November 29, 2009
We are asking for urgent prayer this weekend concerning our South African Visas. As many of you know, we applied for our VISAs here in Canada at the Consular’s office in Toronto. We submitted all our information for the application procedure and since have had some frustrating hurdles. The process should only take 5-10 working days. However, we are finding that there is a particular individual who seems to be stalling and hindering the process for us. We have already had to back up our return date to Africa for one week and are once again finding ourselves down to the wire. Gary & I will be traveling up to Toronto on Monday morning to see if we can somehow resolve the issue and will hopefully be able to speak to the Consular General himself. So…we are asking folks to pray,
1) That Gary would have opportunity to speak specifically to the Consular General, (Mr. Nick Schoombie) and ask about the unexpected requirements that have been levied against us and get his support.
2) That the individual who seems to be hindering our approval would not be able to do so. We believe strongly that this is a spiritual battle.
3) That the SA Consular’s Office would grant our Visas on Monday and return our passports to us.
4) That Dr Peter Watt, the General Superintendant of the Assemblies of God South Africa will be able to get through by telephone to the office in Toronto and have great influence.
In the event that we do not get answers…we will still be leaving on Wednesday Dec 2nd but will enter SA on a Visitor’s visa. We will proceed up to Zimbabwe as planned, pack what we can and return to SA and begin the VISA process again, but in South Africa. Our hearts desire is that we leave Canada with our SA Visa’s and are asking you to pray accordingly.
“My eyes strain to see your rescue, to see the truth of your promise fulfilled… Lord it is time for you to act…” Psalm 119:123 & 126a
Thanks so much for your prayer!!
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April 21, 2009
First of all, let me begin by saying that I hope you all had a lovely Easter. It’s always been one of my favorite holidays as we remember what Christ did for us. We celebrated as many of you did, by attending special Easter services. Our Easter Sunday morning message was all about forgiveness. In as much as we have been forgiven we too must forgive (Mark 11:25). What a wonderful reminder of what it means to display the glory of the resurrected Christ through our lives – by forgiving others.
Just in time for Easter, we at PACC welcomed 300 baby chicks (egg laying hens) onto campus! The building of our “chicken coop” is officially complete, and … now fully occupied. This is great news!! Not only do we now have a constant source of food supply on campus but we also have an income generating small business.
The most exciting thing about this new enterprise is that we had a local businessman donate ALL the chicks and willingly agree to supply us with the chickenfeed needed for upkeep. How exciting it is to see God burdening the hearts of our fellow Zimbabweans to come alongside you in supporting the all-important task of training the next generation of leaders for Zimbabwe. Many thanks to you, our supporters, for standing alongside us and praying that God would continue to be Jehovah Jireh, “God will provide”, at PACC!
Prayer Requests
► PACC Vehicle
Please continue to pray for a vehicle for PACC. With all the purchasing involved for our cafeteria, shuttling sports teams to college competitions, and national church promotions, we are finding it extremely difficult to keep up. Pray that God would meet this need.
►Unity Government
Continue to pray for strong unity in the Zimbabwean government. The good news is that the World Bank has indicated its willingness to help Zimbabwe recover from the devastating economic crisis, but it all depends on the success of this new government, a restoration of democracy and human rights.
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►Budget
Pray that God would continue to supply for our missionary budget.
►Rebekah & Kristen at Youth Camp
Both girls are on school break now and are attending a Christian camp for the week. Pray that they have a lot of fun! 
Praises:
Happy Easter!!
We were able to purchase some lovely, large Easter eggs for all the children on campus. They were thrilled to receive such a treat. One child after another came to thank us ….chocolate grins and all!
►US Dollarization
With the dollarization of the economy we have seen a tremendous weight lifted off our shoulders. We can now freely open bank accounts that operate in US dollars (or other foreign currencies). Although prices are high, we can now work and function in a much more stable economic environment.
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March 2009
Peace In Turmoil
“When the Spirit is given to us from heaven, deserts will become orchards thick as fertile forests. Honesty and justice will prosper there, and justice will produce lasting peace and security. You, the LORD’s people, will live in peace, calm and secure, even if hailstones flatten forests and cities. You will have God’s blessing, as you plant your crops beside streams…” Isaiah 32:15-20
As a PAOC missionary family living in Zimbabwe we face much sadness and suffering. Cholera is one of the most visible signs of Zimbabwe’s collapse. According to the World Health Organization the death toll from the five-month cholera epidemic stands at 3,759, with 70,000 reported infections. Doctors Without Borders, which has handled about 45,000 cases, warned that the spread of the epidemic shows no sign of slowing, and that new cholera patients are being registered at a rate of one a minute. According to United Nation figures, seven million people – more than half the population of 12 million – need emergency food aid. The country’s inflation rate is astronomical, the currency worthless.
