11 October, 2011

Dear Folks

BETTER TOGETHER

Some 33 years ago today, Karin and I had our first date and have been dating ever since.  I am so very blessed to have had a wife who has been just the perfect companion for me over the years, over the miles, through the cultures, and through the stressing blessings.  And good news!  Karin’s lungs are back to 95% capacity, up from about 30% this time last year when she spent time in the hospital.  And her cough is gone.

KARIN’S CELLO

It is the privilege of empty-nesters to pursue lifelong dreams that were set aside during the busy years.  Karin is taking cello lessons with a cellist from the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra named Laurie, and I am downloading the music of cellists Steven Sharp Nelson, Yo-Yo Ma, and Teresa Perez as inspiration.

Practicing 90 minutes a day, Karin is learning quickly, and Laurie has agreed to play a duet with her in our church’s Christmas program on December 11.  Please PRAY for Laurie and her husband Arthur, an older couple who do not know the Lord … yet.

DISCIPLESHIPS

It seems that it’s easier to catch fish than to clean them.  Converts is one thing, but Jesus commissioned us to make disciples, which involves a longer and more relational commitment.  We minister in the south of Johannesburg, known to be a tough blue-collar area where violence, murder, extortion, alcohol, and drugs play a big part in people’s lives.  Many of our believers are from those backgrounds, and I wish those patterns just fell away, but we walk with people for years at times only to see the same sin patterns re-emerge.

Karin is having great discipleship times each week with Cherie, Elmari, Charnel, and Desirae, the first a single young lady and the latter three married with kids, so each is learning how to be a godly woman, wife, and mother.  I have Michael, Oliver, and Craig, all three married and having an increasing interest in and involvement with ministry; all three are taking CMI.  Please PRAY for these seven and others that we are trying to influence toward righteousness and service.

ORPHAN CHRISTMAS PARTIES COMING UP!

Times have never been worse for compassion ministries to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).  Charitable donations are way down due to the recession, and in December the millions in funding from the US under President Bush, known as PEPFAR, will come to an end.  

We have been asked to expand our help this Christmas.  The Sun City Care Centre feeds and does after-school activities with 71 children and distributes food parcels to another 72 in villages too far away for the children to walk; so that’s 143 gifts.  Then the Vezubuhle Care Centre feeds and does after-school activities with 78 orphans.  So that’s 221 gifts at about $20/child.  In addition, we give cash in an envelope to each of the volunteers who have been helping at the centres all year long.  If you want to help financially, just send a check to Biblical Ministries Worldwide with a note saying it’s for the “Orphan Christmas Party.”  Please PRAY for our crew on this side as we shop, wrap, and transport the treasures up to KwaMhlanga on Nov. 26 and Dec 3.

ADOPTING SOUTH AFRICA’S ORPHANS

South Africa now has 1.2 million children available for adoption.  Because the United States ratified the Hague Convention on International Adoption, which went into effect on April 1, 2008, American families are now able to receive HIV negative South African children for adoption.  Wandisa is a Christian adoption agency coordinating such adoptions on this side through Bethany Christian Services in the States, but the process has been slow.

Bethany reports: “Unfortunately our South Africa program is currently full and we are not sure when we will be accepting new families.  Our South Africa program families are currently experiencing significant and unexpected delays, and until we can feel confident that adoptions are processing at a relatively stable pace, we do not feel comfortable adding additional families to the program.  Please do feel free to email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it in the coming months if you'd like to check in on the status of the program.”

AS THE BULLETS FLY BY

Ok, so I dropped off our maintenance guy in Tokoza, and as I was driving back, three guys jumped the wall to the right and ran across the street.  Then an arm with a gun came over the wall and fired twice just as I approached, with a truck coming the other way.  I put up my right arm to cover my face, and passed with no shots to the Jeep, then looked in the mirror to see three more shots being fired.  Yeah, that was a bit unnerving.

“My religious belief teaches me that I’m just as safe on the battlefield as I am in my bed.  The Lord has already appointed the day of my death so I need not worry about that.  I live my life and prepare myself so I will always be ready to meet my Lord, when death does overtake me.” Stonewall Jackson

David J. Brown

Biblical Ministries Worldwide – South Africa

P O Box 787

Glenvista 2058

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

+27-84-580-5647

PS: Tornados are rare in South Africa – maybe one every couple of years in November – but this one hit the African village of Duduza a few days ago, killing one boy, injuring many, and wiping out homes.  This vid is on the weather channel website.