Open Doors
Dear Brothers and Sisters in our Lord Jesus,
This report combines activities over the period of September and October. Unfortunately, I sustained an injury to my left shoulder which left me with limited movement and ability during this time.
The Container Project (Official name pending)
I am very glad to announce that since my last report, WCF has funded this project. This 40 foot container is being converted into a classroom that will be the new venue for the CUDDLE Trust to hold skills courses such as the Creche Course, as well as STACK classes (Skills Training Academy Classes for Kids) for children. In addition it will function as a venue where we can run preaching initiatives such as Saturday Bible Club and Bible Course Seminars (in English and Afrikaans). The Container will be located on the grounds of Little Brinks where we can also use it as a space for education and play activities on rainy days.
Little Brinks Support
Support for Little Brinks continues, playing educational games with the children and delivering food parcels for kids in need of a nourishing meal. Recently, I noticed a water leak in the play area coming from a plumbing line and a rusted out downpipe from the gutters. Brother Charles Kotkin-Smith helped repair the leaky water line and replace the rusty downpipe with a new one. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16
Soup in a Jar
My wife, Lilandi, had the idea of creating a wholesome, non perishable, food item that could be kept in a car or house to be available for a person desperate for a meal. Inspired by this idea, the “soup in a jar” was born. This bottle contains the ingredients for a wholesome soup for a family of four, and all that is needed is to add 2 litres of water. These jars are decorated with Good News of the Kingdom of God and/or Cuddle Trust stickers.
Youth Preaching in Johannesburg
I was blessed by the opportunity to spend the day with some of our youth in Johannesburg discussing Bible topics and life issues. This was a hybrid setup where I was able to run the classes both in person and on Zoom. The topic that they requested was “How to have Fun as a Christian” which led to a fruitful discussion. With most of the group being close to leaving school, I added a study of “Being Content” in which we looked at the Proverbs and the teachings of Jesus about how we should avoid building our happiness on earthly things, but rather be happy and content with what we have and to store our wealth with God. I truly enjoyed spending time with them and am looking forward to an opportunity to have another such a face-to-face study with them, God willing.
Assistance for the Brotherhood
While visiting Johannesburg, we gave aid to one of our Congolese brothers. . This brother has been very active in his preaching and caring for other brothers and sisters and he has helped many students this year on their journey to baptism. However, he had to rely on public transport to get around. It was necessary to find a car for him to enable him to be more mobile and able to reach his various destinations without relying on the very unpredictable public transport system. I helped to find a car, ensured all the necessary maintenance was done (and did some of it myself). After numerous days of sourcing parts and having some of the work done, I had it inspected by the department of transport where it was declared roadworthy. Despite severe load shedding (planned power outages) that delayed the process, God blessed the task and all was done in time to deliver the car before we embarked on our lengthy journey to Cape Town.
I thank you for your continued prayers for the work we do. God is opening a lot of doors for us in the Western Cape and I am looking forward to sharing these events with you in the near future.
Your Brother In Christ,
Michael Furstenburg
Cape Town, South Africa