I seem to only get around to this late every night.  As a result, the posts seem to be very short…that’s because, well, they are short!  We did have 12 men for pastor training today, and we covered Titus, Philemon, and James.  In Sesotho, that’s Tite, Filemone, and Jakobo.  As we near the end of our new Testament Survey course, the guys are getting excited.  That’s because to day I told them waht we are going to do in the weeks that remain after we finish the New Testament and when my family and I head for the USA: Preaching Biblical Messages.  I told them that I thought we could get far enough that they can start to put messages together and begin preaching/teaching them in surrounding villages.  Man were they excited!  They are doing better at answering questions, but I can tell by the way they look at me when we begin to really look at a passage: “How does he see all of that?”  I will enjoy teaching them to prepare messages…teaching them to really look and really read the scriptures…so that they can teach others!

Until ALL have heard, Jim

It is beginning to get cool in the mountains already.  Today was the first time this fall I have worn a sweatshirt to the villages.  I had to shed it shortly after lunch, but it was back on by late afternoon.  2 Villages today.  Apparently many people are in the fields working already, because there was NOBODY in the villages…attendance was way down for the Bible studies.

I have to tell you a story from the village of Ha Maphike today.  As I said the crowd was down, and we had to wait for quite a while for the people to gather.  I preached 45 minutes on 4 verses of scripture.  When I finished, I asked if there were questions.  The people said, “You cannot be finished!  You must go on!  Teach us more!  We have so much to learn! Please, just give us 2 more verses!”  Now, that’s a dangerous thing to tell a preacher…I gave ‘em 6 more!  When we finished those 6, as they patted their chests, they said, “Now you have fed our hearts!”

Until ALL have heard, Jim

Won’t be long today…just a couple of pictures, and a word or two:

We have a plan for the radiation seed implant procedure: tentative date is May 4, if all schedules work out.

Well, I can’t seem to get this to do anything I want it to tonight, so things may not be exactly in the order I like them…or even what I like!  We will see what loads and uploads!

Until ALL have heard, Jim

Here they come: Bokong School kids!

Cara and Tsepo

It has been a while, but we are back in Lesotho, and I am finally on the road to recovery.  I had some kind of 80 hour bug I picked up in Johannesburg, but 4 days and 8 pounds later (or lighter, if you prefer), I am feeling better.  Teresa isn’t feeling so well today.

The report in Johannesburg was good.  After the bone scan, MRI, blood tests, ultra sounds, and about anything else you can think of, the doctors have finally determined that the cancer is confined to the prostate, so we now have a game plan.  We do not have a date for the game, but it will take place sometime in May.

Now, back to this this bug I picked up…I think I may have figured out a way to make a few bucks off of this.  Stick with me here:

New Weight Loss Plan! 8 pounds in 4 days?  Sound too good to be true?  It’s possible with the new SA Magic Bug imported directly from South Africa!  Just one dose of SA Magic Bug, and you’ll be on your way to a lighter you!  No exercising!  No running!  No effort at all!  All you have to to is sit back a watch the weight melt away!  You won’t even want to eat!

Side Effects may include any or all of the following: alternating fever and chills, headache, back ache, nausea, muscle pains, stomach cramps, diahrrea, and pain in every joint in your entire body.  There may be times when you feel like you just might die…and when the fever breaks, you will need a towel. 

Who’s with me?  Where’s that sign-up list?

Until ALL have heard, Jim (almost embarassed to put that sign-off line on this one…nobody heard from me the past 4 days)

Sorry this wouldn’t load last night…internet went down, but I saved it to a document, and copied and pasted this morning!

Yesterday the ladies went to one of the local schools. This seems to be one of the highlights of the trip for the Kleier girls. They said everything went very well…except for the experiment, which did not go exactly as planned. Julie says she still LOVES the villages.

 I had 9 pastors for training on Wednesday, and we covered 1 and 2 Timothy…lots of questions from the pastors on these books. One of them told me he had been misunderstanding portions of these the scriptures, but now the teaching was very clear.

 Today, we went to the village of Ha Rapoeea, where another 65 people heard the gospel! Lots of questions today, and Teresa and I spent close to an hour sharing with a priest from the Zionist church while we were waiting for people to gather. He is very confused about the gospel God, and ancestor worship. He said he only has to accept the part of the Bible “that make him happy.” We disagreed in more than a few areas. Please pray for the chief of this village. He is listening very closely to the teaching, and even moved up very close where he could hear what I was saying as we shared with the Zionist priest.

 Medical clinic Friday in Ha Rapoeea, and Bible studies in Mapeleng and Ha Kanono on Saturday before heading back to Jo’burg on Sunday morning.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

Again, it is hard to believe, but the girls have been here for 2 days of ministry, and only have 4 days left!  Yesterday we rode horses 2 hours into the village of Fukumela, where Julie, Kelsey, and Taylor all had the opportunity to give Bibles in a village where people have never owned a Bible.  They shared Bible stories and testimonies, and Justin preached.  Unfortunately, harvest has started here in the mountains, and the attendance wasn’t every good, but 16 heard the gospel.  They all did well on the horses…well there was one incident involving a horse walking up the stream for water and exiting through a tree.  The rider did an excellent job of dodging branches, and I knew everything was going to be okay when I saw that if she fell off, she was going to land in the stream.  We arrived safely back at the truck…all three ladies safe and accounted for!

