Tchincombe Chronicle

2010-06-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

Some of our adventures of May- June 2010

Gee Mom, I was some water too! The elephants love the fresh water that comes from the pipe.

What an amazing sight! Leopard - best sighting we've had in 20 years!

The Secretary Bird is an awesome creature - we saw this one at Etosha but we do have them in Angola.

Ladies Bible & Literacy Study group at Tchincombe (Cristina, Segunda, Cipungeiwo, Palmira, Donna, Teresa, Mwecicilia)

Brenda and Brandon driving the Kanga!

Everyone lends a hand - packaging the mince.

Brandon enters into the adventure of getting meat into the freezer! You can see why I love shopping in Windhoek or USA at the meat counters!

Turning meat into mince (in southern Africa it's mince not hamburger)

Many years of planning and work! MAF lands at Tchincombe!

Awaken visits Tchincombe! Luke, Eric, Meera, & Janess bring greetings. A 3 language service! English to Portguese (Donna) to Olungambwe (Alfredo).

2010-04-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

A tall fence!
First Post in the ground!
Next - more posts!
Gate at southern boundary

Putting up gate posts!

Finished Sections of Fence

Family & Fun Photos from Tchincombe

2009-10-25T14:34:00.001-07:00

Lubango! Looking good! The physical effects of war are slowly fading!

Who? Me? I didn't do it!

Ruger thinks Tchincombe beef is yum even if he only gets the drippings!

It's a good thing that Stir loves his Landy because he spends lots of time in it!

Meat delivery! It comes right to the door! You know what? I really like going to grocery store and buying it already packaged!

One of our new horses - we named her Lady.

Hwin

Our BP. "What ya doin', huh?" Is his favorite phrase!

Babs, Meghan's cat, earning her keep!

Meghan, Aimee, McKenna and Riley

Fun in the sand! At Tchincombe we have sand but no beach!

Meghan with McKenna & Riley who visited Angola this summer. What a special thing to be able to be with them now in Greensboro. It's an answer to Meghan's prayers!

Tattooing Calves

2009-10-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

Each year at weaning time the new calves must be disbudded, castrated, dewormed, branded and tattooed! Each animal at Tchincombe gets a number. It's quite the rodeo! Enjoy!

Calves waiting in calf pen for their turn! Once they are done they can get to their mom for their breakfast!

Catching the Calf

Holding the calf

Cleaning the ear with alcohol

Tutyiale - foremen for livestock

Tattoo machine

Tattooing

Applying Tattoo Ink

Dewormer so calves can grow healthy without internal parasites. Meghan likes to help. Sometimes it's a messy job!

Disbudding. So the calf won't grow horns. Safer for everyone!

All done! Finally the calf can get to its Mom! This particular calf is too young to wean - it was born at end of season and will be weaned next year.

Meghan's Birthday

2009-10-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

August 2009

Meghan is 10!

Celebrating at Friday Night Pizza in Lubango.

Greetings from the USA!

2009-09-26T12:36:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from the USA! Meghan and I arrived last Saturday. All our flights and travels ran very well!! As of Thursday my body AND my mind are now in this time zone!

Computers are great – we have been able to stay in touch with Stirling & Jeffrey via e-mail and Skype. They are doing well though a bit tired..

The Executive committee meetings of the UIEA that were held at Tchincombe ran well both meeting wise and logistics wise. This week after the meetings Stirling had to go to town twice so he says he’s feeling pretty tired. There is a team from Tchincombe going to Imbondwe this weekend to meet Steve for the monthly service but Stirling and Jeffrey are staying home! Thanks for your prayers on their behalf.

One of the goals at Tchincombe for October is to get as much of the fencing up as possible so please pray that it will become a reality! We make our plans but they don’t always materialize the way we imagine!

Please do pray for Stirling’s Mum. As you know she had a stroke at the end of March. She’s really made remarkable progress over these months. But about 10 days ago her back started hurting and now despite ibuprofen she prefers to stay in bed and doesn’t want to eat very much. She has a doctor’s appointment on Monday. Pray that she would have the desire and mental strength to communicate! It takes a lot of effort. She will answer questions and some times we all get a laugh from her response – even she laughs because she knows it’s not what she wants to say – but she doesn’t really initiate or participate in conversations! Pray that she will be encouraged in her spirit. Pray too that Helena and I will know how to encourage and help her.

Please pray for Jeffrey too – he has two more courses to finish 9^th grade!

We do appreciate your prayers!

In Him,

Donna Foster

Meghan and I start our journey toward the USA tomorrow.

2009-09-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Meghan and I start our journey toward the USA tomorrow. We are driving out with friend and colleague Karen Henriksen. We will make the journey to Windhoek in two days and so arrive there on 15 September. Our flight from Windhoek is 18 September. We arrive in Greensboro on 19 September. Thanks for your prayers as we travel.

September 16-20 the Executive Committee of the UIEA will be having their annual meetings here at Tchincombe! At last year’s meeting when we offered to host the meetings we had no idea that I would need to go to the USA. Shelley had agreed to help Stir with logistics of cooking, etc BUT she and Peter’s plans changed because the team coming to build their house in August got delayed until September! All to say that Stirling will definitely appreciate your prayers as he hosts 27 delegates as well as attends the meetings! Thankfully Perpetua, our former housekeeper and cook, is coming to help. We are grateful to her new employers (an MAF family in Lubango) who were willing to give her the week off. Pray too that our little church here will wholeheartedly help in anyway they are able!

Stirling and Jeffrey WILL be joining us in the USA on October 26!

Pray for Sheila Fabiano – Stirling’s sister - who will be traveling this way to teach a module at the seminary in Lubango. While she is here I will be there to assist Mum and Dad Foster. We are glad of your prayers for them also – the aging process is a humbling one.

Continue to pray for the Foxes as they work through all the feelings associated with losing their home! Pray too that there monthly support would come in so that they can head off to Portugal for language study!

IF ANYONE KNOWS AN INDIVIDUAL OR CHURCH WANTING TO TAKE ON THE SUPPORT OF A MISSIONARY FAMILY PLEASE LET THEM KNOW! Foxtribe6@aol.com

We won’t be traveling while in USA but would love to hear from you by phone!

Our number will be 336-218-8989 or 336-218-7509

We do appreciate your prayers!

With Love From Tchincombe,

Donna for all of us!

here’s news from the Fox and need for urgent prayer

2009-09-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Prayer Warriors – we returned to Lubango on Sunday evening after many dusty kilometers of travel to see the Menongue Bible Institute’s cattle BUT – here’s news from the Fox and need for urgent prayer – we’ll send another update about our trip.

On August 29:

Hello Prayer warriors,

We need your immediate prayer. We have just been informed that we have to evacuate the camp because of a forest fire that is burning out of control. We can see the flames on a ridge about 2 mountains away, and that is probably 7 miles, but it is not contained at all.

We were leaving for CIT on Saturday and have been making plans accordingly....however; that has just been upped to getting out in 30 minutes. We ask your prayers for safe travel and that we will rest in the arms of our Lord. We pray that the camp will not be harmed and that all will still be here to come back to in November.

At this present time we will be planning to live at our other camp, Harmony Pines, until we fly out to North Carolina for classes on September 6th.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Cynthia

On Monday, Sept 7

“....we REALLY need extra prayer right now...we received a call this morning and they are 95% sure that our house has burned to the ground . . . .”

On Wednesday, Sept 9

Hello my fellow prayer warriors,

If there was ever a time that we needed prayer...this is it. We have just confirmed today that our house and schoolroom has been a total loss in the fires.

We had to evacuate Aug 29th and have lived in suit cases until we arrived at CIT today. During this time, it was continually up and down on news about the fire as it flowed toward the camp. When we were driving to the airport on Sept 5, we were informed that the firefighters guarding our camp, had to flee because of the danger....then from the plane we could see the actual flames from the mountains far away.

We just told the kids and they are taking it pretty well. Tomorrow's school assignment is to draw a picture of their house....don't know if this will be therapeutic or painful....please pray for strength.

The rest of the camp survived, our house was the only structure lost....leave it to us to always try to beat the odds.

Right now we are pretty much in shock, and we really don't have time to assimilate this in our brain in any manner, because we are beginning intensive training for cultural studies and language acquisition.

Because we were leaving for CIT and had 30 minutes to pack and get out, we did not anticipate that the fire would actually consume everything we own.....we were having to think "travel to North Carolina".

It has been a hard 2 1/2 years since we began our journey to Angola, Africa.....all we want to do is serve the Lord where He wants us...you wouldn't think it would be this hard. They say the Lord never gives you more than you can bear....well, He must think the world of us!!!!!

Please pray for the following:

1. Cynthia is pretty weary. She has lost ALL of her home school curriculum and most of her records. Her concerns are how to hold the family together and support them, all the while thinking about the school year that lays ahead and how to meet their educational needs.

She is also involved in deep studies herself and this is going to make it hard for her to concentrate. Please ask the Lord to show her some encouragement.

2. Lawrence is thinking about the family needs...that the camp will open soon...also the loss of personal items. A mind of study and trust and comfort that the Lord has everything in control.

3. Dylan is doing pretty good. Please pray that he can make some friends here....lots of boys his age. Also, that he could verbalize if he is feeling sadness from the loss of all his goods.

4. Megan. She is feeling insecure with all the new surroundings and people, but she usually perks up once she gets familiar with everyone. Ask the Lord to help her study....she's not the "school" type and this might be hard for her.

5. Garrett...he's pretty sad about losing his bionicles and tends to be our "pack rat", so he is considering the many things that he has lost in the fire, most have sentimental value. Already he is making friends (as always)....for a mind of study.

6. Melanie...she is acting really tough....but on the inside, I want to make sure that she is not verbalizing her sadness at things lost. We had to leave our cat behind, and we are not sure if he is alive....he was VERY bonded to Melanie. She needs prayer to make a good friend in her school class.

We want to be sure and give God all the glory for the many good things that He has done. Our vehicles escaped the fire, as well as Lawrence's tools that were in the shop....this is a great blessing to him. We are grateful also, that Cynthia's glass studio appears to have escaped the flames and is still standing.

We are indebted to him for keeping our family safe and in good health. Nothing else really matters. Things can be replaced.

Thank you so much for holding us up before the Lord. We keep telling each other, that if all these trials we have endured in the last 2 1/2 years is just to get us strong for the mission field in Angola.....I can't imagine what life there is going to be like!!! Satan seems to feel pretty strongly that he needs to attack us on a regular basis and with great venom. Please pray for our spiritual protection. It is obvious that he wants to divert our attention away from this training......and we REALLY don't want to do that....it's obviously important for the Kingdom of God.

Much thanks in our hearts for all of you,

The Fox family

Lawrence, Cynthia, Dylan, Megan, Garrett, and Melanie.

If you want to write us here at CIT, ( I know the children would really appreciate letters) you can send mail to:

Lawrence and Cynthia Fox

C/O CIT

P.O. Box 250

Union Mills, NC 28167

Thanks so much for your prayers on behalf of our colleagues!! We so long for them to join us here at Tchincombe! Pray that we will all be patient and trusting HIS timing about their coming to Angola!!

We’ll write again soon and also update the blog with photos of our trip!

In Him,

Donna

The first bush threatened to enter last night.

2009-08-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hi! The 19°F (-7.6°) weather we had a couple of weeks back means everything is BROWN! All the bushes and even our citrus trees got burned by the frost! Only the largest trees have some green on them. We have truly a winter picture – the white sand even looks like snow in the moonlight!

The first bush threatened to enter last night. The men were able to stop it at the border with a back fire!

On Saturday we begin a 10 day trip to the east of Angola! We are going to visit the herd of cattle which The Menongue Bible Institute (IBM) bought some years ago. Apparently quite a few have been eaten by crocodiles . . . . we shall see! Please pray for safety in travel. Pray that we will be an encouragement to those we meet!

We arrive back in Lubango on 7^th September. Back to Tchincombe on 8^th. Then Meghan and I begin our travels to the USA on 13^th.

We were able to sell the 15 heifers at the fair for a good price so we are content!

Pray for Firmino, Tutyiale and Paulo as they hold down the fort here. There’s always SO MUCH to be done – the foremen work very hard. Pray for strength, encouragement!

Pray for Toiya (13-ish) and her family – she’s the daughter of the family at Imbondwe where we meet. She was stricken some years ago with malaria and as a result has epilepsy as well as some residual motor deficits. For some reason she was alone last week and had a convulsion and fell into the fire and got burned quite severely. Epilepsy in itself is a hard burden to bear for the family – there are not the supports that we have in the west. Infection is the worst enemy of the burn patient.

A team from here will go to Imbondwe this weekend. Steve Foster will come from Lubango to preach.

Pray too for Teteiko Andre – a member of the Tchincombe Church. He’s has some health issues that are keeping him from being able to work.

Last week we weaned 237 calves! Lots of lowing from the corral! This week we are injecting the cows with vitamin A which is essential for reproductive health and which they don’t get much of when the grass is not green! We have also been getting together financial and cattle number reports for the annual executive meetings of the church. On top of all this we have been preparing for the trip – e.g. cooking all the food – there are no fast food places to stop! Preparing the vehicles, etc. So life has been full and we are a little weary! I wanted to share something that has been good for me to remember AGAIN – this from Andrew Murray:

“Many people want to take the Word and believe that, but do not think it is so necessary to fellowship with God. Ah, no! You cannot separate God from His Word. No goodness or power can be received separate from God. If you want to get into this life of godliness, you must take time for fellowship with God.

People sometimes tell me: ‘My life is one of such scurry and bustle that I have not time for fellowship with God.’ A dear missionary said to me: ‘People do not know how we missionaries are tempted. I get up a five o’clock in the morning, and there are the natives waiting for their orders for work. Then, I have to go to the school and spend hours there. Then, there is other work, and sixteen hours rush along. I hardly get time to be alone with God.’

