Moriel Missions Southern Africa October 2002 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

We start this letter with a request please write to us and let us know how things are going in the UK. Letters from home are a great source of inspiration and brightens up our day as well as letting us know how God is blessing you too.

Well that time as come around again, for us to fill you in on what has been happening, time seems to be going very fast. It is spring here and it is getting warm again. Lyn has just planted out the vegetable garden and hopefully the Lord will bless us with vegetables for the summer and autumn.

Paulina

She has now started school and they have wavered fees due to her foster care status – Praise God. The first week was bad she cried all the time and took her elastic hair bobbles out and fired them at the teacher, so Lyn has been taking lessons on how to plat her hair in a traditional African way.

Her feet are now on the way to recovery and she has started physiotherapy, already she is standing with the help of braces. We hope to take her to a calliper specialist at the end of this month to be measured for callipers, which will mean she could be walking by the end of the year All thanks to God and the way he works in peoples lives.

Joe

Is well at the moment and is liking school as we are combining his two favourite things, digging in dirt and books, with a project on seeds and planting we have also made a scarecrow just like the one in his story on Farmer John. Joe has also discovered Wallace and Grommit which was on the TV on a bank holiday here, it has him glued to the TV which gives us 30 minutes of peace and quite.

S’phewi

He is coughing which is making him sick at the moment, he too likes Wallace and Grommit especially “The Wrong Trousers”. His favourite saying from the cartoon is “Happy Birthday Chuck”. S’phewi was very proud of himself last week when he called us to a big old fruit tree in the garden and then climbed it, it was a great time of rejoicing as he has never done that before which shows how much he has grown in himself and how his motor skills have improved over the last year or so. Praise God for his development.

Anthony

He is doing well although he hasn’t sold anymore articles but writing seems to be going well with his focus on a screenwriters competition in the USA. The winner receives a large cheque and the opportunity of seeing his work go into production. He has also started to get involved with leading worship at the Sunday morning Service which is good to see.

Christopher

Has a cold at the moment which obviously makes one a little miserable. We are waiting for the chemistry lab to arrive so he can proceed with his science studies: we found a university who provide experiments to home schools with manuals and information, basically a curriculum Praise God as Lyn was at a loss.

Aaron

Is well and still studying towards a career as a Physiotherapist. He has the opportunity in the next month to work as a volunteer in various clinics. This will give him the opportunity to gain valuable experience towards University entrance where he will study for his degree. Aaron wants to major in Sports injuries which reflects his love of football. Along with Anthony he plays in the Springs indoor open age soccer league where he plays with the big boys at the tender age of 14. He’s doing quite well too with 4 goals in six games.

Aletheia Community Church

We are now at the end of our third month and the church has been growing nicely with about 50+ people and a regular attendance of 35+.

Our full time evangelist, Peter Africa, has been taking a ream into the community to share the gospel and every Sunday we see new faces. The area in which the Lord has placed us is a very poor one, one benefit of this is the lack of prosperity churches peddling their simony. These prosperity churches like to focus on the more affluent suburban areas and so we have made some good inroads with local people who seem amazed that a church wants to bother with them. This has been very humbling and also a reminder of the times we are living in here in South Africa where the false gospel of mammon has replaced the free grace gospel of Yeshua. Its amazing how those who have much desire even more at the expense of the poor, who are often manipulated by greedy Pastors, or should I say hirelings to give from the little they have at the expense of daily food so they can keep their Mercedes Benz and large houses. I believe that God will not stand idly by while the poor are exploited in this way and it has been a pleasure to see some folk leave the money churches, gain a godly perspective on giving and now begin to grow in depth and maturity. I pray to the Lord that Aletheia will continue to be a thorn in the side of the money churches and this Pastor will not be satisfied until these demons from hell repent or their mammon loving churches are brought to the dust.

Moriel Bible College

Thank you to those people who have applied to study using our distance learning program. We have received applications from the UK to Gibraltar to New Zealand. We will be starting the courses in January 2003 so please pray for us as we have a lot of preparation to do.

In October we have the pleasure of DR Calvin Smith from Midlands Bible College and Divinity School in the UK coming to help us prepare. Calvin is a Senior Cambridge Examiner with years of experience that Moriel can glean from. Please pray that our time together will be fruitful and glorify God.
If you are considering study, why not as for a prospectus?

Kwazulu Mission Station

I have just come back from settling our missionaries, Caleb and Sophie Massey along with Student Salvador Hayworth and our Evangelist Peter Africa at the new station.

We are currently renting our compound from Mondi Forestry who have been absolutely wonderful with us. The station which we will occupy until our own place is ready is set in the most beautiful scenery at the top of a wooded mountain. The living area overlooks the valleys below and the building is surrounded by Banana trees.

