After the mission trip in October 2009 Pierre & Marian writes

During one of our group’s daily intercession times, Stella brought us the message in Isaiah 61v4:…”they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.” We believe this renewal is happening in Alexandria and we marvel and thank the Lord for His graciousness in bringing people from Cape Town and the USA to give this restoration momentum. . . . .

Pastor Ntsikelelo Mali is an amazing man who has a passion for the Lord and introduces anyone and everyone to his Jesus. He had crowds of young and old people attending the Youth Ministry Services in the tent each evening and was invaluable to the team presenting the Children’s Ministry programmes each afternoon. He also directed Bob and the US Team around Kwanonqubela and helped as the go-between with the locals.

Pastor Leon and Lemmy de Smidt also need to be mentioned as there would not have been a Medical Crusade at DCF if they had not agreed to host it and thrown their weight behind it. So thank-you wonderful people, we realize your skills reach way beyond pastoring,  catering, digging trenches, sourcing reading glasses… the list is endless!

Although Bob has more accurate statistics about numbers who attended the Medical Crusade, we reckon that about 400people saw the doctors; about 400 people received the first batch of glasses and about 600 were saved. Moreover home-visits were carried out to individuals, Molly Bam’s Jehovah Jireh Haven and the Ikhwezi Orphanage. Many people were also saved during the Youth Ministry Services each evening as well as at the Children’s Ministry services in the afternoons. Many children accompanying their parents for medical attention had the opportunity of praying that Jesus would come into their lives by the dynamic children’s ministry of the Irishes.

From this Medical Crusade we have learned many things, amongst others:

1. To be willing to reach out to others.

2. One receives enormous pleasure helping others.

3. Willing and able helpers appeared from “nowhere”.

4. We now have to follow up the 600 names who gave their lives to the Lord.

One very involved helper suggested that the Medical Crusade was so relevant to the community that it should be held at least twice a year! Something to think about.

Pierre & Marian

January 20,   Pierre & Marian writes

We have Pastor Mali with us now as he will house-sit for us while we will be in CT. We have been requested by the Bongweni school to get involved with the children again as they are experiencing attacks from the “Amakhosi”. This attraction of power is appealing to the school children and consists of Satanic spirits that they receive at great cost from Sangomas. They have this power and become aggressive towards young and old alike and create an unruly atmosphere in the school. Hence the call for help from the Bongweni Principal. Both the Principal and teachers reported that the school had never been so peaceful as when the tent outreach was located on their premises.

As Pastor Mali’s church does not have a building yet, we are convinced that the Lord wants us to start a permanent Tent Ministry for the Youth. Therefore we need a tent…… a big one, to erect permanently next to Bongweni School, like we had during the Medical Crusade. In order to do this we require funds and wonder whether you could maybe assist us in purchasing such a tent. Please see the cost of R30 000 for a 400-seater tent (slightly bigger than the one we had there) from Judea Harvest. See the webpage at http://www.judeaharvest.info/tentcosts.html .

Rich, you mentioned that you may assist us in getting in touch with people who could fund something like this. I know it is a lot of money, but what is too big for our Lord??

We are looking forward to hearing your views and advice.

Best Regards

Pierre & Marin and Pastor Mali

March,20 2010   Pierre & Marian writes

I would like to thank you for the incredible blessing of presenting us with a 400 seater tent. I can assure you this tent is just in time as our Youth Christian Centre have not only lost their temporary building but were also asked a week ago to leave the Nursey School they used. Therefore we know that the timing is from God. They will have their services and get togethers in our church. They have to walk 3 to 5km to reach our building. We have found favour with the Municipality who requested us to submit a motivation for an appropriate stand. While this process is going on we will order and pitch the tent on a stand next to Bongweni School where Ikwezi Aids Councelling agreed to house us in the meanwhile.

We see this permanent tent as a start of big things for the Youth in Alexandria. When we get to a point to build a more permanent stucture for the Youth Centre, we will use the tent for Outreaches for Jesus.

The gift of this tent is an unreal blessing and seen as an absolute miracle. May we not dissappoint Jesus in the use thereof. Thanks also to Bob for your important share in this blessing.

Best Regards

Pierre & Marian