Hello Friends and Family!

It has been about a month for me now being back in S. Africa and what a month it has been.   So much has happened in a small amount of time.  If you remember I had some clear goals on my heart for what I would like to accomplish in village of Mahvusa for 2012.  They are….1) Continue to walk with Lifter, Cedric and the guys and grow in Christlikeness with them.  2) Find a house in Giyani.  3) Help Lifter start a “tentmaking “ business.  4) Start a youth soccer league.  5) Help the young men in the village find work.  By God’s grace and faithfulness some major strides forward have been taken towards achieving all of these goals.  Let me explain….

Discipleship  - Lifter, Cedric and I are walking through the book of John.  Our intent is to get to know who Jesus is better.  We are concentrating on the things Jesus taught, the things He commanded and the miracles He performed.  Our time in the word is always sweet and Cedric has nothing but questions.  Most of the time I can answer but what’s awesome is that many of the times Lifter can too!  After we finish the book of John we plan on systematically studying The Holy Spirit, Angels and Demons.  These are big topics in the Shanganni culture so it will be nice to let the word of God speak.

Housing  - This year I will not be living in the village.  I will work there and spend the majority of my time in Mavhusa but will sleep and eat/cook in Giyani.  There is a nice little flat/hut that I will be renting for a reasonable price.  It is equipped with hot and cold running water, a toilet, shower, air conditioning, security bars, internet, and obviously electricity.  I’m excited to have a place of my own to be able to retreat to and hope by staying in a more sanitized environment I will be able to stay healthy.  I’ve been blessed by the community of  Giyani.  So many people have donated things to help me get on my feet.  Pastor Johan and his wife Lizette put up curtains and dropped off linens making the place feel a lot more like home.  A refrigerator and couch are coming! 

Tent making -  The Lord has provided a business for Lifter and it’s going great!  Last year we tried almost everything to get some kind of little business going and it never worked out.  A few weeks ago I was at a Braii (BBQ) and Jonathon (Giyani Spar GM) threw out an idea about selling bread from his bakery.  So Jonathon donated the first 150 loafs to get us started and a bunch of bread crates.  For the last 3 weeks Lifter, Cedric, Petres, Lazerous, Climent, Aubry, Joseph and I have been selling fresh Spar bread and the people in the village love it.  We’re now pushing 400-500 loafs a day!  I  am exhausted because in order for this to happen I have to wake up at 4:30 am and go pick up the bread at the bakery but it’s working.  So far 5 jobs have been created.  We’re selling in 3 villages now blessing the people with fresh hot bread for a low price.  This business has been great for developing relationships as well.

Soccer -  The soccer league is slowly developing.  We’re working on making the teams in Mavhusa first.  Lifter literally has 75 guys from ages 11-19 that would follow him anywhere.  He’s a Sheppard.  I can see many of them giving their lives to Christ in the future.  God is so good!

Please pray specifically for the word of God to sink deep into our hearts as we read through the gospel of John.  Also for our business and the relationships that continue to be built through soccer and bread sales.  I’m tired and need prayer for energy as well as discipline to rest.  Obvious prayer requests are for health and protection.  Lifter is having surgery to repair his collar bone so please pray for a full recovery.  We have experienced the favour of the Lord this past month.  Thank you so much for all your prayer and support.   I miss you all!

Dave

On my way!

Dear friends and family,

The day has arrived for me to head back to South Africa.  The past 4 months here in the Central Valley have been incredible.  A year in the village left me in need of restoration both physically and spiritually and God has met my every need.  From chiropractic/medical care to meeting with spiritual counselors/mentors the love of Jesus through the body of Christ has been poured out on me.  So I am ready to go continue to make disciples in South Africa.

On deck for this year includes a lot more study of God's word in order to equip the young South African men who have committed their lives to Christ.  We will continue to minister to the children of the region visiting schools and villages.  There's also plans to start a youth soccer Saturday league and I'm bringing with me four 50 pound bags full of soccer equipment that was donated by various people from the central valley (THANK YOU!).

