Our Deputation Schedule

 We'll be traveling to connect with prayer partners and financial supporters, and to make new friends from late November until the end of March.  This schedule may change some here and there, but it will at least give you the big picture of where we're planning to be.  Most of the Sundays and Wednesdays are filled, but we'd be happy to schedule some Tuesday or Thursday services when we are in an area.  We are also open to speaking at chapel services, assemblies, and the like, or just get together and chat!  Please get in touch with the contact form at the bottom of our webpage.

Nov. 26 AM        Parkway Church of God Holiness            Fort Scott, KS

Nov. 26 PM        Independence Bible Holiness                    Independence, KS

Nov. 27 AM        Independence Christian Academy            Independence, KS

Nov. 28 AM        Pilgrim Bible Academy                            Ottawa, KS

Dec. 03 AM        South Park Church of God Holiness        Shawnee, KS

Dec. 03 PM        Pilgrim Bible Church                                Ottawa, KS

Dec. 10 AM        Foothills Missionary Church                    Colo. Spgs., CO

Dec. 10 PM        Wesleyan Bible Church                            Lakewood, CO

Dec. 17 AM        Faith Covenant Bible Chapel                    Colo. Spgs., CO

Dec. 31 AM        Palestine Pilgrim Holiness Church            Palestine, IL

Jan. 07 AM        West Blocton Bible Methodist                    West Blocton, AL

Jan. 07 PM        Faith Bible Church                                      Coaling, AL

Jan. 10 PM        Ada Chapel                                                 West Blocton, AL

Jan. 14 AM        Salisbury Community Bible Church          Salisbury, NC

Jan. 14 PM        Faith Community Chapel                            Thomasville, NC

Jan. 17 PM        Easley Bible Methodist Church                  Easley, SC

Jan. 21 AM        Talladega Bible Methodist Church            Talladega, AL

Jan. 24 PM        Available

Jan. 28 AM        Crandall Bible Methodist Church            Crandall, GA

Jan. 28 PM        TBA

Jan 29-Feb 19    Camp meeting, board meeting, etc.           Hobe Sound, FL

Feb. 21 PM        Archdale Pilgrim Holiness Church            Archdale, NC

Feb. 25 AM        Hamilton Heights God's Missionary        Chambersburg, PA

Feb. 25 PM        Emmanuel Wesleyan Church                    Gratz, PA

Feb. 28 PM        York Bible Methodist Church                    York, PA

Mar. 01 PM        Milmont GMC/PVBI joint service            Penns Creek, PA

Mar. 03 AM        Heritage Bible Church                               Marion, OH

Mar. 03 PM        TBA

Mar. 06 PM        Ashville Wesleyan Methodist Church        Ashville, NY

Mar. 10 AM        Montana Aveneue Nazarene                      Cincinnati, OH      

Mar. 10 PM        TBA

Mar. 13 PM        Available

Mar. 17 AM        Available

Mar. 17 PM        Kokomo Pilgrim Holiness Church            Kokomo, IN

Mar. 20 PM        Greenup Pilgrim Holiness Church            Greenup, IL

Mar. 24 AM        Bible Holiness Church                              East Moline, IL

Mar. 24 PM        Mount Pleasant Pilgrim Nazarene            Mount Pleasant, IA  

Cameroon Trip Report--Part 2

Once we were checked in at the hotel, the pastor left us for a few hours to rest before the church ladies brought in a delicious meal with spaghetti, a stir-fry sauce, rice, oranges, and local soft drinks.  We especially enjoyed the “Special Pamplemousee”—a carbonated grapefruit juice.  The Malta was ok, but not a favorite for any of us.  (President Martin later described it as “drinking a loaf of bread” because of it’s yeasty flavor.)  The Bavaria Apple drink was delicious!  Mrs. Nicolene (Pastor Timothy’s wife) informed us that this would be our last American/western meal.  The rest of the time she would be serving us Cameroonian food.  She promised us ten exclusively Cameroonian dishes by the end of the week.  We counted more than ten that were new to us!  

Around midnight, the team from America arrived—FEA chairman Larry Gardner, FEA president Harold Martin, and Bible Methodist Missions leader and president of SGC, Timothy Keep.  It was great to see them! 

Tuesday was a rest and preparation day. We prayed together, planned some of the details of the sessions, rested, and President Martin and I went for a short walk on the crowded market streets.  