So, in the midst of such staggering disintegration, where does our peace come from? …from heaven! Our Heavenly Father who is full of compassion, has given us the opportunity to plant seeds of His love and goodness in Zimbabwe. Each day for us has become a chance to show the people of Zimbabwe God’s peace and hope. Each day God provides opportunities for our family to speak and act with compassion. Each day we are challenged to be God’s hands and feet to the helpless and less fortunate. Each day God’s mercy and justice is worked out through our lives.
So thank you everyone for your prayers and support – you are all partakers with us in planting seeds of God’s peace in the midst of such devastation. We appreciate your prayers and support so very much!
Prayer Requests
► Cholera Epidemic
Pray for the cholera epidemic. Zimbabwe continues to need international aid! Pray that the doors will be opened for medical organizations to come into the country and provide health care for those infected.
►Unity Government
Pray for the government of Zimbabwe as they continue to work out the unity agreement and that the Zimbabwean people will begin to see change.
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►PACC
With the US dollarization of the Zimbabwe economy many commodities have gone up in price. The administration at PACC has been adversely affected and we ask that you pray God continues to “meet the need”.
Praise Reports
►Farm Project
Our chicken coup is under construction! Within a few weeks we should have 300 chicks moving in. J
►World Retreat in Bali, Indonesia
We traveled safely and were refreshed and restored by the ministry of our PAOC leaders and pastors. One highlight for us was the opportunity to seed into Mission Canada. As missionaries we were able to raise over $32,000 to help support missions in Canada! We want to see Canadian ministries flourish and bring many Canadians to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
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October 8, 2008
It’s been a while since my last report and as I review I’m amazed at what God has accomplished, multiplied and blessed:
1) Scholarship Monies – every student that applied to PACC this year has managed to receive Scholarship funding! This is no small miracle in the eyes of our students. Many students would NOT be able to afford the $300 a year to attend PACC.
2) Farm Project – is progressing steadily. With our waterworks project now complete they’ve started digging and preparing the soil for planting. In just a short time we will begin planting (as we head into our rainy season) potatoes, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and onions. Furthermore, a local business man will donate 200 egg laying hens after we complete the construction of a chicken coop. This same business man has also agreed to donate fertilizer and pesticide for the garden. Hallelujah!
3) Food Supplies – in a time when many staple food items are a scarcity PACC managed to find enough food to feed approximately 80 young adults 3 times a day. The average Zimbabwean is surviving on one meal a day. God has revealed Himself to us as Jehovah Jireh at such a time as this!
4) Much Needed Help – we are excited about the possibility of another couple coming to assist us at PACC. This October, Dave & Connie Buzikievich, from Waterloo, Ontario will be coming to Zimbabwe for a 2 week exploratory visit. If all goes well we are hopeful that the National Leadership here will accept their application and extend an invitation to come and serve as missionaries in Zimbabwe. Pray for them.
5) Security Force – due to increased theft within the city, PACC has hired 6 young men to provide twenty-four hour security on campus. They love their job and enthusiastically greet you as you drive onto campus.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
WORK PERMIT!
Our work permit continues to be pending. We are still on 30 day extensions but are praying that “good” news will be waiting for us when we go next time. (October 15, 2008)
College Van:
Just this past weekend, our college van was in a very serious accident. After hitting some uneven road work, it lost control and rolled. The car is damaged beyond repair but miraculously all passengers walked away from the accident with only minor injuries! We are so thankful that God protected our PACC family. However, we need you to pray that we will be able to replace it sooner than later.
Sharon
One of our student’s little girls, Sharon, burnt herself with hot oil. It was pretty traumatic for the whole family. Pray Sharon will heal quickly and that there will be minimal scarring.
PRAISES:
New Pastor for Fountain of Hope:
The local church that we attend just hired a new pastor – one of our PACC students. Mr. Funny Dube & family are excited about this next step in ministry. This is praise worthy on two fronts – Gary’s load of interim pastor is alleviated and we have the privilege of working alongside one of our former students!
PACC Feeding Program/Daycare:
In full swing now! Thank you to all those who pledged to support this new initiative!
Our daughters, Rebekah & Kristen:
Both girls will be heading to South Africa this Dec 6-12 to compete in the All Africa Student Convention. Rebekah won 2 gold’s – poetry & a team scholastic achievement. Kristen won a bronze for a duet she sang with a fellow student.