2006 Letter to Friends

Dear Friends,

Over the past several years, God has turned the hearts of many in the E-Free churches of Manhattan toward Africa, opening opportunities to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the people of Botswana, to build partnerships with a local church and with the people living and serving in the city of Gaborone and surrounding villages. The Old Naledi church is in a very poor village of about 40,000 people on the outskirts of Gaborone. In a country with the world’s highest levels of HIV-AIDS, the burdens of sickness, poverty, death, and thousands of orphaned children are all too prominent. God has developed this grassroots ministry in Botswana with a strong focus on building long-term relationships. He has provided numerous opportunities to minister to both the physical and spiritual needs of that country, joining with the local church in Old Naledi in prayer, visiting the sick, ministering to the orphaned children, teaching, and serving the poor, and continuing to pray throughout the year for the church and for others serving there.

We have had recent discussions with Moruti (Pastor) James about the tremendous suffering, the many physical needs, and the great challenges facing the Christian community in Old Naledi. When asked how our church can best help and what resources we might provide, he said “Bring more people from your church to visit us. We find the greatest encouragement in your time spent with us and working with us.” This year again, God has opened an opportunity for a team of six from Harvest Fellowship and Faith E-Free Church to again serve along side the church in Old Naledi village. David Robinson, Kevin Porter Julie and Becky Coonrod, David and Barbara Hartnett, and Evie Krenzin will be traveling to Botswana in July to continue the work and partnership God has established for us.

This summer we will continue building relationships with the youth and young adults, continuing in prayer, study and discipleship with the youth as they face many physical and spiritual challenges walking with God and growing in their faith. Our team will also be involved in teaching, prayer, and encouraging fellowship with Moruti (Pastor) James and the other church leaders and missionaries serving in Old Naledi. A prayer retreat is planned with our team and the village church leadership, and David Robinson will preach at the Old Naledi church. Mothusi, the seminary student raised up from within the Old Naledi fellowship will be back in the village, providing opportunities to continue to encourage him and build our relationship with this future pastor. Our group will again be working with the The Tlamelo Project, a feeding program for AIDS orphans in Old Naledi village, and helping with various other ministries helping the many children at risk in the village. We will also be taking teaching resources and other needed items to Botswana. In addition, we will be traveling to Kumakwane to encourage and work with Heidi Epple as she ministers in that village.

Please pray for the church in Botswana. Also, please pray for our team that we may serve well as we minister alongside our African brothers and sisters this summer. Financial support is also urgently needed to help meet the many physical needs of this very poor village (food, health care, education sponsorship for orphaned children, teaching materials, seminary tuition, etc.) and to support our travel expenses this summer. If you feel led to help in this ministry, please send your contribution to Harvest Fellowship, PO Box 337, Manhattan, KS 66505-0337. If you have any questions, please contact us at bostwana@harvestfellowshipks.org

Serving Him,
David and Barbara Hartnett, David Robinson, Julie Coonrod, Kevin Porter, Becky Coonrod, Evie Krenzin