Short Term Team #2
Happy November Friends!
I’m delighted to share a update with you, 3+ weeks after my operation. Although the recovery process has been challenging, I’m grateful to report that I’m making progress and feeling more like myself every day. The pain and fatigue have been intense, but I’ve recently been able to reduce my pain medication and I’m sleeping better. I’m also thankful to share that the test results from the fibroids showed no cancer – a huge relief! We’re deeply grateful for the meals, support, visits and help we received from our friends at church, which made a significant difference during my recovery.
The year is winding down and for us and our South African friends, it means the school year is ending, summer is just around the corner, youth camp is in a couple weeks and then the remainder of December is a month for relaxing and resting.
Just after I returned home from the hospital, Magezi Ministries had the privilege of hosting a team of seven talented and enthusiastic young ladies from Impact Africa in Johannesburg. These 18-20 year olds are currently doing an internship and chose Bethlehem as their first outreach destination. Dan did an outstanding job of coordinating the details on the ground, and I was able to provide administrative and scheduling support from bed. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the leaders at YWAM and Bambalela for allowing us to partner together for this incredible week of ministry and for their invaluable support.
The team had a life-changing experience ministering to our community. They visited four local schools – New Horizon College, Bethlehem Akademie, Ed-U-College, and Combined High School – where they shared the love of God with over 3,500 students in just five days. They also spent time with our Align ministry and at Bambalela, handing out food and pampering the ladies, and helped with outdoor concerts led by Pieter McKarthy. Additionally, they engaged in door-to-door evangelism and prayed for the sick in the local public hospitals. The team also had opportunities to explore and hike, making the most of their time in our beautiful community.
Many of the gals said one of the highlights of their outreach trip was ministering at Ed-U-College in Phuthaditjhaba. (Can you say that 5x fast?!) For two school days, the team set up in three empty classrooms and had meaningful conversations with the students, answering questions about faith, life, and relationships. An incredible 40 students accepted Jesus as their Savior during this time, with several sharing that they had never heard the gospel message before and others excited to attend church for the first time.
The team also made a significant impact at Dihlabeng and Pekelong hospitals, where they joined Marlien from YWAM to pray for the mamas with babies in the NICU and handed out 36 care packets. In the general ward, they prayed for a man who experienced relief from the pain of water on his lungs, and one lady even prayed to receive salvation – what a wonderful encounter!
We were thrilled to have our friend Pieter McKarthy come to town for outdoor concerts and meetings, which were a massive blessing to the Bakenpark community. The team also participated in trash pickup, mowed the grass, and engaged in door-to-door evangelism to invite people to the events. It was a joy to see the students at Combined High School singing and dancing along to worship songs, with many giving their lives to Christ. Pieter also had breakfast at our home so we could get some personal time with him and he was such a massive encouragement to us.
We’re grateful for the generosity of one of our Magezi donors, who provided an extra gift that enabled us to purchase an amazing sound system. This has been a valuable resource for our ministry, including worship nights and church services at NHC, and was a huge blessing for the outdoor concerts. Dan has led/facilitated the Sunday morning service at NHC 6 of the last 8 weeks. We praise God for this amazing opportunity to invest in the students there.
As this time of year has us all reflecting on all the things we are thankful for – we have hearts overflowing with gratitude to the Lord for all the ways He is moving in our community. We are exceedingly grateful for you all as well. Thank you for being part of our support team through your prayers and generosity. We couldn’t do it without you.
With joy,
Dan and Janell
PS. Check our Magezi social media accounts for more pictures and videos of the ministry with Impact Africa’s team.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
