Bezaleel News – June 2007

Dear friends,

Our days begin with the household erupting into wakefulness and ending in the blissful sounds of sleeping children. We go about the mornings to the strains of a Baroque Minuet and the beginning halting efforts of Hava Nagila rendered by Lizzie on the piano. As she conscientiously practices each day in preparation for her upcoming exams and the Music Festival in August and September, her improvement is obvious and it adds a festive air to our chores. On completion she moves to her recorder and practices with quiet confidence. She is also preparing for the London Trinity Exam for recorder. Thabo pipes out notes on his recorder, and as a beginner his progress pleases his teacher. Ruth doggedly plucks on her guitar in counts of 4: B, C, D, E, F and G with Allen or my encouragement. She was not able to attend her music lesson this week because the teachers and pupils were threatened by the union that they would be shot if they went to school. At present, government institutions like schools and hospitals are striking for an increase in wages.

Autumn on the highveld in South Africa is probably my most favourite season. The stillness and colours of autumn leaves have a peaceful effect on me. It was short lived however as winter arrived with such sudden forcefulness, plunging us into record lows long before it’s expected arrival about the middle of June. We also had record rainfalls for the month of June. In one night we had 30 mm of rainfall in an area that is normally dry in winter. Needless to say it is very cold.

We are grateful to the Lord for ordinary days, filled with the activities of children growing, learning and playing.

Roxanne has returned to work and I teach all the children. After some experimenting with schedules and who to teach what, when, and with whom we have a busy but comfortable timetable worked out for academics. The four younger ones are delighted that I am teaching them again and their eyes shine brightly as we read stories with requests for them to be read over and over again. I tried to teach math to Ruth, Rose and Walter together, but abandoned the idea when Rosie was coping far better. This did not bode well with Ruth and she gave Rosie withering stares whenever she responded to one of the questions I asked. Ruth and Walter are comfortable being taught together and respond spontaneously. Rosie is in between the others with math, so she gets my undivided attention for her math work.

Six of the children and I had an opportunity to visit the  Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens  near Roodepoort with the music school to hear a jazz big band play outdoors. In front of us the Magaliesburg Mountains towered, with a lone male Black Eagle soaring over it and a waterfall cascading from it. We shared a picnic on a blanket while we listened to Girl Talk by Bill Fairley’s Big Band. Adrian, our oldest son who lives nearby the gardens in Centurion, Pretoria joined us for an hour or so. It was Mothers Day and we had a wonderful time together, once Ruth overcame her apprehensiveness of the mountain and people thronging about. Ben settled too once he became accustomed to the loudness of the music. He has always been sensitive to high pitched sounds and cries when it is too loud.

During the week I went with seven of the children to see a play at the local theater by a local company. It was The Sound of Music and the children enjoyed it greatly. They have watched the DVD a number of times and they love stories about other families who have a lot of children.

One night one of our chickens died and at the breakfast table the next morning Rosie said to the children they must pray for it. Thabo emphatically stated that we don’t pray for the dead. On another occasion the children were discussing how many children they were going to have when they grow up. Lizzie said she was going to have three children, an older child to look after the two younger ones. Rosie said she is only going to have two because too many children make too much noise. Ben says he’s going to have lots of children because he likes noise. (He is the noisiest in the house.) Ernie informs everyone that it is not their decision to make as to how many children they’re going to have.  Mmm… I wonder if he’s being listening to Bill Randles and the Christ in the Family series.

With regards to the children’s health we had a scare with Ruth in April. She had a severe infection and fever and in the run around to get her to a doctor and have a urine test done, I was overwhelmed by the kindness and assistance of those in the medical profession around me. Through this experience, as well as a book I was reading at the time by Edith Schaeffer titled Affliction and through God’s word, I was reminded that He is our comforter in times of trouble. Jesus was without comfort on the cross, forsaken, so that we could be comforted Is. 53:3 and 2 Cor. 1:3-7.As the Holy Spirit, our paraklesis, the One who comes alongside us and does not leave us alone but rather comforts us, so should we come alongside one another bringing comfort. Ruth recovered completely and is still well. We, at last, after scouring pet shops, S.P.C.A’s and the like found a dog for Ruth to replace Max. She looks just like him and Ruth has named her Maxine. Rosie has been seeing an occupational therapist that specialises in hand related injuries and has had a splint made to support her wrist and thumb. She has also been given exercises to prevent shortening of muscles through lack of use in her arm. Wearing the splint has given Rosie far more mobility in her hand and she is delighted. Thabo had a seizure in April. The last one happened in November last year. What precipitates it we don’t know. Little Themba is responding very well to his ARV’s. According to his skin specialist his skin condition is directly related to HIV. His skin is clearing rapidly though and we suspect that it’s as a result of an improved CD4 count. His dad David regularly picks him up every second weekend. Thoko has settled in very well. She is eager to learn and participates in the life of the family. She is a helpful child and Lizzie, Thoko and Thabo have long discussions and sing together when they do dishes in the evenings. Her dad visited last week after an absence of three months due to a serious illness. He has virtually wasted away and looks skeletal. He has not seen a doctor and I suspect he may have T.B. I encouraged him to go to the clinic for tests. Please pray for him. His name is Christopher. Walter, Ernest, Themba and Precious are all well. Walter is more confident in his school work although still markedly behind. He enjoys his lessons. Ernest is playing soccer again this year for the same club he played for last year. Themba’s chest tightens up every now and again and Precious is our cuddly little girl. Over the last three months much has happened in Jowie’s life. She has had a chance in a safe environment to come to terms with her status and begin to move forward in making decisions for herself and her twins. It’s not been easy but she is determined and appears to be leaning on God. She is spending more time with her family and is staying with them at the moment to attend a course to improve her chances for finding employment. Please continue to pray for her and we thank the Lord for all He’s done for her.

On Sunday nights Alethia meets at our place for fellowship together, usually over ice-cream and coffee and to listen to a teaching. While Dave, Lyn and Morne have been away we have had a very relaxed time together, normally with Salvador from Ebyown, Mike from Alethia, Becca and Susie from the UK, Dianne from New Zealand and Allen, myself and Clayton from Bezaleel. On most occasions we’ve watched DVD’s of Jacob’s teachings and as he eloquently renders the truth of Gods word, we banter back and forth in lively conversation about what he’s saying, his expressions, antics etc. Some are normally about 2 hours long and Dave would show it over a few weeks but we forgot and listen to the whole teaching. (We much prefer the DVD’s) Somewhat in surprise we realise the time and everyone rushes home. How does the old adage go? While the cats away the mice will play? Never a dull moment with Jacob and we look forward to his visit in August.

As I approach my 49th birthday (so soon?), I look back and see what the Lord has done in and through our lives with the comfort of the people He has given  us , to share in the joy and make possible His work in this part of His vineyard. Truly the Lord has set our feet in a broad place.

Thank you for your love and prayers, the support you give us that makes possible what we do. Please continue to pray for the matters mentioned in this letter with thanksgiving for His faithfulness in all things.

Vindicate the weak and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and destitute
Rescue the weak and needy;
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 82:3-4. NASB.

May the Lord’s joy be your strength.
Allen and Sue.
bezaleel@aol.com