Missions to Zambia, South Africa and Sudan

​Mission to Zambia
By God’s grace, our Mission team arrived safely back from outreaches to a very remote region of Western Zambia. Immediately following the completion of our 3-week Great Commission Course, two mission vehicles were loaded up and sent out for outreaches across the border. Our team to Loziland found the Zambezi Valley a challenge and our 4WD vehicle was stuck for hours in mud and water, crossing rivers. The team had to do emergency repairs on the vehicle, including for damage to the prop shaft . The team became most adept at changing and fixing tyres , as the vehicle suffered 8 punctures. This mission to Loziland included travel and outreaches in Namibia and Angola, in addition to Western Zambia. To reach some of the more remote areas in the Zambezi Valley, the team utilised a motorboat. The extremely rough terrain took its toll on the vehicle which came back quite battered and with some of the windows in the canopy having shattered from the impact of deep potholes.

​Changed Lives
Despite illnesses, vehicle breakdowns, punctures and running short of fuel, the team attained all their objectives, delivering vital supplies and Gospel and discipleship literature to pastors, evangelists and to a remote Mission station. The spiritual hunger was intense and some people were absolutely ecstatic to receive their own copy of the Word of God. There was much enthusiasm from the local people to the film evangelism, literature distribution and preaching.

Mission to Sudan
Perhaps the team was expecting to recuperate and regroup after this demanding field trip. However upon their return, I presented them with a field briefing on their next assignment: an Africa Overland Mission to Sudan, which will also involve ministry in seven other countries.

Rebuilding South Sudan
As South Sudan is now an Independent state, since last month, it is essential that our Mission teams assist the Christians in the reconstruction of their war-devastated country on a sound Biblical base. Since 1995, we have trained 70 chaplains, 50 medics, 280 pastors and 780 teachers in Sudan. During the same time period we helped in establishing over 100 primary schools, 1 high school and 2 Bible Colleges in Sudan. In seeking to minister to spirit, mind and body, we also helped build and stock 2 clinics and convinced Samaritans Purse to restore the hospital in Lui . All of these ministries need to be re-supplied.

Repairs, Replacements and Re-supply
It is unlikely that many of the Hymn books, Prayer books, Bibles and other materials have survived the past years of war, rain and frequent use. Many of the school textbooks are quite tattered, many of the Hymn books and Prayer books, Chaplains Hand Books and Discipleship Manuals are frayed and in pieces. It is also unlikely that many of the Gospel Messengers, audio cassette recorders, Gospel Proclaimers and other audio visual equipment are still in working order. Many need to be repaired, or replaced.

Resources for Pastors, Chaplains and Teachers
I have also been busy revising, improving and developing new materials to assist the pastors, teachers, chaplains and evangelists. Our teams need to deliver the new Practical Discipleshipbook,Discipleship Training Manual, Chaplains Hand Book, Chaplains Prayer Book, the new editions ofSlavery, Terrorism and Islam – The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat, andFaith Under Fire in Sudanbooks. The new edition of Biblical Principles for Africa are also much needed as South Sudan seeks to rebuild on a solid foundation.

Christian Action Network
In addition, we have many Christian Action Network members in Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe whom we will be able to resupply and our team will conduct Leadership Training courses with them on the way to, or from, Sudan.

South Africa Mission
Next week, my eldest daughter, Andrea, will be joining me, and other trainee missionaries of Frontline Fellowship, on a South Africa-wide mission. This will include conducting a Biblical Worldview Seminar (26 - 28 August) in Vereeniging, lecturing at the Africa School of Missions in Mpumalanga, participating in a conference in KwaZulu , lecturing at Christian schools, a Teacher Training College, Bible Colleges, and various churches and missions throughout the country. Immediately after this South Africa mission, we are trusting the Lord to be able to send off the teams to Sudan.

Missions in the Mall
On National Women’s Day, Frontline Fellowship joined Africa Christian Action in setting up displays in 4 shopping malls in Cape Town. 76 Volunteers helped us to distribute over 17,000 Gospel tracts and leaflets and nearly 2,000 balloons with Scriptures and pro-family messages on them. By God’s grace, during this 12 hour Mission to the malls, we were able to counsel over 70 people and explain the way of Salvation to them. Each person who was counseled through Way of the Master and Evangelism Explosion questions received a New Testament.

16 Years of Mall Ministry
This was the 16 th year that our Africa Christian Action ministry has conducted outreaches in shopping malls on National Women’s Day. Initially, we received quite a lot of resistance and one after the other of the managers of various malls that we contacted gave a firm, No. Some specifically said that it was their policy to not have any religious organisation or display in their malls. One manager complained that as we had a Scripture verse on our ACA banner, they could not allow us to have a display in their shopping mall!

