Author: Cornelius

Life in Zambia

With just about a week left of our stay in Zambia, we moved house to spend a few days with Mum Cathy (Prima’s mother). Now that the therapy sessions for Mum Mary (Cornelius’ mother) were over, we tried to squeeze in visits with the people we hadn’t had a chance to meet while we were preoccupied. The few days with Mum Cathy were endearing. We spent our mornings helping Mum to fetch water for our daily use as there was no running water at the house. The lack of access to something as vital and basic a need as water reminded me to be thankful that I live in a house with running water.

„Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.“

Galatians 6:9

Since we arrived in Zambia, our daily bread was what everyone calls; load shedding. This is the average 8-10 hours that the power supply is cut off on a National grid, several suburbs at a time. As a result, in the 6 weeks we visited Zambia, we only had on average 21 hours a week of power supply. That’s less than a full day of power supply in a week!!! And that says a lot about the productivity of our Nation. Please kindly bear with us for being off the communication radar. The power supply and the erratic internet connections did little in aiding us to stay connected with the rest of the world during an already critical time. We try to live a simple life in South Africa. But the weeks spent in Zambia last Christmas, humbled us and gave us a deeper appreciation for where God has us at right now. When we mirror physical water and power to the spirit, it is true that we need Holy Spirit to quench our spiritual thirst. Holy Spirit also empowers us. The Lord showed me that this is the ministry we gave our family while in Zambia. We ate organic food, nutritious, traditional Zambian food (Cornelius’ favorite). In contrast to developed Countries, Organic food is the cheaper option in Zambia. So, we plucked juicy ripe mangoes from the trees and ate vegetables straight from the backyard garden or the market. The Lord is our sustenance. With not much upkeep money left after Medical bills and travel expenses, and a crippling Economy… we just trusted the Lord for continued provision. Wherever we visited, we just ate what He provided, however, He provided.

While in Zambia, we went to fellowship at my home church; MLFC (Miracle Life Family Church). We enjoyed the Sunday services and they encouraged and challenged us constantly. However, we also realized that we have a real lack and longing for community in Zambia (Lusaka). We often left church yearning for deeper connection but not having any solid relations with anyone to pursue. We are in Zambia so seldom that we have not had ample time to build relationships with people but our prayer is that God will bless us with godly relationships and a supportive community here too. I hope we can plug into something so that we can connect with that community every time we visit.

Gratitude

For our last night in Zambia, we took the 6-hour bus ride from the capital in Lusaka to Livingstone. In Livingstone, we spent the night with our dear friends the Mwanza’s (Hope and Musa). We got to briefly visit with Bruce, and Eyram (LXP Family and colleagues). We also dropped in to see my older sister and her family who just moved to Livingstone for work.
Lastly but not the least, we made a stop at Kwathu Children’s Home to send our love to Agrippa and Jeanette and the kids.
Although our visit to Zambia was entirely different from our projected itinerary, we have peace that we went and did what the Lord had us do as a couple. This was a hardcore adventure in many facets. Some moments were very lonely, some very precious and yet others were a near breaking point. But when I look at what the Lord has changed and grown in us through the time away, I just praise Him. By availing ourselves to help care for Mum, our family members who live with her could get some much-needed rest. In exchange, we had the privilege of loving on her in a way we don’t get to because we live so far away. This experience has given me a new found respect for our friends who have special needs children and family members. And of course I must add, these are things I deeply appreciated in retrospect. God has a way of solidifying the lessons for us when we sit in reflection rather than in the heat of the moment when we’re trying to keep ourselves from jumping out the purification furnace.

