{"id":2395,"date":"2013-06-27T14:09:23","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T12:09:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.galmin.co.za\/?p=2395"},"modified":"2013-06-27T14:09:23","modified_gmt":"2013-06-27T12:09:23","slug":"the-hope-farm-outreach-31-may-2-june-2013-feedback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.galmin.co.za\/?p=2395","title":{"rendered":"The Hope Farm Outreach (31 May -2 June 2013): Feedback"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the outreach over the weekend of 31 May to 2nd<\/sup> June <\/b>on the Hope farm in the Tshipise valley, \u00a0we have experienced\u00a0such a busy period of time, to\u00a0the extent that I find only now the time to provide the feedback on our outreach.\u00a0 On top of this, I am experiencing some difficulty (who knows why) to upload our photos on the website and also to include some of them in our feedback.\u00a0 So, the photos have to wait for now as I want to bring the feedback as soon as possible, while it is still fresh in our memory.<\/p>\n

According to plan, we fetched the tent from Boksburg, Gauteng, moved all the second hand clothes, sound equipment, generator, lights, etc. from the storage facility to my home and started to pack on Thursday morning, the 29th<\/sup> May.\u00a0 My wife Venetia, Pastor Noel Coetzee with his son Joshua arrived later the afternoon and after finishing packing, we started off for Tshipise around about 16:00.<\/p>\n

My Isuzu truck and the trailer we had on loan were both\u00a0fully <\/span>loaded \u2013 barely finding space for Past Noel and Joshua to fit in at the back of the truck. The Isuzu had quite a battle to pull this load up the hills, but praise the Lord, we had all the travelling mercies we needed and arrived safely in Tshipise.<\/p>\n

The following morning we met the owner of the farm, Dr Kobus Roos at 07:00 and discussed the best place to pitch the end \u2013 and we decided on the soccer field.\u00a0 While offloading this heavy load, one of our helpers said we came on the wrong weekend, because it is the end of the month and the people here are married to liquor \u2013 especially when they get their salaries.\u00a0 I said: \u201cWell, then we have to preach about the divorce of the liquor<\/i><\/span>\u201d.\u00a0 They just laughed and thought we were insane or something.<\/p>\n

We pitched the tent and soon found out this area of South Africa is much more warmer than Pretoria where we come from \u2013 even in winter time.\u00a0 We planned and proceeded with this outreach without any prior notification to the people in the area and no advertisements, but we completely trusted in the guidance and support from the Lord Jesus in this regard.\u00a0 It was like sailing uncharted waters and we did not know what to expect \u2013 except for our expectation in the Lord that lost souls will be saved and that His name will be lifted up as Lord and Savior.\u00a0 Past Noel continually asked me about who will do the translations, music ministry, etc., and the only answer I had was that we have planned and arranged everything possible (such as partnering\u00a0with another church in Messina for the music ministry and translations), but we will have to wait and see and also trust the Lord in this regard.\u00a0 He will provide in all our needs.<\/p>\n

The Friday night<\/b><\/span> we did not have any chairs available except for a couple of ground sheets for people to sit on, but in Africa they don\u2019t care much about luxuries such as chairs.\u00a0 When we arrived at the tent, we experienced a problem with our lighting system.\u00a0 The fluorescents did not work and the tubes I bought were too short.\u00a0 Eventually we connected the two spotlights and directed it into the tent\u00a0as \u00a0I gave the go ahead for Past Noel to start speaking to the group of people already there.\u00a0 As we progressed, the group of people grew to about 30-40 strong and they listened attentively to the message of the healing power of Christ and that we are healed through His stripes. In the background we could hear the music from various sound systems in the local village of month-end parties going on.\u00a0 Past Noel concluded this evening outreach to call people out with specific infirmities and then prayed for each one.\u00a0 I do believe that the Lord has most definitely touched a couple of them who came out for healing as they testified and demonstrated afterwards that the pain in the specific body parts was now gone.\u00a0 Praise the Lord for His healing power<\/strong><\/em>!<\/span>\u00a0 Another miracle that the Lord provided for, was that we did not have any music nor a proven translator that night, but the man (Ben) who helped us pitching the tent and who has overseen the protection of it at night and during the day, also doubled up as our main translator for the weekend. The people that we arranged for did not come until Sunday morning and even then this young man, Ben, stood his ground and translated each message from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

