Bible Placement - Lilongwe, April 2009. A team of 9 people in 3 vehicles and with one trailer departed on the evening of Friday, 17 April 2009 with 2 700 Bibles for distribution in Central Malawi.

The journey itself was exhausting because we decided not to sleep over on the way, but to carry on driving and just swopped drivers regularly. We wanted to reach Malawi by Sunday. With God’s grace we reached our destination, Barefoot Safaris, by 16h30 that Sunday evening. Here we would camp for the following week. We set up camp and with everyone’s contribution we were all set in record time. I would like to praise the Lord for the team He had put together – one could see clearly each person’s passion and eagerness and their focus on really wanting to make a difference in His Kingdom.

Our program for the week was as follows: We got up at 05h00 every morning, had breakfast and devotions and then left the camp by 07h30 in order to pick up the hub leaders in Lilongwe at Summer Park. With the 3 vehicles we divided into 3 groups with the expectation that each group would visit 7 of the churches in that leader’s hub. The teams would distribute the Bibles allocated to that hub. At around 20h00 we all returned to the camp site where we prepared supper and shared exciting stories of their day.

Every morning we met up with different hub leaders and visited new areas. In total we worked with 15 hub leaders and visited 105 churches. We could distribute all of the 2 700 Bibles. It really touched me that we still came across churches where nobody in the church owned a Bible – not even the pastor. I just realized again how great the need is still in the rural churches and what a big difference we as congregations in South Africa can make to support our fellow believers with Bibles. The joy of the people who received Bibles cannot be easily retold. Many times tears flowed and joyful praise songs to God could be heard in their language.

It was wonderful to experience how one person received a new Bible and then gave his old, torn Bible to someone else who has never had a Bible before and to see the total joy and appreciation of their faces. I thank the Lord for the opportunity that we had as a team to distribute Bibles. For us it was absolutely wonderful, but for the people in Malawi it was an answer to many years’ prayers addressed to God in yearning. What a faithful God we serve!

We still have 7 300 Bibles to distribute through out the rest of Malawi and we trust the Lord for showing us how we can do this.

Another astounding thing that happened while we were there was that we could buy 15 bicycles and give them to 15 hub leaders on the Friday morning. This too is a great need in Malawi. The hub leaders’ task is made a lot easier when they have transport and like many of them testified, they now can go into areas that they would not be able to reach before to share the gospel and to win whole areas for the Lord where the good news of Jesus has never been heard before. Thank you to all the sponsors who made the purchase of these bicycles possible and in so doing made a huge difference in the ministry of these hub leaders.

As team leader I thank the Lord for the privilege of placing the Word in the hands of people who so desperately need it. A big thank you to the individual, who wishes to stay anonymous, and the Reformed Church in Sasolburg and their church members who made it possible for this group to go and perform this task. For you, the team, I thank the Lord for each one of you and I can only see God’s hand in calling this group together. To God all the glory!

Herbie Venter
Harvesters International Ministries, Uitreik Koördineerder/Outreach Coordinator.

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Bible Placement - Lilongwe, April 2009. Firstly I want to give glory to God for the privilege of being able to be part of the outreach to Malawi with Herbie Venter. Herbie, an obedient missionary – to get a glimpse of his life of obedience towards the Lord, was a privilege. I’ve realized for the first time that it is hard work to be a fulltime missionary and that these people really love the Lord. May the Lord richly bless all fulltime missionaries.

Something that will stick in my mind is Gods’ love for His children – even those who live in far-off places. For God these are no limits. I saw their gratitude in receiving Bibles. Their churches are damaged buildings or just a grass roof, but they still attend church.

Thank you Lord that You touch peoples’ hearts and enabled them to give Bibles to those who You’ve chosen and who You love. The joy in my heart was tears in my eyes. One person expressed his gratitude by stating that the Bible was worth more than a car to him. Others said that they would make a difference by telling others about Christ. When you listen to their testimonies about their lives before they found Christ and how they’ve changed after they accepted Him as Saviour, you become aware of God’s love and grace towards the sinner. I have really experienced the Lord’s love here in Malawi. He chooses his children unconditionally. At one of the churches they told us that they have seen white people for the first time. I couldn’t believe it. Their beautiful singing and the gratitude that they expressed when receiving Bibles was something to experience. I would like to encourage anyone to grab an opportunity like this, because this is where you will experience God’s great love intensely. You will not be the same after such a Bible placement. May my testimony touch other people’s hearts to donate Bibles and in this way touch people’s hearts in a special way. “It is worth more than having a car.” All glory to God.

