15 MINUTES FROM THE BIBLE

The radio program continues to be a blessing. We are still receiving about twenty calls a week asking for the free Bible correspondence course which is our initial contact with the person. We continue to conduct Bible seminars three Saturday mornings each month which gives us opportunity for personal contact with those who have made requests. Each month invitations are sent out to the students by area. The seminars are held in a different area each week i.e. the first Saturday in Eerste River, the second Saturday in Delft, and so on. Roger Dickson does a wonderful job of teaching at the seminars and we take the opportunity to meet and talk with the people with the intention of getting them involved in a one-on-one Bible study.  

Most of the students continue to attend the seminars after coming one time. At the seminars a study of one book of the Bible continues for a number of months and the students are given reading assignments each month. The attendance at the seminars ranges between forty to fifty people. There are those who have expressed an interest in having a seminar take place in an area nearer to where they live. Therefore we are researching suitable venues in other areas. In home Bible studies continue as a result of the contact made at the seminars. As a result of the Bible studies in the homes, many have been restored or converted to the Lord. These restorations and conversions have led to several new house churches being established in different areas of Cape Town. We praise God that His Word continues to bring fruit through use of the radio. 

PRAISE AND THANKS

Jan and I want to praise our Father and thank Him for so very many blessings. When He first led us to come to South Africa we knew in our hearts that we would stay as long as He wanted to use us here. Now ten and a half years later we are still so very grateful and exceedingly blessed to have been chosen by Him to live and work in Cape Town. We are especially blessed by the people He puts in our lives, both here in Africa and those of you in the U.S. who are so faithful in your continued support and help. A few weeks ago we made an appeal for some financial help to be able to trade our pick-up for something smaller and more economical. We are so thankful to each of you who were so generous in your help. We have traded the pick-up and now have a two-year-old Nissan automobile. So far the petrol (gasoline) consumption is about 35 to 40 percent better than the pick-up. Also the car uses petrol instead of diesel. Petrol is about 88 cents cheaper per gallon than diesel, so you can see that our monetary savings is significant.           

At present the Lord has us worshipping and working with a small group which currently meets in the home of one of the single moms of the congregation. The group met in our home for about a year, but the transportation was a major problem. Many in the group do not drive at all and very few have any kind of vehicle. Most of you would not believe the vehicles they do have because they are so old and in very poor condition. In fact, one would not see most of these vehicles on roads in America. The cars that they do have are very small, but they pile eight or ten people into each one for the trip from Mitchells Plain to Bellville, where we live. As the group began to grow we began to pray for a place to meet in Mitchells Plain. The Lord then made available to Mandy a rental home that has been enlarged and has a living/dining room that is larger than ours. Those of you who have visited us know that our living area is not large, yet we regularly gathered 40 to 45 people on Sundays.  

Jan and I continue to be blessed by the hearts of these lovely people who just want to grow in the grace of our Lord. At every assembly there is a great deal of sharing about what the Lord is doing in the lives of the members. Sometimes we do not even have time for the lesson that has been planned as the sharing goes on and on. Also prayer is a very big part of our assemblies. It still amazes and pleases us that no one is looking at their watches or clocks. We begin at about 9:30 a.m. and there are days that we don’t quit till 1:00 p.m. or after. Then when we do bring the meeting to a close, no one is in any hurry to leave. Recently the Lord is turning our focus to others (outreach) and we have had several additions to the group. It is such a blessing for us to be allowed to work with this lovely family of God. We praise Him and thank Him daily. Please pray that the Lord will open up other avenues of service as we continue to work in South Africa.

Yours in Christ, 

Jim and Jan Hyde