Four Weeks of Furlough in Four States

".  .  .  they rehearsed all that God had done with them, .  .  . Acts 14:27"
In mid-October, Tony enjoyed representing at Gospel Fellowship Association Missions at Bob Jones University's Missions Emphasis Week. We are thankful to serve with an organization whose leadership is passionate for the gospel.

Time spent with fellow missionary, Alan Patterson, an administrative director at GFA, is always an encouragement to Tony.  The two of them had some good chats with students and with one another.

On October 24, Tony spoke at the mid-week service of Believers' Baptist Church in Griffin, GA and also at our sending church, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, on their Mission Sunday, October 28. Believers' Baptist  Church's held their Annual Ladies' Conference on October 26. Their decorations and menu evidenced great planning.  After the meal . . . 

.  .  .  I spoke on their theme, "Great is Thy Faithfulness."  How many ways has God shown that to us!!

After more than 11 hours of travel by car, we arrived in Millville, PA on October 31 in time for dinner and setting up our display before the beginning of their yearly missions' conference.  Right away, we made some new friends, Hannah and Cody, at the display table.

During our teaching opportunities with the children, we taught them the song, "Read your Bible, Pray Everyday" in Afrikaans.  The  children learned quickly and on Friday night they sang "Lees Jou Bybel, Bid Elke Dag!"

On Saturday morning the ladies, young and "old," had a brunch at Perkins. I use "old" in quotation marks because the folks nearing 60 or older were not ready to be defined as being "aged!"   Some of the members teased Tony after he preached on Thursday night because he said that Paul was an old man at 60 from Philemon 9! :-) 

I appreciated the opportunity to share a devotional at the brunch.

Tony's final message at the conference, challenged us from I Timothy 2:8-13, to make Christ the source and focus of all ministry.  May we "Remember Jesus Christ!"

On November 5th, we traveled to NJ to visit with our co-workers, Bill and Sue Knipe, before they returned to South Africa. The two hours together passed too quickly as they updated us on what God is doing in "back home in SA!"

Hearing Jonathan and Anna call us "Uncle Tony" and "Aunty Cathy" made our hearts glad.  Our fellow co-labourers truly become family!  We long to get back to the field and serve with the Knipes and the Elmers and the other national pastors and believers.

The younger boys, Joel, and . . .

.  .  . Matthew, are growing like weeds!!  The Knipes had a 2-week visit with the childrens' grandparents in New Jersey.  Bill's father needs our prayers as he begins radiation therapy.

On November 7, snow in NJ cancelled our meeting at Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Mt. Laurel.

However, we were able to have a meal with their new pastor and his family, Eric, Clarissa and Thomas Brown. We knew Eric and Clarissa through Amy and Clare's summer ministries at the Wilds, but we'd not met Thomas!  We are thankful that God called the Browns to minister at Faith Fellowship Baptist Church.

We enjoyed staying with Al and Dot Milligan, whom we met on our first visit to NJ in 2000!  Their testimonies and Christian fellowship encouraged our hearts.

From NJ, we traveled back to Womelsdorf, PA to report to Pastor Jere Bashore's church.  Jere and his wife, Dale, have been long time friends or our ministry. Dale and Cathy nursed together in Greenville, SC.

Heidelberg Bible Church have been a great encouragement to us as well as Jere and Dale. God uses furlough  time to remind how much HE has done in us and through us and for us and how great HIS faithfulness is!