“An 'Unusual' Connection”
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
Dear friends and family,
We hope this finds you and your family well and growing in the grace of our Lord. We wanted to tell you about an “unusual” connection that took place in February.
A year and a half ago, we heard about a young Taiwanese missionary woman, Fang Lin, who had a heart to come to South Africa to minister to the many Chinese people here. Her home church in Taiwan had eight families who were eager and ready to come as missionaries to South Africa. While they were selling their homes and taking their children out of schools to prepare to come, they found out they would not be able to get visas into South Africa. However, they were able to get visas into eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)! Many of them were professionals who had given up good-paying jobs and were leaving their families behind to come and minister.
As you know, Karl and I have been involved in South Africa Chinese Outreach Network (SACON) for the past six years. We also have recently formed the synergy in mission team with our local church, to reach out to our community and to the nations.
All of these dynamics led to a unique opportunity to take our local church mission’s team, along with members of the SACON team, to eSwatini, to encourage and partner with the Taiwanese missionary team in their ministry.
It was a wonderful weekend that fell over the Chinese New Year. We were able to assist them with an outreach dinner celebration, as they invited many local Chinese businesspeople and students in the area. The missionary team has opened a Chinese restaurant as an outreach to the local people, and we also had the pleasure of sharing delicious Chinese meals together! We had the opportunity to go into Chinese shops and businesses to meet and pray with the shop owners. Our OC colleague, Sharon, led a self-defence class with the youth as well.
On Sunday, our missions team joined the Chinese congregation as they sang songs in Mandarin, and a young Taiwanese girl was baptized. We enjoyed building relationships with the Chinese missionaries. It was wonderful to see their hearts for God and their dedication and love towards the people of eSwatini.
We were blessed beyond words by this “unusual” connection of God’s people and the ways he is building his kingdom. Thanks for standing with us in prayer and for your encouraging partnership.
In His Love,
Jenny and Karl
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OC Africa is an interdenominational ministry committed to developing, equipping, and mobilizing church leaders to multiply healthy, Bible-based churches in every community in Southern Africa and the world. OC is a faith-based mission who depends on the Lord to provide committed, financial supporters and partners. The contributions from these individuals help generate ministry opportunities around the world, impact missionaries and their global work, and provide a means for the International Mobilization Center to function. CLICK HERE to learn how YOU can be a part of mobilizing church leaders around the world by donating to OC.
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