Two Who Represent 50
- ODBM
- Aug 20
- 4 min read
By Seth Meyers serving in South Africa
On 2 August, Mpho (pictured above) turned 16. His neighbor Phathu who was baptized with him in 2024 turned 15 on our son Cameron’s birthday, 12 August. Both are Venda, but attend church in Tsonga. Neither stays with or sees their fathers. One is in a 3-room house with 4 other family members. The other stays in a 10-foot square room with his grandmother and a baby cousin, all three of whom share a bed.
Mpho began attending the street preaching back in 2023 quickly inviting a number of other friends and family to church including his neighbor, Phathu. Both boys respond well to the preaching and are trying to read their Bibles. Phathu has finished the NT, and Mpho is close. Nearly every Saturday, they travel with me as we evangelize. Both of these young men have learned the 10 chords necessary to play most of the Tsonga hymns with the guitar.
I think it was April when they agreed to try reading English books. After some struggle, they finished the first half of The Pilgrim’s Progress in modern English and even summarized it fairly well. An accurate summary is the currency whereby they can build their libraries. We are now starting the second half of the book, and some others at Valdezia asked if they can join us.
Mpho and Phathu stand for 30 other young men and 20 other young ladies among 8 churchplants who are either a few years older, or perhaps a little younger, either baptized or still counting the cost, who consistently meet on the Lord’s Days.
Thankfully, a number of the youth have adopted the practice of praying from Scripture. January’s prayer was, “Open thou mine eyes that I might behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Will you use this prayer to intercede for these young people without converted parents?
Other Answers to Prayer at Valdezia
At Valdezia, about 6 of the 20 meet each Wednesday for Bible study and prayer. Another group meets on Friday, and then in a different part of the village, there is a Saturday prayer meeting. Thankfully, these groups have gone on without me being present for over a year.
This coming Saturday, Thabiso will lead 4 others in street preaching. Mpho volunteered to play the guitar. They had begun last year but stopped around May ’25 since they were discouraged at the meager results. While we were gone in July, Thabiso preached on Jude 23, “Pulling Them Out of the Fire,” and they decided to start again. Please pray that they would come rejoicing bringing a harvest.
One of the 8 converted women, Lindiwe Baloyi has been praying for her 4 sons and husband to listen to the gospel. This year 2 of her sons, Kulani (13) and Vuntshwa (6), agreed to join her for family devotions and brought their friend, Focus (14). Do pray for this woman that she might win her family by her chaste behavior and consistent teaching.
15 of the 20 members are the only Christians in their home.
Other Churchplants
In Bungeni, I mentioned in June’s letter that we saw the first serious interest from evangelism this year. About 5 women have consistently met each Sunday from the street preaching that began in January. On Wednesday, those women and a few others began studying Titus with me. Yesterday, Tiyani Chauke (58) told us that she has begun a children’s Bible Club at her home after being inspired by the Women’s Conference last Saturday, 9 August. Doers of the Word, and not hearers only!
In Makhasa (pictured above), the youth group has 12 consistent young people who meet for prayer and verse-by-verse study through Proverbs. There are 12 members—all adults—in this village. Lord-willing, I am hoping to begin several evangelistic meetings on Friday and Saturday beginning today through the end of the year to help this small group of believes most of whom are over 50. Please pray for life from the dead.
In Tiyani, there are 4 believers, but several Shona adults (that means they are immigrants from Zimbabwe) have been studying with that little group recently. Please pray that these Shonas would understand Tsonga and be drawn by love and truth.
In Mbhokota, Thabelo has been teaching children each week so that now a good group of little ones are listening and learning at her home. From another outreach, numerous young boys have been coming each Lord’s Day for months now, and one has even been baptized.
More money will not help us. Nor will the sweet fellowship of family and friends. We are wretched men trying to reach wretched men, and who is sufficient for these things? We ask only that you would take up these names of people or villages or preachers, and pray day by day or week by week without ceasing until the Father gives His Spirit.
Standing in need every hour,
Seth and Amy Meyers
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