Prayer Update

Thank you to those that have been praying for Brad's health! He was down this past week for 4 days with gastro, and finally feels like he got his strength back today, almost a week later! He's back in the office today playing catch up and preparing for Student Fusion to arrive on Saturday!
In his absence, John Cottier (an intern with Word of Life South Africa for 2 years) and I were able to teach a second Olympians Training to a church new to Word of Life, South Hills Church. We enjoyed our time of fellowship together with them, as well as seeing their excitement about implementing new changes that will facilitate discipleship with the children in their church!
Please pray for the Student Fusion team, as they are in training this week at Word of Life in Schroon Lake, NY and will arrive in South Africa on Saturday. They are a team of students from all over the US that are coming to help with the ministry in South Africa and Mozambique. Click here to keep up with the team!

Serving Him,
Mary, for the fam
Brad, Mary, Brandon, Marissa & Mya

SMASH/YRO

Youth Reachout arrived from the US yesterday with 15 teens and 5 leaders, ready to jump into ministry! They rose early this morning to lead the morning service at Grace Baptist Church.
After the service they headed back to camp to greet 41 teens and young adults from South Africa, ready for a week of service!  It was a great day of training, learning an evangelistic rope trick, the evangi-cube, and a few dramas. We are looking ahead to a great week of ministry!  We will keep you updated throughout the week!
Please keep us in your prayers - for health, safety, smooth running events, and most of all, lives impacted for Christ.

Love,
Mary, for the fam
Brad, Mary, Brandon, Marissa & Mya

Prayer Update

I am sitting here curled up in my quilt trying to keep warm! 

There is so much going on now as we prepare for Youth Reachout to arrive on Saturday and S.M.A.S.H. to begin on Sunday!

Youth Reachout (YRO) is a short term missions team of 20 teens and leaders from all over the US that are coming to South Africa. They will be in South Africa from June 28 - July 6, and will be joining up with our annual S.M.A.S.H. camp.

S.M.A.S.H. (Students Ministering And Serving Him) is also a short term mission team, comprised of youth from South Africa. 

All of these youth, from US and SA, are giving up their school holidays to further the Gospel of Christ.

We will be ministering together in MANY capacities, including church services, orphanages, open air evangelism, etc.  We will be using drama, music, hand bells, evangelism cube, rope tricks, and sports, among many other resources as a means to share the Gospel of Christ.

Please pray that we will be an encouragement to those we are ministering with, as we try to come along side local churches and existing ministries, and that our message will bring many to their knees before Christ, seeking His grace.

We will keep you updated throughout the week, as our mission trip is based right here in Joburg this year.  Thanks for your prayers!

Mary, for the fam
Brad, Mary, Brandon, Marissa & Mya
Word of Life South Africa

Prayer Update

Thank you, again, for your faithful prayers!  Life sure is busy, both in ministry and on the home front, and your prayers give us strength.

Please pray for Jonathon and Rebecca, two short-term missionaries that will be arriving on Friday. Pray for safety in travel, and smooth adjustments to both the time change and the culture.  They will be in South Africa for approximately 2 months.  We are excited to get to know them, and grateful for more hands in the ministry.

We have just over 2 months before heading to the US for furlough!  Please pray for us, as our calendar gets busier and busier. This is what it looks like so far - a few days in Pietermaritzburg (4 hour drive) doing ministry as a family, a short term mission trip (SMASH) with approximately 30 South Africans and 20 from the US with Youth Reachout, at least one Micro F1 outside of SMASH, a trip to Polokwane, again to do ministry as a family (3 hour drive), and a short term mission group of 5 from Sinking Springs, PA. Most of this is added on top of our normal ministry functions of visiting clubs, contacting youth leaders, organizing materials, studying for teaching God's Word, etc.  Please pray for strength and faithfulness in the little things.

Please pray for our trip to the US, as well. Pray for a full schedule to present the ministry and refreshing time with family and friends. Our calender will continue to be filled with travel and events, as we spend 3 weeks in MI, 3 weeks in PA and 6 weeks traveling to FL and back to PA. Please let us know if your church might be interested in hearing more about our ministry!

Last but not least, please keep Mike & Fran VanBruggen and their family in your prayers as they travel and raise support to come to South Africa.  We could definitely use more hands in the field to further the Gospel of Christ!

Thank you for your prayers!
Mary, for the fam
Brad, Mary, Brandon, Marissa & Mya
Word of Life South Africa

Youth Reachout comes to South Africa!

South Africa trip: June 22 - July 7 2008

Join a team of people like you from around the US for a 10-14 day trip that will be a life changing experience. To go you must be 15 years of age by the trip dates. Our trips give you opportunities to experience new cultures and other countries while ministering and making a difference in the lives of others.

So, why don’t you consider taking a fresh dive into a world of ministry opportunity with Word of Life Reachout!!!

Parents or teens, follow this link to have your questions answered.

Contact me for more details!  Act quickly, as time is running out!