August 2018 - Generics

Generics...Do they work as well as brand name products?  Even if they contain the same ingredients chemically, are they as effective?  Those are questions we often ask in veterinary medicine.  Some generics we know and trust, while others have been proven to be significantly less effective.

In a non-medical sense, I’ve experienced this recently when my ancient Samsung phone battery died.  Going without a phone wasn’t really an option, so I went down to the local shop and bought a replacement battery.   After getting home, I replaced the old battery with the new one and powered on my phone.  Voila!  Works just the same as it did before and only cost $10!  However…a few hours later…I realized the battery would only power my phone for a couple of hours.  Less if I was actively using it.  Now, I have to leave it plugged in to a charger most of the time or it just shuts down.

This generic battery looked the same as the Samsung; same size, same type of battery, supposedly the same strength, but a fifth of the cost of the real thing.  On my next trip to Jo’burg I visited a Samsung store and ordered an authentic replacement battery to get me though till my trip home this winter, when I hope to upgrade my phone.  I just can’t deal with the frustration and reduced effectiveness of the generic till then.  Now, I’m waiting anxiously till my next trip to Jo’burg to pick up the replacement.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”’ Matthew 7:21-23

Unfortunately, many of us also chose to replace God with generics.  On the surface these generic gods may look the same, but I guarantee they won’t work when it comes to our eternal salvation.  What are some of these generic gods?  When we believe Jesus is only one of many ways to get to God, we believe in a generic god (John 14:6).  When we believe that following Jesus means life will be easy and he will bring us material wealth, we believe in a generic Jesus (Acts 14:22). When we believe that going to church and doing our best to do good will get us to heaven, we are following a generic god (Eph 2:8-9).

Why do we choose these generics?  Just as in material cases, they seem cheaper or easier than the real thing and look just as good.  Choosing the real God means we must take up our cross and follow Him.  It requires sacrifices on our part. It is often painful and seems too difficult.  But I will tell you straight, as I tell many of my clients, getting the real thing will be worth it (and often cheaper) in the long run.  Don’t settle for a generic god when the real One is knocking on the door of your heart.

June 2018 - Baptisms and Travels

Only two months have passed since I wrote my last prayer letter, but I’ve received my visa renewal for another three years, baptized four students, traveled through four countries, visited seven of nine provinces in SA, driven 5,700 miles, and packed/repacked my luggage countless time. Life has been a bit busy!

Connie, Boitumelo, Pumla, Tafadzwa, and Thato after their baptisms

My parents and a family friend visited during the month of April and we traveled around South Africa and several surrounding countries. It was such a blessing to show them around Mafikeng, introduce them to some of the students I disciple, and wow them with the beauty of this incredible country. My parents also learned the reality of the phrase TIA (This is Africa…) – things just aren’t the way they are back home. Plans must be flexible and we must be as well.

My parents experienced water outages at my house, requests for bribes, tourist destinations that open whenever they want regardless of posted open hours, flat tires, and roads that have more potholes than they do asphalt. But they also met wonderful people, a business willing to change our tire even though they were closed, and caring staff at the hospital where my Mom had two surgeries after falling and breaking her arm.

My parents on the right and out family friend, Lois, on the left

 One of the highlights of our travels was visiting Victoria Fall in Zimbabwe. We were there during the high water season so the spray from the falls rises up to 2,000 feet into the air. As you walk along the ridge opposite the falls the mist is so thick you can’t see the falls themselves and the spray falls back down as a deluge. Despite having waterproof ponchos we were soaked!

Now that my parents have flown back home, I’m settling into the routines of life here once again. The last group of students for the term is on rotation in the clinic and in a few weeks they will be starting exams. In early June I’ll be organizing their practical exams in the clinic where they demonstrate the skills and practical knowledge they have gained. I will have 10-15 minutes with each of 70+ students over 2 days to assess their competence in animal handling, vaccine choice and administration, fecal parasite exams, dispensing of medications, etc. It is always grueling, but fulfilling as well when I see students flourishing.

Our Acts 1:8 witnessing group is finished for the term, but the Monday night student Bible studies and Sunday night church at my house will continue through exams.

I’m also planning and preparing for a small, short-term veterinary mission group that will be arriving in July. Please be praying for that team, that they will be able to get to know the students and encourage them as well as grow spiritually themselves during their time here in Mafikeng.

Please also pray for me as I begin planning my furlough back to the US this winter. I’ll be back for three months and will hopefully do quite a bit of traveling to meet with my supporters, speak at CVM events and conferences, get some continuing education taken care of, visit churches, etc. The organizing and the busy schedule will be a challenge.

Till next time….

April 2018 - Shaun's Story

After Koketso’s story in my last prayer letter was so well received, I’d like to share Oageng’s testimony. Oageng, or Shaun for his English name, has been part of our Acts 1:8 witnessing program and Bible studies from his first term in 2015. He was introduced to the project by a friend from his home church outside Rustenburg, about 2 hours from Mahikeng, who was also attending NWU. Oageng is now in his final year of Animal Health and I’m looking forward to having him on rotation in the small animal clinic.

Oageng has an infectious smile and a gentle humility that belies his rough years in Rustenburg (which he seriously downplays in this testimony). Here is his story.

“My name is Oageng Shaun Mosito from Rustenburg South Africa. In 2005, I lost both my parents, I was 10 years old still naive and not fully aware of many things. Little did I know that this had an impact in my life.

“I started to live two lives being a good child at home and a naughty child at school. Due to the bitterness that was in my life I started to bullying other kids at school and started to smoke glue privately. When I was at home I would be a good boy, however at school I'll be a monster. I was in a verge of being involved in real gangsterism.

“But midyear 2009, my Aunt invited me to her church. After hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ I started to change. I started not to enjoy the things I used to do and gradually my life started to change and is still changing.

My life since took a 180 degrees turn. I no longer smoke glue and I no longer live two lives of hypocrisy. I am a new creation; the old has passed away. I'm currently in the university of North-West South Africa, doing my final year in Bsc Animal health.”

Oageng is now a great witness for Christ, passionate about sharing his faith, and involved in training younger students. Please pray that he will be able to balance the demands of his final year with those of church, Bible study, Acts 1:8, and personal time with the Lord. Please also pray that he will be well prepared over the next few months to leave university and embark on the next stages of his life. We will miss him next year!