Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Johann & Louise Vanderbijl
~ Touching The Whole Person – Body And Soul ~

-  Vision with action can change the world –

November 2013
Dear Prayer Partners

We are all familiar with the sight of children going door to door on All Hallows’ Eve, ringing doorbells and shouting out “Trick or Treat” when the door opens.  In the UK, and still in many of her previous colonies, there is another day on which children parade down the streets asking for “treats”.  The day is Guy Fawkes Day held on November 5 celebrating the foiling of a plot to blowup Parliament in the year 1605.  However, the cry of the children on this night is not “trick or treat”, but rather “a penny for the Guy”, and rather than dressing up themselves, they would dress up an effigy (sometimes barely recognizable as an effigy) of Guy Fawkes, the poor sod caught holding the fuse when the plot was discovered.  Some would wheel the effigy a round in a wheelbarrow while others would simply prop him up on a street corner, both seeking to raise as many pennies as possible. 

This November, Louise and I would like to be so bold as to present all our partners with a challenge.  If, like us, you have felt a pinch on your purse strings of late, your first response to appeals for support could be, “I lack the resources”.  However, would you prayerfully consider pledging $1 a day to support us?  You see, in order to raise our monthly support of $5,200, all we need is about 170 people pledging $1 a day!  Of course, there are supporters who are willing and able to give far more and we are grateful for every one of you, but we do not want to rob anyone of a blessing.  So we wish to make it possible for each and everyone of you to participate in meeting the critical needs of the people in the Gambela region of Ethiopia by giving $1 a day.  Click on this link for details as to how you can to that today!  http://samsusa.org/users/johann-and-louise-vanderbijl

Louise is currently in Marion, NC learning more about how to minister to those requiring medical assistance using (and reusing) what is readily available.  She is enjoying the intensive course tremendously and is all anticipation for the day when she will be able to put all this knowledge into practice!  Two of the nurses in her course will be our neighbors in the Horn. 

God willing, we leave for Ethiopia on December 5 together with a couple from Holy Trinity, North Augusta.  We will participate in a clergy retreat while in Gambela, during which I will be one of the teachers. 

Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement!
In Christ’s Service,
Johann & Louise

The Rev Dr Johann Vanderbijl and Louise Vanderbijl are SAMS (Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders) missionary candidates serving in the people’s region of Gambela within the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa

Johann and Louise Vanderbijl
150 Oak Ridge Place, APT 4N
Greenville, SC 29615
(864) 884-4717   

Sunday, October 27, 2013

In a recent article entitled "The Stain on Obama's Soul", author and activist Mia Farrow states:

"Bashir's assaults against the people of Sudan have escalated in intensity. Some three million people are living -- if you can even call it that -- in refugee camps with wretched conditions. They lack even food, water, sanitation and basic medical attention. Hundreds of thousands of children are growing up malnourished with stunted growth and damaged cognitive abilities. If they survive, they are left without an education to a lifetime of suffering, with many likely eventually succumbing to disease."

Indeed, but Ms Farrow does not tell the whole story.  Her eyes are fixed on Dafur, but the refugees pouring into Gambela, Ethiopia are not from Dafur...they are from the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountain districts.  Is their plight any less, one may ask. 


But the need for clean water, for basic health care, for nutrition as well as many other basic things does not go unnoticed.  There are those who care, though we be few in number and our resources limited.  But we are there because we care because He cares.  While we all may have stains on our souls because of our own blind spots, the Lord remains faithful in calling us to work in His vineyard.  And so we push on...

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Our very own You Tube video!

Thanks to Marshal and Susan Raines, we have our very own video on You Tube! Please pass this link on to others.

Teach for Change