Sunday, 18 March 2012
Beaufort West so far
After just 3 days leave and getting comfortable, I got a phone call saying we had to get out of our storeroom in Beaufort West. Sharon and I raced to BW to find a new storage area and move 100's of boxes of shoes. We got there and started moving 1 truck load at a time at 113F. Jesus was good to us and He found new storage for us and it took all day but we got the shoes moved.
Then it was off to get the food for the children
After delivering the food I got to see a Murial that the kids painted thanking you guys for your awesome support.
Then it was off to deliver a bicycle to Rudy who helps us with the projects and he runs the sanitary towel ministry with his wife Sharlene. This was meant to help Rudi get around from project to project. Unfortunately last week I had to rush to BW because we discovered that he was manipulating the projects for his benefit and that the sanitary towel and a lot of the food was not going to where it is supposed to go. He was also causing the delay with the olive tree's because he was waiting for a bribe or something. I had to fire him and I am having him investigated. This means I have to go back to basics and go more often to BW to control and check up on whats happening.
We also had 2 teams doing VBS and maintenance, one from Atlanta and the other from Grand Rapids. It is always a joy to tell the children about Jesus and to just be with them and see them open up and beam when they are shown love.
What happened to the year
I trust everyone is doing well? What a year it has been already. Firstly I ask for your prayer because my Canadian visa has not been approved yet and I fly on Tuesday, thank you.
So far this year I have been gone for 8 weeks. I have been to Beaufort West 5 times, to KZN once and I was priveledged to be a key note speaker at a responders conference in Orlando, Florida and what made so awesome was my wife was able to accompany me for the first time. We got to go to Disney World, Sea World and EPCOT centre. What was so great was to meet the guys from the hydroponics at EPCOT and they gave such good advice for growing the olive trees and other fruit and veg.
We were blessed with 3 days on the Florida Gulf Coast and did we need the rest. We really live in a small world because our neigbours were from Kleinburg and knew of NRCC.
After only 3 days leave this was most welcome
So far this year I have been gone for 8 weeks. I have been to Beaufort West 5 times, to KZN once and I was priveledged to be a key note speaker at a responders conference in Orlando, Florida and what made so awesome was my wife was able to accompany me for the first time. We got to go to Disney World, Sea World and EPCOT centre. What was so great was to meet the guys from the hydroponics at EPCOT and they gave such good advice for growing the olive trees and other fruit and veg.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Praise Jesus for an Office
We thought that we would close on the 16th for the first time in five years but I got it wrong. Jesus had other plans. After 12 years of prayer Jesus has blessed us with office and warehouse space. Praise Jesus for the generous sponsor who made this possiable. So after 4 days we are in our new premises. I am so happy because Sharon gets her house back, my father in law is off my back because I have removed my suff from his place, and my brother in law is off my back because my stuff is off his balcony. What an awesome feeling to have that burden off my shoulders and my daughter said how nice it was to say " my dad is at his office." I praise Jesus for the office because I did not realise the amount and kind of pressure I put on my family. I am truly blessed to have the family, friends, partners and supporters that I have.
And then we moved in
And my wife got her balcony back after 12 years
Now maybe I will be able to get the end of year report out
Christmas Parties
After 3 long weeks of Christmas parties at many locations around South Africa, with about 5000 children and adults attending. 16 very weary ER Christmas team members headed home. I thought that I would get a nice break and catch up with all my admin. That is the problem with being a one man operation, something always suffers and in my case it's the admin, so my appologies for late postings.
The day I dropped the last team member at the airport my truck broke down and because all auto electricians close after the 16th, I can't get it repaired until the new year, at least it gives me time to save. It is just difficult to drive around without a fuel guage, especially a V6.
We held 3 parties in Beaufort West. After travelling through the night after parties in Belhar we arrived late at our accommodation in BW. We got up early and started our first party at the container in Little Bagdad. This project called Sunset Ministries who teach, dance and drama as well as feeds 300 children from extremely poor background and many of them are abused or have been abused. We arrived to a celebrity welcome and we felt so humbled by these wonderful kids. There is absolutely no form of entertainment, churches, playing fields or play grounds in this area to keep the kids off of the streets. This ministry is the only light is an otherwise very dark area. These beautiful children put on a show for us. We went to bless them but we were the ones blessed when we left.
