April 2011
MDT, Home Schooling, Uganda, Malaria, Mentoring Clinic, Madagascar, Zimbabwe & Moving
Keeping up with our lives is a challenge for us. We can only imagine what it must be like trying to keep track of us, especially given our rather poor communication record!
MDT – Missions Discipleship Training
The 11th training team that we’ve had the privilege of being involved with got underway at the beginning of February with the usual mix of countries, ages and backgrounds making up the 35 trainees. They have done a six week discipleship block focussed on loving God, loving self, loving others and discovering purpose. They then went to Bushbuckridge in Limpopo for a two week rural outreach and are now back on the base covering missions, culture and practical ministry skills before going into the inner city of Pretoria in two weeks time. It is exciting to see God at work in the trainees’ lives.
Home Schooling
Having the kids at home and being responsible for their schooling continues to be a major theme and focus in our lives. At times we wonder if we’ve done the right thing and worry about how it will all turn out, at other times we watch both of the kids taking responsibility for their own learning in ways they never had before and we’re encouraged. Don’t stop praying!
Uganda
At the end of February I travelled to Uganda for two weeks to be a part of the team conducting a Leadership Matters Course (www.leadershipmatters.ws). I did one in Cameroon last year and hope to do another in Malaysia at the end of the year. It is an amazing interactive leadership, management, public relations and communication course aimed at leaders at all levels. We had 14 Ugandan pastors and church leaders and a few expat missionaries and their feedback indicated a high level of impact. I hope to return sometime later to follow up on some further training leads and opportunities.
Malaria
I guess it was inevitable with all the travelling I do, despite taking reasonable precautions, that I would contract some deadly disease at some time. Well four days after getting back from Uganda I had a feverish night. I went straight to the doctor and by lunchtime malaria was confirmed and between the malaria and the quinine spent the next ten days feeling pretty awful. Praise God I avoided hospitalisation and am now fully recovered.
Mentoring Clinic
Internationally OM has developed and runs a number of training courses to develop its members. The 5 day mentoring clinic is one such course. It is designed to help leaders mentor and disciple others. Two years ago we invited the international team to present the course in SA. This time one of the international team came to coach myself and three other SA trainers to present the course ourselves. We made the grade and we are now able to present the training ourselves.
It was also great to have Grietjie and the kids stay with me at the training venue just outside Parys. We didn’t see a lot of each other but it gave them a break and I got to see them during mealtimes.
Madagascar
Hot on the heels of the mentoring clinic was a short 6 day trip to Madagascar. I was invited to present a workshop to some regional leaders in the large FJKM denomination on how to develop their own lay leader training materials. While I’ve done a lot of training material and curriculum development with teams of which I’ve been a part, this was the first time I was leading an unknown group through the processes. The challenge was heightened by the fact that the four Malagasy leaders spoke little to no English and we had to do the two day workshop with translation. God was good and the feedback from the group was encouraging. I hope to return early next year to do some follow-up work with the group. My colleague, Piet Rabé and I also spent some time with the small OM team in Madagascar.
Zimbabwe
God willing I leave for Zimbabwe for a fifth visit to Siabuwa in the north of the country to continue the LIFE Development training with the church leaders there. Please pray as transport from Harare to Siabuwa (some 700kms with part over some appalling roads) is a challenge as the vehicle we normally use is out of commission.
Moving!!!
The big news is our lives is that after five and half years living on the OM training base, east of Pretoria, we are moving. We have felt for a while that this season of our lives has been coming to an end and after careful consideration we will finish with this current team and move from the base before the next team starts in September. We are planning to buy a house in Pretoria and I will continue and broaden my training ministry and responsibilities with OM in the broader Africa region. The final details of my new responsibilities are still to be finalised but I am excited by the direction of the discussions. This is not so much a change of direction as a refocusing on our original vision when we joined OM in 2005. I will still come through to the training base to present some classes but will give more time to developing training within OM in Africa and strengthening churches through training.
The move will mean that Grietjie will be seeking other avenues of ministry but with the homeschooling she’s had to scale back anyway. On dream we have is to be able to purchase a vehicle (twin-cab bakkie for example) that would allow Grietjie and the kids to travel with me within the Southern African region when I travel to do training. With the kids doing homeschooling this would now be possible.
The move is a step of faith in many ways. We need to find a suitable house. We’re hoping to sell in our property in Johannesburg and buy in Pretoria. We will need to see God make up a considerable difference in what we expect to get and what we’ll probably have to pay! Moving expenses. Our general monthly living expenses will increase as we lose the advantage of being in an OM house and often being able to eat with the teams. The base has been our home for five and a half years and it is going to be a big adjustment from a close community to living on our own again.
Praise and Prayer
Praise God for so many good things. Safe travels, home schooling victories, health and protection, wonderful opportunities for ministry.
Please pray for us as finish on the base. We want to finish well. Pray for the logistics and finances of moving. Pray for a vehicle for the Zimbabwe trip. Pray for the discussions around my future responsibilities for clarity and unity.
Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel.
Blessings
Colin on behalf of the family.