Charl van Wyk (September 2006)

Prison
"Charl, things are going badly. I'm in prison in Pretoria and tomorrow I'll
be moved to Johannesburg. I was denied bail, not given food or blankets at
night, and since Monday was denied a phone call for help. I went with
friends to Messina (Northern border post) to see them off on their trip back
to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). I asked the officials how to
renew a motorcar permit for another woman - when I showed them the permit,
they arrested me. They are telling me to get off the phone now. Bye."

My Congolese missionary friend, Pastor Oscar Wakandwa, who rescued me from
being detained in Mbuji-Mayi on my last missionary visit to the DRC, was
arrested on Monday 17 July 2006 in South Africa - the permit he asked the
officials to renew, given to him by a woman he tried to help, was a
fraudulent document.

Please pray for Oscar and his family, that justice will be done. Just a few
weeks ago, his wife was selling goods on the street (to be able to feed the
family) and thugs attacked her, stole her $150 monthly income and hurt her
so badly that she miscarried her baby in the womb.

I appointed a lawyer to help Oscar. The police would not tell the lawyer
where Oscar was. They sent friends, including pastors, a member of
parliament and others on rabbit trails trying to find out where Oscar was.
The least we could do was get blankets and food to him. I received a
message late this afternoon from Oscar giving details of which police cell
he is in.

Oscar's SOS call last Wenesday, came just as I arrived home from the
hospital, where Anya (4 months) was admitted for bronchiolitis. After two
nights in hospital, with me sleeping in a chair next to her cot, she is
doing much better.

Gran
On 24 May 2006, just a week and a half before my US speaking tour, Granny
Rodwell, my mothers mother passed away. She was 88. Gran was found that
morning in a position of prayer in her bed.

Gran was a wonderful Christian woman who instilled in her grand children a
great legacy of faithfulness to Jesus Christ, her Lord and Saviour. Her
memorial service was one of rejoicing in her life of faith, servanthood and
worship through cleaning the church floors, flower arranging and driving the
old people (those in their seventies) around.

US Tour
My short, but very exciting, U.S. itinerary began Saturday, June 3 and ended
Tuesday, June 13. I ministered in Arizona, Florida, Virginia, New York,
Missouri and Seattle - all in a little more than a week! Great fellowship
with friends was enjoyed and many new friendships started during this fast
moving week. I arrived back home the week before our missionary training
programme started.

Great Commission Course (GCC)
Since 1998, Frontline Fellowship has been organising Great Commission
Courses for those who are serious about missions. Days began early, two
hours before dawn, with P.T. The GCC is an intensive three week practical
missions training programme which includes gruelling hikes at night, up
rivers and over mountains with backpacks filled with Arabic Scriptures.
Most mornings involved lectures on the various aspects of missions, most
afternoons and evenings involved practicals, workshops, outreaches and hikes
past midnight.

Peter Hammond (our Director) and Tim Keller (our Field Director) really kept
the fire burning at both ends. I think the participants were somewhat
relieved but also sad to go home, they built up wonderful friendships -
participants came from as far a field as California and the Congo, from
Arizona to Zimbabwe, from Zambia and from all over South Africa.

After our annual soccer match against the church youth in Khayelitsha I felt
uncomfortable, we then did our night hike which took us across a mountain
range - I was later to discover that a rib had slipped out of its little
socket in my back - thankfully I've almost recovered.

Family
Sonja is doing well and so are all the children. The odd winter illness
raises its head now and again. Anya is much healthier after her two nights
in hospital. John-Marc (3) asked me to 'war', I asked if he meant play with
his guns or swords? "No Dad," he said, "war". This carried on for a while
until he in desperation said, "Dad war (roar) like a lion." And so we learn
how to communicate.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Charl van Wyk

PS To financially support our work, visit:
http://www.intouchmission.org/itmi_donation.htm or contact the ITMI office.

Frontline Fellowship
PO Box 74
Newlands
Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 27-21-6894480
www.frontline.org.za

In Touch Mission International: http://www.intouchmission.org
Tel: 1-888-918-4100

"I delight to do Your Will, O my God, And Your Law is within my heart."
Psalm 40: 8