Choose to Wait

“Choose to Wait” afterschool club this week. We broke last weeks record! There were over 200 students outside in the field bleachers for our program. We performed a short drama, had scripture memorization contests and girls and boys discussion groups. (Very large groups, because all we had was Julius and myself to lead). Please continue to pray for more staff and workers. It’s so obvious that these young people are in desperate need of purity instruction!

PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE YOU LORD!

Besides the Gospel, we have exciting GOOD NEWS! The electric is being connected TODAY! The men are working now, and this is a direct answer to our prayer in this morning’s staff devotions. What a mighty God we serve! Can you tell how exciting this is? If you’ve never gone without hot water for over a week, plus limited electric with extension chords draped through windows and doors, tripping you as you come and go – then you can’t possibly appreciate this good news. Trust us – it’s big!
Latest on the Discipleship study Catherine has been working on. By the way, I did not “write” it, I’m only typing it and formatting it for reproduction. The rough draft is now complete, being proof-read, and just needing some clip art. It’s an attractive-to-youth booklet of 60 pages teaching the foundations of the Christian life, with topics such as the Church, Worship, Personal Quiet Time, Knowing God, Spiritual Warfare, and Prayer. This will be a priceless tool in the hands of staff and workers throughout Africa. Thousands have made a decision for Christ and are in need of solid biblical grounding. This tool can be used one-on-one, in a small group, in youth groups or classes. Another huge PRAISE!

Construction in Oshikuku

Construction Fun
Where do I start??? There is so much that needs to be done to complete this building before the Grand Opening on July 27th. I have to install a suspended ceiling (which I have never done before), I have to repair several areas of tiled floor, I have to finish tiling the bathrooms, I have to install lights in every room of the building (did I say I am not an electrician), there is a ton of painting, there is plumbing that needs to be repaired (oh yeah I am not a plumber by trade), etc… If you are tired after just reading this just imagine how I feel.
I love every bit of the work I am doing though. I am working with some great people here and am impressed at how they do not give up and that they do not complain about any of the jobs we have to do. The day starts out with us doing devotions together and discussing what God’s word is saying to us. Today we were reading Eph. 2:14-22. We were discussing how we are no longer “strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God”. We were talking about how we are all equal as Christians and that we no longer measure ourselves using worldly standards. We agreed that we are all children of God and that we are servants to Him and each other.
Construction has been challenging because there is very limited funding available to complete the project. We received a donation of $450.00 US dollars and that is helping but we still need at least another $1,000.00 US dollars to complete the project here properly. We are trusting that God will supply what we need as we need it. Attached are some pictures of the construction process. We are making good progress and I am confident that we will complete the project by the second week of July. Please pray for safety, wisdom, health, and finances. God Bless!!!

Clothes to Needy Families

Sorting through boxes and boxes of clothing that was sent on a container is an overwhelming task, but necessary if we want to distribute the clothes to the needy. And, believe me, there are plenty of needy families in this area. There was a flood not too long ago that left many families without homes and most of their personal belongings ruined by water. Here are a couple of pictures of the distribution process. It will take weeks to pass out all of the clothes. It is a lot of fun once it’s organized, because it feels like Christmas in June giving out bundles of shirts, jackets and sweaters, pants, and skirts.

Kid's Club

KID’S CLUB at Oshikuku
About 30 children ages 4 – 12 years old gathered in the yard of the Christ’s Hope center. We started with singing. They love to sing. No guitar, no keyboard – just beautiful little voices raised to the heavens! Then we told the story of the lost sheep, and how Jesus is our Shepherd, and cares about every one of us. We played a “Baa-baa” lost sheep game using the children as sheep of course, and they had fun with that.
Then we helped them understand a little more about how the shepherd cares for his sheep and how our Shepherd cares for us and loves us. We let them color a picture of a sheep and worked on memorizing the scripture Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack nothing.”
We’re only able to host a children’s club once a week, because we’re short on staff, but I tell you – these kids are here everyday playing in the yard on the gym set and kicking the soccer ball around – they’d enjoy kids club every day. Please pray for more workers!

