Service to Others is Contagious

During our last South Africa trip in March, we were accompanied by David and Maggie Cramer of North Point Church.  At Aliwal North, while Maggie was teaching hand washing skills to the kids, handyman David spied a roof leak in the church building and a roof gutter that was in serious need of cleaning.  He borrowed a ladder and a bucket and here is a picture you won’t often seen in South Africa — a white man from America volunteering to clean the gutters of a black church.
David Cramer cleans gutter
People from the settlement and members of the church couldn’t believe what they were seeing.  This was the talk of the community for several weeks.Meanwhile, Aliwal North’s men’s group, Men’s Action, decided that if people from STM and North Point could come 12,000 miles to give and serve, then they too, even though they struggle to meet their own needs, could do more to help their neighbors in nearby towns.There are some 18 churches in their Presbytery, many of them desperately poor and virtually all of their buildings are in serious need of repair.  They have now started a monthly service program, packing their tools and visiting each of these churches, working on Saturday and then spending time with them in fellowship and worship on Sunday.
Motivating Men of God

Here is a picture of these men on their first service project to the URCSA church in Molteno, where they painted and repaired a block building housing the toilet facilities for the church. They were accompanied by David Blaskowsky from North Point, their sister church here in Poulsbo, Washington, USA.It is so encouraging to see God multiply gifts to them in this way. STM is looking for ways to help them in this endeavor.

Thanks for your part in this.

Wendell Verduin
President