Moriel Missions Southern Africa – December 2003

Dear Friends,

The holiday season is almost upon us and once again as the New year arrives we have opportunity to take stock and objectively see what the Lord has done in our midst.

It’s been a tremendous year of encouragement and this months bumper edition of our newsletter is testimony to Gods grace here in Southern Africa.

As the world turns to mark Christmas and get involved with its celebrations, the central theme of its message is always certainly lost. That message is the incarnation, the Good News that Christ emptied Himself of all His glory and became flesh. Becoming a servant, obedient to the Father and suffered death upon a cross.

What does incarnation mean to us? Technically, from the latin in, in and carno, flesh, describes how God the eternal son became a human being without losing His deity. How God Himself dwelt among us, obedient to the Father, sinless, without spot or blemish and then becoming the propitiation for our sins.

The world has re-incarnation, the belief that one can become flesh again to live out ones life again and maybe atone for ones mistakes. How sad that millions who adhere to this philosophy miss out on the incarnation, that instead of having to atone for your own sins a spotless lamb was born, the Son of God, to pay the price of our sin for everyone. What a tragedy that some believe we will live hundreds of thousands of lives as the Hindu Guru Ghandi believed, over and over again. Ghandi said himself that this was too much to bear. But the Son of God came with a difference. That instead of living our own sinful life add infinitum, that he may live His life IN us.

What is incarnation, yes the Son of God, but also that we may live lives so full of Him that men may see the change in our lives as He lives in us and give the glory to Christ.

If you celebrate this Christmas, it’s not the pagan effigies of trees, logs and tinsel that count. But Christ in you the hope and glory.

God Bless
Dave Royle
Director of Moriel Missions Southern Africa

Moriel Missions College

For all our courses and prospectus please sign on to www.morielmissions.org.za For a list of courses offered in the UK, sign on to www.midlandsbiblecollege.com

Visitors

In December we will be hosting several visitors to Moriel Missions. On the 6th Ian and Beryl Collins hop over from good old Blighty to give us a hand at setting up the Ebyown Children’s Village. Ian, a retired builder and Beryl a retired Midwife have plenty to offer mission work with years of practical skills as well as being mature Christians. Please pray for them as they work along side our resident mission team.

29thof December sees our first Aussie team come along from the Italian Evangelical Church in Sydney. Pastor Sam Mule and his wife Nancy have been of tremendous encouragement to us and now they are letting us have three of their own team who just happen to be builders. Please pray for Dave Mule, Anthony Nizeti and Robert Santamaria as they bring their skills of Building, horticulture and Evangelism to the mission field.

We will also have more news on other visitors who are planning to come out here and help with the work in February and March. Why not consider a short, medium or long term mission with Moriel yourself? Just email Dave Royle at [email protected]

Remember last month when DR Calvin Smith came and encouraged us so much. Well Calvin wrote a lovely report for the Moriel website and I think you will find it encouraging to read it your self:

Report on Visit to the Moriel Mission in South Africa (Sept 2003)
By Calvin Smith (Principal, The Midlands Bible College and Divinity School, and also Moriel Missions Adviser)

General Comments

Since my visit last year to Moriel’s South Africa mission (headed by Brother Dave Royle), God has greatly blessed the ministry there. Extensive valuable and exciting work has been carried out, and much more is planned for the future.

As Moriel’s missions adviser, this year I was again asked to visit, advise, teach and to appraise the progress of the recommendations I made during my last visit (aimed at facilitating the accreditation of the Moriel Mission College). Dave and his team kept me busy lecturing, advising the local board on academic issues, and visiting the mission station in Kwa-Zulu Natal and the new location for the Ebyown orphan project.

There is real momentum here. Dave is an energetic leader who has clear vision and the single-mindedness to carry out this work to reach many for Christ. The work also has a strong social element, reaching out to orphans (an essential aspect of Christianity, Ja. 1:27) in a country decimated by the AIDS crisis. It is exciting to see the progress to date and the plans for the future. I was brought up on the mission field, and have been involved with missions all my life in one form or another, but I am excited by the incredible growth potential for this work, and I would strongly urge everyone who is able to get behind, pray and support Dave and his team.

