MAY 2009......WE GOT TO LEAVE A LEGACY

Gospel Chariot Missions is on the brink of one of the greatest mission efforts ever seen in the Churches of Christ. That is if we can keep focused and keep on networking with our Offices, Chariots and Universities. Can you imagine us, the Churches of Christ in Southern Africa, having our own University in every Big City. PLEASE PRAY FOR US. We are on to one of the most EXCITING evangelistic efforts ever seen in missions. I believe it is bigger than any of us can really imagine. What makes it even more exciting, is it is not going to cost an arm and a leg when all is said and done. It is wonderful bringing people to Jesus through conversion, but it is even better following it up with education. GOD IS GOOD. Please pray for us as we work extremely hard on getting all our offices up and running with Nations University. We are really onto something good for Jesus. This is so Exciting.

Walvis Bay, Namibia

Above shows the 'Welcome to Walvis Bay' sign. We have been working for some years in Namibia. That is Windhoek and Rundu. We have now managed to start the first Church of Christ in another town called Walvis Bay. One of our short term students from Windhoek, Laurence, moved and started working there. We sent Steven Uirab to follow up and look at the possibilities of starting a house Church. He reported back positively and we sent Laurance's brother, Eddie from Rundu, to help. We then followed that up with a Gospel Chariot visit with brother Dimpo and Harrison. I joined them at the end of April. That is not all; the Fredericksburg Church of Christ is planning a campaign, Lord willing, in April 2010. Please pray for the Walvis Bay church.
As you can see, desert. Ocean on one side and desert on the other. I am very well traveled because of the work I do. To date I have never seen something so spectacular as this. It is called the Namib Desert.

Above shows the new congregation in the shack. Brother Eddie leading in song.

Above shows brother Dimpo and brother Harrison with the Christians after church. I got to preach and encourage the brethren and then headed for Windhoek to say goodbye to Richard and Shirley Wallace who were heading back to the USA.

Above shows the communion bread and cups. They have learnt how to make the bread themselves. Brother Steven Uirab leaves this weekend from Windhoek to visit and encourage this young church. Steven Uirab was one of the first Christians in Windhoek and worked full time with us and today works for a cell phone company. He is mission minded and has played a roll in all GCM church plantings in Namibia. I am trying to help Steven focus on his strengths. He could turn Namibia upside down for the Lord. All he needs to do is read more John Maxwell books on how to empower others and develop leaders. Watch this man go when he figures this out. The secret to leadership is delegate, delegate and delegate.

RUNDU NAMIBIA

Above shows Jonas Maseka. I know many of you might know him. Jonas worked with us for some years as a driver evangelist on Chariot 2. He is from Rundu and is a fine young man. He is now employed as a tour guide with a Namibian company. Jonas is still very much involved in the Church in Rundu. He has baptized hundreds of souls when working with us. When in the US, I visited with one of my elders, brother Joe Pucket and his wife Barbara who has campaigned with us a number of times. She came out with a photo of one of her students. I could not believe who it was: Jonas. How God works through correspondence lessons. She taught him. We reached him and God has done amazing things through him. Please pray for Jonas as he becomes self supported. He is a fine young man with so much potential.

WINDHOEK NAMIBIA

Above shows Mr and Mrs Wanaheda. No. Its Richard and Shirley Wallace from my overseeing congregation. They have visited the Wanaheda congregation in Windhoek Namibia for a number of years now. They are truly servants of God. They teach, preach and work with the many children. They are also encouraging a young man by the name of Anton Ngabwe. Who has tremendous potential as a leader. We pray that Richard and Shirley will continue to help in Windhoek. If they do, Lord willing, they will start heading up our short term school. We still have so much work to do in Namibia. If they can help with our short term school, then Jonas, Steven, Eddie, Fredericksburg and I can concentrate on our church plantings in Rundu and Walvis. Richard and Shirley you are a major player in the growth of the church in Namibia. Thank you for what you do.

VENDA BIBLE SCHOOL

Above shows the men I spoke to some 8 years ago about a Venda Bible School. They are brother Wison Malotsha, Joseph Razwiedani and OBrien Malandi. Because of these men and our vision many, many people will be trained up in the Church of Christ. I am so excited about this school. The building is almost completed. We just need to do some floor tiling and painting. Then the beds and kitchen. Wow! if we can just get all our offices with the Nations University running on all cylinders. If we can achieve that, it will be mud in satan's face. Chariot 1 heads to Venda on Monday for 2 months. Last year over 100 souls were baptized.

Above shows the building now with some grass planted in the courtyard. I pray many, many prayers and intercessions will be prayed from this fellowship courtyard.

Above shows one of the many high schools in the Venda area that have been given bibles complete with introduction lessons. De Villiers who heads up our GCM office traveled all the way to Phalaborwa to distribute the bibles and do a WBS seminar as well.

