Melvins on the move April 2009

Ministry Moments: "The white missionaries’ truck is stuck! We must remove it from the mud!" This was the cry of young villagers as soon as our wheels disappeared into a deep mud hole which had been camouflaged with grass to help keep down the smell of the raw sewage it contained. Someone should have told Cindi before she stepped WAY down after "falling" out of her side of the truck. But we couldn’t be more excited. God is at work. This is the place of a new and relatively fast growing outreach group. The group is meeting weekly but due to the travel distance, we are only able to join them about every three weeks for Bible study and training in Baptist beliefs and customs. They are using Sesotho Bible study materials provided by special gifts while we are away and are making plans to work with a volunteer team in June in discipleship, evangelism, and outreach. The man and his wife most directly responsible for starting the group recently experienced the death of their 3 month old son. Pray that they will hold fast to their trust in Christ and not be discouraged in the work they feel God is calling them to do.
Family Feature: The time is quickly passing as we prepare to return for our first stateside assignment. Zachary will graduate May 22 and begin college in August at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Eli will finish 9th grade here at the International school and complete the first semester of his sophomore year in the states. We are presently filling our Sept. – mid January 2010 calendar with opportunities to share how God has answered your prayers, how He is working among the Basotho, and how you can partner with us in the future. Please contact us as soon as possible if you would be interested in scheduling a time for us to visit with your Sunday school class, small group, or church. We look forward to hearing from you.
God answered your prayers for: • Safe journey and good adjustment for our newest mission family, Jim and Teresa Flora and girls. • Safe travel, inspiring teaching, effective training, and meaningful worship at our Annual Missionary Training Meeting, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 15 – 20. • Growth and participation in Bible study and training of new outreach group meeting in the border town of Maputsoe. • Safety and relative calm during recent political unrest and assassination attempt of prime minister in Maseru. Prayer Requests: • Pray for Zachary as he studies and takes his final IB exams starting May 4. • Pray for Tom and Cindi for strength and wisdom to finish their ISC term in such a way that God is totally glorified. • Pray for Eli as he enters into the most intense learning term of his school year. • Pray for volunteer team members from VA, Texas, and Oklahoma as they prepare to teach and evangelize in Lesotho in June. • Pray for the Melvins as they seek and desire to follow God’s will in all things.
Outreach group members successfully complete Bible study booklets and tests.	Hey who moved the road? We just passed here 4 hrs. agoand it was fine! Lesson Learned: Drive back the way you came
Resurrection Sunday with the newest outreach gr

The Melvins enjoyed their first African vacation along the coast of South Africa to celebrate Zachary’s upcoming high school graduation. We finally got to watch a live professional rugby match. Go Durban Sharks! The Indian Ocean was beautiful and our holiday flat was also home to indigenous Vervet monke