Below I have provided some specific information on each of the different works in South Africa.

Ebyown (Endicott, near Springs)

Praise God! This project has moved on so far in just one year. The aim of Ebyown is to provide a home for children orphaned through AIDS, a place where they can be housed with a family and receive love and care in a Christian environment. Through the kindness of God’s people an excellent property has been purchased since my last trip, with a large piece of land, a very large house, and several outhouses and other buildings. The house can be used straight away (without the need for major adjustments), but to maximize the potential of this ministry, to help as many orphans as possible, the outhouses need to be converted into living accommodation, at a cost of some ‚ £5000 each. Please pray and seek how God would have you give to help house and provide love and care for these children in a Christian setting.

Kwa-Zulu Mission Station

This, too, has come along so much since last year. At that time, I was taken to visit an old cattle station and auction house in the mountains, which had just been made available to Dave and Moriel, who had not yet taken it over. The place was in a bad state of repair, and the land overgrown. But the three young missionaries on Dave’s team have worked very hard and the place has been totally transformed. There is now a clinic, a regular Bible study, and an evangelistic outreach to the Zulus of the neighbouring kraals (small hamlets). Short-term missionaries are now beginning to visit and work there, and plans are underway to bring in a Zulu pastor to work with the team and open a church as there is no other Christian witness.

Located among various Zulu kraals, and reaching out to a people who are virtually ruled and enslaved by their sangoma (witch doctors), in many ways this station really is on the cutting edge of mission. When Christ preached and instituted the Kingdom of God (Mk. 1:15), it was marked by forgiveness of sin, healing, the inclusion of marginalized people (eg. Matthew the tax-collector, lepers, and the woman with an issue of blood), and also the breaking of Satan’s power and demonism (Lk. 11:20). Though the Kingdom that Christ preached and instituted finds its ultimate and final realization eschatologically (cf Mt. 13:47-50), nonetheless, its introduction and partial realization in Jesus’ day marked the beginning of the end of Satan’s power and freed people from his hold. The Zulu people also desperately need to encounter Jesus and see the bondage of spiritual oppression broken, which is why the Kwa-Zulu mission is so important. Please remember it in your prayers. Moreover. if you are able to offer any practical skills and visit as a short-term missionary, contact Dave Royle.

Moriel Mission College (MMC)

As a Bible college principal, together with my educational background and work with Cambridge (and more recently, University of Wales), the main reason for my visit last year to South Africa was to provide academic advice on how to move the College work forward. During this trip, it was satisfying to see how, during that time, the Board have worked through these issues and have carried out many of the immediate tasks required to enhance the College’s reputation, curriculum and prospects for accreditation. This is an ongoing process, but one which is facilitated by a group of people who have worked hard. This year we have built upon this good work. Moreover, Midlands Bible College and Divinity School. Wolverhampton, UK (where I am the Principal) and MMC have decided to work much more closely together: we will continue to provide assistance, advice and support in order to develop MMC further and also to facilitate accreditation, while MMC will provide an administrative liaison for our own African students taking our University of Wales accredited undergraduate course in Hermeneutics. The aim is to build on our respective strengths, allowing prospective students interested in Hermeneutics and Biblical Studies to study with the Midlands Bible College and Divinity School, while we promote MMC’s missions course.

Because a great deal of vital preliminary vital work has now been carried out, MMC is pressing on with its South African accreditation. Subsequently, Dave Royle and Mike Glensor (Board member and MMC’s liaison with SAQA, the South African Qualifications Authority) have asked me to return and carry out an academic audit of MMC on a yearly basis which, together with its links with the Midlands Bible College and Divinity School, will greatly assist the continued accreditation process.

Aletheia Fellowship

Some good things are happening here. The church is a mix of black and white Christians, in a society where such things are still relatively new. Moreover, Dave has brought in a black South African, Bernard, to assist him (this also helps to free Dave up to pursue his busy schedule overseeing the mission as a whole). Bernard demonstrates a strong desire to learn and study God’s word in order to become a more effective servant. Please pray for him. Some new people have joined the fellowship recently who have become fed-up of some of the erroneous teachings doing the rounds in South Africa.