WESTERN CAPE

As Venda gets going with a school there, I am working on another one in my area where I live. As you can see we have a church building. We have now 6 congregations in the area. God is opening many doors in the area. We managed to get a little house for our short term school. See below

FUTURE BIBLE SCHOOL

Above is the little house we managed to buy for our short term school in Plettenberg Bay. This will be linked to Nations University. We just need to build sleeping quarters in front of this building. We are hoping on trying to house a number of orphans in time to come. We got to do good with what we have or it does no good for us. James tells us that pure religion is helping the poor, the widows and orphans. I pray that all GCM offices one day will house a number of orphans. We got to be the best people we possibly can in all the areas of our life. We can have all the doctrine in the world, but if we do not have love and do good, then we do not have anything. Lets make the world a better place and by doing that we will make better people out of ourselves. I believe it with all my heart.

Above shows me making some Communion trays out of boards that you cut bread on. Then we put the little disposable cups in. I have made hundreds of these over the years. We have planted many congregations and it is always good to try help with a communion tray if we can. I have seen people use one cup, broken cups and dirty cups. You name it, I have seen it. These trays are for the newly planted congregations in the Western Cape where I live.

We have 2 young men Gladman and Edwin who we sent to our Pretoria short term school. It is wonderful evagelizing and just sending new converts off to our schools. They return month end.

PRETORIA BIBLE SCHOOL

Above shows Lazarus Munetsi teaching at our Pretoria school. Lazarus has his masters degree through Nations. Dimpo Motimela's masters degree just arived this week from the USA. Well done! Dimpo is in Zambia on Chariot 2. He is in Kalomo at the Namwiango mission having a gospel meeting. 13 were baptized this week. Dimpo heads for Lusaka and onto Tanzania where another team takes over. Please pray for Dimpo and Harrison.

Above shows one of the students who was not baptized and after studying decided to put Christ on. Most students are all Church of Christ members. However, from time to time we do bring in one wanting to know more first.

Above shows Bible literature being delivered to our Pretoria office. It is all about sowing the seed.

DURBAN

Above shows Paulus and Leslie with some of the Durban brethren at our GCM office having a Saturday World Bible School seminar. This office needs to kick up a notch regarding Nations University. We have a wonderful work, but got so much still to do. Not all our offices are firing on all cylinders. Our hold up is, not having enough men with degrees to teach the Nations curriculum. We are getting there, but are still waiting on God to raise men up.
Above shows our GCM office in Windhoek Namibia. This office is also not running on all cylinders. We, at GCM, have our work cut out. Please pray for this office also. It is wonderful to still have so much to do.

Above shows the Nelspriut office also not where it ought to be regarding Nations University. We have to dream big for the Lord.

READ NEXT MONTHS REPORT AND SEE CHARIOT 1 AND 2 IN ACTION IN VENDA AND TANZANIA. THEN ON TO MALAWI. WE GIVE GOD THE GLORY. PLEASE PRAY FOR SAFE TRAVELS.

MARCH 2009....SO MUCH HAPPENING

The year has started off with a bang! After doing repairs on the chariots, the team all headed off in different directions. I managed to visit Quinton and Vicki and spend some time with my grandchildren. Then it was off to the offices and now heading off to the US for a short trip. One thing about the GCM team and myself is, we cover some miles every year. There have been more than 70 souls baptized in the last two months ,with over 50 being converted in the Orange Free State.

Above shows the two Chariots after being repaired in Plett. We were on our way to get them through the roadworthy and decided to take a photo of the two together. The 2 chariots are not often together, because of the different areas they travel. These are good quality Mercedes trucks. The bodies might need replacing in years to come, but the engines will last for many years. Meaning, many gospel meetings can be held over the years.....amen

VENDA

Above shows the leaders from Venda, brother Malindi, Razwiedani and Maltsha. These are men that have been in the Church of Christ for many years. They have a congregation that meets on Sunday of about 800. Our Venda Bible School building is almost completed. All we now have to do, is the tiling, plumbing and painting. The opening of the building will be in June sometime and the first semester will start in July. We will use the Nations University curriculum at the school. Many leaders from the area will be getting together to pray, plan and make this school their own. When Vendans network and lead, they really do an outstanding job...amen for Venda.

Above shows the building. It will have 10 bedrooms that will sleep 20 students. In the middle you can see an open piece of land where we will plant nice green grass. So when the students come out of their bedrooms, they can fellowship on the grass. There is a kitchen with dining room on one side with showers and laundry on the other.

Nothing like a meeting under a tree in Africa. Venda can get very HOT in the summer

Above shows De Villiers Malambe who works in our GCM office in Venda. De Villiers will be one of the lecturers at the Bible School. He has a lot of potential. As they say: you cannot send ducks to eagle school. De Villiers is not a duck. We will be sending him to eagle school. What we mean by that is he can be groomed into a Great leader. A number of leaders got together in the office to discuss and finalise the year planner regarding seminars and the Chariots' visit in June and July. This is an EXCITING area. The Park Plaza Church in Tulsa is looking into funding the Venda school. Please pray that this becomes a reality. Thank you Park Plaza.

