Someone told me long ago that God has a very special export product.  The veteran pastor saw my curiosity immediately as I frowned, trying to figure out what Scriptures I have missed during my studies.  “God’s own export product?”  “Yes” … he added.  “Missionaries of course”, he said with a big smile.  I looked around me as I was attending one of four mission conferences in South Africa.  I was suddenly surrounded by these awesome men and women who have simply given up everything, joined some strange culture somewhere just to share the Good News that Jesus Christ is truly the lover of our souls and Saviour of us all.

One coupled shared 99 years of experience on the mission field between them.  Some have been poisoned as they preached in closed communities.  One very special missionary (I love to call them Transformational Engineers) lost his wife on the mission field due to illness and later lost his son in a helicopter crash flying a mission flight in Madagascar.  And here he was standing next to me ….. motivated and preaching to ensure all children has the opportunity to hear the news that Jesus loves them.  I felt blessed.  All of these men and women were indeed very special.

But it was the way our sending churches and supporters, who despite going through recession themselves, stuck with the Missio Dei of God – kept supporting these men and women!  And then spoiled all of us rotten when we visited the annual conference.

Here is a few highlights:

Transformational Engineers from across the planet.  Literally from the jungle to the dessert!

Treated for two days in Hermanus …. and it was beautiful!.

Outside of the church ….. the missional mandate continued with an evening event … with cultures being on display!

Meeting great friends and being re-united with others after a year’s work …. Rev. Frik van Rensburg and his wife Amanda.