Celebrating the new Couple!!

On August 14, 2010, the Clark and Stanick family celebrated the joining in holy matrimony of Tiffany Michelle Clark to Jason Hanson. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson enjoyed a honeymoon on Fiji and now reside in Orange, CA. Jason is working in sales and marketing. Tiffany just landed a job with a law firm in Irvine as a receptionist with a clear possibility of advancement to work as a paralegal.

Please rejoice with us over the Lord giving Tiffany and Jason to one another. Pray that they will follow the Lord's leading in all that they do. Pray too for a new church home for them.

Thank you for your prayers for all of us related to this event. We greatly appreciate it.

Serving Him Together, the Clarks

Wedding Date Set!

Just a quick announcement to pray for us as we prepare for Tiffany and Jason's wedding on August 14, 2010.

Tiffany and her boyfriend Jason Hanson - Engaged!!

Dear Family and Friends,

Kim and I would like to announce to you that our oldest daughter, Tiffany Michelle, is now engaged to be married to her boyfriend Jason Hanson. Following several weeks (3 1/2) of constant communication between Jason and I and his answering of many, many questions that I had, I gave my blessing to Jason to ask Tiffany to marry him. He's a wonderful young man. Kim and I are confident that the Lord has brought them together. Jason arranged with us to have Tiffany in the San Diego area on Thursday, March 18th, on Shelter Island, which sits below Point Loma and across from Coronado Island. The idea was that we would take Tiffany to scope out places to eat on Coronado Island when Jason's family arrived with him the next day at our home. Since we knew we had to get her to Shelter Island Marina and not Coronado Island, I announced to her, as we came into San Diego, that I wanted to check out this place on Shelter Island first and then compare it to what we find on Coronado Island. I gave it the fictional name of Pacific Sunset Restaurant. We eventually found the gate of the marina. Under the guise that I was looking for this restaurant next to the docks, I stepped into an office to call Jason. The lady asked if she could help me and I explained that I just needed a place to fake like I was getting directions, while my daughter's boyfriend comes up to take her on a boat to propose. She jumped up to the window saying, "Oh, how exciting! I want to see this!". While Kim and Tiffany were standing there and waiting on me, Jason came walking up the ramp with a flower in his hand. She was completely surprised! She had no clue, since they had been texting all day long as if Jason was at work in Napa. Jason invited her on a sailboat sunset cruise on the pacific, so, off they went.

Meanwhile, Kevin had picked up all of our other children from school and met us near the marina for dinner while we waited. When Kevin told the other kids what was happening before they left. Kaitlyn screamed with joy, Kelly cried tears of joy, Jason, said, "Wait!, Wow! Are you serious?" and Brody, said flatly, "Oh, she'll say yes". When Kevin questioned Brody how he knows, Brody said, "My heart tells me. She's going to say yes". We met them at the docks just at sunset and all the kids hid until Tiffany and Jason got up to the gate. Then they surprised Tiff by jumping out to give her hugs. Following pictures and hearing about their sailboat ride, we all piled into the cars and went over to Coronado Island for ice cream at Moo Time! After this we left for home and when we arrived, Jason's mother, Michelle, sisters Jenny and Taylor and Jenny's children, Jayden, Zack and Kaitlyn were all there to meet us and stay a couple of days with us. Michelle's husband, Dan and Jenny's husband, Matt, weren't there due to work. March 19th is Jason's birthday and so we had a special birthday time on Friday. It was a special day! Jason and Tiffany are presently trying to decide where they want to have the wedding and are looking at July as the month. More on that later!

A Western Band of Brothers

I'm sure some of these hombres are wanted somewhere. Prior to the Desiring God Pastor's Conference our group of 16 sat for this photograph. Desperados, Why Don't You Come To Your Senses?

