AN UPDATE FROM MARTIN, JULY 20.

My dear Bruce, brother and pastor in the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank you so much for the love and care you are giving me and my family, and the church in South Africa. Your brotherly love in the Lord is beyond explanation and I do not have words to describe the partnership and relationship.

Firstly, our mission to Mozambique was a great success. We saw new ground breaking for the kingdom of God and it was exciting to see how many souls came to Jesus. We were moving from village to village followed by miracles of the Lord.

One woman who has been lying sick for months, she could not do anything. We spoke a word and she was healed immediately. This attracted many people to the meetings and God was greatly glorified.

A young girl of 14, who had a relationship with a serpent under the water (this is part of the witchcraft in the culture) was delivered after we have prayed for her 8 has nonstop. This was challenging. We started praying around 5 in the morning and she was freed around 1 o'clock.

I am telling you, brother, Mozambique was exciting. We are planning another mission in October after our Brits Crusade.

BACK HOME (SOUTH AFRICA)

The Church in South Africa is growing at fast and unbelievable pace. I have never seen such thing before. Everyone is praying so hard for the September Crusade. Regarding the finances, starting on Monday the 21st we are praying around the clock for God to supply finances for the crusade. I am having a meeting with all intercessors on Sunday to pray and continue to pray. The September Crusade will be an exciting one. We strongly believe that God will open doors very soon as we call unto Him.

PROPOSAL FOR SEPTEMBER

Meetings will be in the evenings like in Lethlabile. I want to submit this to you, if it is okay that you can have extra meetings with high school students (+2500), one university, and the labor-workers in Brits. If it is okay with you can I arrange these meetings during the day?

Finally my brother! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I Love you, I Love you, I Love you! Please tell the brethren in the USA who are supporting the Crusade that we say in SOUTH AFRICA, "SIYA BONGA! RE A LEBOGA!" Thank You!

Seeing you soon, brother. We love you.

Martin and Alcy

Go to Top
         

CRUSADE RESULTS--A REPORT FROM MARTIN.

"Praise God!" is all I can say. Martin just sent me this wrap-up report and I tell you, I am just astounded. As much as I knew how fruitful a time it was, I just had no idea. But Martin tells it far better than I ever can, so...

My dear brother and partner, are you well and resting? Praise God, we are praying for you in South Africa that God should continue His purpose about your life. May I give you a summary report regarding the May event, and may I just say, Pastor, the Lord was faithful beyond our expectation.

Each night after the Crusade, I personally counted the chairs that were in stadium. We had 2 967 chairs. The first night salvation cards which were all completed were 450. The date was 7 May.

SUMMARIZED STATISTICS, MAY 2003 CRUSADE

*(Note from Bruce--Martin omitted Wednesday, May 14. I know Martin well, and He was probably getting so excited as he typed everything, he just ran right past it. But I was there that night and I can promise you, the evening was no less miraculous than the others. Glory to Jesus! Now back to Martin...)

As you know, every night we prayed for the sick, and that number is thousands, and we are continuing in home cells to pray for them. Specific nights we prayed for those who were bound because of parent abuse and neglect, those who wanted to give up their drugs and alcohol, those who were bound in witchcraft and ancestral worship. Those numbers are also in thousands. They completed cards and we are following up.

Since the Crusade all the churches we planted are overflowing and there is tremendous growth. In certain areas we are requesting permission from the school to use their classrooms to accommodate the numbers. 19 other areas we sent buses to are asking for church planting, and we are busy training Pastors for the task of shepherding the flock in those areas. Another 28 brethren have enrolled for ministry training to assist with the pastoring of the churches.

Pastor, here are a few testimonies I have translated from letters I received from the brethren and I will be mailing more.

1.TSEGO NTWANE

She had a covenant with witches that were known to her. Her soul was given to witchcraft. Every night she had to surrender to be used to perform acts of witchcraft against her will which include sex and blood acts. She attended the Crusade and Jesus changed her life. After she was prayed for all her handlers in the evil world are unable to come close to her. She reports that when she calls the name of Jesus the witches run away and she is having peace in her heart since the Crusade. Her family is prayed for to understand what Jesus did in her life. Having covenant with witchcraft in our area is a common and great curse. Many of our young people are forced into it. GLORY TO JESUS!

