 Dear Friend and Partner,
The past year has been
stressful in many ways for us, but also for many of our supporters. People
everywhere are living under a cloud of recession. Fear and uncertainty
continues to grip people like we’ve never seen before. And so, as more and more
people find themselves in difficult situations, many seem to develop a fortress
mentality, holding on to what they have, The result of this fear gripping our
nation is that many ministries and churches also begin struggling; many already
having to cut back and/or close their doors.
 Yet, in the midst of all
these challenges Christa and I have continued to experience God’s sovereign
Hand upon our lives and ministry. We feel encouraged that, in spite of all this
uncertainty, our efforts on the mission field are not in vain, and that the
fruit of our labor continues to multiply a harvest for God’s glory. And so, we
want to encourage you dear friend to also not allow such fear to rule your
tomorrow! God’s Word in Jeremiah 29:11 encourages us that He has “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!”
In spite of financial and
other pressures we refuse to back out of the call that God placed upon our
lives. In spite of the many problems we encounter along the way, we continue to
believe that our lives can and must help make this world a better place. After
all, when we gaze around us and see unimaginable suffering, poverty, injustice,
and oppression we dare not look at our own circumstances and try to find comparisons!
So we forge ahead as agents of change, boldly proclaiming that there is hope
for Africa.
How can we believe anything
less? God has blessed our efforts, and He continues to use AFnet as an
instrument for the advancement of His Kingdom. Hundreds of students are
currently enrolled in our in-service Bible School program. But many more among
our graduates have moved on, spreading out across Africa, planting new churches
and evangelizing as far as they’ve gone. Thus we’ve seen the influence of this
ministry reach to the farthest corners of Africa.
 But our ministry
is more than training leaders and planting churches. As a natural extension of
our strategic focus, we also are happy to report that our orphan work and
compassionate outreach is gaining momentum. Construction on our newest orphan
center in Zambia is just about completed. And even though we’ve not formally
opened that center yet, already more than 70 destitute orphans showed up, eager
for formal admittance into that program.
But the task ahead of us is
still enormous! So we trust God for a financial break-through that will help
launch AFnet into a next phase of expansion. As you consider you’re on going
involvement with us, please pray also that we may have the courage, strength
and faith to finish the race well. Your care, contributions and commitment
indeed can help to make this world a better place!
Appreciatively yours
Johan and Christa Combrinck
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