An Update on Pomfret Trip 1

On the way to Pomfret we had to go to Pretoria first to buy a trailer to make traveling with the children a little easier by getting our stuff out of the Land Cruiser where we were so packed full. We had searched the internet and found two trailers that might work but both were in Pretoria. On arriving in Pretoria, not one of the two were what the people said it was. So we were stuck, we could not travel further the way we were so stuffed in the vehicle. For several days we were looking for a trailer that would work. Finally we found something that might work and organized to meet the man and see the trailer the next morning. But that evening a brother we just met called us and told us to go to a certain website and look at some trailers. It was 4x4 trailers. They are great for rough traveling in 4x4 terrain but very expensive. We did not even look at these kind of trailers because we simply could not afford it. He called us back and asked if the biggest of those trailers would work for us. We said yes but unfortunately we would not be able to afford something like that. But he simply answered, "Don't worry, we'll take care of it." He and his two brothers went together and bought this wonderful 4x4 traveling trailer for us.

The least we can say is that we did not know what to say. Simply saying Thank you could not express what was going on inside of us. We were overwhelmed with the Lord's care through his people. They also saw the retreads on our vehicle and replaced them with new mudtrack tires. Pieter, Gert, and Peet van Rensburg once again, "Thank you, Thank you so much!" You were such an encouragement and a blessing.

Another dear brother from Capetown, Henry Uys, called us as we were driving up to Pretoria and asked us if we needed a tent and other things. And this was exactly the reason for going to Pretoria, to get a trailer, a tent, sleeping bags, pots, and other supplies that were much more available there. So at precisely the right time he called us and told us then to go ahead and buy a tent to live in and a 5 x 10 m army tent, sleeping bags for the children, coats for whoever needed one, and medical supplies and he would pay for it. Surely God is good and we felt it again through the hands of his people precisely at the right time. We certainly don't feel worthy of such blessings as this but God's encouragement through it is most wonderful. To God be the glory! We feel so small. Through these brothers God did so much more than what we prayed or thought. Our minds did not include the things the Lord blessed us with on this trip.

On arrival in Pomfret we were shocked. The South African Government did enormous damage to this once beautiful place. They sent demolition teams in under police protection with armoured cars, automatic rifles, R4's and R5's, shotguns, to knock down any resistance from the people. Shame on them, what a disgrace. What a disgrace for the South African government. The clinic was taken away and they only have water for a few hours every three days. There are about 5000 Portuguese speaking people in Pomfret. The men are mostly working away in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and other cities and seldom come home. This is extremely unhealthy. There are no jobs in Pomfret itself and people mostly survive on pensions and child welfare.

There are seven churches in operation but their spiritual state seems very low. Churches are closed and not open for preaching but we had alot of one on one conversations with many men. And when we return we would like to continue working with some of these men that we met. Oh, that God will grant us an open door with the men for unless it starts with men it will never go very far.
We also managed to do a little bit of work between the children but it was very difficult indeed.

Over all they were like sheep scattered without a shepherd and wolves taking advantage of them. Every now and then mercenerary organizations and other diamond companies and governments would receive something like 50 million dollars. These wolves then come to Pomfret to employ the men for their dirty jobs. With the people already suffering they take any job. This world is indeed an evil place and the devil is loose indeed because his time is extremely short in our day.

WE are back from Pomfret after we recieved news from Home affairs office that our birth registrations for the 4 youngest are done and our NEW 4x4 Trailer's temporary permit ran out and can only be registered in your hometown. So we had to rush back to do these two important things. On Monday we went in to get the Birth registration papers and to start the passports so that we can go to Zambia and Angola. But then we found out that one of the children's paperwork, Kihanna's, is supposed to be done but is not on the computer system yet. So now we're sitting in limbo calling every day and hoping for her paperwork to be put on the computer. It is important to start all the passports together otherwise it gets confusing to keep up with renewing them at different times. And trips have to be taken just for that interfering with the work. So please pray for this and for the upcoming passport applications and also Rose's South African Citizenship.