Dear Friends in Christ
In previous newsletters, we wrote about the orphaned twins that came to stay with us little more than a year ago. Since then their presence opened up the door for outreach to their wider circle of relatives in the nearby settlement.
One such relative, a cousin of the twin's mother, approached us and asked to go to Moreson Mission for help. He confessed how difficult it is for him to resist the temptations in the local settlements were he and his family were part of the vicious circle of sin with a whole community suffering under the terrible destruction of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and immorality. He said he wanted to get away to someplace quiet where he could seek the Lord. His marriage was also falling apart and not only him and his wife but also their two little children were suffering under the consequences of sin.
At the same time that we sent him to Moreson Mission, his wife started working in our home and started counselling with my wife and I. Currently the whole family is at Moreson Mission while visiting some relatives in Cape Town. We do not know the Lord’s plans, but we do know that they are seeking the Lord and we encourage them to seek His will for their lives. Please make a special effort to put this family on your prayer list.
Please pray for this family, Rodney and Zenobia Cloete and their children.
Another prayer request: The orphanage in the nearby town of Pofadder, accommodating 80 to 100 children from all ages, contacted us and asked us if we would be willing to grow vegetables for them. They have a few agricultural tunnels, but the malicious damage done by the children from the local community makes it impossible for them to continue growing vegetables. Their winter temperatures are also much colder than here in the valley of Onseepkans where our winter temperatures are much more favourable for growing vegetables. They asked if we would be willing to grow vegetables for them and if they could send their tunnels to us. This orphanage is one of only a few in the Northern Cape and not only houses children from the local region but also places further away. The local United Reformed church in Pofadder oversees the management of the children’s home. The main elder in this church is Manie Booysen, whom we took to the mission in Natal a few years ago. Challenges of this project include purchasing 40% shade net for the tunnels and the salary for a full-time labourer who on a daily basis could assist making seedlings, plant, maintain and harvest the vegetable tunnels. This project will greatly increase our contact with the children of the orphanage and the United Reformed Church in Pofadder and we hope in a small way to have an influence on the lives of these children.
Recently we assisted a family where the mother of three was dying of aids. She passed away and her elder sister is now left behind with the difficult task of fostering her deceased sister's three orphan children. We assist this lady and children with freshly baked bread, a goat to slaughter for meat, and some vegetables once the garden is producing enough. Please remember this lady and the children in your prayers.
We are grateful for the progress in the garden, both for personal use and serving the community where we can. Many people are interested in our vegetable seedlings and we try to encourage people to start vegetable gardens at their homes.
Apart from different vegetable seedlings, we also try to grow many different herb seedlings and hope to motivate others to make use of herbs, rather than the unhealthy ways that they cook at the moment. Their deficient diet is part of the reasons why they suffer under so many sicknesses and diseases.
By God’s grace, we are happy with the progress of the vegetable seed project whereby we plant vegetables for seed generation for a seed company. So far the project had enabled us to give 10 people work for a day and 6 people work for three days. It means a lot to the people to receive their full wages at the end of the day and we also give them an opportunity to buy basic grocery necessities from us at a much lower price that what they would pay at the local stores. They are thankful that in this way they can get further with their money.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the work of Onseepkans Mission. May God continue to be your Rock and Strength.
Gerhard, Elmane and all at Onseepkans Mission
