Happy…  

I love meeting new Christians, true brothers and sisters in Christ. I love to get to know them and how the Lord drew them to himself and what the Lord has been doing in their life. I especially appreciate when they have liberty to be open and honest with me about the things they have suffered and endured. After getting to know them a bit, one of the things I always like to ask them, especially if they are in ministry or missions, is if they are happy where they currently are or with the current condition of their life. It is always telling to watch carefully at their initial response to that question. I know we are not to seek temporary happiness, and we are especially not to seek happiness in carnal things or things of this life; however, the more I continue in the Lord and the scriptures, I truly believe that we as Christians ought to be happy in the Lord and thankful in his harvest field. If we are not happy, then something is truly off. “Happy is the man whom God chasteneth/correcteth"; “if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them”; whoever keeps the law, happy is he. Towards the end of my time in South Africa before going to the States, I have to say that in general, I was not happy in my life. I cried out to the LORD to save me and lead me and direct me into his will and grace, and truly he heard my cry. Through his mercy the LORD chastened me, humbled me, purged me of some things that were severely off in my heart and spirit, and began to settle me in his mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, and kindness. And by his grace, I can genuinely say today that I am happy in HIM.

Experiences…

I was blessed to be able to meet a brother in Christ from the South at Letchworth State Park. He is dear brother who is seeking to be true to God and the holy scriptures. He is not seeking to just follow the examples in front of him blindly, but rather to prove all things and go forward in the faith of Christ. Please pray for this brother and his family as they have some difficult decisions ahead of them. But let us know and trust that the same LORD who carved out the mountains and valleys and forests will direct their steps into his good will and pleasure if they are willing and obedient to his voice.

The season out in Farmersville was truly one of the best seasons in my life. The LORD was so good to us on so many levels it is hard to even describe. It was such a blessing to live a quiet and relatively peaceable life in as much godliness and honesty as the Lord has helped us to attain to at this point in our lives. We had a few rocky moments, but the LORD was merciful to supply help and counsel so that Satan might not get an advantage over us. The people who are part of the church there were such a blessing and source of joy and peace in our lives. I truly give thanks for all of them and the season we spent together. It was so wonderful to have the liberty to teach and preach from the holy scriptures alongside another dear brother and elder in the faith without having to carry all the weight alone. It made the ministry and the labour such a delight and joy. Truly 2 are better than 1! I cannot thank the LORD enough for his work in brother Doug’s life. It was also so neat to see how the LORD worked in all of our lives in the church. With the church being small enough for us to really know each other and pray for and with each other regularly and share what the Lord was doing in our lives along with our trials and fears, etc… it was so comforting to literally see the grace of God working in each person’s life who was genuinely seeking the LORD and his will. Truly there is only One Body and the exact same Spirit working in all of us to bring us all into the perfect likeness of Christ as a holy temple in HIM. I just rejoice to know that the Father hath not left us and is continuing his work of grace in our hearts and lives even as we parted ways for now. It also didn’t hurt that the summer and autumn were up there as one of the most beautiful summers and autumns in WNY for a long long time! Many mornings I would look outside or go outside and feel like as if it was the days of heaven on earth! I would just marvel at the beauty of the glory which is to be done away and try my best to imagine what the glory of that which remaineth shall be!!!! If you ever get a chance, you must go and visit that little church in the country and taste and see that the LORD is good… (but pray that your visit be not in winter…!). But please hold this little flock in prayer moving forward. I believe the LORD has raised up some men who can come and help carry the work forward. May the LORD really lead them forward in his will, blessing, and grace.

Back to South Africa…

It took quite a while, but eventually the South African government addressed our case (after being court ordered to) and realized that Hudson was not a threat in any way to their Republic; so they lifted the ban off of his Passport and we have now been able to successfully return to our post in Port Elizabeth. (He actually had a dream 3 nights before we got the news of the upliftment that his Visa was fixed and we were on our way to go back to SA! It was also pretty neat that the date that they ruled on his situation and declared his ban was lifted was my wife’s birthday: August 15! So that was a nice BDAY blessing for her!) We had quite an interesting journey coming back (as our family travelled back separately 2 different ways), but by the grace of God, we are now all together and back and settled into our little townhouse that we rent here in Port Elizabeth. The welcome back here has been quite amazing by friends, people at the school, and men and women in the homeless shelters. It has really been a blessing and heart warming to know that we are actually cared for and loved by people here in PE (it hasn’t always felt that way). It has also been a blessing to see how God has supplied other workers to labour in the homeless shelters in our absence and has really continued and even multiplied the work (and the effects seem to be quite blessed by our Lord)! It’s really the Lord’s mercy and grace to get back into these ministries and see the growth in some of the people that we have wept over and to see how the LORD has not let the wandering sheep stray away but keeps bringing them back under the hearing of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Please pray for Cuan, Gerhard, Sizwe, Adriaan, Wessel, Romza, Will, Chevy, Amin, Stefan, Jeremy, Matthew, and Candice. The Lord is working in each of their lives strongly and we desire them to continue forward in the grace of Christ.

Moving Forward…

Please pray for us and the LORD to direct our steps moving forward. Please pray about Zambia as the Lord continues to lay it on my heart and it is my desire to return there again sometime soon to do another survey trip. When in the States, I was put in touch with a brother who has a missions operation there and may need some men to teach and preach the word. Please pray the LORD show us his will. Also, pray that if we are to stay in PE for any extended time that we could upsize a bit, and either rent or obtain a place of our own, whatever the LORD deems best. Please pray for our family to be rooted and grounded and unified in Christ Jesus our Lord for his glory and honour. And thanks be to God for ALL his people who seek and serve and love HIM with all their hearts and lives. Truly we could never do this alone…. We are ALL ONE in HIM!

Meek and lowly in heart…

Long before Jesus told his apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature; long before he told them to go and teach all nations, he called all of Israel that labored and was heavy laden to “Come unto me”. He called them to come unto him, and his promise was that he would give them rest, rest unto their souls. May we truly find this rest and peace in Christ and his yoke alone.