Ah! There is the need. I pray you, remember two things. I have not told you to trust the omnipotence of God as a thing, and I haven’t told you to trust the Word of God as a written book. I have told you to go to the God of omnipotence and the God of the Word. Deal with God as that nobleman dealt (John 4:50) with the living Christ. Why was he able to believe the word that Christ spoke to him? Because in the very eyes and tone and voice of Jesus, the Son of God, he saw and heard something which made him feel that he could trust Him. And that is what Christ can do for you and me. Do not try to stir and arouse faith from within. How often I have tried to do that, and made a fool of myself! You cannot stir up faith from the depths of your heart. Leave your heart, and look into the face of Christ. Listen to what He tells you about how He will keep you. Look up into the face of your loving Father, and take time everyday with Him. Begin a new life with the deep emptiness and poverty of a man who has got nothing, and who wants to get everything from Him, - with the deep restfulness of a man who rests on the living God, the omnipotent Jehovah. Try God, and prove Him if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there will not be room to receive it.”

I guess really Jesus said it first in John 15:1-8 – Meghan and I are memorizing for her school . . . “I am the vine, you are the branches . . . . “

THANK YOU so much for you love, prayers and gifts of support!

In Him,

Donna

Our lowest temp this winter!

2009-08-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

Hello! We’ve had an exciting week!

Our lowest temp this winter! We decided to have a sleep under the stars night. On Friday (10 days ago) we had our pizza, Coke, and movie and then headed over to the waterhole that’s in the middle of the farm. We set up in or on the vehicles and when we woke up there was a good frost on our sleeping bags! The car thermometer read 19º F (-7.6º C). Brrrrr! We have very good sleeping bags! We were not cold . . . .until we got out of our sleeping bags!

This week we had a scary adventure. I opened a window to let out a bee which had gotten into the house and got bitten by a different bee who was on the other side of window handle! The ring finger of my left hand! I immediately took out stinger, put on ice and took 2 benadryl to prevent my finger from swelling too badly. I managed to get my engagement ring off but not my wedding ring. THEN as I’m sitting on the sofa with my hand up in the air, holding an ice pack I begin to feel my face get red and my neck itch. My face started swelling and I began with hives! Bummer! My finger was swelling so much that we had to cut off my wedding ring – good job, Jeffrey. I took another benadryl and a cool shower. THANKFULLY the reaction stopped! But we were pretty shaken up. I’ve never reacted like that to a bee sting! I guess we need to get a bee sting kit! The kids were pretty worried but they did very well and stayed calm which helped me to stay calm! Because it’s dry season the bees are after water wherever they can find it so they are constantly buzzing around the house! It will be slightly nerve wracking until the rains come!

Stirling was away accompanying the farm truck which was taking Tchincombe’s heifers to the neighbor’s to load up them for their trip to the fair. There are several sandy hills where the truck might get stuck so Stir went along to give a pull if necessary. So he wasn’t here for our bee excitement!

The fair started yesterday and will go through Sunday – pray for Tchincombe’s workers who are there taking care of the 15 heifers. There’s lots of temptation to get drunk!

Stirling and Jeffrey will join Meghan and I in the USA at the end of October. We’ll have a month together with Stirling’s parents – we are grateful for this opportunity. We’ll return together to Angola on 23 November.

At this point we are at 96.7% support – we are SO grateful to you for your faithfulness!! THANK YOU!

In Him,

Donna

SLC 2009 is an historical fact!

2009-07-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

WHEW! SLC 2009 is an historical fact! We hope that all that we heard and did will be a part of who we are becoming. Pastor Abias gave excellent talks – not easy ones – about The Church, The Mission, and Evangelism. There are many things to think of and pray about as we look at how we do missions and how we can get the WHOLE church (i.e. the Body of Christ) involved in Evangelism!

We’ve spent the last few days taking things down (meeting tent, eating tables, latrines etc.) and putting things away. Today is the first day that’s been a more normal day! And we are beginning to feel rested.

It’s now Saturday and we do feel rested! Stir, Jeffrey and Meghan are reloading ammunition – my family the hunters!

Tomorrow is Embondwe. There is a team from Tchincombe Church going but not us this time! Please pray for God’s word to penetrate hearts! Stirling and a smaller team will be going to the Bicuar preaching point. We heard from our workers that the Bicuar game guards gave a word of thanks over national radio to the “fazendeiros” (farmers) who have been encouraging them!

The UIEA national leadership is traveling this week to Catota to inaugurate the newly rebuilt Catota Mission hospital – the provincial government built this hospital with the desire that the medical department of the UIEA will help to staff and run it. So please pray for doctors, nurses – both Angolan and expatriate!!! Pray for Pastor Chiquete, Pastor Zebedeu, Dagmar Henchoz (SIM field leader), Dr. Henriksen and others who are traveling!

September is looming big in my mind! Meghan and I will travel to the USA on 18 September to be there for 2 months. Stirling’s Mum is still progressing well after her crises a few months back. But Stirling’s Dad has a left sided weakness that is progressing – the doctors can’t explain exactly why. He’s had loads of tests but nothing shows up to explain the weakness. He’s had several falls lately and so now they are in the process of getting a wheelchair for him. Please PRAY for Dad & Mum Foster to have peace of heart and mind in this time when their bodies will not cooperate! If the funds should come available Stirling and Jeffrey would like very much to travel to the USA for part of the time we are there!

It really feels like winter here today! Yesterday’s high was 73.5ºF! Right now it is only 60°F and there is a cool breeze blowing! Brrrrr! I know some of you in the North are laughing – for you it would be Spring but for us it’s cold! Tutyiale just came over and he’s got on his big jacket!

Pray too for the Fox family! It’s hard to have all their one time support and still need monthly support! They are planning to go for 3 months of training in September. It means they leave their current job. In these uncertain economic times they are not assured of a job to come back to! Yet how to live and leave for Portugal without full support!

Thanks so much for praying with us!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

We have been SO BUSY this week

2009-07-13T05:45:00.001-07:00

We have been SO BUSY this week with preparations for our annual SLC – Spiritual Life Conference - which begins tomorrow! We are so grateful that Brent Mudde, Jason and the Duplantises came early to help get things ready! Pray that we will be renewed!

Jason is part of a team of 8 that have come from St. Andrews in Thunder Bay, Ontario to help with the conference. Please pray for the team as they help out this week.

Pray for Pastor Abias who will be speaking this week. Pray too for those who are traveling tomorrow to get here.

We have found out that the ‘neighbor’ 25 km from here lost 5 horses and the close neighbor (7km) has lost at least 2 horses to African Horse Sickness. So far the rest of our horses have been healthy. We’ve had several frosts which has killed the midge that carries the disease!

Please pray for Aimee Heyer as she is desiring to come back to Angola for a year! Ask the Lord to make it clear if this is his will for her life. The process for getting a work visa is extensive and time consuming!

Please continue to pray for the people at the Imbondwe and Bicuar preaching points that the Word that has been spoken will produce fruit in their lives!! That they will come to know the Word of Life!

Thanks for your prayers on behalf of the ladies. We had a great meeting on Wednesday this week. We are studying the passage about the Samaritan woman at the well. Our study is one of learning to read Portuguese – them learning new vocabulary as well as exploring Biblical truths!

Pray for Jeffrey as he is in 9^th grade and doing an Independent Study High School – at 15 it’s hard to see what school has to do with REAL life! He does great on open book exams but the major closed book exams are a challenge since he’s not used to test taking – it is one of the short comings of the way we have done home school!

THANKS so much for your partnering with us!

In Him

Donna

We got the tent yesterday!

2009-06-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

HI! We got the tent yesterday! Traveling north today. Will cross border tomorrow! Please pray!

Another of our horses has died...

2009-06-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hi to you all from Windhoek!

Stirling and I came down to bring Aimee to catch her flight back to Canada and to do shopping for our annual missionary retreat. We are currently waiting on the large tent we’ve ordered as the meeting tent. It should be here on Friday! Please PRAY that it will come on Friday as we are anxious to get home – NO – PRAY it will come early! Like tomorrow – that would be better!

We got word from Tchincombe today that another of our horses has died. SIGH. It’s the horse that Jeffrey had chosen as his own. They found ‘Trinity’ dead in the pasture. It’s hard to be here when we know the kids are feeling sad! So we’d appreciate your prayers for them that the enemy will not be able to use this to turn their hearts away from God or make them afraid to love!

Please continue to pray for Fran Gralow who’s coming to work in Bible Translation. She hoped to be here by the end of May but actually lacks about $400 of monthly support!

Pray for the meetings at Imbondwe this weekend. We’ll not be attending but a team from Tchincombe will go and so will a team from Lubango! Continue to pray for open hearts!

Pray for our missionary conference which is July 13-18. That we would experience rest and renewal!

Thanks for partnering with us in prayer!

In Him,

Donna

We do feel loved!

2009-06-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends All,

THANKS so much for all your prayers and for the many hugs that have come our way! We do feel loved! The biggest shock about Strider is that he didn’t look sick. One minute we realized he was sick and the next 5 minutes he was dead so we had to preparation time mentally. The greatest loss is for Stirling because Strider was big enough for him to ride. He was one of the few large horses around. On top of everything he was very gently even though he was a stallion. Again we do appreciate your understanding.

PRAISE! On a positive note Aimee has made wonderful progress with the other horses that we have. We received 8 horses from a farmer friend. Our idea is to choose 4 or 5 to keep and four to train and sell (in order to pay for the 4 we keep). The horses were delayed on end arriving (nothing new for Angola) but in the two weeks since they came Aimee has managed to catch and halter and lead them all. One is ready to ride and another will be ready soon.

On Saturday Stirling and I will drive Aimee to Windhoek where she will wing her way back to Canada. Please pray with her and with us as she contemplates the possibility of returning to do more horse work and to work with youth here. Our desire would be YES, YES, YES please do come back!! But we know that it must be the Lord’s YES first!

While in Windhoek Stir and I will be shopping for Spiritual Life Conference which is July 13- 17. Please pray for Pastor José Abias who is our speaker that God will prepare him to share with us what’s on His heart! SLC will be held at Tchincombe again. It’s a joint retreat for missionaries from various organizations and for our Angolan colleagues. Pray for Stir and I to be able to plan well so that we can enjoy the retreat as well. Pray too for the team coming from Canada who will be doing the cooking and leading the children’s worship. Pray that we’ll all REST and have FUN!!

Jeffrey and Meghan will be staying with our MAF colleague/friend, Brent. They will be holding down the fort and taking care of all the critters and keeping on with school!

PRAISE! Herbs got a two year multiple entry visa. This means that next year they will be able to plan their trip and come without the uncertainty of waiting for a visa.

PRAISE! At the Bicuar preaching point there were 40 people. Our church here is excited about this outreach. Since it is closer than Imbondwe it is feasible to send a team every week.

PRAY for the Angolan Embassy in D.C. Visas delays are costing lots of time and money for those wanting to come and be a help here in Angola. Dr. Nick Comminellis is supposed to be coming to relieve Dr. Steve Foster so that he can participate in SLC but Dr. Nick still doesn’t have a visa!!!

Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel!

With much love from Angola!

Donna for all of us

Sometimes the adventure isn’t fun

2009-06-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

Dearest Friends and Prayer Partners,

Sometimes the adventure isn’t fun - one never knows what the day will bring - our horse, Strider, suddenly died this morning!

I feel a bit worn out so here is the story in Shelley’s words –

“a sad thing today - and it may seem a bit frivolous to some of you - but it is a real part of the warfare for our joy here - my brother Stirling's horse died suddenly this morning from what appears to be African Horse Sickness. What is especially sad other than losing a family friend and pet, is that the horse had just finished being trained to ride and Stirling had just ridden him twice. It is a big blow to our sense of joy when such things happen, but we know it is, as I mentioned, part of a warfare . . . Please pray for Stirling in particular during this time of grieving over this loss.”

Aimee has spent many hours training Strider and done such a wonderful job – pray for her too – she was at the beach this weekend and will only be finding out now as she returns from the beach and then here to Tchincombe tonight.

We only realized Strider was sick after Stirling left to go to town for fuel. Stir will only be back late tonight. There are long line ups for fuel. The fuel company is having a hard time keeping up with demand in terms of transporting fuel from the port.

Someone also just came and said that one of the ladies here (Cristina) has just started with a miscarriage. Please pray for her and her family. Pray that the bleeding will stop. Pray for wisdom and strength.

The Herbs were granted a visa but it was too late and so they have postponed their trip till next year. Pray for their peace of heart and mind. They lost quite a lot of money because of cancelled tickets, etc.

Pray for us too as we work through these disappointments!

I will praise him – though the mountains fall into the sea and all around me is dark – I will praise his name!

Donna for all of us

Stirling and Jeffrey are haying today

2009-05-30T10:11:00.001-07:00

Stirling and Jeffrey are haying today – we are dreadfully behind because of breakdowns. Aimee, Meghan and I are getting life organized to go to Imbondwe! Stir should come at noon to eat then we pack and leave!

PRAY for hearts to hear and receive God’s Word and love into their hearts! Brent, our MAF colleague, is coming as usual and he is bringing a new MAF family along so that’s exciting and encouraging. PRAY for Steve & Peggy Foster – they are crazy busy these days with med students and other medical visitors coming and going!

PRAISE – the Hall Family got their visas and are here in Angola!

BUT please CONTINUE to PRAY for the Herbs – they still don’t have received their visas! If they don’t come by next week they will have to cancel their trip - L!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

The Herbs and Halls DID NOT receive their visas last week!

