Two Pastors really enjoying each other's company this week

Todd has really enjoyed getting to know Julius and is very impressed with him - we think the feeling is mutual.

Patience for limited Internet Service Please!

Our Internet service is good but not too speedy which limits the size of the posts we are trying to add to the blog. That explains why most pictures have been added separately - SORRY! The last post was supposed to have included 4 photos but unfortunately only the captions came through. We are trying our best to keep you updated but please continue praying as the Holy Spirit leads. We love you all and are anxious to share so much more with you!

Thursday = Inviting People, Prayer Walking, and Prayer Service

Today was a very long, very hot, very good day! We had our best night's rest and began a productive day here. But first we must thank you for praying for our lost bag - it arrived last evening and we have the supplies we packed for the children for Sunday's service - Praise God! We were in Sunnyside all day today walking the streets inviting many people to church on Sunday, prayer-walking when we ran out of brochures for the day, and then attending the first weekly Prayer Service held in the new facility.  The Prayer Services for the people of Sunnyside and the new church launch had previously been held in Julius and Cintia's apartment so this was a great blessing and praise! We are very encouraged by the way the people here are so receptive to being invited. We found ourselves looking forward to today - even knowing it would be a long, hot day because of their open spirits. So we prayed to be even bolder, to shine the love and joy of Christ to them, and not to grow weary in doing this good work, and the Lord powerfully and graciously granted us all these things. We also found ourselves longing to connect on an even deeper level and have more meaningful conversations and right after lunch the Lord also graciously allowed this to happen!

Worship Here banner is up

Todd visits with members of Hope Baptist Church

Julius leading the Prayer Service

We ask for your prayers to keep us strong and healthy as we have two more days to invite many people to worship with us, that those we invite would be compelled by the Holy Spirit to seek Christ and come, that the printer would have more brochures ready for us tomorrow as we have almost exhausted the initial order of 5000, and for Julius to be prepared by the Lord for pastoring this new flock entrusted to him. We love you, thank you, and miss you!

The locked gates to the church facility that look out upon Esselen St. - the busiest street in Sunnyside. Pray for them to be opened wide to a community who needs Christ and many to come inside!

The Union Building. Have you seen Invictus?

The beautiful view of Pretoria from the Union Building.

Isaiah 58:6

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6 NIV84)
This is the lock and chains that lock the gate to the church facility Hope Baptist Church will be using this Sunday, Feb. 5. We ask you to pray along with us that the bondage that was created here by Apartheidism will be broken once and for all.  This church that was once open only to the white man has opened its doors and now welcomes ALL people to come and worship, and most importantly is partnering with Hope Baptist Church to invite anyone that will come to worship Jesus Christ and come to know Him personally as Savior and Lord. We spent the day praying over the city from the Union Building, which is the executive building housing the President, once home to Nelson Mandella. It's an absolutely beautiful park that overlooks the whole city, where we asked the Lord for many things to bring Him glory. We then went down into the heart of Pretoria to Sunnyside, where we spent most of the rest of the afternoon prayer-walking and extending invitations to many people to the church launch service. We were very encouraged that  most people here are open and receptive, unlike what we think the response in the US might be. Clyde commented that if everyone who said they would come comes then we will have a packed house, and Steve joked that we would need 4 services! We are asking God to fill His house! We are all well and doing fine, only experiencing a little jet lag still. We are so grateful for the many faithful pray-ers that are petitioning the Lord on our behalf and especially for the people He loves in S. Africa.