As soon as we landed in Johannesburg, we headed to our lovely friend’s home the Van der Merwe’s (Juanita and Wynand and Lian). They are our ‘transit angels’, gracefully hosting us when we are exiting and arriving in the country. They treated us to a day and 2 nights of baby laughter and authentic friendship. By the time we flew to Port Elizabeth the next day and arrived in Jeffrey Bay that evening, I had no idea what awaited us at home.
We spent the first week of being home, fumigating the house and camping out in our backyard. We were welcomed home by an army of COCKROACHES!!! For those of you who are yet to visit us, we live at an apartment complex, in a small gorgeous tourist town that gets over-crowded in December. Anyways, Praise the Lord we are pest free and are now trying to start settling back into our home.

I am thankful for Jesus and for all season friendships we have here. I’m thankful for prayer supporters; your faithful prayers carry us through it all. And for face time and Skype for far away friends who make time in their busy lives to connect. I am thankful for The Holy Spirit; our constant water and power supply. I am thankful for you taking the time to read our update.
I am grateful for my uncommon, often unsung hero; Cornelius. I give God glory for the gift of a man who is yielded to be shaped for the Masters Workmanship and Worship. I am blessed to be led by such a godly husband and such a humble, integrity-filled lifetime adventure partner.

Praises

• Friendships and Community in South Africa
• Local volunteers/open doors for Beats and Books

Prayers

• Rest and Renewal
• Ministry Fundraising
• Ministry kids School Fees
• Beats and Books opening on February 8
• Monthly personal financial support

Road trip to Zambia

It was barely a week since the LXP Graduation, my permit was due to expire in 3 days and we were in rush hour to close off the year and pack for our 30+ hour road trip to Zambia. The Lord was calming the rising frantic tide inside me, reminding me that a few days ago, He had just provided for our travels to Zambia and he was going to work all of these things out for our good because we love Him. So, on this Ngosa’s adventure, we spent 2 days traveling across 3 countries on a bus with no air-con.

We were frazzled to say the least, and yet God kept probing me to remain grateful. So I chose to focus on the truth He made it possible for us to exit South Africa before my permit expired. And we were going home to Zambia… There was a lot to be thankful for. Thank God for Cornelius who started us playing the ‘what can we be thankful for’ game each time one of us began focusing on the negatives.

We were frazzled to say the least, and yet God kept probing me to remain grateful. So I chose to focus on the truth He made it possible for us to exit South Africa before my permit expired. And we were going home to Zambia… There was a lot to be thankful for. Thank God for Cornelius who started us playing the ‘what can we be thankful for’ game each time one of us began focusing on the negatives. 

Prima’s South African Visa

Upon arrival in Zambia, we immediately got to work on my Visa and submitted my application in the first week. Five days after our Visa Application, we decided to go and check on the progress; (we had been asked to return after 10 working days). The Lord blessed us with a God-speed, 3-year Spouse VISA issued while I waited in line!!! As this was one of our objectives for visiting Zambia, it was so refreshing to get it so early in our visit. I was so cushioned by the Lord’s on-time faithful provision towards us. And we are so thankful to our friends who gave towards the VISA process and to everyone who has supported us in prayer throughout. This was a highlight!!!

„Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day. For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.“

Mum’s Health

We got the news 3 weeks before our LXP closure. Mum (Cornelius Mother) had a third stroke in 6 years which led to the loss of her sight as well as her memory. We dedicated our time in Zambia to caring for Mum. The Lord provided again for our needs, through generous friends who supported us. And it was a timely giving which assisted us to take care of Medical bills and travel costs to take her for daily therapy. Some days she had an understanding of what was happening and on other days, she couldn’t remember who we are. The dementia often got the best of her and on these days therapy was a battle or it had to be discontinued.

The emotional turmoil was the hardest to process for me. I watched Cornelius’ unwavering commitment to the daily routine. He spent at least 3 hours in traffic to and from Mum’s Therapy sessions daily. I didn’t hear him complain a single day. It was a hard time. A difficult and testing time for our marriage too. But I believe that the Lord taught us a lot of tenacity and resilience. You somehow learn when to wear your heart on your sleeve and experience healthy emotion. Then you learn when to let your heart stay inside you without ‘feeling’ everything towards the situation and especially for a young marriage.

