Here are the mostly unedited letters I have written over the years. Each date drops the entry below it without leaving the page.<\/p>\n
Greetings!<\/p>\n
16% and counting!\u00a0 I just heard from my second supporting church yesterday, and I\u2019m thrilled to be in double digits now.\u00a0 Here are some notes you might be interested in:<\/p>\n
Departure and Deputation Update<\/b><\/p>\n
I am planning on leaving in July 2004, and my deputation schedule looks like it will be feasible.\u00a0 At the end of January I will begin a deputation trip to about 10 churches over the next three months (one week per church).\u00a0 A few of them have promised to support me, and several have hinted in that direction.<\/p>\n
Team Members?<\/b><\/p>\n
Who wants to go alone?\u00a0 I would like to have a team in Africa to minister with, and it looks like at least two other men are interested in that field as well.\u00a0 I would appreciate your prayers that God would provide me some godly \u201cfellow laborers\u201d to carry the weight.\u00a0 I\u2019ll keep you posted as things turn up.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m preaching at Bethel Baptist in Schaumburg (my sending church) Sunday night, so pray for the Holy Spirit\u2019s power on the message if you receive this before then.\u00a0 May the Lord use us all as we are\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026Tools in His Hands,<\/p>\n
Seth Meyers<\/p>\n
Psalm 48:14<\/p>\n
PS.\u00a0 If there are any typing errors in the name or e-mail addresses or someone should be added to the list, please let me know.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Greetings from the Deputation Trail!<\/p>\n
3rd GRADE PRAYERS WORK<\/strong> OUT OF BREATH<\/strong> KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION CLEAR<\/strong> THE BOTTOM LINE<\/strong> Saturday evening I got back from my first trip to Mozambique exploring Gospel potential there.\u00a0 I went with Marius Vogel from Christ Baptist Church and together we saw the most primitive villages I’ve ever been in, the most rugged road on earth, and dozens of people from a village listening to their first sermon of any kind.<\/p>\n For one week we stayed in the village of Machaila where Marius is hoping to move back to in January.\u00a0 It is much more primitive than Mashamba as we didn’t see electricity or even cement for our entire stay in that country.\u00a0 Both of us began the trip hoping mainly to gather data for future ministry.\u00a0 We brought a translator, but weren’t really thinking about doing “ministry” during this trip.\u00a0 I’m glad God planned what we didn’t.<\/p>\n TRIBAL PARLIAMENT<\/strong> The only man we could find turned out to be the chief and he was very cordial.\u00a0 After asking him, through our translator Derek, all the pertinent questions about population, literacy, and religion, Marius asked me if we should share Christ with him.\u00a0 Before either of us knew what had happened the chief agreed to gather his village so that we could tell them our “news”.\u00a0 He set the time for 8:00 the next morning and told us to meet him at the tree we had dubbed “Parliament”.<\/p>\n ATTENTION<\/strong> It didn’t look like anyone was concerned about the time, and of course no one had watches.\u00a0 After an hour of preaching, questions and comments started coming and continued for more than an hour.\u00a0 The chief said that it was good we had brought this teaching to them and they would like to hear more about this story.\u00a0 The man in the photo below sat on the front row and listened throughout–his gaze during the preaching was typical of many others.\u00a0 I did my best to explain how to be born again, but as this was the first time they had ever heard, I\u2019m not sure how deeply they understood.\u00a0 I trust your prayers will continue to work on their behalf.<\/p>\n We experienced a few other opportunities to preach and minister, and every time we experienced the same thing: complete openness.\u00a0 While driving from place to place we passed literally scores of these Tsonga-speaking hut clusters.\u00a0 Please pray that God will give me wisdom and success in reaching these villages for the Gospel.\u00a0 My second request is for laborers, but not just Americans; the nationals over here could do a great job if they were mature and strong in the Lord.<\/p>\n Apart from this trip my days have been spent in language study and helping to get a garden irrigated in Mashamba that would be large enough to feed a number of families.\u00a0 Again, my request for fervent, Spirit-filled prayer is not merely a pious way to end a prayer letter.\u00a0 May the Lord strengthen you to redouble your intercession for the Kingdom of God among the Tsonga speaking peoples.