June 2011

God leads in a New Direction

Pam and I want to share what will be happening in our lives over the next few months. We have accepted an opportunity to work with Global Strategy in Tennessee for 3 years on missionary status and then we will return to the field. We will be helping to identify, process, evaluate, and nurture candidates for overseas missionary service as well as seek to encourage short term service and potential partnerships.

We prayed and struggled to discern the Lord’s will in this matter. We tried to strip away any biases and make sure that we were listening to the Lord only. We love working alongside all of our missionary colleagues. Our boys are doing well along with our families so their well-being did not influence our decision.

The initial call we received over 10 years ago was to serve the Lord overseas and share the Gospel to make His name known and worshipped. We believe this position will encourage and facilitate others to access opportunities for different types of mission service. We love to see unreached peoples receive the Gospel. This role can help candidates prepare themselves and clarify the call on their lives. We desire to see prepared candidates and willing partners serve the Lord in strategic places around the world. This position allows us to be true to the call on our lives and help send laborers into the harvest. The position will be a challenge and we cannot enter it capriciously or without prayer.

We have lived in South Africa for ten years and it is home. Around the middle of August, we will be relocating to Nashville. Until then, we are actively involved in the work and continue to assist in reaching the lost of Africa. Your prayers have been instrumental over the years!!! Although it has been an extremely tough decision and it is with a sense of loss we leave Africa & our current ministry, we are excited to be embarking on this next phase of our journey.

We love you. We pray for you and we still need your prayers.

May 2011

Graduation Time!!

After four years, Drew has graduated from North Carolina State University with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Economics. We praise the Lord for his great accomplishment. Pam and I came back to the USA and along with Matthew were able to witness his graduation at the RBC Center. He is also taking license exams so he can start his new job as a financial consultant with Waddell and Reed. He hopes to start his new job the first of July. Please pray for him to pass his exams and to start his new job well. If you have any need for a hard-working, ambitious, and determined financial planner; do not hesitate to call :-)

Another congratulations, Don’s brother Kenneth also graduated from Richmond Community College with a degree in Electrical/Electronics Technology. Well done gentlemen.

May 2011

Hope for the Herero

Many of you have been praying alongside of us for the Herero of Namibia from the information contained on the Forgotten Peoples Website and from the prayer cards. They are an unreached and unengaged people group that needs to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. Praise the Lord that the Petro family has answered the call to go to them and will hopefully arrive before the end of the year. Please pray for them, as well as the church and family that they will leave behind and pray that the Namibian government would grant them access to live in their beautiful country. May the people of Namibia be blessed as the Gospel goes out among them.

May 2011

Cape Flats Ministry

We are so thankful to work alongside the members of the East Ridge Baptist Church in the Mitchell’s Plain area. We enjoy going out into the new areas beyond the church where there are not any churches and lots of new people who have moved in. It is always a blessing to see people accept the Lord and come to church. It was also encouraging to see a lady that Pam led to the Lord begin coming to church and she brought her mother on Mother’s Day. We have also had some interesting conversations with “cousins” that we have met. We pray that many in this area will come to know the Prince of Peace.

February 2011

Valentine’s Day 1981 and Beyond...

The two of us first laid eyes upon each other and spoke to each other on February 14, 1981. It is hard to believe that we have known each other 30 years. We praise the Lord for bringing us together and keeping us together. Thanks to all of you for praying for us during our time on the field and we pray for all of you as well.

January 2011

An Mbalantu Baptism Service in Outapi

We are praising the Lord for five Baptisms in the new church in Northern Namibia. Pastor Aaron Hall pastor of the Red Springs Baptist Church from the Bi-Fork Association was demonstrating how to baptize. These leaders will be prepared to baptize in the future as they lead the new “Jesus is the Way Baptist Church.” Please pray for them as they experience growing pains. Also pray diligently because the enemy is as active as the Spirit just not as strong.

Christmas in Cape Town

All five of us had a wonderful time seeing the sights and attractions of Cape Town. More importantly, we had the opportunity to be together and talk, eat, play games and enjoy each other. We rode the cable car up Table Mountain, played at Dolphin Beach, stood by the shark spotter as she scanned Muizenberg Beach for Great Whites and spent time with the penguins. It was wonderful to view a beautiful portion of God’s creation.

The Christmas that almost didn’t come!!

Drew, Matthew and Don’s mom were set to arrive in Cape Town on Sunday 19 December from London through Washington, DC. However, cold temperatures, ice and freezing rain paralyzed Heathrow Airport. The flight from Washington was cancelled so we rebooked them and rerouted them to New York. Every flight before and after was cancelled, but they took the one flight that got them to London. Once they got to London, suddenly their flight to South Africa was cancelled and they were informed that they would arrive in SA on the 26th after Christmas. Even though they were told it was impossible, they got on the only flight (flying standby) that left that night and arrived in Cape Town on Tuesday 21 December. The only way they got to South Africa when they did was the marvelous hand of the Lord. We praise the Lord for his kindness and wonderful care. We also were impressed at how the boys and Don’s mom handled the whole ordeal. God truly is good.