As a young girl, I watched my parents tirelessly care for their extended family. I also recall vividly when my grandma was diagnosed with cervical cancer and how much my parents gave of themselves to attend to her needs. It seemed manageable. But it’s different when it’s your turn. Our Mum is only in her 60’s, so she is not an ‘old’ woman at all…But she is in delicate need. And that need, I have learned is not a burden to be dragged on our shoulders. It’s an opportunity to love, to share, to empathize, to be selfless, to give, to be compassionate, to laugh, to be united, to pray.

Family Christmas

This was our first Christmas in Zambia after our Wedding. We spent Christmas day with part of our family. My Mum Cathy, and my older brother and sister’s family made it to our Christmas lunch. As Nshima (a maize/cornmeal) is the staple food eaten twice a day in many homes, most Zambian families treat themselves to rice, pasta, potato salad/ coleslaw, and chicken or meat for this ‘special day’. So we had a very simple, yet absolutely special time sharing together.

2016 was celebrated with the Ngosa extended family at my parents in law. It was especially lovely to have Mum Mary being a part of this family gathering in the light laughter of treasured moments. What a blessing to just be there and spend time sharing a meal with our extended family. Many of them are striving to put food on the table daily in the midst of a drought (economic and literal). So we had a very simple, yet very special time sharing the Lords blessing together
It didn’t matter now that I had no gift for Cornelius and he had no gift for me. We had no gifts for anyone actually. But the best and most important gift was being able to share the Love of Christ with each other and everyone around us! Love and peace are what really matters after all.

Praises

• Timely Financial Provision
• Prima’s S.A Spouse Visa
• Time caring for Mum
• Time spent in Zambia with family and friends
• Safe Travel

Prayers

• Continued recovery for Mum’s Health

The Ngosa’s Visa Update

After our return from America in June, upon re-entry into South Africa, we both received different port of entry date stamps. Prima got 60 days while I (Cornelius) was given 30 days. Before my 30 days expired, God provided money for me to travel to Zambia for my Visa application while we decided that Prima would stay behind in South Africa to continue in ministry at LXP through Beats and Books.

It was a rigorous few weeks of waiting and trusting in the Lord to hold Beats and Books together while I was away. Prima juggled time between full time commitments at LXP and ministering single-handedly to our children at Beats and Books. All our students and staff, who co-lead with us, were away on an LXP outreach and Prima’s faith in the Father, leading her to serve without a ‘team,’ was tested greatly. It was a challenging yet growing time for both of us, especially being the first time we were apart since our wedding. But our family’s support and the prayers of our friends and ministry partners offered hope and strength.

I was gone for over 3 weeks and returned to South Africa with a valid 3-year volunteer visa! We are so thankful for God’s ways, although we can see the loss of momentum for Beats and Books. After being away for two months to fund-raise in America and an additional two months for visa requirements, we felt a great toll financially, emotionally, and physically to focus on the ministry work at hand.

Prima applied for her South African visa in-country. Upon my arrival, she was eligible to apply for a spouse visa which we began to process immediately. However, she was re-directed to travel back to our home country, Zambia, to apply for her visa. Application processing time in Zambia could be 10 days to 8 weeks. We opted to apply for an extension of her existing permit which allowed an additional three months. At this point of the process, we were under high pressure as I arrived back in South Africa as Prima’s 60 days were ending. She would be required to leave South Africa if the extension didn’t get approved. We waited 5 weeks…
God gave Prima a 3 month extension which was issued on her birthday on September 7, 2015!! The extension allowed her to remain in South Africa legally to complete the leadership year with our current students. Prima’s permit expires on December 7, 2015.
Last week through our friends and supporters, God again blessed us with money for our travel to Zambia! We will depart for Zambia on December 6, 2015. We hope to process her visa as soon as we are home and trust the process will be a smooth and successful one

