A Time for Everything

"To everything there is a season . . . Ecclesiastes 1:1"

On 6 November, our young people and Sunday school children of Eindhoven Baptiste Kerk enjoyed an outing to the Tygerberg Nature Reserve which overlooks the city of Cape Town and the harbour. The afternoon included a hike,

a picnic, a lesson on George Washington Carver's life and various team games. We thank the Lord for providing beautiful weather and a wonderful day to remember.

The next day at Sunday school we three teachers realized that we'd all dressed alike! Pray that the Lord will enable me and Jason and June to present the gospel as clearly as black and white.

Our ladies held a special "friend" afternoon on November 20. Each of us invited a lost or unchurched friend to join us for our braai. Unfortunately a couple of ladies had to cancel at the last minute. There were nine of us who spent the afternoon together. We had lots of laughs over the ice breaker games we played before the meal of braaied chicken, wors (sausage) and chops along with a spread of salads of every description.

After the meal, Judy Blanton shared her testimony with the ladies and challenged them to make sure they have a testimony that their sins are forgiven and that they have placed their faith in Christ alone for salvation.

I was very thankful to have my friend, Aneesa, as my guest. Below, Aneesa and I posed while I tried on the poncho which had been her daughter's. I overheard her tell one of the ladies that I had been with her every step of the way in this year of so many sad losses (her daughter, mom and breast). Continue to pray for her.

In our last blog post, I shared that we visited Sister Rosie Hendricks when we went to Onrus. Before we prayed with Rosie and the Christian couple who took her in after her husband died, Rosie asked Tony if he would preach her funeral when she died. That was 21 October. Although Rosie was past her three score and ten years, we never dreamed that less than a month later she would be with her Saviour.

Rosie's funeral service on Sunday, 21 November, was a tribute to the Lord who reached down and brought this former "bergie" (hobo) to faith in Christ. Every testimony spoke of God's wonderful saving grace. Tony preached from John 11 on the reason for Christ's tears--lost man's unbelief. Pray for the gospel to bring life any who attended Rosie's funeral yet in unbelief.

When we speak of "burying the dead" in South Africa, we literally do. Above, Tony took his turn filling the grave. Thankfully, we know that the grave is not the end. We do not sorrow as those who have no hope.