FRUSTRATING START.
I had every good intention of starting our newsletter in January this year and even started it a few times and just was not happy with what I was writing. This morning I realized why. (Yes, it has taken me a while!)
I have always thought that I am a flexible person and in some ways I am (this is Louise writing here), I however have found myself quite frustrated as this year has begun with the way things have worked out. It all has to do with my expectations of how this year would develop.
Nathan was going to go to the tutoring Centre two afternoons a week and continue with his GED. While we knew that he has Autistic burnout, we had thought that it would take the last 6 months of last year for him to recover. We were wrong. He started this year exhausted and just getting out of bed has been so difficult for him.
After listening to him and praying muchly and advise from his life coach we took the brave decision to un-school him this year and just pursue different ways he would be able to make money. We started with keeping chickens to see how he would cope with that. He has done well as things have developed; however, his perseverance is not where it needs to be for him to look after the chickens alone and so we are working on helping him stretch his “stickability” and also do the hard. This is hard for all of us.
So, back to my expectations, I was so hoping for more involvement with the soup kitchen ladies and discipleship/counselling opportunities, and I have had to have less. Because of my stubborn reluctance to make this change, it has been a hard time for the whole family. Please pray for me as I come to terms with my capacity as well as what God wants me to do for this season.
THE THINGS WE SHOULD DO.
Louise has enjoyed the opportunity to meet with two young ladies each week, one on a Wednesday and the other on a Friday as they walk through some difficult times together and learn from God’s word how to grow and heal.
Barry continues to meet with Mr. B on a Monday morning, they continue doing Bible Study together. At the start of this year, they had three other older men join them. What a great opportunity to study God’s word together and see how Holy Spirit challenges lives. Because of family dynamics in most of these men’s lives they are often left to take care of their grand children who are young still and this can be really challenging while trying to do Bible study. Please pray for a good solution to this challenge.
Soup kitchen continues to be a rich part of relationship building with this church and the ladies and pastor who run it. This year has also been so difficult for them all as the pastor has lost his job and therefore an income, and the ladies are also struggling financially. They are running it one week at a time as they wait for the government to come and assess them in order to give them the funding they applied for.
Barry and Franky continue to teach the ZEBS class in Zwide (Motherwell). Barry does enjoy the interaction with the students. Please pray for the students some have been inconsistent in their attendance. A few days ago, an American church planter was kidnapped in the area that we visit 2 times a week. Kidnapping for ransom is on the increase in South Africa, please pray for protection.
JIREH.
Since Louise’s visit to the States, we have five new supporters. This has been such a huge blessing and we are so thankful to the Lord for His provision. However, with our increase in medical bills and after a steady loss of South African supporters we find ourselves in a crisis.
We met with a Field Counsel member via ZOOM at the beginning of October and made a $1000 (R17000) cut to our budget as a start to be able to get us out of the trouble we are in. We are not good at keeping track of our financial support as we spend most of our time in survival mode at home and concentrating on our work here in GQ. Our prayer is often that the Lord would come through for us and He is faithful in doing so and generous as well. However this time He wants to do something different.
In asking God for a plan, Louise was at the ZEMA Ladies Retreat that happened from the 17th – 20 Oct, and she was not able to sleep on the Saturday night. When Louise is not able to sleep, she often spends time with Jesus. This night she felt the Lord leading her back to 2 Chronicles 20 vs 1-30. It is a beautiful account of King Jehoshaphat, and Judah and how God fights the battle for them. This passage has become one of those passages that Louise feels the Lord is speaking clearly through as we walk this journey with our children, the AmaZioni and all of you.
So, as she was listening and reading the passage, she was reminded of the fact that God has created a support structure around us of precious people who pray and give financially towards our ministry. He challenged her to ask all of you to pray and fast with us, just as Judah and King Jehoshaphat did, and together we will see the Lord fight this battle on our behalf.
Please could you set aside Friday 22 Nov and join us in fasting and praying for breakthroughs in our support levels as well as in our ministry and family. We believe that the Lord is not only going to answer those prayers abundantly but that He is also going to answer those quiet concerns and prayers of your heart.
JIREH.
Thank you so much to those of you who fasted with us concerning our support levels on the 15 Nov last year. We have seen a gradual increase in our support levels to where we are no longer in the “red” however, we still have quite a way to go to be at a sustainable level. The Lord is so faithful in our journey to show us His loving kindness and goodness, especially in these make-or-break times and situations.
ON THE HOME FRONT.
The procedure on Peta-Jade’s lower back in November last year has unfortunately made her pain worse rather than easing it. We found a body stress release therapist who Peta was able to go to about three times before she landed up in hospital with kidney stones. She spent a weekend in hospital, and they managed to ease the pain from a 9/10 to a 6/10, they then discharged her saying that the stones should be gone and that there seems to be nothing else wrong with her. Her pain had not eased totally after the hospital stay and it seems like her body has decided to keep the lower back pain she experienced during this time as part of her fibro. It has been a very difficult time for us as Peta-Jade has been really battling and we appreciate your continued prayers for her as we see the Lord working deeply during this difficult time. She is still attending Varsity College and doing her BA Psych.
Barry and Nathan went fishing this week, and while on the rocks they witnessed some AmaZioni conducting a baptism service. They did more than just immerse the folk in the water. They beat the water with the green and white garments that they wear to church. The person doing the baptism also had a staff that she would prod the sand with as she stood knee deep in the sea and prayed. This was a good teaching moment for Nathan.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.
We were able to host Pastor Mike and Donna Mac Dowell from CCC in Zion for one night in our home in Port Elizabeth. It was such a good time as we spent the day at ADDO Elephant park and the evening together. We so appreciated the encouragement and privilege to be able to have them in our home as they have been so hospitable to us when we have been in the USA.
Barry’s mom celebrated her 90th Birthday in March and we were able to join her and most of our family in East London to celebrate her life. She is a legend! She has recovered so well from her fall in 2024 that had her lying on her back for 10 weeks in order to get the femur to knit.
Something that may not seem like a highlight, was one for Louise. Her Aunty Edwina passed away peacefully in her sleep into Jesus arms last month and what a priceless legacy she has left for her close family and those of us her loved and knew her.
So much learning has gone into this year already and we do look forward to Easter time which is a highlight for AmaZioni churches. Please pray with us that many AmaZioni would come to know Jesus during this time.
God Bless you all,
Barry, Louise and children.
Giving in South Africa:
Bank details.
Standard Bank Current Account; Acc name: ZEMA; Acc no: 081047401;
King Williams Town; Branch no: 050419; Ref: “Your name/ Adkins