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Newsletter - November 2004
Greetings from all of us at Alôn Fellowship. We hope that this newsletter will both encourage you and challenge you in your walk with God.
Since Jesus has purchased us with His own blood we as Christians do not belong to ourselves. As this statement is sound biblical teaching, we readily agree. Yet on a day-to-day basis many believers are living for themselves. Even many in the work of God are serving their own ambition and interests and consequently promoting their own ministries more than bringing glory to the Lord. If we have been ‘sent’ by God’s initiative there is no need for self-promotion. We are to serve Him and never use His name to serve ourselves. The key to breaking out of this fleshly trap is to surrender, to give over to God and flee from the desire to make a name for ourselves. God wants to set us free but we also need to see our selfishness for what it is, repent and take steps in keeping with repentance.
To this end of true freedom God will touch our weak areas, e.g. our stinginess, vanity, selfishness, impatience, ambition, independence, etc. He uses everyday situations, oftentimes catching us by surprise, to expose our shortcomings. What pleases God is not so much that we, for example, wave a banner in the worship service but that we demonstrate the fear of the Lord in our daily lives by taking steps of obedience that will bring about change in our character – this is the glorification God seeks - a living testimony to His grace.
Waving a banner or blowing the shofar in church will not change your life – not that these activities are wrong in themselves. However, the question needs to be asked: Are we living daily as people who belong to God? Or when tested, are we exposed as people who merely believe in God but still belong to ourselves, or worse still are consumed with self? We need to hand our lives over to Jesus, entrusting ourselves to His authority, and to the leaders He has placed over us. This may sound foolish but it is wisdom, indeed a protection and a liberty that Jesus wants to restore to His church.
Part of Alôn Farm as viewed from the air.
Submit to God and be at peace with him;
in this way prosperity will come to you.
Job
22:21
Humility and the fear of the Lord
bring wealth and honour and life.
Proverbs 22:4
CONTENTS:
2. Outreach to Europe and Israel
3. Song of bridegroom and bride
5. Cloud moving on from Cyprus for us
1. Africa Outreach Feedback
Earlier this year Joshua and 15 Alonites returned from an amazing three week outreach to Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique. The mission was to support churches we have already established relationships with and to pioneer new relationships in Malawi for sharing the ‘good news’. This was a real African outreach, writes one of the team members:
“At times we stayed in ‘1st world’ situations but then it would be back to the bush, bathing in the river or with a bucket, and cooking over a fire. Apart from our own team’s prayer times and much fellowship till late into the nights, we had 35 outreach meetings. Upon entering a village in Malawi 200-300 kids would be gathered in minutes, plus many adults. As many girls marry in their early teens the number of little kids is like an explosion. Much outreach occurred in rural villages and schools, but also to some city churches in Harare and Blantyre. Hundreds were saved and many others ministered to. Around fifty were baptized in a river. This wonderful event occurred in a traditional area two hours’ drive from the nearest tarred road. This particular work was done in conjunction with an indigenous church group God is raising up in Zimbabwe. Also ±30 bags of clothing donated from Switzerland were distributed. Being a large team we were able to minister and attend to the unique needs of adults, young children and teens. Our team consisted of both black and white members. At several rural places we visited we were the first guests those churches had ever received and we were the first whites many had ever seen. At one place their choir was singing to the bus, as no such vehicle had ever been seen in those parts.
At one school of 400 children over half were orphans and only four kids had both parents – AIDS is ravaging many rural African communities. And yet the “welcome” was incredible – open hearts for the gospel and generous hospitality from people who hardly have clothes to wear.
Mielie pap [sadsa] and goat meat and even goat intestines were on the menu. The guinea fowl was nice but I didn’t consider the guinea pigs, mice or little birds that were eaten by the locals. A few nights we slept in a bed but usually it was a fold-up mattress in a tent or a mud hut. After squatting over a hole in the ground for a toilet one really appreciates modern amenities. Millions of people live without electricity, no water on tap, no flush toilet, and little hot water as it takes time to heat on the fire.