 

2. NDABENE

It was on the 14th of May 2003 at around 18:30 in the evening. It was the 2nd week of the Crusade that was held at Lethlabile Community Hall. Queen Ndabene was accompanied by her mother to the Crusade. It was the day of wonders and miracles on that day. After Pastor Bruce preached, Pastor Martin made an altar-call. There was specific prayer for people who consult witch doctors or people who were supposed to be trained to do this job. Queen Ndabene’s mother was prayed over, and Queen followed her mother. God touched Queen Ndabene, and she was rolling on the ground, and she was so angry. We phoned her for follow-up counseling. We found that Queen’s mother was a witch doctor. When we arrived at the home an argument erupted (children and mother). She asked them why the pastor was supposed to pray for the people who were training to be witch doctors. The children were forbidden to attend the Crusade from that day on. Queen defied her parents and came to the Crusade against the parent’s will with her sister. They said they would break witchcraft tradition in their house. Mrs. Ndabene was so angry that she has lost golden opportunity of using her children for income. The mother tried to punish them. They said she was acting like a roaring lion. But they said they would never be witch doctors or consult witch doctors The sisters are so happy for what the Lord has done with their lives. That previous prayer was breakthrough in their lives.

3. IDA

When I came in the Crusade I was known to be a sick person in the area. I was unable to stand upright and booked for backbone operation. As the Pastor was preaching I was healed and I am not going to the operation. Hallelujah. I am also join now in the Ministry Training School.

4. JOSEPH MPHOTE

I have come from a world of drunkenness to the world of peace. I don’t know how many times have I been jail. I was classified AS AN OUTCAST of no hope in the community. I thank God I was delivered am no more criminal nor a drunkard. Pastor Bruce preached that Jesus love me and I am set free. Am now in the Ministry Training School to help Pastor Martin with the workload of churches.

5. SEBO KETSWANE

Thank you, Thank you. I came from the dark world, guns, car hijacking. I come to know the Lord through your preaching. I want to attend Ministry Training School to preach the Gospel also.

6. 12 YEAR OLD JANE TESTIFYING

Jane Dlakude 12 year old girl in Lethlabile Pastor Bruce, I amazingly interviewed this young girl myself and visited the kids with her who came to Jesus in the Crusade. The children are ages 14 to 18 who were in drugs and alcohol. They are in Sunday School at the church now and we are counseling them. JANE’S MIRACLE. She accepted Jesus during the Crusade and understands clearly the love of Jesus. When you come back to South Africa I would like you to interview Jane yourself and see what God has done in this little girl’s life. She is testifying everywhere about the love of Jesus.

7. JOHANNES MASIKENG

I could not find a job for many years, I was living a hard life was unable to reach so many things in life. Thank God for the Crusade and for the powerful prayers I am working at the moment. Praise God.

8. MATA LAULA

I was suffering with no work and my family was suffering. At the Crusade I saw how great God is upon my life. The pastors prayed for me and God gave me a job.

9. MANDAKWENE

I was suffering from terrible and bad dreams from bad spirits and curses of witches. I was not sleeping. After the Crusade I sleep and the spirits are gone. God has set me free.

10. PHELILE MARIBE

(Remember the lady with a big sore on her leg that was prayed for). Thank God that I am healed during the Crusade and now am able to start a small business to support my family.

11. TWENO BENDWANE

I thank God about the healing that I received during the crusade have been to doctors for the past three years, suffering with diabetic condition went to the doctor, they did test, and I am healed.

12. CHRISTINA LEOHOGOLE

My son was suffering from Asthma and he was prayed for during the Crusade and I thank God he’s not using the spray again.

13. MRS. MONYAI

I thank God about the healing that I receive during the crusade. I have been suffering from stomach problems and I thank God that I was healed during the crusade. My husband punish me every night I went to the crusade, he also refuses to give me food but I thank God because I am healed.

CLOSING REMARKS

Pastor Bruce I thank God about you, your heart and the Love for the people of South Africa. I have tried to keep this report short but to be honest with you, I am sitting with more than 100 letters and many more are still coming in from people testifying about the miracles God did in their lives through the Crusade.

I have even received reports that 2 people who were HIV+ have been healed but due to the shame and stigma attached to it they are afraid to come forward. As soon as they come forward I will ask them to personally meet with you when you are again in South Africa.