Please pray for the work of Christ out in Mavhusa village; that more and more individuals will come to know our good and beautiful God and experience life to the fullest as they walk with Jesus by their side.
Please pray for protection, health and provision as I serve the people around me.  Thank you so much for your partnership in serving God.  This mission is definitely a team effort and I could not do this without you.  I will keep you informed as to what is happening in the village throughout the year and it encourages me greatly to hear from you.  God's blessing and all my love!

Dave

An Open Door

God opened an awesome door to bless the community of Mavhuza last Sunday.  Over the year I have been developing a friendship with a man named Andries.  Andries is a talented young general manager of the local grocery store we buy food at called SPAR.  A little over a week ago while shopping I saw him and we began to talk.  During our converation he asked me what I was doing anything Sunday and if I wasn't busy if I would like to help him take inventory.  Since I enjoy being Andries friend I accepted only to have him offer to pay 20 villagers from the church to help as well.  Immediately I recognized a perfect way for the small (and pour) church of Mavhuza to fundraise for some needs.  So, Lifter, Life and I organized for 20 members of the chuch to come count the stock.  Most of the 20 were the young people that we've been working with throughout the year and each of them had a wonderful time working in the SPAR.  Andries payed us R2000 (rands) which is about $300.  One of the guys on our counting team plays for the village soccer team so we bought a couple of soccer balls for him to give to the team and the rest went to the church who is going to buy instruments for worship.  The community was so blessed and so were the employees from SPAR who confessed that it was the fastest inventory they had ever been apart of.  Hopefully since everyone did such a good job and Andries was pleased he will ask us back next time.  Who knows maybe he'll even give a couple of the guys a job in the future? 

The whole experience ended up being so perfect when it comes to blessing the people in providing needs for the community.  Unfortunetly i've had to learn that just giving isn't always the best for those who are in need.  Earlier this year we bought 10 soccer balls for the soccer team and for ministry only to have them disappear in a few months.  No value or ownership was put on those soccer balls.  Instead just an expectation that more soccer balls would be provided. For the young people who counted with us within the church it was great for them to come give their time and energy for the benefit of the whole church.  They got to serve and since our JAM mission statement is to "raise up young servent leaders," I am so thankful that God organized this event.  Many wealthy westerners are enabling churches in Africa by dumping money on them.  What happens is dependancy and it's unhealthy.  I'm starting to see how important it is to teach people how to fish instead of just feeding them.  I have a burning desire to provide employment through business for the people of the village and bring home the men so they can be with their families.

This principal is also applied spiritually.  I'm humbled to report that Lifter is pouring into some guys in the village and has begun to make disciples himself.  I hear Vincent  using his phrases like "Jesus needs to take the first step (as we walk next to Him)."  Vincent is bringing friends to our bible studies as well while he is growing.  It's slowly happening right before our eyes.  Followers of Christ leading the people God has put in their life to follow Him also through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves." 2 Cor 4:7

Thank you for praying for Mavhuza and for our team.  May the peace, joy, and love of Jesus Christ bless you this day. 

2 Amazing Weeks!

We had a team of 6 American girls join us for a couple weeks.  Here's an update....

As I refelct on the last two weeks here is what I saw happen while the girls from California joined JAM and served with us in South Africa.  In summary, the kingdom of God was advanced and the gates of hell pushed backed.  New disciples were made and the body of Christ was strengthened.  Our team was encouraged and built up especially Lifter and I who have been serving out here since Febuary and in need of some help.
Many lives were touched by the love of Christ flowing through this large team of South African and Americans.  Personally I sensed the Holy Spirit in power leading and directing, opening doors and speaking in a fresh way while the team was with us. I saw Children loved and ministered to.  It's always neat to see the children connect and recieve love from new faces.  I've noticed that when teams come out the kids flock. I think the reason being is there's more love and attention to go around.  The children really recieved love and affection which is something they're not used to at home. 