Some Important Needs

Aside from several issues already mentioned above, please pray about the following:

1. A minibus, desperately needed for the Ebyown project, and especially to transport the orphans around. ‚ £2500 or so would purchase a decent, second-hand vehicle for use there. This is a vital need. Please pray about it.
2. Funding for additional accommodation at the Kwa-Zulu mission, for Salvador, the young evangelist there. His current living quarters are far from adequate, and ‚ £1000 is needed to provide him with better facilities.
3. Pray for the Board over there, that God gives them continued wisdom in every vital decision they make in order to advance this ministry.
4. Finally, pray for Dave and his family, as well as the other young missionaries there. Yes, things are going very well for the ministry and Dave and Lynn are tremendously excited. But as one brought up on the mission field, I know how missions can take its toll on a family” ¦ the intensity of the work, the children’s education, missing family and home, the daily worry of finances, and so on. Please pray for them that God will continue to meet their needs and to encourage them.

Gauteng Mission

Here in Gauteng we have lots to report. Firstly Aletheia Community Church has had a steady stream of new visitors over the last two months and although we are heading towards the summer holiday season the attendances have not been disappointing. David is currently teaching a series on 1Peter called ;’Preparing for persecution’ and if anyone desires a copy of what will be a 12 tape box set please contact our office.
We are also pleased to announce the planting of another Church. Based at Ebyown Children’s Village the Moriel Community Fellowship was launched mid November and has a regular 60+ attendance. Pastor Bernard Mathe will be the lead elder and Dave will also assist in the early stages. Please pray for this fledgling church that it would grow in strength and maturity

Kwazulu Mission

Breaking news from Kwazulu. We have just been informed this moment that the Kwazulu team have planted a church at the mission station. The number of people interested in the gospel has steadily increased that a place of worship had to be facilitated. Please pray for Caleb, Sophie and salvadore as they lead this important work in the Zulu Nation.

Greetings from South Africa! At the time of this first writing much has taken place over the past year since Moriel established a work in KwZulu-Natal. At present Caleb and Sophie Massey and Salvador Hayworth in northern KwaZulu operate the Mission Station among the Zulu people.

The work being done can be broken into two primary categories that seek to meet the needs of the people both physically and spiritually. Firstly and most importantly is the spiritual arm of the work. We are highly concerned about the people’s salvation and discipleship. Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to make more disciples therefore we consider that to be our top priority. Currently two Bible Studies are taking place with an emphasis being that a follower of Jesus must believe and act on the gospel in their life. Another opportunity for Bible teaching takes place in the adult literacy class where the Bible is used for reading exercises and discussion. We also make efforts to give away gospel tracts to people we come into contact with and pray for the Lord to prepare hearts and minds to understand and accept the gospel message. Please pray with us for the conviction of the souls of the people we work among on a daily basis; that they will be drawn to Jesus.

Furthermore Salvador has begun doing work in the 5 local schools by means of presenting theatrical performances with a gospel theme. The drama and theatrics not only proclaim the gospel but deal with issues such as alcoholism, AIDS, greed etc. depending on the age of the students. It is may be possible that from each school a kind of youth program can arise.

The second category, which seeks to meet the physical needs of the individuals, is the community development work. As mentioned already there is the literacy class, which is taught by Sophie. Some of these adults who attend could not even recite the alphabet when they first arrived. Now, after a good many months, they are reading simple words like “UJesu” (Jesus).

There are two vegetable production projects in progress. We have been able to send two individuals from two different communities on a course that has taught them to enhance their vegetable gardens. The goal for this is to be able to improve the average diet of families thus raising the standards of health and at the same time making efforts to produce surplus crop to sell thereby providing income for the family. It is vitally important to help people to help themselves by encouraging them to take ownership in all of the projects being done. We need to remember James 2.15-16 in all of our work for the Lord. Are we giving people the skills to make sure they are warm and fed, ultimately so that they can help others to the same end?