GLORY TO JESUS

I LOVE YOU MY DEAR BROTHER AND PARTNER

MARTIN

Well, what can I add to that, except to join with Martin in saying, GLORY TO JESUS! And just think... we get to do it all again in September. Glory, glory, glory to Jesus!

Click here to find out more about the September 2003 Crusade.

Go to Top
         

FINAL CRUSADE REPORT. I'm finally back home after a mind-blowing month, and I can promise you, though my feet are walking on US soil, my heart remains in Africa.

I have seen salvation like I never imagined salvation. I have seen hardened criminals and the literally demon-possessed come right in the blink of an eye. I have seen masses of drug addicts toss their drugs away and cry out to Jesus. I have seen blind eyes opened and people set free in ways I don't even know. I have seen and I have seen, and it has all been at the hand of Jesus! Glory to His wondrous Name!

There is so much to report that I don't even know where to begin. As I sit here I will never forget a local Lethlabile pastor coming to us Saturday night--he was wide-eyed and jumping with excitement. He told us that the norm in Lethlabile is every Friday/Saturday night the street corners are packed with kids selling drugs and alcohol--things are so tough they make a buck any way they can. But he said that he drove all over the 'township' and he could only find one corner with kids on it--instead of selling drugs they were all at the crusade! They were all giving their lives to Jesus!

And that was one of the surprise hallmarks of this May crusade--something we didn't focus toward or even think about--it was packed with kids--teenagers through early 20's. Night after night--and though the crusade was scheduled for 5 days we went on for 12 until the money ran out--amazingly the crowd was consistently 70-80% young people.

I remember looking out from the platform night after night and being totally baffled by this. I mean, what on earth would draw them? I can promise you, there was no 'name' on the poster that would inspire them to come, no hip musicians or local celebrities, no kind of strategy by us to target them. Yet they came--in 1000's they came--and it was the huge work that God did--saving these young people and drawing them into His kingdom.

But I have no explanation for this other than a sovereign work of God. He just sovereignly by His Spirit drew these young people in. And as they went back to their neighborhoods and their friends saw what God had done in their lives, then their friends came, too. It was glorious and it was incredible. Glory to the Name of Jesus!

So there's so much, and the best thing I can do is hurry and scan all the photos so you can see it all yourself, and I promise I'll get to that very soon. But let me first say thank you--there are so many people. There are the African guys who worked around the clock getting everything ready, building the church to house the new believers, going door-to-door, day after day, personally inviting the people to come. I tell you, you have no idea the work these guys did. We couldn't afford to rent light stands, so the guys built them. We couldn't afford to rent a stage, so the guys built one. And more than anything else, they built a church, too--it takes my breath away to say it--they built a church, too...

And then there are the intercessors. I went to the crusade site the day before we started and there was a tent there with noise coming out of it. I looked inside and there they were--the intercessors--working in teams around the clock, praying over the crusade site. Then we went to see the church construction and the same thing--a room behind the building with noise coming out of it--intercessors praying for the people that would fill that little church. I tell you, it makes me a little ashamed to call myself a believer, the way these people give their all for Jesus.

Then there's the Americans--the Americans who gave and gave, and who prayed and prayed. I can't thank you enough. It is so funny to think how we all have our roles and our shoes to fill, and the key to the advance of God's kingdom is for all of us to do just that which is our part. Here in America, if there's anything we have it's an abundance of finances--I can promise you, even our poor are so far ahead of the rest of the world it isn't funny. But that's exactly what the African guys don't have, and it's the foundation upon which they can step out and offer God what they do have. And when it all mixes together, bingo, bango, bongo --the kingdom goes and goes! Glory to the Name of Jesus!

So thanks--thank you, thank you, thank you. I've attached a letter from Martin for you, the photos are on their way, and again--thank you.

Pastor Bruce,

Sitting down and taking the pen to write how we feel about your ministry gives me great joy. I thank God about you, my dear brother, because you have given the people of Lethlabile and surrounding villages messages that declare the purposes for which we exist and the joy about the kingdom of God.

