A month has gone by now since I’ve been in South Africa. Time has passed quickly, even with things taking awhile to come here. Life has really thrown curve balls at me lately such as hearing that both my sisters were in the hospital back in Canada. Thankfully nothing was too serious with either of them.

These last two weeks have been very interesting. We finished a plumbing job and started a new project to drain some water in the girls bathrooms. We will hopefully finish up that project this week. Many things have happened here in South Africa. One that stands out to me was on April 27, we had a group staying in the guest house and the stove top went out. This made things interesting as it was a holiday here in South Africa. I had to open the main kitchen for them to use and show them how to use the facilities.

We finished the current term and now the students are on break. We were at ten students but two completed their studies and are preparing for their internships. The other 8 are taking a break to recharge.

An event that reminds me of being back in Florida is the church we went to on April 29th. This church was massive and I felt majorly out of place. The church service was great. It was awesome worship and a great sermon.

Each day I have been here presents a different challenge for me. Many of these challenges are simple but some are going to take a long time to figure out. One blessing that I am very grateful is that potatoes here are so cheap. I am also blessed by many of the students. Before the term ended I had a chance to talk with Paul Henri (or as we call him Papa Paul). He told me that I should get married. He told me this after he had asked if I had a wife or a girlfriend, to which I answered no. On the last Saturday before the term ended we had a Fun Night. We were supposed to play sardines and talk around a fire. Instead it became a bucket-of-water-dumping festival. Pretty much everyone except a few students and Jason and Karen got wet. After that we played two games of sardines which was a ton of fun

We also had an oppurtunity to talk to two Samaritan ladies. These are ladies who sell their bodies for a living. I did not talk with any of them but through two of the students we came to find out that at least one of the seven they talked with believed in Christ. I sat in the vehicle and prayed while the students talked with the ladies.

I want to praise God that He has kept me healthy for the most part. Also I want to thank everyone for their constant prayers. God is teaching me things that I am still trying to understand. A thing that He has taught me so far is to come before Him first in fear and humbleness then present my prayers before Him. I really need prayer for understanding and strength. A verse that is always encouraging to me is Psalm 25:1. “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.”

Thanks again and please continue in your prayers for me.

Over a year ago we had a dream to go and serve God in Australia. As it slowly became a reality the excitement grew. And now we are at the one year mark since we began our internship with Teen Missions. We got here because of all of you. Thank you!

What’s next? First we have been asked to stay in Australia until the middle of July and we have agreed. With the support that we have received from your one year commitments, you have provided what we need until the middle of July. After that we will travel to Florida for a short visit. Then we head up to Canada. In September our first child should be born. Our time here in Australia has been invaluable, thank you for sharing in the work here.

We told you about Easterfest, a large event over Easter that Teen Missions does a lot of promotions. Well, the students had a great time. There were a few registrations for the summer teams and we hope to have more in the next week or two. Please pray with us for the teams this year to fill with Teens wanting to share God’s love around the world.

Your fellow workers in Christ,

Todd & Rosemary MacPherson

2 Cor. 12:9-10

So I left the winter prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada to head to the sunny plains of Uganda. During my time in Uganda I faced many challenges. Being on a short term trip to a different country and living in a different country are two different things. My first night in Uganda the power went out and I had to use a candle. When I went to blow it out I almost caught my mosquito net on fire! Life was going to be a lot different than Canada. Once in Uganda I found out I would be helping to run a Boot Camp on the other side of the country. We where short leaders for teams so I was chosen to lead a team.

For those that don’t know what a national Boot Camp is let me explain. Teen Missions runs Boot Camps just like in the USA all over the world. This allows kids from different countries to serve the Lord. The Boot Camp had over 80 kids and my team had 11. We where an evangelism team so during Boot Camp the kids learned how to share about Christ using music, puppets and drama. It was not easy leading a team with kids from a different culture. For one, some of them did not speak English very well. They would talk in many different languages that I had no clue what they where saying! For seven weeks I lived out in the bush, eating all national food, sleeping in a tent and of course bucket baths! I was glad when the team went home and I could go back to the main base in Jinja.