<\/p>\n Seth Meyers <\/p>\n LIFE IN SA<\/strong> MY SMALLEST ENEMIES<\/strong> Pardon, the lack of pictures, but the most important task I\u2019m focused on is study, study, study.\u00a0 Another missionary living in Petersburg, Jerry Wilhite, has been encouraging me to press on with the language.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t planning on quitting, but it\u2019s refreshing when you get frustrated to hear someone else tell you that you\u2019re on the right path.<\/p>\n MODERN DAY CIRCUIT RIDING<\/strong> I\u2019ve also had a couple meetings in town which is about 6 miles from my house.\u00a0 I met with a Muslim to have a Bible study and as soon as my truck is fixed we\u2019re going to meet again.\u00a0 Maybe God sent me around the world to see some African Muslims repent instead of Chicago Muslims.\u00a0 Please do not let this matter fall to the ground without prayer.<\/p>\n Please know that your prayers are not wasted, and your correspondence is revitalizing.\u00a0 May the Lord bless you,<\/p>\n Seth Meyers RESTORING THE GARDEN OF EDEN?<\/strong> The \u201criver\u201d (I use that term very loosely) is about 350 yards from the land we want to seed, and of course, the way is largely uphill.\u00a0 I supplied the piping, and Godfrey is presently searching for a pump.\u00a0 Hopefully by Monday our dry ground won\u2019t be thirsty anymore.\u00a0 Working all day with the boys really helps me pick up phrases, so I trust this garden will bring more than edible fruit.<\/p>\n The curse in the Garden of Eden has a tangible face for me now. (Genesis 3:18)\u00a0 Nearly every plant has thorns\u2014long, sharp, strong thorns.\u00a0 Thorns have sliced my hands, legs, and two went pretty deep into my feet.\u00a0 Also, my truck has taken two.\u00a0 By God\u2019s protection neither my vehicle nor my feet have been seriously hurt.<\/p>\n IT\u2019S HEATING UP<\/strong> I HATE ALCOHOL!<\/strong> PRAYER REQUESTS<\/strong> Joyful in Jesus,<\/p>\n Seth Meyers PS.\u00a0 In case you lost it, www.uniontelecard.com has $.05-per-minute rates available if you\u2019d like to call.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Here are the mostly unedited letters I have written over the years. Each date drops the entry below it without leaving the page. 9 January 2004 Greetings! 16% and counting!\u00a0 I just heard from my second supporting church yesterday, and … Continue reading
\nWhen I returned from my first trip on deputation, I was asked to visit Mrs. Cummins 3rd grade class.\u00a0 To my surprise those kids had been praying for the five requests that I had left with them\u2014the best part was that by the time I returned from the trip, God had given me the first part of three the items they had been praying for.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure others were praying as well.\u00a0 Here are five things on my list.
\n1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pray that I would say \u201cNo\u201d to temptation.\u00a0 Mark 14:38
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pray that I could arrive in Africa by June 18th.
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pray that God would give me some team members.\u00a0 Matt. 9:38
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pray that God would open hearts in the village of Mashamba.\u00a0 II Thess. 3:1
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pray that I would learn the language quickly.<\/p>\n
\nOver the last 8 weeks I have spoken 53 times in 9 churches.\u00a0 AWANA, teen meetings, men\u2019s prayer breakfasts, combined adult Sunday Schools, Sunday sermons and a host of Christian school opportunities.\u00a0 These venues have kept me studying constantly\u2014I love it!<\/p>\n
\nMy account at Bethel (seth@bethelministries.org) is going to expire soon, so please move communication over to sethmeyers@odbm.org (please no forwards ☺).\u00a0 Also, when you receive these first few letters, could you share them with others?\u00a0 That way, if their address is incorrect I will eventually find out.\u00a0 If you are a pastor, please make this letter available to your people.\u00a0 The money and time saved on mailing letters individually really adds up.\u00a0 One more thing, if you know anyone else who would like to get this e-mail update, please send me a note.<\/p>\n