In the book of John, Jesus says, "For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world." Why I am quoting this verse, I just say one thing, that the cause for which you are striving, for you to come to our communities and declare the love of God is not in vain. Furthermore, the evidence of the meetings which were conducted are just a beginning of what God has prepared for us in September. We are humbled by your commitment to our work and our people. May you be stirred to greater heights and to greater purposes for His kingdom. We love you, Pastor.

To all Americans who supported the crusade financially, I declare blessing upon their lives. You enabled the administration of the crusade TO BRING THE LOST TO CHRIST. You are our resource, and I am so humbled to say thank you.

It is always exciting to look at how we are connected to the bigger picture of God's plan in His kingdom. This is my prayer: "LET THE VISION EXPAND AS WE ARE INSPIRED TO GREATER HEIGHTS, AND LET THE CROSS BE LIFTED UP!" May the good Lord strengthen you and strengthen us in our relationship as we continue to build together a spiritual family.

The atmosphere in the crusade itself can be defined as overwhelming, active, vibrant, and a healing place which saw so many born again that we extended for another week and gave birth to our next crusade in the town of Brits, in which for the first time black and white people will worship God together. The crusade was a huge success beyond what we imagined, and with the help of churches we planted and the finances to rent buses for the people's transportation, 22 villages in and around Lethlabile were reached.

We had delightfully enjoyable times as God surprised us every night, and without any doubt our lives have been changed, too. The crusade helped us to identify the need to train even more leaders and develop more godly leaders within each village, so as we prepare for September, we continue in that work as well.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot say enough, thank you.

God bless you. All glory to the living God!

Martin

Go to Top
         

SPECIAL CRUSADE REPORT. Thank you for your patience in waiting for an update about the Crusades in Lethlabile, South Africa. God is indeed doing incredible things in that rural township and several surrounding communities. We are eager for you to hear the good report. However, Bruce is still engulfed in events (that I will explain in a moment) and is unable to break away and write an update himself. In the interim, he has asked me to tell the story about wonderful changes God is bringing to Lethlabile.

My name is Teri and for the last five years, I have had the privilege of building and updating this web site. During that time, I have been faithfully posting Bruce's travel journal entries and more recently the crusade reports...all the while wondering what it would be like to see, firsthand, these "workings of the Lord" in South Africa. Two weeks ago, that wondering became a dream come true as I was able to go and be a part of the crusade. (That's also why you haven't seen an update until now...life in South Africa was much too busy for computers to keep up.)

I'm back in the States now and I was checking my email for the update Bruce had promised me as we were loading my suitcases for the trip home. What a shock! In place of an update from Bruce, I received...

"teri, what i'd like to do is have YOU write the crusade report. now don't shake your head no...just write your heart - what you saw and experienced...tell the people it's a 'move of god' - true revival. so much so that we are continuing the meetings every night until the money runs out or the people stop coming. but what's going on is the crowds are growing and we can see no end. it is true revival. so just write your heart."

I knew the email really was from Bruce because none of the words were capitalized. (I've often wondered if he knows there is a 'Shift' key on his keyboard...) And since the beginning of this web site, I have always promised to do whatever "the boss" says. So here is my best shot at a firsthand account of the crusades in Lethlabile...

Lethlabile is a black township near Brits (which is about 45 minutes north of Pretoria). Most of the local people walked to the crusade though some did come in cars. Buses brought hundreds and hundreds of people in from surrounding communities. The crusade began on a Wednesday night and Pastor Martin had warned us that he thought the crowds would start out light and increase over the weekend.

The first night we took a detour on our way to the public soccer stadium where the crusade was being held. As we were driving Bruce explained the reason for our circuitous route - he wanted to show us the new church. Pastor Martin and his team (of about a dozen local pastors) believed that the crusade would net hundreds of new believers and Lethlabile had no church through which to disciple them. The prospect of transporting these new believers to existing churches in other towns was a logistical nightmare. To this dedicated team the solution was as obvious as the need - Lethlabile must have it's own church. So they built one...in 8 short days (and long nights)...they built a new church. Pastor Martin gave up his own property and $3000 was carved out of the frugal crusade budget and 8 days later - a new church building was born! What a blessing.

From the new church, we headed toward the stadium. It was dark already and the first thing we noticed was that we could hear the crusade before we could see it. The choir was jamming, the praise leader (complete with head-mounted mic) was rocking and the people were already responding to the joyful music that would characterize the entire event. When we finally did round the last corner into the stadium, what a site! People were streaming in from every direction. Hands were clapping. Feet were stomping. Look out Lethlabile - the Crusade has begun!

