I was told a story, I can't recall all the details, but I'll make up the parts I have forgotten as I go along... Please, if you know the story - don't shoot me! Once upon a time a white man held a Christian Outreach in the Johannesburg area. He had a Black man translating for him. The preacher gave a bit of a political slant to his message but he preached every night and every night pleanty of people would stream to the front confessing their sins, and committing their lives to the Lord Jesus (some times even in the middle of his sermons.) After a while, he realised that his translator was not faithful in translating his message. He would give his message - stinking with his political twist - but the translator would give the people the true gospel. Tonight, as I was laying in my bed thinking about this I realized that this translator was more than likely working in amongst those people himself - with no real success... until the "stranger" - with all the hype came along! The translator gave the people the same message he had been preaching all along, but now all of a sudden it was new to them! Now the people believe that someone with clout was speaking, now the "man of God" had spoken! Those who heard believed that it was a completely new message! This even happens in our own churches every Sunday... So many times I hear the people say," what a "beautiful message"' the Pastor gave... Then the next Sunday he would preach that message - almost verbatim... and again -"beautiful message"! Then every so often a visiting Preacher comes from Timbuktu... He preaches the same message, and it is suddenly - life changing stuff! May I challenge you? * Write down a key word or phrase from the sermon, stick it to your fridge (or somewhere you will see it). * Then come Wednesday or Thursday... Evaluate yourself. Have you put it in practice what was said? * If he talked about forgiveness: Who have you forgiven? - or maybe I should ask Who haven't you forgiven? * If he talked about "Random acts of kindness": Did you smile at that old lady in the shopping center? Enough of that for now! Let's talk about me! I feel like a car sitting at a red light! The engine is running, the car could be going. Even if that car is a Merc, it is standing still - not doing that for which it was designed! Using up petrol. Here I sit and Russia and the Ukraine calls. All I am doing is using up precious finance! Pray for my visa, pray for continued support, pray for us all to stay focused! I have been very busy trying to get up-to-date with all the folk back home, andgetting info on radio towers and equipment. This is very interesting and I am enjoying it very much! In Calitzdorp we have been having some trouble with our TV reception. My mother asked my sister to phone SABC and they said they would look into it. They also gave her another number. to call. She promptly gave that number to me! After a few days, I phoned the nnumber, and spoke to a technician. As I was talking to him, I realized TV wasn't his main field of expertise. HE WORKS ON RADIO TOWERS!!! My Main Manne! This was a great testimony of the Lord's faithfulness. I was not even thinking of the radio, and there He gives me a great contact for just about everything I need with the radio. I have made contact with the people at Kwasisabantu. They also started a Christian radio station from scratch. I am planning to go there for a week in the New Year and learn as much as I can from them. I am also connecting with some of the local radio stations people to get some input fro them. Thanks for your prayers for this. The Lord is really helping me to speak to the correct people. Please keep praying. The last few days I have also been taking it easier. I went wind surfing...Now I know why the Lord hasn't called me to do mission work in Hawaii. Balance is not my thing! I'll stick to what I know and understand. I also went to Keetmanshoop - Namibia with Carl from the Pinelands Vineyard. This was a great time of connecting with him. There I learnt to say goodbye in Nama - "Nqonksies". The Nq is a click sound in the middle of your mouth... (In case you don't know there are five distinctly different ways to make the click and five different sounding clicks!) Like I said. The Lord is calling me to Russia. Everyone has been telling me how difficult the Russian language would be. They just haven't heard Nama! This has really shown His faithfulness to me and I just want to praise Him for that I have started doing Vineyard Bible Institute (VBI) again. This is an internet based bible school that can be run on three different levels. 1. Home cell groups - You get the material and can work at it in a group setting. No tests. 2. Discipleship level - Same as Home Cells with a short question paper. 3. Accademic level - Same as Discipleship, with an assinment to write. They are accredited with a whole bunch of universities. Who knows in time I might even get a bachelors degree... The cost is also a bonus!!! Very affordable!!! I strongly recomend this to anyone who loves to get into the bible. You can check it out at www.vineyardbi.org If you are intersested you can just contact me or Derek at derek@vineyardlife.co.za Thanks for your prayers. Even though I am back in SA, I still need your prayers. Please pray that God would have His way with me. Please pray that I would stay as dependant on the Lord as I was in the Ukrain. Pray that I would get closer and closer to Him every day. May the Lord bless you and keep you safe in the time of festivities. Al