FEBRUARY
M I N I S T RY
U P DAT E
2015
The Chestermans
MARCH
Short Trip to the US At the beginning of February, we returned to the States in order to attend the funeral for Stephanie’s Aunt Karen. The circumstances were unfortunate, but it was nice to be around family while we processed the loss. So many people came from all over the world in order to attend the memorial service. It was endearing to hear from some of the lives she touched. The passion with which she shared the gospel was truly inspiring.
The Fire Shortly after we returned to Muizenberg, we heard that a fire had started on a Sunday night on the backside of Muizenberg Mountain. We live just at the foot of the mountain. For the next week, we were constantly on alert. We heard stories of towns on the other side of the The view of the mountain from the YWAM base mountains being evacuated and houses being destroyed. By day three, we could watch the fire crawl down the mountainside, toward our home. Ash fell like snow. Armed forces, emergency, and nature reserve helicopters flew overhead from daybreak until sunset every day. They carried buckets of water from the nearby vlei, droping them onto the fire. Despite their efforts, the fires continue to burn into the night. At that point, the firefighters would work to contain the flames. The city flew in firefighters from all over the country to help. Nearly 500 people worked to stop it. We stood outside at night and watched the fire creep closer by the minute. Thursday morning, the fire was finally out, though the air was still heavy with smoke. It lingered for nearly a week. We are very thankful that we did not have to evacuate, and were not in danger of losing our home. No one was killed in the fire, though one pilot was killed when his bucket became tangled in his tail rotor, causing the helicopter to crash.
Discipleship Training School
The cloud of smoke lingering over the ocean
Please continue to pray for the school we will be leading in June. We’ve had some speakers pull out due to family emergencies. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to find replacements. We expect that God is going to do great things through this school. Pray for the right speakers to be available, for patience, and for peace.