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AE UPDATE NOV 2015From the desk of Michael Cassidy
Our very dear AE Friend,
The year is rushing to a close but I am thankful that we can touch base with you a couple more times. This month I want to focus my thoughts on the power of Christian Testimony. The thing about a Christian’s testimony is that no one can refute it. I heard of a jet pilot in England who was converted and some sceptics were arguing with him against Christian-ity. Finally the pilot replied, “What argu-ment have you got for a changed life?”
Remember the Bethsaida demoniac who was set free to whom Jesus said, “Go home and tell your friends the great things God has done for you” (Mark 5:19). For myself, I remember the day I was converted, 23 October 1955, and I rushed around to a friend’s digs and testified to him what had happened to me that day. He didn’t start arguing about the deity of Christ or the Resurrection because he was pretty much bowled over by the power and enthusiasm of my testimony.
I must say it was fun here at the AE Cen-tre a few weeks ago, on 23 October 2015,
to testify, in a celebratory occasion, to over 100 friends what it had meant to me exactly sixty years previously to find Christ. I joyfully shared my testimony including how the Lord began to provide for me financially once I got into the life-time habit of tithing. My undergraduate studies were particularly taxing because my standards in my chosen subjects were just not up to scratch. But again my testimony was as to how amazingly the Lord helped me to cope and manage and finally get a good pass. I also testified as to how the Lord led me to start AE and how later he led me very miraculously to meet and marry Carol.
If one shares one’s journey into Christian discovery with non-believers it can be very persuasive, even in a way sometimes beyond what happens when we try to argue the Christian case. For numbers of your hearers it could well be a moment which starts them on their way to being “born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Why not begin to start praying for the Lord to give you such opportunities and then seizing them when they come.
Of course, talking of testimony, my extended testimony will in due time, Lord
willing, appear in my memoirs with which I am currently busy. Incidentally, in this re-gard please pray for me and my Editorial Assis-tant, Megan Whatley, as we bend ourselves with particular focus on this task in the first half of next year.
Now for some other news. May I ask you please to pray for the full recovery of Rachel Lungu who went down with a very serious bout of malaria on holiday in Malawi a couple of weeks ago. Stephen had to rush up there to be with her and in consequence he missed the mini-mission with me in the Joshua Generation
congregations of Cape Town.
This latter was a grand experience in which I was joined by Mahlatse Winston Mashua (see photo above), in place of Stephen. Mahlatse, an AE Ministry Associate, heads up the Ravi Zacharias ministries in Africa. We were blessed with packed houses and the programme in-cluded evening evangelistic meetings with terrific responses, plus a pastors’ seminar with some 150 leaders, and also a training morning in evangelism with some 1300 lay people present. People responded for all sorts of specific needs but we were thrilled that there were over 100 new first-time commitments. God is so faithful.
Now we are into the home strait of the year. Please pray for our planning for next year and especially for the mission to Livingstone in Zambia which is now definitely on the cards. Stephen Lungu is doing a ministry tour of New Zealand (25 Nov - 22 Dec). Do remember him in your prayers. Likewise please lift to the Lord the vacant positions in AE as listed on this page, and share this information with others who may be interested.
Now, beloved friend, I daren’t close out without asking you from the bottom of my heart to stand with us financially, not just as usual, but maybe with increased giving in 2016, for which I believe the Lord would really bless you as you help us meet the very extensive needs before us. The Bible says, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), so may you be enabled to give cheerfully and joyfully. That will certainly bless us. That’s all for now and don’t forget to try and share your testimony sometime soon!
With much love in Christ,
Michael, Carol and the team
Why not have an “AE Sunday” at your church or invite AE to be part of your church’s “Mission
Week”? This could involve inviting a speaker from AE to your Sunday service, or asking someone from AE to promote the ministry, or you could
become an “AE Ambassador” yourself and share the ministry of AE with your church and friends wherever you are. Contact Danica Naidoo for
more information on how you can get involved: [email protected] or 033 3471911.
