EINFELDTS in South Africa

Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc.

PO Box 1702, Kimberley 8300, South Africa ** www.einfeldtfamily.org** 13 January 2006

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Dear Praying Friends,

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  How often have we heard that phrase lately, with the beginning of the new year!  The best way to make it a happy new year is to conform our lives, as closely as possible, to God's will as shown in His Word.  May we not just be in "maintenance mode" but actually be moving forward in our own understanding of and relationship to the Lord this year, as well as in the service for Him that He gives each of us to do. 

 

REPORT on our holiday with our sons:  So many of you gave your warm wishes for a wonderful time with our sons.  We did have a wonderful time!  Kurt came in with no problems but had difficulty leaving.  Ryan had difficulty getting here, but no setbacks in leaving.  Ryan arrived later than expected as he was unable to board the scheduled flight from Nairobi due to a glitch in his passport.  God gave him wisdom to deal with the situation so, although he arrived 12 hours late, he was 24 hours earlier than when we were told to expect him.  We were thankful.  He left on schedule on 7th January and is now back to his full schedule of teaching in Yaoundé, Cameroon.  Kurt had arrived on schedule but the airline overbooked his departure flight by quite a bit, and the queues to check in were so long and disorganised that he would never have been able to get on his flight anyway.  MANY unhappy passengers missed flights that night.  On the downside was spending so many hours sorting it all out at the airport, and Kurt missing a day of work (and, of course, a day of pay), but the upside is that he was with us an extra day and that he now has a free ticket for another return flight (in America we call it round-trip) wherever in the world that airline flies.  We also were able to talk with another very distraught young woman in line, and pray with her.  She not only missed the flight, but her pants split, and she had some other problems in her life that she spilled out as Sonia prayed with her.  She said she was very thankful for our being there.  May God use this contact as just another "watering" in her life which will bring forth fruit in God's time, as other faithful Christians will also "water".  Pray for this young woman named Nikki.

Some highlights of Ryan's and Kurt's visit:

Ř      The concert, put on mostly by Ryan but with participation by the rest of the family, went very well.  Many who attended told us that they were especially happy that they had come.

Ř      We were able to introduce them to the directors and children of Thusong Children's Centre, and attend a Christmas nativity play put on by the young people there.  Sonia had partially written the play and our colleagues, the Baileys, helped to direct it.  The Premier of the Northern Cape Province was at Thusong that day, so we were all able to meet her as well.

Ř      Ryan and Kurt were able to meet many from the church and community here in Kimberley and visit our colleagues at our mission's newest work in Welkom as well as other friends of ours around Pretoria.

Ř      We were able to see a lot of God's beauty in this country, as we travelled to Oudtshoorn, George and the Garden Route, l'Agulhas (the southernmost tip of Africa where the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean divide), and Cape Town.  In CT, René, Ryan, and Kurt climbed Table Mountain. (Mom most definitely DID NOT try the 600 metre ascent!!)  We also took a boat to "Seal Island" and walked with penguins at the Boulders. 

Ř      We were able to go to a game park in the Pretoria area (where a lioness chased after our car a couple times), as well as just be together to talk and play games as a family.  We visited the Pretoria Zoo on Kurt's extra, unexpected day. 

Three weeks can really FLY BY!!  It was over all TOO soon, but we are SO thankful to God for the time we had together.  We do not take that special privilege for granted.  After both our sons left, we spent one day comparing notes with the founder of another AIDS orphan ministry and meeting with friends that we had known in the Pretoria area – it was nice to fellowship with them again.

 

Now that we have returned to Kimberley, what's next?  Yesterday, René worked with a couple other men to repair the fence where thieves broke through and stole some expensive items from our garage while we were in Pretoria.  We are making lists of "THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK", and getting our schedule worked out for the start of Life Skills classes once again.  We look forward to what God has in store for us this year.  PRAY that we may not only teach these students faithfully, but that in this school year God will also grant us some godly young adults who will desire to learn so that they can in turn teach others.  We want to teach not only students, but teachers as well.  [1 Tim. 2:2]  Thanks for praying.

 

Nicole and her family had her baby dedicated to the Lord on January 1 (Pastor Eion's last day here).  PRAY for the family in this responsibility.  PRAY for Nicole to walk closely with the Lord.  PRAY for her parents, a godly couple desirous of serving the Lord in the church.  The exciting surprise is that Nicole's mom Brigitte was astonished to find out that she, too, is now pregnant!  So this baby, who will be about 7 months younger than Nicole's baby Monique, will in fact be Monique's auntie or uncle.  Brigitte is finding that she is quite tired and not feeling completely well, so pray for her!

 

How can you specifically pray for us this year?   Pray --

1)           that we would maintain a close walk with the Lord.

2)           that we will be able to help the church during this interim period now that Pastor Eion has gone.

3)           that we will know how much work in the church to add to our schedule and when to insist that the church people take responsibility for the work themselves.

4)           that we will be able to reach the hearts of students during this next school year with the Life Skills classes, and that we will also be able to teach teachers.

5)           for our AIMI colleagues.  Kara and Katherine Bailey's time with us will already be coming to a close the end of April.  PRAY that God will raise up others to come and work with us, both here in Kimberley, and in Welkom.  PRAY that God will burden the hearts of some of the local Christians to take over some of their Bible clubs.  PRAY for Libbey Youngberg whom we still await to come work with us.  PRAY for the Schraders in Welkom and for final government approval to legally take in children SOON.  PRAY for another missionary couple (Niehoffs) raising support to work in Welkom, as well as a couple who hopes to be in Cameroon by June of this year (Titas).  Our other colleague already in Cameroon is, of course, Ryan.  PRAY for David and Sally Seefried, for wisdom for the ministry as well as good health. 

6)           that God will continue to guide our sons in their own ministry and work, that God will continue to keep them close to Himself and direct them.  They both desire to serve Him however He desires.

 

Perhaps this will be the year that our Lord will come again!  That would be wonderful!  But whether or not it is, let us be found faithful to HIM in all that we do.  May God's blessings be yours in 2006. 

 

Because of His love,

 

 

René and Sonia Einfeldt

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mission:  Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc., PO Box 627, Longmont, CO 80502

sending church:  First Baptist Church, 39 E. Main Street, Randolph, NY 14772

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Attached: picture of our family taken on the first day of 2006: Kurt, Sonia, René, Ryan.  [To view photo, Click here to go to Family News page.]

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