Mission Moments with Frank and Sheri

“The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.” Mark 13:10

May-June 2009

Dear Friends,

We greatly appreciate your prayers for the Deaf Ecumenical Forum.  We joined many Christians ministering among the Deaf from all over South Africa for a meeting May 3-4 in Cape Town.  We learned more about how God has been working among these Deaf churches/ministries. While there already are growing ministries in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces (states), there is little or no work to reach Deaf for Jesus in the other provinces (KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northwest, Free State, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape).  Pray that God will give us discernment and bring us into strategic partnership with likeminded Christians so that He can use us more effectively in reaching the Deaf in all provinces with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday Visits at the Gauteng DEAFSA office:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, Deaf folks from all over come to downtown Johannesburg looking for employment opportunities, counselling, and training.  This provides a wonderful opportunity for us to contact them and tell them about Jesus and His love for them.  Pray that God will prepare hearts and minds of Deaf to receive and respond to the Gospel, and reject false teachings. We shared Jesus with two seekers, and one young lady named Itani professed her faith in Jesus Christ and wants to be baptized soon. Pray for Itani that she will share her testimony with her Deaf friends and family.

Bible Storying: Deaf believers still are learning Bible passages in their heart sign languages in order to grow in Christ and to share what they learn with others, including the production of Bible storying on DVD. Pray that they will remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and will not become discouraged due to the time and effort required. Pray that the stories on DVD will be clearly understood by Deaf so that they will come to faith in Jesus and be equipped to tell others.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at St. Vincent School for the Deaf:  Praise the Lord with us for this student ministry at St. Vincent school.  Kim, a Deaf Christian teacher who Sheri has mentored over the years, faithfully continues to teach Bible stories to students (primary students on Tuesdays and high school students on Thursdays) in spite of opposition from a few teachers. A recent meeting which was called to challenge whether Kim should even be allowed to do this resulted in her being asked to lead an additional Monday worship time.  Pray that the Lord will strengthen Kim and other Christian teachers as they continue to direct students to Jesus Christ in their daily lives and that the opposition will not overpower this ministry. 

This coming June, we will attend a meeting of IMB Deaf Affinity Group workers from Europe and Africa in Greece June 21-28.  Please pray that God will give us unity as this will be a time of meeting a number of workers for the first time.  Pray that God will give us the vision and wisdom we need in order to develop/strengthen existing work and expand to new areas/countries as He leads.  Please pray for safe travel and good health as we fly from Johannesburg to Athens 20 June until we return June 28.

As always, thank you for lifting us before the throne of grace.  May all we do bring glory and honor to God every day.

In His service,

Frank and Sheri Moran