I was not sure why the Lord had brought me to Uganda. I thought I was doing a good job in Canada and there was a need there. However, I believe God called me to Uganda for a time to learn. Christmas Eve I cried myself to sleep being away from everyone I knew and loved. God walked me through the hard and lonely times. I grew closer to my Savior in those weeks than ever before. We may not always like what God ask of us to do. But if we obey and trust Him. We will bring glory and honor to Him.

After the Boot Camp was over I found out a new staff couple was coming to Uganda and I was no longer needed at the base. So the next step of my journey began. I was sent to Zambia! Why Zambia? Teen Missions has another ministry called Motorcycle Sunday School Mission. Allow me to share about this new ministry that started in 2007.

Our Circuit Riders are using motorcycles to carry God’s Word into remote areas with little to no established Christian witness. Each motorcycle circuit normally consists of six Sunday Schools that meet weekly to hear Bible stories and lessons that explain the meaning of the gospel message, often with the help of visual aids. Each week we teach literacy classes to children and adults. We have developed a system of teaching games using phonics. African children need the help in reinforcing reading and writing skills in order to pass on to the next grade. English is taught in schools, however, because the children are usually only able to speak their native dialects they find English quite difficult and without the extra help a child can remain in the same grade for years. Our Circuit riders also carry life-saving medications with them. At times they are the only source of malaria, cold, stomach and wound medicines these people can access.

I had the chance to go with one of our riders to the remote bush for a whole week. The riders work very hard to bring hope to these remote places. We had to cross rivers and go through deep forest where you think no one even lives. Then all of a sudan I would see many little children running out to great us. Some of the villages we went to we where the only medical help. The nearest place would be a three hour walk. I encourage you to visit our website at www.motorcyclessmissions.org/ to see more about what we are doing.

On March 5th I flew back to Florida. It was so nice to be back in the USA after being away since September. I have been asked to help with MSSM Promotions and Teen Missions Promotions. We would like to add more sunday schools not only in Africa but also Asia, South America and Europe . We have a goal to have 212 Sunday Schools by 12/12/12 right now we have 114! Join us in prayer as we raise the money to start the schools and train the missionaries that will go out.

There is lots of work to be done at the main base. We have over 650 people signed up to go all over the world. I have been asked to lead the Malawi Preteen Team. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Please pray for my time as we travel and do our project. It is such a huge blessing to serve the Lord and reach out not only around the world but right here in America. Right now I have 17 kids signed up to go. Pray that us leaders will be able to reach out to them and disciple in the word. These kids are the church of TODAY! If they can get on fire for God at a young age who knows what they next generation will do for the Kingdom.

Finally I was able to go back to PA for Easter! What a huge blessing to see my family and many of you ! I want to thank you for standing with me. I could not do this without your prayers and support. You travel with me where ever I go to serve the Lord. We are in this together! May the Lord bless you for your part in His Kingdom. I leave you with a quote from Spurgeon.

Someone asked, Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we — who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not — can be saved.
- Charles Spurgeon

Serving Christ,

Josiah Frey

2 Cor 4:16-18

Justin and I had the opportunity to go along on the Encourager Runs, a monthly visit to each Rescue Unit to deliver supplies and check on the progress of the ministry there, as well as offering encouragement and refreshment to the facilitators of each unit. Since our Ugandan Teen Boot Camp was on their project time we also had the chance to visit three of the teams and see the progress of their work. Though the days were long and tiring and we travelled many a bumpy, dusty road, and even crossed a lake, it was wonderful meeting with the different facilitators who all welcomed us with open arms.