At all parties we did face painting, played games, played sport, did a craft, applied tattoo's, told the Christmas story with the Gospel of Salvation and then they were given a party pack and gift pack before they left.
Checkout
After this the team left for Fairy Glen Game Reserve, a 5 hour drive away for a day of well deserved R & R
All good thing have to come to an end and it was back to Cape Town for the rest of the parties.
The day I dropped the last team member at the airport my truck broke down and because all auto electricians close after the 16th, I can't get it repaired until the new year, at least it gives me time to save. It is just difficult to drive around without a fuel guage, especially a V6.
We held 3 parties in Beaufort West. After travelling through the night after parties in Belhar we arrived late at our accommodation in BW. We got up early and started our first party at the container in Little Bagdad. This project called Sunset Ministries who teach, dance and drama as well as feeds 300 children from extremely poor background and many of them are abused or have been abused. We arrived to a celebrity welcome and we felt so humbled by these wonderful kids. There is absolutely no form of entertainment, churches, playing fields or play grounds in this area to keep the kids off of the streets. This ministry is the only light is an otherwise very dark area. These beautiful children put on a show for us. We went to bless them but we were the ones blessed when we left.
At all parties we did face painting, played games, played sport, did a craft, applied tattoo's, told the Christmas story with the Gospel of Salvation and then they were given a party pack and gift pack before they left.
Checkout
for all the photo's and action.
We then headed for Helping Hands prodject which Nashville Road is very involved in. Many of these precious children have one of the dread illnesses but because of Jesus using Nashville Road we have not lost a child in the last few years. This is one of the projects where we don't mind the children being naughty, we just praise Jesus that they are alive and doing well. Jerry Carnill, President of Extreme Response noted that the children were looking so good and healthy and had filled out so much since he last saw them - praise Jesus. I love coming to this project and seeing these kids and seeing how Jesus is changing their lives for the better. 200 children came to this party
Next the team went to The Christian Centre Church for a combined party between the chilren of this church and Pure Heart Ministries. Pure Heart runs the sanitary towel ministry among other things and The Christian Centre is the first Christ centred church we have partnered with. This has open doors into the community. Nashville Road sponsored an evangelical outreach in July of this year. We will be running leadership development seminars from this church a long with monthly evangelical outreaches. There were over 100 children at this party. By the time the team had finished this party, they were well and truly tired, humbled, excited and sunburnt. While the team went to lunch, I went and did the shopping for the various projects. If we had more time and team members we could have run at least another couple of parties for 1000 more kids.
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Greetings from South Africa
Wow what a great way to communicate. It feels like writing in a diary with one exception, you want someone to open it and read what you have written lol.
What a year it has been, it started out so well with an awesome visit to you guys, but when I got home, it was down hill from there.
Firstly most of my e mails I sent out did not get to the various recipients. I carried on in ignorant bliss until Paul pointed out that he did not receive anything from me in a long time.So I apologize now if you never received an e mail from me, I am going to go through past e mails and redo then. I will attempt to summarize the year so far.
Helping Hands (Feeding of the children with dread diseases)
Feeding of these kids always brings a joy. To see them running around and being naughty and full of fun brings tears of joy to my eyes. These kids are doing well in school and have a chance of making something of them selves. We have had a few teams here and they have heard the Gospel but they have experienced God's love in action because of Nashville Rd. Of course there is the negative side too, earlier this year we had just delivered the food and later that night someone broke in and stole all the food. We made a plan and put a security gate on the hut and bought more food. It just made me mad that people will steal from these children.
The children are so looking forward to seeing some of you guys next year.
Pure Heart Ministries (Food and Sanitary Towel Ministry)
This ministry supplies sanitary towels to 36 girls and food to children from very poor families. These girls that are receiving the sanitary towels are doing super well. They are currently writing their year end exams all look like passing again. We want to expand this ministry next year and see if we can help many more girls. These girls are not only helped physically but also Spiritually. Nashville Rd, have stepped in and helped when ever money runs out one lady (who does not want to be named) also donated to this project. Nashville Rd will help out this December.
