For a considerable amount of time we could not move anywhere because of the foreign birth registrations of the four youngest children. The government Home Affairs Offices processed them but one did not get on the computer system. Forcing us to stay close by and to keep following up, otherwise it never gets done. For an entire month we phoned them every day to see if it was done but every day there was some reason why it was not done. Later we only called them every few days. But still nothing happened. Many times they do this to get bribes out of people.
In the time of waiting when we did not know what to do about the paperwork we were working on and developing teaching material everyday. Even the children helped in this. Stephanus would teach, We went through the attributes of God, the Trinity, the Gospel, the Way of Salvation, Prayer, The operation and structure of the early church, and some other topics as well. We took time to train the children in these concepts and difficult words. We tried to keep it as simple as possible also for the sake of the people we would be teaching. The children ages 5-10 helped us a lot with constructing the teaching step by step. The younger ones were allowed to play quietly on the carpet next to us for part of the time. We spent 4-6 hrs on these teachings every day apart from schoolwork and other reponsibilities. And Sundays longer at least 8 hrs. This was an incredible time for all of us. These Bible teaching times we used as part of their homeschooling as well.
Meanwhile we also started working in a settlement nearby called Thaba Patshwa. Which the Lord had laid on Stephanus’ heart for awhile. One Saturday we got in the Land Cruiser and drove to Thaba Patshwa to see what the state of things was and if the Lord wanted us to do anything there. And to see if the Lord would open any doors for working among the people since we could not go anywhere far because of the paperwork we were waiting on.We soon realized that all of the paperwork is in God’s Hands and that in the right time we will receive what we need and will be able to do and go where He wants us to. We also realized that the Lord may change all our plans through the circumstances that He guided us with.
That first Saturday we started talking with people in Thaba Patshwa, some short conversations and some long ones. Stephanus even got invited to share the Word at a gathering after a funeral that was in process that day. After the service some of the people insisted that we go with them and pray for people and their families in different homes. We visited about ten different homes praying in each one. One man, a backslider, asked for our phone number to keep in touch and encourage him now and then. This continued right through the day and late that night we arrived back home. But what a day!
A teacher that we also met that day invited us to speak at the public school and he arranged for meetings with the students in a classroom after school every Wednesday. We also visited on several Saturdays for services.
We worked like this, driving to Thaba Patshwa, for six weeks and it became quite costly. All of us started feeling that we should rather live among the people. We inquired about places for rent. These houses are incredibly small. We wanted to find a place relatively secluded from the busy streets because it is a very rough place with incredible open ungodliness and drunkenness. We did not want to expose the children to these direct influences. But it turned out that there were no places available for rent. The one place that was a possibility was not available right then because the owner’s children were planning on moving there to live. So we were forced to look at a nearby location about 10 km from Thaba Patshwa. This was actually a lodge but they would help us out with two rondovels because one would be too small for our family. But this would cost us a considerable amount although they would charge us less than regular holiday guests. But just as we were about to finalize the arrangements. The house in Thaba Patshwa opened up unsuspectingly. A rental home of Tannie (which means Aunt) Maggie Klapanie, she gave it to us for 500 rand a month which is about $70. We were thankful for this because it was a quarter of the price that we would’ve paid at the lodge. We would not need to do any driving, plus it is on the outskirts of the town in a corner where there are not a lot of immediate people around you. So in this way the Lord provided for us to be among the people and yet keep our children out of the immediate influence of the blatant evil.
We moved to Thaba Patshwa September 17th. The initial work was very slow. And we are probably the first white people to ever live in this township. Much of the initial interest faded quickly. And ups and downs are experienced sometimes daily. Many that seem promising in responding to the Gospel are in and out of sin, especially drunkenness. And some disappeared completely. Drugs, alcohol and immorality seem to be extremely strong.We looked for a place to have meetings at but finally we had to abandon the idea and use our own home. This works out very good but it does take a lot of extra time and effort than having a separate place. We can only fit maximum 20 people in our living area for meetings. The most we had at one time was 18 adults plus our family. Study, schoolwork, and other home responsibilities we have to fit in between the visits of unexpected people for some help or prayer or advice.
Stephanus invited people from the whole town, visiting and inviting them from house to house for a study on The Way of Salvation starting at 7:00 every evening. We end at 8:30 or 9:00 pm. Some nights discussions go to 9:30. At the moment there are about 5-10 people that regularly come. This study continued daily for three weeks seven days a week. We pray that the Lord will add serious people to this study. Many that started, refuse to come anymore. But others are very encouraged and have said over and over they live every day for the evening’s study. This study on salvation is exactly what we had done with the children and which the children helped develop.
After this detailed study on the Way of Salvation, we started a series on Prayer which has been carrying on for three weeks now also every night. Please pray with us that the Lord will add serious people to these studies. Our hope is to see and establish a group of serious people even if it is over church borders. At this moment it is Reformed and Methodist people coming including some of the leaders. This is a serious request to all of you. Please pray for this study group. Pray for salvation. Pray for people to be added. Pray that the hearts of many will be prepared to receive the gospel. If through the Lord’s grace we can equip this group to go out and labor in the field of Thaba Patshwa and surrounding areas how tremendously wonderful that would be!Those in our group have exclaimed over and over that the churches are failing to do this at the moment and are not even involved in it at all. There certainly are a few who are a great encouragement. And they are tired of dead traditionalism that so easily rots out the church of Christ Jesus. Please pray for the young people. There seems to be a few but the situation is incredibly sad among the youth. The ones who show any signs of interest clearly stand with one foot on the Bible and one on a banana peel. Morality is extremely low. For these things please pray. And anything else the Lord lays on your mind.
Rose and the bigger children started teaching for the young children in the neighborhood. Sometimes even boys 14-15 years old come to these Bible teaching times with visuals. This was quite surprising. At some point parents started keeping their children from coming and the churches started doing it themselves. At this point it doesn’t look like anything goes on anymore.
We are in serious need of prayer for all of these things.
In the meanwhile the passport are ready now but we are still waiting for Rose’s citizenship to come through. At the moment we decided to stay more or less for the summer in Thaba Patshwa. The work that started is incredibly small and often discouraging yet we don’t have peace to leave at this stage. Please also pray that the Lord will do a work in us for His purpose and His glory. We feel very needy in this area.
Some times we do tract distribution and invite people for a Bible study. Each child take a small bag full of tracks and helps hand them out to people we meet as we go door to door through the town. The children enjoy this very much! It is something we can
encourage every Christian family to do wherever you are. We walk up to four miles/ six kilometers passing out tracts.
This is the beginning of the new year 2010, may we all see great things from the Lord both in our lives and in our service for Him.
Continue praying for us and do send us a letter letting us know what we can pray for you.
God bless everyone in the work that you do for Him.
Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
In His Service,
Stephanus and Rose Blignaut
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