Last Update February 5, 2010
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Special Notice-February 1, 2010

FROM STU AND MARILYN COOK  AT GRACE PLACE, SOUTH AFRICA

In response to message below from Aletheia International Ministries

TO OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN CHRIST
               RECENTLY WE FORWARDED ON TO YOU THE LETTER FROM OUR DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, CONNIE AND BILLY WICKS. A DEAR FRIEND IN THE STATES RESPONDED, ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION ABOUT “MISSION TO SOUTH AFRICA” AND “ALETHEIA”. MARILYN JUST REMARKED THAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS, SO HERE FOR YOUR BENEFIT IS THE ANSWER THAT I SENT TO OUR FRIEND SALLY:

 Good morning!
               It’s a pleasant South African morning after an inch of rain last night. Now a busy day lies ahead. Marilyn has three soup kitchen sessions ahead of her and I have a Bible study on the Holy Spirit with an African pastor and another young couple. Very good.
              To answer your questions: Mission to South Africa is the name we are known by in the USA. That is, the account in Casper. Your support goes there and they transfer it to us in South Africa. On the South African side we are a registered non-profit welfare organization named Aletheia International Ministries. The money from MSA is transferred by the bank to us, into the account of AIM. From that, both Billy and Connie in Johannesburg and Marilyn and I in the Waterberg get our money for personal living expenses and ministry.
              The problem is that there hasn’t been enough support for both places, which in effect are two separate mission works. We’ve been talking for a long time about separating them. B&C decided to do that because they don’t want to be a burden on us. The decision is that the South African organization, AIM, will stay with them in Joburg where it has been these many years. We will register separately up here. MSA will transfer the mission money to us in our account, and we’ll transfer on to Aletheia all that is designated or them.
              Connie will continue the wonderful work with the children that she’s doing, Billy will continue with his ministries. They would like to be supported primarily from within South Africa but that will be very difficult. Billy also has some very big irons in the fire business-wise but these will probably take some time to produce anything.
              None of the ministry will be dropped. It will just become two entities instead of one. I won’t go into all the details involved or all the advantages, but it is a big step of faith on their part. On your side, nothing really changes.
             I have to run. Hope this helps a little.
                 Love and prayers,
                     Stu

LOVE, PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS TO YOU, EACH AND ALL.

               Stu and Marilyn Cook

 

Special Notice-January 21, 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The challenges that lie ahead for Aletheia Johannesburg this year are both daunting and frightening. We are few in numbers and the forces against us are many, but we know the Lord gives the victory.

Connie and I have decided to separate Aletheia International Ministries from the support base who gives to Mission to South Africa. The unrelenting pressures of the global financial crisis has crippled us and has put extreme pressure on Mission to South Africa to sustain both ministries. Our decision is one of monumental faith in trusting God. As Peter who stepped out onto the waters and as Jonah who dived off the ship in the middle of the storm, so we need to make this simple step of faith in Him and for Him.

We have given a three months notice period to Mission to South Africa and to the landlord of our property. Two of our workers will have to sadly be retrenched and a home for two of our dogs will have to be found. We are in the process of canceling all our insurance policies, which we have clung to due to the seriousness of crime and the high rate of motor vehicle accidents in South Africa. We have given high priority to donor funding and donated vehicles. This has not been an easy decision as we are accountable to our donors as stewards.

Survival is now our major priority as the well-being of thousands is at stake. Our fight is for them. One would have to pry our fingers open for us to let go as we can never turn a blind eye to what we have seen. We are committed and want to ensure you that that which you have sown will produce a harvest in Heaven for you. We need your prayers to petition with us before Christ as we seek to know His will for Aletheia.

Finding property is going to be difficult, as we have been blessed in our current home with regard to the locality of our food donors and to those that we serve. A huge problem is moving all the plants we are growing for our Sustainable Seed of Economic Empowerment project. Currently we have in excess of 100,000 bulbs of different varieties and hundreds of trees and indigenous shrubs. Some say sell the plants, to me a short term solution to a problem. Firstly, they are not mature enough to realise any substantial value and, secondly, the purpose that the mother plants were given for. This project is much needed and crucial to the economic survival of many rural settlements in South Africa.

As we cut back, so each decision thereafter becomes more difficult to make. I write in turmoil with much emotion, yet I remain fixed on the vision of Aletheia, able to separate the real from the unreal. Aletheia needs to stand on its own, independent and not a burden to anyone or any other body. To continue to cling to the apron strings of Mission to South Africa would be immature and wrong, because if things were to continue as such, both ministries will be in jeopardy of collapsing. We need to let go and let God. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we share our turmoil not to burden you with our problems, but to share with you the complexities of our problems and the future of our work. We beseech you to pray for us as we step out in faith into the uncertainty of our future.

In Christ,
Billy and Connie Wicks

 

You can email us at

cooks@mission2sa.org

AMERICAN ADDRESS: MISSION TO SOUTH AFRICA P.O. BOX 50063 CASPER, WY 82605

SOUTH AFRICAN ADDRESS: STU AND MARILYN COOK P.O. BOX 77 VAALWATER, LIMPOPO 0530 SOUTH AFRICA

 

 

 

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