The young girls are embarrassed to have their photo taken
Nozi's Soup Kitchen
Nashville Rd helps this awesome lady of 62 help feed the mentally ill and people with full blown aids. About 2 years ago the mental institution was closed down and the authorities gave the patients back to their families and gave the families a grant. The families spend the money on themselves and not on who the money was intended for. Nozi looks after about 30 - 50 people. Nozi often takes abuse from her neighbors because they want her to feed the people elsewhere. It was at this project that I had stones thrown at me and a guy attacked me with a pick axe handle.
Rudi is closest to the truck and Nozi on the opposite end
Olive Trees
This is turning out to be a challenge. We are really battling here. We ordered 60 olive trees to start and the supplier did not have stock. They promised to deliver in the next week. As yet the trees have not been delivered. This is one of the huge frustrations I go through. It took us 3 years just to get the pump into St. Francis Center. I will keep you updated.
Leadership Development
In October we brought 2 of the leaders from Beaufort West to Cape Town to take part in a leadership development seminar. They spent 3 days with leaders from around the Western Cape (26 in total). The trainers came in from California. Next year we will launch what we call Skype Leadership Development School. This will enable us to hold leadership development training in Beaufort West and the trainer can be anywhere in the world. Pastor Darren you will be able to help us train if you want to or anyone else you think will want too.
Truck Stop
We are still having a hard time trying to minister at the truck stop where the prostitutes hang out. The truck drivers hid inside the stops and we are not allowed in. We try to encourage the ladies not to enter but we can't offer them an alternative way to earn money. We have seen kids as young as 10 go in and out of the truck stops. This is also the place that children are brought to be trafficked out of South Africa. This is heart breaking. But we continue to ask Jesus for his solution.
The Trash Dump
This last trip to the trash dump broke my heart and has left me very down. Here I feel so helpless. We feed the people here once a week if we can get transport to the dump. Rudi and his family have to rely on others to transport them and the food to the dump. When I am there I transport them. This trip was particularly depressing because the local Christians are trying to stop the feeding of the people on the dump. They want the people to come back into town. This policy has not worked in the last 6 years, why is it going to work now. There is no work and these people feel like the dregs of society and outcasts. They don't feel wanted. It really hurts to talk to these wonderfully soft people. To see the babies crawling in the smoke amongst the trash reduced me to a sobbing wreck. I left there and did not ever want to go back. A huge thank you to Sammy for the e mail of encouragement, it really helped. I want to put a sea container at the dump, with a kitchen and shower, I dream of a preschool in a container there too. With doctors going through to check on these people. I feel so helpless here. I am begging God for answers for this ministry
Straight from Beaufort West into the army. Here God was so good to me. We had to go for our routine medicals and while I was there things went blurry and I could not see to well. By God's grace I surrounded by medic's and doctors. I spent 2 days going through a battery of tests, my blood pressure and pulse rate where so high they thought my heart was going to explode. At the end of all the tests they could not find anything wrong or any damaged caused. They suspect I had a Transient Ischemic Attack. Jesus is so good because if I had of been out of the army, this would have cost me so much money but because I was in the army it was free of charge. I was able to take part in the Remembrance day parade. I got to preach 3 times in one day.
Thank you again for walking with me in this ministry. I praise Jesus for you because I could not make it on my own. My family praise Jesus with me for you guys. If you could join us in prayer for an office and storeroom because I have a lady who has volunteered to help with admin which would talk a lot of pressure off.
May Jesus bless you all in abundance and we are praying for you all
Pierre
What a year it has been, it started out so well with an awesome visit to you guys, but when I got home, it was down hill from there.
Firstly most of my e mails I sent out did not get to the various recipients. I carried on in ignorant bliss until Paul pointed out that he did not receive anything from me in a long time.So I apologize now if you never received an e mail from me, I am going to go through past e mails and redo then. I will attempt to summarize the year so far.