The rest of our team arrived on Friday night and then we had to spend a very restless night due to people having another party at \/close to Tshipise Resort right through the night until the following morning! UGH! I hate liquor and what it does to people!<\/span> <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The Saturday morning<\/strong><\/span> was a bit disrupted as I had to take Past Tracey Miles to the doctor in Messina due to her feeling very ill.\u00a0 So, Past Lorraine Kotze had to deal with all of the children\u2019s ministry on her own, with some help from her husband, Dr. Frank Kotze and the rest of the team.\u00a0 A youth group from Messina under the guidance of Christopher and Rose also assisted us over the weekend with the children\u2019s ministry.\u00a0 I also would like to thank a dear brother, Harry Smith from Messina who supported us with the 100 chairs and providing the transport for the youth group as well.\u00a0 Based upon the photos it seems they thoroughly enjoyed it.\u00a0 But the end result of the teaching on the multiplication of the bread and fish, was that at least 60 children gave their hearts to the Lord .<\/p>\n

Saturday night <\/i><\/b><\/span>and we were more organised and ready for the evening service.\u00a0 Lights were working and Bishop Dub\u00e9, one of our Ministry Partners, arrived from Johannesburg and brought people with their music instruments.\u00a0 As we started to play, the people slowly but surely came in and took their seats in the tent.\u00a0 My message dealt with the fact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is no joke.\u00a0 Christ experienced true pain and suffering and therefore we cannot play games with Him nor with His Gospel of Salvation.\u00a0 The main message was that they should make a decision to serve the Lord Jesus Christ or other gods, such as \u201cMr Black Label<\/i>\u201d \u2013 which is one of the strongest local beers in South Africa; or \u201cMr Peter Stuyvesant\u201d<\/i> or \u201cMr BB\u201d\u2013 tobacco brands.\u00a0 They laughed at my examples, but the message hit right at home, because it is the blessing of the Lord that will make you rich in more than one sense, but also the sins of this world that steals your money.\u00a0 Who do you want to serve?<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/span> The One who died for your sins on the Cross of Calvary, or the gods who will steal your money and eventually kill you.\u00a0 The choice is yours? But me and my house will serve the Lord!<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I made the altar call for people who wanted to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior and 17 people<\/b><\/span> came out to be baptized. The miracle of it all was that 13 of them were men and only 4 women, because the men of these days do not want to come to church or to serve the Lord.\u00a0 Young men who will be able to stand up as priests of their homes and communities.\u00a0 Men who will lead other men to Christ and who will change the culture of communities from addiction to God-fearing people.<\/p>\n

The Sunday morning<\/strong><\/span>, Bishop Dub\u00e9 reiterated the importance of being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and not only in the titles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as the authority for the remission of sins is especially linked to the name of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 There is no other name given to man whereby he must be saved (Acts 4:12).\u00a0 \u201c<\/i><\/b>And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” <\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>The group of 17 then grew to 25 and by the time all names had been written down and each one baptized, the final total stood on 32 people<\/span><\/b> \u2013 mostly men <\/span><\/b><\/span>coming to Christ!<\/p>\n

The big question was \u2013 where to baptize them, as thousands of crocodiles went missing during the February floods in the area.\u00a0 Every body of water was at risk of containing a croc or more!<\/i><\/b><\/span>\u00a0 One local guy wanted to cut a path through dense bush for us to reach a river, but I decided not to take that risk or the time to do so.\u00a0 Then a another local man pointed us to a dam \u2013 with muddy water and no way to see what is at the bottom or in the water!!!\u00a0 The locals confirmed there is no crocodile in this dam, and I was sort of reassured when I saw some ducks on the water. I guess we also felt like \u201csitting ducks on water<\/i>\u201d, but Past Frank Kotze and myself baptized each one of them carefully and respectfully in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, without any delay or hindrance.<\/p>\n

The farm owner has given us permission to plant a church here and all praise and glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ for His power and Grace. Through His provision and grace, we are planning a follow up session on the farm again on the first weekend of July, to strengthen those who has made this decision to follow the Lord. Most surely we will also proclaim His Gospel of salvation again to those who wants to hear it.<\/p>\n

Another successful delivery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because we are not ashamed of the Gospel as it is a power from God unto salvation. (Rom 1:16) <\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n