Tag Archive for: Lesotho

Testing your Faith in Lesotho

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We regularly make trips into Lesotho to work with the churches we have partnerships and relationships with there. Check out our trips for 2014 post for details of when we’re going to Lesotho this year (our next trip is in June).

Odette dos Santos went on our recent Lesotho trip to Maputso and tell us how it went, the challenges there, and what impacted her:

What are some of the challenges the people and churches are facing there?

Unemployment and housing are big issues there. It’s difficult to build and have adequate buildings and houses. The church that we work with needs a bigger property and a building to meet in.

Also, many of the men feel inadequate – they feel that they can’t live up to what’s expected of them in their role as Christian men at home, as part of a church, and in the the community.

Plus many of the youth have huge challenges with peer pressure and their relationships. It’s difficult to hold up Biblical values.

Who do you think would be able to make a significant impact in this area?

Looking at the many challenges, people who are passionate about these things (or who do these things) should really think of going on the next trip:

  • Youth workers (youth and leadership development)
  • Children’s church teachers
  • Women (to encourage and minister to women)
  • Builders/handy-men/skilled labourers

What was your highlight of the trip?

The hospitality of the family that we stayed with as well as their welcoming and humble hearts towards us. Also, the women’s group: their hunger for a closer relationship with God as well as for God’s word. Their reaction to being validated as a “beautiful” and “specific” part of God’s creation i.e. Having a specific purpose in God’s kingdom was especially encouraging.

Will you go again?

Yes. I feel that these trips often “test” our faith in how God can use us to reveal Himself to others. Also, I believe that there is a lot of potential, at this specific church in Lesotho, for us to equip, encourage and mentor on an ongoing basis.

What would you say to others about going on such a trip?

It’s really quite simple: just be obedient and available to wherever you feel God calling you. He will do the rest. It is amazing what God can do through you when you have this kind of attitude!

Lesotho: More Leaders Needed

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Written by Ryan Strydom

Map of Lesotho

On the weekend of the 11th to the 13th of November, Mark Meeske and a team of seven travelled to Lesotho for ministry – the last trip to Lesotho of the year (several happen in the year). It was fruitful and saw the team meet up with Motheo Makagnia, a man leading a church in Mafeteng. This is a new relationship and it was the first time that we worked together.

The team left the Cornerstone building at 1:30pm on Friday and arrived at Mafeteng at 7:30pm. After having dinner and enjoying each others’ company, the team got to work on the Saturday morning with some door-to-door evangelism. The Gospel was shared with many and people were invited to the Sunday service. Four teams went out, with the Cornerstone team splitting into two groups with an interpreter.

The afternoon saw the team encouraging and teaching local leaders and interpreters. It was a small group. They were encouraged and there was a lot of engagement around building effectively.

The team gelled well and the evening was spent relaxing and getting to know each other better. Sunday morning the team went to two different churches. Tim Potter preached at the one while Mark preached at the other. By all accounts it went well, there were some Gospel responses, and lots of people responded for healing. By 7:30pm on Sunday the team were back in South Africa.

But there are many challenges the church in Mafeteng is facing and these are prayer points to consider:

1) They’re currently trusting God for a piece of land. They’ve earmarked some land already but they need the finance to get it. Currently they meet in tents.

2) There are more leaders needed to do the work of the ministry. We are instructed to pray for more workers (Luke 10:2) so let us do so! They really need it.

3) General finances are always a challenge in Lesotho.
Consider going to the next Lesotho trip in early 2012. Talk to Mark if you’re looking for details or keep an eye (or ear) out on our usual communication channels.

Fruitful Lesotho GTT Trip

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Written by Ryan Strydom

This last weekend (12 – 14 August, 2011), Mark Meeske and a team headed towards the area of Mokhotlong in Lesotho to facilitate and lead the Geographical Training Time (GTT) that took place there. (For those that don’t know, a GTT is very much like an EQUIP time in Johannesburg except it focuses on the region and takes place over a few days.)

The team was made up of fourteen individuals from Cornerstone, eight of which were the Life Team.

After a ten hour drive to Mokhotlong, the team had supper together with the local leaders on the Friday night to connect. It was then off to an early start on the Saturday morning in a Youth Centre just outside of town. The morning consisted of training and there were about fifty to sixty local folk that came through.

After lunch it was time to do some door-to-door evangelism in the village close by. The local guys and the Cornerstone team headed off to invite others to a late afternoon / evening meeting which was to focus on healing, God’s presence and power.

The meeting indeed saw many breakthroughs as the team preached about signs and wonders and prayed for the sick. There were a great deal many evidences of God’s power which was all quite encouraging.

Sunday morning the team split into two to visit two local churches. The original plan was to visit the four relating churches in the area but this unfortunately couldn’t be done due to the team only having one vehicle.

Mark preached at the one church while Casper Versluis and Kyle McClean preached at the other. The morning was quite fruitful and the team packed up at 1pm and got home around 10pm.

There are four churches which we relate to in the area and throughout the years we have seen a lot of growth and life in these churches. Still, we’re really praying to see more churches established there and also more churches relating to the team so that we can work much more effectively into Lesotho. This is a key prayer point alongside the constant challenge of poverty the churches face there.

The next trip to Lesotho is planned for the weekend of 11 – 13 November. This time we’ll probably go to Maseru (the capital of Lesotho). It will also be a GTT. Chat to Mark if you would like to join in the trip. If you would like to call him you can at the church office number, 011-616-4083 or email info@www.cornerstonechurch.co.za. Alternatively, have a chat to him at one of the Sunday or Wednesday meetings.