Four Square Ministries, Africa

THE STORY

In  2005, NSPC began a partnership with Mt. Paran North Church of God in Marietta, GA and Dr. Malan Moolman, director of the Cross Roads Foundation and missionary to the Sekororo tribal community in the Province of Limpopo in the northern region of South Africa.  Support continues to grow annually.

THE JOURNEY

August 2005: Three members of NSPC and a mission team from Mt. Paran traveled to the village of Lorraine and built a church. God ignited a spark of excitement which burst into flame as the story of the mission is told to our church by the returning mission team.

August 2006: Eleven people from NSPC and Mt. Paran traveled to the village of Bismarck. They also built a church and had a well installed. The fire grows into our local community as the mission team presents this opportunity to friends, family and other churches.
Pastor Moolman's vision from God is for each of the 22 villages of the Sekororo people, a population of 200,000 living on 60,000 hectares (148,263+ acres), to someday have both a church and school, staffed with trained Christian ministers and teachers.  Pastor Moolman is not only working to spread God's love in the region, but a native of South Africa himself, he understands the people and recognizes the need for moral, ethical and economical regeneration in the region. 

As participation at NSPC grew, receiving support from other churches, businesses, individuals and civic groups, mission team members realized the need for a formal organization to further the growth of this ministry. Four Square Ministries, Africa was created to build God's kingdom by fostering spiritual, moral, social and economic regeneration. The organization acts as a bridge of support between the United States and Africa. The purpose of this ministry is: to promote awareness of the plight of the Sekororo people; to raise funds for building projects, support of the mission, training of teachers and ministers, and development of projects that generate economic growth; to coordinate mission trips to Africa; to recruit and affiliate US churches with African churches through its “Adopt-a-Church” program. 

What an opportunity and a challenge!
May and August 2007: One team leaves in May to go to the village of Konana. A second team leaves in August for the village of Balloon. The teams include 13 members of NSPC, several from local churches as well as Mt. Paran.  A church is built in each village and plans are set to have a well installed at Balloon.

August 2008: A team of 19, including five members from NSPC, several from other local denominations, Mt. Paran and another Atlanta-based church traveled back to the village of Lorraine. This time a Christian pre-primary school was built next to the church built in 2005.

July and August 2009: The first team of 12 people (eight from NSPC) went to Balloon and built pre-primary school.  The second team of 11 people (two from NSPC) went to the village of Metz and built a church. Over 1,000 pounds of gift items were given to previously built churches and schools as well as the community-at-large.
2013 Update
South Africa Mission Trip 2013
"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" -- James 2:26

During the summer of 2010, a mission team traveled to Kanana, a village located in remote northern South Africa to build a Christian pre-school. N. Sewickley Presbyterian Church of Ellwood City, under the direction of Rev. Dr. Malan Moolman and his wife Elmarie, has worked in this region since 2005 serving the Sekororo tribe.

In 2011, a fierce windstorm ripped the roof from the school rendering it unusable.

In August of 2013, a team of 11 travelers, backed by numerous “senders” and “prayers” traveled approximately 36 hours to replace the roof. Working beside a team of African builders, the repair was made in 4 long, hard days.

We certainly relied on the Lord’s presence this trip. The costs of airfare, lodging, materials and labor have all doubled since 2005, yet money was no obstacle. All of the repair work required scaffolding, climbing and precarious balancing on roof gables yet there were no injuries! Only one of our travelers lost his entire luggage, but we managed to clothe him for the week. His luggage was eventually located and returned, so he is already packed for another trip!

One of our team members is an elementary school teacher specializing in teaching “English as a Second Language”. She organized a “pre-school” teacher’s conference (attended by 20 people) and demonstrated the use of a Christian curriculum purchased with team money. It is important for the children to learn English as it is the business language of South Africa. Our team member showed the African teachers how to use beanie babies and balls to teach simple words in a fun way.
Many people donated school supplies that were given to our missionary for distribution in this impoverished area. The women of NSPC sent fleece blankets which they made earlier this year at a Women’s Retreat. These blankets were received with great joy as the children generally nap on pieces of cardboard on the floor.

The bright knit hats were made by the 90 year old aunt of one of our travelers.

Not everyone can be a traveler — but we can all be part of “God’s Team.”

Many thanks to all of our faithful supporters for your gifts of money, school supplies, clothing and prayers for safety and completion of the project. We will keep you posted on future events.

Sincerely,
WC, JV & PV

Plaque at the doorway of school
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written,
"He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever."
2 Corinthians 9:8-9 and Psalm 112: 9
“The Sekororo Community is a mirror image of approximately 200 resettled communities in South Africa.  The success of Sekororo could be transmitted to other resettled communities providing a base for Christianity where more than 10,000,000 souls could become the recipients of God’s grace and message of hope through Jesus Christ.”  

- Crossroads Foundation Handbook