May Newsletter 2012

Dear family and friends,

May has come and gone and I can hardly believe it is June already!

We give thanks for the safe return of the missionary family who I stay under up here and for their well being and refreshed hearts for a new year of good expectations.

We all spent a good couple weeks up in the village with some friends from a U.K team and saw encouraging progress on the school as we are up to window height on the first classroom and door-frames are set in place.

As you might remember, ministry from us up in the village had some set-backs and delays last year and thankfully Caleb* was able to pick up on ministry while we were up there now and Barnabas* as well, joined him a couple of times. Just on their last day up there they saw a husband and his wife and his sister make a commitment to believe and follow which has brought great joy to our hearts, and surely to theirs as well! He was the man who was making the bricks for the extension to the village cottage in 2010.
We can give thanks that the good witness continues to stand and the good news continues to go out and progress is sure, even though not always as fast as we in the West expect, or would like.

This year there are plans to focus more time and energy up in the village and in ministering up there as well as the school building, so please be in prayer for the team and family who labour for His name.

Please also pray for my fellow Intern, A.* as we part company soon as I return down to S.Africa. We have built a good friendship and will miss the company and encouragment of one another.

Some missionary friends from Blantyre are bringing some Malawian young men from their church to encourage and strengthen the 'Young Vision Group" (as my friends down the road call themselves) this coming weekend and they plan on teaching in the book of Romans with the group from Friday till Sunday, whilst staying in the village. It is promising to be an edifying weekend for all involved so please be in prayer for them and also for travel mercies as they travel on public transport here and back(three hours- one way). I will be visiting in the evening meetings.

The word of God study here at base has haulted for now, we desire to find local pastoral help to continue bringing the word to our beloved workers and friends who are hungry for the word of God, please pray that this desire will be met and that the hungry souls will be fed, building up to eternal life!

God has been very kind to me in providing an almost certain work opportunity with my previous employer when I return.
I have just been offered accomodation close to work by some believing friends- at no cost!
And I may have my brother's car to rent, at least until I hopefully find something of my own- please send word out and pray for a second hand vehicle for me(preferably a little bakkie, for work purposes).

All I need to do now is find a way to get me, my trailer and all my tools and 12 boxes down to Durban- this month hopefully, please pray!
In the mean time we have some urgent jobs to do here which require my involvment such as felling a big tree over the house, re-adjusting the one side of the house roof sheets, and another indoor job.

In closing I am reminded that I have been supported here, and have experienced many rich and wonderful things under the sovereign and good and all powerful hand of Almighty God, by your prayers and financial assistance and I will be forever indebted to God and all of you who have been a part of my life in Malawi.

May the Lord Bless you and encourage your hearts with a sense of His pleasure.

Dave.