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Smaage Family

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SMAACE NSISLEIXER J™E 1973

Dear Friends in Christ,

Greetings again from South Africa. March and April here have been very busy monthsfor us* I'll try to outline briefly what we have been doing here these past twomonths* Our Ford camper which I converted from a Panel van broke down coming backfrom Pretoria in late February* The first week in Msirch therefore, I was up to myelbows in grease and engine parts overhauling the little V-A Ford engine* It is afairly simple engine so it did not take too long to get it all back together withthe new pco'ts installed* The biggest problem was getting Donna to keep me suppliedwith Iced Tea during the overhaul* She seemed to think she had more important thingsto do*

Following the Ford overhaul I was able to get busy preparing additional teachingbooklets for our African and Coloured leaders in the church* We were able to re-doan earlier book in the ^osa language on the Eldership, plus start on other bookletsin English* Booklets (mimeographed study guides) that we have now finished or fiirein the process of doing are "THE ELDERSHIP" in Xhosa and English, "LUISTER" whichis a personal evangelism calling booklet in Afrikaans, "HOW TO PREPARE AND PREACH","THE CHDRCH", "THE BOOK OF ACTS", "THE BOOK OF HEBREWS", I & II TIMOTHI"* The menhere are very eager to receive these booklets and I cannot seem to keep them supplied*Wg run off about 200 copies at a time and they are gone before you know it* W© —mail th^ to church leaders and also use them in our leadership training clinicsthat we conduct on our visits to the churches* They have proved to be very successfuland popular with the leaders here*

We have kept busy with our visits-to-4>he_^rican churches here and also with the workof the awmn European'̂ co^;c.6 '̂̂ ;ga3^^KP6*i^^^^ffletonville* I think I told you in ourlast newsletter abc^t Gene'stM Landis w^ are working together with us in thework here* Gene am-l^^alt^jngd^%„atJbhe->E^ work on Sundays* That helps us eachin continuing with ou: '̂'i?^peetive"BantU'~and Coloured works as well* We have alsobeen able to hold a leadership training clinic in Fort Victoria, Rhodesia* This wasa special training meeting arranged by Bro* Dick Smith of the Bible College in FortVictoria* Bro* THll Hall, Johannesburg missionary and I taught two classes eachevery day in Fort Victoria from April 12-19* Bill taught on personal Evangelism andon the Eldership while I taught on the Book of Acts and on the Church* Every nightthen we had preaching in which Bill and I alternated nights* So we were quite busywhile there* Bill and I flew up in our mission airplane for this clinic* We savedtime £Lnd money by using the plane and had a very good training clinic at Fort Victoria*The brothers there told us they were very pleased with what we brought*

Gene Landis and I have been talking about the possibility of starting a leadershiptrcdning school in South Africa* The work we have done up to now has all been on an..extension basis in which we go to the churches to teach* This has been very good butthere are adv€Uitages to be gained from having a located school such as our school inOiana, Liberia and Fort Victoria* As you know I have been interested in doing thisin South Africa for the past three years, and tried to enlist recruits for such a venture but was unsuccessful* Whether anything will come of our talks or not I do notknow* We would not be able to do much right now about establishing such a school aswe are planning to return to the U*S* for furlough this coming September* It wouldrequire a of three missionary families on the field to operate a leadershiptraining school* I am also not sure that this is an opportune time for the establishing of such a school*

Another item of importance in which we have been involved is in helping our Colouredminister Bro* Roland Joseph move from KLmberley to Eldorado Park in Johannesburg* Ibelieve this to be a providential step in regard to our Coloured work in the Johannesburgarea* Eldorado Park is a brand new coloured housing scheme South of Johannesburg nowbeing built* The firs€ ^hbuses-^e being completed this week* There is a criticalhousing shortage for Coloured© in South Africa and this new housing scheme will provide

^homes for thousands in the Johannesburg area* We believe that God has providentially

SMAAGE NEWSLETTER, June 1973. page 2

provided an opening here for the spread of the Gospel in regard to Bro, Joseph movingto Eldorado Park. Let me explain. There are litterally thousands who have made application to the Johannesburg municipality for housing. These are government built atiHmaintained houses. The successful applicant pays monthly rent to the municipality fora house. Applicants who applied to 5 years ago are being given first considerationnow. Bro. Joseph had applied in 1967 for a municipal house in the Johannesburg areabut his application was lost so they had no record of such. Two weeks ago Bro. BillHally Bro. Joseph and I went to see the man in charge of the Johannesburg municipalhousing scheme and told him of our desire to move Bro. Joseph to Johannesburg for thepurpose of ministering to our Coloured brothers and sisters here. The man in charge,a Mr. Claasens, initial response to our request was, "Not a chancel" but as wetalked his attitude changed as he realized Bro. Joseph's presence in the new communityof Eldorado Park would be a positive influence for good. He told Bro. Joseph to makea new application and he would see what he could do. This past week we went tosee Mr. Claasens. This time Bro. Gene Landis, Bro. Joseph and I were together. Mr.Claasens had arranged to allocate a house for Bro. Joseph. In fact, I believe thatBro. Joseph may be the very first to move in to Eldorado Park. He has been given oneof the first houses completed. There are hundreds more now being built.

Vlhile we talked with Mr. Claasens about Eldorado Park we asked if we (the church)could be given a plot of ground in Eldorado Park for a church building. He told usto submit an application and they would consider it. Being a bit bold by now, I alsoasked about the possibility of building a class—room building for the purpose of aleadership training school for Coloureds in Eldorado Park. Mr. Claasens saw no reasonwhy this could not be done also and that we should sutmit an application our proposal for such a school to his office for their approval. Roland has therefore gonedown to Kimberley to get his family and belongings and will be moving to Eldoradopark in about ten days. We believe that the Lord has led in this and that hewill accomplish his purpose in so doing. If you feel led of the Lord to pray for Bro.Roland Joseph and his family (his wife's name is Charlotte, they have 5 children) Iknow that they would appreciate yoxir prayers very much as they begin this new workfor Christ.

FHRLOUGH PLANS; We are planning now to return to the U.S. this September 1973for furlough. This will be just short of three years for us this term in Africa.This seems to be the best time for us to furlough due to the children's schooling.We want to be able to enroll them at the beginning of the school year in the U.S.Our exact dates have not yet been set. We hope to make it in September but maybe delayed until October depending on the work needed to be done here

May God bless you all as you serve Him.

Yours in Christ, Derry, Donna, Cheryl, Kevin, Linda, DarinSmaage.

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