Greetings from
South
Africa!
We have returned to Pretoria from Durban and are fully ‘back in the saddle’ with ministry. We had a wonderful time on our vacation, with a lot of time to just rest and be together. Our room didn’t have a refrigerator or microwave or any such thing, but we figured out how to buy food we could take and eat there anyway. What a deal – saving money, time and energy!
We ate several times at a particular restaurant in a mall near where we stayed, and became friends with a waiter there. We exchanged cell phone numbers, and he is thinking of coming this way next month for a vacation. Please pray for the salvation of Patrick and his pregnant girlfriend, and for the healthy birth of their (remaining) baby, who was one of twins (the other of whom miscarried). We also had an absolutely stunning day at the botanical gardens in Durban, and we were blessed with some terrific photographs. Mr. Duck was extremely tame, and had exceptional manners. When he first came to visit he had just been playing in the mud and was a dirty bird, so he gave us his greetings and then went off to bath. He was MUCH more presentable upon his return, and I assured him that I would delete the photos of him when he was dirty. I think he appreciated that. When we were enjoying our scones and cream in the tea garden we were visited by a very tame (but very loud) bird with a large, dangerous looking beak. He stood on the table next to us and seemed ready to join us if we had extended the slightest hint of an invitation (we did not). We also encountered a baboon family running loose, including a baby hanging onto his mother’s tummy. They also seemed friendly enough. On a more human note, a school was visiting the garden that day, and we passed by a large field where they were playing vigorouosly – in their school uniforms (including white shirts and ties for the boys). They payed not the slightest attention to the formality of their clothes and played at full speed.
Last night we went to the home of a wonderful 78 year old lady who is one of the best know ministers in South Africa to bless her and two companions who are traveling with her to Israel on the 30th. It was such an honour and privilege to spend the evening with them, especially since – with the trip coming so soon – she was turning away many people who wanted to visit her. My special relationship with her is that, while most people see her as this awesome spiritual woman – and therefore maintain a respectful distance from her emotionally – I see her as a young girl in the spirit. My main ministry to her is to make her laugh, preferably beyond the point of dignity. I am happy to report that I was completely successful last night.
Last weekend Philadelphia Fellowship celebrated the scriptural feast of trumpets (see Numbers 29:1, remembering that this refers to the 7th month on the Jewish calendar), hosting a dinner for 32 people in our house (see photo). As if that wasn’t enough, Louise prepared the meal, including baking absolutely wonderful fish (see photo), for everyone. I am married to a spiritual giant who loves me to bits and can cook – THIS IS HEAVEN! Beyond just that, everyone in Philadelphia gets to be blessed by her as well.
One of the most interesting features of the inclusion of dancing in Philadelphia Fellowship is the way VERY small children are joining in. We have an 18 month old baby (Jane) who loves to dance with the flags (see photo), and a two year old (Onika) who is quite good with the tambourines (see photo). There are more, of course, from the age of 3 to 11 (but as we all know, the littlest ones are the cutest).
We, of course, still don’t have a phone line or Internet access in our house, so last weekend we went over to Louise’s parents house to make them dinner (which turned out very well), watch a movie (‘Princess Diaries’, very enjoyable) and for me to make phone calls to America. I hadn’t talked to my kids in several months, which isn’t good, AND it was my sister’s birthday. So, I sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to my sissy, and reached my daughters (the son was in hiding, telephonically speaking). The timing of the calls couldn’t have been better. At the PRECISE MOMENT I called my oldest, she was trying to figure out how to get in contact with me. Why? She wanted to announce her engagement! When Louise and I were in America we went to Philadelphia and met her now-husband-to-be, and we were both very favourably impressed. So, their engagement is every father’s dream – the RIGHT man for his daughter. Whew!
Love from Africa
Lary and Louise