Another avenue of assistance that has come about is through basic health care. We are slowly putting together a place whereby a person can receive basic medication, health advice and prayer. We would eventually like to see a couple of nurses who could make this more of a full time clinic with greater outreach potential i.e. evangelism, health teaching, immunizations ect. Please pray for this possibility.

We, as a team, here in KwaZulu-Natal would be highly grateful if our fellow believers would pray for the salvations of the Zulu people. Here are a few names to help you in your prayers: Simon (our translator and Zulu teacher), Amos (our neighbour who helps in the garden), and Mzileni (a community leader). Also, please pray for the spiritual growth of Mrs. Khumalo who has said she does not want to follow here Ancestral Spirits anymore but rather Jesus and for the two Bible Studies that those who attend will take living out the Word of God seriously for His glory. Thank you.

Salvador Ung Hayworth Reort on UK Trip

Churches Visited: 1 Group of Christians based in Norfolk (Working with Moriel). 2 Beth Baruch, Rugeley (Staffs). 3 Stroud Green, London. 4 Jerusalem Church, South Elms (Near Pontefract). 5 Starbeck Mission, Starbeck. 6 Cornerstone Calvary Chapel, Eccles. 7 Morcambe Full Gospel Church, Morcambe. 8 Church of the Redeemer, Swansea.

Presentation: My presentation basically contain to parts. The first part was a message and the second part was a talk about the work. This was my first experience in itinerating so I was quite flexible. Although I was there to share about the work, in South Elms I was asked to give a message and so I spent more time than usual on the message. My message was the gospel message based on the precept that the gospel isn’t just for unsaved but also for believers. (Romans 1: 15 – 17). This also gave our mission work and evangelism a context to show what I tell people that I meet with in Zululand. I told them briefly about some religious and social background to where we live, about the mission and about how we are meeting the need both spiritually and physically from my perspective on the evangelistic activity in the mission and I finished with needs, – Manpower – Resources/financial (For the mission in general and for the self supporting missionaries – prayer)I was honest in my presentation, not in great detail, but sharing that there is a lot of defining and refining of the work of the mission and of the missionaries. Thus I was showing that we have a long way to go but I was faithful to show what God has done thus far and that we are on the journey of development.

Aims: The aims of visiting the churches were as follows: 1 to raise awareness of Moriel Missions Southern Africa, with the emphasis being the KwaZulu Mission and my involvement, 2 to raise interest in the mission, to raise support for mission and myself, 3 to establish contact and create relationships with people within the churches who desire to keep in contact, 4 to create a good impression so that the churches would look forward to visits from myself and others from the mission, 5 to encourage the believers in their witnessing to their local communities.

Impressions: Firstly I have to take my hat off to Dena, who organised my itinerary in such a limited space of time as that was an encouragement. I have returned to South Africa encouraged that people in the Moriel churches, UK, have a genuine interest in the Moriel Missions work. People left me email addresses and promised to pray for us and to support the work in whichever way they felt led to. I know that there are a small number of people that are interested in coming out to South Africa for short-term missions involvement. One church was quite blessed as all they knew of Moriel was Jacob Prasch and so they were appreciative of the visit. I was especially blessed in some of the churches to experience real fellowship. There were people that would meet together as believers and as friends; to be an encouragement to each other (help to wash each other’s feet) and that, I feel, is definitely to be commended. I met churches, which contained people who were actively involved in trying to reach their communities for Christ and people who were zealous for the Lord Jesus Christ.

I will regularly send newsletters to the email addresses that I received and I hope that relationships can be forged. I hope that this may open new doors of interest with other Christians and that more Christians may be networked with us and other Christians with ties to Moriel.

Limpopo Mission

The Living Christ Bible Church moves steadily on within the village of Thaghkalane. Bernard and Dave made a brief visit in order to see how things were going and had some encouraging reports. Unfortunately things have not gone to smoothly with the application for land and it seems vital paperwork was lost. However a new application has now gone into the tribal authorities office and we wait with anticipation.

The area is still suffering from the increase of the Aid pandemic. It was reported by church members that there are funerals nearly every day and more and more orphans are been left destitute and desperate.

