As you pray -1 September 2007

Tomorrow is Radio Khwezi's 12th birthday. As I have said before, in the young and challenging sector, Community Radio in South Africa, we are regarded as 'ancient.' Indeed, it is nothing short of a miracle that Radio Khwezi has kept going for 12 years. As we receive honours and are held up as a success story, we look up to the Lord and confess, "Lord, You did it. All praise be to You!"

An added excitement to Radio Khwezi's birthday is that two our staff, Mandla Khwela and Sandile Zama, received top prizes at the prestigious Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards in Durban on Thursday night.

It warms our hearts at Khwezi to hear listeners almost daily give praise to God for the blessed ministry of the station in their lives. Just one example; considering the serious problem of alcoholism in our country it is no small thing when a shebeen queen's conscience is pricked during a Khwezi programme and she stops selling liquor. Hearing her tell her story on Khwezi was like music in my ears.

Here is an excerpt from Catherine Langeveld's e-mail:

Our prayers are there too.

Final preparations are on for the 2007 CFT Annual Conference next weekend, 7-9 September. We are also praying for travelling mercies for those from within South Africa, Africa and abroad.

An update from Johannes Laederach on True Love Waits in Europe encouraged me greatly. He will be part of the team that will be taking part in the 'True Love Waits On The Move' tour next week in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. I am particularly pleased that Michael and Barbara Mueller who as singles were leading voices in TLW, are part of the team. Surely, it adds weight to the TLW message when married couples testify, "We waited, and it was worth it." Let us accompany the team in prayer.

Here is an excerpt from Bettina Marayag's e-mail from Times Square Church in New York:

"In September, Pastor Dave and Gary will be ministering in the Middle East. Pastors are coming from Lebanon, Gulf area (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ein), Bahrain, Egypt, Israel and West Bank, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria and Jordan     

This meeting is the first of its kind and we need intercession and prayer like never before. The conference dates itself fall into Ramadan so please lift us up in prayer during this time."

What a friend

It would seem that if there is one message that I had to get very clearly this week was a reminder of what a friend I have in Jesus.

On Tuesday the Dutch couple, Wouter and Tjitske Mout, came by with their children to say goodbye. The children sang 'What a friend we have in Jesus.'

The following day my neighbour's boy, Gert Jan Roos, visited me with his Belgian friend, Stijn Verstraeten. Gert Jan's last song on his flute was, you guessed it, 'What a friend we have in Jesus.' After that this young preacher held a brief devotion, reminding me how even in my circumstances my heavenly friend will see me through.

As I confirmed to the Mouts, indeed, Jesus is our best friend and He can be trusted at ALL times. I then added, "When everyone else is gone, He stays."

My experience in the last seven years has been that even with a loving wife and close friends, the path of illness can be very lonely. Loss of speech and complete paralysis add to the complications. Sometimes I wake up in the dead of the night with a whisper within, "No sound. No movement. I can't make a sound. I can't move." To get my direction I look to the Lord. Without fail, He is always there.

Yes friends, what a Friend!

"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15)

Have a blessed weekend.
 
Pressing on!
 
In His love
 
Fano Sibisi