End of 2008...

It was the last fellowship of 2008 and only a small group of people attended. Because of the small group we could tackle a more contentious issue, namely tithing. We realized, once again, that everything belongs to God and we are just the stewards. We serve an unlimited God!

More personal issues coming out of our walk this year were discussed, including hearing God's voice, our daily walk with Him and servanthood. We went home with renewed vigor to seek God and His Kingdom.

WHAT`S AFTER BREAKFAST? BUT FIRST A CAN OF WORMS.

The fellowship was nice and full and all had a great time, truly! It is awesome to see how the fellowship gets going with diverse discussions swinging back and forth. It is very stimulating and sometimes pretty confusing, not that anyone would admit it. That's when we stare blankly and nod our heads as if we know exactly what was said. But just when you think you understand and have your five cents worth you realise you are totally off track and open an entirely new can of worms. We somehow manage to go away thinking that we`ve gained some wisdom of missions however little it might seem.

People in the fellowship are becoming risky and are starting to step out of the boat and put their hands to the plough. On Christmas day the fellowship has arranged a party for Mama Flora`s children which was Aldi's brain child. I'm sure it will be a huge success.

So now on to the topics. The first being "Are we right in pushing Western Christianity or are we just doing religion?". Our worldviews have definitely changed in this respect over the last few months. The second topic was "What's the plan after breakfast? "
We discussed Deon's strategy and what else he could do to reach the Thai's. We realised that it is impossible to plan your strategy in fine detail before you enter the field because without having lived in the culture you really have no clue what it is all about until you are there. Visits are not enough. Once more we realised that the primary purpose of missions is to prepare God's bride. It's not about numbers but about redeeming the culture. We came to the realisation that the bride was being prepared right there in the room where we were talking as we were slowly changing our own worldviews. Thank you Deon for feeding back to us.

A couple of times points were raised (cans of worms again) which allowed us a glimpse of the yellow and red roads clashing. Exciting stuff! A big thing that came up was why God's power (signs and wonders) seem to be missing in our western churches. Perhaps this is our fault. Ooh, that is hard but so true. Anyway, that is but a small glimpse into the evening we had. Our brains are frying weekly so if you want to exercise yours please join us.

How do we process what Swami Ji taught us?

This Saturday was great. We had a few visitors which made for a full house. Jean-Pierre facilitated. We started off with sharing the progress that we have made in the last year. This was really inspiring. It was challenging to hear each other's experiences. The great thing about the fellowship is how we all learn from each other's experiences. One thing is definite and that is that no matter how small the change in our lives, our mindsets with regard to our worldview are changing.

After that we reviewed Swami Ji's presentation of last week. This was really good as their are so many gems that can be taken out of it. We discussed the incarnational approach (giving the gospel to other cultures in their own bowl) versus the extraction approach, We also discussed denying ourselves and taking up our cross and what that really means, losing our life for the Kingdom's sake, being a devotee of Jesus versus a Christian etc.

We then went on to discuss an e-mail from Deon. In it he asks us to think about what his family is going to do after their language school studies. How can his family take the incarnational approach within the Thai culture? Wow, this is intense stuff. We only touched on this and decided to leave it as the topic for next week. So put on your thinking caps and pray about it so that we are all ready for next week.

Swami Saturday....

Saturday evening was an absolute hit.
Swami Ji shared to an audience of thirty five enraptured people.
Eyes were opened and scales fell free, as the strategy was divulged.
As Paul did, so is Swami doing.
A life changing, Good News being given to the Hindus without taking away their culture, Christ is all things to all men....includes those whom we believe cannot be reached!
Thank You Swami Ji for an evening filled with knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

Next Saturday will be the follow up... so, now that we understand this, what does it mean for us? Where should our message of the Good News change? How should we be implementing this message in our lives, etc?

What next?

A picture tells a thousand words....yada yada yada

THE List!

The tall and the short of it!

the 'handicapped version!

Swami Ji found the roof



the boys and their toys....



CoCo got right down to it!

Sonja found a paint roller.....



Llewellyn....played in the mud



JP was supervised by Swami....
just in case, ya know...



Alison got stuck into the 'details'.....



Marlene managed to conuer the LADDER!



Mario found coffee!!!!



Everyone found Swami Ji's conversation captivating....



Marlene started pulling faces at the wall... it was a long day!

the mystery of Life in Play Dough!

What an awesome God we serve,
We attempted to make self portraits in Play Dough, only to realize, we didn't stand a chance. As we battled to do the simplest of things with the pale yellow glob, like a single hair - we only just began to understand the greatness and awesomeness of our God. He knows how many hairs there are on my head... and yours, and yours, and yours...