The church provided a meal once again, and Mrs. Nicolene was true to her promise that it would not be western-style food.  I do not remember the names of the food, except for the fufu corn—something a bit like cornmeal mush that is a staple food throughout much of Africa.  There was also cooked greens and maybe some fish in a yummy tomato sauce.  (The meals are all kind of running together in my memory, and I didn’t take pictures of all of them.)  Each day the church ladies brought in our main meal to an open deck area at the hotel.  We ate an incredible variety of foods—at least three varieties of cassava, yams, rice, okra, varieties of fish, chicken, beef, something called pudding (a savory meat dish), hard boiled eggs, local vegetables, beans, plums (nothing like what we call plums!) and others that I have forgotten.  We were blessed to sample a GREAT variety of the local cuisine!

Ok, that's probably enough food pictures, but we really did enjoy trying the different dishes even if some of them tasted unusual to us!

Wednesday was the day for the Shepherds Global Classroom teachers' training.  The theme for this day was 2 Timothy 2:2  “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”  Besides the leadership from Pastor Timothy’s church, several other pastor friends of his were in attendance.  Some of them had traveled for as much as five hours to be a part of the training.  A few couldn’t be physically present, but were watching via Facebook Live.  We divided up the sessions between us with each person presenting topics where they had experience or gifts.  Towards late afternoon, these teachers-in-training were each given a Shepherds Global Classroom book and they took turns teaching a lesson or part of one to a small group of their peers.  This was the highlight of the day for me as these pastors and leaders recognized that it was completely possible for them to set up and teach an effective Bible School anywhere a few interested people could gather.  Though some looked a little nervous at the beginning, by the end all were participating with great animation and enjoyment.  At the end of the session they begged for more time to finish up their lessons.  It was very rewarding to see twenty-five teachers preparing to teach other Kingdom workers who in turn will train more!

Practicing teaching

While the rest of us were teaching teachers, Stephanie held a seminar or workshop for children’s ministers.  Back in April when she had another stroke that affected her speech, we wondered if she would ever be able to teach again.  We are so grateful for God’s healing touch!  She was able to teach/facilitate this six-hour workshop in spite of the heat and humidity that we are not at all used to.  

Children's workers

Thursday through Saturday was the ten year anniversary celebration of Dignity Chapel International.  Thursday morning, Maricka spoke to the women of the church.  That afternoon, I spoke to the youth on being effective witnesses for Christ through holy living.  In the evening, President Martin taught on effective leadership.

Friday was scheduled to be a day of services again, but we had to get PCR Covid tests before our flights back home on Sunday.  Mrs. Nicolene did her best to find out where we needed to go for these tests in hopes that it would be a very short process and we could continue with the speaking schedule.  In spite of her efforts, things didn’t go to plan.  We went to three different places, the first two referring us somewhere else.  The third time was the charm, and we got our that tests which were negative.  In the evening service, the Lord helped me in a special way to preach and teach on the life and work of a missionary.  Pastor Timothy and his church have a vision to reach beyond Cameroon with the Gospel.  They have already begun by sending a church planting team to another district several hours south of Douala.

Saturday morning Pastor Timothy wanted to take us to see a bit of Cameroon.  We were thrilled at the opportunity, so rose early for a quick breakfast.  Before long Pastor Timothy and Mr. Richard, the head deacon of their church, arrived with two vehicles to take us up the coast to Limbe where the first Christian missionaries landed with the Gospel in the 1800s.  As we drove, we passed through rubber and palm plantations.  I remember studying about rubber trees, probably in grade school, and was overwhelmed that God allowed me to see them for myself!  I digress, but you will NEVER regret surrendering your life completely to the service of King Jesus!  

A palm plantation

Fishing boats

Tensions rose visibly the further we drove.  Though it seldom makes international news anymore, a bloody guerrilla war has been going on for six years in this part of Cameroon, especially in the jungle foothills of Mount Cameroon.  One of the ladies who attended the children’s ministry workshop and anniversary celebration has started a foundation to help orphans and displaced children from this war.  Her stories of the awful things that are happening are tragic.  The rebels announce “Ghost Mondays” where anyone who leaves their home on that day is in danger of being killed.  The guerrillas sometimes  carry out some kind of a terrorist attack during that day just to prove their strength.  I was definitely relieved when we took a different road that went to the coastal city of Limbe instead of on into this conflict zone!

In the botanical garden

In Limbe, a relative of Mrs. Nicolene took us on a tour of a botanical garden.  His career in conservation, especially to protect the big primates in this area, made for a fascinating tour guide.  We estimated that some of the palm trees in this park were over a hundred feet high.  We were disappointed that he couldn’t take us to the wildlife refuge because of Covid, but he took us to a fishing community where people make a living fishing in the Atlantic Ocean.  The grilled fish dinner complete with plantain, cassava, and chili pepper sauce was unforgettable!