2009-05-18T08:50:00.001-07:00

Greetings from Tchincombe! The Dry season has come! It was 11º C (52º F) this morning! The air is dry. Harvest and haying are in full swing!

The Herbs and Halls DID NOT receive their visas last week! Please PRAY that they would be granted this week!

Today we go to Lubango to meet with the rest of the SIM team, SIM Int’l leadership and the UIEA leadership – meetings are tomorrow.

Jeffrey and Matt will stay here and take care of the critters and do their school work. PRAY for them as they take on this responsibility.

Aimee is making great strides with Strider! She is riding him now and helping him to be confident. Meghan is enjoying her lessons on Star very much. Continue to pray for safety! Aimee is a great blessing to us!

At the end of February a mapping team came from SA. Their project is to map the national parks in Africa. We ‘happened’ to meet them at the petrol pumps in Namibia and gave them our contact information in case they needed help or advice on mapping Bicuar which is a national park that is 45 minutes from us. They contacted us and Stirling accompanied them to Bicuar for two days. On that trip the game guards of Bicuar having heard that Tchincombe was a mission asked Stirling if someone could come and do services there! Stirling took a group from Tchincombe Church twice before we went to Namibia. A team went while we are away and another team went yesterday – Stirling didn’t go because we are traveling today. Yesterday there were 30 people that came to the service! We are excited that the Believers here at Tchincombe are excited about this outreach. Pray for open hearts!

Now there are two preaching points to pray for!! Imbondwe and Bicuar!

Thanks so much for your partnership in the Gospel!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

Please PRAY for visas for two families

2009-05-09T18:25:00.001-07:00

Hello again from Tchincombe! Please PRAY for visas for two families:

Brenda Herb and her son, Brandon are dear friends of ours from Raleigh. They were supposed to be traveling Monday to start their journey here BUT they have not received their visas! They have had to delay their departure please PRAY that their visas are granted on Monday or Tuesday.

The other family, the Halls, are a family from Greensboro that are coming out to visit Peter and Shelley Duplantis. They fly a little later this month but they too have not yet received theirs visas.

It’s always a huge encouragement to us to be visited by friends and supporters so please do PRAY that these visas will be granted! We know that nothing is impossible for God!

New Pictures!

2009-05-07T12:20:00.001-07:00

Sandals for a real man! Notice the long horns!

First Potluck at Tchincombe Church

Bridge! We decided not to use it!

Lunch on the way to Cavango

Camping at Imbondwe - sleeping on roof rack is easier than putting up tent!

Meghan & Aimee

Village elder from Imbondwe

Hay field at Tchincombe

Wire for fencing

Poles for fencing

Strider #3
Aimee & Jeffrey working with Strider

Meghan and her piano

Strider #2
Strider

Strider #1
Strider under saddle

We spend a beautiful sunny day at the beach. Encountered this rain on the
way back to Lubango. Rain in the desert is always welcome!

Around the bridge - YEAH we made it!

Going around and not over the bridge

Going around the bridge looked safer than going over!

Into the Land Rover and then on to Cavango where Peter and Shelley will be
working

Out of the plane

Waiting for the MAF plane to arrive at Chinhama. The Land Rovers are

waiting to take people and supplies to Cavango.

This young monitor lizard dropped in for a visit. He likes warming himself
on the top of our wood fired hot water heater!

Waterholes on Tchincombe are full!!!

Benches in the bush.

Fueling up in the bush! This is the fuel pump that has been half way between town and Tchincombe. You can imagine how long it takes to pump 1200 liters! These pumps have recently closed so we are back to driving 4 hours for fuel!

Here are two photos for you!

2009-05-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

Here are two photos for you! One is a proud Jeffrey after his impala hunt! The other is a photo of us as we drove out to Namibia in April! This was the most sketchy part of the trip but the 130 came through with flying colors!

Jeffrey and Meghan have their new passports. We returned to Tchincombe on Monday and have spent the week getting life organized and recovering from the trip.

The guys were not able to bale any hay because the baler broke shortly after we left! Stirling spent Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday working on it but it’s not right yet. And of all things it rained on the cut hay yesterday!! Bummer! Rain in May – very unusual!! Stirling went to Lubango to get fuel today and was able to get the pieces to put baler running again.

HOME ASSIGNMENT

In 2007 we set up with SIM to put aside funds to travel back to USA every two years. We did this for several reasons

To stay better in touch with our supporters
To visit our aging parents more often
To be able to leave Tchincombe for only short periods (difficult to leave a farm for long!)

We were anticipating a short HA at the end of this year BUT have decided in conjunction with mission leaders to use the funds in our passage account and our furlough housing account to cover the ministry account deficit (transport on 130). We thank each one of you that gives and prays! We have the money to do this in our passage account because of your faithful support! So far this year we are 100% supported! Now there is only a $1,666 dollar deficit in ministry!

We are disappointed to not be able to go to the USA but feel right now it’s the best thing to do.

Sheila will be coming to Angola Sept/October to teach an intensive course at the seminary and we are planning for Donna to travel to the USA to be with Mum and Dad Foster while Sheila comes here. But we are holding all our plans loosely to see what the Lord might do or want us to do! So pray for wisdom!

Stir’s Mum is home now and doing better every day! Thanks for your prayers!!

In Him,

Donna for all of us

Today we are writing from Windhoek.

2009-04-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hi! Today we are writing from Windhoek. We came down to renew Jeffrey and Meghan’s passport. We had an UNEVENTFUL trip down! Yeah!

Last week Stirling was still in such pain (going on 3 weeks) that we booked an appointment with the orthopedic doc for this week but in the meantime his back started steadily improving we think do to prayer, hot water bottles and regular messaging! The receptionist was reluctant to make the appointment (our field leader called) because the people from Angola often don’t show up. So in spite of feeling better Stirling went to his appointment. When the doctor heard he was feeling better he said, “Then why didn’t you cancel!”

Today we go to a game farm for Jeffrey to hunt an impala. We told him last year if he could maintain a “B” average that we’d arrange a hunt for him. So this is the big weekend!

We have several prayer requests:

· Aimee is holding down the fort at Tchincombe! The generator for our house has broken down!! Bummer & of course – it seems inevitable! Peter and Shelley will be driving out today to fix it as well as to give Aimee company on the weekend!

· Aimee is also helping the teachers & foremen study English while at the same time they are helping her with Portuguese

· Imbondwe this weekend – that God’s word would penetrate hearts!

· Rol and Lil are faithful supporters from MI. Lil has pneumonia! Please pray for strength and health.

· May 11-20 SIM leadership will be visiting our field. On May 12-15 we will be evaluating the ministry at Tchincombe. Pray for good understanding between the UIEA leadership and SIM leadership.

· Our good friend Brenda and her son Brandon will arrive on 13 May. Brenda will be with us at Tchincombe. Brandon is keen on studying medicine and will be following Steve Foster around CEML.

· We are hoping that we can receive the kid’s passports on Thursday and head back on the weekend. Otherwise Friday and Monday are holidays and we’ll have to stay until Tuesday!

THANKS as always for your faithful prayers!

Donna for all of us!

We got up this morning to NO WATER! A

2009-04-09T14:54:00.001-07:00

Every day seems to be just that! The kids, Aimee and I got back to Tchincombe last night. We got up this morning to NO WATER! A pipe had burst. What should be a relatively quick fix took all morning but we do have water now!

The Cavango clinic project has a large Ford 550 but it’s down and in need of parts which have to be gotten from the USA. Peter and Shelley have been anxious to get out there to begin work so we as a community got together to help out – us from SIM/UIEA and Brent from MAF. Peter and Shelley are working with AGA (Advancing the Gospel in Angola)/UIEA.

On Wednesday at 4 AM we left Lubango loaded with 400 liters of fuel (2 drums), two 100kg gas bottles, 50 kg of salt, 50 kg of cement and one generator. We were a 4 vehicle convoy headed to Cavango Mission where Peter and Shelley Duplantis well be helping to develop the clinic. The other three vehicles were also loaded to the max! 16 hours and 500 km (300 miles) later we arrived! The road was challenging! Good rains have improved the crops but not the roads!! Tents were thrown up and supper made in a hurry as a storm was approaching and did it rain!? YES! It was a damp night!

Along the last 150 km there are 31 villages – at each people ran to the road to see who was coming and to wave greetings! When we actually arrived at Cavango despite the darkness many came out to greet us with huge smiles of welcome!

Thursday we drove 45 minutes to the airstrip at Chinhama to transport freezer, fridge and citrus trees that came on the MAF plane. Steve Foster also came and did clinic on Thursday afternoon. Friday morning Steve along with Shelley assisting performed 4 surgeries! - an amputation, 2 umbilical hernias and a saphenous vein ligation. The people are so grateful for even the least thing you can do for them. It was quite moving to see how much some of them had suffered without access to healthcare. One 13 yr old girl fell more than a year ago and fractured her hip - now she can hardly walk and the affected leg is 2in shorter than the other. Her pelvis will be malformed and she will be a cripple, unable to bare children or work and so of no use in this culture. Without surgery to repair this hip, her life is ruined - over before it got started. Steve has asked her to be brought to CEML where he will operate and try to repair the damaged hip.

Friday’s return trip was not uneventful! Rain a lot of the way. I got stung 4 times by some pesky tiny bee like creatures that somehow got in the car. Brent’s vehicle had minor electrical issues. Despite all these things we did get back in 12 hours!

Stirling held down the fort here at Tchincombe – baling hay, etc. He came to town on Saturday. We had a lovely day at beach on Sunday – Stirling lying down on back seat most of the way! Though he did drive the last half because there was a big rainstorm and yours truly does not like to drive at night in the rain! It took one hour to drive the 2 km up the hill to the compound where we stay in Lubango. The road had become a river and many vehicles were stuck!

PRAISE that 2 visas have been issued for missionaries planning to come to Angola! The Verhoefs and Frances Gralow – Frances will be working with translation of Olumhuila (very close to Olungambwe)!

This update from Sheila about Mum Foster:

“The big praise item is that Mum was transferred today to the special rehab unit where they will work intensively with her on speech, physical therapy and occupational therapy. The plan last Friday was to give her a week's worth of rehab- now that she will only really begin her week's worth tomorrow. I'm not sure how everything will pan out in terms of when she can come home.

At the moment, Dad and I are concerned that one or more of the anti-hypertensive drugs is causing some negative side effects like being out of it and with less ability to walk and use her right side. It's all very strange. They are giving her 3 different meds for her BP so I will try to see the docs tomorrow morning first thing. We talked with the rehab doc today but of course he hadn't seen her before so had no way to compare. Anyway, pray that this will get sorted out quickly so that she can make the most of the rehab program.

Seeing her regression today was discouraging for both Dad and me- and I'm sure for Mum as well.”

With Love,

Donna for all of us!

Please PRAY for Stirling’s parents.

2009-03-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

Please PRAY for Stirling’s parents. Stirling’s Mum had a stroke on Sunday. She has difficulty speaking and right sided weakness. She is to come out of ICU this morning. I think the hardest thing about missionary life is being away from family during these times!

Our life has been almost out of control in the busy department! HELP! Stirling’s back is not happy that it spent almost 24 hours in the car! As long as he lies down or stands up he’s good but sitting is difficult! Fortunately repairing machines is a standing up job! He and Firmino have gotten the Chevy up and running!

PRAISE!! All the fencing is at Tchincombe!!! Many miles and tons safely transported!

PRAISE!! Imbondwe was a blessing! There was a good crowd and many interested people! PRAY for hearts to be changed! Here’s a quote from a book I’m reading called “Walking with God” and our prayer for the Believers at Imbondwe and Tchincombe:

"What I am describing is a heart that is present and engaged with God, bringing our desires to him, yet submitting our wills to his, genuinely trusting that what he says is best."

We came into town after Imbondwe. Stirling returned to Tchincombe yesterday. The kids and I will be helping Peter and Shelley Duplantis move their belongings to Cavango where they will be helping to develop the clinic there. Stir would love to be on this adventure BUT it would not be good for his back and there’s so MUCH to do at Tchincombe! Please pray for safe journey. We will be a 4 car convoy leaving at 4 AM. Our plan is to return to Lubango on Friday.

Please continue to pray for the $10,000 needed to finish paying off the transport of our vehicle! We are not sure why the Lord hasn’t supplied this need. Please pray that He will show us what needs to be done!

THANKS for your partnership in the Gospel!

Donna for all of us!

good time and had no hassles (thanks for praying) at the border

2009-03-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Stirling, Jeffrey and Aimee were up at 3:30 am Friday. Out of the drive at 4 and headed north. They made good time and had no hassles (thanks for praying) at the border. We expected them between 9 & 10 PM. Sure enough around 9 there was a call on the radio which I expected to say, “We’re just coming on to Tchincombe be home soon.” BUT Stirling said, “We’re stuck! Please come with tractor!” They were only 25 km from here! One section of the neighbor’s road had been torn up by a truck, a tractor and bull dozer getting stuck when it was very wet.

Peter, Shelley, John, and I set out on a rescue mission with about 7 guys. The getting them out went well and we were back at 12:15 and then S, J & M had to have supper! They were pretty tired having been up about 24 hours!

Unfortunately the loading of the vehicle and all that time sitting in the car has give Stir quite a back ache so he’s taking it easy!

Aimee is fitting right in and has already worked with Strider a couple of times! She will bring lots of fun, laughter and creativity into our lives. Meghan will be thrilled because she plays piano beautifully and draws!

The grass is growing tall and strong!

2009-03-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings from a very green and very wet Tchincombe! We are still getting rain every day or every other day! The grass is growing tall and strong! As well as the millet! Each of the workers grow their own staple food which is millet. It’s eaten two times a day with sour milk (similar to buttermilk) or with sometimes with a meat sauce. The two previous years there were slim harvests so that people have had to spend most of their income on buying food. We are all looking to the fields of tall, healthy millet that is rapidly making beautiful heads - with grateful hearts!

