We had a call from Daniel...

this past week from his cell phone. They headed north at the beginning of the week after having obtained all the necessary travel visas in Pretoria. Daniel says he started to almost feel embarrassed at how often he was commenting on the spectacular natural beauty of the northern part of South Africa, especially the part around Pietersberg and the Magaliesberg mountains. This is the land of the massive baobab trees whose trunk widths match those of the giant sequoias of California. The strange looking boabab tree looks as if its been turned over with its roots up in the air. This is "Jock of the Bushveld" country with its giant ant heaps, some of which are as high fifteen feet.

          Later they crossed over the crocodile infested Limpopo river which forms the boundary between South Africa and Zimbabwe. Here the mood and vegetation change to classic African savannah with mile upon mile of umbrella tree forest and massive dolerite bolder rocks, some as high as three story buildings. Pressing on past Lake Kyle and the Zimbabwe ruins, a large stone fort that dates to the time of Solomon. Was this perhaps the land of Ophir from which gold was sent to Mesopotamia and Israel?

          As Daniel and team approached Harare, they encountered a fatal accident in which two people had died and were still trapped inside a small truck after it had collided with a massive big truck. The Frontline Fellowship team were able to offer assistance to one involved in the accident and took them to Harare where they could receive help. They have been able to witness to that person and to a number of others as they move north.

          Later in the week, Daniel's truck with trailer crossed into Zambia at the Kariba Dam and spent the night camping next to Lake Kariba. The beauty again was stunning and interesting. A hippo calmly came browsing up to within 15 feet of them. A small crocodile kept a lazy watch on them, perched on a rock nearby.

          As a parent, one wonders how these young men are coping with just two changes of clothing each and their luggage paired down to the minimum - for two and a half months. Why? They had to cut down on their own stuff so that they could fit in more books and material for the folk in the Sudan.

          Please pray for a fruitful witness to all on their way north. Please pray that God will prepare the folk who receive the material to help build the new country of South Sudan in a manner that pleases God. There is also the need of those Christians in the four or five provinces that could not hold independence elections because of the ongoing violence against them from the radical Islamists in the north.

Thanks for your ongoing prayers for the team.

Richard & Margie de Villiers