Reaching TTT (Telling the Truth), one of our Rescue Units is either a twelve hour drive around a lake or a four hour drive plus a four hour boat ride. When we visited this unit we traveled by boat and we of course spent the night. As we were getting ready for bed, we kept hearing a strange noise coming from the far corner of our room. In checking it out, we were surprised to discover that we had a roosting chicken for a roommate! The next morning we awoke to discover that some of the chicks had hatched overnight.

We also had the opportunity to visit the home of Opwono Charles, one of the students from our Uganda BIBLE, MISIONARY & WORK Training Center (UBMW). Opwono’s mother is one of two wives, and his older brother actually has three wives! They all live near each other in small houses or even huts and all the children run around and play together. When we arrived we were warmly greeted and sent to sit in one of the huts while they served us soda pop and biscuits (sweet crackers). We were the first Muzungus (white people) to ever be a guest at their home! We sat and enjoyed chatting with Opwono’s mother (with him translating – she didn’t speak any English). He also shared with us all the sacrifices she had made for him to be able to go to school. At one time she would even make charcoal to sell for his school fees, etc. As we were getting ready to leave she gave us a large bag of dried sweet potatoes & also a bag of millet. Then she gave Shannon and Camille each a chicken. We were overcome by her generosity – out of her poverty she gave so much! It was a great lesson for us that day and we were incredibly humbled and challenged.

 Serving Together,

Justin & Shannon O’Hara

Josiah Frey

I am not sure even where to start my report. So much has happened over the last two months. As you know Robert Bland asked me to go to Bugio to help with the Boot Camp. They were short leaders for teams so they made me a head leader on the Dokolo Evangelism Team. Part of me wanted to do it the other part said no! This was the hardest team I have ever lead. For the first time in my life I did not want to light my commissioning candle. Not only did I struggle with the cultural differences but being away from everyone I knew for so long. I did not see another white person for 7 weeks. I had nothing but African food, my Christmas was spent away from everyone I knew and loved. I really struggled and on Christmas Eve I broke down and cried for a long time. Even with all the training I have had and all the times I have been on a teams it was hard. God took me out of my comfort zone so far, I forgot I had one! Everything that people told me I was good at seemed to fail. People say that I am good with communication, yet my leaders say I was bad at it. I was told I was not a man of prayer. My team was not organized and I could not motivate them. Things that I was so good seemed to be out of my control. But here is when God can use us the most. God has given us each gifts to use for the Kingdom and at times we think as long as we walk in those gifts we will be ok. Those 7 weeks I learned more about serving God and working in another country then all of my teams combined. I look back and there where so many times I wanted to leave. The only way I made it was by clinging to Christ with all my heart. I take no glory for what happened, if I was not to much of a people pleaser I would have walked from my team. Every day I wanted it to be over. I praise God that He got me through it and taught me so much. At times the lessons we learn are not fun. But if we are to be true soldiers for Christ we must go through them. Leading national teens was completely different then leading Americans. And anyone that says it is the same HAS NEVER DONE IT! For 7 weeks I experienced something that only a handful of Teen Missions staff/interns have ever gone through. No one will ever understand completely unless they have been through it. It is a experience that can either drive you away from missions for all your life or make you more on fire. I have to admit during the time of my team I was experiencing the first. I wanted to come home and never lead a team again or go through another Boot Camp in my life. But Jesus never said serving Him would be easy or that we would always want to do the hard things. I praise God that when we are weak in our commitment to Him, He is even stronger in His commitment to us! May the Lord bless you all as you serve in Florida.

Josiah Frey

Currently a lot of our energy is going toward getting stuff ready for Easterfest. I (Rosemary) am working on a photo board for Easterfest. This is something new for me, but I’m learning a lot as I try to find pictures and print them off. I just have a few more photos to get and printed off and put on before it is finished.

Todd has been working on the sidewalk again. Unfortunately it has been raining off and on for the last few days, so  they have not been to pour the cement on Friday, like they wanted to.  Other than that, he has been gathering supplies for Easterfest. He has been gathering bean bags, TVs, the wall, tables, sumo suits, carpets, slushie mix… All the necessities for promoting at Easterfest!