Hester Hattingh
Reformed Church, Sasolburg RSA

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Persoonlike getuienis van Bybelplasing in Malawi - Lilongwe, April 2009. Ek kan getuig van n wonderlike ervaring nadat ek die voorreg gehad het om saam met n groep wat se harte vol van die Here is vir 10 dae bybel verspreiding in Malawi te doen. Dit was onbeskryflik hoe die Here alles in plek laat val het en die samewerking wat van almal gekom het al was ons soms uitgeput van lang ure se werk. Die Here het ons werklik gedra en bewaar in hierdie tyd. Ek kan getuig van bewaring waar die Hub leier die eerste dag bekommerd was oor n gebied wat nie veilig was nie, en gesê het ons moet eers stop en bid voordat ons die gebied binne gaan. Na die gebed en toe ons die gebied binne gaan kon ek werklik die werking van die Heilige Gees ervaar. Alles het net goed afgeloop met wonderlike resultate.

Die dankbaarheid van die mense wat die bybels ontvang het was vir ons almal hartroerend en ek het selfs een oggend bewoë geraak na godsdiens toe ek met die groep situasies gedeel het. Die mense is arm, besit niks maar is so dankbaar oor die bybels en die woord wat ons gebring het dat hulle selfs vir ons in hulle armoede geskenke gegee het. Hulle kerke is ook baie primitief en soms is dit sommer onder ‘n boom waar die dienste gehou word. Het ons nie rede om dankbaar te wees nie?

Alhoewel dit ons taak was om in Malawi uit te reik het ek persoonlik ook baie van hulle geleer en ryper terug gekom. Hulle opregtheid, dankbaarheid, vriendelikheid en bereidwilligheid om ongelooflike lang afstande na die kerke te loop was vir my ‘n aansporing om dieper in my eie lewe te kyk.

Laastens wil ek die Here dank vir ‘n geleentheid wat ek en my vrou saam kon beleef om vir die Here te werk. Sy is vir my ‘n aansporing in gloof waavoor ek baie dankbaar is. Dankie, Here, vir hierdie groep wat U uitgekies het om so suksesvol vir U te kon uitreik na Malawi.

Dewald Hattingh
Ingenieurs bestuurder
Gereformeerde Kerk, Sasolburg

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Bible Placement - Lilongwe, April 2009. I’ve cried through the first 3 days. What happened was absolute cleansing. I experienced a feeling of absolute humbleness towards God and Man. I couldn’t do anything and felt that I was not good for anything. I’ve experienced total dependence of God (something that is weird for me as I used to believe I can do anything). It was so bad that I thought I had to do something to make a contribution, like washing dishes or making tea.

During the first day when I tried to do something or say something, I just burst into tears. I asked the Lord whether I had to come to Malawi just to cry all day. Was that what He wanted?

The crying was a result of a heap of emotions – feeling of guilt because I haven’t read my Bible so regularly and I haven’t been so serious about God’s Word and because I was overwhelmed by total gratefulness when I saw the circumstances people live in and I realized how blessed I was. I experienced an emotional roller-coaster of feelings of gratitude towards the Lord for using me, a sinful man to do something for Him and that He allowed me to experience the friendship and gratitude of His people in Malawi. I had to think about my own gratitude (the lack thereof) for what He is doing for me.

I’ve cried more in those 3 days than I’ve ever cried in any other situation I’ve found myself in. It was great, but sometimes frustrating because I could not express myself at times. It was humbling because I was embarrassed that I cried so much.

I came to the conclusion that the Lord was cleansing me and that He was bringing me down to earth, removing me from my throne to my knees where I asked Him for power and wisdom to do what I had to do.

I also realized that the Lord did not necessarily want to use me in areas where I thought I could do well and I still felt I was pathetic and could not add any value to God’s Kingdom. You see, I had to realize that God did not need me to expand or bring glory to His Kingdom. No, He does not need me, but I need Him. I am nothing and I am totally dependant on Him. I had to discover this in Malawi. After I’ve realized that, I became small before Him and confessed that I was so stupid and arrogant to think that He, the Almighty God needed me. Yet, He was gracious and allowed me to take part in the expansion of His Kingdom.

After the first 3 days I was able to bring a short message to some of the churches by His power through the Holy Spirit. I could laugh and reflect His love through the Holy Spirit that bubbled from within my soul. I could not stand still, but ran around with the kids, kicking balls around and riding around on a bicycle because my joy was so overwhelming.

I settled down again and asked the Lord to give me a message and to show me what to do. I was surprised and needed time to grasp the 3 things that God pressed on my heart to do within the first day that I settled and waited on Him. Firstly He put a message in my heart that I could bring when I had the opportunity –and there were many. The second thing was to contribute towards the purchase of a bicycle and the third was to give feedback to the church about my experience.

It was wonderful to do these things although I still doubted whether I’ve done what the Lord wanted me to do, but He laid it on my heart repeatedly and I was eventually sure that it was right. I’ve eventually realized that it is easy to hear from the Lord. I shouldn’t read, I shouldn’t write, I shouldn’t speak, but I should become quiet before the Lord and listen to what He says and what He lays on my heart to do – not because He needs me, but because He allows me to serve Him. I realize now for the first time that I always thought I was good enough to do certain things and that God wanted to use those things to serve Him. It may be the case, but not necessarily because He may use or allow something totally different for me to do in His Kingdom. The Lord does not need us. He gives us the privilege to do certain things – not things that comes to mind or talents that we decide that we would serve Him with. No, listen to what He wants you to do.

