Dear friend,
 
We have been praying for you, and trusting that you have had a blessed start to 2020, that is, besides some inconvenient load shedding!
 
I am reminded about the wonderful promise of another (biblical) load shedding…

Matthew 11:28-30 English Standard Version (ESV)
28: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
 
It seems to me with each passing year that life gets more and more busy, and that I have slightly less energy in the natural than the year before…as they say, getting old is not for sissies! If you can identify with me in this, then we have to rely more and more on the Lord to sustain us and help us order our lives and responsibilities, otherwise it may soon become overwhelming.
 
So every time the lights go out in this year, let’s be reminded that there is One who is willing and able to carry our loads when they become too heavy!
 
This year at AE, we are prioritizing our youth programs, our ongoing Legacy projects, and a mission to Durban. Watch this space!
 
We have four new faces on staff at AE, including Muzi, Sazi, and Gavin who you’ll read about below. The other new face and the 2020 Foxfire team will be introduced in our next newsletter.
 
Finally, thank you for your ongoing prayer and financial support! Without your partnership we would not be able to continue. In these trying economic times, even a small contribution is precious to us, and every Rand makes a difference in our work, and our nation!
 
May our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, be your all sufficiency in 2020!
Much love,
Theuns

January 2020 has seen four new members joining the staff of AESA; the first of which is Muziwenhlanhla (Muzi) Mhlungo who is employed as the Maintenance Supervisor.

Born in the birthplace of AESA, Muzi is one of five children raised in their Christian home in Pietermaritzburg, in the suburb of Imbali.
It was after completing his schooling career that Muzi responded to the call on his life and made a conscious decision to give his life to Jesus.
 
The calling to do the work of God, and indeed into the ministry, has been somewhat of a family calling for the Mhlungo family. It was the youthful desire of Muzi’s late dad to become a Catholic priest, however, being the only male amongst his siblings, he was obliged to marry and to continue the family lineage.
His son though, Muzi’s older brother, responded to the call to ministry and is a pastor and a mentor to Muzi.
 
Muzi got actively involved in the life of the church in which he worships as a result of the involvement of his brother, whom he accompanies wherever the ministry takes them. Over the years this involvement has gained him experience in general maintenance and construction as well as in setting up of sound equipment.
He believes that his calling is to work behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight for it is in this space that he is at peace with himself doing the work of the Lord.
 
Travelling is one of his passions and he is hopeful that he will be able to do this whilst exercising his other passions to do charity work and to minister amongst children and the needy.
 
Muzi has a zest for life, laughter and people; he is also a marathon runner who hopes to resume long distance running which to date has been frustrated by an injury plagued knee.
 
In response to his AE experience thus far Muzi feels a welcome that is loving, warm, embracing and patient. He is excited to be working in such an environment having never worked for a non-profit organisation nor a Christian organisation before and already feels fulfilled in terms of what he has to offer.
He is willing to put his shoulder to any wheel and to work diligently to ensure that the facilities are well maintained and operating optimally; further to improve them wherever possible so that there is no hindrance or distraction for those who come to focus on ministry.
 
The scripture verse that Muzi holds close to his heart is:
 “The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy.
I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.” John 10:10
 
Welcome to the Team Muzi…we look forward to your “marathon” tenure with AESA!

AESA welcomes Gavin John as Communications Officer as the organisation seeks to increase the regularity with which partners are updated on its ministry activities and labours of love in the field and to communicate generally on activities and operations.

Proudly Pietermaritzburg, having been born and raised in this city, Gavin is a dedicated Christian and worships and serves in the same local church in which four generations of his family have worshipped and served before him. He continues to be actively involved in the life of this church, serving in areas of worship, ministry and administration. He is passionate about serving the Lord in whatever capacity!
 
Gavin is married to Miranda and they have three children, Mathew and Nicole who were born to them and, following the recent marriage of their daughter, their son-in-law Kirsch.
 
An accountant by profession, he joined the AESA Budget & Finance Committee in 2004 and has chaired this Committee since 2006; from which date he serves as an ex officio member of the AESA Board.
 
Throughout his life he has always felt that God had something for him to do beyond what he was already doing in the secular world and in ministry, and that he would have to respond someday. He believes that that day has now come; circumstances have changed in his career path and he has spent most of the last three years in prayer searching out what it is that the Lord requires of him. He still has no clue as to whether or not he is doing what the Lord has called him to do but is taking whatever opportunity presents itself to work in ministry having said to the Lord, “here I am Lord, send me!”; being keenly aware that God’s way, more often than not, is to take us out of our comfort zones and into unfamiliar territory.
 
It is in faith therefore that Gavin steps forward without hesitation to take on this new challenge in the role of Communications Officer, trusting that God will equip him with the skills, knowledge and wisdom to do His work albeit he continues to seek, ask and knock for revelation of God’s will for him.
 
Gavin loves spending time with his family and with family friends. Sport is reasonably high on his agenda and even though active participation is sadly a thing of his past, he is an avid fan of most codes of sport.
 
His most loved passage of Scripture is Psalm 91. The following verses in particular:
”Because he loves me says the Lord, I will save him. I will protect for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”14-16

Like other newcomers to the AESA team ‘Sazi’ is a product of Pietermaritzburg. Raised in a Christian family his grandmother, a children’s pastor, ensured his exposure to the faith. However it was not through her efforts that Sazi began his personal journey with the Lord but through a rather unlikely source, the persistent preaching of his Grade 9 Economics teacher, who constantly chatted to him about Jesus after school lessons and rugby training/matches and how the Lord could use Sazi’s talents for ministry.
 
The seed was sown and started to bear fruit when Sazi gave his life to Jesus and enrolled in the South African Theological Seminary after completing his schooling career. He then spent two and a half years in Ireland exercising his gifts and talents in school and outdoor ministry being part of the facilitators at a kids and youth campsite. In the course of this ‘outdoor’ journey Sazi has become an accredited service provider for team building, archery, canoeing and abseiling, basketball coaching and not forgetting rugby coaching, his boyhood passion! Whilst on the subject of his passions Sazi confesses his love for food, both for cooking and eating, his family, music including playing his guitar and leading worship spending time in the Word and of course his unmistakable attraction to outdoor life. Lastly he mentions, rather coyly, that he has a ‘soft spot’ for the elderly and has volunteered at an old age home from time to time. That’s quite a list Sazi!
 
Sazi returned to Pietermaritzburg taking up a position as a youth pastor as well as the coach of the 1st Team for rugby at the Durban University of Technology before taking up the position at AESA.
His biggest dream realised when he married Nomvula in February this year, he believes that God has called him to service at AESA as well as to hone his skills and talents in pursuit of his next, which is to own a camp site for ministry and academy.
 
His vision during his tenure at AESA is to use his skills and experience to get the AESA Conference Centre to be ‘youth and family friendly’ in order to attract greater patronage. His ‘wish list’ for additional facilities sheds some light on how he proposes to achieve this; the list includes a zip-line, a family friendly climbing wall, an obstacle course, a trampoline, hiking trails, and sports facilities for youth.
Exciting plans, which will help ensure the growing popularity of AE’s Conference Centre.
 
‘Like a cold glass of water on a hot day’ is Sazi’s description of his AESA experience thus-far; refreshing, quenching, satisfying, fulfilling.
Thanks Coach…we’ll cheer to that!
 
His favourite scripture is Psalm 119: 9-11
How can young people keep their lives pure? By obeying your commands.
With all my heart I try to serve you; keep me from disobeying your commandments.
I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you.