One of the ministries that blesses us and also allows us to be a blessing to others is that of entertaining. On a regular basis we open our home and we also have the privilege of frequently visiting in others' homes.
In late June, one of the families from the church in Northpine that we entertained was the Leon Swart family.
A few weeks later the Swarts asked us to join them on an outing to Genadendal where our friends, the Balies, entertained all 8 of us. 
Around the Balies' table, German, American, Afrikaner and Genadendalian shared in Christian fellowship, which crosses cultures, races and nationalities in the love of Christ.We regularly enjoy having "son," Jason, for overnight stays. He pitches in and helps Tony in the garden and around the house.
Recently we hosted Amy Blackburn, BWM missionary in Sedgefield for a nine-day visit. While she was with us, she helped babysit Chloe while Chris was here for a class with Tony,
she taught the Einhoven Bybelklub,
shared in a weekly discipleship class and helped with a Sunday School series that Judy Blanton and I prepared in Afrikaans.
We hosted a birthday braai with 22 guests to help celebrate Amy's birthday while she was visiting Cape Town. 
Below is a collage that Amy prepared from photos taken on the Sunday she was with us at Calvary Bible Baptist in Northpine, where she previously served. 
Amy has fitted herself to our home so well that she has named herself one of our "extra" daughters!Yesterday we enjoyed being entertained by Joey and Natalie Brown for Sunday lunch.
If you haven't been to Cape Town, you may not know what "vetkoek" is, but take our word for it. Their "vetkoek" is delicious with a ladleful of mince curry. They sent leftovers that we are enjoying for lunch today!
planned and hosted the meeting. It was a great time of games, 
an excellent message from the Word by Pastor Kevin and good refreshments.
The conbined youth meetings are an excellent means of encouraging the youth who are believers because they see that there are other young people who want to serve the Lord. It also provides yet another opportunity to pour water on the gospel seeds that are being sown from week to week at the Bybelklub in Eindhoven. About half of the 14-15 children who attend that club are teens. Five of these teens attended the youth meeting last month (Three of the Eindhoven youth are shown below on the right of the photo).
Eight people from Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Northpine attended(shown below are Andiswa and Bronwyn).
Tony shared the gospel with Thabo(left, below) and Lamla (right,above) that afternoon and later in the week he and Cedric spent an evening sharing with Thabo, Q, and Nwabisi and several other friends. Tonight they will meet with Lamla and his fiance and others.
Below are two future fathers who are priveleged to hear the message of the gospel while they are young. Few of the fathers who were present on Father's Day enjoyed that privilege. Pray for them to respond to Christ's call at an early age and be spared many of the scars of sin that complicate their own parents' efforts to follow Christ.
The Eindhoven Bybelklub that meets on Sunday afternoons at Jeremy and June's home has grown in less than a year from only 2 children to the 13 children pictured above. Shadlee and Paula (in the left corner of the photo below) 
began attending Bybelklub while I was in the States for Emily's graduation. Shadlee came with his neighbours, Lee and Treslyn, who faithfully attend Eindhoven Baptiste Kerk and the Bybelklub. Paula's older sister, Nuraan, was featured in an earlier blog when she answered that Jesus could perform miracles because "Jesus is GOD!" June has had the opportunity to share with their mother in recent days since they have been employed together. Paula's grandmother is Sharon from the blog entry "Saying Thank You." We are praying for the salvation of all these children and their families. 
was able to attend church with the believers from Eindhoven for the first time. On Sunday mornings she is required to attend the New Apostolic Church with her siblings. Pray for the Lord to hedge her in from the false teaching there. The Bible verses that she faithfully learns for Bible club will arm her with Truth. I received a P.S. chocolate and a sweet letter from Mickayla and her sister when I returned from America.
One clubber gave June a little congratulations speech and several gave her cards and all gave her their wishes. She and Jeremy are making a difference through their compassion and love.
