August Newsletter

Johann and Louise: Training Disciples to Make Disciples in Southern Africa The most recent crime statistics tell us that an average of 57 people are murdered a day in South Africa, 46 of which are men, eight women and two children. Seven of the top ten areas for violent killings are in the Western Cape. Up until recently, these were just numbers to us…shocking, staggering, appalling...but just numbers. Now we have a face and name that has changed the statistics from an abstract to a concrete reality. Louise’s step-nephew was brutally stabbed and shot to death at a traffic light on the National N-2 Highway. The motive of this senseless action is yet unknown as nothing was stolen. Johan was 59, a husband and father of four boys, one of which is severely disabled. This is the reality of life in South Africa at present. Violent protests, riots, stone throwing, petrol bombing, tyre burning, hijacking, raping, stabbing, shooting… But that is only one side of our reality here. Scripture tells us that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Romans 5:20). God is moving in the hearts and minds of many people and we believe a time will come when He turns our present topsy-turvy world the right side up again. For those of you who have not read our report on the Namibian Strategy Training trip, here is the link to our blogsite: http://missionsbloging.blogspot.com/2019/08/namibia-strategy-training-trip-2019.html Since coming back to South Africa, we have been busy training a local mixed group, mostly made up of young Xhosa speaking highschool boys, holding Bible Studies, and preaching in our local church. Louise addressed a group of local women to encourage them in the midst of their struggles. She has also continued in her Biblical studies with George Whitefield College and is loving it. Johann has been writing short devotional pieces for J-Life and is currently engaged in recording the Gospels chronologically to be included in a brand new J-Life App. Many of the folks we train do not have their own Bibles and so this will be extremely helpful for them in the future. Johann has been invited to join a group of local Christian farmers in studying God’s Word, but this has yet to materialise. Johann is also currently discipling a remarkable young man who farms and builds while reaching out to farmers and laborers alike. We still follow-up with all those we have trained and hope to train them in the other three modules next year. We are also part of a planning team called Villiersdorp 4 Jesus. God willing, we will be hosting a weekend evangelism event in the town in November. This is quite a big dream and there are still many things that need to fall in place and it seems quite daunting, but we do believe that this is what our Lord wants us to do here, so we will push on. Personally, we are well. Louise’s mum is happy and content in the Nursing Home. She is not all that happy that we will be gone for two months though! We leave for the Israel Study Tour on September 7, two days after my birthday! What an amazing gift! From Israel we will go to the US where we will meet up with our oldest and his family before attending the SAMS-USA Missionary Retreat and New Wineskins Missions Conference where Johann will be presenting one (Global Theological Education) of the many Missions Awareness Presentations. We were hoping to do a Strategy Training event with some of our supporting churches in the Carolinas, but have as yet not heard back from anyone! For some or other reason, folks were not receiving our emails and we were receiving all of theirs…an email would come through asking if we received previous emails, which we did not. Weird. The idea is not only to train folks in the art of disciple making, but also to give y’all an idea of what we do in Africa. So, if any of y’all are interested, please give us a shout…we will be in the area through the month of October. Spring is in the air here after a mild winter. The rains were fairly good and the dam levels are higher than last year, but the weather is so different from what it used to be. Thank you all for y’all’s prayers and love and support. You are very much appreciated. Blessings. Johann and Louise Support Us Johann and Louise spent two years helping to develop the St. Frumentius Seminary in Gambella, Ethiopia. At present, they are mostly working in Southern Africa where they are serving in seven southern African countries, although they continue to work with the Diocese of Egypt, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa as well as other southern and northern African countries, through engaging in a disciple making movement in order to grow the body of Christ. They are partnering with J-Life and other like-minded ministries. This ministry is massive and has the ability to reach thousands. We are sent  through the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders, a missionary sending community, engaging in building relationships with the worldwide church to experience the broken restored, the wounded healed, the hungry fed, and the lost found through the love and power of Jesus Christ.  Support SAMS Copyright © 2016 Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders, All rights reserved. www.sams-usa.org      Our mailing address is: PO Box 399 Ambridge PA 15003 Attention to: Johann and Louise van der Bijl Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list