Choose to Wait Training

Was Adam and Eve married? (pic of choose to wait teaching)
That’s one of the questions we prime the students with before lesson four of our “Choose to Wait” program. Well? What do you think? Read carefully the passage in Genesis chapter 1 and 2, and discover God’s design for love and marriage.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, cleave to his wife and they shall become one flesh.” Leaving, cleaving and one flesh. That sounds very much like a wedding ceremony to me. Then, God brings Eve to Adam. Notice he didn’t have to hunt for her, or search the internet for her. God walked her down the garden path, just like a human father escorts his daughter, and presented her to Adam, to see what he would name her. Take a look – Adam exclaimed “WO- MAN!” (my emphasis) because he finally sees his suitable helper. She’s the one! God didn’t tell Adam – here she is. Adam named her after himself – because she was “bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh.” He recognized her value and accepted responsibility for her. He gave her his name – much like the name giving that takes place at the end of a wedding ceremony. “And now, it is my pleasure to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Adam!”
I just thought you’d like a little glimpse of our highly effective “Choose to Wait” program. In just one of the schools we have about 150 students attending a volunteer after-school “Choose to Wait” club. We can’t train teachers fast enough. The doors of public schools are wide open right now. We’re being offered “Lifeskills” and “Religion” classes with no restrictions. It’s almost like waving chocolate in front of me. Lord keep me strong and creative!

WORK WHILE IT IS DAY!

Many of you have been checking our blog for updates and pictures. We’re enjoying the replies and notes from home. It helps us stay focused and steady to the tasks before us. And the tasks before us are far more challenging that we are able to handle on our own, so we’re monumentally thankful for your prayers and encouragement. As with most missionary endeavors, there is just not enough hours in a day, funds to support the work, or staff to run the programs that are required to meet the needs of the community. Why is that, I wonder? We believe that we serve an awesome God who has all the riches in the world at His disposal, but still the needs are great and the finances short. Here are some nitty-gritty facts that will give you an idea of what it’s like working here.

Many of the evangelical churches here are pastored by self-ordained men who have an unbiblical view of their role and the role of the church according to scripture. So, they take money from these very poor people and line their pockets and the pockets of those in leadership over them. I’m sure this system grieves our Lord as it does us and those we’re working with here. It’s hard to find a solid church that can come alongside the Christ’s Hope work here, which is why so much of the work is dependent upon foreign funds to support it.

On a different front, the schools are wide open to us teaching our “Choose to Wait” program in the classrooms for their “Lifestyles” and “Religion” subjects. Of course, there are no funds to pay for the program. Julius, the Christ’s Hope staff who runs the ministry here in Oshikuku and the students respond well to his teaching. I’m enjoying accompanying him as he juggles his rigorous schedule teaching 22 classes, plus afterschool clubs – reaching almost 1000 students per week. I can hear all of you teachers and parents groaning with compassion for him. He’s so eager to present this message of sexual purity and has such a strong passion for the work that he has a difficult time saying no to the invitations to teach.

To hopefully address this lack of staff issue, we will be offering an informational meeting next Saturday, targeting interested teachers and church leaders who might be interested in teaching the program to youth groups, after school clubs, or in schools. Many of the teachers in the 3 schools we’re currently involved in have expressed a desire to learn more about Choose to Wait, which is very encouraging. We also have several young people in training at Christ’s Hope International in Okahandja currently who will be returning here to help, but not until August. Until then, we will pray that God will bring more workers, more supporters who can pray and give and strength for Julius to press on with his goal to teach 1000 students per week. I know I’m exhausting just following him around. (just kidding) I have enjoyed teaching in the classroom too. The students are respectful and for the most part eager to learn, which makes it a pleasure to teach.

We had an appointment with another worker in the area who has been using the “Choose to Wait” curriculum for some time now. This woman is widowed and is HIV positive. Her husband died of AIDS and her testimony is powerful and effective everywhere she goes. God has really used her to challenge young and old in the area of sexual purity. She works in a town about ½ drive from here and is far too busy trying to accept every invitation to teach. Currently she holds a kids club after school for orphans (about 130 students), Just this year alone she has presented her message to over 1000 students in schools. Get this! At one school in Okalongo after she presented her testimony and an invitation to accept Christ – all 400 students came forward. How about that for hungry hearts? We rejoice with our sister Rebecca and pray for continued strength for her ministry.