Stirling and Jeffrey went down to Windhoek last week. They are picking up the last of the fencing supplies – pliers and fasteners, etc. And having the alternator for main generator repaired. It’s stopped until their return. They will also pick up Jeffrey’s rifle that he bought last year! He saved his own money to buy it. He has had to learn a great deal of patience as it’s taken about a year to get the import permit! But permit was in hand last week.

PRAISE – Aimee got her visa!! She’s in Windhoek and will return with Jeffrey and Stirling. Thanks for praying for her visa!

Pray that Jeffrey, Aimee and Stir’s time at the border on return will be minimal. They hope to travel back on Thursday. In spite of all that might happen pray that they will be salt and light! (We normally travel through a border post that’s not busy but with the rains that border post is not accessible. He must go through the main border post and it’s usually horrendous in terms of waiting in lines.)

The other passenger on the trip is a German Shepherd pup named Bella that belongs to Shelley and Peter. A six week old pup ought to be quite fun!

Meghan is in Lubango for two weeks to do school with a ‘real’ teacher! Elizabeth is a teacher from Toronto who’s hear with a team from People’s Church. I’m grateful for the time to be at home for a bit on my own.

Pray that this will be a fun time for Meghan and that it won’t be just school but a new adventure where she trusts God to help her.

Pray that I will use my time wisely! My plan is to study Olungambwe and also to help the ladies with their Portuguese. Pray that I will not fret over the things that interrupt my plans! Like today! I need to go to Lubango to try and get the axle for the Unimog. It should have been ready on Friday but as of yesterday was still ‘getting ready’ – was the message I received! I plan to return tomorrow!

The transport of fencing materials has been stopped since the truck driver for the DAF went to Lubango on Friday. I hope he returns with me tomorrow!

Pray for the outreach at Imbondwe – last Sunday of each month!

Pray for the ladies’ meeting that’s every Wednesday. As most of the ladies are out very early in the morning weeding their fields attendance as been almost nil! Pray that they will hunger and thirst for God!

Pray too for the translation of materials into their language! Pray for them to desire to learn more Portuguese so they can read the Bibles in Portuguese that are available.

Pray for Fox family. They have 100% of their outgoing expenses. They have 25% of their monthly support. They plan to leave for Portugal in December to begin language study.

We do thank you for your PARTNERSHIP in the Gospel here at Tchincombe! Without your prayers and support this ministry would not be possible!

In Him,

Donna & Stirling

We have had incredible rains this year!

2009-03-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hi again from a soggy Tchincombe!

We have had incredible rains this year! Have you noticed we haven’t mentioned prayer for rain!? It’s been a nice relief to not stress over rain. I suppose we are also learning that whether it rains or not our God is awesome and able to care for us!

We have continued to have challenges with the vehicles. Stirling went to town the day after I wrote last and was able to get another gear box (used) for the DAF in one day! That in itself is a miracle! The driver of the DAF thought that he’d try one more time to get it to go into gear before disassembling it and it went into gear! So that afternoon they set off to get another load and about 5 km out from Tchincombe when Nando wanted to put it into low gear – it wouldn’t go into low gear! So he came back. Stirling, Nando and Firmino worked for two days straight and did manage to get it up and running but now it can run ONLY in low gear. For the work of hauling in the sand low gear is just what we need. When the transport of material is complete the gearbox will have to be changed out because running the DAF in low range on the tarmac would not be fun! Whew!

Stir has spent the last 2 days working on the Chevrolet! With help of dear friends pages of the maintenance manual were e-mailed to us. Today it was running but there are some final adjustments that need to be made tomorrow!

The Unimog’s front axle is in town for repairs!

We have transported about 2/3 of the material to Tchincombe.

Amidst all these challenges there have been various and sundry sick children and people. Pray for a nurse for Tchincombe!! Just now (7:30 PM) the neighbor’s tractor came bringing a small baby who’s quite ill. We’re not sure why they brought the baby here as that particular neighbor has been going back and forth to town almost every day because they are hauling construction supplies from town!

Tomorrow Jeffrey and I will run into town for Jeffrey to do his final exam in Personal Keyboarding (fancy name for typing). We will get food for farm store and hopefully that part for the Unimog.

Stirling and Jeffrey are planning a quick trip to Windhoek to pick up Aimee Heyer – she’s coming to visit and help us with the horses. They will also get some fencing tools that were too small to send on truck.

Pray that Aimee will be granted her visa! We hear that the Embassy in Ottawa is having some technical problems!

Continue to Pray for outreach to ladies and to Imbondwe!

Pray for Fox family. They have 100% of their outgoing expenses. They have 25% of their monthly support. They plan to leave for Portugal in December to begin language study.

Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel!

Donna for all of us!

Hi from a soggy Tchincombe and Foster family!!

2009-02-25T05:22:00.000-08:00

Hi from a soggy Tchincombe and Foster family!!

We went yesterday with both Landys and our trailer to bring back fencing and our camping equipment which we had left there last weekend. It didn’t rain in the night though it looked like it would and so most of night in tent we were sleeping lightly waiting for it to start pouring! It only started that in the morning! It rained most of the way here and had rained really hard here in the night. It sure makes things green and lovely thought hot and sticky!

We met Paulo with tractor pulling big farm trailer on his way to get a load. He said DAF was coming behind him so all the way we were expecting to meet the DAF – it’s actually nice to know when a vehicle is coming as the bush tracks of course are single lane! We never met up with the DAF and arrived here to discover that the DAF has broken down – fortunately right here at the farm – it doesn’t want to go into gear! Nando Yuma, the driver, will go into town tomorrow with Stirling to talk to mechanics in town about the problem.

Firmino spent the afternoon taking apart the right front wheel assembly of the Unimog in an attempt to discover where a not good noise was coming from – they found the offending part and Stir will try to get a replacement in Lubango tomorrow!

So all of the machines are down except the blue Ford tractor which is about 20 years old!!

Pray that amidst all the breakdowns and difficulties that we will know God’s enabling and that we will trust Him! He knows all about trucks and cars and EVERYTHING!! Pray too that we will be able to encourage others to rely in God alone!!

In Him,

Donna

Stirling and trucks have left the border!

2009-02-20T12:11:00.001-08:00

Stirling and trucks have left the border! So we’re off on another adventure! We’ll be away from computer, etc for a few days so we thank you for your prayers! Will be in touch when we get back to Tchincombe! Donna for all of us!

The border saga continues!

2009-02-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hello! The border saga continues! Stirling returned to border early Monday to begin the Angolan importation process – it really is a gauntlet of paperwork and officials! I talked to him just now and he FINALLY received the bill for customs – 837,500 kwanzas (customs) and 68,000 (clearing agent) = $11,608 of importation fees. It’s less than the quoted $14,000 so we’re glad for that! Stirling is at the bank paying and now we wait to see how long that takes and if the trucks will be released today!

The 3 interlink trucks are too big to travel the bush tracks to Tchincombe – too much sand – so they will head to the farm of a friend near Kahama (near main road) – about 100 miles from here. As soon as we get word they are leaving the border then the children and I will go to meet them with camping equipment and food!

Monday I made a day trip to Lubango – that was plan A! My goals were to get a letter of invitation got Aimee Heyer and to get turbo of Chevy welded. I did manage to get turbo welded by about 4 PM but no letter of invitation. So Meghan and I stayed over– that was plan B – a bit of challenge since we weren’t planning to spend night – toothbrushes, change clothes, etc - but with help of colleagues and family we managed. Now we get to plan C! The letter of invitation was in hand by 9:30 but in the meantime Stirling had called to ask me to take money from one bank account to another – you would think this would be easy BUT 2 of the 3 streets going to the one bank were closed for road work – they also happen to be 2 of the only 3 streets that get one in and out of town so. . . . . lots of time in traffic with crazy taxi drivers! But by lunch time the money from one bank was in hand and taken to the other. Since we didn’t want to go back to Lubango on Friday for the food we’d need for the farm store this was added to the agenda – again with the gracious help of colleagues we did manage to accomplish everything we set out to do and I made it home by 8 PM last night (Tuesday)!

Jeffrey and Matt managed very well here on their own for the night. Perpetua was quite surprised that the boys weren’t afraid to stay on their own. In African culture there is always family with you - your nuclear family or extended family - people are rarely on their own – especially at night. The ladies are always surprised when I’m not afraid to stay by myself on the rare occasion that Stir and the kids are away together. I’m not sure of all the ins and outs but there is a definite fear there!

Stirling called – the import bill is paid. Now – will they get out the gate today? Is there more paperwork!? We’re on stand-by. Stir hopes to get out by 2 PM!

Thanks!!

Donna

Stirling is on is way here for the weekend

2009-02-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

It took all day Friday for the trucks to make it through the gauntlet of the Namibian export process. The trucks are in Angola BUT clearing agents and customs are closed on Saturday so the Angolan gauntlet of paperwork will have to wait until Monday!

Stirling is on is way here for the weekend and will leave Monday morning 4AM to get back to the border! It’s only a little over 200 miles to the border but it takes about 6-8 hours – depending on road conditions. When Stir called earlier on the HF it was raining so it will be a mud adventure!

Continue to pray for Stirling on Monday has he will be interacting with truck drivers, customs officials, police inspectors, etc that the light of Christ will shine through him. There are many hours of waiting so pray for opportunities to plant or water the seed!

Afonso, one of the school teachers, didn’t come on Wednesday as planned as his mother was hospitalized. Alfredo is carrying on with classes for 1^st grade and 2^nd grade but 3^rd and 4^th grade must wait for Afonso to arrive!

Thanks for your prayers!

Donna for all of us!

Have been in contact with Stirling who is at the border!

2009-02-12T04:45:00.000-08:00

Have been in contact with Stirling who is at the border! He went Tuesday in order to be there early Wednesday to start the customs work BUT the trucks were delayed leaving Windhoek so they didn't get there Tuesday night as planned. The trucks should then have arrived Wednesday afternoon to start customs this morning BUT one of them broke down on its way to the border! It's been repaired and is on its way so now the process will only begin tomorrow – Friday! At least that’s the plan!

The clearing agent calculates $14,000 of import tax! Stirling has access to $10,000 – the other $4000 we do have but it would be complicated to get it to border in a timely manner! The clearing agent was supposed to have done all the calculations last week before Stirling went to border so Stir could take the proper amount BUT the clearing agent didn’t do it earlier as promised!

There is possibility for some exemption so please pray for mercy! Every bit of money not paid on import tax can be put to good use here so we’d like to pay as little as possible!

PRAY to for Stirling to have a good attitude and patience at the border! Courtesy goes a long way in the African contest!

Thanks so much for praying!

Donna

we got just over 35mm rain last night

2009-02-11T04:43:00.000-08:00

Hello from a wet Tchincombe – we got just over 35mm rain last night – ahhhh!

Stirling set off for the border yesterday to meet the trucks this morning BUT we got a message late yesterday saying the trucks weren’t finished loading and so they will only be at border on Thursday morning! So Stirling has the whole day to stew or rest! Pray that he’ll get rested up for the next days! Please PRAY that the import duties will not be exorbitant!! Pray too that the 3 trucks (interlinks for those of you who know trucking) will be able to leave the border by Saturday – otherwise there is a charge by the trucking company for ‘standing time’. Angola’s border crossing for those importing is really a nightmare of lines, noise and delay! PRAY for patience and that Stirling will be calm in the midst of it all!

The services at Imbondwe will be 21-22^nd this month please begin to pray now for those of us preparing to go – the music team, Steve who will be preaching, and ourselves!

The primary school starts next week! It should have started last week. Pray for Alfredo and Afonso as they start classes. Rosária, the other teacher, only made contact for the first time this school year today – her number had changed so we hadn’t been able to get in touch with her – very frustrating – the ride to the farm was today and so she must wait until there is another ride! Pray that Afonso and Rosária will be more committed this year. They had many absentee days last year leaving Alfredo with most of the work!

We are so grateful for him – he is so faithful and really does love teaching.

Pray for all of us here at Tchincombe that our every day lives will be a testimony to the grace shown us by God and his Son!

With Love,

Donna

We’re home again – have been for 10 days!

2009-02-05T10:16:00.001-08:00

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

We’re home again – have been for 10 days! We hit the road running as the saying goes! Thanks for you prayers for safety in travel. We had a good time camping going down and coming back. We identified a new bird at the Waterberg Plateau Park (African Paradise Flycatcher) and as always we enjoy any time we can spend in Etosha National Park viewing wild game.

Thanks for praying for Brent’s visa. He got his visitor’s visa and so was able to cross the border with us albeit arriving at 1 AM Friday so he had only a few hours sleep before we faced the border. The actual border crossing was no hassle for which we are ALWAYS grateful. We had a little 4X4 excitement! I will let Shelley describe it (She and Peter were also traveling with us):

The road gave excitement almost immediately on the Angolan side as 5 kms in we had to cross a 30 yard patch of black water of unknown depth and mire! We were three 4x4's in convoy as we were traveling with Stirling and Donna Foster in their Land Rover Defender with a trailer and Brent Mudde(MAF colleague) in his Land Rover Discovery. Brent was the guinea pig and made it across with little difficulty but enough to make us all wonder if Stir's car with the trailer would make it. Peter took the Jeep across next and it made it also with just enough difficulty to make your heart race and then Stir came across. It looked like he was going to get stuck several times right in the middle of the patch, but by backing up and trying again he made it!! We all cheered and yelled and danced after we were all safely across and thanked the Lord again for safety and 4x4's!! The rest of the trip was "boring" according to Jeffrey(my 14 yr old nephew) who thinks the only exciting drive is one in which a couple of folk get stuck - but the rest of us were quite content with "boring"!