House Fundraising Update

We would love to thank every individual, family, company and the churches who have carried us through the Library Dreams Project. We continue to trust the Lord for a breakthrough for the rest of the money required to purchase the building.
We received cancellation of our contract from the landlord’s lawyers stating non-compliance due to our lack of reaching our agreed upon date. The purchase amount was to be paid by 18th August 2015. By then, we had raised less than 10% of the total project cost.
The house was put back on the market and we lost the security of taking our time to fund-raise. Therefore, it’s on first-come-first-serve basis. We are in the process of brainstorming new ideas for raising funds. It has been difficult, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible to buy that house.
However, it gets better. There is hope. Our realtor recently called to inform us that the property owners are willing to sign with us again as they firmly believe in the Library Dreams Project and the vision we uphold. We need a miracle.
Will you trust with us for a miracle?

Primary School Opens doors for Music Lessons

We attend a local church called Global Community Church, birthed out of a non-profit organization. The church believes in exploring and investing in spheres of influence. In Jeffreys Bay, our little surfing town, here in South Africa, several initiatives have begun from our church community. One of these initiatives is Little Oaks Christian Learning Centre, a very young school that will expand to third grade in 2016.
The founder of Little Oaks invited Beats and Books to conduct music lessons for grades 1 and 2 classes. The school initially gave us 90 minutes to do this on Wednesdays. Through the children’s progress, the school decided to add Mondays and Fridays for music as well. We now have a total of 270 minutes! That’s 4.5 hours per week.
We teach fundamentals of music theory and practicals. A few children from these classes performed at the school’s closing event. We are thankful for the little strides Beats and Books is making in our community.

Professional Musicians Supporting Beats and Books

Michelle Ohlhoff, an independent freelance professional musician and Elizna Loots joined hands with us this year and have committed to next year. The two ladies add value to our ministry with the expertise and experience they bring as musicians and teachers.
Michelle has 25 years of experience in music. She contributes a blend of music training, theory knowledge and natural creativity which makes her a great composer and ministry partner. She offers tremendous support to Cornelius, consolidating his music theory knowledge and upgrading standards.
Elizna is a pianist with a sixth-grade rating in music and a professional math teacher. She has a passion for vulnerable children.

Sophakama Internship

For the last year, we’ve both had the privilege to attend a Children’s Ministry Internship course designed by a remarkable South African woman who attends church with us.
She has served as a missionary for over 20 years in Egypt and Israel. Evelyn Lotz, with a Masters Degree in Theology, led us through creative teachings in literacy, numeracy, art, music, and child counseling for early childhood development.
We have acquired new skills and insight to teach and minister to the children God brings to Beats and Books. We are also grateful that this uniquely designed course was given to us for FREE! We are excited to test and implement the Sophakama curriculum at Beats and Books. Sophakama is a Xhosa word which means “we will rise.”
We both completed the Sophakama Internship program this November. 

Praise Items and Prayer Requests

We are praising the Lord for:

1. Celebrating 10 years of LXP’s existence
2. Beats and Books kids performing music at LXP 2015 Graduation
3. Professional music/math teachers joining Beats & Books
4. Cornelius’ volunteer visa valid until 2018
5. Prima’s permit extension until December 7, 2015
6. Tickets to Zambia
7. Celebrating our First year of Marriage (November 15)
8. Our first Christmas together with our Zambian family
9. Our US visas valid until 2018
10. Library Dreams property owners willing to sign contract again
11. Completed one-year Sophakama Internship

Please join us in Prayer for:

1. Cornelius’ Mum’s health and Medical Expenses (her sight to be restored)
2. Prima’s South African visa
3. Visiting short-term missionaries/teams to serve at Beats and Books
4. Continued fundraising for Library Dreams Project
5. Monthly personal financial support
6. Monthly finances for ministry operations
7. Direction on signing a new contract for the purchase of the Library Dreams Project house