Senkbile Scoop: April 2009

This week, we received this updated from JD and Michele Senkbile, who are LPC’s impact partners in South Africa and who work with Acts 29 International.

First Acts 29 Quarterly

This month, JD hosted his first Acts 29 Quarterly meeting, with local area pastors in Cape Town. This month’s topic was missional communities. JD was one of three presenters who spoke on the idea of missional communities and how to plan for multiplication within your missional community. All together, there were about 50 men and wives in attendance, representing churches from all over Cape Town. The feedback was good, and JD was encouraged to see so many local pastors eager to network with one another, crossing denominational lines.

Spotlight on Innocent

While in Kampala, Uganda, in January, JD was privileged to meet Innocent, a disciple of Gerald Mwede, an Acts 29 pastor in Kampala. Innocent is a former street kid who came to know Jesus and now has a heart to see the lives of other street children redeemed. Starting in his shack, Innocent began housing and feeding these children as best he could. Now, Innocent is able to rent a house that is a home to 45 children who would otherwise be on the streets of Kampala. With the limited resources available, Innocent tries to give these children food, clothing, a place to sleep, a chance at an education, and most importantly, the message of the gospel.

On the Home Front

We are much encouraged by how many of you have been praying for us in the last five weeks, as we welcomed our daughter Sloane into our family. Michele is enjoying the fact that there is another girl around the house, and each day that passes, Cohen grows more into his role as big brother. What started as an intense desire to wrestle with Sloane the minute she came home from the hospital has grown into more of understanding that gentle kisses on the forehead are more appropriate! (Although, we’re pretty sure he’s still waiting for the green light to throw down with her…)

The transition to two children was an interesting one for us, in a new home, and a new country, and we certainly felt the absence of some of our new-mommy-and-daddy community that we have enjoyed in Omaha. God has been good to us, though, and is refining us and our need to depend on him for joy. Those of you who send us your news–keep it up! We love hearing about your lives!

Much love,
JD, Michele, Cohen, and Sloane

Senkbiles Arrive Safely in Cape Town; Now Setting Up Home and Shop

LifePoint received this note from JD and Michele Senkbile, who are doing work with Acts 29 in Africa. We have brought the Senkbiles on as impact partners in 2009 and look forward to hearing more about their work. Here is their note:

Hello All!
We have finally arrived at our destination in Cape Town and have spent the last four days getting over jetlag and soaking up some of this gorgeous sun. Of course, it hasn’t been all fun and games–much of our time has also been spent trying to open a bank account, looking for a car, and learning how to drive on the wrong side of the road again.

We are blessed to have Michele’s parents in town, who have allowed us to ‘dump’ on them since arriving, filling their rooms with our luggage, clothing, and books that have arrived along with us. Cohen is loving every minute of getting to know his South African grandparents a little better and has made his first trip to the beach this weekend.

We have much to be thankful for already:

• Three boxes of books, which we shipped about three weeks ago, were here when we arrived in Cape Town–quite a miracle!
• Opening our bank account proved to be less stressful than anticipated and we are now able to purchase items and pay bills.
• Cohen continues to adjust well to a new schedule and has been sleeping through the night. In fact, he decided to cut two incisors yesterday–he must not have thought we had enough going on already!
• JD has already met with a potential church planter here in Cape Town and continues to receive emails and network with others who are involved and interested in the work of church planting here in South Africa.
• We think we may have found a car that we are able to purchase.

If you think of us this next week, here are a few things for which you can be praying:

• This next week, we will aggressively continue the hunt for a place to live. We would very much like to be set up with a home before JD leaves for Uganda on January 12 and before baby #2 arrives on February 24th.
• JD has a fair amount of preparation to do in order to be ready for three upcoming Acts 29 bootcamps in January and February (Uganda, Johannesburg and Cape Town). Please pray that amidst all the running around and setting up a home and life in Cape Town, that he will be able to devote the time that he needs to study.

We thank each of you for your role in us getting over to Cape Town; we feel blessed by the support that we have from each of you, as we figure out life in a new country.

More updates to come,
JD and Michele