There were two tents set up behind the platform. Each night the pastors and our team would meet there to pray for God's anointing on the crusade and the people. Such heart cries from the lips of these valiant prayer warriors. They prayed from depths I'm not even sure exist in my own heart. They begged God for freedom from bondage and oppression. They cried to the Father for marriages and parents and children and families. They pleaded for repentance and forgiveness and reconciliation. Every night they prayed. And every night God heard their prayers and He honored the tears of their hearts.

Praise and worship is a full-body experience in South Africa. People were singing, clapping, stamping and before long there was a conga line dancing through the field. King David would have been proud. One night the praise and worship experience was so powerful, Bruce and Pastor Martin, decided to give the invitation immediately - before the message was even preached. Hundreds of people came forward to ask Jesus into their hearts. Later Bruce and Eric (I'll let Bruce explain that later) preached and even more people came forward. It was an amazing move of the Spirit of the living God. Each night after the final invitation, Pastor Martin would call people forward for special prayer - sometimes it was for physical healing. Sometimes for emotional healing. Sometimes for spiritual battles. Regardless of the need, Bruce, Martin, Eric and the local pastors prayed...and prayed...and prayed...and God healed...and God delivered...and God set people free! Every night - they prayed and every night God responded! Thank you, Father!

Saturday night as we were in the prayer tent, one of the local pastors told us that a change was flowing over Lethlabile. He said that on that particular night it was especially palpable. Teenagers from all over the community were making their way to the stadium. Instead of hanging around the street corners and pool halls and other places of potential trouble, the kids were coming to the stadium. We could hardly wait to see what God was going to do. From the platform that night we could see it was as Pastor Martin had predicted the largest crowd yet - between 3,000-4,000 and they were still coming. That night Bruce and Martin had a special invitation just for kids and teens. They responded by the hundreds. Some kids even turned in drugs and gave testimonies of being delivered from addiction. It was an amazing thing to see.

Every night Pastor Martin and his team followed up with every person who made a decision. People from Lethlabile were told of the new church that had just been built. People from surrounding communities were introduced to the pastors from their area. Everyone was plugged into a church somewhere so that no one would fall through the cracks. They are going to need a few thousand Bibles for all the new believers. What a great problem to have.

For the visiting team from America, our crusade experience went out with a BANG on Sunday. The Lethlabile Community Hall had been rented for the Sunday Worship Service. When we arrived at about 10:30am, the choir was long passed warm up and well into serious praise even though the service wasn't scheduled to begin until 11:00am. We praised. We worshiped. Rose Pylidis, our team leader, did an interpretive dance to "Shout to the Lord." The response from the people almost raised the roof completely off the building. Never have I seen people worship God in such freedom and abandon. Such "soul" music...

Again, the worship led directly to a time of prayer and deliverance. Local pastors beseeching God on behalf of their people. Bruce and Pastor Martin crying to God for the hearts of the people. God moving among His children. Amazing seems such a trivial word to try and describe the events of that day.

Eventually, the preaching and thanksgiving did happen and once again the people were blessed. Early that evening Pastor Martin asked a blessing for the biggest church supper I had ever seen. The meal was open to the entire community of Lethlabile and thousands of people were fed. God was so abundantly faithful. During the supper Bruce and Pastor Martin were evaluating the success of the crusade. They both acknowledged that it didn't seem God was finished working in that small township. And before Bruce knew what to say next, Pastor Martin was asking him to extend the crusade for another week or until God brought things to a halt. Bruce accepted and the crusades have continued as he described in the email I quoted above.

So, to those of you who have faithfully rendered your prayer support for the crusade - THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! God has heard your prayer and answered in a mighty way. Please continue to pray!! And to those of you who gave financially - THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! God not only used you to save thousands of souls but also to build a new church!! And, while Bruce is very careful about asking for money - please know that the crusade will continue as long as the Lord provides the money to make it happen. If He is still touching your heart for something you thought was over, know that there is still time and opportunity for your dollars to translate into souls.

Please keep Bruce and Martin and the team and the people in your prayers. Glory to the living God! Hallelujah!!

Go to Top