The people at Ha Maphike are very excited about a church beginning in their village.  They told us that thye have united with the village across the valley, and those people are going to start joining us for Bible study.  The people of Ha Tsolosa asked if the study was just for the people of Ha Maphike, and the men told them that everyone is welcome!  Teresa asked the ladies if the men were staying true to their commitment to follow Jesus.  The women said that the men are staying very faithful (They actually said, “Haholo!” which means “very much).  They said that anytime there is a problem in the village, the men gather and say, “Let’s see what the Bible says about this.”  I had 7 men from this village for pastor training today, where we completed our survey of the Old Testament.  Several of these men are going with us when we visit the village of Fukumela on Friday. Emily’s ankle is better, but Laura went to the school alone today.  I think Emily will be ready to join her in teaching at the school tomorrow.

As a request for prayer, please pray for rain!  The crops are looking bad, and we have several more people from a couple of villages who have committed thier lives to Christ and are wanting to be baptized, but there is no water in the rivers.  We live near a large reservoir, but there are very few places to get into and out of the water, and most of those are quite a distance from the villages.  Please pray that the Lord sends rain!

]]> http://jflora.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/things-are-happening/feed/ 1 jflora http://jflora.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/first-day-of-church-at-ha-tselabeli/ http://jflora.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/first-day-of-church-at-ha-tselabeli/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:10:17 +0000 jflora http://jflora.wordpress.com/?p=3773 ]]> Someone asked me once, “You just never know how your day will go when you live as a missionary, do you?”  Today was no exception to that thought…I wasn’t exactly sure what the first day of a church plant should look like, but I am pretty sure it looks kind of like today!  After years of labor, both by us and the previous missionaries here in the Thaba Tseka region of Lesotho (Alan and Babs Dial), but even more importantly, the grace of God, today was the first day the church of Ha Tselabeli met together as a church.  We have taught Bible studies, and trained Moruti (Pastor) Kantine, but today, we turned him loose and handed over leadership to the church.  The day went even better than expected.  There were well over 80 in attendance that were old enough to listen and comprehend the message, and if we counted the ones not old enough to understand, there were well over 100.  There were people in attendance today that have never attended our Bible study, which in itself is pretty exciting, and all of the people were super excited that a church was being started.  We were joined by one of the local pastors (local meaning about 45 minutes away by car, several hours on foot), and several from his congregation came with him to help with the service.  He was overjoyed to be a part of celebrating this new church!  We sang and heard testimonies.  We prayed and encouraged the new believers. We read scripture, and Moruti Kantine brought the Word of God.  He was so nervous that he came to me just before time for him to preach, and told me he had forgotten his scripture passage for the message…he said, I am so afraid!”  I told him,”That is a good thing.  We should be a little afraid when we speak the Word of God to His church!”  He did a great job, and I encouraged him that he would get even better.  One of the ladies that gave a testimony said she had been praying for years for a church in her village where the Word of God would be taught…she said, “And now, God has answered my prayer!”

Moruti Kantine...bringing it!

 Please continue to pray for this brand new church.  Pray that the new believers grow in their faith, and that Moruti Kantine preaches the Word with boldness.  Pray that God uses this church to reach the surrounding villages.

 In the past week or so, we have received word that people all around the world were praying for the church at Ha Tselabeli.  Isn’t it great that God joins together believers from countries across the globe to pray for one another?  What an ecouragement for this new pastor and his congregation!  Thanks for your prayers…this new church is off to a great start!  We know, however, that the enemy will raise his ugly head, so please continue to intercede on behalf of these new followers of Jesus.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

Until ALL have heard, Jim

 Now, don’t get me wrong, I have baptized in rivers and lakes, complete with fish, frogs, tadpoles, and snakes…but the Basotho are really very afraid of all of these, not to mention the water itself.  I had to get in the water a long time before them, so they could see that the frogs are not “poison” and the tadpoles were not going to “eat” me.  I have baptized lots of people in my days, but I have never had to wrestle someone to get them under the water until I came to Lesotho.  Typical baptisms go something like this:  First of all, most of the Basotho cannot swim, so they are afraid of the water.  Most of them have never had their heads under the water, or even anywhere close to water deep enough to get their heads under.  Before I start, I place both of their hands on my right arm…more on that later.  About the time I start saying, “…in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit…” and my hand moves toward their face, they start to breathe really fast. I mean like hyperventilating fast.  When I am about to clamp off their nose they take a really deep breath.  As I begin to lower them toward the water they begin to let their breath out in little short spurts.  As their shoulders get near the water they begin to breathe back in very fast.  This is when I begin to try to calculate their intake/exhaling of air with their heads’ entrance into the water…go in on the exhale, not the inhale!!  As their head gets near the water, the wrestling starts.  They are determined to be baptized without their face getting wet.  They grab for anything they can reach…which happens to be me.  Remember I said before we started I place both of their hands on my right arm?  As soon as they go under, their hands come off my arm, seaching for anything to grab.  One lady grabbed me around the waist before I put her under the water…that got a big laugh from everybody watching.  I know this is kind of funny, but all this adds up to one thing: when a Mosotho commits to being baptized, it is a real commitment.  They literally fear for their lives.  In their way of thinking, it is really a possiblity to die with Christ in baptism…and I baptized 19 this past Sunday!

This picture was taken just before she let go of my arm.  I hope to post more pictures of the baptism tomorrow.

On another note, I go to pick up our Hands-On Missionaries, Laura and Emily, on Thursday.  They will be with us until the end of May…I am sure I will have many blogs to do on what they are doing and accomplishing for the Kindgom of God in the near future.  “Hands-On” is a missions experience for college students that lasts for one full semester.  Our missionaries have just finished their orientation in Botswana and will be flying into Maseru tomorrow, where they will be greeted and welcomed to Lesotho by the Melvins, who will keep them until I get there on Thursday (pastor training tomorrow).n Pray for Emily and Laura as they experience missions here in the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

We have had a couple of very nice rains in the past 2 days, and they have not interfered or restricted ministry in any way. In fact, today’s rain was probably the best rain we have had since the spring of last year.  Thanks for your prayers.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

It is really getting dry again.  The combination of wind and topsoil depth really makes it tough on the crops…the soil dries out so fast.  We are in need of a nice rain, so please pray for rain in the mountains of Lesotho.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

http://fbcperrytononmission.wordpress.com/

Hopefully, I will post more later…the team is pony trekking into Ha Mapheke to teach today.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

 This picture is not very recent, but she is still beautiful.  Just imagine this same face, minus a few teeth!  We love you Ellie!

Until ALL have heard, Poppa,  Mammie, Grace, Anna, and Bekah

January 12, 2012

8 years ago today, Rebekah was born to a woman who did not have the means to care for another child.  She already had 7 children.  Living in the slums with the alcoholic father of her children, her life was full of hard work, little money, and nothing to feed the 8 children she had given birth to.  Anna remembers the day that her “Haiti Mom” took her and Bekah to the orphanage and left them.  God had a plan and the plan included Jim and Teresa Flora as parents to two little girls.  His plan is always perfect and we celebrate His faithfulness to our family by giving us our precious daughters!

Rebekah is truly a Joy!

Praising Him today for the gift we have in our youngest child.

Bekah and Abby…Best Friends

 We wished Abby a Happy Birthday on January 8th, but were unable to get the birthday wish to load on our page.  Eight years ago, God blessed us with Abigail Faith Flora as our first grandchild!  What a wonderful joy she has been to her Mammie and Poppa!