Project completion

Can you sleep peacefully when you have an unfinished project? There’s something about this project hanging over our heads that’s making it difficult to rest. So…. After we spent a few hours walking around in circles, we kicked into gear and started writing out a plan of action. Admittedly, we are overwhelmed by the tasks before us. There’s much too much work for the small amount of staff that we have, and there is a shortage of funds to boot. That’s why this is such a challenge.
Tony has only part of the materials needed to do the job. The electrical needs to be completed, a drop ceiling installed, floor, kitchen and bathroom tiling, painting and basic organizing of the 32 bed center. Add to that, Catherine is teaching “Choose to Wait” with the center Director, Julius, in local schools every day, and setting up information meetings with local, interested teachers and professionals regarding the program. Oh, and that’s not enough to keep us busy. There is an entire room floor to ceiling full of boxes of clothes and bedding to be distributed to the needy in the community. Unfortunately it requires us to sort through and organize the clothes for sizes before we can distribute them.
We’re exciting about the potential of this center. Oshikuku and the surrounding communities are very open to the message of “Choose to Wait” and see the need for servicing the orphan and vulnerable children here. The center is already a lighthouse to the children in the area. Every day scores of children are here, playing in the yard and on the playground. Children’s clubs are held regularly, teaching the children of God’s love. Julius is getting more invitations to teach in local schools than he can feasibly handle. Please pray for Christian teachers to step up and be trained in the “Choose to Wait” curriculum so we can accommodate all the hundreds of students that need to hear this life-changing message of sexual purity.

New Friend

Oh Yeah,

This little guy decided to sneek in on Saturday when we were not looking. Catherine was getting ready to wash dishes and I heard her say what is that. I came over and saw our little friend on the handle for the hot water. Catherine was not happy to see him and I had to escort him out of our house. The enlarged picture was taken outside because Catherine wanted him out our house ASAP. Isn't he cute!!! We get all kinds of uninvited guests because they do not use screens around here.

Namibia Prayer and Fasting

Namibia Prayer and Fasting

WOW!!! From Sunday at 6:00 P.M. to Monday ant 6:00 P.M. all the ministries for Christ Hope in Nambia stopped and had a time of Prayer and Fasting. In fact once a month everyone working for Christ's Hope in Nambia attends a time of corporate Prayer and Fasting. There were just short of 30 people present. (See photos)

This month we were asked to lead the Prayer and Fasting. We were honored and what a time we had. We felt that God was asking us to talk about Spiritual Warfare. Catherine had created a study guide that she had used for womens ministry in the states so we used the same study guide for the Namibian staff and volunteers.

We had a great time. Everyone agreed that Spiritual Warfare was a great topic. The discussions were wonderful and the times of prayer where amazing. I believe everyone who attended was blessed and received encouragement.

One of the things we have heard a lot from those serving on the front lines in Africa is that they often feel alone and unappreciated. Hearing that from these servants of God just broke my heart. We have had the pleasure of encouraging so many of these great people and we want all our friends and family to know that each one of you have also encouraged these people by supporting us. You all are making a difference in the lives of so many people.

Today I (Tony) had the privilege of just listening to one of my co-workers share a praise report with me. The last couple of weeks had not been so good for this person and we have prayed with her on several occasions. But when this person approached me today they were beaming. God had answered the prayers we sent up to our Father. It was good to see a smile and tears of joy after so much pain and suffering.

Tomorrow we leave for Oshikuku which is up near the border of Angola. We will be there for at least three weeks. I will be working on putting the finishing touches on the Ministry Center there that will officially open on July 27th. Catherine will be working with teachers from some of the schools in the area on teaching Choose to Wait. We do not know what our Internet connection will be there but we will try to keep the blogs coming.

Trip to Rehoboth

Yesterday we traveled about 170 kilometers with the team of seven STLD (Short Term Leadership Development) students to teach Choose to Wait. For those who are wondering 170 kilometers is 105 miles. We are still trying to get used to the different measurements here. Okay back to the trip.

The trip to Rehoboth (another location where Christ's Hope has an orphan home) was a bit long but once we got to the church we were excited to share with the young people that were coming to hear us. We encountered technical problems and were unable to play the video part of the presentation, but our team adapated and overcame the obstacle that the enemy placed in our path and we persevered and shared God's plan for marriage with the young people.

All the way home to Okahandja (about 2 hours of country roads) the students sang gospel songs - African style - and it was so beautiful to hear their harmonic voices raising to the Lord in praise! Ah, a sweet sound to the Father's ears, I'm sure. Tony not only stayed awake, but we sang along too. We all rejoiced together for the successful evening of ministry. God showed up and met us there and we were so humbled and grateful to watch Him turn the lights on in hearts who need to hear the message of sexual purity - God's design for Love, sex and marriage.