South Africa

Immediately upon the government announcing the initial 21-day lock-down, most of the of the day-to-day church life transitioned to electronic means and the saints are increasingly developing and expanding the effective use of technology to that end. Some of the areas in which the Lord has blessed the churches here through the current environmental circumstances are:

• Many saints, particularly the older saints, have been helped to quickly learn how to utilize the technology, enabling them to still fully participate in the church life, and even expanding their fellowship and enjoyment. This also marvelously served to strengthen relationships between the older and younger saints.

• Despite the outward restrictions, we sense real joy among the believers who are being uplifted in the church life.

• Several dormant ones have been contacted and are being restored to their allotted portion with the saints.

• Because of being confined to their homes, many families, together, are adjusting to living the day to day God-man life away from the formal practice of going to a meeting hall.

• The usage of technology has enabled all the saints to transcend the limitations of time, travel costs, and many others hindrances, to now easily participate  globally in a variety of events, conferences, prayer-times, etc. Thus, the fellowship in the Body is being greatly enlarged beyond the boundaries of localities, to further the practical bringing forth of the universal one new man.

• We are witnessing amongst the saints in the churches an unprecedented increased awareness of, and response to the need to care for one another in every way.. 

• We are grateful to the Lord that a number of serving brothers overseeing the work in this region have been released from their usual busy schedules as a result of the lock-down. We have been able to meet in one accord for a few hours every day over the past week and a half, to pray and seek the Lord in a number of weighty matters, as well as to bear the saints on our hearts.