Discouragement
When we approached different pastors and church leaders to assist us in seeking to persuade the Mall managements to reconsider their position, we received some extraordinary responses. One pastor declared: “God is plainly closing the door. We can no longer expect to be able to run such ministry displays in shopping malls!” He declared: “The days of putting on your red jacket and charging with bayonets is over!” He advised us to rather go into the “digital market places”.

Digital Market Places
Well, I’ve never worn a red jacket and of course, we have been involved in the digital market places for years. We are maintaining 12 websites and 6 different emailing lists. For 16 years we have been hosting Salt and Light, the longest running programme on a Christian community radio station in South Africa. We have also regularly participated in radio phone-in programmes on secular stations and we have participated in many national TV programme debates. We regularly write letters to the Editor of newspapers and magazines. We are on Facebook and Twitter. We are in the digital market places. However, many thousands of people are walking in the shopping malls of our cities and the Scriptures command us to go into the highways and byways. “Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in open squares. She cries out in chief concourses, at the openings of the gates of the city she speaks her word.” Proverbs 1:20-21. The shopping malls of today are like the town squares, market places and crossroads of the old towns and villages.

The Fruit of Perseverance
Thankfully, by God’s grace, despite such discouragements, we did persevere, ask, seek and knock. Finally we received permission to conduct our outreaches in 4 major shopping malls in Cape Town. As a result, many thousands of people were reached during this very full day of literature and balloon distribution, personal conversations, counseling and personal evangelism in the shopping malls. As on every other occasion, all my children were happily involved in blowing up balloons, handing out Gospel literature, and sharing the Gospel with shoppers in the malls.

Media Market Places
After packing up at Canal Walk, the largest shopping centre in Cape Town, I went on to Radio Tygerberg for our radio programme to deal with the problems of pornography, trafficking and prostitution and the Christian response. Throughout the day we spoke to many people who mentioned how much they appreciated our publications, the articles in JOY! Magazine, and that they were regular listeners of our Salt and Light radio programme every Tuesday night.

New Book Projects
Between all the Missions, seminars and courses, I’ve been completing two long standing book projects. The one is Victorious Christians – Who Changed the World. This is already a 350 page book including 32 character studies on extraordinary Christians, martyrs, missionaries, soldiers, Reformers, musicians, artists and evangelists who impacted their world for Christ. The book is richly illustrated with over 250 pictures, and will, I trust, whet the appetite to read more examples of excellence in Christian history to enrich our lives and ministry for the Lord today.

The other book is: Answering Skeptics. The 14 chapters deal with common objections raised by opponents of the Gospel. In this book I seek to provide practical, battle-tested answers and arguments that can be used to respond to attacks and to win skeptics to Christ.

We have also been assisting Mrs Koch to publish a revised version of Dr. Kurt Koch’s bestselling God Among the Zulus. This landmark book records the incredible story of the Revival at KwaSizabantu Mission.

Family News
My lovely wife, Lenora, has recovered from the surgery and chemotherapy. She has joined a cancer survivors’ Dragon Boat Paddling Team at Cape Town Harbour . Twice a week they paddle among the yachts and seals in the harbour . Lenora has already participated in a number of Dragon Boat Racing Regattas .

Calvin is doing very well at fencing and has joined a hockey team. He continues to thoroughly enjoy scouts, camping and hiking. Whenever possible he joins me in outreaches and missions.

Christopher has recovered so well from his kidney transplant that he has since gone on to win a Black Belt in Karate. Last month, he beat 21 other black belts to win a Gold medal. In a provincial competition, he won Silver. Christopher has also joined a hockey team and has climbed Table Mountain numerous times since the transplant.

Daniela is doing well in Art and her Synchronized Ice Staking Team is training to represent South Africa at the next World Championship in Sweden.

Andrea has completed the first two years of her studies at Arizona Christian University. In May she completed the Summit in Colorado and then came through to help with our Biblical Worldview Summit in Cape Town and the Great Commission Course following it. Andrea is specialising in journalism and wants to devote her life to putting the record straight in the media. The big news is that Andrea is now engaged! Her fiancé is Hunter Combs, who graduated with highest Honours from Arizona Christian University after four years of Theological studies. He already completed the Application for Permission to Court my Daughter process and related Tests and documents. He also achieved the highest marks at our Biblical Worldview Summit and Great Commission Course. The final requirement that he had to complete was a successful Mission to a remote section of Zambia. Two days after returning from Zambia, we held an engagement party in our home. Hunter is committed to this next overland Mission to Sudan and the wedding is planned for 17 December in Cape Town.

We are most grateful for your ongoing prayers and support.

May God continue to be your joy and strength.

Yours for the fulfillment of the Great Commission

Dr. Peter Hammond

Director

Frontline Fellowship
PO Box 74
Newlands, 7725, Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Fax: 021-685-5884
E-mail: [email protected]