March 2023 Update

Dear Friends,

Several months have passed (again) since we last wrote in December. We are in the midst of a very busy stretch, but we are pleased to share that help is on its way! The Lord has graciously provided 3-year visas for Matt and Melissa Oser and their family, and Alex and Bethany Tandon and their family. Lord willing, the Osers will be arriving in April. We are anticipating their arrival and are looking forward to partnering with them in gospel ministry here in George, SA. The city of George seems to be bursting at the seems with lots of people moving here from other parts of South Africa, so there is plenty of ministry opportunity for all of us. We were also anticipating the arrival of the Tandons, but in the last week a significant health issue has developed with their son, Joshua, that is going to delay their move to South Africa. Please join us in praying for the Tandons as they face this unexpected difficult trial—we will share more with you as more information becomes available.

Here are some short ministry updates...

The baptismal pool on the Inspire George property where Life Fellowship Church meets is almost finished. We anticipate using it for the first time on Sunday, March 26 as three folks who have come to saving faith in Christ are expressing a desire to make their profession of faith public. We are encouraged by how the Lord continues to grow Life Fellowship Church and ask you to continue praying for further growth in spiritual maturity.

The Inspire George Business Centre is still not open yet as we are waiting on some more furniture, but we are close. The Lord has provided half of the funds we need for the young man from our church to oversee the business center as a source of income for his family. We are praying that the business center will provide open doors to building redemptive relationships within the business community in our city.

This week, we are breaking ground on what we hope is a 9-month building project to add a second floor to our community center building so that we will be able to begin the Foundations Program in 2024, a gap-year ministry that will house up to 24 high school graduates and provide a year of intensive Bible training. You can learn more about this exciting opportunity at www.foundationsti.co.za.

Here are some ministry needs...

We encourage you to visit the “Projects” page of our website to see a list of the projects we are seeking to engage in as the Lord provides the necessary funding:
https://southafricanministries.org/projects/

We would like to share two special needs on behalf of two pastors who minister in the township communities in our city. We are seeking to help these faithful men as they serve in very economically challenged settings.

Pastor Alfonso Katts is the pastor of Bybel Baptiste Kerk in the township of Pacaltsdorp. Their church currently meets in the garage of Pastor Katts’ house. A piece of land has come up for sale that would serve as wonderful place for a church building. The cost of the property along with closing costs and transfer fees will be around $18,000. We have $10,000 already, and are praying for supporting churches and/or individuals to help fund the remaining $8,000 needed to finalize the purchase.

Pastor Boyce Saleni is the pastor of Thembalethu Baptist Church in the Thembalethu township. Boyce’s house has roof damage and he and his family are experiencing significant leaks when it rains. We have an estimate for $1,300 to make the necessary repairs on Pastor Boyce’s home.

If the Lord lays either of these projects or any of the projects on our website on your heart, please reach out to Troy at troygahman@gmail.com for information on how to go about helping. Thank you for your prayers on behalf of the ministry here and thank you for your partnership in the gospel for the glory of God. We continue to be humbled and grateful for those who pray for and support us in what God has called us to do here in George, South Africa.