As you pray -10 February 2007

It was good to get another update on Pastor Joseph  Chauke from Mario Rocha and Linda Magqabi. One is pleased to hear that Baba Chauke is preaching on in various places. How we wish that he would recover fully and go full throttle again. 

Our thoughts were with Peter Rice this week when he gave training at two Cape Town Christian radio stations, Radio Tygerberg and CCFM. He flies back today.

Johan Claassen of Doctors for Life requests prayers for a national drug summit that he will be attending in Johannesburg from 11-14 February. His concern is that some people "will try to sell the idea of 'harm reduction' to South Africa there. They might start only by softening the people up to this liberal idea, that generally includes needle exchange programmes, shooting galleries etc. Regardless, that's how most big catastrophies start i.e 'small'".

Dr Albu van Eeden, CEO of Doctors for Life, requests prayer support for a campaign to schools in Bizana, Eastern Cape, that has been planned for 19-23 February. The team will take along the 'In Your Face' video and might combine the campaign with a medical outreach. 

Linda Magqabi has just come by. He was born and bred in Bizana and he will be taking time off his engineering work at Anglo American in Johannesburg in order to join DFL's team. He is excited about bringing the message of life to his people. Linda asks that we pray for good weather because the terrain is quite rough.

Thank you for praying for the politically-volatile Democratic Republic of Congo. One of the three Congolese-Belgian ladies that visited me late last year,  Rose Mefalessi, has just sent me news of encouraging developments in the DRC, the formation of the new democratic government in this war-torn country.

Yesterday, Dorothea Killus greeted me from their 'Oasis for Missionaries' seminar. May this indeed be a time of refreshment for missionaries.

Ferny and Christine Jaegle's recent newsletter gives glory to God for His keeping hand through blessings and difficulties. As a friend one is happy to get an update on their family and their ministry. Their base is their home-country, France, but their ministry is international. Remember them.

The Bouzerands of Paris request that we pray for Ferny Jaegle who is taking services in the Paris area this weekend. He was scheduled to be in their house yesterday and to preach the Sunday sermon at Bobigny.

Klaus Alius would like us to remember their ministry in 'Haus Waldfrieden', Bielstein. The children's work, Sunny-Way, is growing, with many open and seeking hearts coming. So far, Sunny-Way catered for children up to 13 years of age. As the Lord leads they would like to reach out to the 14-17 group.

From 16-18 February they have special services with Jan Willem from the Netherlands. They expect 150-200 to attend.

On Thursday evening I was very moved by a phone call from a lady during Radio Khwezi's women's programme 'Masiwe ngedolo' (Let's go on our knees). She thanked God for Radio Khwezi and related how in her inner turmoil she had given up on life. In her desperation she had decided that suicide was the only way out. Somehow she stumbled onto Radio Khwezi and heard the message of life. That was the turning point in her life. She saw the light of life.

About the same day, a leading news item was on a 20-year old young wife in the Mpumalanga province, who on being taunted by her in-laws and accused of practising witchcraft had committed suicide. Tragic.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)