Encouragement From Desiring God Pastor's Conference

At the beginning of this week I was privileged to attend the Desiring God Pastor's Conference in Minneapolis, MN. I went there with Faith Bible Church pastors and the men who are involved with the FBC Training Center; 16 of us in all. Two of the men in Training Center were still on a mission trip to Uganda.

This was a wonderful opportunity to be encouraged in the Word and to deepen relationships with men who serve as members of FBC. The speakers were great and I was particularly encouraged by John Piper's teaching on C.S. Lewis. I'll definitely read C.S. Lewis differently than in the past and with more understanding. My heart was greatly encouraged too by the messages brought from the Word of God by Eric Mason (pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA) and Bob Blincoe (US Director of Frontiers and has been a missionary to Jordan and the Kurds of Northern Iraq through Medical Teams International). Pastor Sam Storms of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City was the main speaker.

The fellowship among the men from FBC was sweet. All of us serve in various ministries at FBC. Interaction with these men has provided me with a great deal of encouragement lately and especially while getting away with them for a couple of days.

I would encourage anyone to go to desiringgod.org and listen to the messages from this conference. Here are some thoughts from my notes that had impact for me. They are not word for word quotes.

Will you not be satisfied with the work of Christ, which was sufficient to satisfy the wrath of God? ~ John Piper quoting something written by his father

Any joy not found in historical facts and scripture and its principles will prove to be infatuation. - Sam Storms

Definition of biblical joy = a deep durable delight in the beauty and majesty of who God is. Joy takes work and a strategy that will be achieved when we strive and sacrifice to obtain it.

The physical glory we see (in the natural world) is just a shadowy reflection of the spiritual glory of God. - Storms

Use Scripture memorization to confront what kills joy - there is a sin-killing power in Scripture. - Storms

In 1857, David Livingstone wrote that he rejoiced in the sacrifice of serving in Africa - saw it as a privilege to do it and face the realistic troubles - said he never made a sacrifice. - Blincoe

I'm not a prophet, nor a son of a prophet. I'm from a non-profit organization" - :) - Blincoe

The Bible relentlessly tells us to not lose heart nor be in fear or panic - Blincoe

If you don't know that life is war, than you don't know what prayer is for." - Blincoe quoting John Piper

Guard your heart from the idol of fear - we need knowledge of God to combat and replace fear with contentment and peace. Colossians 1:24

There is nothing more worthy of our desire than Christ - 2 Corinthians 4:6 - ⁶For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

The Lord Jesus was acquainted with grief and the whole world has been watching Him ever since. ~ Blincoe

Some may say that your suffering is a sign that your God has left you. No! It is a sign of the cross.

To fight losing heart we must press on into Theology (ie: to deepen our study and understanding of God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible).

Just another quote that I found a few months ago from John Piper where he calls the 66 books of the Bible "The Glorious Mosaic of Divine Design"

More on another post...

Link to ABWE Commit to Support Restored

A supporter brought to my attention that they couldn't click on the Team 200 image of the number to get to the ABWE page for registering to commit to support us. I have now solved that problem.

Africa is What it is, because of What Africa Worships

Just recently I was speaking with a new friend after the worship service. In the course of getting to know one another better he spoke of having just arrived after a visit back to his former native country in Africa. I was amazed at his openness about the situation there and his candid evaluation of it. He knows firsthand the problems of Africa. He told me that Africa is in a mess. He then said, "Africa is what it is, because of what Africa worships." I questioned him further and he elaborated. He said that most of the people only dabble in Christianity, but they never fully give up their worship and fear of the devil or the worship of pagan gods, which is also worship of the devil in disguise. So, they have generational sins that are never broken. They live in fear of the devil and try to appease him. Many never fully give up their former ways of worship. Situations in these countries from almost every standpoint never really improve enough. In essence, we are what we worship and based on that there are consequences.

