Monday, July 2nd, 2012 at
7:24 am
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Personal Greeting
As you know, Sylvia and I were both gone for almost two weeks to South Africa. Our ministry team at home handled the responsibilities at hand in our absence. My family also was able to continue day to day life without ouma . In our personal life and work life people have come to depend on us to be the “tower of strength” and “source of encouragement”. As a result Sylvia and I are often running on an emotional deficit. However, this experience with both of us away and in fact, Ms. Nan not yet returned and Steve in Otjiwarango has given our personal and ministry team a chance to realize their own strengths. Of course our source and our tower are found in Jesus Christ not in any person! We know that intellectually and even spiritually but sometimes tend to forget none of “this” is about any one of us. It is about the love of our Lord and Father who gave of himself in love in the death and resurrection of His son. Humbled each day by the manifestation of His love in the life that surrounds me keeps me focused on the purpose of my time on earth. Read the rest of this entry
Thursday, May 31st, 2012 at
6:21 pm
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Personal Greeting
“ I know oh Lord that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10.23 We are back at our home in Arandis after a non eventful trip to Namibia. We praise God for His care to all the details of our trip. Thank you for praying us through the journey! It has been a difficult transition mostly for me. The children miss different aspects of the USA but they quickly adjusted to being home. On a daily basis one of them remind me of somewhere we were and something that had been said. However, the starkness of our physical and spiritual environment remains and challenges me each day to remain focused on God’s call on my life. My life is not my own and I must remind myself daily that what is important is not the here and now but my part in the eternal picture. Thank you for your love and support for I cannot be here without it! Read the rest of this entry
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at
8:53 am
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Personal Greeting
And our time has come to an end…..it is hard to believe that we have been gone from Namibia for 5 months. God has given us a gift of time that is precious and uncommon. Through friends, family and the beauty of God’s creation all of us have been filled. Personally, I will return to Namibia with a soul that has been encouraged and filled, a physical body that is rested, and a mind that is ready to tackle the issues at hand. From mid-March to the end of April, we traveled from the east coast to Colorado and back. We saw friends and family along the way.
It has been 12 years since I have seen a Spring and of course we saw Spring at every turn.
We are a blessed family and I praise God for the people in our lives.
My children cannot begin to remember the places we have been but they do remember the people! We will miss our family and friends deeply. Thank you that you stay in touch through email and snail mail. Thank you for your prayers, love and support. We will miss you! Read the rest of this entry
Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at
8:13 am
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Personal Greeting
“Every good and perfect gift is from above , coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1. 17
My soul is full! Though I arrived as an empty vessel, God has allowed me this extended time in the USA with family and friends and my soul is once again full. Through people who love my children and me, we have been filled with love, encouragement, appreciation, fun and rest. Watching my children grow in their journey I am overwhelmed by God’s grace. A time of rest and relaxation away from the
demands of Children of Promise Ministries is a gift. Through God’s plan of provision and your willingness to say “yes”, my family continues to live and grow in Him and in our world in Namibia. Someone recently said that they sensed I was ready to come back to the USA. Surprised I responded that until such a time as God releases me my home is in Namibia where I have a family and 80 other children who God has entrusted to CPMN. Our journey across America has given me a renewed appreciation for the beautiful country we live in. Of course, we have our struggles in the USA but our nation is one of beauty – in our environment and in our people. We are blessed. Thank you for your faithfulness and love – they are gifts to me from above.
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012 at
9:54 am
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Personal Greeting
Joshua 1.5 “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I have been encouraged by the story of Joshua as I consider my journey. Wherever I am I realize it is important to remember that I am not alone. Our time in the USA has been one of rejuvenation for me as I am surrounded by people who love the Lord and love me. We move from one environment of hope to another. I witness my children being recognized as individuals of value. As we struggle through the valleys in this journey of life I find peace in the knowledge that I am not alone. God continues to provide and protect. As I watch my children grow up, realizing more pointedly how unprepared I am for the role of “ouma”, I grab on to the promise that no one can stand up against me. Humbled each day by my dependence on others I am reminded that my ultimate dependence is on God. There are never enough words to express the gratitude I have in my heart that you said “Here I am Lord” when asked to be a partner in this ministry. May your March be filled with the little miracles of life that take our breath away. Read the rest of this entry
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at
10:00 am
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Personal Greeting
Talitha Kumi: Little girl, I say to you, Get Up! Mark 5.41 This is the scripture given to Sylvia when we were considering a name for our school and these words have become a cornerstone to our ministry in Namibia. We quickly realized that God’s intent was not just for the physical child but for the emotional and spiritual child in all of us. He was not just talking about the children who are young in age but He was speaking to the child in all of us! Get up! Take a stand! Live an intentional life for Jesus! God counts on us to reach outside our comfort zone and to rise up to declare His power, love and glory. God has the power in Him to give life! It is this life giving power that is at the heart of all our lives – the power of new life, new hope, and new being. All of us have said yes to God’s call to His children in Namibia. We have said yes in prayer, finances and manpower. We have listened to His heart in this ministry and responded by “taking a stand”. Thank you! Thank you! As we are standing together through 2012 may God receive the glory! Read the rest of this entry
