November 2010

CHRIST FOR AFRICA MISSION

Happy Thanksgiving - 2010
Mozambique a Second Chance …
Dear Prayer Partners:
Greetings in the Name of Jesus:
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Before the 27 year war between Renamo & Frelimo in Mozambique Africa, 79 mission churches were
Happy Thanksgiving planted. After the war Anita and I returned to Mozambique to survey how many Pastors and their families
2010 survived, and how many churches were still in existence that had not been destroyed by the war.
We prayed, fasted and went by faith. We spent 8 months searching all areas where churches had been
Mozambique – A planted - this was no easy task; After many years, things looked different, we did not recognize landmarks …
Second Chance Vegetation destroyed by military flame throwers. We were discouraged; many of our people had been killed or
fled from their country. Parents and children separated, lost or died, many wandered around following the
Field News
crowds leaving with no belongings, just the clothes they were wearing. Hundreds of refugees starved along the
Prayer Requests way, some were buried, and many who died were left to the buzzards … wild animals.
On the last day of our 8 month visit we went to our favorite spot. We knew God knew where we were
Our Mission Emphasis and what we were trying to accomplish. After a quick lunch, we saved the extra food in a container, to give to
some needy person. We took a short walk for one last look at the beautiful sunset. As we knelt to pray, Anita
smelt smoke from a wood burning fire in the vicinity. We followed a footpath, noticed a goat grazing nearby,
ashes smouldering in a fire pit. Standing 60 – 80 feet from the hut we called out, “Is anyone home?” with the
intention to give them the food. (Please note during that time many people had AK 47 weapons – we stood by faith,
trusting they would be happy for the food and not harm us or take us hostage).
An African man appeared, girded about with a faded cloth; that was all he had to cover his body. At
first he looked shocked and amazed; we assured him we were friendly and wanted to give them the food. He ran
toward Br. John and fell down on his knees grabbing the back of Br. John’s legs, sobbing, calling out to God, “Thank
Damaged Tractor
you Lord, you heard our prayers and sent Br. Newton to find us here.” We did not recognize him; was he a pastor,
or a church member? Overwhelmed with tears in our eyes, and what seemed like an eternity to us, he then
calmed down telling us he was Pastor Phinias Sakwiya from Tete Province. The soldiers invaded their village,
burnt houses and churches, shooting and killing his wife and 4 children. People ran away, some escaped – some
were wounded, and died. Pastor Phinias was bound to a tree with a rope, they planned to shoot him the next
morning, to show those who surrendered to the soldiers, what would happen if they attended church again. During
the night, he felt someone untying the ropes, thinking one of the soldiers had come to kill him. He could not see
anyone. Not a word was spoken; he realized a miracle had taken place. (He was free). He said, “I quickly crept
through the brush to get as far away from the village as possible before someone found out I was missing. I ran
through the night, towards the border of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe”.
Church Destroyed
Pastor Phinias came to a village, saw an elderly woman cooking Sadsa (Cornmeal mush/Mameliga) and
wild spinach. She invited him closer, fed him, then washed his torn, bleeding, blistered and bruised feet. Sister
Agnes took care of him for 2 weeks. She enquired, “You are a Pastor, I’ve heard you praying and crying before the
Lord; we do not have a Pastor, you cannot go back there, they will kill you.” Br. Phinias stayed in the area,
preached, baptized converts, discipling for 2 years, establishing a church in the Rusape/Mutare area. (Rhodesia).
Eventually the war ended, returning to his village – everything was destroyed. Sharing this terrible
ordeal with Anita and me, Anita asked him if he had a wife/children? He answered God had given him a wife and
two boys. We asked to meet them. Phinias went into the hut; a few minutes later, his wife came out, wearing the
same cloth draped around her that he had been wearing, he stayed inside the hut. The little boys were naked it
New Water Well dawned on us that the thin cloth was all the parents had to wear, they shared it with each other. Their only other
possession was an old cast iron pot, for cooking, carrying water/goat milk. They slept on the ground on dry
straw.
 Mozambique a Second Chance … Page 2

We gave them clothing to wear. With all 4 of them, (the goat and the cook pot, which they just could not leave), in Our Mission
Emphasis is:
the truck we headed to the nearest hospital 200 miles away. They were admitted for observation; suffering from malaria,
malnutrition, dehydration and stress. We left them in the care of the mission hospital, who requested on our return to bring To serve the
several packages of medical supplies for the Mission Hospital. With new visas/permits we returned to Mozambique. Br. Indigenous
Phinias and I travelled to all the old church sites, villages, found no pastors or surviving members. During our search we Church in
Africa.
came upon the farm tractor we had donated to one of the village churches, to plough and plant corn. The tractor and
churches were damaged beyond repair. Our Method
is: To let
Pastor Phinias started evangelizing the villages, and the Lord added to the church many precious people. With much God present a
need … and
fasting and prayer God enabled the work to grow, new churches planted during the 11 years God allowed him to minister
for us to
before taking him home to glory. His wife requested a sewing machine, foot pedal type. She made clothing and did alterations match it with
for the local people. She was able to teach women to sew who took care of their families. She prayed with them, passion to
teaching/reading the Bible daily. Both their boys graduated high school, attended Bible College, returning to their village. The serve.
oldest son became the pastor after Br. Phinias went to be with the Lord, and the younger son planted a church 20 miles away.
Support for
Christ For
“HOW THEN SHALL THEY CALL ON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED? AND HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM OF WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? Africa
AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH, EXCEPT THEY BE SENT? AS IT IS WRITTEN, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE Ministries
FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!” ROMANS 10: 14-15. KJB. comes from
gifts by
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that friends like
you.
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you,” John 15:16. KJB.
We are not
Special Prayer For Finances Needed: funded or
endowed by
Water Well outstanding - $8000.00 any group or
Corporation,
Mission Truck Repairs - $7900.00 We are an
3 Corn Grinders - $1500.00 for 2010 Independent
Bibles, Bicycles, Blankets and Medical Supplies; Faith
Mission.
Special Year End donations: John & Anita
Pastor's Christmas Offering - $100.00 each; Newton Hold
Corn Grinder - $500.00 - & Donkey Taxi Ministry - $100.00 each; to the King
Harvest Kits - 12 Graduating Students - $300.00 each; James Bible
Pastor support $100.00 each p/month; Bible Student support – $50.00 each p/month;
Mozambique - Br. Wynand Jordaan - $150.00 p/month;
Namibia - $200.00 p/month; Christ For
Lesotho - $200.00 p/month; Africa Mission
South Africa Inner City Youth - Vivienne Van Rensburg = $150.00 p/month: P.O. Box 536
Please Pray : South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tahlequah
Botswana, Namibia & Angola, Indigenous Pastors, Workers, and souls to be saved for Jesus. OK
74465-0536

Thank You For Helping Us Pray In The Year End Finances Needed; Without Your Help, Prayers &
Faithful Dedication, We Could Not Have Accomplished This Work For The Lord, These Many Years. E-mail:
God Bless You. sacfaim1@
hotmail.com
Prayerfully, With Love,
John & Anita Newton.