I shared with him that we saw it similarly working in Europe, but on a different level. Although the countries of Europe are more stable than in Africa, the same problem of sin and worship are there. To the degree that people forsake their former objects of worship and depend on, worship and cling by faith to the Lord, to that degree they begin to grow and are fruitful in their new life in Christ. My friend said when he visits there his walk of faith is strengthened and his resolve to worship the Lord is greater, but his heart is saddened and breaks over what he sees.

Our short visit to South Africa last August was the same. South Africa is what it is because of what the people of South Africa worship. Sure it may be one of the most stable on the continent in a lot of respects, but what does "stable" really mean. South Africa has been dubbed "The Rainbow Nation" due to the new hope that was birthed when Nelson Mandela began as the leader in 1994. Has it really been able to live up to that nickname? Or, as is so often the case, is it just a fleeting symbol that represents worship of something other than the God of the Bible? The world worships things like diversity, plurality, tolerance, personal pride and self-esteem, etc. In this day and age, those who are most visible and admired are those who promote and exemplify the worst possible character traits. These are the trappings that keep mankind bound up in their worship of something other than Jesus Christ.

South Africa is a unique country. Many different ethnic and hidden people groups are represented in South Africa. Many nationalities have moved south and ended up in this diverse country “down under”. The largest Indian population outside of India is in South Africa as a result of bringing “indentured servants” to work 5 years in the sugar cane fields of South Africa from 1860 to 1920. Many worked for their freedom and then remained in South Africa.

South Africa has well over 55 different false religions, cults and Christian sects that are influencing the people. One can add into that the worship and attention given to materialism and many other “isms”. Many try to pick and choose parts of many religious beliefs and meld them together for something personal. The idea is they want to create their own god to worship as they wish. This is an “ism” too. It is called “syncretism”, which means, “the action, process or result of combining or uniting different religions or objects of worship”. I looked for a synonym for this and there were many big ones, but the synonym that stood out to me most was “blend”. Mankind is always trying to blend the best (worship of our Creator), with the inferior or subordinate (worship of any thing else). The Lord knew this when He gave us the 10 commandments. The first two commandments have to do with worship of Him alone. It’s really an important issue!

What can possibly bring about a change in South Africa and the other African nations? It seems that many are searching in all the wrong places to find truth and life and objects of worship. It reminds me of the book of Amos, when he warned of a famine that was coming in the land of Israel. Amos 8:11-12 says, “11 "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. 12 Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east,.searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.” Many are still searching for truth. Some think they have found it separate from God’s revealed truth in the Bible. It is our intention to work and help to satisfy those who are searching and to challenge those who have not yet begun to search for the Word of the Lord. By equipping and training a new generation of South African nationals to proclaim the truths of God’s Word many will no longer hunger and thirst. The Word of God must be taught and proclaimed in order for men to be satisfied and turn their worship to the only true God.

The picture in this post shows a baton that Kim and I both received upon our commissioning by ABWE to serve in South Africa. It’s being passed to the hand of another. We signed our individual batons. They represent our goal to pass on to “faithful” men and women our vision, heart and life. We will work to help prepare them to teach and preach the Word of truth and life. We are even praying now that the Lord will go before us and eventually bring us into contact with specific South Africans to whom we can give these batons, as a symbol of their faithfulness to go further and deeper in ministry in South Africa than we can. They will sign the baton and then pray and work to pass that baton on to another.

An extremely challenging verse is found in Romans 10: 11-15, 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!".

This concept of beautiful feet seems a little strange. I’ve seen my feet and they are not beautiful. I won’t even give you a description because I don’t want to put that picture in your head. But the idea here is one of purity. Those who bring the good news must do so with pure motives and not for selfish gain. They bring the pure gospel message of the free gift of salvation. Those who hear this pure, good news and take hold of it by faith see the messenger of the truth of salvation as “beautiful”, since their faith in Christ as their substitute on the cross, has given them forgiveness and life in Christ. That is a beautiful thought.

