February 2010

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Dear Friends,                                                                                                                         

 

schoolchildren_respond_to_the_preaching.jpgMore than 50,000 young South Africans in 64 schools have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ this past year because of the enthusiastic commitment of our Foxfire youth evangelists. The four Foxfire Teams, based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Pietermaritzburg, minister in schools, universities and youth groups and target the nation’s youth between the ages of 14 and 28. And their ministry is more vital than ever, as the young people of South Africa face greater challenges today than they have ever faced before.

As in years past, HIV, AIDS, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, suicide and violence are dreadful snares that beset many of our future leaders. But we have been troubled more recently to come across some young people involved in “games” of horrific rites involving rape and strangulation. As the Foxfires have taken their message of Christian hope around the country from school to school, they have been pained by what they have seen, but have also had the opportunity to bring the healing message of Christ’s love and forgiveness into a rapidly evolving youth culture that is in itself a threat to the healthy development of our younger generation.

 

dancing_at_nonhlevu_secondary_school_tongaat.jpgOne of the reasons the Foxfire program has such an impact on the youth who are challenged by these issues, is that it is a peer program. Being young themselves, the Foxfires understand the challenges and issues faced by the youth and are able to relate to young people on a relevant and empathetic level, because they themselves have successfully dealt with the same challenges and issues. All of these issues are targeted and handled by the Foxfires with passion and care, and they definitely bring change and transformation through their engagement with their peers!

Foxfire evangelist Andrew Kroutz saw this firsthand as he counseled a student at a school in Johannesburg.  He recalls that, “A young student, who is a very gifted artist, started out by drawing lovely pictures and paintings that depicted love, joy and hope. Suddenly, his art work took a different turn. He felt influenced by an evil force to draw and paint with evil motives and intentions. His work started depicting anger, murder and all sorts of violence. Every one of his paintings had blood smeared on them. He became angry at everyone around him. When he met the Foxfires, he spoke to us of his situation. After much prayer and counseling, he had a complete and drastic change in his heart and mind. He now paints with joy and peace; he also encourages fellow students with the same message of hope, love, joy, peace and harmony.

 

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January 2010

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   Explosive Evangelism!

 

My Dear Friend,


greg_with_new_converts_at_opening_rally.jpgNot even a thunderstorm was able to keep our evangelists from preaching the Gospel
to the people of eMalahleni in South Africa! “The eMahahleni Evangelism Explosion
opening rally had a big question mark over it when dark clouds suddenly gathered and
the heavens opened,” said Greg Smerdon, our South Africa Team Leader. “I’ve never
preached in the rain before, but had no choice because of a large number of people
who stayed through the storm. And praise God, we witnessed the Lord bring 58 people
to himself that day!”

                                                                                        Greg Smerdon leads people                                                                                                  to Christ in the rain

Though a second rainstorm again threatened to disrupt the rally, the crowd was so
hungry to hear the Good News that few departed, and fervent prayer by the local pastors seemed to exert a restraining influence on the weather. Further eagerness for hope and healing among the residents of eMalahleni was evident in all 271 of the evangelistic meetings during the week of outreach in October.
 

foxfires_dancing_at_open_air.jpgWhile at least 600 people committed their lives to Christ for the first time, or  recommitted themselves to following Him, many came forward after hearing the
Gospel preached to ask for prayer. Sunny Masilela, a supermarket employee, received
instantaneous healing for a painful and stiff knee. The Foxfire youth evangelists
visited a local hospital where Foxfire Michael prayed for a man with impaired hearing to regain full hearing, which he did! AE evangelist Chris Thenjwayo prayed for a woman with an extremely distended abdomen, which returned to normal size as Chris prayed.

bongani_preaches_to_mine_workers_at_open_cast_coal_mine.jpgFormerly known as Witbank, eMalahleni is a city of some 200,000 people located about   85 miles east of Johannesburg in a coal-mining region. As such, AE evangelist Bongani Dlomo preached the Good News to a group of more than a dozen mine workers, all of whom responded by giving their lives to Jesus.


My friend, we are finding Kingdom doors open to us across Africa in amazing and
encouraging ways in 2009 and 2010. It is truly an answer to our prayers and yours. Our only significant limitation is financial  resources. So, as our hearts are warmed by the thousands coming to Christ in places like Liberia and eMalahleni, please would you continue to pray with us and return the enclosed card with as generous a gift as you can imanage? And turn this page over to learn about the astonishing open door we have into the strategic city of Juba, in southern Sudan.       

stephenl.jpgYours with gratitude and excitement for 2010,





Stephen Lungu

International Team Leader

 

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