The Atlantic Ocean

Though we initially planned to be back for an afternoon service, time is flexible in West Africa.  Instead, we got back for the last afternoon session with Brother Keep who did a masterful job of speaking on Effective Discipleship. In the evening service the church people put on a couple dramas that communicated the Gospel in powerful ways, and there was lots of singing and some celebratory dancing for their tenth anniversary.  A lady pastor whose church was instrumental in the salvation of Pastor Timothy when he was in high school preached the anniversary message.  Her theme was living a life led by the Holy Spirit, and the truth was powerful and well-presented.  I am certain that both we visitors and church people were helped by the truth she shared and the spirit in which she shared it.  

A good crowd turned out for this Saturday night service as you can see from this video clip:

Sunday morning, we were once again up fairly early to catch our flight back to South Africa via Ethiopia.  Once again, the process at the airport went smoothly, and our flights were comfortable.  There was nearly an hour’s delay leaving Addis Ababa, but arriving at 5am instead of 4am in Johannesburg really wasn’t too big of a problem.  A kind Christian man picked us up at the airport and took us to the nearby Baptist guest house where our vehicle and Angela Thornton were waiting for us.  By 8:30 we were on our way to Ladybrand and our children.  We got home to Matukeng by early evening.  

Looking back on our week in Cameroon, there are several things that stand out in my memory.  First would have to be the incredible hospitality of Pastor Timothy, his wife, and their church people.  They went far beyond what was expected or necessary, and treated us like royalty.  Our visit was comfortable and enjoyable because of their graciousness.

The church gave us Cameroonian outfits.

My second takeaway was their sincere desire to serve God and be effective in building His Kingdom.  From the first meal we shared, this spirit came through so powerfully.  We knew we were with Christian brothers and sisters who share our passion for the Great Commission.  They exhibited a spiritual depth that goes beyond many churches here which tend to emphasize emotions and a powerless prosperity gospel.   I will always treasure scenes of young people interceding around the altar after the services, and of the looks on peoples’ faces as they drank in spiritual truth while we spoke.  Pastor Timothy’s enthusiasm as I spoke about the possibility of his church becoming a missionary sending church will continue to encourage me for a long time.  

Finally, I left Cameroon knowing that God IS building His Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  We are expecting great things from Dignity Chapel International!  We believe God is going to helping them train effective, Spirit-filled, holy leaders using Shepherds Global Classroom.  We are praying that their church will grow, and that they will start a church-planting movement in Cameroon.  A few years from now, I can see them sending out godly, fearless missionaries to the Muslim nations of North Africa.  Please join us in praying for them and for the fulfillment of this vision!

Cameroon Trip Report--Part 1

 Early in 2021, Pastor Timothy Abah contacted Shepherds Global Classroom about the possibility of using their curriculum to train pastors and leaders in his church in Douala, Cameroon.  After much prayer and planning, HIM, Shepherds Global Classroom, and Bible Methodist Missions decided to send a joint delegation to Dignity Chapel International to help them set up a training program.  We were excited when Pastor Timothy suggested that our visit could coincide with a weekend revival and tenth anniversary celebration for their church.

Pastor Timothy, Mrs. Nicolene, and children

Maricka Herrer, Bible Methodist Missionary who is working in partnership with HIM Africa very capably arranged the details of this trip—coordinating invitation letter, details for visa applications, a hotel, and so much more.  Her foresight and expertise made a complex trip go very smoothly.  

Unfortunately, when I applied for our visas at the Cameroonian embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, I must have submitted our original Yellow Fever vaccine certificates together with the copies.  Late Friday night before we were supposed to fly on Sunday I discovered this major problem.  We were extremely discouraged, and felt that it was likely we would not be able to go along on the trip.  As we prayed however, we felt like the Lord wanted us to continue our preparations that night and trust Him for a solution.  After a mostly sleepless night, I shared our problem with Pastor Kali early Saturday morning.  I didn’t expect much help from him except for his prayers, but he immediately phoned a relative who works for the government in the Ministry of Health.  In a couple hours this man called back with the phone number of the director of the department that coordinates vaccinations for the government.  He told us that this doctor was a kind man and a born again Christian who would do his best to help even in an emergency.  I was very nervous to call a government official on a Saturday morning, but he received my call and advised us to meet at a certain restaurant in the capital city as soon as possible.  When he arrived, he prayed for us, our journey, and the problem we had, asking the Lord to help him find a solution.  We were so encouraged as he began phoning other high officials and putting together a solution.  It took most of the day, and the normal vaccine certificates were out of stock, but by evening we had stamped and signed documents testifying to our yellow fever vaccine.  All day long we saw both intense opposition from Satan but also powerful answers to prayer.  Getting any sort of official government business done on a Saturday is almost unheard of in Lesotho!  

