Mack Update, 12/12/08

We are frequently receiving Email from people asking us about our VISA situation. So here's an update. RSA Home Affairs has now accepted our application and taken our money, but we still don't have the final outcome. It looks hopeful and people assure us we will receive them. If not, we have the name of the supervisor and someone who works for the government who will contact her for us. We have received suggestions from many people in RSA and even from the USA and many assurances of prayer. We should know for sure in about 25 days and, if we don't get it, we have some ways of appealing. If all else fails we could go to Botswana for a short period and then could return for three months and then back to Botswana and then back here and so on. We've been contacted by some missionary friends from Kenya suggesting that they would love to have us come there and they think they could get us VISA's there. I think they were half serious and half kidding, but we are fairly sure that RSA is where God wants us to be. GSM classes and other teaching/preaching/ministry commitments already scheduled for 2009 would seem to indicate that this is where God wants us to minister.

We along with Josh and Marda and Beth and Sybrand are having wonderful opportunities to contact, teach, counsel and assist native Africans. Bible Studies are being established in several of the settlements and townships around Pretoria. We have a black brother who has been trained at Christ's Seminary and at Grace School of Ministry living with us along with another black brother from the DRC. Robert, the well trained black brother, is out almost every day in one of these places visiting people and conducting Bible classes. He's doing a great job and growing in usefulness. It's a joy to see him maturing. Jaungo (from the Congo) is entering Christ's Seminary in January. Someone has provided a scholarship for him. He is so excited. He will continue to live with us when he is not in school. He is reading and studying and listening to CDs and is growing like a healthy plant. He soon won't a neophyte (Greek for young plant). Several black men have made professions of faith and are meeting regularly with Josh to be discipled. Josh and marda have become foster parents to another abandoned child - they now have 7 children (4 biological and 3 foster children) and they would fill the house with more refugees and orphans if we would let them have our part of the house. Incidentally, you might join us in prayer as there is a house for sale right next to our house. If we had the money we would consider buying it (once we're sure about the VISA thing) and move into it which would give Josh and Marda room for more orphans and/or having a black family move in so they could disciple them. I don't know of anyone who is more appropriately aggressive and selfless in the way they reach out and sacrifice for the people in South Africa or anywhere than they are. Their zeal and willingness to reach out is a real challenge to us and others. They use whatever they have to the max in ministering  in His Name. Anyway, if the Lord wills we would consider the house next door - that would expand our ability to minister considerably. Part of that willing would be for God to provide enough money to purchase the house. Ephesians 3:20 is still in the Bible and still true.

Meanwhile our daughter and son-in-law to be (January 17) have begun their ministry at a church 10 minutes from us. I preached his installation sermon this past Sunday. The church has a Christian school with 90 children (mostly black children) and Beth is already meeting with the staff and sharing her expertise with them. It is a very well integrated church with godly and knowledgeable black and white Christians serving key roles. Beth will also help us at Grace School of Ministry doing some of the same things she did when she worked with me as Director of the Summer Biblical Counseling Institute at The Master's College. She and Carol and Marda will probably be starting a preschool program for homeless children in a place called Stinkwater where there are 60 parentless pre school children who are left to themselves throughout the day when their older siblings are at school. Hopefully, this will care for these little children, but also open doors for impacting Stinkwater with the Gospel.

Appreciate your prayers. Thanks for your support and encouragement.

Have a blessed Christmas celebrating the One for whom we live and minister; the One who makes life worth living.

Blessings. SDG.