I also saw the guys from the village that we've been pouring into encouraged as well as grow.  To watch those new relationships form between the girls and the "jammers" was special and joy to watch.  I loved Jordi's (one of the girls from Northridge, CA) boldness in  telling the young followers of Christ from Mavhuza that they needed to take responsibility and step up regaurding reaching out to the village to see the change take place that they so badly desire.  Her words were powerful and for the first time in a long time I saw positive response to this idea of reaching out.  I know the team (as a whole) made an impact on the lives of Vincent, Nevil, Prudence, Conselia, and Quentin for the good that they will never forget. 

 A couple new things happened over the 2 weeks that really excited me to see. We've been joining a few high school's LCO meetings (Learners Christian Organization) for the past 7 months.  These high school ran church services have so much potential for impacting the youth for Christ.  We so desparately want the message of Jesus to be presented at these gatherings.  When our team is not in attendance there isn't a very big turn out to this optional meeting.  However when they announce that a team from America will be joining the meeting many students show up. On the Tuesday that the team went to LCO there was a room of at least 75 students waiting for us.  We were given the floor to share which is another things that doesn't happen very often so Megan shared a "Jesus story," out of the gospel of Mark.  She shared a bit of her testimony and the message was about the great love of Jesus.  After she spoke we broke up into groups and talked about the story amongst eachother.  Lifter and I have had vision for something like this for the past 7 months and it finally happened.  Because this style was so different I was affraid of what Freedom (the leader) was going to think but to my surprise he loved it.  Lifter and I had been in Cape Town and Joburg for the past month so we hadn't been to LCO in a while and Freedom told me that the previous week there was only 3 students who showed up to the meeting.  He told me "Dave, you're always bringing secret weapons," meaning new teams.  All glory to God!  Another new thing that happened that we've been talking about is a service day in the village.  So one Saturday all 15 of us invaded the village looking for someone to serve.  The result was again amazing as the team helped with laundry (hand washing), helped some old mama's build a hut as well as help bathe their little ones. 

New ground was also covered in our house visitations and the good news was shared with people of Ndengeza. They knew nothing about Jesus.  They had only heard of Him. Good news was also given to a Sangoma (witch doctor) in Mavhuza.  Early in the two weeks our whole team went to her hut to say hello and minister.  We ended up praying for her beacuse she couldn't heal herself and had been sick for a very long time.  This alone is amazing!  When the old ladies/witch doctors' daughter found out that she let us pray for her she was shocked explaining that her mom never lets anyone pray for her.  N'wa hoza (her name) thanked us for visiting her and for looking her in the eye.  She said that she felt like a human being for the first time in a while and she welcomed us back.  The next week we decided to make a plate of food for her and drop it off at her house.  Again she was touched.  The following morning 5 or 6 of the team went to her house and read the bible to her.  They read the story of the lame man sitting by the pool who Jesus healed in John 5.  N'wa hoza said that she was healed by the prayers of our team and actually referred one of her clients who was dealing with some throat issues to Lucia (a missionary from SA who is now stationed in Mavhua) for her to pray for him lol.  So one of the witch doctors in the communcity is actually sending paying customers to us now for prayer??? So powerful!  Jesus is alive and demonstrating His authority to the glory of God.  God really honored the teams prayer and fasting done in preparation for the 2 weeks and the Holy Spirit moved. 

For me God revealed His faithfulness through the team.  Probably the most difficult challenge about being stationed in Mavhuza is the lack of community out here.  We do not belong to a body of believers and it can get extremely loney.  It's hard to describe the emotions that well up connected to even thinking about this.  I've been so desparate for the kind of community that I experienced over those 2 weeks. With Lauren, Jordi, Megan, Amanda, Sarah, Alicia, Keith, Howard, Git, Mignon, Carina, Lucia, Lifter, Life, Josie, Vincent and myself being together and on the same page I saw the book of Act come alive. I saw the new community described in Col 3 come alive. The Holy Spirit dwelt among us providing power and everything that was needed.  Love was the focus and Jesus was the center.  We had everything in common.  We ate, prayed, and worshipped together.  We played games and fellowshiped and I can't remember being around so much laughter and joy.  The word of God dwelled richly among us as we admonished one another in wisdom and there was peace.  When there was a grievance or disagreement it was quickly resolved with forgiveness and grace. We served and loved eachother selflessly as we went out into the community to tell of and show this great God and Lord Jesus Christ.  The effect was obvious to all and it was so much fun to be apart of.  Mavhuza and Ndengeza encountered the love of Christ.
I can't thank God enough for what He did over those 2 weeks. There is momentum building.  The enemy is threatened and his grip on this place is loosening.  Please continue to pray for the people of Mavhuza and for the work that still needs to be done here.  Blessings to you and all my love.