Today we visited our regular villages of Ha Khenene and Ha Maphike.  Again, the harvest affected the crowds, and neither village had great attendance, but another 40 people heard the gospel.

We are really enjoying having these ladies with us, although the sun is taking its toll.  Last night I called Julie a redneck, and her neck is even more red tonight, in spite of sevarl applications of sunscreen.  Kelsey isn’t feeling well, and they all hit the hay pretty early tonight.  They are teaching at the school at Bokong tomorrow.

I have LOTS of catch-up to do on reporting on the people we work with…not the volunteers from the US, but the Basotho.  I have some great stories to tell, but not tonight.  The internet has seemed to have a mind of its own lately, but I promise that I will get to those stories in the near future. 

Until ALL have heard, Jim

Just a quick note tonight.  I promise it will be short!  I arrived back home safely from returning Cara to Johannesburg, and back to Katse with a truck full of young ladies today (Kelsey Kleier, Taylor Kleier, Julie Putman, and Rebekah Flora), and I am simply amazed about several things…

1. I am amazed at how much money I can spend at the African Market…even when I am careful

2. I am amazed at how quickly I can spend it

3. I am more amazed at the amount some of our visitors from the states can spend

4. I am amazed that this blog is approaching 145,000 hits from all over the world since it began just over 3 years ago

5. I am amazed at how the Lord continues to keep us safe on the roads

6. I am amazed at the people who continue to send encouragement our direction

7. I am amazed that God uses people like us to do His work

Thanks going up and out tonight!

Until ALL have heard, Jim

“Time for what,” you might ask. Time for more goodbyes and more hellos! It is hard to believe, but Cara is about to say goodbye to the mountains of Lesotho. Friday is her final day of ministry…at least on this trip!  Friday the school here at Katse has a traditional day scheduled, so she will get to be a part of that, and then we will head to Mapeleng, where Cara will share with the school. We will head for Johannesburg on Saturday for Cara to do a little shopping, and then she will catch her flight back to the good ol’ USA that evening.

On Sunday morning, it will be time for hellos again. Julie Putman will be returning to the mountains for another trip…her second in less than a year.  She will be accompanied by Kelsey and Taylor Kleier. They will be here for about a week. They will visit several villages, some of those villages only being accessible on horses.

The pastors met with me on Wednesday, and we covered 2 Thessalonians and the first chapter of 1 Timothy. We had 8 attending, and we had a great time! Lots of discussion, and I am really seeing them beginning to break down the scriptures with less coaxing for me. They are answering the questions by looking into the verses.  Hallelujah!

Thanks you all for the prayers in our current “situation.” We are working on when we can get everything done, and will try to keep you posted.

Until ALL have heard, Jim

We returned from Johannesburg yesterday, after returning the Life’s Hope team for their return flight.  The the bone scan and chest x-ray were completed.  The results of both were negative.  Unless something changes, I will be treated in Johannesburg.  We are currently in the process of having the doctor consult with the radition guys to see when I can start treatment.   The recommended treatment is “radition seeds” which are placed directly into the prostate.  According to our specialist, there have been great advances in this technology in the past 5 years or so.  The doctor seems to be very up-to-date in his knowledge due to his effort in continuing education.  He read to us from the New England Journal of Medicine, and he travels to a conference in the US every year.  Apparently everything (including the technology and the seeds) comes from the US, and is very strictly controlled.  The seeds can’t even be ordered until they have a place to put it, or someone to put it in.  So the schedule is still a little up in the air at this time, but we are working on it.  We are probably looking at early to mid-April.  It is out-patient, and seems to have reduced side-effects and recovery time.

Life’s Hope shared with over 1125 during their stay here, as well as equipping 10 pastoral students.  Justin, Cara, Emily, and Laura have carried on the work in the villages in our absence, as well as continuing their work in the schools and other villages.  I am back to teaching pastors today…2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy are on the schedule for today.

Until ALL have heard, or as the Basotho say, “Ho isa BOHLE utoile,” Jim

Today, the teams was again divided into 2 team, Bruce and I were with the pastors, and Cara, Brandon, Kendra, and Teresa visited 2 local schools.  We had 7 pastors again today, and Bruce taught Philippians and Colossians.  We have had 10 pastors attending the training.  Cara, Brandon, and Kendra shared the gospel with (drum roll, please) 928 at the 2 schools.

It is hard to believe, but tomorrow is Life’s Hope last day of ministry.  On Saturday morning, we will head back to Johannesburg for their return flight to the US, and on Monday, more tests for me.  Cara is staying with us for another week.  Please pray for a final day of great ministry, safe travel back to Jo’burg, good tests early next week, and safe travel back to Katse village.

Ho isa batho bohle utloile, Jim