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A large upsurge in child trafficking and in the sex worker trade is already occurring in southern Africa, spurred by South Africa’s hosting of the Soccer World Cup in June & July. Area schools are on holiday for a month and many thousands of children –most particularly orphans – will be unsupervised and drawn to the raucous ‘Fan Parks’ in the area. Officials anticipate huge crowds at these Fan Parks -located outside the stadiums- and every sort of appetite can be satisfied there. Projections are that 40,000 extra sex workers are beginning to cross borders into South Africa this season, beyond the huge number of domestic sex workers.

What is our response? Michaels Childrens Village was approved as one of only three Emergency Placement Centers for displaced/ trafficked children in our region! We are so awed by God’s glory and grace during this exciting time for South Africa! We are so blessed to be seizing this divine opportunity and grateful for your prayers during this extremely busy season. May every child brought to MCV be quickly healed and transformed by the lavish love of God and His people.

Last month, we held a weeklong healing revival in a nearby village called Pienaar. Seven mission school students who were on their way to Pemba, Mozambique accompanied us. They were filled with the fire and love of God! We saw a demonstration of the Kingdom of God as many were saved, healed, and delivered every night. With so many new believers, it was the perfect place for a new church plant. Therefore, we set ourselves in motion to disciple the new believers and build a new church. On Thursday morning of revival week, we went to the local market to purchase materials to build a new church in this village. Pastor Happy (isn’t that a great name?), our local evangelist, had secured a great piece of property nearby…or so we thought. Just as I’m going to cash out at the register, I get a prompting from the Holy Spirit to call Happy and make sure we can begin to build on the land. Our excitement of planting a new church soon diminished as the owner of the land changed his mind and said someone else is going to purchase the land. Hmmm.

There are many challenges here in Africa…the first being that nothing happens quickly….and secondly, nothing seems to go according to plan. Praise God! He works all things for good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to His purpose. I know one thing for sure that Jesus said to “Go and make disciples of all the nations…” Recently the Lord has put it upon our hearts to shift our focus to strengthening our local churches and discipling leaders. Teisa and I are committed to visiting two indigenous Iris/PIH churches every month to impart what the Lord has given us.

Just recently Pastor Mabila, the director of Harvest Bible College here in Back Door, completed a forty-day water fast. There is a great hunger for God amongst our students, teachers, and leaders for a daily demonstration of the Kingdom of God. We desire to make the name of Jesus famous and to see Him become more popular than Bafana Bafana (South African World Cup soccer team). Even as the eyes of the world are focused on South Africa for the World Cup, your African family is contending for all eyes to be on King Jesus! Even as I am writing now Teisa is teaching at our local saSwati woman’s group, and soon after completing this update, I will be preparing my lesson for my bible school class. The harvest is ripe and the laborers are few, pray that the Lord of the harvest would send us more laid down lovers who would join us in taking the nation of South Africa for Jesus!!