days when I don't know if my heart is stirred with great faith or just wishful thinking - but I can't seem to get away from this impression in my spirit. I haven't been able to just shake it off.

So I'm wanting to ask if you would pray with me/us?! Maybe God has a "mighty miracle" to encourage us all! Whatever happens, we are so grateful for His guiding us, opening doors for us, providing for us in all the ways that have led us to this home in South Africa. As a 16 year old when I went on my first missions trip, I would never have dreamed of all that my life would have in store. God has been so good! How faithful He is!

"God gives.....a home to dwell in." Psalms 68:6

By Sally

We've had some pretty big things we've been praying for recently - both personally and for our workers.  We've needed to see some "impossible" things happen!

A family has been making plans to come from Germany to join the ministry here.  Although the Home Affairs department in South Africa had granted their visa, the embassy in Berlin repeatedly refused to issue it.  The flight they were booked on was leaving in about 48 hours.  They needed a miracle!

A short term team was working in Masiphumele, one of the townships nearby.  In a split second, the bag with all their camera equipment and other valuables was stolen.  They needed a miracle to find the thief and retrieve their things before it was all sold to buy drugs.

We were scheduled to get the keys to our new home on July 1.  We've been anxious to take possession and do some renovation work before we move in.  We'll have been in "transition" for 15 months by the time we unpack our boxes.  I'm very ready to "settle."  Unfortunately, we've had a nation-wide strike of government workers going on for a number of weeks.  There was a backlog into May of transfer papers being processed.  The lawyer said it was absolutely, 100% impossible for the papers to be issued by July 1.  We needed a miracle!

We prayed, friends prayed and in a matter of hours we saw all 3 impossibilities become possible!

The family went personally to the embassy in Berlin, and, after much discussion, were issued their visas.  They were able to catch their plane as scheduled.

Some of the local young men found the robber and retrieved all the stolen items.  The thief had planned to sell the whole bag for 100 rand/$14!  It was a miracle that he hadn't already sold them, and that we found him!

Then the lawyer emailed and said she didn't know what happened, but our transfer papers were processed.  She was stunned!  They were still waiting for the ones from May to be processed, and ours went through!  It was an incredible miracle.

God had definitely been at work in answer to those prayers!  We won't soon forget our day of miracles!!

"It is time for the Lord to act."  Psalms 119:126

A Reflection About an Interaction With a Resident of Masiphumelele, a A Community of Beautiful People We Seek to Serve - Written by a team member named Karen Strickland

"I've been living here on these wetlands for twelve years now. We have been forgotten and overlooked. People come in here and raise our hopes then we never see them again. More people come in later and the same thing happens. "

When I told her to not give up hope she agreed and then I told her that even if she feels that people have forgotten about them, God will never forget her. She agreed wholeheartedly with this. She said that us coming there today gave her hope again. I think the fact that we would even dare to walk the filthy, muddy maze was an indication to her that we cared enough to come and presence ourselves in their midstÂ…

She also said, "Last week my whole house was under water. There's nothing we can do about it, the water just comes up when it rains. But we have nowhere else to go. But there is hope, things will change. He will not forget us."

How is it possible for this woman to still smile? She's brave. Her life is a daily struggle yet she can agree that God will never forget us and that there's always hope in him. Where does she get the strength and the tenacity to mop up time and time again in these cramped, awfully depressing conditions.

We prayer-walked these filthy, muddy pathways, networking through the flimsy, roughly made wood and iron or wooden shacks – mostly 2mX3m, hopelessly inadequate. Their front doors are about one and a half meters from their neighboring walls, or even at times the view from your front door is your neighbor's bed. The children play in the dirt, the muck and the mire – they seem happy enough, there's a lot of them around. I think disease must thrive in these unsanitary conditions.
May God's grace and his blessing be upon these people. Lord show us what we can do to reach out to these people with your love and practical deeds.

I have gone through a metamorphosis in my understanding of church in the last few years. The best way to illustrate the change in my understanding is to tell you about our involvement with Nash Sports Academy and the youth of Ocean View.

Nash and Joann Booysen are co-workers with us in Ocean View, a community of 35,000 people. Actually, the truth be told, we are working with Nash, not the other way around. Nash heads up a sports academy and Joann, his wife, leads a day care program. Their passion is reaching the children and youth of Ocean View.

Nash and Joann do church all week long. Nash and his assistants and the volunteers from All Nations who work with him coach thirteen sports teams. They mentor the young people, build friendships with them and visit them in their homes – in short, they impact their lives.

On Friday nights a group of kids from the community gather in Nash and Joann's home for worship and Bible study. We meet on Wednesday nights in four other homes with those who are seeking to know more about what it means to know Jesus. We are doing church during the day with the youth of the community, and at night in people's homes who are coming to faith in Christ.

Is this not how Jesus did church? He was with ordinary people all week long. He was involved in their lives. He "gathered" those who wanted to know more. He built community with them. He invested in their lives. He spoke truth to them. He was a source of life for them.

Church can best be summarized for me in the words of Jesus from Matthew 18: "Where two or three are gathering in my name, there I am in the middle of them."

Not just one day a week. Not for two hours on that one day. Not in a holy buildingÂ…but all week long. Everywhere we go. Spread out. Engaging people's lives. Making a difference to those who have not come to faith in Jesus. Serving those less fortunate than ourselves.

Doing church differently does not mean we wander aimlessly through life with no direction or purpose. And it does mean being intentional about investing in people, gathering people, and obeying Jesus commands. Doing church differently involves living our lives full time for Jesus and his kingdom. No matter what our vocation might be. We are all called to make disciples in the vocations and through the passions God has called to.