Belief, hearing, preaching can only happen when one is sent. We desire to be sent to do this important work. When we are in South Africa we will work hard to prepare, entrust and send those who prove to be faithful, so that they will impact others to give attention, allegiance and worship to the Lord. We are what we worship. Pray that Africa, and specifically South Africa, will become what it should be by worshiping the Lord Jesus. Please ask the Lord to lead us to those South Africans He wants us to pass our batons of ministry to? Will you ask the Lord to send us? Will you prayerfully consider joining our Team 200 Project of financial support for $25 or more per month to send us there? We are seeking to answer this calling on our lives to entrust faithful men. Are you called to support and send faithful men to do this work? Thank you for praying and giving to send us.

The Mission and Vision of The Phoenix Fellowship

Picture: Pastor Selvan and Diana Govender

A Happy New Year to You!

We pray the Lord's grace and blessings on you, your family and ministry. We wanted to provide for you a link to a video presentation that was recorded by our son Jason while we were in Durban, SA at the end of August. This is Pastor Selvan Govender, senior pastor of the Phoenix Fellowship in Durban. He is standing on the property that the Lord has provided for them in the Durban suburb of Phoenix and he is presenting the mission, vision and prayer requests related to the church. Due to a lack of the right sound equipment you'll hear background noises (lots of birds, at least one motorcycle), which we've tried to overcome with the help of a friend. If you turn up your volume on your computer and any speakers or even use a set of headphones, it may come in better for you. Next time we'll have to pack some sound equipment. Please click on the link to the right of their picture entitled "Pastor Selvan Govender" to view this 5 minute presentation.

We'll be at a supporting church tomorrow sharing about our plans to get to ministry in South Africa. Please pray that new supporters will join our team to send us in 2010. A number of people have indicated their interest and are in process of committing their support. We praise the Lord constantly for our team and those who will help us finalize our plans to return to the field.

Blessings to you in Christ, The Clarks

Merry Christmas! One Year in the Family

** No, our family didn't grow...this is at Thanksgiving weekend and Tiffany's boyfriend, Jason Hanson and his buddy, Tim Chun were visiting.

Dear Family and Friends,

A Merry Christmas to you! We would like to share with you our joy of having Kaitlyn and Broden in our family now for 1 year. December 13, 2009 marks a year since their arrival into our family and into the US. We praise the Lord and His perfect timing and blessing. They are doing well, growing and learning English.

Recently, Kaitlyn had an assignment for school to write a couple of paragraphs about a special day. She ran off to her room and later returned to have Kim look over her effort. She wrote of the day in January 2008 when she and Broden received a phone call from us at the orphanage. She asked us in that phone conversation if we would be coming to get them. We answered yes. She then asked if it would be for good. We again answered yes. She said this was the best special day because it was the answer to her prayer that God would give them a family.

We praise God for His answer to her and our prayers as well. It reminds us of the special adoption for all who will believe in Christ by faith. This began when God sent His Son to earth to be born of a virgin and live as a man. He then willingly gave His life on a cross so that adoption into God's family would be possible. It seemed an impossible situation for Kaitlyn and Broden to be adopted into our family. If I was to tell you all the details of their adoption you would be amazed, as we are, beyond belief. Theirs was a desperate situation they could not get out of on their own. Likewise, man's sinful state was an impossible and desperate situation that only the Lord Himself could solve. While He was dying on that cross, he was hanging next to thieves on his right and left. Eventually, one of them realized his only hope was in the innocent man hanging between them. He must have heard about Jesus. He must have wondered why an innocent man was dying there with them. God gave to this thief the ability to see with eyes of faith that Jesus was the Savior. Realizing his impossible and desperate situation, this thief spoke to Jesus. Their conversation is found in Luke 23:42-44,

⁴²Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." ⁴³Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." ⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.⁴⁷The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."

