Leadership Retreat with Pattersons

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith . . . . Hebrews 12:2"

Oostenberg Bybel Instituut held its first Leadership Retreat for the men and their wives from the various churches who pastor and have positions of leadership in various church plants in the Western and Northern Cape. In June 2009, we began the planning for this retreat, which we believe will become an annual event. The Lord led fellow missionaries, Jeff and Judy Blanton and Amy Blackburn, to help us and we believe their support made the retreat a great success. Dr. and Mrs. Alan Patterson (below)

from the home office of Gospel Fellowship Association Mission Home arrived on 29 December, 2009 to be our camp speakers.

Tony and I, along with the Pattersons and the leadership from our Delft ministry, departed for Glencairn on the southern Cape peninsula on Wednesday, 30 December, 2009. The normal 1 hour drive stretched out to about 2 1/2 hours due to the heavy traffic along the coast at this holiday season. Fortunately, the baked spaghetti for the evening meal had been prepared before we arrived the Rotary camp in Clencairn. Dinner was served and the first session with Dr. Alan Patterson teaching the book of Hebrews

began on time with every attendee having safely arrived. The 12 couples and two singles were challenged and encouraged by Dr. Patterson's teaching. Dr. Patterson spoke in 10 sessions covering the book of Hebrews in 15 hours together.

The ladies enjoyed two separate sessions taught by Jan Patterson.

At the close of the retreat, Dr. Patterson presented each man a copy of his 140 page outline of Hebrews.

For weeks I watched for sales and shopped and planned the menu for the camp.

The days before our departure to the camp were greatly aided by the volunteer camp cook, Amy Blackburn. She was a tremendous blessing to us and to everyone as she prepared meals and served so selflessly.

Her first assistant was Jeff, but there were a number of others who volunteered help with peeling veggies, preparing curry and even making dessert for Friday night.

On New Years Eve, we spent time singing, testifying and praying to bring in the New Year

Pray for the ministries represented by these labourers from Upington, Atlantis, Calvinia,

Northpine, Delft, Eindhoven, Mitchell's Plain, Strand and Macassar.

The theme verses of the camp, Hebrews 12:1-2 summarize the desired focus of the 4 days we spent together--that we who labour in the work of the Lord here in South Africa would keep our eyes on Christ!