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30 September 2006

Dear Friends Around the Globe.

Yes - I know I have neglected you - I just disappeared and so many people complained that they do not know what is going on in our lives and where we are. I am back in South Africa in our house near Cape Town. How I love the Southern tip of Africa! I do have a problem though. When I am in Zimbabwe - I am so happy there and just love the bush and the quietness. And it is hard to leave the simple lifestyle. I do not know if I told you that we have been chased away by the government officials again - from the property where we lived for 18 months after we have been evicted and all our property has been confiscated. One day a certain man (the chairman of the so-called war veterans) just arrived and told us that regardless of the contacts we do have in government levels - down here in the rural areas - he is in command and control and they have decided here that we must go - we must leave - whether the owner - our friends have a say in the matter or not.. No reason - no logic - as we have no land left - we can be of no threat to anybody - we have no power (politically) to appose it. So we packed our belongings once again and moved a few kilometers from there towards the border town of Mutare. It is situated on the Mozambican border. The accommodation we obtained is very basic but we - once again made it so cozy and homely again. It is right in the bush and it feels like you have your own private game park - even though there are no more wild animals that used to roam the area freely. I do have a hill or small mountain behind the house - which I just love climbing twice a day - and then sit on the top overlooking the breathtakingly beautiful vista before my eyes. I praise God that He has given me His joy which is my strength - to appreciate everything He has made for us to enjoy. Even though the country of Zimbabwe is so messed up economically, politically and in almost every area- they could not destroy the beautiful sunsets and mountains and hills.
Something profound happened when I was in Zim last time. I was walking in the fields - as I so often do - when I felt the Lord nudge me to phone a specific African lady who is in politics. At first I did not want to do it as I remembered the experience I had with her two years ago when I tried to get an appointment with her - to beg with her to allow my husband to return to the farm. (Remember he was not allowed on his own land for 3 week - yet I was allowed to continue with the farming.) It just did not make any sense. Anyhow - I never got an interview with her. But we had a mutual friend called - Jenny. I knew that she was very kind to Jenny and assisted her in some ways. After Jenny gave me her tel # - I phoned and the secretary answered. She asked me from which organization I was. I did not know what to say - but immediately replied that I want to help with woman and children while still in the country. The secretary immediately put me through to this lady - who by now was newly appointed as a minister! Not only did she speak to me in a very friendly way - but she invited me to her farm - not the next day - but that very evening!!! I made Jenny and her mom come to intercede for me. They arrived and we travelled together in the night to the minister's farm - which used to belong to a friend of ours. Now she is the owner of that farm - it was difficult for me to go to that place and not find my friends in the homestead. Nevertheless - we were received in a most friendly and welcome way. I had a word for her - I washed her feet and till this day - I know that the idea to do something for woman and children in Zim - did not come from me. The Holy Spirit placed that in my heart. Long story short - I am in and out of the Government offices - to arrange for a lovely Ladies meeting where we will make the top - powerful woman of the country aware of the situation and encourage them to raise the money amongst them - to help abused woman and children. We cannot always wait for the outside world to open up their purses for funding our projects - we as woman in the country can start looking after our own and make a difference. I would so much appreciate your prayers regarding this project - as it is unheard of that they would want to use a white woman like me to help them with this scheme. Of course - I will sing and speak - but they will also speak and I will do a wonderful little play - with the street children that are in this orphanage - cared for by an ex-call girl. Exciting stuff!!! I pray daily for the strength and energy to do all that He has called me to do- nothing more and nothing less.

My husband will be joining me in two days time here in South Africa as he still had some unfinished business in Zimbabwe. It will be great to have him united with us as a family again. So often in our lives we have been apart. But I believe - it has only made our hearts grow fonder!!! Hanel is with me and doing well in her business - so proud of her - she stays on her knees and seek God's face regarding her business and clients. He does the rest and sends her wonderful people to work with. She is a therapist. Nicolaas is still flying in Namibia and God's protection on his life - is a story on its own. Hano is happy in Scotland- and it is amazing how I have started praying that God will open doors for him there - I did not understand it at first - as I would so much love for all our children to live - at least somewhere in Africa. Now - the people that he works for - has offered him a more permanent job there and I just feel in my heart and in my spirit - that this is the right thing for him to do. This mother heart - is at peace.

For a few weeks now - I have encountered tremendous opposition - in so many areas of my life. If it was not thieves trying to break into my lovely older car that we got from Danie's Mom after she passed away - then it was health issues - and I am very fit - praise God - or even in relationships - unpleasant things reared its ugly head. Then I realised - but it is because I am on my way to Israel. This is wonderful how this came about. I was ministering here in South Africa when a lovely lady - a friend of mine offered me to go on tour with her group to Israel. I got some of my friends that were interested in going with - to go on her tour. I could not believe my ears when she said that she will provide a plain ticket for me to go to Israel. I left it at that for months. Then when I got back here in the country - I received an e-mail from a friend in Washington asking me whether I will be in Israel; for the Feast of Tabernacles - as she wants me to meet a dear friend of hers. I e-mailed back that I am not going - but I do have a ticket to fly there. She wrote back and asked "If you had the money for the accommodation - would you go?" I did not want to answer her as I knew where it was probably going. So I said yes but I am busy recording before the end of this year and I am building a type of accommodation facility - as we need to generate an income here in South Africa. She wrote again: "How much do you need?" I ignored it for a while again. She wrote back:" I do not need to wait for an answer from you - as the Lord have already told me what you need to be able to go. Wow!!!! I - who was the one who used to say: " I wonder how these missionaries do it - then they are here - then there and who pays for all of this?!" And now I am in that situation. God is so good and just knows what we all need and not only that - He wants to sometimes - spoil us and just bless us so much- we do not even really deserve it. But He is God - and He decides what He wants to do - he is the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills!!!! And then on top of this - Hanel has been invited by the ICEJ - the young adult's section - to help Lizl Hedding in that department - touring with the young adults. Her accommodation - was paid - but not her flight ticket - today - it has been sorted out. No one asked - or hinted - or begged any human being. God did it through His obedient children. Oh - how they will be blessed by sending us.

It will be a different year for me - as in the past(from 1993-2003) I was very much part of the singing and performing side - this year I will be a pilgrim and just bask in the presence of worshipping God - along with people from all over the world. We just had our very successful Feast of Tabernacles here in the City Hall of Cape Town. Two nights in a row- was wonderful and I had the privilege to do some solo work. Tim Becker - Gerida en Anneli Carsten - put together a beautiful production and the leaders - Dave Wilkens- Jack Carsten and Johan Greeff - here in S.A. could be very happy with what they did here. More people would want to attend it next year. We had Malcol Hedding - the director of the ICEJ here to address us. What a privilege.

Well my Friends - pray for us - as we work on the new CD - worship in every sense of the word. Pray that we will lead others into the presence of Almighty God while singing with us on this new project of bringing glory to God.

I promise to put in more photos to show you our world.

May you discover day after day - that no one has a greater love and understanding of you - than your heavenly Father. Allow Him to love you - to guide you and to bless you. Eph. 5 Read the whole chapter - Find out what pleases God.

Love in Christ Jesus our Messiah.

Hanli

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