Cape Town

The Rolf Weichardt family and volunteers from Holland and Germany.

Cathy and I are completing our eight weeks in Africa tomorrow. We fly out tomorrow night for Amsterdam and hopefully see some ministry friends there on Tuesday before flying home to Memphis. It seems like we have been here for an eternity because the experiences have filled our senses.

It was very a special spending Friday morning with ministry volunteers teaching the Word of God. Actually we got to speak with them three times this past week. Their hunger for God’s Word was accented with their special request to visit their boarding home for dinner and a study.  I asked them about Christmas and their diversity of experience was stark. Some would have no feeling for the day because it is not celebrated in their culture. Others called it their favorite day of the year. I marveled at the unique experiences and broad opinions in the room.

Thursday we watched a DVD of composer David Foster that had a song called The Prayer. It was sung by Andrea Bocelli and Katharine McPhee. Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to those pristine voices and powerful message. God guide us with your grace to a place that is safe. Andrea’s blindness made the song even more sacred. That is just one moment this past week that made me thankful for our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a lot I don’t understand about what we have experienced. But I also have to say that God has exposed us to many unique incidents and unveiled some thoughts that will not settle in our minds. The ancestry worship of Africa has a strong hold in the minds of people that seem impenetrable. We have now been invited into the lives of many Africans.

My talk with a missionary who has been here since 1947 gave us great insight into these issues. The blending of religious thought and practice is very similar to the Samaritans of the Lord’s Day. That is what happens when the authority of the Bible is subjugated to the traditions of man.

Augustine once said we count on God’s grace for the past, on God’s love for our current needs and on His sovereignty for the future. That statement resonates in my mind this morning. Thank you for the continued prayers, support and guidance. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Cathy and Danny Sartin

---