These things have been compounded by an increase in witchcraft in the area. Reports of mysterious deaths associated with Muti are very common. It was only a few years ago that the community tried to rid itself from the influence of the occult and this led to the deaths of many alleged witches by burning. We obviously do not condone such brutal actions but this demonstrates the situation believers from our Moriel churches face in the rural areas.

Ebyown Children’s Village

The weather could not have been more perfect. The Sun was shining, the sky blue and crystal clear. A slight breeze helped take the edge of the heat and all the preparations had been done for this special day.

Ebyown began many years ago back in the UK as a dream. Now you may be saying “here we go some flaky nonsense” but those who know us well will testify that we are really, really conservative. Anyway while lying in bed Lyn woke me up and said ‘Dave, I have had a dream and I believe its from the Lord. I was in a field helping young black children plant seeds in red Earth; I believe we will be helping young orphans’. First of all, Lyn had not been to South Africa and did not know the color of the soil; we were blissfully unaware of the devastation Aids would bring to the children of Africa. It was then that she began to seek the Lord and before we even set foot as a family in Africa the concept of Ebyown was born. All it needed was the Lords timing.

It was great to see the Lords timing coming to pass on November the 30th as we gathered as friends, family and mission supporters to take time out and dedicate the people and the land to the Lords service among the widows and orphans of Southern Africa. Around two hundred men, women and children helped us mark and celebrate the event and under the warm Sun of Africa we watched another major step in this vision come to pass.

The service was opened in prayer by our good friend John from the coastal assembles, then after a time of praise and worship Fred Blomkaamp our good friend read a letter from Yacov to all concerned, in fact its worth repeating:

Greetings In Jesus On This Remarkable Day.

It is with the greatest joy that I share in your joy as we formally commence with Ebyown.

We first of all Praise The Lord for His provision for Ebyown and look forward to His provision and blessings in the future as the Moriel Mission Team seek to fulfill the calling in Jesus we have received from Him regarding these orphan children struggling with AIDS and other diseases that are depopulating so much of Black Africa.

I especially thank The Lord for the faithfulness of Dave & Lyn Royle and their family in responding to this call along with the other missionary staff and volunteers.

Our aspiration is that one day in the not too distant future there will be other Ebyown villages in other needy areas of sub Saharan Africa, and that this pilot Ebyown will
Blossom to the glory of God, the salvation and discipleship of souls, and the Christian alleviation of the human suffering of these and other children.

With Much Love In Him,

James Jacob Prasch

We then took time to lay hands on Bernard, Mabel and Katie and set them aside for the long task ahead as we start the project. Then I had the pleasure of sharing about the heart of God and the heart of man and how unless Ebyown beats with Gods heart all we will accomplish is another ‘good work’, rather let us have the heart of Christ who not only desires the world to be saved but who also has a heart of compassion for the widow and orphan.

One of the highlights was the New Moriel Community fellowship children’s choir who sang like angels. Credit to Mabel who has been helping them practice.

Finally the even ended with a Brai, plenty of food for everyone who came and a wonderful time of fellowship.

It was a wonderful start to the village proper. But we still have a long way to go. Houses to build, modifications to make, people to reach. We know that by preaching the gospel we ill have plenty of opposition from the evil one, no one said it would be easy. This month sees our first visitors coming to help us accomplish the task. We have Ian and Beryl from Hindley fellowship in the UK. Then Dave, Anthony and Robert coming all the way from Australia with their building skills. The vision is big, the road ahead is difficult, but together in Christ we can see these young ones come to know Jesus and receive the love and dignity of a Christian family.

USA Visit

David flies off to Boston USA on the 4th of February until the 23rd. He will be visiting Bedford, Swansea and Pittsburgh at the moment and has a few dates available in his itinerary. If any of our Moriel friends would like to catch up with him or anyone would like to invite David to speak, please contact Moriel administrator David E. Lister on: [email protected]

Christian Ministerial Association

From the 20th – 22nd November, David and Bernard visited Limpopo province to speak at a conference of Pastors. The reason behind the visit was to share about Moriel ministries and also to bring to the attention of local Pastors the Christian Ministerial Association whom both Bernard and David not only hold credentials with but who also head up the CMA in Africa.