\nI am presently hovering at 49.8% of my monthly needed support.\u00a0 (I have been rounding it up to 50%.)\u00a0 I am waiting to hear from 4 other churches and my schedule still includes 4 more meetings.\u00a0 So far a June 18th departure date looks good.<\/p>\n2 October 2004<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nThe “road” that we drove was merely two tire tracks that had killed the grass.\u00a0 At times holes and ruts appeared that were 6″-10″ deep bouncing our 4×4 bakkie all over the place.\u00a0 On returning from a certain village on Wednesday our path took us by an area where a large tree was visible.\u00a0 To get a better look, we turned the truck through the brush and saw that logs were arranged as seats on the ground.\u00a0 Marius joked that we had found the “Tribal Parliament” where all the important news of the village is discussed.\u00a0 There was a small path leading away from this tree, and we followed it back to find a cluster of huts with a few people sitting around.<\/p>\n
\nWhen we arrived Thursday morning the seats were nearly filled and a few people sat on the ground.\u00a0 Marius and I sat down in the chairs we brought and then puzzled quietly as to how we should start a service when there’s no opening prayer, music, announcements, or anything else we were accustomed to.\u00a0 With Derek’s help, I preached a theological timeline that started with Creation and went slowly to the Cross.<\/p>\n
\nBox 593
\nLouis Trichardt 0920
\nSouth Africa
\n011-2715-516-6785
\nsethmeyers@odbm.org<\/p>\n9 November 2004<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nI hope these past few weeks aren\u2019t symbolic of a trend.\u00a0 My truck has been getting repaired for the last 3 weeks reducing me to a bicycle for transportation and my phone line has sporadically died every few days as well effectively cutting me off from everything except my books and house.\u00a0 However, the mechanic \u2018promised\u2019 me that my vehicle would be back tomorrow morning.\u00a0 TIA<\/p>\n
\nXi, ya, ku, ti, ni, wo, and another two dozen words like them have been silently tormenting as I try to muddle my way through Tsonga grammar.\u00a0 I\u2019ve memorized and been using many nouns and verbs, but these little words are the language\u2019s helping verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and pronouns.\u00a0 At times one of them can perform all of these tasks, and to make the situation more taxing on an English mind, there are no books explaining when to use each one.\u00a0 Your prayers on this matter will be both practical and appreciated.<\/p>\n
\nI haven\u2019t been completely stationary while my vehicle has been out.\u00a0 A friend dropped me in the village with a backpack and my bike a few days ago.\u00a0 After preaching to the teens at Mashamba, I stayed overnight until Saturday.\u00a0 That morning I met with some of the kids for a while, had a Bible study in the afternoon and then rode back the 35 miles to my house.<\/p>\n
\nBox 593
\nLouis Trichardt 0920
\nSouth Africa
\n011-2715-516-6785
\nsethmeyers@odbm.org<\/p>\n3 December 2004 <\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nAlongside my efforts to speak Tsonga, I have also been helping Godfrey start a garden in Mashamba.\u00a0 The major obstacle to overcome is lack of water, so the photos show our efforts to retrieve the pipe from being stored in the church and position it from the river to the garden\u2019s reservoir.\u00a0 Oh, this was done after we hacked our way through the thorny bush.<\/p>\n
\nJust a note about the climate, two Sundays ago the temperature passed 100 degrees (Fahr.) during the morning service.\u00a0 Thankfully, the sun has been kinder recently, but 95 is not unusual.\u00a0 I invented some screens for my windows (bugs are EVERYWHERE) and with a fan my house is pretty comfortable, but those with closed windows and no fans are having a rough time.\u00a0 The hottest months are December and January.<\/p>\n
\nA few houses away from Godfrey a man named Vhlengwe has just opened a tavern.\u00a0 Many of the children and teenagers are now hanging around it, and of course the men and women are wasting what little money they have on liquid sin.\u00a0 To make matters worse, the government gave him electricity so he plays very loud rock music and can stay open through much of the night.\u00a0 I\u2019ve stayed overnight in the village, and it is not uncommon for the music to play until 2:00 am.\u00a0 While I\u2019m ready to pray imprecatory psalms, we\u2019ve contented ourselves for the present with asking God to save him.<\/p>\n
\nHere are some specific ways you can labor together in the Gospel with me.
\n1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Vhlengwe\u2019s conversion and closed tavern
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Godly, gifted black men to surrender for ministry
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0My ability to speak Tsonga; I study hard, but I feel like it will never come.
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0I\u2019ve been witnessing in the city.\u00a0 Maybe God has a harvest there for me?<\/p>\n
\nBox 593
\nLouis Trichardt 0920
\nSouth Africa
\n011-2715-516-6785
\nsethmeyers@odbm.org<\/p>\n2005 Journal<\/a><\/h3>\n