From our street to yours

From our street to yours ...

Glyn, Susan, Maeyken, Adriaena

September 2006 #3.7

St Paul Faith Morning Star Church of Lesotho

Bishop Molise

The congregation gathered after worship

African Inter-Mennonite Mission has had a long history with African Independent Churches (AICs) in Lesotho. Currently there are no workers living there but workers in South Africa and Botswana have visited to maintain relationships. We travelled there at the end of August to deliver some money to the St Paul Faith Morning Star Church. The money, raised by people in North America, will put a roof on the church building.

On Saturday we met the pastor and two other members at a local hardware store. There we sat in the middle of the store on a couch set and sorted out how much our money could buy for them. After the invoice and our money matched the owner of the store sat on the coffee table counting the money. The building (which will be the headquarters for this church) is located on a hill. Driving to it would have been a challenge in our car what with the potholes and protruding stones. We were happy to have our friends Prado (4X4) for the extra clearance it provided. We were also amazed at the beautiful stone used for the walls. Something found in the mountains and not available here in Botswana.

The walls on the new building

As always we enjoyed our time with the leaders of the church and particularly enjoyed worshipping with them on Sunday. Once again we were impressed with the connections that have been made throughout the years. Mennonites have been faithful at helping to nurture Christians in their faith. Our decision many years ago to not plant churches in these countries has helped to strengthen the faith of people in AIC congregations. Together with our AIC brothers and sisters we are building up the kingdom of God!

Susan

Upcoming Events

Sept.19-22 Steve Weibe Johnson visiting (MMNetwork)

Sept. 23 Francistown Graduation

Sept 24-Oct. 5 (approx..) Kira in Molepolole

Nov. 10-18 AIMM meetings

If you can use Google Earth, you can see our house and some places around Gaborone. Just type or cut and paste the following coordinates into the “fly to” box and take a look.

Our house:

24 39'51.30"S, 25 55'28.23"E

St. Paul Faith Morning Star Church:

29 18'44.11"S, 27 31'34.54"E

Malealea Lesotho:

29 49'40.04"S, 27 35'59.73"E

Simons Town, South Africa:

34 11'52.34"S, 18 27'6.91"E

Also many of our most recent pictures have Google links (click on the caption if you see a Google icon).

Family

Dorthe Gunnerson and her two children Christian and Fredrekka travelled to Lesotho with us. While in Lesotho we also connected with friends Angelica Bosseman and children who are now in Lesotho. (Unfortunately, Gunner Bosseman was at meetings in Botswana while we were there.) One day we went into the mountains and in the process found snow. While it might look like only Susan and Dorthe enjoyed the snow the children had an amazing time playing in it.

We spent three wonderful days in Malealea, a place beyond the reach of the cell phone. All we did was relax, play, read, horse back ride and take in some absolutely incredible scenery.

Kyla

After that we returned to the low lands. (Gaborone is only at 1100 metres, but we were up to 2800 metres in Lesotho). We picked up Maeyken, Steen, Christina and family in Johannesburg. Maeyken had spent four weeks with her friend Kyla and family in Cape Town, where it was colder and damper than anything here. She spent time at Simons Town, just south of Cape Town on the way to the Cape of Good Hope. The Penguins Maeyken photographed are part of a colony there. She also has some wonderful pictures from climbing Table Mountain.

Penguins just south of Cape Town

Sheep and mountains in Malealea, Lesotho

Crossing a stream near Malealea

School has started again, the last term of the year. This means some structure to our days, starting with alarms going off at 6 and a drive to school at 7. Swimming try outs are on Monday and it looks like Glyn will help coach. The girls write their piano exams on October 6. It will be another busy term...

Steen, Christina, Rebekah, Kasper, Annika and Benjamin

We have been blessed with co-workers.

On Friday September 8 Steen and Christina Søvndal along with their four children, Rebekah, Kasper, Annika and Benjamin flew into Johannesburg. We met them and drove together to Gaborone. They come from Denmark and are part of the Lutheran church.

