Ministry Update

This month has passed very quickly as we have been busy in many areas of life and ministry. The month started with Cliff teaching at the YWAM base for a week with the January Discipleship Training School (pictured to the right). His teaching was focused on the crucified life of the believer. The students were very hungry to learn and really received from the Lord during the week. We have often marveled at how the Lord has strategically placed us in Worcester and given us favor at the YWAM base. With Cliff teaching in the DTS's throughout the year, he is able to minister into the lives of people from all around the world. This last DTS had students from Holland, USA, Denmark, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea, Brazil, Singapore and Zimbabwe. We are blessed to know that we can touch the lives of people who will go throughout the world serving the Lord in many different ways. Just to know that we have the privilege to sow into their lives in some small way is a great joy.

Another great blessing of being involved with the YWAM base has been the opportunity we have had to host teams from other YWAM bases around the world who come to South Africa on ministry outreaches. These past two months we were able to work closely with teams from Colorado, USA and Adelaide, Australia. This picture to the left is of our family with the Colorado team when they came out to our house for a special night of fellowship. It is such a blessing to be connected to so many brothers and sisters from around the world. We also had a great time getting to know the Adelaide team. They were such a blessing to us. They actually came out on Valentine's night to baby sit the children and paid for Stephanie and I to go out and have a special Valentine's date together!

Cliff and several men in the city also began meeting together this year and praying for the body of Christ in our town. There are many churches in our city and very little unity among believers. Throughout the last three years we have built relationships with many people who have a heart to see the body unified and the city impacted by the church as a whole. Ten men from all walks of life gathered to pray and seek the Lord for His heart for the church in the city. This time together was a great blessing and the Lord spoke some really encouraging things that we believe will give us wisdom in how to pray and how to build relationships with others in the body. This group has planned on meeting every two weeks for the next two months to seek the Lord and pray for the body. Please pray for these men and for the church in our city as the Lord puts them on your heart.

Family Update

Wesley celebrated his 6th birthday on February 8th. He had a special time with his classmates from school. He is in Grade R this year (kindergarten.) He enjoys his class and friends, but due to some developmental and learning delays we are considering whether we should look for alternative education until he can possibly mainstream back into regular school. Please pray for us as we seek God for wisdom and direction in making these important decisions.

Stephanie is settling into the school routine with her music classes for 1st - 7th grade as well as private lessons after school. It's an unexpected blessing to have free time in between classes to practice her music, something she hasn't been able to do in years.

We have sensed lately that we are in a transitional season and part of that transition may include a move into a house back in town. For the last two years we have rented a house on a farm 12 miles out of town. Because of the high fuel costs we can not afford to drive in and out of town twice a day. We drive the children to school in the morning and spend the whole day in town until their school and activities are finished in the afternoon. When we leave the house in the morning we have food prepared and everything we need for the whole day. It has been a blessing to enjoy the farm atmosphere on the weekends, but all of our activities are in town and we desire the convenience of a closer proximity to accommodate our activities, ministry and relationships. When God provides it will be a miracle because the housing market is booming in Worcester and there are only 2-3 houses at any given time available to rent and most of these are more than we can afford. Our greatest desire is to own a home of our own, but this seems beyond our ability to believe for at this time. Just to give you an idea of what we mean by a booming market, the prices of real estate have nearly tripled in the last two years! So please pray for us in regards to this housing situation.

We have shared lots of prayer requests in this letter, thank you for remembering us in any way the Lord brings us to your thoughts. We know that your prayers make a difference and your support and encouragement are greatly needed and appreciated.

God bless you as you seek Him everyday and live for His glory.

With love,
Cliff, Stephanie, Camille, Natalie and Wesley