On Wednesday last week, I sat with Nash and some local school officials and a business friend from the States. We discussed how we could serve the community and the school by building a community sports center and soccer/football field on the school grounds. We all agreed we had to do this. 52% of the high school youth of Ocean View use Tik, or what we would call crystal meth. It is a dangerous, addictive, destructive drug.

As we met last Wednesday, Muslims and Christians, businessmen and sports enthusiasts, All Nations representatives and parents, we were collaborating to impact the youth of Ocean View and rescue them from the drug dealers and broken homes in the community.

To me, it was church. There is more to it than that. But at it's core, we were obeying the great commission and the great commandment. That's what church is about.

I invite you to do the same. If you want help, check out my latest book, co-written with Larry Kreider. It is titled Starting a House Church, and is published by Regal in the USA. It is available on amazon.com. Or listen to the some of the free audio messages about simple church on our media page here. You can download them as an MP3 if you wish.

George.....and friends!

I recently had quite a surprise when I looked outside on the living room deck and saw a large baboon walking along the railing. I had heard of "George," as he's called by everyone in the neighborhood, but this was my first time to "meet" him. Baboons normally move around in large groups called troops, but George had gotten into some kind of trouble and was dismissed from his troop. He now travels alone.

I called Floyd to come see George, and by this time Sossy, our dog, had spotted him too. She was barking furiously while pawing at the door trying to get outside. George just sat and looked at her while munching on berries he'd pulled off one of the bushes. He obviously didn't feel threatened at all by this barking house pet!

This week we were visited by the whole troop of baboons. Fortunately, at the house where we're living, all the doors and windows were closed. They only managed to get into the outside garbage can and scatter rubbish all over the yard and driveway.

But, later in the afternoon, they visited our team house! They walked right by one of the girls who was sleeping on the deck - and headed straight for the kitchen. They made quite a big mess while enjoying a container of homemade muesli. Then they headed for the guest apartment over the garage and caused more havoc there. They surprised a mother and her 4 children! The toddler spotted one of the baboons and said "doggy." The mom took the children and left.......while the baboons checked out the fridge. They ate 20 eggs!!

I love having guests and visitors, but I hope these "visitors" don't come back too often!

As I've said before, every day is an adventure when you live in Africa! You can never tell what might happen next.

"And God made.....everything that creeps upon the ground." Gen. 1:25

By Sally

We're in a season of hosting a number of short term teams from overseas who are coming to minister here. We're often asked if groups of people coming into a new culture can really do much good in 2-3 weeks. We always say emphatically "yes!!" Recently we had a small example of what can be done.

We live near a wonderful HIV/Aids ministry/hospice called Living Hope. Some of the young ladies on one of the teams went to the hospice one day. They planned to give manicures and pedicures to all the women in the hospice.

They had noticed one lady in particular who was always quiet and withdrawn, always sad. After she'd received her manicure and pedicure, they were quite stunned to see her dancing around and quietly singing to herself. As they listened closely, they realized she was singing over and over - "today I'm a lady!"

If all of the teams came and only touched this one life - it would be so worth it! For a few hours/days, they ministered beauty and dignity to this suffering woman.

Some people define spiritual ministry as only taking place when someone is praying or preaching. We believe it's an act of worship to Jesus to serve those with AIDS and minister to the poor in whatever loving, serving, encouraging, or practical way we can.

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Matt. 25:40

By Sally

I have written a new article on Spiritual Authority. You can read it online in my articles section here or download the PDF file here.

A few weeks ago and I wrote and told you that one of our workers, Timothy, was beaten by a gang of criminals. The bottom line is these guys are against what Timothy and our team is doing. We are seeking to plant a church in the heart of a very poor township called Masiphumelele.

The guys who attacked Timothy smashed a beer bottle in his face, beat him with their fists and kicked him when he was able to break through the circle they made around him and get away.

Timothy is doing well. There is a picture of Timothy to the left, holding one of the children of a couple on our team. Timothy has been a model and inspiration to our team of courage, faith and sacrifice. Timothy lives among the poor. He is a humble man. He lives by faith, loves people and has a great sense of humor. Timothy loves sports; he is discipling some guys he plays basketball with.

Timothy is an example of the incarnational vs attractional principle of missions that we try to follow. We believe as much as possible we should live and work among people, going to them and not expecting them to come to us. This is what Jesus did for us. He stepped into our world. He invites us to do the same for others: "...as the Father sent me, so I send you..."

There was power in the incarnation. There was no compromise in what Jesus did, but there was humility is coming close to people in their sin. The power of being with people, of simple friendship, is extraordinary. It touches us when we realize that Jesus enjoys being with us. It affirms us and adds great dignity and significance and hope to our lives. And we do the same for others when we are "incarnational" in our lifestyle.

But Jesus was on a mission. He had an agenda. God sent His son to save people from their sin. Hanging out for the sake of hanging out misses the point. God sends us just as certainly as He sent Jesus. We are to go to them, enjoy them, like them for the pure pleasure of enjoying who God has made them to be, but we are also to take Jesus with us into every conversation and every friendship.

Without knowing it, Timothy embodies the principle of incarnation. He is very holistic. He is fully human and at the same time fully dedicated to the purposes of God.

Please pray for Timothy. He is on the verge of a break through. The guys he is discipling are close to making commitments to Christ. A simple church is being formed through his involvement with them. When it happens, well, you can be sure I will let you know!