Dear Friends,

We want to sincerely thank everyone for the special Christmas offerings and parcels that we are continuing to receive. We are having a ‘burning’ summer and Christmas was no exception.  We feel so blest ourselves but people are crying everywhere for help; at almost every red light there are beggars. In many cases it is mothers with little children out in the burning sun – I don’t know how they survive.

In every church service there is someone desperately needing something – food, clothing, shoes, blankets, medical or dental). We are able to help some of them with the monies some of you are sending for this particular ministry – thank you.

Next week  we are beginning a Revival Conference with a missionary the church has recently taken on for support.  Bro. Kevin Young is a Coloured Pastor working in a very poor area of Johannesburg; last month his vehicle was stolen and is presently driving a borrowed one.  Pray for him, his wife Zane and their two children.

Our government leaders are all condemning the war with Iraq – possibly to avert the attention from our own plight. Here in South Africa we are NOT supposed to be at ‘war’ but there are 55 crime related murders EVERY day – that is almost 20,000 a year!  The media says little or nothing, thus, giving the world the impression that all is well here.

We recently had a video exposing the witchcraft taught and encouraged in Harry Potter.  It was very informative and helpful.  In the same service one of our members was having trouble in his home with witchcraft.  He had received a relative from Malawi that he was trying to help find employment. Meanwhile, they couldn’t sleep at night and his wife was sickly and suffering with bad headaches; he would wake up at night and could not move any part of his body; they found things in their room used in witchcraft. He has now sent the relative away and we are counseling him in how to continue to deal with these particular kind of problems and people. Pray for Bob and Mercy and they continue to follow the Lord.

Our sixth grandchild was born to Timothy & Regina in January – Joseph Edwin. Baby Joseph was born with webbed fingers and toes and six fingers and toes just as his father was.  This means much surgery over the next few years for the little guy and we do ask for your prayers for them and us. Even though we went through a lot of surgery with Timothy, he brought great joy into our lives as we know Baby Joseph will bring to Timothy and Regina.  We are thankful that he is such a healthy, good baby.

Again we would like to ask you to write us with your EM address (if you have not done so).
joelandtheresa@hotmail.com

We want to thank so many of you whom we were able contact via EM in December when our granddaughter Grace was so ill. She is recovering well and gaining weight.

God Bless,

Joel and Theresa
P.O.Box 3110
2125 Randburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
tel & fax: 011 27 11 462 5272
cell #     011 27 72 450 0535

(use all numbers when calling from US) joelandtheresa@hotmail.com www.directmissions.com