We left Lesotho early on the 14th of November.  We dropped our children off to stay with Johan and Hessie van der Merwe at their farm outside of Ladybrand, South Africa.  At the Lesotho border, God answered another prayer—the the children were allowed more than the normal 7 days to stay in South Africa since we would be gone longer than that.  We picked up Maricka Herrer in Ladybrand and headed for Johannesburg.  That Sunday night we were able to attend a Christmas music service put on by missionaries from the Africa Evangelical Band (AEB).  Even though we knew without doubt that God wanted us to go to Cameroon, I (Glenn) was still just a bit nervous about the trip, how best to approach the teaching and preaching, and ministry in a culture that is unfamiliar to us.  God met with me so powerfully through this song that our dear friends Albert and Joreth Bartsch and some of their coworkers sang.  Emmanuel; We Are Not Alone!  You should be able to listen to it below.

After the service, one of the AEB missionaries dropped us off at the airport a few minutes away, and we boarded the first leg of our trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  We were favorably impressed with Ethiopian Airlines.  Their staff were helpful, the service was excellent, and the airplanes were among the nicest in the world.  Though we have traveled quite a bit, it was our first time to fly in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.  We were impressed with how quiet this airplane is.

We arrived in Cameroon around 11am on Monday.  The arrival process was long since everyone had to be tested for Covid on arrival.  There were certainly some challenges like figuring out the French forms, but overall we were impressed with how well the government was coping.  All of our team’s interaction with Cameroonian embassies both in Pretoria and Washington D.C., as well as immigration in Cameroon was impressive. We can only wish that U.S. embassies and immigration could take a lesson from this country on serving people efficiently and in a customer-friendly manner!

Pastor Timothy met us at the door of the airport.  He had arranged an air conditioned vehicle to take us to our hotel on the other side of city.  I really enjoyed the trip!  The traffic is much more chaotic and dense than we are used to in Lesotho, and there is probably three or four motorcycles on the road for every car.  I enjoy motorcycles, and enjoyed watching people riding three or more up, splitting lanes, and weaving through the traffic.  If safety were no concern, this is definitely the fastest way to get around!

This shaky back seat video isn't great, but it gives you a feel of the traffic as well as the expertise of our Cameroonian drivers!

Due to some technical difficulties, I had to start another post to complete this report.

Here's the link for more pictures, videos, and text:

Part 2

Trip to Cameroon

Early this year, Pastor Timothy Mbue of Dignity Chapel International was looking online for a curriculum to help him train Christian workers in his church in Douala, Cameroon.  Shepherds Global Classroom caught his attention as he scrolled.  What perhaps seemed like a "random act of Google" has culminated in an invitation to FEA Ministries, Shepherds Global Classroom, and Bible Methodist MIssions to join this church for their 10th anniversary celebration and help them kick off their training program.

 We will be leaving very late on the 14th of November to catch an overnight flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, then on to Douala, Cameroon on Monday.  Maricka Herrer (Bible Methodist missionary on assignment with HIM), will be traveling with us.  She has been the key to all the arrangements for this trip and has been a HUGE help!  Once we get to Douala we will meet up with SGC president Tim Keep as well as Harold Martin and Larry Gardner from HIM.  

We'll have a busy schedule while we're there.  Wednesday we'll hold a training for the teachers who will be teaching the SGC courses in Pastor Timothy's group of churches as well as several other Cameroonian churches that want to start training programs.  Stephanie will be holding a workshop on children's ministry that day also.    

Thursday through Saturday is a revival and anniversary celebration for the Dignity Chapel International.  There will be two services a day plus a Q&A session each afternoon.  As guest speakers, we'll be addressing a variety of topics ranging from Women in Ministry to Effective Ministry Leadership.  I am especially excited about a session on mission work and how Africans can become missionaries!  

