Michelle Waterson

 

Michelle Waterson, who hales from Cape Town, South Africa, has been volunteering with Hope International Missions since 2008.  She has been doing youth and children's ministry, helping to plant a church at Hobhouse, and has given several years of dedicated service as a teacher at Hope Christian Academy in Ladybrand.  This weekend she left to go back to Cape Town to visit her parents before traveling to America.  She has been a wonderful blessing to us and we will miss her so much!

Mr. Jim Howard (Africa Regional Director) presents Michelle Waterson with a plaque recognizing her dedicated service in South Africa.  (June 8 2013)

The Smoke of a Thousand Villages

Robert Moffat once said "Many a morning have I stood on the porch of my house, and looking northward, have seen the smoke arise from villages that have never heard of Jesus Christ. I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages—villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world."

God used those words to call David Livingstone to a lifetime of mission work and exploration in the interior of the African continent.  

Miss Mischief

Please Pray: Bible Trip Delayed

Yesterday we found out that something has gone wrong with the passport application of a young man who was supposed to travel with Uncle Piet and Aunt Hester Marais on the Bible Trip.  Home Affairs has promised to work on it right away, but this has delayed the Marais' departure by a week.  If his passport isn't available by next Thursday, the Marais will go on without him and he will come with us in July.  The Marais really need his help, so please pray that the passport will come through.

Bible Trip 2

A kind friend from South Africa gave us a generous donation to help us on the Bible trip.  We really want to express our appreciation to others who are giving through the web site.

Pieter and Hester Marais are planning to leave as soon as one of the people traveling with them gets his passport.  Please pray for them as they make last minute preparations!

These ladies who were selling beans in a market near Livingstone, Zambia are happy to have new Bibles!

The Bible Trip

 

Imagine shopping for a Bible for ten years and not being able to find one in your mother tongue at a price you can afford!  Most of us have quite a few Bibles in our homes, but there are people in Africa who long for just one copy of God's Word.  

Each year around this time, Hope International Missions missionaries travel to towns and rural parts of Africa to sell Bibles at a price people can afford.  This year we are going on this trip as a family.  We will be helping Piet and Hester Marais sell Bibles in Chipata, Zambia.

Piet and Hester Marais are the HIM missionaries who lead the Bibles for the Nations Project

Where in the world is Chipata, Zambia?  There is a red circle on the map below to show the town of Chipata.  It is right on the border of Malawi. Click the link below to see a much larger map of Zambia.

Large map of Zambia

As you can imagine a 3,300 mile trip like this in Africa is not cheap!

The current price of diesel in Zambia is more than $7 a gallon!

We have to cross the Zambezi river on a ferry. 

In spite of the challenges and expense, we believe this ministry is very important.  The evangelical churches in this part of Zambia are struggling.  False religions are pouring millions of dollars into this area trying to win the hearts of the people.  Without Bibles and strong churches, people easily convert to the religion of anyone who offers them a job.  They need our help.  And we need your help.

Pray:

We need your prayer support.  

• Pray for traveling mercy.  
• Pray that we will be in the right place at the right time to meet people who are really thirsty for God's Word.
• Pray for our safety.
• Pray for the availability of Bibles.  (We have 5,000 Bibles arranged.  Pray that all the details work out!)
• Also pray that God will use us to encourage pastors and Christians while we are there.

 Give:

We also need your special financial support.  Altogether, a trip like this costs close to $2000.  We have about half of that money already, but we still need $1000.  As you look at the rest of the pictures, would you please prayerful consider if the Lord would want you to help us on our journey?  We would really appreciate your gift!


If you are interested in partnering with us to put Bibles in the hands of needy believers in Chipata, you can click on the Paypal link in the sidebar of our blog.  you can also make checks payable to HIM and mail them to 

Hope International Missions
P.O. Box 1065

Hobe Sound, FL 33475

Make sure you write Gault Support in the memo line!

Every gift, no matter how small, will make a difference!

"To market, to market, to buy a fat pig..."

Last year I had the opportunity to preach to more than 100 people in this village church.

Rosie and Rebekah (AWC interns, 2012) fellowshipping with Christians in Zambia.

Steph's brother Jon also helped on the trip last year.

Sitting by the Bibles

We hope to take Kaitlyn and Kristell to Victoria Falls.  Our route through Zambia takes us within less than 10 miles of this wonder of God's creation.

Crossing the mighty Zambezi in dugouts

A Few Pictures

Each month Matukeng Health Centre visits two health posts on the other side of the mountain from where we live.  They weigh and vaccinate babies, give medicine for chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure, teach people about healthy living, and encourage those who are HIV positive to get treatment.    

This is Mr. Mahlomola dispensing drugs from the back of our pickup truck.  He started out as a gardener, but is now the clinic chaplain and helps with all kinds of tasks.  

Are those snow clouds building up over the mountains?  I think it might be.  It was snowing in the Cape yesterday, and it is much colder this morning.

Prayer and Praise Update

Dear Praying Friends,

Your prayers DO make a difference. Thank you for your faithfulness!

Praise:

• While the clinic is being renovated here at Matukeng, we are having church
  
  in a tent. This has some challenges! Last Sunday a snake came into the tent during the sermon and caused quite an uproar. (I'm still not sure, but I think it was not dangerous to humans. At least no one was bit!) This Sunday when I went out to the service at 10:00am the wind was so strong that side poles were falling down and the side curtains of the tent were blowing off. I was afraid we might not be able to safely hold a service. We prayed for the Lord to stop the wind, and within minutes things were calm. We had a blessed service. It was a clear answer to prayer, and I believe a witness to the new people who are attending.
• As I just mentioned, we have new people visiting the church here at Matukeng. Praise the Lord for the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
• We thank the Lord that Mr. and Mrs. Howard are safely in Africa. We are enjoying fellowship with them, and I know they are enjoying being with Jeremy and Delani.

Prayer:

• Two pastors in Lesotho have recently experienced deaths in their extended families. Pray for Rev. Molise and Rev. Majola and their families.
• Please join us in praying for revival at the Mauersnek congregation in Ladybrand, South Africa.
• We want to ask for special prayer as we have some very important meetings. Please ask the Lord to give us wisdom and clear direction for the good of His Kingdom.
• Help us pray for the new people who are visiting and attending the church at Matukeng. Some of them have gotten saved I believe, but others are still evaluating Christ's claims for their lives. Please pray for clear conversions.

"The Lord is...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

Thank you for praying with us!

Glenn, Stephanie, Kaitlyn, and Kristell Gault

Hope International Missions