immmiMS"

Smaage Family
JU\.
SMAACE NSISLEIXER JE 1973
Dear Friends in Christ,
Greetings again from South Africa. March and April here have been very busy months
for us* I'll try to outline briefly what we have been doing here these past two
months* Our Ford camper which I converted from a Panel van broke down coming back
from Pretoria in late February* The first week in Msirch therefore, I was up to my
elbows in grease and engine parts overhauling the little V-A Ford engine* It is a
fairly simple engine so it did not take too long to get it all back together with
the new pco'ts installed* The biggest problem was getting Donna to keep me supplied
with Iced Tea during the overhaul* She seemed to think she had more important things
to do*
Following the Ford overhaul I was able to get busy preparing additional teaching
booklets for our African and Coloured leaders in the church* We were able to re-do
an earlier book in the ^osa language on the Eldership, plus start on other booklets
in English* Booklets (mimeographed study guides) that we have now finished or fiire
in the process of doing are "THE ELDERSHIP" in Xhosa and English, "LUISTER" which
is a personal evangelism calling booklet in Afrikaans, "HOW TO PREPARE AND PREACH",
"THE CHDRCH", "THE BOOK OF ACTS", "THE BOOK OF HEBREWS", I & II TIMOTHI"* The men
here are very eager to receive these booklets and I cannot seem to keep them supplied*
Wg run off about 200 copies at a time and they are gone before you know it* W
mail th^ to church leaders and also use them in our leadership training clinics
that we conduct on our visits to the churches* They have proved to be very successful
and popular with the leaders here*
We have kept busy with our visits-to-4>he_^rican churches here and also with the work
of the awmn European'^co^;c.6^'^;ga3^^KP6*i^^^^ffletonville* I think I told you in our
last newsletter abc^t Gene'stM Landis w^ are working together with us in the
work here* Gene am-l^^alt^jngd^%atJbhe->E^ work on Sundays* That helps us each
in continuing with ou:^''i?^peetive"BantU'~and Coloured works as well* We have also
been able to hold a leadership training clinic in Fort Victoria, Rhodesia* This was
a special training meeting arranged by Bro* Dick Smith of the Bible College in Fort
Victoria* Bro* THll Hall, Johannesburg missionary and I taught two classes each
every day in Fort Victoria from April 12-19* Bill taught on personal Evangelism and
on the Eldership while I taught on the Book of Acts and on the Church* Every night
then we had preaching in which Bill and I alternated nights* So we were quite busy
while there* Bill and I flew up in our mission airplane for this clinic* We saved
time Lnd money by using the plane and had a very good training clinic at Fort Victoria*
The brothers there told us they were very pleased with what we brought*
Gene Landis and I have been talking about the possibility of starting a leadership
trcdning school in South Africa* The work we have done up to now has all been on an..
extension basis in which we go to the churches to teach* This has been very good but
there are advUitages to be gained from having a located school such as our school in
Oiana, Liberia and Fort Victoria* As you know I have been interested in doing this
in South Africa for the past three years, and tried to enlist recruits for such a ven
ture but was unsuccessful* Whether anything will come of our talks or not I do not
know* We would not be able to do much right now about establishing such a school as
we are planning to return to the U*S* for furlough this coming September* It would
require a of three missionary families on the field to operate a leadership
training school* I am also not sure that this is an opportune time for the establish
ing of such a school*
Another item of importance in which we have been involved is in helping our Coloured
minister Bro* Roland Joseph move from KLmberley to Eldorado Park in Johannesburg* I
believe this to be a providential step in regard to our Coloured work in the Johannesburg
area* Eldorado Park is a brand new coloured housing scheme South of Johannesburg now
being built* The firs ^hbuses-^e being completed this week* There is a critical
housing shortage for Coloured in South Africa and this new housing scheme will provide
^homes for thousands in the Johannesburg area* We believe that God has providentially
SMAAGE NEWSLETTER, June 1973. page 2
provided an opening here for the spread of the Gospel in regard to Bro, Joseph moving
to Eldorado Park. Let me explain. There are litterally thousands who have made appli
cation to the Johannesburg municipality for housing. These are government built atiH
maintained houses. The successful applicant pays monthly rent to the municipality for
a house. Applicants who applied to 5 years ago are being given first consideration
now. Bro. Joseph had applied in 1967 for a municipal house in the Johannesburg area
but his application was lost so they had no record of such. Two weeks ago Bro. Bill
Hally Bro. Joseph and I went to see the man in charge of the Johannesburg municipal
housing scheme and told him of our desire to move Bro. Joseph to Johannesburg for the
purpose of ministering to our Coloured brothers and sisters here. The man in charge,
a Mr. Claasens, initial response to our request was, "Not a chancel" but as we
talked his attitude changed as he realized Bro. Joseph's presence in the new community
of Eldorado Park would be a positive influence for good. He told Bro. Joseph to make
a new application and he would see what he could do. This past week we went to
see Mr. Claasens. This time Bro. Gene Landis, Bro. Joseph and I were together. Mr.
Claasens had arranged to allocate a house for Bro. Joseph. In fact, I believe that
Bro. Joseph may be the very first to move in to Eldorado Park. He has been given one
of the first houses completed. There are hundreds more now being built.
Vlhile we talked with Mr. Claasens about Eldorado Park we asked if we (the church)
could be given a plot of ground in Eldorado Park for a church building. He told us
to submit an application and they would consider it. Being a bit bold by now, I also
asked about the possibility of building a classroom building for the purpose of a
leadership training school for Coloureds in Eldorado Park. Mr. Claasens saw no reason
why this could not be done also and that we should sutmit an application our pro
posal for such a school to his office for their approval. Roland has therefore gone
down to Kimberley to get his family and belongings and will be moving to Eldorado
park in about ten days. We believe that the Lord has led in this and that he
will accomplish his purpose in so doing. If you feel led of the Lord to pray for Bro.
Roland Joseph and his family (his wife's name is Charlotte, they have 5 children) I
know that they would appreciate yoxir prayers very much as they begin this new work
for Christ.
FHRLOUGH PLANS; We are planning now to return to the U.S. this September 1973
for furlough. This will be just short of three years for us this term in Africa.
This seems to be the best time for us to furlough due to the children's schooling.
We want to be able to enroll them at the beginning of the school year in the U.S.
Our exact dates have not yet been set. We hope to make it in September but may
be delayed until October depending on the work needed to be done here
May God bless you all as you serve Him.
Yours in Christ, Derry, Donna, Cheryl, Kevin, Linda, Darin
Smaage.
Published and mailed as a project of the Pioneer Class of Westwood.
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