The purpose of CMA is simple.

• To provide fellowship with other like minded evangelical Christians.
• To offer credentials for ministers
• To offer advice and council
• To provide training and seminars for its members

Within Southern Africa, especially in the rural areas, pastors often find themselves discouraged, over worked and without a voice. At the first ever conference in Limpopo over 20 pastors came together to worship, share an encouraging word and talk about how together in CMA they can best preach the gospel and love one another. David and Bernard have been asked to speak to these pastors along with others in the new year. We pray that many of these brothers will join us in our mission work within Southern Africa.

From Staff to Sword

At last the book will be available for Christmas. The cover has been designed and the final edition proofread. For copies of the book please email Moriel in Australia.

Royle family News

We have some encouraging news. We have applied for a new little daughter and God willing this will take place in the new year. Her name is M’thombi and she is 5 years old. Pray that the wheels of the child welfare system with turn smoothly

Lyn, as usual is keeping herself busy. Not only with family and ministry but also with the writing of a new under fives Sunday School curriculum that is due to be published early next year. Lyn is a little sore at the moment as she got caught in the Sun while helping at the dedication service for Ebyown children’s village.

Anthony is looking forward to his trip to the states in February with the hope of furthering his writing career. Speaking of which, he has some good news from Australia concerning a Christian play he has written. It is to be published next year and also the play to be acted in Australia.

Christopher is the plodder of the family and continues to do well with his studies with Intec College. He has managed to grapple with some of the finer points of Physics and can now proceed to Chemistry proper.

Aaron had a good month, he was awarded most improved player of the year at the award dinner at Springs Football Club. The guys have really taken to Aaron seeing that he is the smallest and the youngest by far. I cant believe how he handles himself on the pitch with guys twice his size.

Paulina now has her new Callipers. She is so proud of them and calls them her cloppers. They are a typical institutional design so what we have done to brighten them up is cover them with stickers of animals and Auntie Katy gave her some Rainbow colored shoelaces. Now she has the snazziest shoes in town.

S’phewi and Jo have had a bad couple of months health wise. With Spring turning to summer we have seen a lot more coughs and colds as well as a severe Herpes infection for Jo which made his lips and nose very sore. We hope that as the weather stabilises that their health will once again improve, in fact most of the family at the moment have various chest infections and sore throats.

As for Dave, he seems busier than ever, next year has already been booked up till June with speaking engagements and travelling. Its usually this time of year Dave gets a bit homesick for the cold weather and family Christmas times.

How can you help?

Pray, Pray, and Pray!

You will find within this newsletter many items for prayer but here are some suggestions:

• For Dave and Lyn Royle as they lead the work
• For the Missions board in South Africa
• For the International missions board
• For the newly planted churches
• For opportunity to plant more fellowships
• For Ebyown that all its needs be met
• For Kwazulu and especially Sophie as she nears the time of her child
• Please pray for all the financial needs of the mission including the support of its full time workers.
• For our visitors from the UK and Australia
• For more missionary helpers

For ministry support please contact your local Moriel Ministries office nearest you. Moriel USA has an online store where donations can be made as well.

Our South Africa details

Pastor David Royle
Po Box 10807
Strubenvale 1570
Springs
Gauteng
South Africa
Tel/Fax: 011 362 1026
Email: [email protected]

Thanks once again for you love and support, we will be in touch again as soon as we have more news.

Dave, Lyn, Anthony, Christopher, Aaron, S’phewi, Johannes, and Paulina.

Finally

It is always an encouragement to here from our home country. You would not believe the excitement we feel when after checking the mail we see an envelope with a British Stamp on it. We know many of you are praying for us and some do support the ministry but this can never take the place of actually hearing from a brother or a sister in Christ say to us “yes we are praying – how are you all doing?” For anyone on the mission field, please write a short note or something. It’s a real spiritual battle out here, hours can be long and things can be hairy at times, your letters help encourage us in the Lord. So please write to:

The Royle’s
Caleb and Sophie
Salvadore
Bernard and Mabel
Kate

We really, really, really appreciate it.