After 20 plus years in (mostly Mozambique), people are asking Francois and Nadia Hattingh what are they doing in Cape Town. In short, Francois and Nadia’s reply is… multiplication!
Francois and Nadia are in a position to multiply themselves in training other cross-cultural workers. Will you soon see a training centre with the mission organisation’s name in big bold letters in front? Probably not. This training is church based. Part of Francois’s job is to connect with churches and pastors to start what is called a “trialog” between them (as Integral Vision), church leadership and the person or family who wants to be trained. The training is flexible, but still the quality training they are used to within the Global Partnership of New Tribes Mission. Exiting times!
Nadia was in Indonesia for further training as a literacy consultant in January/February. What an amazing opportunity to be trained to take the Word to the ends of the earth! Please continue to pray for the development of Mwinika literacy materials. Literacy is an integral part of the vision to see mature churches develop!
In February, Francois had the opportunity to meet the church and the leadership at a Missions conference in Charlotte, USA – and he was very encouraged by relationships that he forged.
Francois and Nadia’s involvement with the training of cross-cultural workers in South East Africa looks a little bit different from what they as a team originally thought. In essence, they are teaching module 1 in a local church context as an evangelism-training tool. They have also started interviewing missionary candidates with their church leadership. Pray that they will find creative ways to approach churches and mobilise more missionaries!
Nadia contracted bronchitis in December last year and has not completely recuperated. Pray for complete healing and wisdom in managing her life style for better health.
In April, even though Nadia was still sick, she and François felt the Lord was prompting Francois to go to the field conference and even have a short visit to the Mwinika afterwards. They took this step in faith. The local community here responded in a most amazing way! Their church family, the school were threir kids attend (and where Nadia worked) as well as a group of home school moms jumped in providing meals and transport for their kids during the time Francois was away. They are humbled and blessed to be surrounded by so many that show Christ’s love in practical ways!
The other consequence to Nadia’s bad health is that she could not accept a full time post as teacher at the school where,she has been working. She loves the work but the Lord has other plans.
During Francois’s short visit to Mozambique, he saw many local church leaders and neighbours. Even though the community of believers has been through many ups and downs, he is still encouraged to find that the church decided to re-teach the evangelistic cycle Bible lessons with the new members. Praise the Lord!
In June/July Francois and Nadia are planning to visit the Mwinika as a family for a few weeks and are all very excited about the prospect to see their friends and ‘family again! Pray for the preparations, logistics and finances that must come together for them to go. Also, for Nadia’s health to sufficiently improve for her to accompany them.
The Mwinika church still need solar audio players for the audio Bible as well as chronological Bible Lesson. They want to take at least 100 players when they visit Mozambique. Also more chronological Bible pictures need to be printed for Bible teachers to use in reaching out to new communities.
Thank you so much for being a part through prayer, of what the Lord is doing in reaching the unreached!