NEWS FROM GRACE PLACE – NOVEMBER 2016
How I thank you for your interest in the ministry here in Vaalwater/Leseding! Many of you sent special greetings of me for my birthday – it was wonderful hearing from you!
Many exciting things have happened this month. First of all, I promised to tell you about the six baptisms we had! Five came to the Lord through the Ambassadors Bible Study and one was long awaited and finally came through for the Lord through counselling by Michael Calamia of A World Aware. I have known Elizabeth since she was small and have counselled her through many problem years. Please pray for all of them!
We had family visit! Pam Miller, cousins to Connie, Cathie and Kathleen, came for a couple of weeks and it was such a fantastic gift to have her with us. She brought lots of school supplies for Connie to distribute to the creches in Soweto. The basics of scissors and crayons are always in need.
Then we were amazed by an awesome gift from Chugwater. Kate Jackson and her team brought several suitcases of school supplies, linens, clothes and toys, balls, skipping ropes and more for us to distribute up here in Limpopo. The kids have been thrilled. We wrapped up a small toy and a toothbrush for the little kids and they were over the moon.
My birthday – my 80th – was this month and I have been thoroughly spoiled by 4 parties. The church at St Johns had cake and tea after church and presented me with a handmade wooden cross so that I will know they are praying. Then, various ones prayed as they felt the Lord’s leading. That was so special and I love them for it.
A trip to Johannesburg followed with a lunch out for the ladies in the family – precious daughters and grand-daughters – a time to have fun together! That was on my birthday!
Then Saturday was our annual Family Thanksgiving/ Marilyn’s Birthday celebration with the family all there. It was at a beautiful school grounds with lots of lovely places to take photos of all of us together. Many friends joined us and it was happy reunions all around. Cathie did a presentation of my life through the decades and everyone had a chance to see where they slotted in. They presented me with money for a new stove which has now been purchased in Joburg – we just have to get it here! With such a beautiful stove, I will be doing a lot of cooking and baking – you better come and visit! I know I’m forgetting lots of important things, but it all went by so fast.
This Saturday the Ambassadors planned a surprise party, decorated the church, provided cake and all the trimmings. I posed for so many photos I felt like a real star. And we had a Bible lesson on the birth of Jesus, reading the scriptures to help them know the facts of our Lord’s birth!
Today I went to town to meet a man named Blessing whom I was told could help us get our NPO number for The Kholofelo Association, the organization we have formed to help youth go on to tertiary education. This year we have supported 13 in college doing various courses and 3 high school students. We stepped out in faith, and the Lord has provided!
But without the NPO number, we couldn’t get a bank account and so it hampered our advertising to bring in more funds for new students this coming year.
Well, we went to this man, Blessing, and he looked at all the papers I had submitted (which the Department of Social Development told me they had lost.) He gave me another paper and said I would have to rewrite some of the constitution. My heart sank. We left his office with his promise that as soon as I had the constitution ready, he would resubmit it for me. Well, we no sooner got out of the building than he and his secretary came running after us waving a large envelope. They had the Registration in hand for our NPO and had had it in their office since last October, but did not know how to find my address. What a BLESSING! I went back inside and signed a paper and got the document! What an answer to prayer! I had no idea that this man was working in Vaalwater and helping people to get their NPO. One of our board members told me on Friday about him and sent me there. So, this is a long story with a very happy ending/beginning as now we can get the bank account and proceed accordingly.
This month was also the time for Kid’s Club’s annual ‘T-Shirt Day’ and we gave out over 800 with a smiley face saying ‘Jesus Loves You’ and the Lethabo Logo on the back. As you can imagine, it was a very exciting day and well orchestrated by the youth who took charge and helped all the little ones. It was an overflow crowd with benches outside as well. These kids will all be ‘billboards’ for the Lord all year long!
Thank you again for your prayers and support and encouragement in the Lord!
Love in Christ
Marilyn Cook
Mission to South Africa
