“Our first meeting with Butha-Buthe Lesotho Theological Education by Extension was soulsoothing yesterday and we were more than happy to welcome new people who enrolled and who wanted to study God's Word as they serve HIM at their local churches.”
- Joseph Mpakanyane, TEE Chairman
A Busy Season
Greetings once more from Mokhotlong! Winter is nearly here and our coal stove has been lit to keep us warm. The past few months have been incredibly busy for us and the coming months will certainly be just as busy as we finish up our ministry in Lesotho and pack up to move again. Please be in prayer for us during this difficult and emotional time.
New TEE Group Started!
Last month, one of our biggest prayer requests was answered. On Saturday May 5th, we launched a new TEE study group in Butha-Buthe. This has been a goal of mine since we returned for this second assignment in 2016. B-B is the largest town located halfway along the road from Mokhotlong to Maseru. I have always considered it a strategic location for spreading the TEE program and making it more accessible to Basotho pastors in the lowlands. The group has already enrolled somewhere between 12 and 16 students and I will be leading their first conference on July 21st. Please pray that they will be diligent in their book studies and that their lives and ministries will be transformed as they dig into God’s Word for the first time using resources in their own language. I am also making progress through my Sesotho commentary. 1 Timothy is the book I am currently writing on. It will take a lot of work to get through the last 12 books before we leave, but the completed portion (158 pages with appendices) already covers 73% of the content of the New Testament. Although I could complete this task after we leave and email the files to the translator and publisher, I am praying that the Lord will multiply my time and allow us to finish in spite of our hectic schedule. As always, we offer our best efforts to the Lord and submit them to his sovereign plan and timing.
In two weeks, I will be flying to Spain to help lead a short-term trip of volunteers to Tharsis Betel, the ministry in Jerez that we will be joining next year. We are expecting nearly 50 people to come and serve refugees, lead sports camps, do outreach in nearby cities, work construction on the facilities, and interact with the Spanish church members. Please pray for open doors and effective ministry!
Our Family...
…is actually on two different continents right now! Abby and the two girls have traveled to the US to attend her sister’s wedding next weekend. Kyle and I are here in Mokhotlong trying to survive the cold and finish up my book before we come to the busy season of packing up, selling, and preparing to move. One highlight of the past months was being able to have my parents here with us for about five weeks. They had been waiting over five years for the chance to come visit us in Lesotho, but were occupied caring for my grandmother until she passed away last August. We had a wonderful time with them here! Dad had the chance to teach multiple times at the church here - some planned, some impromptu. The church happened to be working through a sermon series on the family, so it was perfect to have my dad here to teach on a topic he has preached for nearly 40 years! The people loved his sessions and were very grateful for his ministry. The kids, of course, loved having Grammy and Papa here for over a month. Time with family is really the biggest thing that we miss by living overseas.
When I return from Spain...
…we will begin closing up our life here. Please pray for the kids during this time. This is the only home they have really known in their lifetimes and they are grieving to leave it. And keep Kyle in your prayers as he tries to recover from a badly broken arm. I will also be preaching one more sermon series at Harvester’s Bible Church in August. I have asked Pastor Ntsimane if I can preach on “A Biblical Theology of Work, Finances, Stewardship, and Giving.” He is very excited about this series and says it touches on a real need for African Christians. I pray that God will use it to powerfully reshape the Basotho believers’ understanding of this topic.
As we leave Lesotho…
…we are making preparations for our next assignment in Spain. I am about 75% finished with my TEFL certification and am working through Rosetta Stone Arabic and French. I have also earned another coaching license through US Soccer and plan to get licensed as a referee in the States. We are working with AIM on a budget for living in Europe and we expect our monthly support needs to increase by maybe $1,000. Those of you who have supported us faithfully over the years continue to keep our current support near 100%. If you know of anyone else who may be interested in partnering with us, please send them or us contact details. We also really need to finalize a buyer for our Land Rover. That needs to be sold before we leave, so that we will be able to buy a car in Spain.
We can’t wait to see you again...
…and hope to catch up with all of you when we return in September. Please keep in touch and may the Lord bless you richly!
Jonathan, Abby, Kyle, Ellee, & Sadie
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