The last two weeks has been a challenging time for our family. In September my Dad was diagnosed with various lung diseases. On Tuesday March 19, 2013 he went home to be with the Lord. My Dad was one of our biggest most enthusiastic supporters, he truly believed in what we were doing. When he passed a memorial was set up with our ministry as the beneficiary. We were truly humbled and grateful. Through this seed money and money we already received from Maranatha Christian Academy, we are being led to purchase books. We are in the planning stage for a new library and reading center in a Zulu village just outside of Newcastle, where we will be serving full time in South Africa. God has also started to open doors for us to obtain more books and assistance through our sending agency in organizing this project and setting up the library. The library/reading center will in essence be ground zero in providing literacy education to an area which sports among the lowest literacy rates in all of South Africa. illiteracy is a problem best described as epidemic among the poor in South Africa. Once established this center will offer regular Christian themed reading tutoring for children/youth within the village, conduct tutor training to older students, and provide various christian centered activities within the community. We will also reach out to local schools offering reading supplement programs for their students. We also plan to be mobile and go out to other areas and villages to conduct tutoring and eventually set up other reading centers throughout the entire area. The library and reading center's main purpose will be to present the gospel in all it's power and make disciples through reading education and community outreach. We ask for your continual prayers as we move forward.with this project and the ministry as a whole. Please pray the God will grant us wisdom and we will hear his voice with clarity and that all obstacles will be removed from our path as we prepare for full time ministry.
We also would ask prayer for finances. We are still working to build personal support that will allow us to live and work in SouthAfrica. Currently we are seeking financial support from individuals and churches to help us meet our goal. If your church or you know of a church that may have an interest please let us know and we will contact them. And we would ask that you seek God to see what he may have you do to partner with Him in this endeavor. Please contact us through our website www.simmons4africa.org or by email [email protected]
