Dear Partner,

Prov 25:25  As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

It has been quite a few months since I shared one of the many testimonies we receive from people who are being blessed through your faithful support of the ministry. I would like for you to have the opportunity to read the following letter we received recently from Braam & Heloise Matthee, our good friends who hosted me in South Africa while ministering there for thirty days last year. Sometimes during the daily grind of life, we need a cold drink of "good news" to satisfy our thirsty soul.

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From: Braam & Heloise Matthee
Feb - 2004
House of Worship & Prayer
Muldersdrift, South Africa

Dear Gary & Sue,

How we long to see you and Sue again! Gary I am sorry that I write to you only now after so many months. I thank God for what He has done in South Africa through His Holy Spirit and using Gary Carpenter as His spokesman, and also using Abraham Matthee as one of the vessels that He works with to bring His works to be.

Gary - we met at "Beaver Creek Church" [in Dayton, Ohio] and when I asked you to come to South Africa you (after you got confirmation from the Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit) came and brought the LOVELY WORD TO US. And your message, or rather the message that God gave us was: "Come! Love the Lord your God. Spend time with God through His Holy Spirit."

Gary, I am so thankful that God has worked into the hearts of the people the word that you brought. It was like a mustard seed and God PLANTED IT IN OUR HEARTS, as you have pleaded with us to fast - pray - seek God's face and to leave our sinful ways (2 Chronicles 7:14). The result of your teachings are not always immediately observed, but now after months we can see the seed that you sowed. More than seven churches in Krugersdorp and some in Randfentein have declared 24-hour prayer meetings and a 40-day fast in their congregations. Some people are going to do the whole 40 days. Others will fast in relays and you will be happy to hear that Freek Vermaak (remember the evangelist over the prison ministry?) has started the prisoners in Krugersdorp to do a 24-hour prayer and 40 day fast in prison - 1,700 prisoners taking part! Gary - this is still all the work that the Holy Spirit is working because you obeyed and came to South Africa and taught us to spend time with God the Holy Spirit. We love you very much!

We are looking forward to your next visit - if God allows you! Thank you! Thank God!

Braam & Heloise Matthee
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How do you feel inside when you read something like that, knowing that through your giving you had an impact for Christ half a world away? Braam's letter was handwritten and when it arrived I carried it on my person for days. I would get it out and read it again and again. The absolute wonder of it … that the all-powerful, all-knowing, infinite God does His work in the earth through such flawed earthen vessels as myself.

2 Cor 4:5-7  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

I don't think I will ever get over it, and I don't think I should. Neither should you. The Lord doesn't take it lightly when He sees His people set aside a portion of their hard earned money to send the gospel around the world. We are stewards for the Lord Jesus Christ while we sojourn on planet earth. Our lives do not belong to us anymore, for we have been bought with a price. Thank God for the opportunity to co-labor with the Holy Spirit upon the earth to reap a harvest of souls in these last days.

If time and space permitted, I could share many more such testimonies with you. I hesitate to do so because of how such testimonies have been abused in the past by many ministries simply to solicit more donations. On the other hand, Paul communicated with his partners in Philippi concerning the souls harvested through their giving that was "fruit abounding to their account." In the same spirit, I thought it would be good to share this "good news" from a "far country" with you.

Sue and I love you and appreciate you. We thank God for your generous and giving heart. God bless you!

Your friend and co-laborer,

Gary Carpenter

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