We are looking forward to this opportunity to join Pastor Timothy and other Christians in Cameroon, and we want to see God's Kingdom grow through the efforts of each person who attends.  Our goal is to see a generation of well-trained pastors, missionaries, and children's workers emerge from these churches to bring in the world-wide harvest of souls.  Please join us in praying!  Here are a few requests that will help guide you:  

• That all of us will have smooth, safe travels and that we will stay healthy.  
• That the Lord will give us wisdom as we teach and preach in a culture that is unfamiliar to us.  
• That the Holy Spirit will be present in His power to apply the truth to each person who hears.  Pray that lives will be changed, that believers will sanctified, and that new workers will answer the call to ministry.
• Pray for our children who will be staying with Oupa Johan and Ouma Hessie van der Merwe on their farm in South Africa.  

We are also excited that Angela Thornton is returning to Lesotho!  This is a BIG answer to prayer, so join us in praising the Lord!  She will arrive in Johannesburg on the 20th of November.  On Monday the 22nd, we will drive back to Lesotho together.  Please pray for her as she travels and then readjusts to life in Lesotho after being away almost two years.  

Newsletter

You can find our newest newsletter here.

We have been in contact with several pastors where we had services scheduled for the month of June to let them know that we will not be able to make those services.  There are still no definite flights to leave either Lesotho or South Africa, so our home assignment plans are uncertain.  God is giving us peace, and we'll continue to keep you updated by email. Thank you for praying for us!

Another update since we wrote the newsletter:  The first confirmed case of COVID-19 has recovered, but a second case was confirmed.  We continue to praise God for His mercy as the number of cases in South Africa is growing very quickly.

Thank you for your prayers!

Zambia trip

I'm leaving for Zambia tomorrow.  You can read more here: https://mailchi.mp/4754bd5d3cc6/zambia-trip-changes

January-April Newsletter

From a marriage retreat to a major building project, it's all in our newsletter.  You can read it here.  The third page of the newsletter takes a bit to download, so please be patient and do consider giving towards the building project!

https://feaministries.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019_04Apr-Web.pdf

Thank you!
Glenn & Stephanie Gault

Marriage Retreat

Dear Praying Friends,

We have a special request, and we need you to join us in prayer.  This coming weekend, we will be holding a marriage retreat for HIM pastors and missionaries from Lesotho and South Africa.  Jim and Fredde Howard will be the special speakers.  We are looking forward to their ministry so much, but it feels that Satan is really fighting.  Here's a few of the things that have been going on:

• I am STILL waiting on parts to fix our van.
• The Peterson's van is in Durban, South Africa--six hours away.  The transmission needs to be rebuilt or repaired.  They are waiting on an estimate of what this will cost.
• Angela Thornton's vehicle was hit by a careless driver Friday night.  She and the two girls riding with her could have easily been killed, but God protected them.  We are waiting for insurance to fix her vehicle, but the man who hit her didn't show up at the police station as he was supposed to this morning.  We waited for him for three hours, and the meeting was rescheduled for tomorrow.
• Mrs. Howard had some health challenges lately.
• One pastor and his wife cannot attend because the government has run out of paper to print passport receipts on.  (I know that sounds comical to Americans, but trials like this are not uncommon in Lesotho.  Often there is a deeper, perhaps political reason, that they can't give her a passport.)
• Another pastor has lost his passport, so cannot attend.  

We REALLY need your prayer support right now!  Would you please pray for this marriage retreat in a special way, and also ask our Father to help in each of the needs that I mentioned in the list?  We believe Satan is fighting because God is doing something important in His Kingdom.  United prayer from His children will bring victory!

Thank you so much!

November-December Newsletter

I just realized that I never posted our November/December newsletter online.  It's been up on the FEA Ministries website for a month or so.  You can read it there.  https://feaministries.org/missions/gault/  Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the newsletter.

DonorPerfect Hack

This post will probably have zero interest to most people who read our blog.  I'm posting it as a community service to a few of my colleagues.  First a bit of background:

A year or two ago, FEA Ministries started using DonorPerfect to track donations.  This software is a powerful, online app that lets us see who supports us, who gives to what projects, how much, their contact details so we can thank them, etc.  All this is pretty much in real time, too.  It's a TREMENDOUS improvement over the way we used to get these reports--well over a month after some of the donations had been made.  In spite of the great improvement, there are a few little niggly things that could be improved.  One is that you always have to set the date to the current month.  I don't know why this couldn't be done automatically instead of defaulting July 2017--the month we started using DonorPerfect!  But, I guess that's a part of the software development process.

I came up with a hack to make this a little easier, and wanted to share it in case some of my coworkers are frustrated by the same thing.  From the Dashboard, you edit the report by clicking "Edit" like in this picture:

You may need to click the picture to actually get it big enough to see!