PRETORIA

Talk about eagles and ducks. Here are 2 eagles for you. Lazarus Munetsi and Dimpo Motimela from Pretoria. These men can be sent to eagle school or should I say, they are currently at eagle school. They are my right and left hand men. They both lecture at the Pretoria school and both have masters degrees now. They head up Nations University and are helping our other offices to all get on board. They also work on the Chariots. Lazarus is also studying computers this year and Dimpo is studying law and accounting. GCM is in good hands.

Above shows Lazarus with the students in Downtown Pretoria. The students come live with us for 4 months. They then study fulltime. GCM has an apartment above the office where they stay. When they finish the school, they can go home and continue studying with Nations University. This they do on their own...I am so EXCITED about our Nations University program. The wonderful thing about it is, it might be short term schools we have, but it has a long term impact. They only come to us for 4 months, but land up studying for a life time. It costs a lot of money having 2 and 3 years schools. We get them going and let them continue educating themselves. Everything we do is FREE OF CHARGE. How can we make the world a better place. When we try do this we land up making better people out of ourselves. I read something the other day that said. "Do good with what you have or it will do no good for you" GCM wants to do GOOD. How can we leave a legacy. Something for our kids and their kids. We cannot give handouts; we have to educate and empower.

DURBAN

Above shows the GCM building in Durban. Its a 5 story building that has tenants in that make this ministry self supported. One section on the ground floor is for ministries. There is the Downtown Church of Christ that meets on Sundays. Our GCM office with a book room is also on the ground floor. Many people come by for Bible Studies. Paulos and Leslie run our office. This office has tremendous potential. I have just returned from the office and visited with some leaders to look at ways we can upgrade and dream bigger dreams for this office. Team work is dream work. We have to make things happen for the Lord and the best way is to network and cooperate. The South African Bible School just around the corner is doing well. We are working with them and encouraging them to go over to the Nations University curriculum as well. They also have a building in the inner city. Between their ministry and ours we could take the city of Durban for the Lord. Des and Brian Lister oversee the school for a Church in the USA.

ORANGE FREE STATE

Above shows the Chariot in the Free State working with the brethren there. There has been many souls baptized there this last month and two congregations started. There were 42 baptized in Thabanchu. 21 of them was at an independent Church were we managed to baptize the preacher and his wife. Almost the whole group was baptized. One of our short term school graduates helped Petros and Lazarus. Another 7 souls were baptized in a town called Verkeerdevlei where we had to start another congregation. Petrus has now got his hands full. Dimpo and Lazarus are communicating daily with the young Christians and congregations. Now we need to get some to attend our short term Bible Schools. The Lord's Church is growing in the Free State.

Above shows Eddie Mogopodi baptizing a soul in the Chariot's baptistery.

Above shows the Preacher of an independent Church who was baptized with his wife and almost his whole congregation. We are working closely with him and the new congregation.

After being baptized you can see him praising and thanking God for his salvation.

Above shows the Church building of the Thabanchu congregation. GCM managed to help them get extra chairs for the members. Brother Petrus preaches here and loves to do follow up for us.

Above shows Eddie Mogopodi who goes into the prisons in the Free State. He is well liked and appreciated in the Brandford and Grootvlei prisons. Eddie does our follow up and also encourages the young congregations. He traveled to Kimberly and baptized two WBS students on the 15th

Above shows inmates with their certificates after graduation. GCM has many, many students in prisons in South Africa. Please pray that they find God and direction through these efforts.

Prison Graduation

More graduations

Above shows Eddie baptizing a soul at his home congregation. Eddie stays and preaches in Bloemfontein. He is a graduate of our short term school. What a worker for the Lord.

Another soul being baptized at the Bloemfontein home congregation at Eddie's house.

Above shows the members all around the baptistery and witnessing another soul being added to the Church of Christ. Eddie wants to try get a roof on his outbuilding so they can worship next to his house. God is working in the Free State. In 1995 there were 2 white Churches in the Free State. Today there must be 15 congregations. AMEN.

Above shows the little children with there Bible lessons and friends at Church in Bloemfontein.

GEORGE

Above shows Jackson and Harrison working in the George area. That is 1 hour from Plett where I stay. God is opening many doors for us now. Jackson was preaching for a offshoot of the Church of Christ. We have been working with him for 2 years now. He has 2 congregations in George. He will be helping Harrison on Chariot 2 this next month following up on house churches that we are teaching more correctly. There have also been a number of souls baptized in the Plett, George area in the last 2 months.

Above shows Ommie baptizing a soul in Plett.

Above shows the small congregation in George.

As you can see it is small and cramped, but worship God they will. Many of the congregations are house Churches or shack Churches.

And last but not least the small house Church in Knysna. Remember the old man and his blind wife I have been working with. Well his son and daughter-in-law are now also Christians.

God is working. We give Him the glory. Please pray for us at GCM.

George Funk