From the desk of Henry: Easter 2024

From the desk of Henry: Easter 2024

When I think of Easter, I picture Jesus having to go down the Via Dolorosa, a public spectacle of humiliation, pain, and suffering. There was no other way (Luke 22:42). He had to make sure that our faith would be perfected so we would be able to fearlessly stand up against evil, like He did. It also means that God knows all our suffering, how and whichever way we encounter it. He went through it Himself. Crucifixion is one of cruelest punishments, inflicting an unbelievable amount of pain.

Says Max Lucado (in his book: ‘Fearless’):

‘Certain chapters in our lives seem so unnecessary. Suffering from disease or loneliness. Genocide, the horrible and indescribable atrocities committed during the holocaust and that what we see happening even during present day wars. Suffering persecution. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, storms, etc. The list of suffering is endless. If we assume this world exists just for pre-grave happiness, these atrocities disqualify it from doing so. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come? As Paul wrote: These troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. (2 Cor. 4:17).’

I am reminded again of the story of Jesus healing the man who had been blind from birth. At the end, Jesus points to us and says: “You are the light of the world. A City on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt.5:14). Jesus is saying: Wherever and whenever we find darkness we must resist it, fight it, and in so doing become more like Him. This is the challenge that He extends to us: You, together with Me, let us change this world and make it a better place. We are not called to solve riddles that cannot be solved or to find explanations for the unexplainable. Our faith only becomes real when we enter the darkness with the Spirit of Jesus in us and work together with Him doing the works of His Father: “Let there be light!” in an often dark and chaotic world. Our fight against ignorance, poverty, blindness, sickness, diseases, etc. all originate from this point in our lives, where we realize that He is challenging us to become like Him, with His Spirit in us, actively involved in the bringing of light where it is dark. People who follow in the footsteps of Jesus through service to Him, e.g. caring for the widows and orphans as He instructed, are the light in this chaotic and dark world. Let us continue to build on the example of our Lord Jesus in caring for our fellowman and child. 

News from Crystal Cathedral Ministries SA / Bread on the water:

Note that we have started a series of old sermons made by the late Dr. Schuller. If you have not yet started watching them, you can click on this link:

CCMSA | Bread on the water

The page may take a minute or so to load. The sermons are ranked in order, from the bottom to the top. It is best if you begin by looking at the very bottom of the page and work your way up. I also like writing articles that may give an alternative view of what is being presented / promoted by the mass media. Click on this link:

Henry’s Blog | Bread on the water 

Scroll down and choose the article that you would like to read. You are welcome to comment on the articles, I will try and respond to all your comments. Jesus warned us that near the end of time, conflicts and wars will increase. Indeed, one sometimes gets bewildered by what is going on in the world and you do not always know how to respond to the chaos around you. If you were blessed by any of the videos or articles, please remember to put something in the jar for us!  CCMSA / Bread on the water can only exist thanks to your donations: 

WE NEED YOUR HELP! | Bread on the water

(Regrettably, donations to this ministry are not tax deductible due it being regarded as a church)

News from Heart for Children:

Blessings to all of you who made it possible for us to reach the R200000 mark for our project to supply the orphanage in Murchison, KZN with alternative power. Click here if you had not seen our newsletter:

R200000!!!! | Heart for Children

We have been informed that they are busy getting quotes for gas stoves- and installation! It seems that the school in the village already has solar panels, but the inverter needs to be replaced. Once we know how much they need for all of this, we will know what is left for solar installation for the homes. Instead of putting solar on each of the children’s homes, it might be better to erect a field full of panels that can serve the whole village and that can be expanded later. We will keep you informed!

After Easter we will prepare your tax certificates. Please make sure that we have the correct full names of the person wanting to claim a tax benefit, his/her ID – and address as it is known by SARS. If you do not want or need a certificate, please let us know. We will want to make note of this as it prevents us doing extra work.

We also want to remind our donors that that we are willing to publish the names of their businesses that they want to promote on the sponsor page of the Heart for Children website. You just ask!

Many thanks for your faithful contributions to the children. Please remember that monthly donations are preferred so that we can plan our assistance to the homes that we promised to support!

DONATE | Heart for Children

If you are traveling this weekend: please do not take any risks and drive carefully!

We wish you a very blessed Pass-over and a Happy Easter!! 

Henry and Annette Pool

Cel. +27836297690

E-mail: henrypool7@gmail.com

HEART FOR CHILDREN

Henry’s Blog | Bread on the water

Extra help for our children under lock down

Extra help for our children under lock down

As I am writing this more than 4 billion people all over the world have been asked to stay at home to prevent the Corona virus from spreading. I am sure everyone realizes the seriousness of the situation. Let us all pray that a cure will be found soon?

First, on behalf of the children, our heartfelt thanks to all of you who contributed to the special project of Heart for Children to renovate the foster home in Koraal str. 7, Jeffreys Bay. I remember that Jesus said: ‘Truly, I tell you, what you did for one of the least of these people, you did for Me’. (Matt. 25:40). May God bless you richly!

Ever wondered who the Sons of God were?

