I am always interested in seeing how our sisters and brothers in Christ live, in other parts of the world.  I found the following report, written by Carole Chaffin.  She and her husband Ron live and work in Louis Trichardt.  If you look at the map at the bottom of this page, you will find them where the number one is on the list.   Cindy *  *  *  *  * Meet Carole and Ron Chaffin Louis Trichardt, South Africa      Here is a report that I have written about two girls in Mozambique.  I especially wanted all the granddaughters to read it but it may be of interest to all of you.  Ron has been getting some correspondence from four young girls in a Bible class at one of his supporting churches and they have been very interested in Africa and the work here.  Enjoy and thank God every day for all our blessings.     Love, Carole

About a month ago, my husband and I had the opportunity to go to Mozambique for him to teach and preach in a small rural village where a young Mozambican Christian lives and preaches.  We were camping in a tent that we put up on the lot of Arao, the preacher.  We had no electricity or any running water.  There were two young girls in the village that helped this preacher’s wife (she has some health issues) with her daily work so I thought you might be interested in what the life of a young African girl was like.  They are of the Shangaan African tribe.  The girls did not attend school.  I am not sure if that was because their parents could not afford the school fees or what, but some of the boys in the village went to school each morning. Each morning one of the girls would bring two pans of warm water to our tent so we could wash-up for the day.  After we finished our breakfast they would wash what few dishes we had.  They had to heat the water over a fire.    . The girls had to wash dishes, chop wood for the cooking fire, carry water from the village well some distance away, take care of the family’s children or any other jobs that the preacher’s wife wanted them to do.  They worked from early morning until evening time.  I was very impressed that they were so friendly and happy even with the work load they carried.  They could not speak English so I couldn’t talk to them other than to say hello.	The girls’ names are Ester (age 16) and Sipia (age 12).  The one standing is Ester and Sipia is mixing the flour in the bowl. They washed dishes in these small pans and then the dishes were put on the rack to air dry. To scour the bottom of the cooking pots, she would reach down to the ground and get a handful of sand and rub vigorously with the heel of her hand.  She then rinsed the pan with water.
In this picture, Sipia is pounding mealies (corn) into flour for making bread. As she is doing one job, she is also responsible for taking care of the baby girl by her side.  When the baby starts crying, the child is usually wrapped in a large towel or blanket and tied onto the back of the mother or the person taking care of them.  Here is how I was telling you that babies are carried on the back.  This little girl was very young but she probably was in charge of the young children while her mother was out working in the field.  The women work very hard in this country to provide food for their families.	The younger children in the village played outside all day long with each other.  There is no electricity so there is no TV for them to watch.  They did not even have toys like many other children do.  They played with sticks and plastic bottles, etc. and seemed to be very happy. Here is a homemade game in the yard.  Little round holes are made in the sand and balls of mud (which have dried hard like a marble) are rolled toward the holes.  The idea is to get the balls to stay in the holes.  Adults even play this game.
This is a picture of the women working in the mealie (corn) fields.  Each family had a plot of land they worked to provide food for the family.  They grew mealies and pumpkins together in the same field.  They ate mostly just what they could grow as many of the men of the village do not have jobs and money is very scarce. Many of the people plow their fields with oxen and an old wooden plow.  There are some tractors used here but then the villagers have to pay for the plowing to be done.  They also use oxen to pull wagons much like we use horses or mules.	After the mealies are harvested the grain has to be ground in a mortar and pestle (right).  Notice that Sipia is standing on a brick to make herself tall enough to pound the wooden pole (pestle) in the big wooden jar (mortar).  After the grain is ground fine, the mealies have to be winnowed (left) to separate the grain from the chaff as we read about in the Bible.
The people carry most of their burdens on their heads so that their hands are free.  We have seen many women carrying heavy loads of sticks and small trees on their head.  Sometime the sticks are six to ten feet long.	Most of the houses are made with a frame of thin poles or sticks and mud balls are used to fill the frame as you can see in this picture (below).  It is usually only one room with no windows and just one door.  They have separate huts for cooking or they cook outside over a fire.  Some also have a separate hut or house for sleeping, the outdoor toilet is separate, and storage is also a separate room. The hut on the left is also made with the sticks and mud but it has been plastered smooth with more mud. The roof is made of thatch or grass.

I hope you enjoy reading about these wonderful people.  They like to hear about God’s word and several have been baptized.  Their life seems very difficult to us but it is what they are used to.  Thank you for your interest in the Lord’s work in Africa.  There is much work to be done and so few laborers.  Keep studying your Bible and grow each day in the Lord. Your friends in South Africa, Carole and Ron Chaffin

I am very thankful for Joanne's contributions. She did an excellent representation of the preachers and their locations throughout South Africa. I have noticed that Hennie Visser's wife is not mentioned with him. Her name is Martha and she is a great helpmeet, mother and example to all who she comes in contact with.

Hennie is very dedicated to serve God in everything, and Martha is sharing the same goal. They are going through tough financial times, yet when Hennie asked Martha if they lose everything is she with him and without hesitation she answered she is with him all the way!!! He said he never doubted, but wanted to hear it from her!

Thanks again Joanne and aunty Betty for sharing your journeys with us!!!  --Suzette Joubert

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Thanks Suzette for sending in this information about Martha and letting us know what a wonderful example she is. What confidence and strength she gives her husband in her unconditional support! Think of the souls she has helped by her humility. I'm so glad you wrote Suzette and I'll add Martha's name by her husband where she belongs. :-)

Map courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

1.   Louis Trichardt  •   Dave & Joanne Beckley •   Ron & Carole Chaffin •   Samson Musandiwa                                                                     2.   Nylstrom       •   Les and Linda Maydell 3.   Pretoria Area • Fred & Pearl Liggin 4.   Johannesburg Area • Alan & Sylvia Fox • Stephen &Wendy Buys • John and Lyn Scholtz 5.   White River • Robert and Cheryl Buchanan 6.   Eshowe (in KwaZulu Natal) • Paul & Helen Williams •   Joel Williams (grandson of Paul & Helen Williams) • David & Velepi Ngonyama 7.   Durban Area • Doug & Sheila Bauer • Scott & Shara Tope 8.   Port Elizabeth Area •   Ashley Goosen • Norman & Emmie Saayman • Brian & Loraine Allan 9.   Cape Town Area •   Robin & Lynn Bauer • Hennie & Martha Visser • Eric & Sharon Reed (Please notify us of any corrections or additions to this list.  Thanks.)

ARCHIVES 2007 God's Providential Care and Peanuts by J. Beckley Doing the Lord's Work in Zimbabwe by L. Maydell Uncle Basil Cass A Soldier of Christ, Gone Home by C. Buchanan A Child of the Harvest Field by E. Baize Returning Home - Reverse Culture Shock by J. Beckley Preparation: "Go" Said the Savior by B. Tope Joy and Sorrow in the Land of Hope by B. Tope Daily Reality in the Land of Hope B. Tope 2008 Teaching with Delight in the Land of Hope by Betty Tope The Multi-Cultural Cuisine Of South Africa by Betty Tope About the violence in Zimbabwe - Christians need prayers Medical and Health Care Differences by Betty Tope Moving To Krugersdorp, South Africa by Betty Tope Rest & Recreation in South Africa by Betty Tope

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