by Juliet Millard | Jul 10, 2017 | Chile
Mondays…
It’s another day. Another Monday. I really didn´t want to get out of bed this morning and go to school. It was one of those mornings where you want nothing more than to just roll back over and sleep for 5 more days. I could also see my breath when I woke up this morning, it was that cold in my room. Although, I´m surprisingly getting used to that. Chilean winters aren´t too fierce but sometimes the mornings can be tough. Either way, I made it to the school and I´m sitting here now preparing for my last week of school. It’s crazy to think that I only have 2 weeks left here in Chile, and only one week left at the school. I would be lying if I didn´t say that doesn´t excite me a bit (or maybe even a lot). But, I know that every day counts and I´m trying to make the most of my last few days here.
I haven´t written a blog post for a while, partly because of a lack of time, but even more so because I couldn´t come to any conclusions on what to write about. It´s not because I have nothing to share, because trust me – I do! I´m just hyper aware of my audience, my purpose in writing these blogs, and my genuine desire to write honest and informative reflections. I have good days, I have bad days. I sometimes have small, but significant moments with students, and sometimes I just “survive” the day. But, the truth of it all is that the days are harder than they are easy. And in hard times and in our discomfort (in a new place, in new relationships, new environments, etc.) it´s easy to focus on everything that´s hard and everything that we don´t like. Maybe you´re just more positive than I am, and that´s not something you struggle with. But, I think if we´re honest with ourselves, we all get caught up in focusing on the wrong things sometimes.
Today when I woke up all I could focus on was how much I didn´t want to go to school and how much I just wanted this week to be over already. But, here I am at school and I´ve found myself humming a very familiar song. I don´t know how it got stuck in my head, but it did. I´ve got the Matt Redman, 10,000 Reasons song stuck in my head. I remember when that song first came out and it was so popular. We sang it almost every week in church and I learned it on the piano so I could play it all the time at home. I haven´t really sung that song for a while now, but for some reason I found my self singing it today.
The song starts out with the words, “The sun comes up, it´s a new day dawning. It´s time to sing Your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, Let me be singing when the evening comes……..” I have never in my life thought more about those words than I have today. What I viewed my mornings as another chance to sing His song? What if I genuinely, truly and honestly, let myself trust the Lord more? I know I should. Of course I know I should. But easier said than done, right? I think it’s crazy the way God works. The way God uses small things, small moments, friends, teachers, and even songs to speak to us. I don´t have many wise words to say in response to this. But, I´m encouraged. And I´m challenged. And I´m reminded that we really do have, as the song continues, 10,000 reasons to sing His praises.
Join me today in making this Monday (and every day) a day of praises!
by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jul 8, 2017 | Health, South Africa
I was reminded of our donkeys on my
father’s farm as we travelled back home yesterday. Speed was not their forte on
the way from their place of abode…but just turn them around! The moment they
realised they were headed on back to the kraal, they galloped as if a demon
from hell itself was pursuing them. All this to say, we made good time on our
way back to Cape Town…
We had a long way ahead of us, but we had a
late start…how could we refuse a full English farmhouse breakfast with some of
the dearest people we now have the privilege of calling friends? Or better
still, family in Jesus. Keith and Pam went out of their way to make us feel
welcomed and loved.
All of those we met these past two weeks
were wonderful and kind hosts…we truly experienced Christian hospitality at its
best. Thank you one and all.
Unfortunately, my Man Cold has taken a turn
downhill. I now sound like a nasally Mr Toad from Wind in the Willows. Croak.
Thankfully, Louise is still fine.
We came home to a warm welcome from those
who were at the GtC office. It is always nice to know one was missed.
John Ramsdale, who had promised to do some
research into Arthur’s work at Zonnebloem, had also left two photocopied pages taken
from a three volume work which he found in one of the cupboards at the College.
The author cites statements made by Bishop Gray and Arthur’s superior, Glover,
in which Arthur is described as “a teacher of outstanding ability” and as “an energetic
good man” who “shows much kindness to the boys, making friends of them as well
as out of school as in school.” The author then goes on to say that “it was
provident that a man of such a calibre had been chose as Sub-Warden, for Glover
resigned his post in May 1869 and Lomax had the entire responsibility of
superintending the College for the next two years.” I do need to see this work
for myself, as the author cites letters and reports that may yet be in
existence somewhere.
All in all, I must say, this trip was
rewarding. Time alone will tell how many
will respond positively to our challenge to set dates for future trainings, but
we trust that the Lord will water the seeds sown and provide the growth in His
good time. We heard that some Anglican priests were trained by J-Life this past
weekend in Queenstown in spite of our struggle to meet with our coordinators.
We trust that they will now meet up with Siphiwo and together make a concerted
effort to get the training up and running through the Mbashe Diocese.
Lord, in Your mercy…hear our prayer.
This ends the travel diary of our short
trip to the Eastern Cape.
–>
Stay tuned for more exciting news as the
Lord opens doors for ministry through the Province!
by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jul 6, 2017 | Health, South Africa
I have the Man Cold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbmbMSrsZVQ Louise will tell you I am a miserable sod when I have a cold…I’m bad enough when I’m healthy, but when I have a cold I become a pitiful, pathetic please-feel-sorry-for-me blob. Well, maybe not quite that bad, but I do feel very sorry for myself when I have a cold.