Even one of those assigned to crucify the Lord was given eyes of faith to see rightly that Jesus is the righteous Son of God! Praise the Lord that He voluntarily gave His life for us that we might have His righteousness to make us acceptable into God's family. What a solution! What an amazing adoption picture and blessing! 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." May your Christmas 2009 be very special.

Vivid Memories of a Beautiful Country and People

It was a fantastic trip to Durban and though it was the last week of August, it remains vivid in our minds. Jason and I (Kim in spirit) went there looking to the Lord to show us things about the mission work, culture, and people. We are committed to going to serve in Durban, if the Lord will supply us with that support team that we need. The confirmation came for us in the fact that it is a solid ABWE team and there is a specific role of ministry with the Baptist Bible College as Dean of Students. It is exactly the ministry role we were envisioning and praying about even 6 years ago! Pray for us as financially we need to reach the goal of 85% by the end of February to go to the Field Prep Seminar. Otherwise we'll have to wait till the next FPS in November 2010. A house awaits us in Durban if we can get there by June/July. Darryl has a course for me to take over and teach at the college starting in July. The college has a number of students for us to work with to help in preparing them for practical aspects of ministry.

Please pray fervently that we may reach the field in 2010 and that the Lord will bring onto our support team the equivalent of 170 new supporters at $25/month. Please pray according to Luke 11:9-10 - ⁹"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰"For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

Pictures: the city center of Durban; the port of Durban; over the Atlantic on South African Air; sunrise over the Atlantic on our way to JFK; Jason in Johannesberg airport

Darryl, Casey and Emma Meekins

Our survey trip to Durban, South Africa was made extra special by our visit and stay with the Meekins family. Darryl is the principal of Baptist Bible College of Kwazulu-Natal (BBC-KZN) and has been in that role of ministry since 2007. Casey serves alongside Darryl when she can and has been involved in the training of groups who can then go into local schools for the ministry of abstinence education. They are presently ministering with The Phoenix Fellowship (TPF). Darryl and Casey have a daughter, Emma, who is just as cute as can be and turned 2 while we were there. We ask you to pray for this wonderful family who faithfully serve the Lord in Durban. Darryl has a tough job to do with the college ministry. Casey's father recently passed away. Pray for the whole family as they adjust to this.

Pictures top to bottom: Last day at lunch with the Meekins and Govender families; Emma getting shy and ready for bed; Casey and Emma at Phoenix Fellowship service; visiting with other members of The Phoenix Fellowship; Our last shot of Emma as we left for the terminal to return. She was really tired from those California visitors!

Announcing Our Latest Prayer Letter with a Change!

"Clark Pathways" is the name of our new prayer letter and a website related to our Ministry and Family is being prepared as well. This photo was found after a search of shared photos on flickr and it is entitled "Scenic Chapel". It's picturesque view along this path in the foreground is from the Drakensberg Mountains outside of Durban, SA. The focus of our new prayer letter theme is related to passages like these:

• Habakkuk 3:19 - The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
• Psalm 119: 105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
• Proverbs 3: 5-6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

As we work hard and wait on the Lord's perfect timing for our being sent out to serve in South Africa, we have been reminded by Him that He is sovereign in all things. Wherever we are and wherever our journeys take us we must always follow the One who is the only Way, Jesus Christ. As we offer up a new prayer letter title that reflects our past and future travels and the missions work we desire to do, we want for it to reflect our trust in the Lord as the one who leads us. If you would like to receive our prayer letter either by email or by mail, please contact us at Robert.Clark@abwe.cc Thank you for your prayers and support.

