24
Nurturing the Seed at Home and Scattering “Abroad”
| Bro Paul and Sis Leonie Verster (South Africa)
Soweto
The group photo (page 26) is of a weekend
fraternal held in July where we were blessed
with visitors from far and near. Bro Steven
Palmer from Wales led the studies on Urgent
Exhortations from the Apocalyse with
emphasis on Ephesus. Brethren and sisters
joined us from Pinetown, Bloemfontein and
Mafekeng making for a spiritually enriching
weekend and time of special fellowship. The
prelude to the weekend was the joyous
baptism of our youngest brother, 14 year old
Lebo Nlitseng at our Bible Class on the
Thursday afternoon before.
The Soweto ecclesia is strong and vibrant with
many members involved in local preaching
through the Saturday seminars and literature
stands and also a good number are dedicated
to outreach preaching beyond.
Swaziland
After too many years to count, we had the
unexpected pleasure of receiving a call from
Bro Fanuel Sithole in Nhlangano, Swaziland.
Despite a number of serious challenges in his
life he is still strong in faith. As we had a
“free” weekend at the beginning of August it
was decided to reconnect with our brother and
at the same time hold a seminar in Manzini.
Sis Jane Samwell from Adelaide was with us
and not averse to visiting Swaziland again as
she had accompanied Leon and Joan Shuker on
one of their preaching stints in Swaziland
before the turn of the century. We set off with
Bro Emmanuel Mphambo (JHB ecclesia), first
to visit a student in Mahlahleni (Witbank) and
then to head for Nhlangano. It was a very
happy reunion with our Bro Fanuel, during
which we were able to catch up and clarify
some misunderstandings that had occurred.
We arrived in Manzini at dusk and were
surprised by the growth of the town,
and the new network of roads. The
topic requested by Bro Fanuel for the
Saturday seminar was “Do we need
prophets today?”The venue was excel-
lent but the interest was well nigh non
existent – two people- one being the
cook who kept disappearing to presum-
ably check on the lunch. Unwittingly
we had chosen the day the King of
Swaziland, King Mswali 3rd had called
his people to meet him at an “imbiso”
- and meet him they did. (The King
sometimes calls all the people to come
and listen to him in person and 80,000
did just that.) Our main objective of
rekindling our association with Bro
Fanuel had been successful so we left
thankful about that.
Botswana
The following weekend was Gaborone, the
capital of Botswana, and this time we were
accompanied by Bro Lucky Sekhasembe
(Soweto) and sisters Debbie Payne (Pinetown)
and Zanele Khumalo (Soweto). Again the topic
requested for the Saturday afternoon seminar
was “Do we need Prophets today?” On Friday
leaflets were distributed in the central pedes-
trian mall. The locals are very polite and
willing to listen and seven came just from the
billing - unusual - but perhaps the topic
attracted them or Lucky and Zanele with their
Bro Stephen Palmer with newly baptized Bro Lebo Nlitseng