|
|
From
the Dial's…
|
|
The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!" (Ruth 2:12) August 20, 2009 Dear Prayer Partners, Lumelang ka lebitso la letle la Morena Jesus Kreste (Greetings in the glorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ). I am not sure where to even begin this update as it has been so long since we last wrote. It has not been because of lack of desire but only a full schedule .
After asking what everyone's favorite day was, it was unanimous that it was our pony trek from Pakoeng to Liseleng which was about a 2 1/2 hour ride by horseback way back into the mountains where few have ever gone outside of the villagers living there. We saddled up in Pakoeng and rode across a river, up and over a mountain streaked with snow-covered paths, to a spot in the valley surrounded and overshadowed by three adjacent mountains. This was our second trip to this area with teams. The first was with the Bell Shoals Baptist Church Team from Brandon, FL. Our goal was to reach out to the children in a little decaying one room schoolhouse at the top of the mountain...no electricity, no running water, no outdoor toilets, no light source of any kind. It was so dark inside the little building we wondered how the children could even see to read, write or do assignments. We left that day with the Bell Shoals Team burdened to return so when FBC Perryton, TX said they wanted to come and work with children, this was the place God laid on our hearts. When the children saw us in the valley, they ran down the mountain shouting and laughing. Excitement filled their eyes as they greeted us with smiles and laughter. The Perryton team was unbelievable! They were eager, prepared and had hearts on fire to share Christ. It was a great day with the children. With the sun beginning to set, we headed back on our two and a half hour pony trek to Pakoeng where all 23 of us enjoyed a traditional Basotho meal prepared for us by Chief Sekonyella and his village. It was just a great day in the Lord! Thanks so much to the Perryton Team for all their hard work and preparation, how they ministered to the mountain Basotho, and for for reaching out with the gospel of Christ to a people forgotten by the world. On July 14, was a sad day for the Dials. It was the day our GA Winter Missionaries departed the mountains and headed back to America. They had been such a huge part of our lives for the last two months and John, Therron and Drew were like big brothers to Daniel and Mohau. We missed you before you were even out of sight! Thanks for coming and for allowing us to love you as you ministered in the Maluti Mountains. For some time we have asked that you pray for some ongoing health issues. We believe God has answered us and has led us to relocate down the mountain to the little town of Ficksburg, just across the Lesotho/South Africa border. Living in SA will do help us, our team and the Basotho. Personally, it will give us access to medical care and reduce our trips up and down the mountains. We will continue to return to the mountains once each month for ten days to continue the work we have started there. Strategically, it will open up the Western Free State where about two million Basotho live and where we currently have no IMB missionary presence there; so it would let us reach out to those 2 million Basotho living in the settlements and on the farms. For the Team, it will improve access and communication to team members, which we are limited in here in Katse. So for health and strategy reasons, we will be relocating at the end of this month to Ficksburg. We have a home already and the move is scheduled for August 31. Please pray for us as a family as we make this move and make Ficksburg our new home, and as we try to balance ministry in both locations. Praises: * Babs' brother's cancer is in remission. * God's provision of a home in Ficksburg. Requests: * For our son Alan who is bringing a team in November. * For Babs' brother in law recently diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow. Thank you for loving us and for allowing us to love you. Be blessed this week in knowing that you serve a big God who cares deeply for you. In His Name, Alan, Babs, Daniel and Mohau The Maluti Mountain Dials of Lesotho |
|
On
June 29 the First Baptist Church, Perryton, Texas arrived. They
were a team of eight with a ministry focus on children. They did a
children's program in seven villages and two churches. Hard to say but
we believe they shared the gospel through song, dance,
drama,
Bible storying, and games to at least 800 children and adults. At the
end of day they provided gifts of toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, hats,
gloves and a photo of each person. The photos were a winner because
most had never even seen themselves on camera let alone have their very
own photo. Perryton Team worked tirelessly, never complained and
remained flexible throughout the busy scheduled events. They were great
and God did mighty things through them. We have been blessed and made
richer by their labor, their love and their presence. We pray that they
will return to work again with us here in the Maluti Mountains.
Also
with us during our time with the FBC of Perryton Team was our very own
IMB Connecting Media Team from Johannesburg. They came to film,
document, do interviews of the work being done in the mountains. We are
not sure how all the stories and interviews will be used but we pray
they will glorify God and inspire others on mission. Thanks to the
Media Team...you were a blast and we appreciate all that you have done.