Brook’s BULL CRUSADE FOR CHRIST Spring 2013
Volume 18, Number 2
Prayer garden takes shape Points of interest:
Gabions finally in place
Since our arrival at Silver Oaks seven years ago, I’ve been struck by the great potential of these grounds for spiritual retreat. Just 1 km from the main road, the venue is blessed with tranquil and beautiful surroundings. The lower terrace forms an amphitheater overlooking a pond -
perfect for prayer and meditation. During the past few years, two big landslides have put this dream on hold. In God’s timing, other projects took priority in developing the mission infrastructure. Now, however, with the laying of a second set of gabions, I wonder if the
It’s been four months since our last Bulletin, hence this bumper edition! The numbering follows our years in full-time ministry and just reminds Elma & I, in numeri-
PRAYER GARDEN
BROOK TRAVELS
SILVER OAKS
FAMILY NEWS
CFC FACTS
time is not right to focus on this spot: what may become the heart of Silver Oaks. Mark Wesson’s Isa 61 vision of a ‘planting of the Lord’ certainly comes to mind. There is a long way to go. But there’s a stirring in my spirit: before long, this place will encourage believers to “come away by yourselves … and rest a while.” Stay tuned!
High fidelity “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…” Ex 34:6
Inside this issue: THE OPEN ROAD
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WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...
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A QUESTION OF CAPACITY 2
cal terms, of God’s unfailing love. As the chorus goes: What a faithful God have I, what a faithful God! What a faithful God have I, faithful in every way. Twenty years of marriage may lead a husband and wife to believe in their own fidelity. Truth is, our atten-
tion wanders a lot, misled by a thousand distractions. Paul’s instruction is thus quite blunt: “Wives, respect your husbands ... Husbands, love your wives.” It’s all about hi-fi, isn’t it high fidelity. God is awesome not because he’s faithful, but because he is when we’re not.
BOYZ 2 MEN #1
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BOYZ 2 MEN #2
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MUSICAL CHAIRS
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FAQ
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Brook’s BULL The open road I must agree. The thought of 3 Brook generations lumped together in an assortment of planes, trains & automobiles is enough to make the stoutest heart quail.
“The whole world before you, and a horizon that’s always changing!” Toad, in The Wind in the Willows
Yet, during an astonishing spell of fine British weather, that is what happened. In June, my mother Rosemary invited Aidan and I to spend a few weeks touring London, Cornwall, Scotland, N. Ireland and the Isle of Man. Already the memories seem hazy, but some still stand out
sharply: gloomy Chartwell, our imperturbable London guide, the stuffy gallery at Lyceum theatre, pizza in Penzance, haunting hamlets on the Scottish north coast, Girvan ‘blaggis,’ a quaint mountain railway. For pics, a small PowerPoint (7 Mb) can be downloaded here.
are ex-SA and it was intriguing to see how they had integrated with their various communities. No mean feat! What a privilege to stay in your homes - dankie! Thanks to mom, Ing & Nigel for making it all possible.
It was also a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, some from as far back as my pre-teen years. How amazing to meet their spouses and children! Most
When the going gets tough... “THE DEVIL DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NASTY. JUST GODLESS.” CALVIN
I’ve been taken with Michael Cassidy’s recent book, The Church that Jesus prayed for. In it, he indicates the marks Christ would like to see evident in His body today. One of these is ‘protection;’ Jesus prays that God would keep or protect His disciples from the evil one. Clearly, he believed in a personal devil. Cassidy mentions CS Lewis’ observation that Christians
often make one of two mistakes: either discounting the work of Satan or else giving him too much credit.
fy to God’s faithfulness: “he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me I shall come out as gold” 23:10.
The book of Job teaches that God protects his children, but also that Satan is allowed a certain amount of leeway to afflict them. How, then, can we know whether to blame the Devil or not?
This month, I followed Elma into painful bouts of tick-bite fever while Aidan had a root-canal; a bit hectic without medical aid. Is Satan attacking us? Possibly. Is God faithful? Definitely. Job 13:15 – “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him!”
We don’t. Like Job, we testi-
A question of CAPACITY One reason why CFC relocated from St Michael’s-onSea to Bushy Vales was to increase residential capacity. Together with the cabins, the conversion of stables to dormitories meant that Silver Oaks could accommodate up to 50 people. Ours aren’t as pretty, but we can guarantee a good sleep!
By eliminating beds and laying out mattresses only, Page 2
we can manage around 70 kids, but it’s quite a squash! This month, we acquired 14 double bunks & mattresses along with 20 single beds from another campsite that was closing down. This has enabled Elma to increase dormitory capacity without cramping room space. Other projects completed
recently include lining the library ceiling with heavy Sisalation (thanks Owen), extending the roof over the dining-area and substantially improving the men’s ablutions (thanks Ron). A nifty braai stand has also been installed. It has really been quite busy. Why not come and take a look?
