Our Christmas Greetings

Dear family and friends,

During this very special season, we look back across the months of 2016 and remember how blessed we are to have Jesus as our Savior and Friend. We are grateful for every answer to prayer, His bountiful supply of our daily needs, and the eternal hope that He has given us! We are also very thankful for family and friends!

At the Indian Ocean

This has been an extra special year since we have had a steady flow of visitors to our home. In April my (Glenn’s) parents and two of their friends visited. We especially enjoyed a trip to the Indian Ocean with them. In June a dream came true! My brother Wesley and his family spent three weeks with us! We have also hosted interns, leaders from Hope International Missions, and a few other visitors who came for a day or two. In November we hosted Benjamin McDowell (HIM’s PR Director) and an Engage Media Team for two weeks. They came especially to take pictures and video of what God is doing through Hope International Missions in Southern Africa. We are eagerly anticipating the results of this gifted team which will begin airing in March 2017. It has been a busy, productive, and happy year!

The Gault Cousins

On the ministry front, I was asked to become the HIM Africa director beginning in April. This has and is bringing changes to our lives. My focus is to gradually shift from daily ministry in Lesotho to leading HIM’s expansion into other African countries. As with most changes, there is a sense of anticipation of new horizons, new challenges, and new victories to be won mingled with a tinge of sadness as we let go of roles that have become comfortable and fulfilling. We are looking forward to the exciting new opportunities!

A pastors' retreat with President Grant as speaker

Stephanie’s children’s ministry has grown this year. She has especially been focusing on a handful of adolescent girls trying to help them to become true disciples of Christ. Please pray that she can really win them to Christ and help them become strong believers at this crucial juncture in their lives. Homeschooling the girls also keeps her very busy.

(Thanks Josh & Lucas for the great family pix!)

Our two-year-old man, Caleb, is growing in a variety of ways. We certainly realize how different little boys are from little girls! He still has his tender moments when he wants to snuggle, but he also thrives on rough play and loves anything with an engine!

Kristell is seven and in the second grade. This year God blessed her with the opportunity to take violin lessons. She has made a LOT of progress, and we hope she will always enjoy making music.

Kaitlyn, who turned eleven last month, has really matured. She is a big help around the house. Besides sixth grade, piano lessons and music theory keep her busy.

As missionaries in Lesotho, Christmas always involves a conference! Normally the conference is not far away, and we can “break away” at least one day for some family time. This year is quite different, though! Our church leaders decided that this year the conference should focus on some of our congregations that are too far away to travel to Maseru. So in a couple of hours our family is heading to a mountain village for the weekend. The temperature is in the 90’s and very dry, so any thoughts of a white Christmas will either be in our dreams or another dust storm! I’m also sure that turkey and dressing aren’t on the menu, either! Family time will be nil this weekend, so the children are eagerly looking forward to celebrating our family Christmas on Monday.

We would certainly appreciate your prayers as we celebrate Jesus’ birth in a rural village! I am to preach tonight, and am looking forward to bringing a message of Immanuel, God With Us!

Thank you so much for your faithful prayer and financial support. We deeply appreciate your commitment and love!

Lay People: Jesus' Hands and Feet in Lesotho

This past Sunday, I preached at one of HIM's congregations that currently doesn't have a pastor.  Times of pastoral transition are always challenging, but I was blessed to see what God is doing through committed lay people in spite of  these difficulties.

After church, Mrs. Matoka invited me to their house for lunch.  (She always does, bless her heart!)  As I enjoyed a plate of papa (corn meal mush) and moroho (spinach), we talked about what God is doing in their church.  Mr. Mokete told me about some of the people he has been witnessing to.  He was disappointed that they hadn't come to church, but said he would go and visit them later in the afternoon and check in on them.

He was really encouraged about one of his friends who had recently gotten saved.  During the week this friend stops by Mr. Mokete's house to see what he's doing.  If Mr. Mokete is working in his garden, then the friend hurries home and works in his garden.  If Mr. Mokete is helping a neighbor, then his friend looks for one of his neighbors who needs a hand with something.  Sometimes they just sit together and talk about family problems and how to solve them in a Christ-like way.  Mr. Mokete's friend says he's learning how to "how to live salvation."  Here at HIM, we call it becoming a disciple!

Mr. & Mrs. Mokete

Mrs. Matoka told me a little background of the widow lady who had visited the church that day and stayed after the service for special prayer.  Even before the death of her husband, she had had a hard life with many tragedies.  Since his death, things have only gotten worse.  She is taking care of several of her unmarried children and grandchildren, and they are often in great need.  Mrs. Matoka shared how appreciative this lady is when they take her vegetables from their garden and share their staple foods.