Since our return Stirling has been back and forth to town several times (3 hours one way – down from the usual 4-5 hours as roads have steadily improved lately) getting documents sorted out for the importation of the fencing. As I write he is on his way back from the border. He had to go there to turn in documents to find out how much customs we will have to pay. Import items varies considerably! Wire is only 10% for example but wood (in this case fence posts) are 50%! We had hoped there would be exemption since this is a church project but it doesn’t sound like it! PRAY that we will rest in the knowledge that God is not poor! He knows all the needs of Tchincombe! PRAY for Stirling for stamina as there’s still lots of travel to do. On Monday he has to run back to Lubango for another document. On Wednesday back to the border to meet the trucks! The trucks will get to within 60 km of here (farm of a friend) and then we’ll have to transport three platform, interlink’s worth of fencing material with our equipment (Unimog, Chevy, tractor & trailer, and pick-up truck)! And then the work of installation begins – Whew! I’m tired thinking of what’s yet to be done!

The kids and I are into our second week of school! Meghan, 4^th grade and Jeffrey, 9^th grade! Things are going well so far! I do enjoy teaching the kids but I always feel the strain of wanting to do more in terms of literacy, language and Bible teaching!

Over the years we have had a keen interest in developing a horse herd to use in farm management – and also for our enjoyment/recreation. There is a young Canadian woman, Aimee Heyer, who is keen to come and stay with us for a months and help us begin working with a few horses. She’ll also give Meghan and Jeffrey riding lessons which will be a special treat for them! Please PRAY for all the processes involved in getting her here –especially getting a visitor’s visa quickly. Aimee’s parents, Clarence and Louise, are good friends of ours – they were with MAF here in Angola in our first years here in Angola.

Continue to pray for the outreach at Imbondwe that the Word would penetrate hearts and that particularly the elders in the community would see God’s reaching out to them and pursuing them with his passionate love!

PRAY too for our weekly ladies’ meeting – for ladies to open up and share their struggles and joys.

THANKS TONS for all your prayers on our behalf!!!

Partnering with You!

Donna for all of us

We leave at 4 AM tomorrow to head to Namibia!

2009-01-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know we leave at 4 AM tomorrow to head to Namibia! We will stop at border to talk with a clearing agent about what kind of paperwork will be needed for importing the fence at the end of this month.

You can begin praying now for that whole process – especially that the import tax will be the minimum :-}!

We hope to get to the municipal campground at Tsumeb where we’ll meet our friend Brent who’s down in Namibia awaiting his visa! Please pray that his visa will come in a timely fashion!!

From there we’ll spend two days at the Waterburg Plateau Park where they say if you want to go hiking you must be able to climb a tree because there are rhinos! :-} !

We plan to get to Windhoek on Tuesday for shop and shop – the shops will be happy but the pocket book will not!

Our plan is to leave Windhoek as soon as shopping is done and head back up here s-l-o-w-l-y, camping along the way and enjoying ourselves and arriving here on 22^nd! Stirling has one day to rest and then has to be in Lubango on 24^th for an all day meeting.

Please pray for Firmino, Paulo, Tutyiale as they hold down the fort – for wisdom, courage, confidence in the Lord!

Pray too for rain! We haven’t had any since just before Christmas – crops are in and we’ll be needing it soon! It is hot and clouding up so we trust it’s not far off!

Thank you so much for praying!!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

Merry Christmas from Tchincombe!

2008-12-25T14:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Tchincombe!

We are having a wonderful cool, wet Christmas! Since 1 Dec Tchincombe has received more than ½ of what we usually get in a year! We have had overcast skies for more than a week! We are very thankful!!

As word of mouth about Tchincombe beef (yum) goes around we have more and more requests for meat! That’s good and that’s bad! It means we (mostly Stirling) spend more time in the car than we would like – must find a different plan! Stirling is delivering meat today in order to fill everyone’s orders! Pray for stamina!

Please PRAY for Sunday’s services at Imbondwe – that the meaning of Christmas would be clear! God came in the form of a babe to restore us to himself - so that we can know Him and enjoy him forever! He wants to be our God, King, Friend, Brother/Sister & Savior!

Please pray for Stirling as he brings the message tomorrow at 8 AM – he hasn’t had very much time to prepare with all the traveling of the last week!!

Early in the New Year we will go to Namibia to organize transport for fencing. We’ll also take a few days of holiday to go to Botswana to visit two of our nieces and to meet Peter and Shelley who are returning to Africa!

With Much Love,

Donna, Stirling, Jeffrey, and Meghan

The catchment basins are full!!! This usually only happens in Jan or Feb! It’s not a remote dog but a remote boat that you can’t see in picture!

The Adventure continues here at Tchincombe!!!

2008-12-16T05:33:00.001-08:00

The Adventure continues here at Tchincombe!!!

We are having rabbit for lunch. Stirling, Jeffrey and Matt (Jeff’s friend) took our weekend visitors sightseeing and hunting on Saturday. So today we have rabbit on the menu! Rabbit cacciatore!

Last night we had microwave omelets and the boys decided to add a little food coloring! Guess what food coloring each used? Jeffrey had orange eggs! Matt had green eggs (no ham). Meghan had bluish eggs! Stirling and I settled for plain old yellow!

Sheila Foster Fabiano returns to the USA tomorrow. She is returning to help take care of Mum and Dad Foster as well as work on her doctorate. Please pray for her transition and for peace of heart as she knows she’s doing the right thing but is torn because she really does love her work at ISTEL (AEA seminary).

Rains have been good. Crops are getting in the ground. The people are really in need of a good harvest – pray that the rain continues well! People here literally live off the food they harvest!

We are looking into ways of purchasing game animals to stock Tchincombe. There are vast tracks of the 60,000 acres that are too thick for cattle but would be great for game (kudu, eland, and impala). These are good meat animals and will allow diversification of income. Pray for wisdom & patience for God’s perfect timing in all of this. Lord willing, in time, we’ll also be able to help repopulate this area’s depleted game reserves!

Continue to pray for lives at Tchincombe and Imbondwe to be transformed! For all of us to understand that God doesn’t just want to save us from our sins but that he wants an ongoing, daily vital relationship with us!

PRAISE – we were able to distribute 90 treated mosquito nets yesterday! We should see a significant drop in malaria! Nets were supplied by Rio de Huila Clinic (another UIEA/SIM ministry).

Thanks for your partnership!

Donna for all of us!

Raindrops keeping falling . . . . !

2008-12-11T11:14:00.001-08:00

Raindrops keeping falling . . . . J ! While we were in Namibia Tchincombe had 109 mm of rain (> 4 inches). Since our return we’ve had 80mm (>1.5 inch) and it’s raining as I write – WOW! What a relief!

We are glad to have Jeffrey back with us! He had a great time at our friend’s farm and learned a lot.

While we were away Perpetua’s nephew stole some things from our pantry. This young boy, Njonjombua is an orphan. He and his two brothers have been living with Perpetua’s family for a few years now. There have been other incidents of petty robbery over the years (within the family as well as in the community). Perpetua and her husband have decided to take the boys back to another uncle. Pray for the boys that they will turn away from this way of life. Pray for Perpetua and Nobrega who feel betrayed by their nephews.

Pray for the ladies at Tchincombe to hunger and thirst to know God better!

Pray for the people in the Imbondwe area to see the futility of a life without Christ. Our next meeting there is the 27^th of December.

For your prayers and gifts of support we are grateful!

YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS ESSENTIAL!

Donna for all of us!

Meghan and I finished 3rd grade!!!

2008-11-30T12:06:00.001-08:00

Hi Again!

How could I forget to tell you that Meghan and I finished 3^rd grade!!!

We are free from school for 6 weeks! Thanks for all your prayers on our behalf.

Love,

Donna

100° F today!

2008-11-30T12:05:00.001-08:00

100° F today! No rain since 3 weeks ago! Grass is beginning to wilt. There were NO clouds yesterday and day before BUT today lots of clouds! PRAY for rain! AND PRAY for us to not be anxious!!

There were 72 people at Imbondwe today – PRAISE God that there many new people. PRAY for desire to know GOD!

The professors from ISTEL (the Evangelical Seminary of Lubango) came this weekend to Tchincombe for a work retreat. Seems like a contradiction in terms BUT here at least they were away from cell phones and people knocking at the door! PRAY for the staff of ISTEL as they seek to train leaders.

Tomorrow we head out to Namibia to pick up Jeffrey. We hope to be back at Tchincombe by next Sunday – i.e. it will be a whirlwind trip! As always we’ll be doing shopping for the farm and for ourselves!

PRAY for Firmino, Tutyiale and Paulo as they direct the work of the farm and the community here!

THANKS so much for standing with us in prayer!

Donna for all of us!

We did FINALLY have more than an inch of rain!!

2008-11-18T10:43:00.001-08:00

Hi!

PRAISE - We did FINALLY have more than an inch of rain!! On Sunday, 9 days ago, 30mm of rain fell and quenched the earth’s thirst! It was wonderful! We have had sprinkles now and then. More rain is always welcome and needed.

Each year we watch the sky with anxiety. Will there be enough rain? Will it come at the right time? What if it doesn’t? What will we do? We ask you to pray for rain. We really should ask you to pray for us not to be anxious! To pray that we would remember that the people, land, cattle and we ourselves belong to God! Whatever falls or doesn’t fall from the sky - God will sustain us! To pray for wisdom to make good decisions!

PRAISE – We have received the money from cattle sales and then transferred enough money to buy 30 km of fencing (includes poles, gates, wire, droppers) – ½ of what we need to fence the entire perimeter of Tchincombe and 5 km o f water piping! God’s timing is really perfect as the exchange rate in Namibia is 10 to 1 – hasn’t been that good since we started thinking about fencing!

PRAY for Jeffrey. He’s two weeks into his 4 week work experience. We talked with him on Sunday. He’s happy, enjoying himself, working hard and a little tired. We leave 1 Dec to pick him up. PRAY

for him that he’ll learn to rely on the Lord. Give thanks for the farm family where he’s living – for their generosity in having him. We’ll then go to Windhoek for a day or two to do some Christmas shopping and to arrange for the transport of the fencing.

PRAY for us to understand how great a salvation we have been given. And what it means that Jesus is our High Priest. (Can you tell we’re reading in Hebrews!)

PRAY for meetings at Imbondwe on 29/30 November – openness to God’s Word.

The granting of visas for missionaries continues to be an issue – please PRAY the two couples in Portugal who will be needing visas.

Don’t forget to lift up the Fox family daily! They have all their outgoing expenses – are in need of monthly support so they can join us here at Tchincombe!

ONE LAST THOUGHT: Are you looking for year-end tax deductible giving options? Consider the work here at Tchincombe J ! All gifts to our ministry account would be appreciated greatly!

In Him,

Donna

4 mm DOES not = 1 inch of rain!

2008-10-27T14:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Praying Friends,

4 mm DOES not = 1 inch of rain! A dear friend in Namibia pointed out my mistake – and I must admit when I wrote it didn’t seem quite right because it sure didn’t feel like a one inch rain! More like 1/8 of an inch! We are still waiting for a GOOD thoroughly soaking rain here at Tchincombe.

At Imbondwe – we did have a good rain – a ground soaking, stop the show rain! So on Saturday evening we went to bed at 8 PM since there’s not much else to do when you are camping and it’s raining! Sunday morning there was a good turn out for church – even 6 older, traditionally dressed people – keep praying that the older generations will not consider this ‘new religion’ just for the young people – but will see that God desires a day to day relationship with THEM!

The man in who’s village area where we meet asked for a Bible which we gave him this week. In return he gave us a chicken!

Stirling and Jeffrey head off to Namibia tomorrow. Jeffrey is going to work again at the farm of good friends. His school is mostly complete – computer issues delayed his typing course but he should be able to finish it after he returns from this work experience.

PRAISE!! Stirling will be doing shopping in Windhoek including setting up the purchase and transport of fencing and water piping!

Pray for safety in travel – especially no run ins with game (kudu, warthog, etc)

In Him,

Donna

Greetings from Tchincombe in the Spring!

2008-10-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Tchincombe in the Spring! This has been the most beautiful spring we can remember. Perhaps with the late but plentiful rains there is still water close enough in the ground for the shrubs and trees to really burst forth! Monday, 10 days ago, we had the first rain of the season - 4 mm of rain (about 1 inch) – what a relief – we want more! J !
PRAISE! A buyer came to look at cattle today! He will buy two lots of animals – we should have a good sum to buy fencing and water piping! There won’t be enough to buy all that we need to fence the entire perimeter but enough to get a good start – even if we landed all of the needed 60 km of fencing tomorrow it would take months to get the posts in and wire up.
We were in touch with the fencing company and the price of wire has come down!! Yippee!
Stirling is on his way to town for the second time this week! Pray for endurance and alertness – he will travel back tomorrow. The trip to town is 200 km (125 mi) – but it takes 4 hours! We hope that will soon be down to 3 as work on the main road progresses – paving has arrived almost to the place where we turn off the main road. When all the construction is done (not just paving but bridge rebuilding) is will be wonderful! The main road to Tchincombe will be a bush track for many years to come – usually takes 2 hours – as long as it doesn’t rain!
Pray for our ladies’ meeting tomorrow (had to postpone from today to tomorrow) – we will be discussing why Believers shouldn’t take their sick loved ones to the witch doctor!
PRAY for the services at Imbondwe this weekend. Last month we had a good group of young people learning to play Frisbee. There weren’t too adults to see the film because of a coming of age party in the neighborhood. Pray for open hearts, for fun and relationship building.
Please continue to pray for the FOX FAMILY who have received all of their outgoing support but who still need monthly support!
Pray for the Verhoefs and Schemps who are presently in Portugal doing language study in preparation for ministry here in Angola.
Thanks so much for your faithfulness in prayer, financial support and for all your encouraging e-mails, etc!
Love,
Donna for all of us!