Your Brother in Christ,

Dave Lieberman

I'm Back!

I apologize for the lack of blogs over the past 2 months.  To be honest they were tough months and I've been wrestling with many issues.  Christ remains faithful in my life and I choose to keep walking with Him . No matter what happens God was, is, and will always be good!

My April was spent in Cape Town.  Two weeks on outreach in a place called Koue Bokkeveld and two weeks on the JAM base.  May 2nd a team of 12 including myself took the two day voyage back to Mavhuza.  The team stayed for 2 weeks and God did many things.  One major thing He did was lead us in getting to the bottom of the Zone 2 situation......

Zone 2 is a sqatter/refugee camp just outside Giyani.  Very few people have seen Zone 2 kind of poverty.  The people live in mud and stick huts.  The children wear dirty rags and often go hungry.  Just being in the village for a couple hours is emotionally and spiritually draining.  JAM has been ministering to the people of Zone 2 since 2005 or 2006.  Gradually we've gotten to know the people and have been committed to try and help them any way we can.  Because the people are living on this land illegally from Mozambique the South African gov't won't allow any perminent structures to be built.  The claim has been that this refugee camp is a temporary place for the people to live in.  To have a place to minister at and hold church, JAM build a tent like structure with wooden beams and green netting.  Over time JAM has gotten to know the people and gain their trust.  Last year the ministry grew to having a pre-school and a soup kitchen for the little children.  Pastor Life and his wife Josie ran this ministry and it was going very well.

Then, this year out of the blue it was announced that the people of Zone 2 needed to leave the village and find another spot to set up camp.  First they were given a deadline date to be out in March.  If they weren't out by March ??? then their mud and stick huts were going to be bulldozed!  I'm not sure when the bulldozer finally rolled into Zone 2 but when the guy who was hired to run over the village saw the reality of the situation, he couldn't continue the job.  Nothing was bulldozed praise God!  Many of the people are still in the village today while many have moved on trying to find another village to live in.  Most villages reject these refugees and will not allow them into their village. 

We didn't know what was going on?  Finally Thinus (one of JAM's main leaders) took the lead and we started investigating.  Our investigation again was filled with many different stories.  Finally we arranged for a meeting with Chief Ngove which took place Tuesday.  The Chief explained that the refugees from Mozambique who have been living in Zone 2 since 1987 are being invited to become apart of the Ngove village.  They will have access to water, electricty, schools, medical clinics and gov't housing along with help in accquiring South African identification.  The chief expressed a heart of wanting to help his fellow man and a desire to know the people.  Lifter and I walked away from the meeting with the chief encouraged and grateful to God. 

Challenges still remain.  For the people of Zone 2 to become residents of Ngove village there is a R100 one time fee or tax that every villager is required to pay.  The people do not have R100 to spare.  They also must build new huts with zero resources on land that is not cleared/full of bushes and trees.  Ngove is a good 2 mile walk from Zone 2 as well which makes things difficult.  Lifter, Pastor Life and I are determined to help the people get to Ngove.  JAM's hope is that we can continue the ministry with the same people we've invested in for the past 6 years.  Please pray that God works everything out to His glory according to His perfect will.  If these refugees take hold of Christ, even though they have nothing in this world they will posses everything in the life to come!

Blessings

I am reclining on a plush leather couch in the Nunley's new beach house overlooking Hout Bay with a stomache full of delicous fish and chips.  The Ocean breeze is refreshing and life is good as my clothes are being washed by a washing machine for the first time in 2 months.  Having electrity is nice too and I can't but think that I am learning how to be content in times of "plenty" and times of need as Paul wrote about in Phillipians 4. 