Another way Mr. & Mrs. Mokete were able to reach out to this needy widow was when one of her grandchildren died.  They visited as soon as they heard of the death and found that their friend didn't have any money at all to cover funeral or burial expenses.  The whole family was in despair.  How would they give this child a dignified burial, an important part of culture in Lesotho?  Mr. Mokete hurried back to their house and carefully took apart an old cupboard they had.  With his carpentry skills, he used the pieces to make a simple casket.  Mrs. Matoka helped clean up the yard and put a fresh coat of plaster on the house (also culturally important).  Early the next morning there was a simple funeral, and the child was respectfully laid to rest.

Now we are seeing the fruit of their compassion. This widow lady is visiting church and seeking the Lord.  And all this without a pastor!

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27 [NKJV])  

And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' (Matthew 25:40 [NKJV]

Prayer & Praise

Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your prayers this past weekend. It was a busy, happy weekend as we joined Pastor Tankiso Klaas (HIM's national chairman in South Africa) and 'Mapaseka Roberts (one of Steph's first children's ministry converts) for their wedding. Saturday was the actual wedding held at 'Mapaseka's home. Sunday was a celebration at Tankiso's home to welcome the new bride into his family and church. We especially praise the Lord for the crowd of several hundred people who heard the Gospel on Sunday in South Africa. Please pray that God will give this new couple a strong marriage and many souls as they work together in the Kingdom.

We are also praising the Lord for a good report from Uncle Piet Marais' meeting with the General Secretary of the Namibian Bible Society. Please keep praying for the Bible Societies of Southern Africa and pray that more Bibles will be printed in African languages.
Please pray for Matukeng Health Centre and the government of Lesotho. The constant political trumoil over the last few years is affecting the government's ability to keep their contract to fund free health care through our clinic. Please pray for high-level meetings and that the government will re-prioritize funds to promote health care rather than less essential programs.


Sincerely,

Glenn, Stephanie, Kaitlyn, Kristell, & Caleb Gault

Hope International MissionsAfrica Director

Prayer & Praise

Dear praying friends,

Join us in praising the Lord for the wonderful work the Motovilov family are doing with the children of Mauersnek, South Africa.  This past Wednesday they had a little Christmas program to share with parents and the community what the children have been learning in the afternoons after school.  The children did a GREAT job, and we were so please with the good turnout of parents and people from this township.  Please keep praying for the Motovilovs and these children they are working with!

Also, we want to ask for your special prayers for the Marais and the Bible Distribution ministry.  Bro. Pieter is making a special trip to Windhoek, Namibia this week to meet with the General Secretary of the Bible Society there.  He is hoping to arrange the printing of Bibles for distribution next year.  Please pray for traveling mercy for him and for God's will to be done in this meeting!  Also pray for the Bible Societies!  Many of them hardly have stock of Bibles these days.

Thanks for your faithful prayers!

Glenn, Stephanie, Kaitlyn, Kristell, & Caleb

Pastors Retreat

This past weekend we held a retreat for HIM's pastors in South Africa and Lesotho.  We are so grateful for your financial support that makes a time of rest, fellowship, and learning like this possible!

We went to St. Augustine's just outside Ladybrand.
Steve and Marita Shone were such great hosts.
I would highly recommend this place!

11 pastors plus us missionaries attended.

Rev. Sidney Grant, President of our mission, was the speaker.
He taught about "Training Tomorrow's Leaders Today"

Everyone seemed to enjoy the food even though the Basotho missed their
"papa"or corn meal mush that is their staple food.

Valera and I also shared devotionals.  The picture I took of him
didn't turn out, so I'll have to use the one he took of me.

President Grant held a special installation service
for me as HIM Africa Director

Training and Outreach at Mants'onyane Lesotho

 This past weekend Valera Motovilov and I helped the nondenominational Lesotho Theological Education by Extension Committee facilitate a training seminar and outreach in the village of Ha Thabo near Mants'onyane.  The Theological Education by Extension Committee holds training seminars three or four times a year for students to write exams, receive further training, and have uplifting fellowship.  It was decided that this quarter, we would hold the seminar out in the rural mountains of Lesotho at the church where one of the students pastors.

The red star shows approximately where Mants'onyane is.

The theme of the seminar was "Look Up and See the Fields which Are White Unto Harvest."  The emphasis was the great need to plant evangelical churches in the mountainous parts of Lesotho.  To make this practical for the students, we helped the local church with an outreach campaign Saturday evening.

Since there were still two seats in the chartered taxi,
we went in the taxi rather than take our own vehicle.

Yes, those seats are pretty tight for long-legged
fellows like Valera and me!

Group photo

The road was so bad that we had to walk the last half-mile or so.

The Salt and Light Mission Station at Ha Thabo, Mants'onyane

Ntate Joseph's accordion and singing drew a
crowd for the evangelistic campaign.

Showing the Jesus Film

Walking back to the taxi. The scenery was incredible!

A panoramic view from near Mants'onyane.  (Click to enlarge)

I saw it in Africa...

Every once in a while we see some REALLY strange things in Africa!  I took this "Wide Load" picture along the road to Matukeng last week!  Notice the thin ropes tying all this down.  Good thing it wasn't windy!  They were having quite a challenge figuring out how to get it under the electric lines.