However, I do have the ability to rise to the occasion when I have to, and as we still had two presentations today, one this morning and one this evening, I had to swallow hard and carry on. Both sessions were rather informative…the questions put to us after the presentation always reveal the pulse of the parish or diocese. Today was no different. We are surprised that so many months after the Provincial Synod’s charge to Growing the Church to find a way to promote the Archbishop of Canterbury’s challenge for global intentional discipleship, there are still many on the parish level that know nothing about it. This is one of the reasons we have taken to the road to inform the people in the various Dioceses of this new Disciple-making material taught by GtC…and everywhere, we have had positive responses with people wanting to set dates. But the setting of dates is not our prerogative…that has to be set by the Diocese itself…and so we can do little more than leave the ball in their court with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will lead and direct their deliberations in the future.
Both presentations today were very positive. The Plettenberg Bay Community is rather diverse with rich and poor rubbing gathering together as one parish. In the morning session, we also had a

representative from the local Community Church attending who would like to do the course with the Anglicans. Wonderful!
This evening, representatives from a poorer area came to hear about our LEAD program. They were so excited and also wanted to know when we were coming to do the training. All we can do is pray and encourage.
Tomorrow we head on home…this will be a long day…between 6 to 7 hours of driving with a stop or two. But we need to get the rental car back before 5 PM if we are to avoid extra charges. So, we push on though…man cold or not…
by Johann and Louise Vanderbijl | Jul 5, 2017 | Health, South Africa
Today was a driving day…that’s basically all we did all day. We left East London at 7:30, admittedly a little later than we had planned, but both of us were…actually are…tired. We had no meetings and, other than Louise calling Mother’s Union and AWF leaders to remind them of a breakfast on July 15 when we will introduce the LEAD material to them, we did not really do any work type stuff.
Unfortunately, the CD player and radio in the car has a rather bad stutter…so we couldn’t listen to music. We talked a lot…about our children and grandchildren…about our ministry…about the Lord…we spoke to the Lord a lot too.
And we did not take a single photograph. We enjoyed the scenery…this really is one of the most beautiful parts of the world…we saw quite a few wild animals…we enjoyed lunch at a Greek Restaurant a stone’s throw away from the beach at Jeffrey’s Bay…and we enjoyed meeting Keith and Pam Berning, our hosts for tonight and tomorrow night in Plettenberg Bay.
We spoke to Pam at length about the LEAD program, we spoke about prayer, healing of memories (desperately needed in southern Africa!), we spoke about the churches in the area and their struggles, and oh so many other things.
We are about to enjoy a lovely dinner Keith has prepared for us, so if I don’t have anything more to say, I will not return to this blog until tomorrow.
by Cathy Donahoe | Jul 5, 2017 | Dominican Republic
When I moved to the Dominican Republic 10 years ago, I didn’t know how long I would be here, and I still don’t know. Throughout these 10 years, the ministry has morphed from primarily treating patients needing physical therapy, to primarily teaching Dominican physical therapy students, which certainly has a greater impact on how Dominicans are treating their patients. God has been very active throughout these years here, preparing me all along through relationships established and experience gained for each phase of the ministry. In addition to the physical therapy aspect of the ministry, God has been using me in my congregation and community in various service ministry roles.
This edition will have fewer words and more pictures, in a recap of these years of ministry. More photos are available on my website. Thank you for joining this ministry! Please continue to pray for the students, the Dominican therapists, the community of Santa Fe and for God’s love to reach all corners of this island!
Consolation ministry (2008-now): Juan who suffered a spinal cord injury and returned home without hope.

Clinic work (2007-2012 patient care, 2012-now ancillary role): Therapy staff with students from Regis University at my house.

Las Chicas Nices (2008-now): We are singing at the Encuentro en Mision 2013 in the cathedral. (Photo courtesy of Julius Ariail)

University ministry (2010-now) Some of my students learning wheelchair mobility.

Construction ministry (2017): Maria is in her new, indoor kitchen.

Thank you for your support for this ministry! May God bless and keep you as you bless those you meet.
In Christ,
Cathy
Cathy Donahoe is a SAMS Missionary and Physical Therapist serving in the Dominican Republic.
Donations: SAMS, PO Box 399; Ambridge, PA 15003 with Cathy Donahoe in the memo line of the check or go to the website https://give.samsusa.org/
Cards/letters: Cathy Donahoe, Apartado 587, San Pedro de Macoris 21000, Dominican Republic