THE MIRACLE
When only 40% of the finance came in to fix the machine I realized - I need a miracle. As we say in YWAM...
we know what to do
when we don't know what to do!!
I went on a 3 water fast and said to God: "This is now really Your problem!" I will do my bit, and You do Your bit. I prayed (not telling people) and within 48 hours the massive miracle happened from a source that knew nothing. I was super blessed by God and the generosity towards what I do. Timing was perfect. (This fast without coffee... was painful in the end. I had massive withdrawal like never ever before! But it was worth pushing through in prayer).
I was able to fix my machine (It was the Glass Lazar Tube of R9000 and electrical box problem of R6400) I was also able to buy enough wood to cut the XXL - 12kg - Beach Bible. That box is heavy! The pieces are very large but it works wonderful on the beach.
THEN CAME GARDEN ROUTE BEACH LOCK DOWN
I am very sad that we have a beach lock down in our area of South Africa. You can imagine that our community are quite frustrated about it.
We are not allowed on the beach anymore so the few times I could tell stories was it. You will find me on the beach again 3 January. Parents and Sunday school teachers approached me each time after I told the Nativity Story.
A VISIT TO YOUTH FOR CHRIST with the SandBoxBible
In 2001 I was part of YFC in Knysna and it was such a joy to visit their Pregnancy Centre in George so many years later. They heard about the sandboxbible and invited me to demonstrate what it was all about. They loved it and discussed how they could use it among the woman. Seeing the 'pregnant figure' in the sand really got their attention. One of the ladies said that during the 20 minutes that I showed the story of Zechariah in the Temple, she saw things she never thought about reading the story.
When the Bible mentions "The Temple" I put all the objects of the Temple also in the sand - this is a great tool to teach prayer. The ladies enjoyed this.
I am Janco's (7)God-Mother... not as fairy as the fairy god mother perhaps but I love the fact that I see him nearly every day! He LOVES Jesus and Bible stories.
We often watch SUPERBOOK on Youtube while eating Peanut butter sandwiches and chicken! I have to hide my chocolate cause he is JUST like me when it comes to chocolate... meaning sugar has no effect on us. LOL.
He plays for hours in the large sandbox in my house and I love that he LOVES to talk about Jesus and the Bible. He listens to his conscience and I love that.
GAIN in 2020
Surely one of my biggest GAINS in 2020 was moving unexpectedly to Stilbaai. It is not only a beautiful, safe and peaceful place to work from (I am surrounded with thorn trees right next to my computer work station where I sit most hours of the day with a very tame grey dove watching me all the time...)
...I can do something I could not do in Gauteng: I walk early most mornings without a worry in our save streets! Seeing that I sit and work behind a screen - walking is essential. To walk freely is the biggest gift ever.
I see the 5 grandchildren VERY often. I could not have asked for more.
Most week evenings around 5:30pm I go down to my parents and eat with them. What a blessing.
MASTERS
I am working on things that I will tell you more about in 2021 - but I finally can take a break until 3 January when I will be back on the beach telling stories until the Holidays are over.
In the mean time the Masters Students finished Module 1 and will be starting with Module 2 soon. WOW. Time simply... has wings.
LOCKDOWN means new YWAM teams doing new things in different ways.
These beautiful faces you see below are leaders in SOUTHERN AFRICA doing FRONTIER missions work. Most of us are now working from home and reaching out in our communities as much as can - but the focus is to REACH THE LOST as much as possible. These guys are heroes on our continent and have seen many unreached people get saved (Muslim movements etc).
We prayed in the new leadership team! Flip Coetzer, an Afrikaner is also now part of that leadership and he has taken SandBoxBible to a few nations. I actually count 7 Afrikaans people in this group! We are from all over Southern Africa. Fred and his wife live close to where I am - Mosselbaai - They work among refugees there. Muslims from Somalia and other places are included in this list. Fred handed over much of his leadership this time to see it multiplied.
Do keep these guys in your prayers during 2021.
FRIENDS & FAMILY & DOGGIES make the world go round.
My two best'ies, Penny and Charmaine came to visit me. First Charmaine stayed a week and then Penny. It was so much fun to have them around and to get out of my house and Stilbaai to drive round. We went to another good friend of mine an hour away in the mountains on a farm. Super fun with cows and pigs and the lot.
And those babies that look like me (wink wink) - is my brother Jacques' twins growing up fast.