What’s in the Diary for Dec/Jan? Michael Cassidy, Barnabas Group Trips 25 Nov- 22 Dec: Stephen Lungu, Ministry Tour, New Zealand11 Jan: Foxfire Training Starts 17-23: Bloemfontein Community Mission
VACANCIES: Team Leader, Communications Officer, Foxfire Manager. Please see the AE website for more
details: www.africanenterprise.com/southafrica
P.O. Box 13140, Cascades, 3202, South AfricaPhone: 033 347 1911Fax: 033 347 1915Email: [email protected] AE South Africa African Enterprise
DEPOSIT DONATIONS: African Enterprise, FNB, Branch Code: 22 13 25, Account No: 50950005121NPO Reg No: 007-107PBO No: 18/11/13/1616
The Foxfires end the year on a highThe Foxfire Team, for their last assignment of the year, were invited by St Marks Anglican Church, East London, to minister with them for two weeks. The Foxfires worked in twelve schools, four churches, an orphanage, workplaces, and visited ninety homes sharing the Gospel and praying with people. Many people gave their lives to the Lord during this time.
The door-to-door ministry proved to be very fruitful. The Foxfires prayed for many people and encouraged whole families by sharing the Word of God with them. Many families faced huge challenges. One girl, Sihle (18), said she believed that God had sent the team to visit her for a pur-pose. The team told her that the Lord had a plan for her life, and she suddenly burst into tears because everything they said spoke right to her heart. Before they had arrived she had been feeling like she wanted to give up on life. She told the team that she had been feeling hopeless, depressed, disappointed, and that God had totally forgotten about her. But the Foxfires’ visit had given her hope and was a great encouragement. She decided to put her trust and faith in God and she believes that God is going to use her in her family and community.
After the Foxfires had taught a Life Skills class, Ozola (Grade Seven), said she left the classroom feeling very confident
because she is, “God’s masterpiece, and God does not make a mistake.” Iviwe (18), had arrived at school late because she had had an argument with her mother who is an alcoholic. She arrived at school feeling discouraged but as she arrived the Foxfires were in the middle of a drama called “Break every chain”. She just wept because she felt God was assur-ing her that He alone has the power to break the chains in her life. This was what made her say “yes” to following Jesus and having a relationship with Him.
The Foxfires ended the year with their graduation ceremony (see pic) at the AE Centre. Please pray that the Lord would lead and guide them in 2016, and that the Lord would be with the new team who begin their training in January.
EXPLORATORY VISIT TO LIVINGSTONEDarryl Naidoo and Stephen Lungu (pictured with AE supporter, Dr Prithiviraj) spent five days in Living-stone, Zambia (15-20 Oct) exploring the possibility of a city-wide mission there next year. Pastor Yoram Chulu, who came to PE for the “Switched On” Mis-sion to see whether something similar could happen in their city reported to fellow pastors in Livingstone, “What we saw in PE was just amazing. We saw dif-ferent denominations and races together, coloureds, blacks, whites, Indians, everyone was there! I saw genuine unity, and concern for one another, people setting aside their titles, positions, statuses and denominational differences... all coming together for the cause of the Gospel. I saw genuineness, transparency and honesty in the team. As news came into AE’s Mission Office I could see the team genuinely rejoicing. They went out into the streets, stadiums, hospitals, they went to the university... to every sector of society. Livingstone needs to take a leaf out their book. If the churches could just unite we would see Livingstone transformed by the power of Jesus Christ.” Stephen and Darryl first met with a group of eighty pastors from a number of different churches in the city, and also with youth leaders, and civic, commerce and industrial leaders, sharing the vision for a city-wide mission in 2016.
PLEASE NOTEWe are in the process of
updating our mailing list. If we do not have your current email address or if there are any changes to your contact details please send them to
us for our records (Biggie Paul at [email protected]).
Stuck for Christmas present ideas? This would make a great gift for any young couple getting engaged or married.
To order your copy please contact Dave Rees on 033 347 7037 or [email protected].
