July Update

And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah—he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness when he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon – Genesis 36.24. You know it is interesting reading through all the genealogies and finding comments about people. The only significant event worth mentioning about Anah’s life is that he found some water while taking care of some donkeys. The question has to be asked of us – in light of eternity - when our life is through and our epitaph is carved in stone, what will be ‘written’ about us?

We are thankful for the passing of June – as June in South Africa is winter and it is cold. June in Setswana basically means ‘don’t visit because we don’t have enough blankets.’ It has been a lot colder this year than last year. The insects that were not killed last year were certainly killed this year. Houses are not centrally heated so when you come inside from the outside cold, there is not a whole of change. We do have heaters in the bedrooms and a large kerosene heater in the living room; it still is not the same as central heat. However, I know that we are a lot warmer in our house than many people living in corrugated metal ‘houses.’ So we continue to be thankful for all of God’s blessings.
I had a very good meeting with Ben Poo and Moses – he is the man that will be leading the Bible study in Unit 15. He is also leading a Bible study out in the same village that Jody is storying in. I will be working with Moses in strengthening and encouraging these two groups. I told Ben and Moses that our purpose was for these groups to eventually become churches. They were in full agreement and that was their purpose also. The area is wide open in Unit 15, and across the road is another area of about 500 – 750 houses going up. These are RDP houses – houses that were promised to people when apartheid ended and the new government was put in place.
There has been another Bible study started at the Hotel School – like a Hotel Vo-Tech – where you learn everything from the kitchen to the cash register. We had 17 students on our very first night. Hedley Daniels, pastor of Calvary BC, and I are partnering together for this Bible study. The school is walking distance to Calvary, so many of the students attend.
That’s a little bit of what is happening. Thanks for your prayers and giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and through the Cooperative Program. Your prayers and giving makes us partners together in the harvest.

Well, first of all, I want to greet you all, our prayer partners. We certainly do love you and can’t wait to see you again. We are looking forward also, to the warmer weather! As Dennis told you we’ve been cold! We all had the flu last month, and I’m still recovering from the congestion. I can’t take a lot of medicine right now, and I think that has made me stay sick longer. Please pray that we can all be completely healthy again!
I’m still going to the village to teach Bible stories. We’ve been having huge numbers these last couple of weeks because school is out for a break. It has been really good. I think I told you of another woman last time who died from AIDS. We witnessed to her and her family. Two weeks went by after we buried her before we were able to get to the village again. When we arrived, we were told that this woman’s two month old baby had died the day after we buried her. I was heartbroken. I started beating myself up over what I should have done or could have done. But, no one knew what would happen except the Lord. I have comfort in the fact that this child is with Jesus, and also his mother. My sister has asked how I can deal with all the death. I just can’t think about it much. It does teach us all that life is short, and that the decisions we make today will affect us tomorrow whether we think so or not.
The boys are finishing up their second term of the school year in about three weeks. Andy and I are working furiously to try to finish up fifth grade so we can get back on the American schedule to start sixth grade. He’s doing very well with only a little complaining! I have just met with Caleb’s and Josiah’s teachers. They are both doing very well and excelling in every way. We’re very proud of them. Caleb’s teacher actually said that she sees Caleb as having a more equal relationship with her than that of teacher-student. That makes me laugh because I can just see Caleb telling her all kinds of things. She can actually converse with him. Of course, he also makes her laugh! He says something funny almost every day. His most recent is that he washed his “knee-pit” in the bath. I had to call and tell my parents about that one! Bethany is doing well. She’s growing up so fast! She’s starting to talk, and actually say things that we can understand. She’s also trying to learn her colors. She always starts out with something being “green.” She hero-worships her brothers. They don’t mind being wrapped around her fingers along with their Daddy. I do know one thing, though. She’s going to have a rude awakening to reality when this new little girl arrives. Bethany will have to share Mommy! We’ll see how that goes. We’re still working on a name for the baby. I want her to have at least one Bible name. There just aren’t as many girl names as boy names in the Bible. She will have a name eventually you know, though.
I guess that’s all for me and the kids. Hope to hear from all of you. Thank you for your giving and your prayers.

Blessings