It's time to catch up on things ...

Well, we are behind on updates ... AGAIN.  At least this time we can say that in the last two months we have only had 13 days at home.   We would love to share some highlights with you over the last two months.  We hope you like pictures because we will have several to share with you.

The heart of Samaria Mission is the Church Development/Discipleship ministry. (This is our monthly leadership training you often see us posting about.)  This ministry focuses on teaching and discipling the pastors and leaders of village churches with the goal of establishing a “God-glorifying church” that can minister to the community. This includes developing and training church members to be able to adequately share the gospel and lead men’s, women’s and children’s ministry.   Currently Samaria Mission has two teams that travel to two different villages in Mozambique each month for leadership training. During this time we are able to come alongside church leaders, both men and women, to teach them the truths of God’s word and encourage them to remain steadfast in their service to the Lord.  

During the middle of each year we host teams from America and South Africa for two weeks at a time.  These outreaches are a very important tool in teaching short-term teams about the context in which we are ministering and to experience cross-culture ministry firsthand.  Teams participate in teaching, hut-to-hut visitation where  they have opportunities to share the gospel and pray with those who are visited, they also get to share their testimony of God’s work in their lives at the nightly church services.

We also have opportunities during this time for a few people to join us for three months as "Outreach Missionaries" where they come along our staff and help serve the teams that come on outreach.

Our outreach season started on May 21st when our three Outreach Missionaries (OMs) arrived.  Mark and I oversee this ministry within Samaria Mission.  We love to serve alongside those He calls to join us for three months.  Connor Hixon and Ryan Tovias are from our sending church, PaulAnn Church, in San Angelo, Texas and Dietre Stols Jr. is from our local church, Christ Baptist Church, here in in Polokwane.   Noah Hixon, Brad's son, also served alongside them.

These guys hit the ground running from the time their feet hit our driveway.  Brad, Mark and Member were going for our monthly leader training on Monday, May 23rd in Mozambique.  They were planning on taking some of the equipment in for a few projects that would take place during the outreach season and the OMs got to go help prepare the new ground for the Mbuzi church and also where our CBC team would camp while on outreach.   These guys worked hard and with a smile all the time.  What a joy to have them around.

Day 1 ... arrival

straight to work from the airport

cutting steel for a project in Matsilele

loading equipment

4:30 am on Monday, May 23rd -heading to Moz

headed to training and church site prep in Mbuzi, Mozambique

preparing the new church site - digging a toilet

trimming trees in preparation for the CBC team to stay at the new church site

Pastor John Bayloi helping

getting water for camp

training with the leaders

the guys after a week in the bush

These guys took some time to go help our friend, Debs, do a little work at her flat.  She had recently moved back on her own after living with us for a few months during her recovery of a broken arm.  They helped her with some adjustments that needed to be made to help her live independently again.  You can read her story here.  

May 31st was the day to work on the big vehicles and take them through the road worthy test.  This meant that all the big vehicles needed a wash and a quick check on things to make sure they were ready for the test.  The major work had been done previously. 

June 1st an unexpected meeting was called to discuss the new plan since the Journey/Bryan team was unable to get their Mozambique Visas in time.   The decision was made to have their team come alongside Derrick Chauke and hold an outreach in the village of Makumeke.  This is a church plant from Mchipisi Baptist Church in the Malamulele area.  There have been teams there in the past and it was great to be able to join Derrick in the work he is involved in.  (More updates on that outreach in the next post). 

The guys also went shopping with Alicia to buy some food for the Samaritan Center and the Ngwana Baby House.  As a mission we were able to take some much needed donated food to both places of ministry here in Polokwane.

 

 During the OMs time in Polokwane we arranged for them to have a few classes to help equip and grow them during their time here.   

Member did an introduction to the Xitonga language and taught the pronunciation and some basic phrases.  

 

 After class they headed over to help one of the Pastors at CBC assist his neighbor in moving a car that had been parked for years.  They had to air up the tires and push the car up a small incline to the garage next door.  These guys had a great attitude no matter what job they were asked to help with. 

  

Their next class they had was with William.  He taught over chronological teaching.   What it is, why we use this method and how to use this method.  

Pastor Andrew (who is a lecturer with Christ Seminary) taught on Missions.  He did a basic overview of missions.   He covered what missions is and why we do missions.  

After a week of hard work and class time we decided that it was time to take a break and go fishing.  It was a nice break and good fellowship.  

I am telling you these guys worked hard helping us with all the things that had to be done before teams arrived.  One of those jobs was helping finish the new vehicle files that all our guys in the mission have to have with them when crossing the border.    Did I tell you ... they never complained about any job and they always found a way to have fun while doing it! 

Another class was ...

African Tradition Religion by Pastor Charlie (another Christ Seminary Lecturer).  He spent some time going through what African Tradition Religion is... what they believe, etc.  

After class they helped to sort the Bibles for each outreach.  

The last class they had was Evangelism and Testimony which was taught by Brad and Mark.  This was day that turned out to be very special.  The Lord was at work and we are grateful that we were able to be apart of it.  Brad went through scripture and taught on the importance of evangelism with the why and how to share.  Mark then spent some time in the Word with them talking about a testimony and the importance of sharing your testimony.  They spent time studying Paul's testimony in scripture.  Afterwards, Mark had them take time to write out their testimonies.  About 45 minutes later he asked if they were finished and then surprised them with the news they were now going to share their testimonies!  What a day. (Jay and Noah joined us for this class)

Then the shopping had to happen.  We had two days to shop for three teams (all non perishables).  It had to be packed in action packers so they could all be loaded the next week.  Jaylynn and I headed to the shops and the guys continued working on other projects until we were checking out.  Then they came and helped pack and load the trailer at the shop.   