She is eager to be trained to teach children. Her own young family, as well as the children from her Northpine neighbourhood, will benefit from her ministry.
six of the believers from Eindhoven (below), 
the Mintoors and the Blantons. Pray for the Lord to show us those who most need this ministry from month to month. We are asking the Lord for wisdom in planning a spiritual workers retreat for the end of the year. I plan to show you the brochure promoting the retreat in a future blog.
Jason and Andre (above) are 2 of our Bible club teachers-in-training. During April, I prepared these teachers to continue teaching the children during my absence at 5 weeks of club. 
Some of the ladies from work in Northpine and the work in Delft met together for a third study on Biblical womanhood on April 17. Then on Tuesday, 21 April, Tony saw me off to the USA to spend a week with my mother in North Carolina. 
During that week, I enjoyed taking my mother to make visits to shut-in church members and afterwards we had lunch with others who also went out visiting that day. I was able to help my mother with painting, gardening, doctor's visits and banking before
Tony and I were reunited. On May 1, he arrived at Raleigh-Durham Airport to visit our relatives in NC for a weekend before we traveled to see our children and our grandson, Jake, in Greenville, SC. That first Sunday, Tony preached at one supporting church and gave a brief report at another.
During our first evening with our children, we received the exciting news from Rob and Amy that Jake is to become a big brother in late December.
On May 9, our youngest daughter, Emily, completed her degree in Biblical counseling and graduated from Bob Jones University. We thank the Lord for allowing our children to study at our alma mater. Emily plans to begin work on a masters degree in Cross-cultural studies at Northland International University, Lord willing, in the fall after a summer of nannying in Greenville. 
Lord willing, Clare (on right above with Emily) will complete a BS in Nursing at BJU in May 2010. 
During the 11 days in Greenville, Tony and I made as many memories as possible with 22 month old Jake and his parents and aunties! While in Greenville, I taught a Sunday school class to future pastor's and missionary's wives.
Victory Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids, NC graciously provided a vehicle for us to use for our travels to South Carolina and Georgia. 
Pray for my mother (shown above holding my niece's new baby, Ava) as we evaluate her needs, since she fell today. 
These newlyweds arrive at 7 pm and spend several hours studying with us. While Oriel and I meet in the kitchen, 
Tony and Bradley (here visiting at his mother-in-law's home) hold their session in the study. When we say goodbye about 9:30pm, they often continue chatting by their car for sometimes for as much as another hour.
We are also training Andre for children’s work through our weekly Bible club in Delft. He listens to the children’s verses and helps teach the memory work. Soon he will be preparing his first lesson.
Seeing them taking steps of growth encourages us greatly. They have a burden and a vision for their community and humanly, they are the reason that we began to minister in Delft. Jeremy preaches about once a month and visits with Tony on Sunday afternoons. 
I am training June for children’s work. She recently taught her second lesson.
Tony continues to meet with the young father, Chris, on Thursday afternoons. 
He and his wife and little daughter enjoy visits to our home. Their one-year old allows us to practice of our grandparenting skills! 
Tony recently got Chloe to sleep while her parents viewed a dvd on marriage.
Often he sleeps over on Thursdays and helps Tony with ministry and home projects affording us the opportunity to train and influence this young “Timothy.” He is preaching about once a month, visits door-to-door, and works in the Bible club.
We held a joint service by having the Eindhoven Baptiste Kerk travel to Northpine to meet together with Calvary Bible Baptist Church. Tony preached from the sixth saying of Christ on the cross. We learned that "IT IS FINISHED" was a shout of victory, of completion and of invitation to believe.
complete with a birthday cake for Jean-Pierre who turned 6 years old on Good Friday. He shared his spiderman birthday cake with some of our Bible club children who attended the service.
Shireen (in the back corner)returned for a third service. Two of her daughters and a grandson who came with her were first time visitors. We are encouraged to be having first time visitors each Sunday in this new church plant. 
The weather as well as the gardens were beautiful and the food was delicious.
How grateful I am to the Lord for the gift of life over 50 years ago this month (you can guess how many years over 50! :-), but more importantly for the gift of eternal life at the age of 6, which I also celebrate in April. 
