Dear Friends in Christ
Marijuana legalised for private use in South Africa
It is a sad day for South Africa as a nation since we just have legalized marijuana for private use at home. While dealing with marijuana is still illegal, the legalization thereof for home use steps in the wrong direction, embarking on a slippery slope towards the legalization of drugs. Pray for South Africa, as we as a nation face many challenges. The legalization of marijuana will definitely also have a huge impact on the people that we minister to since many are especially vulnerable to the influence of the whole culture surrounding the use of marijuana. Over the years we have counselled many people suffering from mental disorders, and several of them testified how the use of marijuana played a big role in contributing towards their sickness. Among the people that we currently minister to in Onseepkans and surroundings, many suffer from mental disorders and in many of the cases, the use of marijuana had a big influence on their lives.
Water problems next to the biggest river in South Africa
The past few weeks were a difficult time for us, especially with my involvement in the agriculture in my capacity as the chairman of the Onseepkans Irrigation Board. Although Onseepkans is situated next to the biggest river in South Africa, water, especially for irrigation purposes, continues to be a big source of frustration. Farmers all depend on the dysfunctional irrigation canal to water their crops. Meanwhile, the implementation date of the new R100 million plus irrigation system keeps on being postponed while government departments drag their feet and tender dates are extended. We need much wisdom to keep the peace between all parties involved as accusations and frustrations were freely expressed. Matthew 5:9 comes to mind: "Blessed are the peacemakers! For they shall be called the sons of God."
In the past, we have also reported about the water crisis in the nearby settlement. The pump that must supply the community with drinking and sanitation water is continuously out of order. Now again the whole community is without water and the pump is not functioning. Many fetch household water and even drinking water from the canal, although the water is not purified. A few days ago the municipal workers responsible for the supply of water asked if we could not assist them to fetch the community water pump at the river and load it on the back of their truck. We helped them move the pump, but when they brought it back and installed it the pump was broken again. Meanwhile, we help where we can to supply clean water to those that ask us for help.
Supplying water to the local community
Seed project
Our seed project are growing and we are near to the point of harvest for some of the trials that we have planted. We value your continued prayers.
Two of our children in the seed setting shallots field
Seasonal workers in Onseepkans
It is that time of the year for seasonal workers to arrive in Onseepkans for the export table grape season. Between 4 000 to 5 000 mostly Tswana seasonal workers come to Onseepkans and surroundings each year to work in the vineyards. Usually, many of these seasonal workers pass our house on their way to the shop or the liquor store. We have much interaction with these workers and are grateful that two young ladies started attending our church services on Sundays. This Sunday they came for the second time. The immorality is very high in the hostels where these seasonal workers stay with much pressure to succumb to the temptations. The hostels are really the working ground of the devil and these two ladies desperately need your prayers.
Young men involved in drug and alcohol abuse
In a previous report, we wrote about the young men who were involved with drug and alcohol abuse in the local neighbourhood. Recently these men came to me and asked if I could not speak to the farmers of the local export grape farms to give them a chance to work. The farmers prefer to use seasonal labour from other areas, instead of people from the local community. The reason for this is that they feel that the people from the local community are not trustworthy enough. They cannot depend on them to be at work every day. I used the opportunity to speak to the young men about discipline, trustworthiness, and faithfulness in their work. I explained to them that without the Lord Jesus it is impossible to have these virtues. Some attentively listened and agreed, others became agitated by what I said. Afterwards, I kept my promise and phoned the different farmers. One farmer agreed to give them a chance and said that they must give their names to the different team leaders. Pray for these young men that God will continue to work in their lives, soften their hearts and create opportunities for us to witness to them.
Chess Club
We hope to start a new project soon, a chess club in the nearby settlement. We aim to achieve a few objectives. We hope to get some of the young children off the streets and have an opportunity to work with them once a week for an hour in the community hall. We hope to build some discipline into their lives since chess requires discipline and concentration. We also hope that over time their reasoning skills will improve. We first-hand experienced how the twins from the neighbourhood who came to stay in our house developed from being academically underperformers in their school work to becoming good chess players and also good at their schoolwork. The children of the nearby settlement are idle and running around looking for mischief to do. We hope that the chess club will be the first step to counter this idleness and bad behaviour. Since chess is not limited by age, we also hope that some of the young men previously mentioned will get involved. We are also thankful that the police will also be involved in the project with a few of them expressing a keen interest in the project. Please remember the chess project in your prayers.
Our chess sets have arrived!
Vegetable tunnel for the Bright Lights Children Home
We are pushing forward to erect the tunnel structure for vegetable production for the children home in Pofadder. By God’s grace, we will order the netting soon and are already making seedlings to plant once the tunnel is finished. Thank you for your prayers and support in this regard.
Organic Vegetable Garden
It is fast becoming summer season in Onseepkans and we must prepare our mission’s organic vegetable garden for the summer crops. We are busy taking out the remainder of the winter crops and where it is too much for us to use, we distribute the excess in the community.
Handing out cabbage to the local community
Pottery
We recently had a very successful ash glazed pottery firing. We hope in time to give pottery classes to some individuals in the community that would be interested. Meanwhile, we keep on developing our own skills and are happy with the progress made.
Our latest ash glaze pottery
Thank you for praying and supporting the work of Onseepkans Mission. May God richly bless and keep you.
Gerhard, Elmane and children Onseepkans Mission
