Jamie and Helen Read - South Africa |
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Prayer letter January 2008
Dear Friends,
A year ago today we were waking up to our first morning in South Africa, weary from our travels, hot from the unrelenting sun and excited about what lay ahead as Jamie anticipated teaching at the Bible Institute Eastern Cape. As we look back over the last year there is much to give thanks to God for.
Building Friendships
It has been great to get to know Zolile and Nolita Daiyimani and their children Buhle and Batwandwa. Before we left the UK we prayed that God would provide us with a family at the same stage of life as us whom we could build a particular friendship with.
Zolile is a busy man. He begins his fourth year of study at BIEC and is Pastor of a church he started in nearby Walmer Township. He runs a car washing business to provide extra income for the church and employment for some of his fellowship. His son Buhle is the year above Angus at the same school and they have become good friends. We praise God for their love and friendship. Getting to know them as a family has been a great way of learning more about Xhosa life and culture and Zolile has often proved an invaluable point of reference for Jamie as he seeks wisdom on clarifying cultural issues.
Several months ago we asked you to pray about the possibility of finding a home nearer to college and the boys schools. After much searching we gave up and, a little disappointed decided to stay here for the remainder of our first term (2 more years). However just as we were about to renew our lease we heard about another house in just the right location that hadn’t been advertised yet. We snapped it up and plan to move on 1 February. It is very convenient for us as it is within walking distance of both college and schools, but more importantly it will make it easier to host college social events, college fellowship group and bible studies in our home all of which deepen our ministry among the students.
Looking ahead
Jamie will be teaching some new modules this term including Hebrews, 1 Peter and the Pentateuch. He will also teach the Thursday evening class on Introduction to Biblical Interpretation and Preaching which is a great opportunity. He has been spending the summer break getting to grips with teaching material for these courses and would value your prayers as he seeks to write these courses in a faithful, stimulating and contextually relevant way.
At the start of February the college is expecting around 10 new first year students to enrol, keeping the overall total of students at about 45 (full-time). Many of the new students arrive at college without having completed their schooling and not surprisingly struggle with learning in a second language. Others are not clear about what the Lord is calling them to do with their lives. Please pray that BIEC would help strengthen them in their faith and confirm for them the right ministry to pursue.
It has been fantastic to have had friends and family visit us over the last year and it is encouraging to look forward to visits from ministers and members of four of our UK Partner churches over the next three months. In particular please pray for Simon Dowdy, Vicar of Grace church Dulwich, who will be staying with us for a week at the beginning of February and, along with Alan Purser from Crosslinks, will be giving the Bible readings during the college orientation week from 5—9 February..
Angus and Conor are a pleasure to watch as they grow up to be ‘big boys’. We spent a morning watching the South Africans take on the West Indies at the local test ground, which has sealed cricket as a favourite pastime. They are eagerly awaiting the birth of no.3 and Angus was disappointed to find out that after a routine doctor’s appointment, mummy did not return with a baby!
As ever we would value your prayer as we continually seek to work on our college, church, family life balance. In the quietness of the college break it is easy to see what our priorities should be for the term ahead, but in the busyness of term it is even easier to lose that focus, to do things in isolation of dependence on Christ and to neglect personal prayer and bible reading.
Many thanks for all your prayers
Jamie, Helen, Angus and Conor