Our "Extended" Family

September 06, 2014

Our "Extended" Family

Family

“ A person or people related to one

and so to be treated with a special loyalty.”

If I were to define the word family I would have thought of the dictionary’s first definition, “A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household”. After meeting Deon for the first time eights years ago and seriously started considering marrying this committed believer that had walked into my life. I introduced him to a family friend of mine. While having coffee with this friend he asked Deon, “Why do you want to marry Michelle?” I’ll never forget Deon’s answer: He said, “Because I know that together we can serve the Lord more affectively than if I didn’t marry her.” After many other discussions with each other Deon & I became a family. Together we have tried our best to serve the Lord in everything that we do. The Lord then started to bless us with children, an added blessing to our family, and with our boys we are trying to teach them to serve the Lord with us.

As church-planting missionaries we are blessed to be a part of many different kinds of families:

1.) Our home church in Raleigh, North Carolina – sending us out to South Africa to fulfill the Great Commission.

2.) The church-plant we are currently ministering in the town of Malmesbury.

3.) Faithful individuals and churches that support us through their prayers and to giving financially towards the Lord’s work.

Deon and I are thankful to all our brothers and sisters in Christ who have taken an interest in our lives. Your love in the Lord has been a great source of encouragement to us. The Lord knew, as He always does, who needed to be a part of our lives and ministry. Thank you to all of our Prayer Warriors for without you life on the mission field would be so much more challenging.

Missionary Prayer Support Team Ladies from our Home Church
- September 2012

Comments

Deon's Testimony

I was born in Boksburg, South Africa, and lived in Benoni and Roodepoort during my childhood and teenage years. I grew up hearing the gospel from my Dad. At the age of twelve, I realized I was a sinner and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sin believing that He died for me and rose again so that I might have eternal life through Him. (John 3:16;Romans 10:9-10) Four years later in obedience to God's Word, I was baptized. During my high school years, I observed and assisted my dad and other men from our church in providing support at a local informal settlement in Johannesburg. Through this opportunity and upon meeting my wife and seeing her desire to serve the Lord I began to consider studying for the ministry. Shortly after Michelle and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary we moved to Cape Town so that I could study through the Church Ministries Institute. The Lord taught me so much during those years of studies and as I worked towards and completed a Theology degree. After completing an internship with Paarl Valley Baptist Church we attended the mission agency, Biblical Ministries Worldwide's candidate class. We have served with them for twelve years in Cape Town, South Africa. We have recently completed our church-planting efforts in Cape Town and have sought the Lord's Will for our future. We believe He is leading us to Australia. We covet your prayers as we make these new and exciting changes to our ministry.

Michelle's Testimony

I was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and grew up in Durban and Cape Town, South Africa. I grew up as a missionary kid, witnessing my parents' dedication to serving the Lord and hearing them share the gospel with many people. Through their testimony and a Sunday school lesson from John 3:16-17 I realized that I needed to accept Christ as my Savior. At the age of nine, I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me of my sin, and a year later in obedience to God's Word, I was baptized. My parents included my brothers and me in their church planting efforts. They allowed me at the age of twelve to teach Sunday school and since that year my desire has been to serve the Lord with my life. After high school, I attended the Church Ministries Institute. Upon completing my degree, I worked as a short-term missionary, assisting church planters and teaching at a Christian school in Cape Town. The Lord brought Deon into my life and has blessed us with three children. During the past twelve years, our family has been blessed to serve the Lord among various people groups in South Africa. We are now starting a new journey and look forward to joining teammates in Australia to continue our ministry.