Zimbabwe GTT

Well we had a fantastic time in Zim. 4 of us went up in the church's micro bus to the GTT Geographical training time). We were pretty loaded with all our camping equipment and food for both us and the delegates, however we still managed to pull a trailer and took 35 food parcels which will feed 35 families of 4 for a month.

The borders were much smoother than in November. The locals tell us it is because the Zim government has placed such severe taxes on the Zimbabweans who were coming over to south Africa to buy food and resell it in Zim. These penalties are so high that it is not worth there while.

I noticed that there seemed to be a bit of food on the shop shelves now whereas in November there was nothing. The official currency is now South African Rands and US dollars. Due to this the huge black market in Zim has fallen apart both in money exchange and food stuffs.

When I went to the police station to tell them we were in the area and what we were doing the station commander asked me to bless the station. That was quite awsome. I also handed out a number of bibles to the policemen and a police woman.

Anyway I was designated chief cook and bottle washer for our group. I love eating so believe me we ate well. My 'kitchen" was the church building as it is too small to accommodate all the delegates who came from a radius of about 160km.

About 60 people arrived and spent 3 days at our hosts village. What a gracious humble man Issac is. Our water to cook and shower was carried from a few kilometers away. We used puri tabs in our drinking water as there is a bad cholera outbreak in Zim at the moment. A lot of foundational teaching was done which was really well received. God is amazing and really moved among the people.

We also went to an outlying village to do an outreach. Yours truly got to share his testimony and preach. It was weird using an interpreter. However God was gracious and 6 people gave there lives it was very humbling. We got to pray for many sick and I am just waiting in anticipation for feedback as to miracles that took place.

Mourning My Bike

Well today God has sold my bike:(( It is a bitter sweet day. I want her sold but I am really going to miss her. Natalie and I had so much fun on her and she is really going well at the moment. Well God's timing is perfect and obviously He says this is the time!!

Zimbabwe Food Drop

Well I am off to Zim next week on a GTT-Geographical Training Time. This is where a group of local pastors and their spouses come together and we go up and do traing with them. I have been delegated as Chief cook and bottle washer. I love it.
We were organising that 2 vehicles were going up besides us just to do a food drop. The one chap was very uneasy about the trip and had a dream that his car was being towed out of Zim. The next day he took it in to get serviced and the mechanic told him that the Turbo was busy packing up and he would not have made it there and back. God is good.
The other guy was on his way down to Durban and his vehicle broke down!!!
Needless to say we have postponed the food drop and will do it later.
Please pray for the GTT and the future food drops into Zim.

South African - Elections

This is taken from a site Family Values Institute.
Corruption – South Africa's Biggest Threat!
The campaigning leading up to South Africa's fourth democratic elections are in full swing. The various political party election manifestos have been launched with much fanfare and many more promises.

However, the exposure of corrupt politicians & corrupt political practice is fast becoming the nation's favourite pastime.

Corruption has the ability to unravel the nation's democratic gains while systematically undermining the development of a sustainable economic foundation upon which our social objectives can be achieved.

In Zimbabwe a corrupt and thoroughly discredited politician gets to retain the presidency despite losing an election - while his nation suffers devastating losses.

Despite its rhetoric about human rights & democracy, the African Union (AU) elected one of the continents worst human rights abusers and supporters of terrorism as its new leader - who promptly condemned democracy in Africa.

South Africa's leading presidential candidate faces 753 serious criminal charges including corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

It now emerges that Zuma's spokesperson, Carl Niehaus who valiantly defended his leader at his corruption hearings is now defending several fraud charges of his own.

Apparently, Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile failed to report Niehaus' corrupt activities while he was a member of the Gauteng provincial legislature.

Five out of six senior police officials have been suspended & investigated for corruption in a nation with some of the highest crime statistics in the world.

South African travelers to the UK are now required to obtain visas as a result of the massive fraud & corruption in the department of Home Affairs.

South African Airways, our national carrier is now trafficking drugs to foreign nations while the airline's CEO is under investigation for corruption

Yet the ruling party responsible for all of this runs its election campaign on a corruption busting and clean governance ticket.

When one considers this on top of the hundreds of reports and investigations of corrupt and fraudulent activity in government & the private sector, the future certainly looks bleak.

Tragically, South African society seems to be growing increasingly desensitized to corruption.
Every new revelation of corruption receives adequate air time - which is met with the appropriate amount of public outrage - only to settle down till the next sordid exposé

Alarmingly, fraud and corruption seems to be settling into the national psyche as an embarrassing but tolerated part of the political life of our nation.

Significantly however, there are millions of South Africans who understand that to tolerate corruption & corrupt leaders means we have chosen, by default, the path of Zimbabwe and the many other nations destroyed by this cancer.

Corrupt and sleazy politicians can never be tolerated in a nation serious about overcoming injustice, addressing urgent social needs and building a strong united South Africa.

On 22 April 2009 South Africa arrives at a crossroads that will determine whether we join the ranks of the world's most corrupt nations or whether we reject crime, grime, sleaze and corruption and fulfill the destiny of God for this nation.

The Cross set you free, use your cross this election to set the nation free!

Standing

Errol Naidoo

Zimbabwe Lemon Juice

In Zim there is nothing to buy in the shops. One time we were up there one of the ladies in one of the churches gave us some homemade lemon juice. It was great and really thirst quenching.
Check out the recipe. Really simple.
Juice of 7 rough lemons
zest of at least 2 ( can be adjusted to your preference )
1 ltr boiling water
1 tsp Citric Acid
1.2 kg white sugar. ( you can adjust this once you determine your preferences for taste .)
Method.Dissolve sugar in hot water.
add the zest to steep ( alternatively leave the zest and add when the water has cooled slightly - again a matter of preference)
add citric Acid to the hot water allow to cool to about blood temperature and add the lemon juice .
Cover and leave to cool.When cool - bottle and refrigerate . use as a cordial mix with water or soda .
Try it you won't be sorry.

House Sale - Despondency sets in

Well the sale we were so excited about did not materialise. I got very down and despondent over the weekend. We know it is all in God's timing but it does get hard!!!! Any way we have put up a sign with "Private Sale" and my Cell No, on it and on Sunday someone drove past and popped in and yesterday evening someone also popped in. Another person phoned and is coming around tomorrow to look.
In these times it will only be God's miracle when it goes.

Our Cambodia Trip

Check out our pics when visiting Dave,Kascha and Jemma.Cambodia