Prayer Request & Update

[Rebecca Clendenin]

Family & Friends,

Urgent Need: Prayer Request

For a change, we begin this update email with a prayer request.  The Africa Revolution team learned recently that Mercedes Benz, who has sponsored AR the past two years with a donated Vito van, is retracting the ministry's use of the Vito as of March 1, due to budget cuts.  This is a huge loss for our team and for the Powerhouse Church.  The Vito is the beloved workhorse among vehicles.  There is not a day that goes by that it is not used to transport interns, students, food, supplies, computers, guests, you name it.  We've attached a photo below of the Vito, outside the entrance of the squatter camp called "Soul City" nearby the Powerhouse-- a photo taken on a day we distributed food there.

Please join us in praying about a next option for transportation.  We have a five-passenger "bakkie," or truck, that only Allan can drive, but it is critical that we have another source of transportation-- especially for the sake of the weekly feeding scheme and for all that we interns have going on each day.  The Powerhouse and the AR team are fasting next Monday, February 23, about this need; and we invite you to join us if you feel so moved.  We know the Lord will provide, but how, we do not know.  We are trusting.

Thanks for prayers.  Now, an update:

Vision Trip 2009!

We have exciting news to share!  We are pleased to announce that in late May/early June, folks from our church (Grace Community Church in Chapel Hill) and from Will's church (Atlanta Westside Presbyterian) are supporting us in coming to Mamelodi!  We're calling the trip a vision trip, not a mission trip: vision meaning that it's our hope that the team will concentrate more on learning and being relational than on doing, in hopes that folks will be encouraged to apply what they learn about the heart of God for the poor and about the Christian life in general to life back home.  Everyone will have an opportunity to make home visits to deliver food, pray and love on those who are suffering from poverty, hunger, sickness, etc.  Also, we will have opportunities for small building projects, teaching music to kids/youth, shadowing medical professionals at hospitals/hospices, home improvements, gardening projects, being a guest speaker in our skills development courses, discipleship training, teaching nutrition… the list can go on, and it depends on who we have coming and what their interests are; and as a team, we will let one's skills/gifts/desires determine what projects we will help connect each individual to.  In everything that we will do, we will be serving alongside members of the Powerhouse Church, and people will definitely get their hands dirty!  For me, Nate and Will, this group's coming is a huge encouragement.  Our deepest thanks go out to Megan Clarke, Hannah Parker and Jen Lalley who are leading the effort stateside.

Classes Continue

Last month, we resumed a next term of classes.  We have 15 students in the business class and 12 students in the web design class.  As always, the basic computer class is at maximum capacity with three course offerings throughout the week.  This term has been challenging as we have redeveloped our curricula a bit and are teaching the teachers-- students from last term who are shadowing us and who will eventually take over our teaching duties, ensuring sustainability of the courses we've developed after we leave Mamelodi.  

Last week, the business class went on its first field trip to the Operation Mobilization (O.M.) campus (see blog post from last term: 

www.mamelodistories.org/2008/11/25/watching-it-all-come-together/ ) and we will return tomorrow for the remainder of the South African Institute for Entrepreneurship's "BEST" Business Game.  This is exciting for our class as they will not only be awarded a certificate from Powerhouse upon completion of the class; they will also be issued an official certificate from the South African Institute for Entrepreneurship.  We are thrilled to see our students enjoying these field trips to O.M.

New & Improved Powerhouse Computer Classroom

We were blessed with a visit from friend from Chapel Hill Nate Massey for two weeks recently.  Nate and Nate put a great deal of work into improving the Powerhouse computer classroom, thanks to the financial support you have given us.  With Nate M.'s expertise, the lab is now outfitted with NComputing-- a way of having up to 10 machines run off of a single computer.  We encourage you to read Nate M.'s guest blog post explaining more:

www.mamelodistories.org/2009/02/20/guest-post-nate-massey-on-ncomputing/

Also, check out the really cool 3D panoramic photo Nate C. did of the computer classroom.  You can zoom around and see the computer lab from all angles-- you feel like you're standing right inside the room!

www.mamelodistories.org/2009/02/19/3d-pano-powerhouse-computer-classroom/

Thank You for Your Support So Far!  Another Call for Scholarships, Cameras and USB Flash Drives

We are happy to report that we had 8 scholarships to award to students taking skills development classes this term, all from generous sponsorship contributions from you!  This is a huge blessing for students who are eager to learn but lacking in financial resources to attend the Powerhouse Skills Development Centre-- thank you so much for making this happen!

Just a reminder that we continue to ask that you

• consider sponsoring a $40 scholarship of a student to attend one of the skills training courses at the Powerhouse (scholarships are awarded to students based on a candidate’s earnestness to succeed as well as on demonstrated need);

• consider donating a used digital camera, or giving the gift of $150 for us to purchase a digital camera, for Nate's upcoming photography course; and/or

• consider donating a USB flash drive, or giving the gift of $25 for us to purchase an 8GB flash drive, much needed at the Powerhouse Computer School.

For more information as well as instructions for giving, visit www.africarevolution.org/projects.htm .  Thank you always for your generosity.

Recent Trip to Cape Town

For a break, the AR team and Nate Massey took a trip recently along what's called the Garden Route to Cape Town, an incredible city.  For photos and such, visit:

www.mamelodistories.org/2009/02/14/the-beauty-of-south-africa/

Upcoming Trip to Mozambique

In early March, the AR team and Pastor Vincent are visiting Iris Ministries (www.irismin.org ) in Maputo, Mozambique.  Iris is a ministry to orphans and aspiring pastors run by Americans Rolland & Heidi Baker.  We are eager to come and see and learn what God is doing through Iris Ministries, with the perspective of being part of a ministry hoping to build a church-orphan home here in South Africa.  We are eager to visit Iris as learners as well as doers, so we look forward to being put to work in any day-to-day ministries underway when we arrive.  

Lastly, Prayer Requests

As always, we are thankful for your prayers:

• Thanks for your prayers re: our transportation situation.  Reminder: prayer and fasting on Monday, February 23.
• Please continue to pray for the Nyathis as they anticipate the arrival of a baby boy.  Pray for Gloria's health and strength, for the baby's health and for this year of adjustment within their family.
• Thanks for your prayers in these last two weeks of our classes this term.
• We are very excited about a team from Chapel Hill and Atlanta coming in a few weeks.  Thanks for your prayers as we begin logistical preparations and for the more meaningful work of orienting the team on cross-cultural matters, experiences they will likely have here, etc. 
• Thanks for your prayers for Allan & Annie and for Africa Revolution.  The vision God has given them is extensive, and only God can do it.  And thank you for keeping Will close in prayer as well.  We are daily thankful for protection from physical harm and for good health.

We love and miss everyone, and are appreciative of your support and prayers.  Thanks for reading, especially such a lengthy update!  As always, for more frequent updates, stay tuned on the blog: www.mamelodistories.org.

Love to all,

Rebecca & Nate

Rebecca Clendenin

reb...@clendenin.name

www.mamelodistories.org