Once the edit window loads, you click on the calendar icon where you set the "end date" for your report. (I circled it in red).  Advance the date to sometime well in the future.  (I have mine set for 31 December 2019).  Don't forget to actually click on the day to set the date.  (I circled this in blue.)
You will also want to set the "begin date" to the beginning of the current month.  When you have finished, click "Save."  (I've circled this in green.)

Now, when you run the report, you only have to set the begin date which is easy--click on the arrow (circled in orange) to advance to the correct month, then click the day.  It's not perfect, but at least it speeds things up for me!

Special Prayer Request

Dear friends,

Would you please join us in praying for a special prayer request.  We need God to show us the right piece of land to buy for this project that will help to finance HIM's work in Lesotho in the future.  Here's a short video that explains more.

Thanks for praying!

Lebakeng Outreach

My heart is full of emotions and precious memories as I think back over the five days we spent at Lebakeng, Lesotho.  I trust that through this post you will be able to experience just a bit of what we experienced.

Perhaps you will remember from our Facebook posts that Pastor Kali and a team of Christians made an initial visit to this village back in February.  Their time was short, but they were able to get to know the area, make friends with staff at the Lebakeng clinic, and meet a few people who were hungry for the Gospel.  Perhaps most importantly, a lady in a nearby village who was so sick that she could not walk was miraculously healed.  As Mark says in his Gospel, this "accompanying sign" confirmed the truth of the Gospel to people in this village, and has opened the door for HIM to start a church there.

Our trip actually began a couple weeks before we flew.  How?  We took our staple foods, bedrolls, cooking pots, and clothes to MAF's headquarter in Maseru to be flown to Lebakeng whenever they had a few pounds of extra payload available on the medical flights to the clinic there.

We left Maseru just as the winter sun peaked over the frosty mountains on Thursday, the 2nd of August.  The team consisted of Pastor Kali Nthabi, Miss Matlalane Roberts (a godly young lady from Matukeng) HSBC missionary intern Amelia Whinnen, and me (Glenn.)  Our MAF pilot was Joey Martin.

 Our route took us southeast over range after range of mountains to the other side of Lesotho.  As we crested the last range, Joey began our descent in a long spiral into the Senqu or Orange river valley.  The Lebakeng airstrip and clinic are atop a ridge and hundreds of feet above the river.  Even though it's shaky, you might enjoy the video clip of our final approach (below).

Originally we had planned to stay with people in the village of Ha Molomo, which is about 2/3 of a mile from the clinic and landing strip.  However, the gracious nurse-in-charge at the Lebakeng Clinic, Mrs. Sakala, graciously gave us a room in her house where the ladies could stay, and another nurse who was away for the weekend offered her one-room house to Pastor Kali and I.  The conveniences of a solar electric lights at night, and a flush toilet were such a blessing!  We are so grateful to Mrs. Sakala and her staff!

The house where Pastor Kali and I stayed.

As the young ladies began making a bit of lunch for us, Pastor Kali and I hurried off to the village to meet the chief and make arrangements for holding a service in the afternoon.  We found the chief, who is a lady, away for the weekend, but her assistant welcomed us and encouraged us to hold services whenever we wanted.  He also told us which house in the village had been set aside for us to use as a church. We were so impressed to find this disused house to have a freshly plastered floor--an encouraging sign of welcome and self-sacrifice from some of the villagers.  Since the chief was away, we could not confirm the details, but we were made to understand that she was given this rondavel (one-room round house with a grass roof, pictured below) to HIM for a church.

This was the house we used for a church.

In the drab winter surroundings, the colorful painted entries to the houses brightened the village environment.  Here's pictures of two that especially caught my eye:

Thursday afternoon we held a service in the village.  In spite of an ancestor feast going on in the village, attendance was fair.  Many children came, as well as youth and a few ladies. We were especially happy to see the lady who had been miraculously healed back in February!  She was so happy to see Pastor Kali and Miss Matlalane again!

With only two tiny windows and a door, the "church" was too dark to get good pictures.  I didn't want to use a flash during the service, but I did take this picture to give you an idea of what it was like inside.

After some lively singing and prayer, I preached a simple Gospel message from Jeremiah 31:31 about the New Covenant that God has made with us through the blood of Jesus.  The blood of Jesus changes us and writes God's laws in our hearts.  He takes out our old heart of stone and gives us a new, tender heart of flesh to obey Him. (Ezekiel 36:25).  When Pastor Kali made an invitation to seek the Lord, almost everyone present raised their hand for prayer.  After the dismissal prayer, people went outside, but didn't want to go home. They didn't want to leave the sense of peace and joy that they had experienced as they had begun opening their hearts to Jesus.  Eventually we invited them back in the church and prayed for them once more then sent them to their homes.  It was a touching scene I won't soon forget.