They are known as Mennonite Mission Associates because they are self supported. Christina has secured a teaching position at Westwood International School. Steen will be working primarily with Kgolagano College, a theological college that Mennonites have had a long history with. There are a number of students from African Initiated Churches who we anticipate Steen will enjoy connecting with. We see Steen’s time with Kgolagano as an opportunity to explore possible connections in the future between our ministry and what the college offers. We are excited about the numerous possibilities Steen and Christina’s presence here creates.

Christina has started teaching, the children have started school and they are setting up their house. Steen has also started studying Setswana. As anyone who has moved recently can attest, setting up a house and helping kids adjust is not a straight forward process. Our mutual friends Poul and Dorthe Gunnerson from Denmark have been invaluable this past week!

Some of you may be aware that they were almost not able to come because of Steen’s back. We thank God for the miracle of healing in Steen’s back. He is as back to new as someone can be who slipped a major disk in his back!

Kira Friesen

On the same day Kira Friesen, an intern from Canadian Mennonite University, flew into Gaborone. She has been staying in the guest house but moved today into a house. Yet another answer to prayer. She will be living in a secure townhouse with four other women. Three from Finland who will be here as volunteers with the Finnish Lutheran church and Tricia Enns, a co-op student from the University of Waterloo and a student Conrad Grebel College. Kira will be working with a youth training institute and connecting with the Brethren in Christ Church (a part of the Mennonite family). She is here for 6 months. Kira is also studying Setswana with Steen and a few others. Next week she will be going to Molepolole to stay with a family for a couple of weeks.

Please Pray for...

... Steen and Christina, Rebekah, Kasper, Annika and Benjamin. Pray for all of them as they make this transition to a new place. Pray especially for Christina as she takes on the first job outside of the home since the children were born. Pray for Steen as he begins his teaching responsibilities at Kgolagano College and as he takes on more of the responsibility around the home. Pray also that God will protect his back from new injuries as he currently does not have insurance on a back injury. Pray for all of them as they learn English or improve their English skills. (The three youngest children spoke no English when they got off the plane!)

... Kira Friesen. She has started an introduction to Setswana and will continue that in Molepolole where she will live for a couple of weeks. Pray that she will have a good experience in Molepolole. Pray also that her work assignments will be meaningful for her.

... Maeyken and Adriaena Pray for the girls as they enter the last term for this school year and especially for Maeyken as this will be her last term at Thornhill. Please also remember to pray for them as they get ready for and write their piano exams.

.... Upcoming visits with North American Administrators. This week Steve Wiebe-Johnson, Africa Director for Mennonite Mission Network USA is coming. Glyn plans to travel to Francistown with Steve to introduce him to the people there. In November three other North American Administrators will be coming to learn more about the ministry here: Hippolyto Tshimanga (Africa Director for Mennonite Church Canada Witness); Rod Hollinger-Janzen (Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) Executive Coordinator); Stanley Green (Executive Director / CEO, Mennonite Mission Network USA). Pray for safe travel for all of these men and fruitful encounters with us and our partners.

Continue to pray for...

... Bible Classes and Leaders. Francistown Inter Church Ministries Botswana (ICMB) is hosting a graduation this Saturday. We are so thankful for the 23 people who will receive Diploma’s and Certificates and for the leaders who have volunteered their time and vision to provide leadership.

Mail us at:

Glyn Jones & Susan Allison-Jones

Box 33, Gaborone, Botswana

Phone us at:

267-390-5554

(Just remember that we are 6 hours earlier than Ontario time!)

Email us at:

Our web site:

which includes pictures and previous newsletters:

http://www.thegatheringsite.ca/susanglyn/

We welcome your financial contributions for our support and invite you to send these to:

Mennonite Church Canada WITNESS

600 Shaftesbury Blvd

Winnipeg MB

Canada R3P 0M4