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them,
he is the one who loves me …”
John 14:21
We spent two days relaxing at Lake Malawi – beautiful clear water with over 500 varieties of colourful fish. Snorkeling was fantastic. The fishermen whistle to the fish eagles and they come take the treat of a little fish just a couple metres from the boat. All in all an enormous privilege to be part of a truly amazing outreach!”
2. Outreach to Europe and Israel
Over the past few months around 13 people from the community have gone on various outreach trips to Europe. As always, the team members were open for spontaneous street evangelism that came their way along the highways and byways. Yet much of the effort was aimed at strengthening believers while building meaningful relationships.
Davit and Sara met up with Gad in Madrid. Richard later joined Gad, also to
learn Spanish. As our yacht, Tahlita, will be going to South America next
year there is great value in some of our sailors mastering the basics of the
language. Members of the outreach teams visited Switzerland, France, Italy,
Russia, Germany, the UK and Denmark. Joshua’s team visited Egypt and Cyprus.
At the
end of this outreach season Davit and Sara concluded their three month long
sojourn with a short visit to Cyprus and Israel.
“Go into all the world and preach
the good news to all creation.”
Mark 16:15
3.
Mosaic
On Tuesday 27th July Anton and Kyla were married on
the farm. The newly weds write: “God has given us His very best in every
way. Of great encouragement to us was the prophetic word given to us that
our marriage will be a testimony of unity in the Lord that will bring glory
to Jesus. Our wedding celebration was fresh, spontaneous and full of
life, a fitting beginning of our life together in Him.”
4. Mitzpeh
Since last we communicated three orphans have arrived from a rural area 1½ hours drive away from our home base. They have settled in well at The Little Oaks Childrens Home here on the farm and have already warmed to the other children.
A beautiful testimony is to see how the community children have taken the orphans into their hearts. During the day the orphans are completely integrated with our own children’s programme of similar age. The two boys are Tlangalani (2 years) and Theo (5 years old), and the girl’s name is Dzuni (four years). We thank God for the opportunity to raise up a generation for Him.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and
faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
5.
December 2004 Outreach
Following five years of our season at Mizpeh, our
prayer tower in the Mediterranean, God has instructed us to move on. We had
wonderful times of outreach and intercession and had the opportunity to
touch the lives of many believers and unbelievers in that part of the earth.
It was sad to hand over the very large and beautiful “watch tower” property
as we sold it during October. The new owners are believers from the Ukraine
and Ireland and have known us for some years.
6.
The debut CD
Adriaan is to be married to Jaime who the Lord brought to Alôn from Minnesota, USA. God has done a work of restoration in both of their lives, and we look forward to witnessing their wedding on December 11th. They will become, not only a couple, but an instant family as Jaime has a eight year old son, Isaiah.
7. Blue Mountain College - 2006
The owners of the adjoining property of [about 10 hectares] approached us if we would like to buy their farm. God gave peace and an offer was made and accepted. All the homes and buildings on the new property are in good condition and so the first family was able to move over without cost of renovations and painting. Our friends Flip and Riana van Rooyen have built a beautiful road through the bush so that our properties can function as one unit. We did not contemplate this expansion but the Lord “knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end”.
A few words in closing:
Where do you run to when you face difficulty? Many believers are running to the latest seminars, books, videos, visiting preachers etc. – all to find answers, receive comfort or to lift their spiritual lives. But no modern fad will ever satisfy real thirst or replace the ancient ways of knowing God. There is no ‘new blessing’, the only true blessing is the ancient blessing, who is our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. The ancient paths of knowing God will lead you to living waters. These ‘living waters’ alone will satisfy and bring the comfort, restoration and victory you long for.
“if you asked Him …
He would have given you living water.”
John 4:10
Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
… lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Psalm 61:1-21.