People didn't want to leave after the service.
They just stood around looking at us and each other.

Friday we held three services, and this schedule kind of became our daily routine.  We had an opening prayer with the staff at the clinic around 8:30am.  Then we went over to the army barracks where a half dozen or so soldiers are stationed to keep law and order in the Lebakeng Valley.  We had devotions with them and were well received.  After a quick lunch, we climbed the three-quarters of a mile or so up to the village and held a children's service and an afternoon service for everyone.  In the evenings we cooked, prayed, prepared  for the next day, and witnessed to some of the clinic staff who live on the compound.

Our time with the soldiers was especially profitable and rewarding.  In spite of their rough reputation in Lesotho, they were so welcoming and open to the truth of the Gospel.  Though we were only with them four days, friendships were begun that we believe will yield eternal fruit.  Monday morning before we left, we went over to tell them goodbye.  They asked Amelia to sing "O Lord My God" once more for them.  Come to find out, one of them had lost a sister, and his late sister used to sing that song.  His heart was deeply touched as he thought about God not sparing His own Son to saving him from his sins.

The Saturday afternoon service up in the village was also very special.  Pastor Kali preached on "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)  The Holy Spirit was present to convict of sin and convince people of the truth they were hearing.  After the service the lady who had been healed back in February stayed to confess sin, and pray for salvation.  Her honesty and humility were pleasing to the Lord, and I believe she was born again.

The children really enjoyed the children's services that Miss Matlalane led.  I helped her one afternoon by telling a story with a little object lesson about a man who trusted in his good works for salvation.  He dreamed that he died and went to the judgment.  When God examined his life, all his good works had turned into filthy rags.  (Isaiah 64:6).  The kids seemed to enjoy it, and I trust the older ones understood the message.  

We didn't have prayer at the clinic or the barracks Sunday morning since people from these places had agreed to join us for the morning service up in the village.  I had a little free time before the 11:00 o'clock service, so I walked the two miles (and almost 700 vertical feet) from the airstrip down to the confluence of the Lebakeng and Senqu/Orange Rivers.  Since this is the middle of the dry season, the Lebakeng River was only a brook, and I could have easily waded across the Senqu in the wider spots.  But you can see from the pictures of the river valley that things aren't always so calm!  In flood, the Senqu fills the whole bottom of the valley (maybe 200 yards) and I estimate it would be 12 or 15 feet deep.  The boulders are testimony to the raging current.

The airstrip is on top of this butte.

Looking back at the weekend, the highlight for me was the Sunday afternoon service.  Not as many people attended, but the adults who did come out seemed to be those who were seriously considering Christ's claims in their lives.  Again Pastor Kali preached a simple Gospel message, and the Holy Spirit was at work.  At the end of the message, rather than making an invitation, he asked the adults who was honestly willing to surrender their lives to God and live for Him from now on.  The four adult ladies in the service all committed to doing this and asked to join HIM's church.  It was a moving scene as they were counting the cost, and choosing to follow Jesus.  These four ladies agreed to meet together regularly for prayer and Bible reading.  As the last rays of sun faded on the mountains, a new branch of the Church Universal was started in the Lebakeng River Valley!

There is MUCH work to be done still!  We are praying earnestly that God will open the door for HIM to fly back to  this village again within a month.  Pastor Kali is hoping to stay for at least a week this time to disciple converts and help them learn to follow Jesus.  The challenges of working in remote, unreached areas are great, but as Pastor Kali and I have been talking and strategizing, we have been impressed that the real battle will be won on our knees.  Would you please join us in intercessory prayer for this new congregation?  Also pray for two men who made a clear commitment to give their lives to the Lord.  They aren't from the same village as the ladies, but they live close enough that they can be a part of a church there once it is better established.  Especially pray that God will raise up a godly leader in this area to lead this work!

Though we left a part of our hearts in Lebakeng, I'll have to admit that I was pretty happy to hear the buzz of MAF's plane descending into the valley to pick us up.  Thanks Bryan, for the safe flight back home!  I was blessed by the skill and confidence that is clearly evident in your flying as a result of years of serving the Lord in the mountains of Lesotho!  Keep up the great work!  And if you're interested in aviation, maybe you'll enjoy watching Bryan's perfect landing on the upward sloping runway at FXLK.

