Until All Have Heard

When God first called me (Leah) to Africa, I had always dreamed of working hand-in-hand with beautiful brown faces and pearly white smiles. I imagined the smells of Africa, the red dirt, the mud huts, the wildlife, and little bare feet. God also gave me the desire to meet someone someday. I dreamed that the love of my life would be deeply involved in ministry and would invite me to join him not only in his ministry, but also into his life as his partner forever.

Hanging out before the youth program starts!

One day, four and a half years ago, the dream started to become a reality.

Since I have been in South Africa, I have been involved in more than four different ministries. I started with my Adventures in Missions team of about 50 people in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. We then moved to Port Elizabeth. At the end of the AIM trip, I decided I would call South Africa home. I then came back and worked with Lighthouse Family Church in Port Elizabeth. When I finally did meet my prince charming, he invited me to be a part of his ministry at Refilwe in Johannesburg. Circumstances caused us to search for the Lord’s next step for us. We ended up at Africa Ablaze for a few months, and once again, felt the Lord drawing us away, this time to work with the Barn Christian Fellowship Church. It is more than a year later and we once more feel the Lord calling us home to His heart.

I have always struggled a bit in terms of moving around so much in ministry. I always thought my ministry in SA would be firmly planted. I never understood what God was doing with us, but always trusted that He knew best. I recently read about Paul’s ministry and it really brought things into prospective.

Transporting water via horse and carriage

Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy…Then [Paul and Timothy] went from town to town, instructing the believers
to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem…Next, Paul and
Silas traveled through the area of Phyrgia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit prevented
 them from preaching the word in the province of Asia...Paul and Silas then traveled
through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica…
Acts 16:1,4,6; Acts 17:1

Paul was an itinerant missionary. He went wherever the Holy Spirit led him and his companions. Acts speaks of how there were times when the Holy Spirit prevented them from entering a certain place for whatever reason. There were definitely times when I felt the Holy Spirit move us (Piet and I) from a certain ministry because of certain events that had transpired or were yet to transpire. He knows best. He loves us. He loves His people and desires that all will know Him. And isn't the point for all to hear? How can all hear unless we go?
  So we go.

It is time once again to move into a different kind of ministry. One that is close to our heart. One where we will clearly see the tiny footprints in red dirt; one where we may very well live in a mud hut; one where we will disciple; one where we will love deeply.

Lesotho.

We will continue to follow the leadings of God’s heart and consider the wise counsel of our prayer partners in our lives until all have heard.

We leave for Lesotho in less than three weeks. We have a place to stay in Butha-Buthe, we've rented out our house here in Joburg, sold our car, and we've recently bought a new car that will handle the crazy mountainous roads of Lesotho. We have put together a needs list for our transition into this new country and new ministry. Please contact us if you are able to help us make this transition a smooth one:

The house we will be moving into is completely empty (no shelving, stove, etc) so there are a number of things we need to either buy second-hand or receive through donations.

-cheap storage units for kitchen and bedroom
-second-hand oven/stove
-2 sets of curtains
-moving and transport costs (it is a 4-hour drive from Johannesburg to Butha-Buthe)
-set up costs
-monthly pledges for living expenses

Truly Loving Africa

The Bakers