Tuesday, August 26, 2008

August 26th Update

We have passed out 2 month anniversary in Malawi and it is hard to believe. It seems that we just arrived! We are settling in and adapting to the change of culture, and lifestyle here in Africa. The other day I saw a photo of someone driving in America and I thought, How odd, they are driving on the wrong side of the road.
We continue to serve in the Good Samaritan Baptist Church at Mapanga while our home up in Ntcheu is being built. The floor has now been pored and as of last Thursday the exterior and interior walls are being bricked. Lord willing all walls will be up by the end of next week and we can build the trusses and install the roof. After that the plumbing and electrical goes in, the interior walls are plastered then painted. We have a ways to go, but Lord willing we will make it by rainy season. One of the ongoing issues is that of electrical power. Escom, the State owned power company, does not have power to the area, and we will have to install a generator, or solar panels, converter & batteries or possibly both. It is a heavy expense and I am crying out to God for the right direction.
We also continue to soul win with many people repenting and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Sunday night our two yard men and their wives accepted Christ. One man was Roman Catholic, his wife a Seventh Day Adventist, and the other man and wife were CCAP, (Presbyterian). They have since asked to be taught the bible on Sunday and Wednesday nights, and we are going to take them to GSBC at Mapanga and also bible teach them; To God be the Glory!!
Thank you for continuing to pray and may God bless you with many mercies.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Mid August Update

What a whirlwind week we had last week! We have (6) visitors from the USA & Canada staying at our home and Dr. Gentry's home. They are doing maintenance and new construction at the existing orphanage in Mapanga and they are up at the new orphanage up in Ntcheu. They will be building and installing roof trusses and rafters and also putting on iron sheeting, (metal roofs). Darcy and I went to Kasinji and taught in a two day pastor's school that also included their wives. I taught the pastor and their wives together in the morning and in the afternoon I had the pastors and Darcy taught the pastor's wives. We had a great time and all of us were blessed as we studied God's Word. Darcy gave the pastor's wives bibles, those who did not have one, and she had a good fellowship with them. We provided the food for the school and Thursday the wives prepared a special lunch for Darcy and myself of Sima, (corn porridge) and goats lungs, liver, kidneys and intestines. We smiled and ate what they prepared and to tell you the truth it was not all bad. All the people were gracious and kind. We slept in our truck next to the church and what a blessing it was to be awoke at 3:30am by the sound of men praying. In Malawi many people get up at the cocks crow, or first light. We also are learning to be up before 5am.
We still do not have phone service and we are having to find places to try and send emails. The station I am at right now is operating at 44 Kbps and it is slow going.
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts!!
Johnathan and I are going back up to Ntcheu tomorrow at first light and spend the night working with the visitors. We will go soul winning in Kasinji tomorrow afternoon and then head home with the visitors on Thursday afternoon.
Darcy and I will be starting a Sunday School and Junior Church teachers class in about 10 days as we desire to train the Nationals to minister to the young kids. This class will be on Saturdays after soul winning down in Mapanga and we are excited! Please pray for both the Nationals and us.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Fullford August 2008 Update

Thank you for all the prayers and support during the last 5 weeks. I am sure many are wondering what has happened to us, but the truth is that we still do not have a telephone land line for communications and computer data. Thieves continue to steal the phone cables in our area of Limbe as quick as the MTL installs them. On top of that my laptop has been sick and I have not been able to send out emails or get online.
We have been busy 7 days a week with the construction up at the new orphanage at Ntcheu, soul winning down where we live, soul winning up in the village of Kasinji, about 5 Km from the new property and serving in the Mapanga GSO Baptist Church. I have been either preaching or teaching adult Sunday School every week. Darcy has been teaching a Sunday Womans Sunday School, Sunday night Junior church, and a Monday bible class at a private girls school in the village of Njuli. The kids have been soul winning and helping out in classes and they also do the Wednesday night Junior Church at Mapanga.
We have seen literally hundreds of souls come to Christ in our first 5 weeks and you would have to be here to see how hungry the people are for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We had a Jesus Film and Preaching outreach in the village of Kasinji 10 days ago and there were over 2000 people in attendance. They stood for over two hours watching the film, and at the end I and a national Pastor preached a salvation message, the Romans Road and gave an invitation. Over 1000 people raised their hands for salvation and many national preach boys that were there took groups of people aside to make sure that the people understood the scriptures. A national Pastor has been holding bible studies every night before and since the that night and over 100 people every night of the week are in attendance.
Please continue to pray for:
Opportunities for Outreach
Continued good health
Electrical Power to the new orphanage and our home that is being built up in Ntcheu
Wisdom for all that we do

PS. We killed our first Black Mamba snake on our back porch three weeks ago.

Prov. 29:18 - You must have a vision!

Brother John