My experience of the people

The people are hungry for the Word of God. They were so grateful that we visited and encouraged them. I sometimes felt like Paul who visited the churches. These people were so excited to receive visitors that they were encouraged and will still be for long after we leave.

Our visit made them feel worthy and made them realize that they were doing the right thing. It also gave them the courage to continue with their work in God’s Kingdom.

Those who were there to receive Bibles and listened to our testimonies could use their experience to share the Good News to people they came in contact with.

The Word is compared to a tree with lots of fruit. These fruit should be dished out to everybody we come in contact with. We do not have to worry that this tree will ever stop producing.

The joy that these people express when they receive their Bibles will always be imprinted on my mind.

Thank you for the opportunity and everybody who made this trip possible for me –from the finances to the smallest arrangement. I’ll go again, if it is the Lord’s will.

Ewan Gloy
Reformed Church, Sasolburg RSA

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Bible Placement - Lilongwe, April 2009. In my recent trip to Malawi my expectations were far exceeded. My intensions were to go and bless others but in turn I was so blessed myself. You can’t go to a country like Malawi and not come back more humble and appreciative of what we have. Seeing the joy on someone’s face when they received a bible brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. This trip made me appreciate the Word of God, especially after visiting churches where there wasn’t even one bible in the church.

Marcel Loots
Bibles for Believers

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Bible Placement - Lilongwe, April 2009.The decision to go on this Bible Placement to Malawi with Bibles for Believers came very suddenly, but I believe that God had a great plan when He called me to go. In Malawi I realized firstly, how very privileged we are to have such easy access to Bibles. The absolute joy with which these believers received their Bibles made a lasting impression on me. That which we take for granted is for these people the most wonderful gift which they will ever receive. The friendliness and sincerety with which they welcomed us were wonderful! Even though the people from some villages are very poor, they still overloaded us with gifts! The hard work of the leaders and pastors really inspired me! Some of them walk, or ride with Malawian “bicycle taxis” numerous kilometers to go and visit their churches. They know that their work in God’s kingdom is not in vain! We can learn a lot from their commitment in the midst of many challenges. Although they work very hard, they still experience a lot of hardship, like in many places all over the world. My experience in Malawi motivated me to do my utmost for the Kingdom, for there is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in.

Liza du Plooy
Reformed Church, Sasolburg RSA

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Bible Placement - Lilongwe, April 2009. Om in ‘n bladsy saam te vat is moeilik. Hoe verwoord mens ‘n verandering en vorming aan jou hart en siel in woorde? Elke dag ontdek ek opnuut hoe God 10 dae se dienswerk in seëninge vir ‘n leeftyd verander het. Wat ‘n ongelooflike voorreg om die “glimlag” mense van Malawi te ontmoet en ook aan hulle Christus (die Woord) te bedien. Wat ‘n ongelooflike voorreg om broers en susters in Christus te ontmoet en ‘n klein gedeelte van hul lewens te ervaar!

Ek het weereens opnuut besef dat God se Woord lewe gee soos wat Christus lewe gee en dat dit waarlik ‘n geskenk tot groei vir elkeen van ons is. Dit is die volkome waarheid van God! Ten spyte van strominge en dwaalleer regoor die wêreld (teoriëe oor die outoriteit van Genesis ens) gebruik God dit nog steeds tot opbou van Sy bruid, die kerk. Soos een van die wat ‘n Bybel ontvang het getuig: ”Now I have a weapon and now I can grow”. Bibles for Believers en Harvesters International Ministries is een van die bes georganiseerde uitreik organisasies waarmee ek nog te doen gehad het, wat ‘n voorreg om saam met julle te werk! God sorg vir sy kinders regoor die wêreld, as ek nie gegaan het nie sou Hy in ‘n oogwink iemand anders gestuur het, prys die Here dat ek kon deel wees van iets so groot!

Vir my persoonlik:

Die maand wat die Bybelplasing voor afgegaan het het dit vir my gevoel asof ek al verder en verder van God af beweeg, seker in ‘n mate ook ‘n rede waarom ek op die uitreik wou gaan. Wat ek na die tyd besef het is die volgende: Geen goeie daad of “onselfsugtige” diens kan my nader aan God bring nie, Hy omsluit my van voor en van agter, van onder en van bo, al van voor my geboorte af. Sodra ek minder word in my eie oë word God meer. Dit gaan nie daaroor of ek die Almagtige beleef of nie, dit gaan oor Sy eer en grootheid wat in my lewe na vore moet kom.

Gehoorsaamheid aan God!

Lydia, 23
M BComm Communication

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