Day one we shopped for two teams ...

my new shopping buddy since Brit is in the States

  

Day two did it all over again for the third team ...

taking a quick break from all the shopping

They spent a few days doing some woodworking projects.  They built a few boxes to help protect some of our equipment. 

They also built a stand for our new camp hot water heaters.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there was the final prep day ... 

 

 AND THEN THERE WAS LOADING DAY ... 

Bentley and Allie were proud of their hard work loading that trailer

this was a great way to end a long day

We loved hosting these three guys while they were in Polokwane.  We have enjoyed watching them grow in the Lord!  One of our favorite parts of the day were the evenings.  Most nights after dinner we would watch a session from the latest Secret Church by David Platt.  The topic was perfect for heading into our outreach season.  Each session was packed full of scripture, information and all very challenging.  It made for some great discussions.    It was called A Global Gospel in a World of Religions.  If you haven't gone through this it is well worth the time!  

June 16th ... the set up team headed to Makumeke to set up camp for the first team arriving on the 19th.  

 

We will post another blog soon highlighting the three teams we were apart of.   Thank you for praying for our family, fellow staff members and the teams as well as the villages we took the Gospel to this outreach season.

Brit's testimony ... I mean English Paper!

I have wanted to post this for months now and I am just now getting to it.  Brit actually needed to write an essay for her English class last semester and it could be over any topic.  She went and spoke with her professor to get some help in narrowing down what to write about.  Her professor told her to just write about her move to South Africa.  So she did.  Before she turned it in, she sent it to us to read.  I sat in bed crying as I read it.  The Lord had done so much in her over the last seven years and I was just so grateful.  I sent her a message that said, "Great testimony, I mean English paper!" 

Moving to South Africa

In June of 2009, my family and I moved to South Africa to be missionaries.  Moving to a different country was very difficult for me.  I was quite rebellious at the time and unwilling to make this new place my home.  Over the next two years, my heart began to soften toward this new life, but I still wasn’t content.  It wasn’t until a few years later that I allowed God to break down the walls I had put up, and I began to see I had purpose for being there.  I discovered sometimes things you absolutely do not want to do are the most beneficial for you.

For example, when I was 14, my family and I moved to South Africa.  The day we left the States was one of the most emotional days I have ever gone through because I was reluctant to leave my home for a country I knew little about.  I’m sure the plane traveled slower because I was dragging my feet so hard.  Once we arrived in South Africa, we tried to start our new life.  My parents would push me to go to church, but I argued with them every time; I wanted nothing to do with God anymore.  I stayed in my room the majority of the time, trying to show my parents that moving to South Africa was something I did not want to do.  I would constantly say, “My parents are the missionaries, not me.  Why do I have to be here?”  I was angry and bitter with God, my parents, and this new change in my life.

I began coming around to the fact that this was where we lived now. I began to find things in South Africa that reminded me of home, which helped me cope with living there. For instance, we got dogs like we had in the States, I began to make friends, and I got involved in church again.  I began to stop feeling like a complete outsider although I was still angry on the inside with the move.  I was still fighting with my parents, and I harbored anger towards God but kept it hidden from my new friends.  I was still seeing the move as a punishment; I didn’t see how it could be beneficial.

However, my attitude needed to change in order for me not to be miserable. After my family and I got back from a visit to the States, I realized that the responsibility I had of planning games for children at church was given to someone else.  Things started to fall a part for me.  I realized I had been going through the motions for a long time.  My mom always told me, “You can accept the move and make the best of it, or you can fight against it and be miserable the whole time.”  What she said finally clicked.  I had been fighting against the move this entire time, and I was miserable.  I broke down asking God to forgive me and to change my attitude.  I felt so much peace after that moment.  My attitude changed, and I could now see the good South Africa had to offer me.  I have been able to travel to world famous African landmarks.  I have seen countless African animals and endangered species; I have even held lion cubs.  I have learned to respect other people’s ways and cultures and to appreciate running water.  South Africa is now my second home.  Without moving to South Africa, I could not have had the experiences that have molded me into the person I am today.

Being pushed out of your comfort zone helps grow you, even if you might not see it at first.  I did not want to live in another country.  It took me 3 years to finally let go of my stubbornness and open my heart to whatever God had for me.  I thought God only called my parents to be missionaries, not me, but He had a plan for me as well.  Now I’m back in the States, which was a hard decision because my family is still in South Africa.  However, I’ve learned that the hard things in my life can be beneficial for me, depending on my attitude and not my circumstances. Whether I’m in South Africa or in the States, I now know that things I don’t want are sometimes the things that can teach me more about life and mold me.

Alicia's surprise in Mentz

Last Tuesday was our normal Bible study afternoon in Mentz it also happened to be my birthday.  We headed out to Meriam's house and when we got there we noticed her daughter was just finishing putting the table cloth on the table under her Lapa "porch". The wind was blowing and it was getting a little cool and Meriam came and said, "Alicia, let's meet inside. The wind is not good for me since I have a cough"."  Mark and I were fine with that and we headed inside.  I thought there might only be Meriam and her daughter there for Bible study but it would be fine.  We walked in the house and all of a sudden I hear them singing to me.  Everyone was waiting inside for us to get there and they had planned a party.    I couldn't believe it.  These ladies and young men all brought something to share in the celebration.  We had drinks, cakes, cookies and chips!    They made sure we spent some time studying God's Word before we had food.  What a special day!