The General Assembly meetings went very well

2008-10-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings FROM Tchincombe – the kids and I have been away for 10 days and Stirling for 15 days! Stirling had an uneventful trip from Menongue – other than when he got home he ran straight to the loo (WC, bathroom) and thus commenced 3 days of staying close to the loo! Poor guy!

The General Assembly meetings went very well – the new president of the UIEA, Eduardo Chiquete was elected by more than a 2/3 majority – that was encouraging. THANKS for praying!

Our time at Imbondwe was . . . interesting! There was a big party – a coming of age ceremony – in a nearby village and so we had only about 15 kids on Saturday night. Sunday morning there were only about 10 adults and 15 children! BUT one of the adults there was the man who had given his heart to the Lord month before last and the older gentlemen who’s home we are near came and asked for a Bible! KEEP PRAYING!

We did business in town and then went to the beach for the weekend. It was very nice – the beach was nice the only not so nice part was that a friend who came along came down with malaria. He did bring treatment along (never leave home without it!) and so started treatment – he’s well on the mend now.

Chickens – today I managed to buy 20 laying hens! The producer in Lubango is having a hard time getting feed and so is having to sell his chickens – not good for him but good for us!

Thanks so much for being part of the team!

Donna for all of us!

Hi!! Two things!

2008-09-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hi!! Two things!

Forgot to mention one thing important about this year’s UIEA General Assembly - a new president will be nominated and elected – please pray for the whole process and that just the right man will be chosen!

Last e-mail we mentioned the need for fencing/piping – we are NOT asking for money but for PRAYER!

There are two options:

PRAY for buyers for the cattle that we have to sell!! OR

PRAY about the bank loan we have applied to receive: In an earlier e-mail we wrote about the fact that we had applied for a loan from the bank – despite filling out the forms and being asked further questions the bank has not come back to us! Tchincombe being owned by a Church doesn’t fall into the bank’s usual customer profile!

There is a third option – and only the Lord knows what it might be! He does work out things in ways we do not understand!

THANKS for standing with us in PRAYER!

In Him,

Donna

please pray for rain!!

2008-09-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Tchincombe! The gray/brown landscape of the cold, dry season has begun to be sprinkled with vibrant greens, whites and pale reds as the trees & bushes respond to the hot, dry season! Temps are rising – the heat is on! We are definitely longing for the rain! Our young stock especially need some nice new grass – please pray for rain!!

Stir went to Lubango yesterday and is driving the 12 hour trip to Menongue today for a week of General Assembly meetings. (It’s only 500km).

Please pray for wisdom and patience as reports are given and things discussed. Pray too for a spirit of unity, enthusiasm and joy. That God’s will will be everyone’s top priority!

This is slightly pessimistic but I’m waiting for something to break down – you know how it goes! Let the husband go away and something always breaks! Pray that I will let my breath out and relax!!

THANKSGIVING - Our friend, Brent from MAF, was here for a week. He and Stir accomplished quite a lot. They put the HF in the brown car (so we can be in communication with Stir from Menongue), got the 4 wheeler going so it can be used for outreach at the corrals and made a drag from old tractor tires to help level out the airstrip that Jerry cleared. Brent also got our dryer going and even put a light in the laundry room! (The dryer was donated from the USA to friends working in Namibia – but Namibia is 220v and the dryer is 110v; Brent heard of it and told them that we had a 110v system at our house – so now we have a dryer!)

Pray for the $156,000 we need to buy fencing and to buy 10 km of water piping!

We have cut our workforce by 30% so that we could raise pay for the workers that stayed. Pray for us to be able to encourage and motivate the workers. Pray for those that aren’t followers of Jesus that they will see their need of Him!

Pray for those workers who were let go that they will be able to find other work!

Ongoing requests:

Last weekend of month – meetings at Imbondwe – the children and I will be going on Saturday – we will take a team from here.

Every Wednesday – ladies’ meeting – we are studying the catechism in Olungambwe!

Every Sunday afternoon – literacy class

Pray for a Bible in Olumhuila/Olungambwe!!

Pray for a teacher for the kids!

THANKS so much for your love and prayers!!!!

Donna for all of us!

September is the end of SIM’s fiscal year.

2008-09-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Tchincombe!

September is the end of SIM’s fiscal year. We want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for your faithful support !!! We stand at 97% – isn’t that AWESOME!

Pray that this month we will receive full support and that there will be extra so that we will be at 100% for the year !!!

Pray too for funds to cover the negative balance in our ministry account (shipping of vehicle).

Can it be that the rains might come early? We PRAY it would be so!! Pasture is getting marginal since we have not been able to sell the cattle that we needed to sell. PRAY for the rains to come early and well!!

Your Partners in Angola,

Donna & Stirling

New Pictures!

2008-09-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

Gabriel, Meghan, Lucas and Jeffrey!

Our family with Stirling's mom and dad.

Our most recent dairy calf- a heifer!

Jerry dozing!

All the family that could make it to the reunion.

Sani Pass!! Ice in Africa!

Day trip to Sani Pass- Mountain pass between South Africa and Lesotho.

Louise preparing to separate cream from milk.

Greetings FROM Tchincombe!

2008-09-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Greetings FROM Tchincombe! After one month and 7,000 km we are home! We arrived home at 12:30 AM – having left Windhoek at 5 AM – it was a LONG day and uneventful except for locking the keys in our car while we were fueling up in a place called Kamanjab. Stirling was able to take the seal off one of the small windows in the backset of the car and Meghan squeezed in to unlock – 45 minutes of hot work for Stir!

The night of our arrival the big generator had stopped running owing to a fan belt that broke! The guys replaced the fan belt but the engine didn’t want to start. So they came got Stir – we were all a little bleary eyed still – Stir went down and came back to get WD40 and starter spray stuff – he managed to persuade the generator pistons that they weren’t stuck and so the generator did start!! Whew! The generator has over 40,000 hours of op so is due for an overhaul. We hope it holds out until the rains come so that we can get by without it for a few days.

We are so grateful for the time we had with Stir’s parents, Peter, Shelley and Sheila in Windhoek. It was a very sweet time!

Mum and Dad Foster, Peter and Shelley as well as Jerry and Louise all arrived back on that side of the ocean safe and sound!

Summer has come all in a rush! We have just finished the cold dry season and are now in the hot dry season – everything is thirsting for the rain! Pray that it will come well and on time this year!!

Last update we told you that there were 65 people at Imbondwe – there were but ½ were from Tchincombe as a team from here went in the Unimog (farm truck)! Please begin to pray for 28 September when we will go and spend the weekend at Imbondwe – pray for open hearts!

Meghan, Jeffrey and I start school again on Monday. Please pray for patience and a willingness to do the work set before us. Please do pray for a teacher for the kids! It was so GREAT having Helena here doing school with Meghan – Meghan really enjoyed it! If you know of a teacher who would like an African adventure send them our way!! A teacher would also free me to do language and literacy!

PRAISE – the team from Tchincombe that took the animals to the Ag Fair reported that everything went well – all 20 animals sold for a good price!!

Elections as far as we can tell have gone smoothly and without incident – at least in our part of Angola.

THANKS for your partnership in sharing the Good News with the Ovangambwe!!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

Hello from Windhoek!

2008-09-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello from Windhoek!

We’ve had a wonderful time with Stirling’s parents, Sheila, Peter and Shelley. We have lingered over meals and tea and enjoyed each other’s company. It’s always fun to hear stories of Mum and Dad Foster’s early years in Zambia and Angola.

On Wednesday morning we’ll be driving up to Angola – trying to go the whole way in one day – it will be quite a push! Please pray for stamina and alertness!!

Wednesday afternoon Stir’s parents and Peter & Shelley will be flying back to the USA – pray for them too!

PRAISE - Thanks for praying for the service yesterday at Imbondwe. There were about 65 people present! Continue to pray for spiritual growth of the new believers there!!

Friday, September 5^th there are parliamentary elections in Angola. Pray for stability!

Jerry and Louise arrived today!! They have had a good time in Angola. We are so grateful that they could be at the farm while we have been away. Jerry was able to bulldoze land for a future runway, clear land around waterhole, and clear roads. Louise kept the milk side of things going and said there’s lots of butter.

We are looking forward to being home!! Thanks for your faithfulness in prayer!!

Love,

Donna & Stirling

We are back in Windhoek having traveled 6,000 km safely!!

2008-08-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hi!

We tried sending an update from the reunion/60th venue but the wireless was down the whole week! And we were a LONG way from any internet cafés!!

PRAISE! We are back in Windhoek having traveled 6,000 km safely!! The car gave troubles at the beginning of the trip but a very helpful Land Rover dealer in Upington, SA put car on computer – found nothing, cleaned a few connections – and the car has worked perfectly ever since. It was 4:30 pm when we pitched up at the dealers but they were gracious and didn’t charge us anything!!!

Today has been quite stressful!! We were having tea at the dining room table in flat 7, a guy came in the door and snatched the 2 purses that were on a chair across the room from the dining table; Stir and Jeff gave chase but thief slammed outside metal gate and that little bit of delay allowed them to make it to the get away car!! Sheila lost money, credit cards and car keys!! Joan Brain (missionary friend in her 70s) lost money, credit cards, plane ticket and passport! Police came and took reports but we are doubtful of getting things back. Stir did get car color, make, the fact it was a taxi and most of license # - apparently this has happened at this SIM guest house before and there is suspicion that it’s the same guys! SIGH!

PRAISE! The reunion and 60^th celebration was great - lots of time to visit and play! We were 27 people! Really couldn’t have asked for a better time. The trip over took a lot out of Stir’s parents. Family had time to sit and talk about Mum and Dad’s future needs. It seems that the time has now arrived that Mum and Dad Foster should no longer live or travel alone. The state of their health made us all think it would not be wise to go on to Angola as planned. The earliest they could return to USA was 3 September without losing their ticket (original plan was Sept 30). They flew to Windhoek from South Africa as it was the routing of their return ticket. Peter and Shelley's work visa has not been renewed yet - they have graciously accepted to return to USA with Mum and Dad and stay with them until December. PRAY for Peter and Shelley as they came to Africa expecting to go back to work in Angola and in the space of a few days they had to decide to return! It's not easy.

The original plan was to have Mum and Dad with us in Angola but since they aren't going up we'll spend time with them here in Windhoek. We were frustrated by our delayed departure from Angola but now it makes sense! The Lord knew we'd need the time on this end of our trip!

We are VERY grateful to the foremen, Latimers and to Brent Mudde (friend/colleague with MAF) who are holding things together at Tchincombe! Fuel has continued to be an issue – Brent went once to visit Latimers and take them fresh veggies; he went a second time to take fuel so that Jerry could continue bulldozing! Louise says BP (our parrot) is talking up a storm! And that our freezer is getting quite full of butter!! Latimers will fly to Windhoek on 1 September.

Please PRAY for the service at Imbondwe on last Sunday – Steve, Brent and Latimers are planning to be there. Pray for the new believers there to continue to grow in their faith!

Please PRAY for Angola as elections are September 5^th.

PRAISE – A Sunday school class at Calvary Baptist Church collected $600 to help pay the outstanding amount on the 130.

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

We are setting off today on our holiday

2008-08-04T06:12:00.001-07:00

Dearest Praying Family,

We are setting off today on our holiday – only 5 days late! Stirling had to change the clutch and the wiring loom on the car this past week (was scheduled for the week the thieves made of with the cattle). The Kudu’s clutch isn’t acting quite normal so we’d appreciate your prayers for safety in travel. Until Windhoek we’ll have both vehicles. The 130 will stay in Windhoek while we are in SA so that we can buy supplies on our way home.

For those of you who have written but we haven’t responded – sorry, life has been crazy – even yesterday the neighbor’s brought a worker who needed a few stitches so life has been full of unexpected surprises – thanks for your e-mails and prayers – will write along the way as we have time!!

Meghan is not feeling well so we ask prayer for her – she has fever and cough. Since she was in town for 2 weeks we tested her for malaria yesterday and she was negative.

Please pray for Jerry and Louise Latimer as they hold down the fort in our absence! They are a real encouragement to us – in their 70s and out here doing a short term missions trip.

Pray for Stirling’s parents (in 80s) who are making trip to SA next week for their 60^th wedding anniversary celebration!! Pray for stamina and health. Pray also for all the others of us that are traveling!!

Continue to Pray for child we took to hospital – since there’s no communication between here and there we don’t have word on how he’s doing. We’ll know today as we travel south and pass by there.

PRAISE – Meeting with the workers about salary increase went very well. Nothing was officially decided but proposals were made for the workers to think about in our absence. Everyone was pleased with proposals and with the fact that we gave them a little bonus in this month’s check.

With all our love,

Donna for all of us

The Adventure continues!

2008-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Adventure continues!

This afternoon the neighbor dropped off an infant who is very sick. The mother has two sisters and an uncle here at Tchincombe. The child is critically ill so Stirling and Jeffrey left just now to take him 3 hours south which is the nearest hospital. Please PRAY.

PRAISE! Tutyiale, the workers, and all the cattle are safe back at Tchincombe!!

Donna for all of us!

Cattle rustling saga: The cattle have been recovered!!!!!!

2008-07-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

PRAISE Cattle rustling saga: The cattle have been recovered!!!!!! In the last few days at least 4 thieves have been caught but apparently the armed thieves haven’t been caught –– there seems to be a pretty big ring working this area. Animals that are stolen are either killed and then sold as meat or are transported live to market. There are two trucks loading meat or cattle out at night. The question is who owns the trucks!? It seems that the police are taking the weekend off and will continue the investigation and apprehending of the other thieves on Monday – where is the logic in that?! It is the situation we live with!