After a write up on Darwinism was read, we watched the DVD called "Unlocking The Mystery of Life". Oh , my, how small we are to believe we can understand our God. Yet we are not small enough either. He is the Beginning and the End... the smallest to the greatest have been touched by His almighty Hand.


Work Party was discussed and finalised for next week saturday. We are looking forward to seeing everyone there.
Start at 08h30 - 16h00 we will stop to have some lunch, so it won't be all work work work...
The evening will hold things like a braai, Leon Schuster movies and camping in the garden...(probably in that order!) So if you intend to stay over, don't forget to bring sleeping bags , tents etc.


We had Swami Ji with us too this week as he has come from India to visit for a while. Please join us on the 6th for an evening set aside for him to share with us.

Saturday again

It was with enthusiasm and energy, that the questions were asked, can one change one's worldview without leaving your comfort zone aka place of residence etc.
Some of us jumped for joy thinking we had all the answers, then we realised that we didn't quite get the questions...
Alas, some conclusions were reached with regards to our "glasses", basically yes we can change our worldview to a certain degree, but we will still be who we are and how we think. So if we are going to try and change our worldview, what better worldview to change towards but a BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW! Ooops... what would that look like?
So... in the end, we did conclude, that uhm, to change your worldview effectively, one would benefit far better to go to a radically different culture - worldview, and there meet face to face with the fundamental element of "Missions".
And there one would find after much pain and frustration... a closer encounter with... wait for it... a, dare I say it???
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW

WORK DAY AT THE KE BASE - SAT 29 NOV

We have decided to have a fun-filled work day at the KE base on Sat 29 November. There are several maintenance issues that need to be attended to from leaking taps to doors that need planing, just to name a few. Please bring your family and join us. We have plenty of work for those of you who think they aren't qualified for this kind of "work" from washing windows to sweeping floors. Rita even promised to arrange some ironing. Ali suggested that the ladies bring their beads along for those who are interested in beadwork. We will end the day with another awesome evening of food and fellowship. For those that are more adventurous you are welcome to bring along your tents, caravans etc as we will be camping overnight. If you don't have a tent, come anyway and we will make a plan.

VISIT FROM CAMBODIAN MISSIONARY - MEETING 8 NOV

HI EVERYONE, 2 THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE & WERE NOT THERE. WHATATOTALLY ENJOYABLEFUNFILLEDLEARNINGSHARINGCARINGGLORIOUSWORSHIPPINGFELLOWSHIPPINGANDENTERTAININGSATURDAYEVENINGWEALLHADSHEW.HUUUUUUUHHHAAHHHH!!!!!!! THIS IS HOW THE CAMBODIANS WRITE. THEY DO NOT USE PUNCTUATION.

SORRY 4 U RITA, BEAT U 2 IT. HOWEVER THEN U MIGHT'VE DONE IT IN RHYME & STARTED A WEEK LONG REVOLUTION. EVERYBODY NOTICED THE LARGE NUMBER OF ATTENDANTS ON SAT NIGHT. IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE MARCO AND ELIZABETH BACK AGAIN. WE FOUND OUT THAT ELIZABETH WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL FOR AN EMERGENCY OPERATION AFTER A ROUTINE CHECK UP. ELIZABETH MAY YOU RECOVER SPEEDILY AND FULLY WITH LOTS OF LOVE FROM YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT K.E.

TRULY AN AWESOME EVENING WAS HAD BY ALL, WORSHIPPING THE ALMIGHTY AND HAVING GREAT FUN DOING IT AS WELL. ALDI INVITED A CAMBODIAN MISSIONARY, TO THE FELLOWSHIP. SHE PRESENTED US WITH A COMPUTERGENERATEDSLIDESHOW WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING.

SHE SHOWED US THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND SPOKE TO US ABOUT THE LANGUAGE, HISTORY, POLITICS, RELIGION, THE PEOPLE SHE IS WORKING ALONGSIDE AND THE LOCALS WHO SHE IS REACHING OUT TO.

SHE TOLD US HOW GOD LED HER TO CAMBODIA AND ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES THERE, THE GOOD AND THE BAD. SHE HAS HAD SOME AMAZING EXPERIENCES THERE AND ALSO SOME VERY HARD TIMES BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY I THINK THAT THERE IS STILL NOT A BETTER PLACE TO BE THAN IN GOD'S WILL.

