The 2017 Year in Review

I'm copying Paul's writing here.  You might notice a certain difference in style.  He's more concise, a list making kind of guy.  Some add-ins by me, like the exclamation points  :- )

Jan. 1, 2017-gave out more tracts than ever before in a single day.
Jan. 1-3  Preached 31 times, mostly open air.
Jan. 5- a mild stroke.  An outpouring of love and emails
            more rest*
         Evangel, Ryan, and Holly visited
Jan. 16   Evangel found out she was expecting!!!  Thrills and chills!

Print Jobs in 2017
       51,000 This Was Your Life tracts
            29 K in English
            13 K in Xhosa
            9   K in Chichewa
       9000 Saving Faith, Does It Involve a Change of Behavior? in Chichewa
       12,500 Principles of Church Growth 
       22,000 How to Have a Time Alone with God

Some Statistics

Preached 461 times * The stroke taught me to slow down.  In 2016 I preached 626 times.
                259 places
                183 schools
                    73 new schools
                    64 churches
                    27 new ones

Trips:
         East London
               worked with/stayed with the Goosens
               Enjoyed them!
               preached to 15,000 in 2 weeks, almost all new
         USA twice
              11 new venues
              Clarity Faith Ford born!
          Malawi and Zambia
               Joe Malete; his wedding to Blessing
              10 new schools,
               5 pastors' conferences
           Carmel, in George, South Africa
                fun new ministry with Dion Johnson and family

Enlarged my borders:  
           East London
           Back to the Bible Mission in Barberton
           Nelspruit with Lizelle
           Joe's area
           Malawi, especially pastors' conferences
           Preached in 107 new places:
                 73 schools
                 27 churches
                 7 other
           Becoming a grandpa!
           Carmel-by-the-Sea

       




       
       

Khumbula-Remember to see this!

Last Friday, Evangel, Josh and I headed off in our Jeep for a high adventure!  We got invited to a premiere of a new Christian movie  Khumbula:  I Will Remember  that was being shown especially for pastors and Christian workers.

It was wonderful!  It's nice to have a movie we can wholeheartedly endorse.  Our family is conscious  of modesty in movies, and we just chuck 'em right in the trash can if they're potential lust producers, so I was nervous when we somehow landed front and center at the movie theater, knowing we'd have to walk out if things got "skinny".  They didn't; we didn't!

This one had a riveting story, tense enough that I could feel it in my stomach, and had a parable quality that made you think on two levels, if you're a person who thinks like that.  Evangel was busy taking notes on anything that might help her in future movie endeavours, but she got so involved in watching, she quit scribbling in the darkened theater. 

Our family favourite character was "Mr. Williams" who was the comic relief.  He was needed!  If they'd had all the tense parts without him, I'd probably have exploded, though the tension was rewarded with a good happy ending.

Same week, we were invited to another movie, earlier on.  It is called That Sugar Film and is a documentary on the dangers of too much sugar.  It was very well done as far as special effects, story line, and all the mechanics.   When I hear documentary I tend think "We're just going to have to endure this to learn something."  There was no factor of wading through boring stuff in this one!  The Australian film maker had my interest up right from the get-go.  However, even though it really inspired me to eat way less sugar, I'm not recommending it without cautions.  1) Modesty was not practiced--he was in his undies, a lot.  And there was a bikini scene we should have walked out on, but it was over before I could find my purse.  You get the idea.  2) He and his girlfriend were living together (adultery) and 3) Evolution was assumed as truth.    We did walk out when girls started appearing (special effects) in drinks and on toast and other things at the end.  The popcorn was good, and some in our group had the audacity, or irony, to eat sugary treats while watching this. :-)

Khumbulu was Ephesians 6:1-3 pictured.  Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise:  that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.