As you pray -17 November 2007

We are thankful that Loretta, Fraenzi and Ruthilde are back safely from the children's services at Lindach in Germany. May the Lord bless the good seed of His Word in the hearts of our children.

Again, I was glad to hear from Ferny and Christine Jaegle. As most of you will know, Ferny has a tight schedule with services in France, Europe and beyond. Christine accompanies him as much as she can but she also devotes time to her responsibilities at the school at Montmiral. The couple will appreciate your ongoing prayer support.

Ismael Klein from Bielstein also made contact this week and shared about their ministry to children - Sunny-way. They have distributed 1 000 New Testaments, CDs and books to the young souls.

It is also touching to see the different ways they use to reach out to punks. Let us remember our brethren and the ministry.

From the USA, Peet and Andra Botha together with John Powys are having a busy and blessed time as they share from God's Word. We pray on.

We are glad to see Didier Schott from Paris again. He will be joining Onkel Erlo and the team that will be flying to the Democratic Republic of Congo this week. May the Lord go before them in every way.

Mario Rocha has just returned from Mozambique. He would like us to pray further for the Doctors for Life clinic project in Zavora, Mozambique, which has experienced some delays.

As the Lord reminds us let us pray for the ministry of Doctors for Life. Their work amongst the prostitutes in Durban needs much prayer and DFL welcomes help during their Friday night outreaches. I was very pleased when Bruno Hlongwane from the KZN CFT provincial leadership shared with me how they would like to assist. In fact, Bruno joined the DFL team yesterday evening.

We are thinking of the Board and the Management of Radio Khwezi as they meet today with the leadership of the Masibumbane Listeners' Club to discuss important issues.

A visit by Onkel Friedel and a group of co-workers on Tuesday warmed my heart. I have known some of those colleagues for over 35 years. I remember their youthful faces, probably as much as they remember mine, and the 'wear and tear' of the decades is evident but the most important thing is that the flame within is as fresh as ever.

Cameras

My thoughts are still with the people at Kwabadala Home in Nkandla, Northern Zululand where on Tuesday 6 November a fire razed an old age home and burned to death 12 old people.

Most probably I was not the only one to notice how politicians tripped over one another in the hurry to get to the scene of the tragedy. Who am I to judge people's motives? but facts are facts. High profile tragedies seem to attract high profile people - and cameras. Is it accidental that cameras are often turned to politicians, dwarfing everyone else?

The question that bothers me is when the cameras are gone who will be there for the survivors and the bereaved as they struggle to find their feet and march on?

My memory took me back to the early 70s. Our Dlangezwa High School Choir was one of the best in the country. We enjoyed music competitions. At the zone level which was hosted by Cwaka Agricultural College we would collect most or all the trophies.

Unfortunately, and unnecessarily so, by the end of the day the beautiful Cwaka campus would be littered with rubbish. As other participating schools left in their buses we had to stay behind. Our teachers insisted that we could not leave our host's campus in that state. So, there we were, clearing everybody else's rubbish. You can imagine how 'popular' that was with the students.

Do you think the cameras which had been flashing as we lifted the winners' trophies would be interested in yet another 'photo opportunity' of us doing the cleaning? Forget it.

As I look back, I treasure the cleaning moments even more. Trophies may rust or be lost but what we gained were lessons for life.

Leaders and victors must be servants too.

You do what is right not for the sake of cameras but for the sake of righteousness.

"and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:18)

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