Botswana, NTC, and a camping turned stay-cation weekend.

This last weekend Joe and I had the opportunity to return to Botswana for their District Assembly.   It was a great weekend of catching up and of hearing what God is doing all over the Botswana District. 

We drove there on Friday afternoon and were blessed to arrive at the border moments before a large charter bus full of school children arrived :)!  We were very thankful that we arrived before and not after them! :) 

We stayed with the DS and his family and had a wonderful time of fellowship with them through out the entire weekend.  We even had the opportunity to have a Botswana braai (cookout) with them. 

On Saturday we were able to see the Pastor and his wife and several other people from the Bokaa community that we had been with the Team.  It was great to reconnect with them and hear the stories of how God is working.  We just heard from them again this week and they had 82 in attendance in church last week!  God is blessing their ministry and the community around them.  We are excited to be a small part of that revival.  Pray for Pastor Oboy and his wife Tiny as they continue to lead the church in Bokaa!  Pray that God would also raise up other leaders to help them in that work. 

On Thursday we were invited to attend the closing chapel for NTC where the 3^rd year students who are graduating had a chance to share what their time at NTC had meant to them.  The Principal of NTC also washed each of the 3^rd year student’s feet.  It was a blessing to be a part of that service.  Pray for them as they return home and seek God’s direction on what to do next. 

Following the service there was a lunch to honor a retiring missionary who has been serving for almost 30 years in Theological Education on the South Field.  She is a testament to being faithful to the call of God on her life.  Pray for her as she returns to the states to a place that has not been home for almost 3 decades. 

This weekend we were planning on going camping with the Marshall’s (fellow missionaries on the South Field).  But the forecast called for rain most of the weekend and we decided to have a stay-cation instead.  We built a fort in our office and the kids had lots of fun playing in that.  Then on Saturday we went to an indoor water place and swam and played all day.  Sunday we went to church and then had lunch with another missionary family.  All and all it was a great weekend of relaxing and enjoying being together. 

God is good!  All the time!  And He continues to bless and keep us and we are thankful!  Thanks for your prayers, emails, and support!  We love you! 

Until next time remember – kids have infinitely more energy than adults do so if you start something like an active game you better have an exit strategy or an energy drink :)

Lesotho

Joe and I had the privilege of being a part of the Lesotho District Assembly last weekend.  It was an amazing opportunity to hear and see how God is working in the beautiful country of Lesotho. 

We heard the reports of the various leaders.  Now as we pray for our brothers and sisters in Lesotho we have specific requests and faces of friends to pray for.  God is alive and at work in the country of Lesotho.  There are struggles. Some of the struggles are universal that all ministries experience in one form or another some are more unique to their culture and context.  However the beauty of the God we serve is that no matter the struggle He can overcome it. 

We were also able to stay for Sunday Morning Service before heading back to Johannesburg.  The pastor asked us both to share in Sunday School and for me to preach.  So Joe taught the Adult Sunday School class and I lead the youth Sunday School class.  Then I preached.  It was my first time to preach in Africa and it was a humbling opportunity.  As we spoke it was our prayer that God would speak through us and that we would be His mouthpiece and say what He would want us to say. 

Some of the highlights of the weekend include meeting and fellowshipping with, praying with, worshipping with, and laughing with our brothers and sisters in Lesotho; seeing some of the beautiful scenery of Lesotho, and getting to taste some of the Lesothian food, which was very yummy.  

Over the next few months we have the privilege to travel to other District Assemblies throughout the field.  This weekend we will return to Botswana for their District Assembly and we are looking forward to reconnecting with our friends there and hearing how things have been since we were there with the team a few weeks ago. 

In other news our garden is doing remarkably well.  Much better than we expected it to!!  We have more butter lettuce than I can eat on my own (Joe doesn’t care for lettuce much.) so I have been giving it to our neighbors and guests when they come over.  Soon we will have more cherry tomatoes than we know what to do with so I will be making lots of salsa and maybe even some sauce as well as giving lots away.  We are not sure how the beans and cucumbers and squash are going to do, but it has been fun to watch everything grow.   Yesterday we bought a Christmas tree and I am getting excited about getting to decorate our home for Christmas.  We also bought a rowing machine which I am loving to use. 

We are blessed beyond measure and loving the ministries we are a part of. 

Until next time – It is really probably not advisable to realize just how blind you are when driving at night while driving a stick shift at night in Johannesburg in the rain.  Don’t worry there were no accidents or even close calls but I did stall at a red light and we decided that maybe Joe should drive at night.  So at least there’s that!  J

Remember you are blessed to be a blessing to others around you.