Other Images from Durban

Pictures: 1) A Hadedas Ibis - a colorful, but annoying bird. It has an almost flourescent coloring on its wings, but it makes a sound that can wake anybody up; 2) Steve Thompson, missionary serving in Ballito (north of Durban) and teaching a class at the college; 3) Pastor Selvan Govender teaching at the college; 4) Steve Thompson giving some instruction; 5) Students at the college

Various Images from Durban Survey Trip

Pictures: 1) Students at Baptist Bible College of Kwazulu-Natal - this is a class related to Bible Teaching Methods; 2) The college library - 6,000 books and also many online services; 3) The ABWE Durban Team men praying together; 4) A Durban Taxi - colorful and fun to look at, but totally dangerous, often overloaded, no seatbelts and often driven by DUI drivers - don't take one! Many have put a name on the front or all over their taxi - This one is named "Nuclear Weapon" - perfect! - at the same time it's advertising "Stay Away From Drugs" - that's good; 5) Robert with Glenn Barnett. Glenn and Ame Barnett and their 4 children serve at Fellowship Baptist Church in Church Development and Compassion Ministries. Pray for the Barnetts as 2 of their children struggle with chronic asthma. Also, they need prayer for a new home to rent and new location for their hospice ministry.

Other Pictures of Durban, SA Trip

Pictures related to the future home of The Phoenix Fellowship: 1) Neighborhood around the property; 2) View from the property, a Mosque sits just on the other side of the pinkish building; 3) Pastor Selvan, Jason and Darryl at the property, this property was a neighborhood dump and has been cleaned up and the fence posts are up with the phases for building being drawn up now; 4) The Phoenix Fellowship Sign; 5) Pastor Selvan during taping of his presentation about Phoenix Fellowship's plans for ministry using the future building. Jason taped this presentation, but we are having trouble with some of the background sounds. We hope to be able to post this soon. Over Pastor Selvan's left shoulder and behind that huge pine tree sits a Hindu temple.

Pictures of the Last Day & at Phoenix Fellowship

Pictures: Jason and Thabo at The Phoenix Fellowship service, The Phoenix Fellowship worship team, Preaching at TPF, Some of the children, Lunch with the Meekins and Govender families.

Other Pictures of Clermont Trip

Pictures: A "store" which sells incense for ancestor worship, which includes animal sacrifices, women doing laundry at the community water source, A Nazirite service with women (in foreground) separated from men (far side) and preacher in the middle, a typical house with ancestor worship hut (notice the round shape and thatched roof of this ancestor worship temple), Dennis Nkosi told us this young woman (see below) walking ahead of us on the sidewalk is a medium for speaking to ancestors and pointed to the colorful anklets on her legs. The anklets truly were on her legs! Jason got a better picture with his video shot, but I'm not yet able to access it.

DAYS 4 AND 5 IN DURBAN (part 2); Last Day

Pictures: This makeshift hut sits (barely) on the side of a hill and is attached to the electric tower, a man doing his laundry near the only water source spigot in that part of Clermont, a view from Clermont to another township (the only way to that township is a 45 minute drive through 2-3 other townships due to a river that separates them), Dennis Nkosi with the grandmother who teaches at their church plant, Jason and Nkosi family.



Following our time with David and Virginia Morris we were able to spend the evening with Des and Sharon Venter and their young children. It was a special evening as we enjoyed talking about Grace Baptist Church's plans and history. Des is the first South African called to be a pastor at GBC-Amanzimtoti. Des received his theological degree from The Master's Seminary (TMS) in Los Angeles and they know some of the professors that we know at TMS and The Master's College in Santa Clarita. They served in Johannesburg for a number of years and then they were called to be the first South African pastor at Grace Baptist Church of Amanzimtoti. They have high hopes for further growth and ministry in the community from their church of 190 people. They currently have plans in January to begin a church plant in a rural township next to Amanzimtoti among the Zulu with a Zulu speaking pastor. This church plant will be a very tough ministry to begin and they will need much prayer support. The church has plans for involvement with HIV/AIDS ministry, education and care for orphans and leadership development with greater community involvement for outreach. The Venters have 3 biological children and they have adopted a little black girl who is HIV+. The child's mother gave birth to her and then walked away. She's getting proper care and medicine now and she has begun to thrive and grow physically. The Venters are in the process of adopting another little boy at this time and need prayer because they are experiencing difficulties from government officials as they try to meet the requirements for adoption.