Despite all our efforts it was the headman of a village to the west – west of where our guys were situated - who actually caught the thief – and on Tuesday! The thief came asking for a travel document for the “cattle given to me by my uncle”. Since the headmen didn’t know the guy he said he would have to see the cattle. When he saw that the cattle were marked with brands he immediately grabbed the thief, tied him up and took him to the police. It seems like the Lord was taking care of His cattle!

The cattle will stay at Tchimbolelo tonight (‘neighbor’ farm near main road). Tutyiale spent the morning collecting up the men he’d left watching roads then he had to turn around and go back to where the cattle are being kept tonight to take more men to help herd them back. There is concern that since the cattle will have to come back through the area where the armed thieves are operating that they might try to steal them again!! Again we ask you to PRAY for safety as the men travel home tomorrow with the cattle.

On Monday we must go to that village where the animals were caught and give a reward to the headman who helped catch the thieves – at least that is the expectation – he would like us to give him two head of cattle. PRAY for wisdom.

Sad news – PRAY for Kakinta and Mwatewa - we heard yesterday that their baby, Alexi, died in hospital.

We were supposed to leave on Monday to head down to SA but will not likely get away until Wednesday or Thursday! That’s sad for us as we will loose part of our time with the Joubert family – will still be able to visit but not for long as we would like before going on to the retreat!

PRAY for Tutyiale and his safety both in travel and health – he’s been going non-stop for a week. Pray too for Firmino who’s been holding down the fort here doing the work of 3!

Thanks for partnering with us in prayer!!

Donna for us!

Cattle rustling saga continues!

2008-07-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Cattle rustling saga continues! Stirling and Jeffrey came home about 10 PM. Tutyiale, our foremen, had tried to get the local police (60 miles away) to help go after the thieves but was told that they didn’t have enough trained police to go after the thieves. Stirling explained this to the police in Lubango (provincial police) who were not impressed with their local colleagues! So two ‘commandants’ (don’t know best translation – maybe police chiefs) came with Stirling to the local authorities and basically told them to get to work! In ironic fashion the police commandants organized the others and sent them off to look for the thieves along with Tutyiale and other staff from Tchincombe. The chiefs waited at the fuel pumps! Stir was in a quandary as to should he stay with the chiefs or go with others but thought he should stay with chiefs since he had brought them from town. In the end it was a good plan as they were able to find out some information about the thieves from the local villagers who came by to chat and greet them.

PRAISE - fuel arrived yesterday at the station so the Unimog will go today to get 1,700 liters. And Lord willing we’ll send them back on Friday for another load so as to have plenty of fuel for Jerry to keep bulldozing!

Thanks for praying – I was very relieved when Stir and Jeffrey got home! Continue to PRAY that the other men still looking will be safe and that the cattle will be retrieved and the thieves caught. The thieves seem to have a ring going and have been stealing cattle from all around this area.

Continue to PRAY for the 4 people who gave their hearts to the Lord this month – for their spiritual protection and growth!!!!

In Him,

Donna

Stir and I arrived last night at 9 PM.

2008-07-21T06:15:00.001-07:00

Stir and I arrived last night at 9 PM. It’s always good to be home. Jeffrey, Jerry and Louise did a great job of holding house and home together. We did manage to get all things needed for Ag fair.

We are glad to say that the ‘new’ car came back with no problems – it’s got 350,000+ km so it’s just new to us not new :-}! It’s going to be a fixer upper cosmetically but the gearbox and engine are sound!

The farm is still in a bit of a mess in the sense that Tuciale and his team have yet to return from looking for the cattle. Firmino went with the Unimog yesterday after to take a child to hospital. So this morning there were no foremen on the farm!

Jerry’s gone to bull doze this morning while Stirling and Jeffrey have gone to look for the foremen and to see what the scoop is on fuel!

Please PRAY that the cattle will be recovered and that Alexi (one year old who’s sick) will respond to treatment – his parents name are Kakinta and Mwatewa.

PRAISE - A woman gave her heart to the Lord yesterday in church – even before the sermon was preached! She’s recently married one of the herdsmen – his name is Njitumalye – don’t know her name yet since we weren’t here for church yesterday! PRAY for her spiritual growth and protection.

In a weeks time we should be headed south for the 60^th anniversary of stir’s parents. There’s tons to do to leave things in order – so PRAY for wisdom, strength and patience!

Together in Him,

Donna for us!

12 cows were stolen this morning

2008-07-18T05:20:00.001-07:00

Hi! Stirling flew in this morning to Windhoek. We got an e-mail from Jeffrey (he stayed at Tchincombe with Latimers) saying that 12 cows were stolen this morning and being herded off north. The foremen are in pursuit. Pray for their safety and that they would catch the thieves and recover the cattle. It seems like the thieves must have been waiting for Stir to leave! We plan to leave Windhoek Saturday and arrive Tchincombe on Sunday. Donna

WOW – what a week!

2008-07-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

WOW – what a week!

Monday, the circumcisions went well – 18 boys done – no complications! Lots of logistics to get set up but once set up things went very well.

Jerry & Louise, Daniel and Steve arrived on Monday night with Stirling. Jerry and Louise are doing well. It’s like they never left! Jerry was on the bulldozer Tuesday afternoon for a bit!

Daniel and Steve had a great week with the kids doing the soccer camp. It’s not the norm for girls to participate when the boys play soccer but for this camp a good number of girls participated – quite a new thing for here - Meghan was thrilled.

Tuesday, Steve and his team got away just after lunch for their return to Lubango so around the table we went from 16 to 9.

Wednesday the veterinary services for Ag fair came to TB test the 20 cows we are sending to the fair – all tested negative.

Thursday – I (Donna) took meat to town – planning to stay the day and return in the late afternoon to Tchincombe – only to find no fuel available! It seems there is not enough fuel because of the large number of machines (bulldozers, dump trucks, etc) that are working on rebuilding the roads! There are l-o-n-g lines where there is fuel. On Friday morning I got up and went to pumps at 5 AM and was THANKFULLY able to get fuel. PRAY that we can get enough FUEL in stock at Tchincombe so that while we are away in South Africa in August (Stirling’s parent’s 60^th) Jerry will have the fuel he needs to keep bulldozing! Not to mention for the general needs of the farm. (I was able to leave town at 10:30 Friday am)

Friday Sheila, Sara (Sheila’s daughter and a pre-med student), Hannah (med student), and SIM colleague, Karen came for the weekend. We went from 9 to 13 around the table.

PRAISE – Tchincombe was donated a Land Rover!!!! The Kammers, German colleagues, are returning to Germany after 6 years in Angola. They have a Land Rover and their organization, CFI, has agreed to donate their Land Rover to Tchincombe to be used for the mechanic who will be coming out (Lawrence & Cynthia Fox). Continue to PRAY for their other support needs.

Sunday just after church – neighbor comes to tell us that one of our retired herdsman was found dead! He had gone to the neighboring farm to visit friends and find drink (moonshine). ‘Njalakambala was quite elderly – it seems that in his drunken state he got turned around and headed down the road (bush track) the wrong way and so walked way more than he should. It was quite clear from the tracks that he became quite agitated realizing he was lost - most likely he had a heart attack. PRAY for his family. His wife is quite elderly as well. PRAY for opportunity to speak of the hope we have in Christ! On Monday Firmino and Tuciale took the body back to the village where his family live.

Monday – I hitched a lift with our friend/colleague Karen to Windhoek in order to bring the Kammers/CFI Land Rover back to Angola! We are grateful to have had an uneventful and pleasant trip down!

Stirling couldn’t leave on Monday (too much to do!) but will fly down here tomorrow and then we’ll drive the Land Rover back together! I’ll have my husband to myself for 3 whole days :-}!

PRAY for the Foxes!

PRAY for our road trip back to Angola (Saturday or Sunday)

PRAY that we get enough fuel to leave the farm well supplied during August

PRAY for wisdom and strength to counsel and encourage at the farm

PRAY for Brent, Daniel and Steve who will go to Chiange to show the Jesus film this weekend – Chiange is where Pastor Jacob is starting a new outreach to the Ovangambwe.

THANKS for your faithfulness in prayer!!!

Donna

prayer requests for this week!!!

2008-07-07T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hi! Last night I wanted to get the good news to you about Imbondwe so I didn’t fill you in on prayer requests for this week!!!

Stirling is in Lubango today to attend a Farmer’s Coop meeting and to fetch the Latimers and Daniel (our nephew) and his friend, Steve. Daniel and Steve will be doing a soccer camp this week for the children in the primary school! So please PRAY for Daniel and Steve as they share their skills in soccer as well as their faith in Christ with the children!

Steve Foster, 4 colleagues and 2 visitors came yesterday afternoon after being at Imbondwe with us to do circumcisions today. The whole thing came off at the last minute as Steve’s scheduled trip somewhere was canceled so he could come here. There are +/- 20 boys who will be circumcised. Circumcision for the Ovangambwe is usually done around puberty and involves a dark, dirty hut and not clean knife, and certainly no anesthetic! This is the 4^th year we’ve been able to offer this service to the families in our community. We are grateful for Steve’s taking off from the CEML to come!! Pray for all of us as we care for the young boys this week.

We were 11 at breakfast this morning and will be 16 for supper!

Pray for Latimers transition!

Thanks so much for being part of our team at Tchincombe!

Love,

Donna

3 people gave their hearts to the Lord today at Imbondwe!!

2008-07-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

YAHOO!! 3 people gave their hearts to the Lord today at Imbondwe!! Two women and one man. A couple, Agusto and Julia, rededicated their hearts to God – Agusto was in the first group of 8 to be baptized in 1993. THANKS for your partnership in praying! The battle is a spiritual one so your prayer are essential! Pray for the protection of these babes in Christ and for their growth!! Alleluia! Donna for all of us

THANKS SO MUCH for praying for SLC 2008!

2008-07-05T08:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

THANKS SO MUCH for praying for SLC 2008! It was a great conference – everyone had a restful time and the teaching and worship were right on! The unanimous vote was to have it again here next year!

Stir and were able to participate and enjoy as well because many people pitched in together to make the conference not all on us even though it was here at our house!

The College Park team did an awesome job especially considering they arrived here at 8 PM on Sunday and the conference began at 7:30 AM on Monday! God used them to really refresh us and encourage us!

Even thought SLC 2008 is a past event we are praying that the things we learned about God and ourselves will continue to be implemented in our lives.

Visiting Imbondwe should have happened last weekend but we rescheduled because of SLC. Please PRAY as a group of young people from Tchincombe Church, Stirling & I go to Imbondwe tonight to prepare for services there tomorrow. Tonight we will have an around the campfire time of singing and give the local folk opportunity to ask questions about what they’ve heard so far and about God. PRAY for discernment and wisdom!

Stirling will continue on to Lubango for a meeting on Monday as well as to bring Daniel (our nephew) and his friend, Steve who will be doing a soccer camp this week for the kids here at Tchincombe.

I will return to the farm with the Church team.

PRAY for Jerry and Louise Latimer – they are returning to Tchincombe for 3 months to again help us out! Jerry will be working with bulldozer and Louise will be helping to monitor two computer based learning programs for the teachers – English and typing. Louise was also a big encouragement to be around the house in general!

I think that’s all for now! Thanks again for praying and for all your gifts of support and encouragement!!

Love,

Donna for all of us

New Pictures!

2008-07-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning service at Imbondwe

Check out these sandals – the laces are shaped like cattle horns!

Showing the Jesus Film at Imbondwe

SLC is about to get underway!

2008-06-22T05:31:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

SLC is about to get underway! The SLC team – from College Park Church, Indianapolis, Indiana, were delayed yesterday in Windhoek because of late luggage. Thankfully the team is using MAF - so Brent (pilot) flew them as far as the border where they spent the night in Ondangwa, Namibia. Lubango has no after dark landing that’s why they did not come on last night to Lubango.

The plan is for the team to eat lunch in Lubango and then come to the farm. For those of you checking your e-mail when you get up please PRAY about the whole immigration process at the airport!! That the team would shine brightly for Jesus! That officialdom would let them through quickly so they could get here before dark!!

We are VERY THANKFUL for friends, colleagues and family who have come out a few days early to help with set-up & preparation! Definitely been a team effort to get things ready. And the farm staff have worked overtime and with good attitudes to get the grounds ready.

Various prayer requests:

David & Myriam Trott’s trip from Luena to SLC hasn’t gone so smoothly. They are their two boys, Jeremy and TJ, were 24 hours with car difficulties. We still haven’t heard if they have arrived in Lubango. Pray for strength, stamina and courage!

Becky Loewen’s fiancé, Afonso, is traveling to Canada in July. She will be delayed at least one day dealing with visa issues. Pray that she would be able to talk with appropriate officials on Monday and be able to come ASAP.

Various folk have been sick with sniffles and scratchy throats (including me!).

Continue to pray for Dale and the other team members as the lead us in worship and feeding upon the Word. There are sessions for the adults, youth and children.

This will probably be our last update until after conference since we are supposed to be in a retreat!

THANKS so much for standing with us in prayer! The spiritual battle is intense here. There are some who will not be able to come to SLC, some who are being delayed. Most people are pushed to their limits of time and energy. Do PRAY for rest and renewal.