Saturday, December 31st, 2011 at
11:56 am
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Personal Greeting
Happy New Year ! May your year be one full of God’s blessings! 2012 means the beginning of year 13 for me in Namibia Africa. As I have reflected on pictures and long past newsletters I am reminded how close God has been through all! My family is growing up. This year may be the last year that we are all able to travel to the USA together. It is my heart’s desire to see as many folks as possible while we are here. God alone knows the plan. The children and I have been with my Mom in Florida since our arrival and we will remain with her another month. A real purpose of our journey was to serve her this year. Eventually though we will move on as I will also take an extended period of time with my friend, Cheryl, in NJ who is fighting pancreatic cancer. I am so grateful for devoted friends who are willing to help with my children! God provided for us financially this year through a need for a “new” used car, Toivo’s tuition and this trip to the USA. I remain humbled and grateful that there is always just enough. We just about broke even at the end of 2011 and I thank you for your generous and faithful heart. My opportunity to serve in Namibia is dependent on your “yes” as a partner in prayer and finances. May God bless you! Read the rest of this entry
Thursday, December 1st, 2011 at
10:54 pm
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Personal Greeting
Many greetings from all of my family! By the time you receive this Janis, Stefanus, Hailey and I will be in Florida. By God’s grace we will be able to spend five months in the USA most of it with my mother and visiting other friends and family. As the children get older we will not be able to make as many journey’s to the USA so I am taking advantage this year of the opportunity to still spend time with family and friends. For December and January we will be at my mother’s home: c/o Alice Johnston, 670 Biscayne Drive, Orange City, Florida 32763. I will use the same cell phone as last year: 856-7455855. Though this trip is about serving family and friends who need help we will be greeting our church homes and other sponsors as God allows. My entire family praises God each day for all those He has brought together to allow us to serve Him through His children in Namibia. I pray that your Thanksgiving was full of yearlong miracles to be thankful for and that your Christmas holiday will be full of Christ’s love. Read the rest of this entry
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 at
10:17 pm
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Personal Greeting
Praise God for His never ending provision through His people. Thank you for another year of faithful support. The Lord has burdened my heart with a trip to the USA again in the next couple of months. I am trusting God to make a way for the children and I to return to the USA for an extended period of time. A suggestion was to request for frequent flier miles on UA or DL so that possibly one or more of us could travel that way. Thanks for letting me know if you have ideas! My family and I are so blessed to have so many folks who cover us with prayer, time and finances. Even recently as I asked the Lord is this really the end of the journey for me (meaning Namibia). I laughed at myself and said “possibly” and certainly I have been blessed greatly by this piece of the journey. Someone recently shared Psalm 91.4 with me and it is my heart that I claim it and trust it! Read the rest of this entry
Saturday, October 1st, 2011 at
3:57 pm
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Personal Greeting
Hailey asked me the other day, “ouma why do you read your Bible so much?” Her observation and question made me think, though of course, I answered her right away with “ouma needs to know what God wants her to do and she hears God through His word”. What hit me the most about this is that, as a parent, we are observed 24/7 whether we think our children are watching or not. With my children there is nothing I want more than for them to know their Savior. Do I reflect His Spirit and Light in our everyday living – not always! I am so grateful for Grace and God’s merciful way of distributing it! Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support! God uses you mightily in my life! Look how my children have grown! Read the rest of this entry
As you know, Sylvia and I were both gone for almost two weeks to South Africa. Our ministry team at home handled the responsibilities at hand in our absence. My family also was able to continue day to day life without ouma . In our personal life and work life people have come to depend on us to be the “tower of strength” and “source of encouragement”. As a result Sylvia and I are often running on an emotional deficit. However, this experience with both of us away and in fact, Ms. Nan not yet returned and Steve in Otjiwarango has given our personal and ministry team a chance to realize their own strengths. Of course our source and our tower are found in Jesus Christ not in any person! We know that intellectually and even spiritually but sometimes tend to forget none of “this” is about any one of us. It is about the love of our Lord and Father who gave of himself in love in the death and resurrection of His son. Humbled each day by the manifestation of His love in the life that surrounds me keeps me focused on the purpose of my time on earth. Read the rest of this entry
Brenda Johnston has been serving in Namibia full time since January 2000. She currently serves as the CPMN Board Director and is a foster mommie to two CPMN children.
Steve Graham and his family have been in Arandis, Namibia since 2008. Steve and his wife Karrie have four children of their own and they are also the foster parents of two CPMN children. 
Nan Parker has been serving in Arandis, Namibia since 2005. In addition to being the Principal at Talithia Kumi Christian Academy, she is also foster mommie to Elizabeth, a 'very special' special needs child.
J. Michael "Mike" Dunne has been serving in Arandis, Namibia since April 2008. Mike continues to serve in many capacities, from baker of brownies to monthly driver for the Mommy's Monthly shopping outings in Swakopmund.