Helping Hands (Feeding of the children with dread diseases)
Feeding of these kids always brings a joy. To see them running around and being naughty and full of fun brings tears of joy to my eyes. These kids are doing well in school and have a chance of making something of them selves. We have had a few teams here and they have heard the Gospel but they have experienced God's love in action because of Nashville Rd. Of course there is the negative side too, earlier this year we had just delivered the food and later that night someone broke in and stole all the food. We made a plan and put a security gate on the hut and bought more food. It just made me mad that people will steal from these children.
The children are so looking forward to seeing some of you guys next year.
This ministry supplies sanitary towels to 36 girls and food to children from very poor families. These girls that are receiving the sanitary towels are doing super well. They are currently writing their year end exams all look like passing again. We want to expand this ministry next year and see if we can help many more girls. These girls are not only helped physically but also Spiritually. Nashville Rd, have stepped in and helped when ever money runs out one lady (who does not want to be named) also donated to this project. Nashville Rd will help out this December.
Nashville Rd helps this awesome lady of 62 help feed the mentally ill and people with full blown aids. About 2 years ago the mental institution was closed down and the authorities gave the patients back to their families and gave the families a grant. The families spend the money on themselves and not on who the money was intended for. Nozi looks after about 30 - 50 people. Nozi often takes abuse from her neighbors because they want her to feed the people elsewhere. It was at this project that I had stones thrown at me and a guy attacked me with a pick axe handle.
Olive Trees
This is turning out to be a challenge. We are really battling here. We ordered 60 olive trees to start and the supplier did not have stock. They promised to deliver in the next week. As yet the trees have not been delivered. This is one of the huge frustrations I go through. It took us 3 years just to get the pump into St. Francis Center. I will keep you updated.
In October we brought 2 of the leaders from Beaufort West to Cape Town to take part in a leadership development seminar. They spent 3 days with leaders from around the Western Cape (26 in total). The trainers came in from California. Next year we will launch what we call Skype Leadership Development School. This will enable us to hold leadership development training in Beaufort West and the trainer can be anywhere in the world. Pastor Darren you will be able to help us train if you want to or anyone else you think will want too.
We are still having a hard time trying to minister at the truck stop where the prostitutes hang out. The truck drivers hid inside the stops and we are not allowed in. We try to encourage the ladies not to enter but we can't offer them an alternative way to earn money. We have seen kids as young as 10 go in and out of the truck stops. This is also the place that children are brought to be trafficked out of South Africa. This is heart breaking. But we continue to ask Jesus for his solution.
The Trash Dump
This last trip to the trash dump broke my heart and has left me very down. Here I feel so helpless. We feed the people here once a week if we can get transport to the dump. Rudi and his family have to rely on others to transport them and the food to the dump. When I am there I transport them. This trip was particularly depressing because the local Christians are trying to stop the feeding of the people on the dump. They want the people to come back into town. This policy has not worked in the last 6 years, why is it going to work now. There is no work and these people feel like the dregs of society and outcasts. They don't feel wanted. It really hurts to talk to these wonderfully soft people. To see the babies crawling in the smoke amongst the trash reduced me to a sobbing wreck. I left there and did not ever want to go back. A huge thank you to Sammy for the e mail of encouragement, it really helped. I want to put a sea container at the dump, with a kitchen and shower, I dream of a preschool in a container there too. With doctors going through to check on these people. I feel so helpless here. I am begging God for answers for this ministry
Straight from Beaufort West into the army. Here God was so good to me. We had to go for our routine medicals and while I was there things went blurry and I could not see to well. By God's grace I surrounded by medic's and doctors. I spent 2 days going through a battery of tests, my blood pressure and pulse rate where so high they thought my heart was going to explode. At the end of all the tests they could not find anything wrong or any damaged caused. They suspect I had a Transient Ischemic Attack. Jesus is so good because if I had of been out of the army, this would have cost me so much money but because I was in the army it was free of charge. I was able to take part in the Remembrance day parade. I got to preach 3 times in one day.
Thank you again for walking with me in this ministry. I praise Jesus for you because I could not make it on my own. My family praise Jesus with me for you guys. If you could join us in prayer for an office and storeroom because I have a lady who has volunteered to help with admin which would talk a lot of pressure off.
May Jesus bless you all in abundance and we are praying for you all
Pierre
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