AFTER DINNER WE DISCUSSED AN OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS ARISEN TO MAKE A VIDEO ABOUT THE WORK OF AN ELDERLY LADY IN THEMBISA. SHE IS KNOWN AS MAMA FLORA AND LOOKS AFTER TWELVE ORPHANS AS WELL AS DOING A LOT OF OTHER WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. IT WILL BE A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR US AND WILL ALSO HELP HER IN HER MINISTRY. WE ALSO DECIDED TO HAVE A CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR THESE CHILDREN. WE HAVE YET TO FINALISE THE DETAILS.


JUST A RANDOM MENTION ABOUT THE OTHER MAMA (MAMA AFRICA)A WELL KNOWN SOUTH AFRICAN PERFORMER MIRIAM MAKEBA WHO PASSED ON WHILE ON TOUR IN ITALY. MAY THE LORD BE WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME.

Scribe's Scribbles for November First

She's late she's late for a very important date.

Our scribe should have done the blog by now

Thank you, Jenni for your gentle reminder

And just because it's all in short lines

Does not mean it has to rhyme.

Alison, we thank you for a wonderful lesson

a precious teaching on the rose, and how Jesus chooses to see us.

A very happy birthday to Sonja. And thank you for the cake.

"Jesus, Life Coach' is the book that Jean-Pierre is reading at the moment.

And he had a very interesting thought, another one, I know.

Compass talk came up on the whiteboard, it was very interesting,

to discover where the World is taking us and where God wants us to go.

What stops us from going the way God wants us to go?

How do we know the difference between what we need and what we want?

As a group we watched videos that have been produced by kingdom encounters.

Great enthusiasm now for the tasks ahead.

The scribe believes that we will have an onslaught of applications for positions in the video ministry. This scribe also believes that this is a good thing. Many hands make light work.An' all that.

New thoughts are welcome so bring them to the table.

ALDI WILL FACILITATE

LLEWELLYN WILL SING

MARIO WILL VENUE

next week

we will see you there!

RISKY LIVING - MEETING OF 25 OCTOBER

The topic on Saturday was RISKY LIVING, based on some of John Piper's thoughts (Don't waste your life). Risky living can be equated to ignorance, for when you risk your life for the Lord, you don't necessarily know the outcome. We took biblical examples from 2 Samuel 10:12 - May the Lord do what seems good to Him, Esther 4:15 - If I perish, I perish! and Daniel 3:16-18. Paul's life of continual risks was also discussed as well as the 'mirage' of safety and comfort that we all live in. Christians can take risks in their lives for wrong reasons too such as desire for heroism, superiority and fixations on self-denial. Child-like faith and trusting wholly in the Lord and His amazing love is key to risky living. "The power to risk is in the promise of God." We also watched Louie Giglio's DVD, Passport, which encourages us to fulfill the Great Commission. There is a price to pay!

MEETING OF 18 OCTOBER 2008

We had a great time as usual. Jean-Pierre led us in worship. Ansie brought up the topic which was "How to be a good sender". This is not a subject that can be worked out in a single evening as it takes time, learning and experience to become a good sender but we had an interesting discussion nevertheless and once again went away slightly more knowledgeable. There are many areas of support that fall under sending but one of things that stood out for me was that regular communication (letters, skype, blogging, e-mails) is one of the most important areas that we should work on. It makes a huge difference to the missionary to have this kind of support from the homefront. Another very valid point that was raised was that we should look at it with the mindset of "How do I undergird my missionary and keep my investment together". When we agree to become a sender we enter into a partnership with that person and should do everything possible to ensure that they succeed in their calling. When we do this a lot of the issues that they face in their finances, health, emotions etc will take shape. We should be doing whatever we can to free their hands and make their lives easier so that they can become more effective.

Saturday again

Saturday came around again

Warm and sunny, no hint of rain

An ideal day to have a braai

So many people oh me, oh my!

We chatted and talked way too late

Fellowshipped even while we ate

Once indoors, the subject was raised

Tentmakers simply have to be crazed!

“It’s a trap” it was said and agreed by all

A job overseas- simply an added ball.

Pricillian or Pauline, is just another name

For “Trap”, keeps you too busy for the REAL game.

In the pink book, top of page, chapter nine

Aldi had record we were doing just fine

Ali’s read books on this subject matter

All things said we had a great natter.

God willing next week we’ll all meet again

The talk will be different, never the same

Asking “Am I being the best I can be

Sender, supporter to the missionary?”

The answer to the question, my friend

Come on Saturday, stay till the end

Coffee and food will be served once more

And from experience there’ll be food galore.