Newsletter June 2019

This is the verse that we are memorising in Sunday school at the moment. When we were learning about Jesus on the cross, it was hard to imagine that this verse applied, but when the woman went to the grave on Sunday morning, it all started to make sense. The previous Friday, was indeed the day of God’s Victory- only it was really hard to imagine while in the situation. So too, it makes sense for us to look back and in retrospect say: yes, that day was indeed a day to celebrate, even hard days.

Our month since we last spoke to you started with the celebration of the Dutch King’s birthday. A lovely day with all the other dutch people in the capital, Lusaka, filled with games and fun. I must say, I wasn’t looking forward to it- have to spend a day making small talk to people I don’t know, but in the end I really enjoyed it. Carl had a ball too, and we met a couple who work for another missions organisation, but with a vision to do the same that we are doing, that was actually really encouraging. They are still so full of enthusiasm, makes you forget all the battle scars for a moment.

We are also celebrating Carl’s continued recovery, and God just restoring his joy. His hydroponics project is moving, but it is still hard to see the growth. We take hope from the fact that nothing has died yet…

He has also spend many hours tiling, painting and helping at the place we stay now. It is a lovely house, and my (Ilne’s) dream is that when we leave one day, we can leave behind us a place that will be a blessing to many an outreach team. For now, we are the blessed one’s. The people we rent from has also been such a blessing- good friends. We have moved into the new part, so hopefully the victory is here, that would be a relief, no builders and dust for a while!

The next celebration was brought on by that consumer monster- that leads my family to say: but mom, you don’t need a day, it’s your day every day, when is it children’s day for a change? Smile. They made me feel special anyway. Hope you did too.

On the work side: we met with some of the leaders in Hope Builders Ministries- both local and international. The last few years have been terrible in terms of rain. The electricity in Zambia is provided with Hydro-power: with water coming out of the Kariba dam.

On this graph you can see the levels of the dam: the green being this year’s line. As you can see, we had early rains, and things were pretty average, but the rain stopped months before it was supposed to, so we are in for a dry year. This was not great for harvests either- worst rain/harvest in 66 years. Our province specifically was declared a disaster area. That all to say: it has been hard this year just to survive (providing what the project need to keep running), not even to mention being able to provide enough for other people. So, in the conversation with the leaders there has been a renewed focus on our goal to reach other people, especially the vulnerable neighbours. They will also try and help find a Zambian someone who can manage the project and focus on the outreach part. So it needs to be someone who speaks Tonga, has spiritual drive, true compassion, leadership qualities, good dose of common sense, and so forth. Will you please keep praying with us for this person?

For myself: I have been given a wonderful opportunity to testify as well. My mother usually comes with Hope Builders Ministries and does teaching every year round this June-July. This year they will be coming later due to passport issues. She is doing a conference in Uganda, a first for her, and has asked me to teach with her. I have done it once before, but the circumstances were much more familiar then Uganda. This will be more of an out-on-the-limb experience. This will be in August.

And lastly, I hope to (very unexpectedly) fly to South Africa over the weekend, to celebrate the life of a great man. My Grandfather passed away 6 weeks before his 94^th birthday. Went to sleep and made his way to the place he told so many others about. He was ready, what a blessing. He leaves behind a huge hole- in our hearts. But he lived well- always gave his best. So, farewell Oupa.

Let’s never forget to celebrate this day of victory, there are no guarantee of another one.