With Love,

Donna

PS The MAF plane - WOH (Whiskey Oscar Hotel)- Brent and the team just flew overhead headed for Lubango!! It’s about a 20 minute flight from here to Lubango. The return trip by road this afternoon will be at least 5 hours!

the team WILL RECEIVE a fifteen day visa

2008-06-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

PRAISE: As of Tuesday the team still hadn’t received their visas from the Angola Embassy. Through the efforts of Pastor Chiquete and Becky Loewen we heard on Tuesday that the team WILL RECEIVE a fifteen day visa from the local authorities in Lubango on arrival! It’s a new immigration law. The passports were DHLed back to the team on Tuesday by a contact in the Embassy. They received their passports back on Wednesday and should have left this morning for their trip! Whew!

PRAISE: A few months ago we asked prayer for two ladies who were having difficulties interacting well in the community – one of the ladies came to the ladies meeting today!!! She even participated. It was wonderful to have her come. THANKS for your prayers – her name is Emilia. Pray for her!

About 50 people will descend on Tchincombe on Sunday. Pray for a time of renewal, rest and fun!

Pray especially for Dale Shaw who is the speaker. Indiana has experienced flooding and he has been involved with flood relief efforts so hasn’t had the time to prepare as he would have liked! Pray for God to give him the words He wants us to hear!!

THANKS so much for being there and praying for us and for what God is doing here!

With Love,

Donna

still no word on visas for the team

2008-06-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hi! There is still no word on visas for the team coming to do Spiritual Life Conference – they must receive them at the latest early next week – PRAY!!!!!!!!

PRAISE – we received a $500 gift toward the balance due on the shipping of our Land Rover.

THANKS!!!!

Donna

We have finished 2 weeks of tattooing calves

2008-06-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Hi!

We have finished 2 weeks of tattooing calves – this year 237 calves – lower than our normal but we expected this as we are now limiting the bulls to a strict breeding season so some cows didn’t get pregnant as they were out of sync.

Spiritual Life Conference for missionaries here at Tchincombe June 23 – 27. With only 2 weeks to go the team leading the conference still doesn’t have visas!! PRAY!!! Pray too for all logistics that need to be worked through.

Dagmar, our field leader, still hasn’t received a work visa – this has been a long wait – she and we are asking for wisdom about how to proceed. She has submitted a work visa application in Namibia as well as the SIM team there is also without a field leader (their field leader is an American citizen who hasn’t been able to get a work visa for Namibia). Whichever ever visa Dagmar gets first is where she will live! PRAY!!

One of our missionary colleagues has a Land Rover for sale for $18,000. It would be a great vehicle for Foxes and significantly decrease their outgoing expenses. Pray that somehow this money would become available!

Foxes write: “We continue to pray to the Lord for His provision of funds, and we just had 2 more churches commit to supporting us. Please pray for new contacts as we have run out of all of our leads. This is the first time we have been at this point. We don't loose heart or faith....it's just being stretched a little more.”

Continue to pray for those having marital issues! Pray for wisdom for their counselors. THANKS!

Thanks so much for your faithfulness in prayer!!!!

In Him,

Donna & Stirling

tchincombe@gmail.com

2008-05-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Tchincombe!

Note NEW E-MAIL ADDRESSes!!

tchincombe@gmail.com , stirling.foster@sim.org or donna.foster@sim.org

the tchincombe@uuplus.com will be discontinued soon!! Please change!!

Thanks for praying for the meetings at Imbondwe! There was a good crowd on Saturday night – but it was COLD watching a movie out of doors! On Sunday morning there were about 60 people. A few older people so that’s nice. Please CONTINUE to PRAY that God’s Word and His Spirit would work and that folk would ponder all that they hear and CHOOSE life!

Pray for Kambwela and Fatima – they are a married couple here at Tchincombe – neither believers – they are having major marital issues. Seems that mothers-in-law on both sides don’t like the match so it’s more than just their personal issues – pray for wisdom and discernment.

Pray too for Kandendele and Tualele – they too are having marital problems. He’s a Believer. She is not.
Pray as we counsel with these two couples.

Pray for new churches and supporters for the Fox family!

Pray for SLC 2008 (June 23-27) which is here at Tchincombe – we will be at least 50 people – pray for refreshment and renewal.

Your prayers are greatly appreciated!!

Love,

Donna

Last week as Stirling said gives new meaning to ‘a wretched night’.

2008-05-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Tchincombe!

We are basically doing well. A little tired! Last week as Stirling said gives new meaning to ‘a wretched night’. The 12-24 hour ‘run to the loo’ flu ran through all of us during the course of the week! It seems that the 12 or 24 depended on age! The young folk got the 12 hour but Stir and I had the 24 hour. Always starting at around 11 PM – Meghan was first Sun night, Stirling Thurs to Fri, Jeff and Matt Fri night, and yours truly Sat to Sun – no fun! But we have all been healthy this week just a little tired.

Wanted to remind you that this is the last weekend in the month – tomorrow we go to Imbondwe. Brent will be heading up games and skits with young people in the afternoon, Jesus film in the evening and then church on Sunday morning. Please pray. Kandendele’s parents recovered from their illnesses – thanks for praying!!!

As we show the Jesus film we will be stopping periodically to explain things and see if there are any questions. The film is in Portuguese and most people speak only Olungambwe. We have been in touch with the Jesus film people about getting it translated. Please pray for Peter Ritchie (Canadian SIMer who’s on home assignment) as he interacts with the Jesus film organization about this translation.

Stirling and the UIEA church leadership have been filling out loan applications to get a loan for the fencing. It seems like such a big step. Pray!

Ongoing Requests:

for the extra funds for the transport on the vehicle
support, outgoing expenses for Fox family – and also for their encouragement! (Lawrence, Cynthia, Dylan, Megan, Garrett, and Melanie)
Verhoefs are soon on their way to Portugal for a year before coming to Angola – they will do language and Bible school

THANK YOU so much standing with us!

Love,

Donna

What happens when you start to harvest, wash & wax car, and want to cut hay??

2008-05-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

Hi!

What happens when you start to harvest, wash & wax car, and want to cut hay?? It RAINS! Yikes!

On returning from Namibia we found the usual May weather - dry season – clear, dry and cool! But yesterday it got hot, clouded up and rained! We are hoping to be able to dry out the millet that’s already been harvested!

Stirling makes a day trip to Lubango today – pray for stamina and patience! Somewhere along the line Stirling has wrenched his shoulder. Pray for patience to endure the pain and to use it carefully.

PRAISE – Soma is feeling much better – it was touch and go for a day or two but he’s on the mend. Of course, Steve Collins is very relieved!

Please pray for Sheila Fabiano – the importation of her vehicle has been one unexpected hassle after the other – it’s been in port since end of March and still has not been released!

Remember to pray for the visa of Dagmar Henchoz our field leader who has not been able to be in the country since last year!

YOU ARE WONDERFUL PARTNERS – THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US!!!!

Donna for all of us!

We rolled in at 8:00 AM this morning

2008-05-03T05:19:00.000-07:00

Hi from Tchincombe! We rolled in at 8:00 AM this morning – we got across border yesterday at 4 PM Friday and were ready to get here! One part of the road we hadn’t traveled before and we kept thinking it would get better as we came along but it didn’t! From the border to Tchincombe it’s only 170 km (+/- 110 miles) but it took 14 hours - For most of the night we averaged about 9km/hour! We did stop and snooze from 1-3AM. Anyway we are home and tired but happy to be here! Love, Donna for all of us!

PS Please pray for a Saint Bernard pup named SOMA, he’s the pet of our colleague, Dr. Steve Collins. Dr. Collins is single and nearing retirement age and Soma is his buddy – travels with him to clinics – right now Steve’s been in Quito doing cataract surgeries and they are now on their way to Huambo. Soma is very sick. We’ve consulted by radio this morning and Steve’s started treatments. THANKS!

last e-mail from Windhoek

2008-04-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Praying Friends,

This will be our last e-mail from Windhoek. We head up to Angola tomorrow. Will camp in Tsumeb where we meet Peter and Shelley who are traveling down from Angola to go to USA for their home assignment.

Brent, Steve and Peggy did church at Imbondwe on Sunday( it was the last Sunday) and there were 44 people! Pray for God’s word to take root in hearts!

Please continue to pray for the Foxes!

Pray too for Peter, Annie and Boaz Verhoef – this Dutch family are making plans to go to Portugal in 6 weeks for language study and Bible School.

On Friday we’ll camp at Rua Cana and then Saturday cross over into Angola. Pray for us as we still feel rather tired!

With Love,

Donna for all of us!

Cynthia and Lawrence Fox and their 4 children

2008-04-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hi! Shop till you drop is what Windhoek is usually about! BUT this time we’ve decided to take it a little slower – there’s always SO MUCH to do and we have been feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhausted! So we are doing a few fun things and not just shopping and rushing back. We had a great camping trip – the location was AWESOME - the facilities were a little wanting but we still enjoyed ourselves. Winter is coming! Nights were COLD!

One of you who pray very faithfully asked who the Foxes were and were they from the USA – we’ve slipped up somewhere in keeping you informed! So let us fill you in properly!

Cynthia and Lawrence Fox and their 4 children are currently living in CA. They are from Oregon originally. They have been accepted by SIM and appointed to Tchincombe! YEAH! We met them last year when they came to NC for their SIM orientation. We had a great day together – too short. The kids got along very well! Lawrence will be heading up the mechanic end of things – a HUGE need for Tchincombe! Cynthia will be home schooling her kids and ours! We are very much looking forward to their coming to Tchincombe! With another family so many things could go forward – especially outreach to the preaching points! The expense of getting a family of 6 to the field is LARGE but not BIGGER than our God! So please pray for them as the raise support for monthly needs as well as outgoing expenses (vehicle, language study in Portugal, and airfare)! PRAY!!!!

Some of you have had messages bounce back from the Tchincombe address so if you have been having trouble getting through to us on Tchincombe@uuplus.com OR we haven’t answered you please try stirling.foster@sim.org .. UUPlus is looking into the problem!

We’ll head back to Angola the beginning of next week.

We have acquired an African Grey parrot – 10 weeks old – what a cutie – named him BP because we got him from the owners of the BP service station! Parrots are much more affordable this side of the ocean!!

With Love,

Donna & Stirling

a family camping trip!

2008-04-18T07:23:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

We are away from Windhoek for the weekend on a family camping trip! We are looking forward to a little R&R! We return on Monday to do more shopping and car repair/maintenance.

Please continue to pray for Firmino, Tutyiale, and Paulo as they run the farm in our absence!

Pray also that Lawrence and Cynthia Fox’s monthly support and one-time expenses would be met ASAP!

You are a vital part of this ministry – thank you for praying!!

In Him,

Donna for all of us!

what an adventure we had getting here!

2008-04-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Praying Friends,

Greetings from Namibia and what an adventure we had getting here! I thought of sending you an e-mail before starting our journey but things were in such a rush that I didn’t get a chance but it would have been comforting to know you were praying!

We were to cross at a different border post than usual because our normal post is inaccessible because of impassable roads. So we set the GPS to the route we call Tchincombe to International border BUT we forgot that international border WAS NOT Rua Cana which was where we wanted to cross but Epupa Falls where there is actually no border post!

We got away only at 9 AM Saturday morning as I (Donna) had done a meat run to town on Friday and got back only at 10 PM. So Saturday morning we headed off and went left at Kahama following the GPS route – by late afternoon we were nowhere near our destination and Stir thought it was taking longer than it should but we still hadn’t twigged to the exact problem – so we set up camp (had brought all camping equipment) in the middle of nowhere, had a meager supper – we were planning on sleeping not in the bush but in civilization on other side of border!! We were asleep by 7 PM.

Up at 4:00AM and by 11 AM it clicked with Stirling what was happening – fortunately we didn’t go to Epupa falls but the 150 miles we went west we had to come back east and only got across the border at 4 PM. The most stressful moment came when we came to a river crossing (usually dry river bed) BUT the river was running!! Fortunately there was a rocky bottom and the Land Rover plowed right through!

The drive was actually VERY beautiful and we could enjoy it because the road was so bad we were going slowly. Actually saw 2 plum colored starlings – a very rare sighting!

We enjoyed Jeffrey’s birthday at a friends’ guest farm – he is always thrilled when we visit Schoenfeld – we all enjoy visiting our friends there.

We are now in Windhoek and will be shopping for the farm and ourselves!

Please pray for Kandendele’s parents – they live at Imbondwe where we have started the new preaching point. They have been quite sick with vomiting and diarrhea. Pray for health – pray for them to not be afraid – such illness brings lots of fear and they don’t know yet know the One who can take away fear!!!

Please also continue to pray for the Fox family – monthly support needs and one-time outgoing needs! We desperately need them at Tchincombe! We are wearing thin! If you know of someone who’s recently gotten involved with missions and would like to support a family let us know or contact SIM to get support info for the Foxes!

As always pray for the leadership team at Tchincombe while we are away!

Thanks for standing in the gap!

Donna for all of us!

Tchincombe has jumped into the 21st century!

2008-04-06T11:58:00.001-07:00

Greetings over cyberspace! Tchincombe has jumped into the 21^st century! We have an up and running satellite internet system! Jeffrey can do his school from here – except exams with his proctor.

PRAISE – the service at Imbondwe went GREAT! There were over 100 people for church on Sunday morning. We DID get rained out for the Jesus film on Saturday night but soon there will be 6 months of dry weather and other opportunities to show the film. Pray that the Word of God would come to the minds of those who attended!

Thanks to all who have prayed for Jamie! He is home – he must have regular transfusions to provide immune protection – a bone marrow transport is the next step but not soon.

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR ME.

AS YOU CAN SEE, I AM NOW FEELING FINE

JAMIE

Stirling went to town this afternoon for a farmer’s coop meeting tomorrow. Pray for that interaction. Do you remember that a farmer friend died as the result of a gun accident – the youngest son of that man died in a motorbike accident 2 weeks ago! Please pray for Mrs. Nascimento and her son Marco.

THANKS for standing with us!

Donna & Stirling