Happy Thanksgiving from South Africa!
Wait, what’s that? “Happy Thanksgiving”? Is Thanksgiving celebrated in January in South Africa?
No, it’s not even celebrated as a holiday in November here. But we are blessed to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving twice every year… in November as most people in America do, and again in January when we prepare and send year-end tax receipts to our donors that document how the Lord has blessed us through each and every person that has supported the ministry which Christ has called us to. It’s like Thanksgiving all over again, when we give thank and praise to God for you and your selfless support and important role in advancing the Good News of His love to the people we serve. Without you it would not be possible for us to do what Christ has called us to do.
To us, preparing and mailing these documents is more than meeting a mere formality required by the IRS… it is an opportunity… a blessing and honor… for us to remember and give thanks for the manner in which He has provided manna from heaven through our generous supporters on a daily basis to sustain the work He has for us here.
If you are one of our many financial supporters, your year-end tax receipt and donation summary was mailed to you today from Johannesburg, South Africa. As always, we are interested in knowing how long it takes for the mail to arrive from South Africa (last time the first piece was received in 8 days), so please let us know when you receive yours. The first one to reply will be blessed with a box of “Select White Chocolate Choc-Kits, our favorite South African biscuit (cookie) the next time we return to the states.
And while we’re at it, Happy New Years, or “Compliments of the New Year” as they say here! In South Africa “Happy New Year” also means “Back to School” as the South African school year follows the calendar year, with students who have advanced to the next grade starting that grade in January. For many students this means attending new schools as they advance from primary school to high school.
The start of a new school is always one of great need for many South African families and students as returning to school necessitates the purchase of school supplies and in many cases, new school uniforms due to a change of school or the old ones being outgrown or worn and tattered.
We have been assisting a number of students and families with their school fees, supplies, uniforms and transportation costs without the promise or pledge of funding for these expenditures and our Educational Assistance and Sponsor a Child Funds are presently underfunded. Please consider supporting a child’s education by donating to our Educational Assistance or Sponsor A Child funds. For reasons of security and confidentiality we can not publish the names or pictures of the children in need on the internet, but we will provide you with information about the child your donation supports when the funds you donate are allocated and spent. To donate to these causes please visit our website at http://www.TentMakerMinistries.com and follow the links to our on-line donation page, which allows you to designate the item you would like to sponsor. All donations made to our Educational Assistance and Sponsor A Child Funds will be used to meet the educational needs of students requiring assistance.
We thank God continually for you in our prayers. Please also keep us in your prayers for divine wisdom and guidance as we continue to learn and be led by His Holy Spirit. We are excited and blessed by the opportunities that lay before us to reach an ever expanding multitude of people with His Word.
Finally, as we close this letter we would like to encourage you with these words from the Apostle Paul, a TentMaker by trade, which can be found in his first letter to the church at Corinth, Chapter 9:
Generosity Encouraged
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 1 Cor 9:6-15. (emphasis added)
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us at TentMaker Ministries!