Africa Report

Buyela Team 2011

This week has been very eventful as the final commissioning of Buyela and I-Themba was last Sunday. We had some outstanding Bible study with the teams for the week prior. Questions would sometimes extend the sessions for more than two hours. Those young people were deeply thirsty for God’s Word.

Monday, which was to be a rest day after the teams left, ended with a major blow. Dick Wynn, a member of our Board of Reference for Deeper Still, passed on my birthday the Friday before. As I was learning of his passing a new camp group arrived from Mpumalanga. Over the objections of the counselors a group of kids raced to the pool and began to swim. Within a few minutes one young man was drowning at the bottom of the pool. None of them could swim. A second young man jumped in to try and save him and he was overcome. One of the staff members of the camp heard of the incident and raced to the pool. She dove in and retrieved both bodies. Within minutes they had revived one young man but the other passed away.

Rolf Wiechardt called me and asked me to go on his behalf to the scene and minister to the leaders and students as he made a return to the camp. It was surreal as I walked up on the body of the young man who was now officially considered dead. He was alone as the paramedics were cleaning up and the leaders were distraught. It took me several minutes before I found some of the leaders and began praying with them and helping. Police arrived and the questioning began. The one pastor with the group was calling parents to inform them of their son’s death. This group was a scientific mentoring group of 50 students and teachers. They had brought them to the camp for an introduction to spiritual issues. It was a long evening as the coroner did not show up until midnight.

The next morning I was asked to conduct a brief memorial with the group before they loaded and returned to their homes. Their several day trips were now over. It included all the staff of the camp, the teachers and students.  What an honor to share the Word of God with this distraught group. These young people were the brightest science students in three schools from Mpumalanga.

Tuesday through Friday Cathy and I took Blessing Mpofu and his bride to be Ingrid to Kruger Park to discuss their future in marriage and ministry. It was a nice break and a wonderful time.

Yesterday we met with the board of Mpumalanga and made plans for next weeks fund raising dinner that I will speak at for them. We are preparing to preach this morning at Calvary Church in White River. Please pray. John and Lemar arrive on Friday of this week to join us. We meet with a group from Memphis on Tuesday who are from Fellowship Memphis. There is a lot going on and we covet your prayers.

Cathy and Danny

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