Outreach2Africa

Mac and Trevor Mathews is on a recce/scouting outreach in Botswana to visit various missionaries and to reach out with the Jesus-film and Walking with Jesus.

Trevor has a calling for Botswana and the purpose of the missionary visits is to determine their needs, ascertain where they operate and hear the Lord’s voice for Trevor’s future.

Uitreikterugvoer: 28 Jan 2015

Mac skryf: Hirri dag, lang dag, was eintlik te kort. Die Ncojane pad is gegruis to verby Metsi Mantsu na New Xanagas. Ook geen avontuur meer nie! Nie eens ‘n druppel adrenalien gebruik nie en ek het laaang tye die Landrammel ook bestuur. Lekker… nogal.

My grootste “wow” sover? Om die ou Xóò Boesman, Kgosi van Ranyane, in goeie gesondheid aan te tref. Omtrent 200 van hulle is weer terug op Ranyane nadat die Regering hulle wyd en syd versprei het.

Die blydskap van weersiens was ‘n blessing. Ons het belowe, end April is on terug met genoeg klere vir die 200 wat nou weer terug is. Beplan solank hoe jy saamkom. Ook hoe jy 2-ton klere help insamel en kom versprei en uitdeel.

Dis al na-nag. Middernag het geslaan. ‘n Stout kind met ‘n kwaai Ma sit keelop onner inni straat. Die dom kriek sing. Vals en deurmekaar. Anders tjierrr tjierrr hulle. Die wolkbank het oorgetrek. Nie ‘n luggie wat draai nie. Hier is geen windjie nie. Die stêrre lyk soos elke dag. Dankie Here vir die wonder van U natuur.

Dankie vir jou saambid.

Uitreikterugvoer: 30 Jan 2015

Die manne beleef ‘n baie geseënde uitreik en hulle ervaar in alle opsigte die werking en krag van gebed en is baie dankbaar van al die positiewe boodskappe vanaf die ondersteuners.

Hulle moes ‘n paar van hulle reisplanne aanpas, maar het net weer besef hoe dikwels mens-planne eintlik beperkend is…

In Ghanzi het hulle tyd saam met Ds Albertus Louw van die NG-gemeente spandeer en gasvryheid van heerlike verblyf in die kerksaal, wat vir uitreikgroepe ingerig is, geniet.

By Ds Gawi op New Xanagas, het Trevor ‘n ou Boesmanvroutjie weer raakgeloop vir wie ‘n span waarvan hy deel was in 2012 ‘n huisie gebou het. Dit was voorwaar ‘n blye weersiens.

Hulle kon ook kopstukke met Gawi gesels oor sy planne om die Boesmangemeenskap te help met ‘n projek op die 40,000 hektaar grond waarop hulle al sedert 1983 woon. Die grootste behoefte is aan water vir hulle diere, want al die vee drink by slegs een watergat. Dit lei natuurlik tot oorbeweiding, afwesigheid van beheer en weinig inkomste vir die gemeenskap.

Die Botswana-regering het onlangs vir ‘n paar Boesmangesinne toestemming gegee om hulle eie boorgate te boor, maar waar sal hierdie arm gemeenskap nou geld vandaan kry om dit te doen?

Elke familie gaan omtrent $8,000 se fondse self moet bymekaarmaak in ‘n gemeenskap waar meeste van hulle deel vorm van die armste van die armstes. Die koste vir een boorgat van 200 meter is omtrent $20,000 waarvan die Botswana-regering bereid is om die eerste $12,000 vir die sink van die boorgat, te subsidieer. En dis waar die $8,000 selfbefondsing ‘n probleem skep… en dan benodig hulle ‘n pomp en ‘n tenk en ‘n heining om hulle diere rondom die boorgat teen roofdiere te beskerm…

Uitreikterugvoer: 6 Feb 2015

Die verkenningsuitreik was in baie opsigte geseënd en Mac en Trevor het oral wonderlike gesprekke met sendelinge gehad.

Ná drie dae in Seronga, het die manne via die Caprivi in Namibië gereis om weer by Kasane in Botswana in te gaan. Hulle het ‘n afspraak met Ds Chris Lötter in Pandamatenga gehad. Hulle is Saterdag en Sondag DV oppad terug en ons bid hulle ‘n veilige terugreis toe.

Trevor het baie gereeld geskryf en ons deel graag sy ervaringe met jou.

Outreach2Africa-groete

6 Feb 2015

Wow…the Lord says in His word that if we need wisdom we can ask it of Him. Well we asked if we should go and see the missionaries in Matopi because it is a far way out of the way and after spending the whole morning with Pastor Chris Lötter, there is not enough time to still get to Matopi…we have our answer – thank you Lord…and to everyone for your prayers!!