Volume 18, Number 2 Boyz 2 Men #1 For those of you who play tennis, you may be familiar with the second-set blues :-) First set goes well but then, inexplicably, one’s game hits the rocks. I’m not sure if that’s the right analogy to describe our boys’ 2nd term academic performance, but - you get the picture! The 3rd term looks better already. Eric spent a few days in Paddock helping on a cane-farm, had some fun on a quad bike and even handled a shotgun. He plays
some water-polo and is often found roaring about the mission on his Honda. He turned 17 this month and it seems crazy to think that he’ll finish school next year. Eric shows an interest in economics and, after researching bank charges and interest rates, opened his own account at Capitec. Hey, Elma & I are wondering if this might lead to a B.Com! At the moment, he’s reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and looking in
my direction. Hmmm… It’s still early days but won’t you pray with us about his future: whether he should take a ‘gap year,’ launch into studies or simply start working right away. Here on the coast, the job market is pretty scary. It appears that, whatever option he chooses, we’ll have one less fledgling in the nest. In the meantime, Eric, get a grip on those theorems!
Boyz 2 Men #2 Under Elma’s supervision, Aidan is putting his head down and trying to apply himself to schoolwork. (Alas, my genes are not helping here.) But, he loves baking and produces a respectable coconut tart in half an hour. (Now those are my genes :-) Aidan is taking a break from swimming for a while, but broke enough records in the first term to be awarded
colours - the only junior at Sheppie High to be so honoured. Well done, my boy! This year, Aidan is showing a keen interest in things spiritual. He enjoys Friday night youth meetings and was recently baptized. Both he and Eric had great fun tenting at church camp. It’s just fantastic to see the brothers so close. Junior colours … with Jessie
Musical chairs Jon & Genine’s move to SIM has precipitated a bit of an ops swap. Here’s the skinny:
Shawn moves to the old SCBS office
Elma moves from home to Shawn’s old office (originally her office)
Dumas move to Thom-
as’ residence
we’re on the same page.
Dumas’ old residence becomes guest cottage.
Table-tennis goes to guest cottage.
Seriously, it’s great to have Elma back in the office. A pity that our phone lines are down (cable theft) since this severely restricts our internet, email and fax facilities.
Carl goes round the bend.
Clear as mud? Good, now
Telkom refuses to replace the line unless we dig a 200m trench in order to have it buried. Page 3
Ops centre of the CFC ship, “Infinity and Beyond”
Disciples, not converts. CRUSADE FOR CHRIST PO Box 26459 MARINA BEACH 4281 KwaZulu-Natal Phone: +27-313-0739 Fax: +27-313-0749 Email: carlbrook@olook.com
Elma & Carl have been serving with CFC since 2006. Our initial responsibility was the South Coast Bible School (SCBS), a part-time certificate level college aimed at equipping rural pastors who can afford neither the time or money to attend a full-time seminary. In 2009, we were asked by the Council to co-direct Crusade for Christ—a job made easier by the appointment of new staff for the Bible school and outreach departments. This year, we resume oversight of SCBS as the Thomas family leave CFC for Thailand. Our prayer is for much grace and wisdom as we seek to balance these responsibilities to the glory of God.
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FAQ What is CFC and SCBS? Crusade for Christ South Coast Bible School
is generally limited to the former Transkei (Pondoland) and southern KZN.
Who is CFC? CFC was founded by Ron & Sally Wesson in the 1970s. Currently staffed by Carl & Elma and Shawn & Meme Duma.
Head, heart and hands? Based on 3 core ministries: SCBS equips learners with Bible knowledge (head), Retreats target the devotional life (heart), Evangelism develops the practical ministry (hands).
Who does CFC work with? CFC works in association with several trusted partners in key locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the mission do? We seek to make disciples using a 3D model of ministry: ‘head, heart and hands.’ Who are you reaching? We have a heart for rural church-leaders. Our footprint
How is CFC funded? CFC is a ‘faith mission’ in that we rely on the giving of individuals and churches, as God leads them. Over 90% of our income comes from South Africa. What is your vision? Our motto is “disciples, not converts.” We aim to en-
courage true discipleship among rural church-leaders. Opportunities? Silver Oaks is strategically situated just 15 minutes from the E. Cape border. Rural contexts around us are generally destitute with associated social problems. CFC is in a prime ministry location. Challenges? On a 4 ha. property with multiple buildings, good maintenance is always a challenge. We are also needing to develop a reliable catering team. Famous last words? God is working here. Come and see what He is doing!