I forgot to mention that also in the morning on day four we spent time with Darryl and Selvan playing squash. If you don't know what squash is then you are missing out. Squash is similar to racquetball, in that you are using the walls all around. However, it is different in that a longer racket is used, the ball is not as lively off the wall or racket and you don't use the ceiling nor all of the wall on the side and back. It is a game of finesse and placement rather than power and so Darryl and Selvan gave us some good lessons about the game. Following this we met up with Selvan at the future home of The Phoenix Fellowship. This property has finally become theirs after a court battle and the Lord is helping them get ready to build on it. This property was once a neighborhood dump and sits down the hill from a Hindu temple and up the hill from a Muslim mosque. It is a wonderful location for ministry, which may include a medical ministry as well as an education center for the community. Jason filmed Selvan at the property as he explained for us the present situation, plans and prayer requests for the property and congregation. Please pray for the Lord to open up the doors they need to arrange the next steps for building on the property. It has been cleaned and leveled off and the fencing is being built around the perimeter. Selvan hopes to have help from teams in the states as they begin the first phases of building on the property. It is our hope to be able to supply a team for them from those who are interested in helping to build and establish Phoenix Fellowship in their future home.

On day 5 we visited the Chung family over breakfast. Barnabas and Peggy Chung and their 3 teenage daughters, Sharon, Yee and Eunice. They are serving among the ethnic Chinese population in Durban by planting Peace Chinese Christian Church. The work there has been challenging for them as they have come from Hong Kong to live and serve in Durban. There are presently 20 members of this church. The girls taught Jason how to play ping pong Chinese style and then they spent time playing praise songs on guitars. I was amazed to hear their heart's desire to serve among the ethnic Chinese. This church plant is attempting to minister among both Cantonese and Mandarin speaking Chinese. Pray for their efforts among this minority of the population and for safety and security for their family as they serve.

We then spent time with Dennis Nkosi who took us on a car tour of Clermont township. We spent almost 4 hours driving around this huge township and hearing about its history and details from Dennis. Dennis shared with us about some of the violent history of the Clermont community as well as some of the religious influences and barriers there. In particular, he shared at length about the reasons why Zulu men are so resistant to the gospel. It all revolves around ancestor worship and the prominent position and identity that this religious worldview has for all Zulu men. When visiting a family Dennis has seen men welcome him, share his home, get their wife and children to come and listen to Dennis and then leave. When he has asked these men why they do this, the reply has been, "Pastor, I have given you access to my home, wife and family. What more do you want of me. Don't ask me to give up the worship of my ancestors. I will not do it." Worship of ancestors and seeking the help they believe is needed and possible through worshiping them is the reason why Zulu men will not come to faith in Christ.

Dennis also relayed to us that early on missionaries came and tried to give the gospel to the Zulu. They translated the Bible into Zulu, but when it came to translating God's name it proved to be very difficult. There is a name in Zulu that completely identifies God accurately. "ELINGQANGI" is the Zulu name for God and it literally means "He who has been existing before anything else existed". However, the missionaries could not say the word correctly. If you've ever watched the movie series "The God's Must Be Crazy" then you know that the Zulu language is a difficult language to speak and that it adds clicking sounds to it. As if it wasn't difficult enough to study the Czech language with the trilling of the "r" and crazy, difficult grammar. Now we come across Zulu! :) Well Zulu is so difficult that the translators and evangelists early on sought a word for God that they could pronounce well. They ended up using an easier word that means "Grandfather of Grandfathers", which ends up placing God on a par with all their ancestors. It was not as effective and has confused the gospel. There are Zulus though who prefer to use the better name for God.