May--July 2018 Newsletter

Catch up on some of what's happening in our lives with our most recent newsletter.  Thank you for praying and supporting us financially!

http://gsgault.com/Newsletter_Archive/2018_07July.pdf

Home Again

It's a cool, rainy fall day, but it's sure good to be home in Lesotho again!  Thank you for your prayers!  Also, thanks to Koos and Gerdha for picking us up at the airport and for their kind hospitality!

Traveling--Appreciate Prayer

I (Glenn) will be boarding a flight in a few minutes that will take me from Johannesburg to Kansas City via Paris and Atlanta.  I'm so thankful to be able to get tickets quickly and for kind Christian friends in Johannesburg who took me to the airport and are willing to keep our vehicle until we come back.  I'd never met Koos and Gerda before, but their hospitality is a testimony to what Jesus has done in their hearts!  Pray that God will bless them!

She's Home

Stephanie's mother made her final journey home around 2:00am CDT Sunday.  Though are hearts are grieving, through the tears we can also see God's goodness and love.  She had very little pain, and she spent her final hours peacefully in the company of her husband and children.  Most of all, we are comforted by the fact that Jesus is preparing a place for each one of us, too. 

She fought the good fight,  she finished the race, she kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for her the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to her on that Day, and not to her only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

We deeply appreciate your prayers!  As you pray, please remember me (Glenn) as I make travel arrangements to join the family, hopefully by Wednesday this week.  

Unexpected Turnaround

The night after we arrived back home in Lesotho, we received news that Stephanie's mother's health had deteriorated rapidly.  She had a series of tests and doctors' appointments during the days we were flying to Lesotho, and her doctors concluded that there was nothing more they could do to reasonably prolong her battle with cancer.  They suggested that she might have as much as a month or two, but if the cancer continues to progress as it has this week, it is possible that it could be less than that. 

Stephanie and her Mom
February 9th 2018
Jupiter, FL

After talking with HIM's leaders and praying, we have decided that Stephanie and the children will leave tomorrow (15th of March) to go back to America to be with her before she makes her final journey to heaven.  There are some rather urgent matters that I must care for here, but I will be joining the rest of the Stratton family before too much longer. 

We praise God that He provided a direct flight with no layovers in Europe or the Middle East.  (Initially our travel agent said they were all fully booked.)  These direct flights are ideal for getting to America quickly, but the flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta is almost 17 hours long!  Stephanie and the children would appreciate your prayers.  Please also pray that they will make it through immigration and customs in Atlanta in time to catch the next flight on to Kansas City. 

Home, Sweet Home!

It's SO good to be back home!  We arrived Thursday evening after almost 48 hours of travel.  In spite of the trip being very long, it wasn't too bad thanks to Qatar Airways and a complimentary hotel that they booked for us during our long layover in Doha.  We checked into the free hotel then walked a couple miles around the city seeing the sights and enjoying the Middle Eastern culture including a delicious meal of Yemen bread and two kinds of curry.  We got back to the hotel in time to shower, rest a bit, then fly on to Johannesburg.  We were blessed to be on flights with many extra seats, so we could stretch out and sleep in the plane quite a bit.

Good things have been happening here in Lesotho while we were gone.  The outreach in partnership with Mission Aviation Fellowship to Lebakeng was successful.  Pastor Kali is hoping to fly back there again later this month for more evangelism and to begin discipling believers there.  Just today I also heard about an older lady here at Matukeng who is really on fire for God.  She is the daughter of one of the first girls who got saved through Stephanie's children's ministry sixteen or more years ago.  We are praising the Lord for what He is doing!

Ready to board in Miami

A cultural center in Doha

The Doha skyline is spectacular at night.

Mutton curry and Yemen bread.  (No, Kaitlyn didn't eat it all!)

The "Souk" (an open-air market)

Johannesburg airport

October-November Newsletter

You can see our most recent newsletter on our website.  Click here.

Planting New Church in Lesotho

Hope International Missions is excited about our partnership with Mission Aviation Fellowship to plant a church in the village of Lebakeng, Lesotho.  We are going to this remote village at the invitation of the nurses who staff the government clinic there.   This clinic is only accessible by foot or air.

We made an exploratory trip with MAF a year ago.

--photo credit Josh Powell

Please pray for Rev. Kali Nthabi and the rest of HIM's pastors as we go through this open door.  We know that Satan will strongly oppose this effort to bring God's love and forgiveness to people steeped in witchcraft and ancestor worship.  Much intercessory prayer is essential!

If you would like to know more about MAF's Flying Pastors program, watch this video which features the ICHA church plant in another village in Lesotho.