Happy New Year! I hope that everyone's new year is going well so far! The past month and a half have been a blur for me. Since the beginning of December, I have managed to travel all around South Africa, from Cape Town in the extreme south west, all the way up to Jo'burg and Kruger National park in the north east, down to Durban on the South Coast. It has been a blast for sure, but I'm glad to be home. 

     My time with Jenny was such a blessing! We were able to explore a good portion of South Africa, she had the chance to join me at several Xhosa services, and she was able to meet a lot of my favorite people here. It was great! It was definitely hard to see her go, but I praise God that He gave us the chance to have this time together. 

     Well, I'm going to attempt to keep this short, so if anyone wants further details about my trip, you will just have to write and ask. For now, we are going to move on to the more important details of how you can pray…

Starting up in the Schools

• Pray for the students and staff of Victoria Primary School and Alexandria School. I will be contacting both schools this week to discuss my involvement for this school year. Pray that they will be open to my returning and that God would really direct my steps in all of this. 
• Pray for wisdom as I make decisions about who to ask to co-teach with me this year. There are several people who would be good, and I need direction to know who God would have in this position. 
• Pray for me as I plan out the year and organize my lessons. I will be changing things up a bit, and need wisdom to know what material to include and what to leave behind.

• Megan and I will probably be starting up with Bible study in Alexandria. I say probably because we are down to just one person attending. Thembela is very interested in learning about the Bible, so I know we will continue in some capacity, but I'm not sure exactly how. Pray that we will know how to continue discipleship with Thembela, and pray for Thembela, that she would keep desiring the things of God.
• I will be looking to begin Bible studies with the students that I teach this year, at both Victoria Primary and Alexandria. Pray that God will raise up the students that are truly interested in Him and that strong Bible studies would be started in these schools. Remember from my last e-mail that God really did some amazing things at the Victoria Primary Holiday Bible club. Pray for the girls who accepted Christ that they would be bold at their school and desire to learn more about how to follow Christ. 
• Megan and I will be continuing to lead the Youth Cell group for the Baptist church in town. Pray that we will have guidance in where to go with this group. Pray for the kids that come, that God will create in them a genuine desire for Him.

• Pray for Zukeswa, Nosicelo, and Pumeza. As you may remember, these girls have been really growing in the Lord and God is using them in really cool ways. Zukeswa is helping to start Sunday School at her church, and both Nosicelo and Pumeza have really been seeking ways to serve God. Pray that they will be strengthened in their walks. 
• One of the girls that attends our Youth Cell group on Wednesday nights, Lizzie, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Lizzie had a brain tumor a few years ago, but had it operated on and thought it was completely healed. She had been having some problems towards the end of the year and the doctors discovered that it had come back, bigger than before. She has been on a mixture of radiation and chemotherapy for the past 5 weeks. I went and saw her yesterday and she was in good spirits, but has lost her hair and was a bit tired. Please pray for her healing, and pray that she would really be strengthened in this time and would draw close to God. 
• Megan is organizing a True Love Waits training February 11th and 12th. Pray for the people attending and for her and Cindy Schirle, another missionary, who will be leading the training. 
• Pray for the Morrises and the changes their family will be going through over the next months. At the end of February, Susan will take Kristie (their 18 year old) back to the states. Kristie will be starting college in the fall, so she is going now in order to get settled in the states. She will be making decisions about which school to go to at this time. Susan will stay 3 weeks and come back here. They go on stateside assignment in July, but they will be separated for about 5 months. Pray that the Lord would strengthen their whole family and minister to each one in the way that they need. 
• Pray for our team, that we would be an encouragement to one another and glorify the Lord through how we interact. There have been a few challenges recently, and we all really need to seek the Lord in how we can minister to one another. Pray for me and Megan, that our relationship would be strengthened, and that we would be a source of encouragement for one another.

     Thank you so much for lifting up these things to our Father. Your prayers and encouragement are so wonderful and such a blessing for me! I would also like to thank everyone who prayed for me over the holidays and all those who sent me cards and packages. Your encouragement during that time was really awesome! I really do appreciate all that you do! 

     Please let me know what is going on in your lives whenever you get a chance, I always love hearing from you! I hope that all of us begin this new year trusting in the Lord to lead us down the paths that He has set out for us. 

For God's glory,
heather :-)

 

See More Photos from Heather Here