Dennis took us to visit one of his special workers in children's ministry. This grandmother came to salvation in Christ when Dennis was going door to door and shared the gospel with her. In spite of her being drunk at the time, the gospel stuck with her and she responded to the Lord by faith. Now she teaches 3rd to 6th grade Sunday school at their church plant. This can be contrasted with the rest of the family who responded to a different door to door evangelist, a Jehovah's Witness. Now she lives under the same roof with family members involved with a Christian cult! You could see however her life in Christ is vital and vibrant.

Dennis pointed out the difficulties that people in these communities face with some areas of it having no running water or just one community spigot or no electricity. There are makeshift homes using whatever is available and when a building is built, there can be a family of up to 8 living in a space the size of my walk in closet! We also saw a number of the false spiritual influences in this community. We came upon the service of a Nazirite congregation. This was held outside and all members were dressed in white. The men and women sat separated and between them the "pastor" was shouting out an enthusiastic and passionate sermon. They believe the pastor is the messiah in human form and before he passes on he will pass this title to one of his sons. At this moment a younger son is taking the church and his older brother to court because the younger son believes that he is the messiah incarnate! Interesting theology. Dennis also pointed out to us a local medium or channeler. This was a young woman with a baby on her back who wears colorful anklets to distinguish her role in ancestor worship. The trip into Clermont is etched in my mind as the most amazing part of the trip and certainly the most eye-opening part. Dennis and his wife Violet have 4 wonderful children: Nonhlanhla (21), Nkulukeko or "Leko" (15), Neo (13) and Mpume (11). We shared a special meal with them at their home before returning to the Meekins' home for dinner and a chance to watch some soccer on television.

Our last day started early as we attended The Phoenix Fellowship and I preached from 2 Peter 1:1-15. It was a special day to get to know some wonderful people. Selvan and Darryl expressed to me that the passage and sermon were timely for their congregation. I was very encouraged by the friendship that was begun between Jason and Thabo. The Phoenix Fellowship was the 8th church plant that ABWE started and it began in 1987 by Dale and Karen Marshfield with Dave and Karen Hamrick. It is primarily made up of ethnic Indians formerly from Muslim or Hindu beliefs. Jason sat in on the youth Bible study during a Sunday school hour. Thabo is the youth leader. The Phoenix Fellowship beginning training for Biblical counseling and a midweek ministry to strengthen marriages and families. Following the service we got our bags at the Meekins and went to lunch with the Govenders. It was a special time to wrap up our visit with these wonderful people who serve in a difficult setting. Pray for them as they work to establish this congregation in the Word of God and as a witness to the gospel and a light in the darkness. Jason and I had an even longer flight and travel home, but except for an extra long security check in Dakar, Senegal, it was uneventful.

We felt so blessed and privileged to be able to see this city and its people and to hear from the missionaries and South Africans firsthand. Many have been asking us if this trip helped to confirm our plans and desires to serve there. After returning home and talking with Kim about it and praying over it, we believe that the Lord confirmed it to us. In particular, we were glad to see the strength and closeness of the ABWE Durban team, even though many serve in different ministries from one another in the city. In addition, the fact that the ministry role that is being offered to us fits exactly what we had been praying for gives to us a confidence that the Lord is leading us to serve there. The role with the college plays a vital part in the strategy for church planting in Durban and South Africa as a whole. As we have been saying for a year and a half, we intend to serve in Durban if the Lord will open this door to us.

This trip allowed us to strengthen ties with the missionaries and South Africans we will serve with and gave to us a greater vision for impacting and entrusting God's people for church planting ministry. Colossians 1:28-29 has been a key verse in my mind since the Lord orchestrated this survey trip to Durban. "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. It is our hope and prayer that we can make it to this important ministry early in 2010. As always, we must place the timing and provision for this goal in the hands and plans of the Lord. Pray for us as we continue to try and raise a support team and reach full support status. Kim and I are so grateful for the team that the Lord has assembled for us so far and are hopeful that others will join us to send us out to this important opportunity in ministry.