Already during my short stay with them doors of opportunity are opening and they need much prayer:

We have been shown 4-5 Hectares of land ideally situated for our permanent station. The land was used to auction cattle but has been unused since 1998. It contains a large building which can be used for a church plant, primary care clinic and school. On the land are several Kraals, we had the opportunity of meeting some of the local leaders and ascertain the local needs. The needs are great as the community is extremely poor with 80% plus unemployment. Due to the drought they are not producing enough food to feed their families. Plus there is a famine for the word of God, low literacy levels mean that Bibles cannot be read, even the local minister could not read or write and they are crying out to be taught the word.

As I write, the team are due to meet the local Chief and his people to see how we can work together so please pray for the following:

• That the meeting goes well with the community leaders.
• That the price the farmers cooperative ask for the land will be within our price range.
• That a church plant will be established at the Tygerskloef site and at the prospective mission site.
• For the ongoing protection of our missionaries
• For the finances for this work to continue.

Ebyown Childrens Village

The steering committee whose role it was to put together the initial plans and policies have finally finished their deliberations and the work will be handed over to the Mission manager Kate Kent who will put together a management team to take the project forward with Springs child welfare. Following is the final working paper, its been amazing how many things we needed to consider, from funding to staffing policy. Now the only thing that is needed is the land and we can begin.

Ebyown Vision

• The vision is to see a cluster home Christian village for children who have been affected by the HIV/ AIDS pandemic.
• To provide a place where these children can live in a safe and nurturing environment in family based units with a Mum and Dad.
• The aim is to provide a loving and caring environment where these children will find acceptance and a family relationship which cannot be found in most institutions, to bond with Mum, Dad, Sisters, Brothers, as well as support from an extended family atmosphere.
• The aim is to provide the individual with education, medical attention, and a healthy life style.
• To provide a stimulating environment, by setting a challenging curriculum for the individual, by using the Mums and Dads in a key worker system.
• To ensure that all children are supported in developing their potential at their own pace, by giving the child the opportunity to develop confidence, autonomy and self -respect
• To build Godly characters into the children for example co-operation, trust, honesty, resourcefulness, patience, wisdom, courage, inquisitiveness and responsibility to name but a few through home schooling education.
• The aim is to promote a self-sufficient feeding programme for the village after 5 years.
• To utilise the talents of the community church congregation
• To see the village being replicated throughout the country

Mission statement

“A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows is God in His holy habitation. God places the solitary in families and gives the desolate a home in which to dwell.”
Psalm 68 v 5,6a amplified

Core values

• To provide a loving and caring Christian home for children
• To cater for the individual child Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, Socially, and Spiritually
• To promote a healthy life style in a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment

Nature of mission

To fulfil the biblical pattern of family life, as God ordained for every child on this planet

Location of village

The location of the village must be carefully selected due to the amount of people who will reside there. We are therefore looking at the plots on the outskirts of Springs town centre

Organisational structure

This is a Christian mission to children and as such will be run by a mission manager who will report back organisationally and financially to the oversight of Aletheia community church in Springs who in turn report to Moriel ministries in the U.K.

Key personnel

As this is a mission to the children all key personnel must be committed Christians

The mission manager: Catharine Kent. Is a member of the nursing profession for the last 17 years, she has a heart for children and their well being and at the moment heading up the steering committee, she has been a Christian for — years and is in her final year of a 4 year international bible college diploma. She is a key senior member of Althea community Church in Springs

Village parents – Once the village has it’s infrastructure multi tasking parents will be employed, in accordance to the employment and equality laws of South Africa

Village infrastructure

The village will consist of

• 12 houses 10 for families, which will house Mum, Dad and six children. The other two units will be for the gap students and volunteers
• Main unit
  • Flat for manager and 24hr crisis centre of three beds
  • Main kitchens,
  • Schoolrooms, including a library and communication room
  • Hospital (ward, consulting room, and treatment room.)
  • Laundry,
  • Storage room,
  • Office
• Outside play area jungle Jim, swings etc
• Youth room and gym
• Music and art/ craft room
• Farm including Borehole, Orchard, Vegetable and some live stock
• Church and mission station
• Car park area
• Security station at entrance of village

Financial strategies

• To get the land required for the village we are approaching over seas charities and churches for donations
• For the infrastructure of the village we are approaching companies here in South Africa and abroad in a scheme called “sponsor a room.” Sponsor companies will have their name put in a prospectus booklet, which will be handed out to enquirers of the project.
• Grants will pay for the staffing and everyday running of the village,
• Gap students and volunteers pay for their own board and keep
• It is hoped that over five years the village will become self sufficient in the farming of vegetables and energy resources.

Thank You

We would like to say thank you for those who gave financially over the last few months. Some of the finances will be spent on specific items requested by the donor, for example college books and Pastor training. However Dave, Lyn and the boys receive no salary and the work is a pure faith mission so any gifts towards the family will be very welcome.

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]