We have decided to stay at Panda Rest Camp again tonight after they graciously gave us a VERY GOOD rate – thank you!!

We will start our journey home to South Africa tomorrow and be home late on Sunday evening. We were hoping to catch the full moon at Kubu Island on the Makgadikgadi Pans tomorrow night but I have just heard that it is faaaaar to wet to get there now.

Please continue to pray for our safety on the road the next 2 days and that we will continue to be LIGHT and SALT wherever we are.

God bless and keep you!

Pastor Chris Lötter

5 Feb 2015

We travelled safely from Mahangu through the Caprivi and back into Botswana at the border post just outside of Chobe game reserve. The promise of seeing many elephant in the Caprivi did not happen…not a single elephant.

When we got to the Botswana side of the border, we had a Godly appointment with one of the border officials. She told us how she ministers to travellers coming through the border and how unfortunately NOT everyone accepts the Good News of Jesus Christ. We spent time encouraging her and gave her some materials she can use to disciple others with…in her native language Tswana!!

Before we left we prayed with her…she was so happy for the fellowship!! Immediately after praying with her, before leaving what did we get to see? …many ELEPHANT!!!! God is so good!!!

We were supposed to drive through to Pandamatenga Rest Camp to meet with Pastor Chris Lötter but by 17:00 we were still in Kasane with a 100km to Panda we decided to find a place to sleep in Kasane when Pastor Chris called to say that he has booked us into a bungalow at Pandamatenga Rest Camp at his own cost…what a BLESSING!!

We will be spending time with him tomorrow morning before leaving Pandamatenga. Plse pray with us for wisdom as there are other missionaries we have heard of in Matopi which is quite a distance in a different direction from where we are…but they might only be there again tomorrow night…must we go or not.

Thanks for your continued support in prayer…God bless!!

Some pics…from left to right – the lady at the border post and a beautiful sunset on our way to Pandamatenga.

3 Feb 2015

We left Seronga this morning after spending 3 amazing days there getting to know Freddie and Lesley De Waal and really hearing their hearts. We were blessed with a mokoro (wooden dugout boat) ride into the Okavango Delta as well as a ride on Freddie’s boat.

On our 100km ride back to the ferry to cross back over the Okavango river to Shakawe we stopped at a village called Ngarange where I got to meet an amzing servant of the Lord, Joseph and his wife Esther who have been busy planting churches and discipleship in and around the area…when he heard the Jesus Film in his native tongue, Mbukushu, he almost cried…and so did I!! We serve a MIGHTY LIVING GOD!!

Once across the river we stopped at a filling station where the guy told us that Shakawe has had NO fuel for a month BUT just yesterday fuel arrived…we experienced the Lord’s amazing favour!!!

We then proceeded to Tsodilo Hills where there are over 4000 bushmen paintings and met an amazing bushmen guide…who is born again and ministers in his village WOW!!

Tomorrow we move over into the Caprivi (Namibia) where we sleep over in Mahangu Nat Park before we travel through the Caprivi back into Botswana at Kasane where we will be meeting with Pastor Chris Lötter and see what he is doing in and around Northern Botswana.

God bless and keep you!!

From left to right Joseph & Esther and one of the youth workers watching the Jesus Film on a cell phone in Mbukushu, we gave the bushmen guide a lift back from Tsodilo hills to his village, The turn off to Tsidilo Hills, Joseph’s house – he works under Delta Cross Ministries – Please pray for his financial support as he has ZERO income. Please contact me if the Lord lays it on your heart to help him on a monthly basis.

31 Jan 2015

We arrived in Seronga yesterday afternoon after crossing the Okavango River by ferry. Got to share some GOOD NEWS with the 2 boat captains of the ferry and blessed them ea h with a book of the Gospel according to John!! Seronga lies north of the Okavango Delta.

Here we are spending QUALITY time with Willie Booyse (and family) as well as Freddie De Waal and his wife Lesley who live and work here under various people groups using the ‘Building on Firm Foundations’ discipleship material. The ministry here is called Delta Cross Ministries.

We are spending 3 to 4 days here where we will also be doing Jesus Film & Walking with Jesus outreach to the Mbukushu people.

Please pray with us for a fruitful time here with Willie and Freddie and also for a true soul-harvest for the Lord as He works in and through us.

I read an interesting ‘saying’ today – God does not need us to do his work here on earth, He uses us because WE need to be developed! …use it…don’t use it.

God bless and keep you!!

Pics – from left to right – the ferry crossing, the road leading into Willie and Freddie’s homes and Delta Cross Ministries.