Well first let me wish you a good festive season we hope and pray that the Lord will bless you all in the coming new year, and Secondly to say thank you for your continued support it is greatly appreciated.

Family news

We were officially accepted as residents so we can live in South Africa without having to apply every year for a visa.

First the smallest member of the family Paulina, she is has developed a lump on her the side of her foot which could be anything so it will be another trip to the doctor's but apart from that she is doing well and is progressing nicely, she has finely settled in at school, and has started to cooperate, she has developed a stubborn streak (Very stubborn). She has been given a part in the school play she is a sheep with all the other children who cannot walk, she is learning two songs "Go tell it on the mountain" and "Oh how I love Jesus" because of her speech problems it sounds very cute, She will have her assessments soon to see if she has improved on her learning skills at her last one she was 18 months in understanding and communicating, she seems to have come on so we are hoping for at least 2 years of both understanding and communicating, her standing is not going well and we hope that she will be allowed to get clappers in the new year. All things considered she is doing well and will be celebrating being with us for a year at Christmas. (Time flies)

Johannes

Has an ear infection and a large swelling on his head due to the virus and is still battling with cold sores but we thank God that over the winter months he did not catch the flu and cold bugs. Joe is enjoying his schooling and he hit another miles stone with his letters and numbers. We were given a set of CD disc called "learning land" and Joe is very good at recognising letters and numbers in the game. Joe has a new friend called Benny who come and plays everyday this has given a new dimension to S'phewi's and Joe's relationship and S'phewi has become very jealous.

S'phewi

Has yet another inflamed gland under his right ear. He has amazed me this last month not only on his jealously of Joes new friend but that one day he took pen and paper a drew a picture this is the child that holds a pen like a stick and scribble for a picture I am so happy he took the pen and drew a circle put eyes on it, with stick arms and legs and a sad mouth, so I asked him why a sad mouth he said he was not well so I gave him some medicine and when he felt better he asked if he could draw his family he drew everyone even a little one at the bottom of the page for Paulina, My heart leapt I had just seen his little boys take one huge step not only physical but also emotional he now feels truly accepted I just couldn't wait to tell everyone at church (now people know I am Mad.)

Anthony

Has just been given a opportunity to help write a short film, which is to be shown at film festivals throughout the world, unfortunately it does not pay but gives him the experience and film credits that helps his CV It has boosted his morale.
Please pray that he will get more writing opportunities in the coming year.

Christopher

His studies are coming on well. He is enjoying his chemistry and we hope to get him on a new course next year for Industrial chemistry Schooling over here is a mine field and the government has just introduced a new metric for 2004 which is when Chris would take his, we are not happy about it because it is based on cultural ethics and everyone has to major in it and add science, business, art, or dance to it to pass.

Aaron

Is doing well and liking his football we are going into summer and he is getting the pool into shape so he can swim and swim and swim. We found some photo of our leavening party last week and it was amazing to see how much he has grown from a little boy to a handsome young man (bias Mum). All three boys are a blessing they help so much with the children especially when Dave has to go away to preach and check on the mission station Please pray that God will bless them for their help and support in doing His work here in Springs

Lyn

Has been busy as usual with helping to put together Ebyown village paperwork, and learning how to plait Paulina's hair and also cook traditional Northern Sotho dishes (She still has a long way to go).

The vegetable garden we told you about in our last letter has started to yield this is due to God blessing us with some very knowledgeable people Bernard and Mable a couple at church who have shown us how to care for the garden and helped us in so may ways please pray for them as they try and teach us the things we need to know to reach the people for God.

Dave

Is well and is busy at work with the church visits, bible college developments, preaching, and overseeing missions
He was very pleased last week when he got to see Manchester City beat United 3-1 The boys and Dave had a great afternoon ribbing each other and good natured shouting 'foul', 'off side', 'penalty' as they all watch the match.

