1)  FRESH START FOR NAMIBIAN BAPTISTS

Baptist cooperation on the national level has been at a very low ebb for at least the last 6 years.  A group from the Memphis area plus one Alabaman were used by the Lord in late November/ early December to change that situation entirely.  Dr. Danny Sinquefield, pastor of Faith Baptist in Bartlett, Tn; Dr. Ronny Wilburn, Director of Missions for Shelby Association, Rev. Todd Pendergrass, associate pastor and minister of education at Faith, and Rev. Jim Cummings,
pastor of Parkview Baptist Church, Tuscumbia, AL arrived in Tsumeb on Nov.
28.
They led a 3 day seminar that was attended by over 30 Namibian pastors and
church leaders.  Subjects ranged from the ministry of the local church to
the work of a national convention.  After the seminar, the Baptist
Convention of Namibia met to begin a reorganization.  An executive committee
was elected to lead in the next three years with the next national meeting
set for 2003.
On Sunday, the group from America preached in various churches in the Tsumeb
area.   After a quick trip to the Etosha Game Park, they returned home on
Dec. 5 - weary in well doing.  We expected good things to happen as a result
of this seminar -- instead, God gave us great things.
One decision by the convention was to request a partnership with one of the
smaller state conventions in the United States.  The Shelby Association is
also praying through a partnership relationship with the Kavango Baptist
Association, Namibia's largest association.
Several pastors have requested that we have a seminar like this every year
because they learned so much and enjoyed the fellowship.  That is one big
difference between Africans and Americans - they loved sitting in meetings
that lasted all day and then through a worship service at night!! 

2)  A WEDDING, A RETIREMENT - THEN HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Normally, Don travels up Rundu alone, but Carol and Dennis accompanied him on his last trip.  Carol wanted to attend the wedding on Dec. 23 of Anton Feliciano, former president of the youth of the Kavango Association.  His bride, Elise,  wore one of the dresses from Carol's wedding dress collection.  Don performed the ceremony at the packed Kehemu Church.
    On Sunday December 24, we all attended the retirement service of Pastor Petilu Kativa at the Kaisosi Church.  Pastor Petilu is the first pastor to retire in the Kavango Association.  Don reminded him and the congregation that it gives him the freedom to be able to travel to churches that are without an ordained pastor to help them.  Don is pictured to the left with Pastor Petulu and Pastor Moses Tololi (right).
    Pray for this couple that are starting their lives together and for Pastor Petilu and his family. 

3)  THEY CAME FROM ALABAMY

On Dec. 28, 11 University of Mobile students accompanied by their campus minister, Dr. Moses Ceasar arrived in Windhoek where they linked up with us and Amy Alexander, a journeyman volunteer in Mozambique who came to help us. (Thanks again, Amy!)  They travelled up to Tsumeb and ministered in the Noutsomb church.  They had a VBS which was well attended - close to 300 children on the final day.   They also visited a mission congregation at a nearby farm and did evangelism in Tsumeb.    We traveled down to the coast, stopping over in Etosha to see the animals.  At the coast, they were very busy.  They led in the Sunday morning worship service at Kuisebmond Baptist Church in Walvis Bay.  They led in the ecumenical worship service on Sunday evening at the amphitheatre in Swakopmund with Don bringing the message.  They led in a VBS at Kuisebmond every morning for a week, and had a high attendance of about 150.  They also
visited in a children's home for abused children in Swakopmund and fellowshipped with and encouraged the youth of the Swakopmund Church.
Before departing Swakopmund on Sunday, they led the morning worship service.
(Besides all the hard work they did at the coast, they managed to squeeze in horse and camel rides, a hike up a sand dune, and a quad bike tour of the
dunes.  In the group was the very intelligent Andrew Davis, who joined Don for golf instead of riding a horse!)  Members of this group were: Chandra Barton, Jamie Blair, Adrienne Casey, Christy Crawford, Nathan Creitz, Chasity Crowley, Andrew Davis, Misty Hawkins, Ismael Pruitt, Melissa Smith, and Veronica Smith.

4)  PRAYER REQUESTS AND ANSWERS