Your Brother and Sister in Christ,
Todd and Rosemary

Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus prays continuously. He praises, questions, and pleads with his heavenly father. Through his prayers, we as Christians are able to see that he experienced everything we experience and can relate to everything we go through. My personal favorite prayer of Jesus is when he was on the Mount of Olives, before his crucifixion. He was begging with God to take away the responsibility he had to carry out. It says he was in agony over it. Still, Jesus was willing to comply and prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”

Just like Jesus prayed continuously throughout his ministry, so should we. It says in Acts 6 that we should “give ourselves continually in prayer.” In our prayers, we should recognize God’s sovereignty and holy character. Our prayers should incorporate praise for what He has done, like thanking him for characteristics of his stunning creation or praise for His qualities such as His merciful and forgiving personality.

One of the main components in the Lord’s Prayer and other prayers of Jesus was forgiveness. Forgiveness is such a huge part of our relationship with Christ. We enter in to our relationship with Christ by forgiveness and without that forgiveness we would attain no hope for eternity in heaven. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (ESV)

There are many different opinions on how prayer should be approached. Personally, I like to begin my prayers with thankfulness to God. By realizing our blessings first, our wants and needs seem not as large. It is disrespectful and displeasing to talk to God with a spirit of depression and self-pity, whining for something we want just to have it! God has supplied us with all we need and more so we need to approach God with a spirit of thankfulness.

There are times that we feel like God does not answer our prayers. It’s not to say He isn’t working in our lives, but we must be careful in the way we conduct our prayers. For example, a prayer that is displeasing is the dictatorial prayer. The individual brings their desires to God and tries to get God to accept them. All they say is, “I want this and I want that.” It might not be communicated quite like that, but it is the cry of the heart. The person is not considering what God wants, they are just thinking of themselves. These prayers lack a considerable amount of submission. This kind of prayer argues with God in order to convince him that their plans should happen and their desires should be granted because their way is best way. But God is on his throne and he will not tolerate any dictation from us. When we pray to God in this selfish, self-seeking way, we cannot pray in his will. We are asking God to let us know of nothing else but the satisfaction of our own wishes.

Although we must express a character of thanksgiving in our prayers, it is not that we can’t ask God for anything. God already knows our needs, but it is the humbling and meek characteristics that God wants us to learn – realizing that we are in need of Him. God wants us to ask for not our will to be done but his so that we might learn to rely on him.

Another prayer that is displeasing to God is the grumbling prayer. The grumbling prayer is complaining to God that nothing in our life has been going right. And attitude of dissatisfaction is made known throughout the prayer. Things are not going the way the person who is praying wants things to go so they are unsatisfied. Whether they are conscious of it or not, they blame their current circumstances which frustrate them on God. God has provided us with what we need and we must be content with what we have, what we must do, and who we must work with, realizing that it is all part of His will. There are many people out there who are like kids who run to their parents with complaints about their playmates. God wants us to put away childish things and approach Him like right-minded, sensible, intelligent, grown-up individuals.

C.S. Lewis said, “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God- it changes me.”¹ Prayer is spiritual union with God. Prayer is that act of going into God’s presence to be with the Lord. Prayer is the master key to everything we have been called to do. Without prayer, our lives are empty, human and lack the presence of heaven. It is mortal and will not stand.

My bag is packed and I am ready to leave for the Promise Land…Uganda, AFRICA.  My Christmas this year will be spent leading a national EV team. When you tell God you are willing, you’d better mean it! I will be eating African food and not seeing any other American till next year. How do I feel? A little bit of everything!! Please tell the students that if you obey God and do well in BMW,God will use you for things that you never thought of before! A month ago I was living in Canada, and now I am getting ready to lead a Uganda Team and to help run a Boot Camp. I miss Florida and my family BUT this is when I cling to my Savior and step off the cliff of faith into His mighty Hand!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Josiah Frey

Samuel Drawbond