BERGVILLE MISSION TRIP – MARCH 2011

Posted on: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2011 11:32 PM

For eight days in early March, Macedonian Ministries facilitated a short-term mission trip to Bergville in KwaZulu-Natal. We were the guests of the Rookdale congregation. Pastor Thomas Hlongwane was our host.

The team consisted of nine students and two staff members from the Baptist Theological College [Johannesburg], Andy Peckham and Vernon Schmidt of Macedonian Ministries, Pastor Thomas and his wife Lena, Pastor Joseph Kubeka and Mally and me.

A typical day looked like this:

07:30 Leave for evangelistic outreach at four different schools
08:30 Breakfast
09:30 Devotions from Romans 1-3
10:30 Evangelistic visitation in homes of the local community
13:30 Lunch
15:00-17: 00 Children’s outreach/Bible school
18:00 Evening school of the Bible for members of the Rookdale Church and other Christians from the community.

SCHOOL MEETINGS

We were privileged to have five schools in the area invite us to minister to their students at the outset of each school day. This offered teams time to share in song, testimony and preaching of the Word of God. Overall, these opportunities were blessed times of presenting Christ as the only true Saviour and revealed a desire on the part of some students to seek the Lord in Salvation. Thank you, Jesus.

EVANGELISM IN THE HOMES

This is always a most inspirational ministry among rural people. Their spontaneous hospitality coupled with openness to listen/reason/discuss the Christian Gospel makes each visit most worthwhile. Many wonderful memories of these engagements with people representing a vast variety of religious beliefs like Animism, Syncretism, and other interaction with cults like witchcraft.

Most team members find these encounters very stimulating, sometimes calling for a re-examination of their own theological convictions and what they are based on. The ultimate blessing is enjoyed when some of these households request spiritual guidance, ask for prayer, even seek Christ in Salvation.

When a household revealed obvious poverty we were doubly blessed to be able to return with food parcels and gifts of clothing.

The households which tugged our hearts the most were those where family members were suffering from HIV/AIDS and other diseases or where the home was occupied by a sibling family, usually due to the death of both parents by HIV/AIDS.

When these visits resulted in days of restlessness and nights of sleeplessness as

we struggled to come to terms with the immensity of the need, we were thankfully comforted by the knowledge that we had at least done what Jesus would do – we had shown Christian compassion and had pointed these dear people to the “Great Shepherd of the Sheep”.

CHILDRENS OUTREACH

This is always a highlight of any mission trip. Bergville was no different. About 250/300 attended each afternoon, sometimes in the cold. This was the perfect opportunity for us to pick out the children who were inadequately dressed for the cold weather. Each of them received a new woollen jersey, lovingly knitted by a group of senior ladies from the Scottsville Baptist Church in Pietermaritzburg.

The daily program included: games, Scripture memory, Bible stories, craft activities and preaching of The Word.

When opportunity was given for these children to consider seeking Christ as their Eternal Saviour, many indicated their desire for help. This is always a most blessed moment for any Christian ministering the Gospel. Team members found great meaning in leading these children in receiving the Gift of Eternal Salvation. Thank you, Jesus.

EVENING SCHOOL OF THE BIBLE

Each evening, fundamental, foundational themes for church health were taught from the scriptures. Prayer, church membership, tithing, assurance of salvation, were some of the subjects covered. It was most rewarding to see believers come night after night with a hunger to feed on the sincere meat of the Word.

TEAM DEVOTIONS

I had the privileged joy of leading the team in a study of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. This exposition over the time we were together focused on the following subjects:

1.     Introduction, Authorship, Background to the Book of Romans

2.     The Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only Power of Salvation (Romans 1)

3.     God’s wrath against Sin (Romans 2)

4.     Judgment against Sin (Romans 3)

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

·       Special appreciation needs to be expressed to our hosts and the church at Rookdale. Thank you very much.

·       Sincere thanks to the team members – you were a blessing to the community.

·       Thanks to those who contributed to the resources needed for this mission trip – without your giving this ministry would not have happened.

·       To our faithful prayer warriors around the world – without this empowerment nothing would have been achieved for the eternal kingdom. Thank you!

TO OUR KING JESUS, MUST GO ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY, FOR IT IS ONLY THROUGH HIS GREAT NAME THAT ANY ADVANCEMENT IS EVER MADE IN THE EXTENSION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.