Greetings from Africa! Thursday, April 29, 2004
As I begin writing this we are waiting for Russell's brother to come to take Russell and Lynn to Johannesburg, prior to their departure for Cape Town on Sunday. We all agreed that their time here has accomplished a great deal in terms of their rest and healing, but it has become obvious that the Lord is NOT opening doors of ministry for them here. After a lot of prayer they have reached the conclusion that they should go back to the harvest field they worked for so many years and know so well - Cape Town. It is a great triumph that they are so anxious to begin their work again, since prior to coming here Russell's health was severely deteriorated, so much so that both he and Lynn thought he would die soon. Now he is physically and mentally healthy. He has again found the joy and peace of the Lord. Lynn still admits that she needs a lot more inner healing, so please pray for her to find what she needs. I am looking forward to what God has for me and the Mission House next. Whatever it is, I know His plans are always good and much, much wiser than anything I could come up with!
Part of those plans include travel, and I have now finalized at least the travel plans for my upcoming trip to Namibia (two weeks, beginning May 22nd) and to the US (arriving in Kansas City on June 15th and departing on July 16th). I was astonished at the difficulties I encountered in booking the US trip. For example, I had counted on using my frequent flyer miles, but could not. The dates of the trip were dictated, in part, by my need to be there by June 19th for Tammy's wedding (Hallelujah!), but even more so by the availability of seats. The date of departure, for example, was simply the only date anywhere near that time that I could get a seat. I had no idea that everything is being booked so far in advance. I will make my arrangements MUCH earlier in the future!
This past Saturday I went with my friend Hans to 'The Pilansburg' game park, and this time rather than still pictures I 'shot video'. I am turning this into a movie of about 13 minutes, with lots of nice shots of lions, rhinos, hippos, baboons and various grazing animals - with special attention to the handsome faces of some wart hogs. With the addition of the right music and judicious use of slow motion and other fun things it is turning out pretty good (even if I do say so myself). I have grabbed some frames from the video and attached them as stills to this message.
This
Sunday is 'Transformation Africa', with people gathering all over Africa to
repent of sin and ask for God's blessing. Please pray for God to give grace for
genuine repentance - the kind that will lead people to live differently. If
millions of people all over Africa will simply do that, then the prayers for
transformation will already have been answered.
Once
the dust settles after Russell and Lynn's departure I need to settle down and
get busy completing two new seminars I am preparing for the Namibia trip. One is
on 'Science and Scripture', and my biggest issue there so far is deciding what
to leave in and what to leave out. It would be fun to teach a course for a full
semester and be able to leave everything in, but in any reasonable seminar there
just isn't enough time. The selection process is something like what I had to do
in preparing to come here - there were just too many bibles and books, and all
of them precious friends! O, the pain of leaving them! But 'a man's got to do
what a man's got to do' (deep, huh?).
Russell's garden is just about to start producing edible produce (green beans first, according to him), but not in time for him to enjoy any. I'm sure they will have plenty to eat in Cape Town, and we will have a lasting legacy of their time here, tangibly, when we enjoy the beans, peas, carrots, onions, spinach, lettuce, peas, squash and pumpkins he planted. Yum!
Love from Africa
Lary