Regular Services

On another note: Remember that we still carry on with the broadcasting of services from the old Crystal Cathedral via our internet channel. The latest services our now always showing on top, so you don’t have to scroll down all the way down to the end. Click on:

http://breadonthewater.co.za/ccmsa/

Delivering food packages

Please understand that as a result of the lock down period, we have received requests from the mothers in the homes that are supported by Heart for Children (SA) &  Hart voor Kinderen(NL), for extra assistance with food and other necessities needed at this time.

Normally the children get meals at their schools. Under these special circumstances, in order to provide the required extra assistance during this particular trying time, the board of Heart for Children (SA) has decided that we should suspend our building project and postpone this for a year and rather use the special amount of R40000that was collected so far for a once off amount of R2000 extra for each of our homes this month (April). I am sure those who have contributed to the project will agree with us that we should heed the call from our mothers in the homes and provide some extra aid now to relieve them of the burden of financial stress resulting from the lock down. As from yesterday, we have started with the distribution of this funds!

 

We realize these are difficult times. Know that your continued faithful financial support for the ministries is much appreciated.

Wishing you God’s richest blessings! Please, please, do stay healthy & stay safe.

Summer 2020

Summer 2020

Let us pray for rain!

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3

 First of all, I wish you a very healthy and blessed 2020! We trust that you had a good festive season with your loved ones and that all is well with you and your family.

Seeing the effects of the drought all around, I really hope and pray for rain this year! I immigrated to South Africa in 1976 when it was drought time, just like it is now. I remember everyone asking people on radio and TV and in churches to pray for rain for the farmers. Coming from Holland, where it is raining almost every day, I had found this somewhat strange. I was rather enjoying the sunshine! Today, the situation is again much the same: many farmers are having a tough time. Yet, strangely enough, no one in the media is asking you to pray for rain anymore. One is simply told that the droughts and the resulting fires are due to man-made climate change. Hence, the ‘bad’ weather is simply your fault……

The earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord! (Ps. 24:1)

Must say: I do recall Jesus making a specific point to all his disciples [with Him in a bad storm on a boat] that He (God) is [also] always in control of the weather (Luke 8:24-25). On reading this story again, it appears that we can always pray to God [in faith] asking Him to change the weather!

Having learned of all the intricacies of the weather – namely, for example, how God has put several brakes in place so that it does not get either too hot or too warm – I have come to  appreciate any type of weather, as ‘good’ (coming from God). Even if the weather gets so bad that it destroys life in its wake, I always know that God still is in control. Often you find that even ‘bad’ weather opens doors for new life to begin. Join the discussions about this and related issues on “Henry’s Blog’, website: http://www.breadonthewater.co.za

Many thanks to all of you who responded to our request for extra funds to renovate the children’s home in Koraalstr 7, Jeffreys Bay. A special word of thanks goes to John and Peggy in Northcliff and Monique of the MyMostBeautiful competition. So far, we have received about R30000!!! This is not at all bad compared it to our previous special effort. You will recall the time when we collected R26000 for new appliances for the Rehoboth Children’s Village in Port Shepstone. See picture above.

Spring News Letter 2019

Spring News Letter 2019

Well, spring has arrived! Isn’t beautiful to see the flowers, new leaves and other changes in nature? A few months ago, I decided to buy a puzzle featuring a collection of pictures of animals of Africa put together by Charlotte Firbank-King. However, I never realized how big the puzzle really was….It took me days of frustration and many weeks to get all 1500 pieces in the right places. At some stage I realized that my Big Puzzle here in Pretoria was of course still very, very small compared to the Puzzle of Life, that is: God’s Creation. Indeed, in reflecting on his own life, the famous physicist Isaac Newton – who was able to understand and write down the laws of gravitation – once said: “I just went to the beach and played with a few pebbles”… Looking at the smallest in matter and looking at the wonders and the incalculable greatness of the universe, I am sure you and me can only wonder as to exactly what laws and relevant formulae are holding it all together.

Every day I looked at my puzzle, I became strangely aware, that, just like my puzzle was not yet finished, so God’s Creation is also not yet finished. Jesus came into the picture 2000 years ago to show us what God is really like: God is Love and Grace. He gave His own life for us and at that point we all became a part of his Picture, for sure! Each one of us has a role to play, no matter how big or small.

Puzzling!

Indeed, love is the source of our enthusiasm, optimism and creativity. Yes, there are still many more people to be born, and yes, there are still many more things to find out and laws to understand. I remember that whenever I was able to finish one of the 80(!) animals in my puzzle, I became so excited noticing how the pieces all fitted together enabling me to see all the details… Then I thought: that is how it is in the Big Puzzle of Life: sometimes we get a glimpse of the part that we all played in God’s Creation and how we fit into the big picture. As the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 13:12: ‘For now we see only [a reflection] as in a mirror [dimly], but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known’.

On one occasion, when we visited the safe home for children in Nelmapius (Pretoria) that Heart for Children is  supporting, I was moved to tears by the love of the children shown to us after we had brought each child a ‘lucky’ packet. I felt privileged that we are able to help Jochi there with a steady income now for her home. 

God is doing His work in all 21 homes sponsored by you in South Africa and the Netherlands through Heart for Children! Many thanks to each one of you for being a piece in the Big Puzzle of Life.