Ministry

Aletheia Community Church

As some of you know, we are situated in an inner city area called New Era. Next door to us is a Nightclub called 'Monchego's' and the area has been run down. So as you can imagine it's a little like Eccles with Palm Trees (Although on my last visit to Eccles the place was looking good) Spiritually it can be oppressive to say the least, when our good friend from Moriel Fred Blompkamp visited with his wife Wendy they commented on this very fact.
Peter Africa who coordinates our evangelism has asked for prayer for the situation. He says "please pray that the Lord will give us a breakthrough in the community". He added, "I don't know if it's a legacy of apartheid but as a coloured person it has become hard to gain the trust of the white community, please pray that racial barriers will fall".
Aletheia has now started its Sunday school. You can guess who motivated it (Lyn). After saying on many occasions that she would never get involved with Sunday school again there she is organising the way only Lyn can.
Bernard and Mabel who come from Limpopo Province are busy organising an African choir to give our services an African feel in our worship. It really frustrates me sometimes when people like ours who come from Limpopo, Venda, the Cape and the Zulu people, worship God in the way the west does. So hopefully future visitors will hear songs from every African Nationality.

Moriel Missions College

We have just had a blessed visit from Calvin Smith the Principle of Midlands Bible College and Divinity School. Calvin was a wonderful guest and a great teacher. He has helped the College Board focus on the college philosophy and helped us set targets for accreditation. He has left us with lots of work ahead of us but at the end we will have a first class college giving training in the theory and practice of missions. The college thanks Calvin for his time and efforts and also Jacob Prasch and all at Moriel who helped him visit us.

Our mission station in Kwazulu is also going well. Literacy classes have already started and this will be followed by a foundational level access course towards the bible college.

Caleb, Sophie and Salvador are still plugging away at Zulu and on my last visit two weeks ago they seem to be doing very well. The team move into our property at Christmas so please pray for a smooth transition period. I will be visiting them again in late November to monitor the progress of the community projects.

Just after Caleb and Sophie came, I was inundated with requests for mission experience. Well we are at the point when we need people with certain skills.

• English teachers
• Nurses
• Doctors
• Anybody with medical experience

Obviously there will have to be an application process for security reasons but if you are looking for a short, medium or long term self supporting experience please give me an email.

Ebyown Children's Village

We are still in that chicken and egg stage. Our meeting with Springs Child Welfare went very well and in fact we are up to speed with out standards and ethos. They are willing to support us with grants for beds and equipment (although there's no guarantee) but we still have not obtained the land and house. We are still a huge amount short of being able to purchase a property for the village so please continue to pray about it.

I had a very encouraging appointment with a MR Umshlongo, a local counsellor and Christian in Kwazulu. He was very keen to help us start an Ebyown project in his area, so we can see that the help is out there from government and even pagan's. I think it is a challenge to Christians who have a burden for mission to get this much needed village off the ground. Let me give you just one local example of the need. A local black family in Kwa Thema. The Mum and Dad died leaving four youngsters. They went to an aunt who herself died. They went to another relative who again died. They are now street kids with HIV, their families all died from full-blown aids. This is one case on one day. At the moment the country stands with 500,000 orphans with a crumbling economy and a government who would rather spend 3 billion on the presidential plane than on much needed medication. In my opinion what we are seeing is in fact a form of infanticide. The Romans used to expose their unwanted babies to the elements. The Chinese in modern times did the same as the one child rule came into play. This government are just as guilty with the withdrawal of much needed medication and finances. Please help us to help these children.

Summary

The ministry continues to grow as God opens the doors. Its been a very humbling few months and one lesson the Lord keeps on showing us is that unless He builds the house the labourers toil in vain.

Thank you for being fellow labourers with us on the mission field, your prayers and gifts are a blessing from the father.

Dave's Itinerary

Dave hopes to be visiting the UK in April and Australia sometime next year on deputisation to share about the work and to teach. If you want him to visit your fellowship please could you call the Moriel admin people in the respective countries or email Dave and he will pass on your inquiry.

Support

Thank you for all your support both prayer and materially. If you want to be a prayer partner with us or if you want to support some other way, then please contact.