Spring--continued

Here are a few of the wild flowers that are in full bloom in our area.  I don't know the names of most of them.

This pinkish purple bush is usually one of the first
signs that spring is on the way.  It blooms on rocky hillsides.
It doesn't show much, but where the hill starts up
 steep there are lots of orange aloe plants blooming

This flower reminds me of a daffodil a little.
  It is considered a weed, and blooms profusely
in unplowed fields this time of year.

Verbena

Some day we want to go to the Namaqualand when the spring flowers are in full bloom.  This is a semi-desert area on the West Coast of South Africa.  If there are winter rains in this area, it turns into an incredible sea of flowers for a few short weeks.  If you like flower pictures, Google Namaqualand flowers and look at the images!

Spring!

It's spring in Lesotho!  The peach trees are blooming.

A Little Update

This has been a special year for us because we have had lots of visitors!  Here's a few pictures that will let you know a little of what we've been doing.

In June, Glenn's brother's family visited.  We had so much fun together!

We went jackal hunting.  Wesley shot two.

We had a wonderful day in Pilanesberg National Park.
Besides this leopard (a rare thing to see), we saw elephants,
rhino, zebra, giraffe, hippos, kudu, and so much more!

We hosted two interns.

Erika Fenstermaker and Danae Fisher from Penn View Bible Institute
came to Lesotho to do their missions internships.  They helped with
evangelism, children's ministry, Bible studies, and lots of other things.
They were a big blessing!

We had two birthdays in our family recently.

Kristell turned 7! 

Caleb is two now.
He couldn't wait to blow his candles out!
I had to relight them three or four times,
and the picture still didn't turn out very well
because he was so excited about blowing
them out!

School started again for the girls.

We are very excited about what the Lord is doing in the Ha Motheo area the last couple months.  Quite a few people have given their hearts to the Lord, and the congregation is doing a great job of working in teams to organize outreaches.  

The ladies' conference in July was well attended.  (Everyone was
invited to the Sunday morning service.)

Newsletter

You can read our most recent newsletter by going to http://gsgault.com/recent.html .  You can also download the newsletter to print or read offline by clicking this link.

One Year With Caleb Ts'epo

The 28th of April marked our first year with Caleb!  It's been a special year, so we had a special celebration.  Besides our neighbors, missionary friends from Hope International Missions, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and Beautiful Gate (the home where Caleb spent his first nine months) joined us for the evening.

We had grilled chicken and hot dogs, rice, beans, and friends
brought in several yummy salads.

Stephanie shared this with everyone that night:

Caleb Ts'epo, tonight we want to celebrate the gift that God gave us in you. We prayed for you and wondered if and when God would answer those prayers. Then one year ago you became part of our family forever.

In that year, you have changed in so many ways. When you first came to us, you were quiet and unsure of your surroundings. Now you're extremely vocal—talking, singing, yelling “No way!” when you don't like something and “Amen” almost every time someone finishes praying (or when you think we should be finished!) . You are confident of your place in your family and are always ready to demand your turn in activities around our home.

You've learned to be quiet (most of the time) in church services, and you're even able to sit in one place although you may wiggle the whole time in that spot! You love people, and you love greeting them with “hello” and “bye” as they leave. Of course you're a fan of trucks and cars, especially big lorries (semis) that make interesting noises to imitate. Food is a biggie in your life, and you're always in a hurry to get in your high chair when you think it's meal time. Giving mbas (kisses) to everyone, including animals, stuffed and real, is a daily part of your life.

You are a busy little boy--climbing, running, playing, and making messes wherever you go. You are also a determined little boy, but God is giving us wisdom to train you in obedience to your parents. You love your parents, and you adore your sisters.

As for any little boy, this last year has been a time of learning for you—learning your family, sign language and words, new skills, and so many more things. But this is only the beginning of your life, and you have so much more to learn—about who you are, about God and His love, and what God's plan is for your life. These are some of the biggies, with all kinds of learning opportunities thrown into the mix.

One thing that we hope you will not have to learn, but will always know, is that you were wished for, longed for, prayed for, and wanted.

One year ago you became part of our family forever. God chose you and gave us YOU! You, along with your two beautiful sisters, are precious gifts from God. We love you, Caleb Tsepo, and we always will!

Here are a few highlights from the first year:

Meeting Caleb Ts'epo for the first time

Getting acquainted with Kaitlyn

The day we took Caleb home

My first day in my "forever home"

A special adoption ceremony at Beautiful Gate two weeks
after we adopted Caleb Ts'epo

Besides our family (from left to right) is 'Me Makatleho
(Beautiful Gate's social worker), Anita (Beautiful Gate's
assistant director), and 'Me Ntebo (the Government social
worker who helped us with every step of the adoption.)

Brrrr!  It's cold in our house in the winter!

First birthday

Quality time with Kaitlyn

Playing with Kristell

Sometimes I get so tired I can't stay awake through lunch!