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!
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! 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. 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 60th 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!
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 60th) 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
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 4th 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
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
Sunday morning service at Imbondwe
Check out these sandals – the laces are shaped like cattle horns! 
Showing the Jesus Film at Imbondwe