The first quarter of 2011 is in the books and the Mavhuza JAM team has joined the rest of JAM in Cape Town.  Tomorrow the whole of  JAM team will be splitting up to reach out in two different communities of South Africa and I am excited to go minister in a different part of the country.  We will continue to pour into young leaders in the towns of Kouvokaveld and Fosberg sharing the vision of the Kingdom of God and making disciples through the word of God and the teachings of Jesus.  It's nice to rejoin the team in Cape Town.  I am encouraged by my brother's and sister's faith expressed in love.

Two days ago, while I was still in Mavhuza, I had a meal with a man by the name of Artiwell.  Artiwell's was raised in Zimbobwe by his mother because his father (who is from Mozambique) died in a war when he was 7 years old.  He walked close to 500 miles to South Africa risking being eaten by lions and lepards in hopes for a better life.  Today he acts as a security gaurd for the little shop in Mavhuza.  As a former military man and martial arts specialist you don't want to mess with this man. His hands are like rocks from all the pushups he does on his nuckles.  Our relationship began with Artiwell giving me 4 fish out of the goodness of his heart.  He is a talented fisherman and fishes at the resovior just a few miles away with a net to make a little extra money.  After catching the fish he then makes deliveries on his bike when local villagers call and make orders. 

Artiwell explained how to prepare the fish and I asked him if he would show me.  So he taught me how to prepare the fish using a tomato, onion, oil and seasoning salt.  While the fish was cooking Artiwell shared his testimony with me.  We was stabbed in the stomache and should have died but was spared by God.  Now he believes in the God of the bible alone.  He confessed to me that he struggles with smoking and drinking pleading that his life has been hard and that he is poor.  Then he went and grabbed his miniature bible and read Romans 7 to me claiming that it's not him who does these things but the sin that's inside him.  Following Romans 7 he had me read Ephesians 4 and got excited as I read that there was one God and one faith.  Artiwell doesn't believe in ancestoral worship or sacrifice.  I have a feeling that we're going to spend more time in the word together and I'm excited to see what God does.  On a side note he is an incredible artist.  As I spoke to him and experienced the love and joy that came out of his mouth I thought of Jesus' teaching that it's not what goes into a man that makes him unclean but what comes out of his mouth from his heart.  I continue to be amazed at how hungry the village of mavhuza is for the word of God. 

Thank you for your prayers and support! 

Dave

The Chief!

About a month ago the Chief of Ndengeza came over for lunch with his daughter.  He is a personal friend of JAM and it was his first visit to the mission station which is located on the land that he gave to JAM(Mavhuza).  The chief was amazed at how beautiful the mountain was and said that he wanted to build his own house next to us so we could be neighbors.  Jokingly with a chuckle he claimed that we robbed him.  It was great spending time with him.  He is a rare Christian tribal chief and has rejected many of the traditions of his tribe.  His American name is Daniel and as a little boy he was led to Christ through an amazing women by the name of Laura Waite from Illinios.  The Chief refers to Ms. Waite as his spiritual mother and his love for her is quite evident.  Laura Waite gave her life as a missionary to the village of Ndengeza.  She started the first Christ centered church, a school, and an orphanage.  Laura never married.  She died and was burried in the village with the royal family.  As the result of her service to the Lord a little boy whom she loved as her own and taught the truths of the bible to became a Christian and later became the chief of the land.  Chief Ndengeza now loves Jesus and he loves white people as well especially from the US.  He is the one who has provided the land that we're living on as well as the land that we've begun to build the youth camp on. 

God's has been busy in the region of Ndengeza where Mavhuza is located.  The beautful redempive picture He's painting is getting bigger every day.  Last night 15 young men came to our base to study the word with us.  We've started the book of Luke and our study title is "who is Jesus."  Last week there were 9 and I suspect next weeks group to be around 20.  The young men of Mavhuza are hungry for the word of God.  I have so much hope for this village and believe that a revival is coming very soon!  Thank you for your prayers!