Finding the Place

In May 2010, we had the amazing experience of the water flowing over the dry Asab Riverbed in Namibia.  You can read our story about this experience at the bottom of this page, titled THE ASAB RIVER.

We also experience a second event on that day.  After leaving the river, we traveled towards Arbeid farm in Klein Karas, where we were going to visit friends.  On the D607 road, the sky became very dark as a storm brought heavy rain, which is somewhat unusual for the area.  Suddenly, a flood of rushing water came out of the desert and flowed under our vehicle.  We saw this as confirmation of the promise God had given us early at the ASAB River.

For years we have tried to find the exact spot where this happened.  Of course, having traveled this section of the road during the darkness of a storm, the environment looks very different in the sunshine whenever we return.  However, our friends Johan and Berdine de Klerk recently, having recognized it from our photos. pinpointed the place with branches and a rusty tin on a pole.  When we traveled the road again, in September 2015, we were able to find their beacon and re-discover this special place.  .

Watch this video clip of Alta Cronje explaining what happened during the storm.

Trip to USA - Johan Cronje

The AFMIN Global Board Meeting in Colorado Springs, USA, and I was invited to attend.

Mount Rushmore

This was a new experience as I had never been to the USA before.

Buffalo

Before and after the meetings, the delegates were taken to do a bit of sight-seeing.  We drove to the State of Dakota South where we got to see Mount Rushmore with the faces of the 4 USA Presidents carved into the mountain rock.  One does not realise the extensiveness of that carving until one has actually seen it.  Television and photography does not pay justice to this masterpiece. We also visited the Mount Rushmore National Park where I saw the buffalo for the first time.

 

Black Bear

Black bears, wolfs and deers are familiar faces in the neighborhood  gardens. People are extremely friendly and are very helpful. They believe in themselves and no challenge seems to be too big for them.

I want to thank Kobus Grobler, my CEO that sponsored me on this trip. Will I return to the USA if such an opportunity comes my way again? Yes for sure, but this time I will trust God for the finances to make it possible for Alta to accompany me. 
WHERE THERE IS A VISION, THERE IS PROVISION.

Vision of Springs

During the ASAB Tour, we visited Johan and Berdine de Klerk, on their farm “Arbeid” in the Klein Karasburg area of Namibia. 
 

During this time, Alta received a vision of springs of water gently bubbling up through the ground.  As she told Johan and Berdine about the vision, he asked in what area of the farm she saw this happening.  We were standing on an elevated place and she indicated the area.  Johan said that in the early years, when his parents lived on the farm, there had been a spring which supplied them with water.

Something marvellous has happened…. Berdine sent the following testimony via email:

“..Johan entered the house just before sunset and said he had found the spring which Alta had seen in the vision.  Immediately my ears pricked up and he said he would show me.  I thought we would go to the dam or somewhere in the garden.  But he led me through the main gate to a reservoir behind the house.  Just behind the reservoir there is a green ‘wag-‘n-bietjie’ bush.  Earlier when Johan had gone to check the water level in the reservoir, this bush had caught his attention.  He noticed how the stones at the bush were covered with lime sediment which is also a sign of water.  My first question was how is he going to open it?  He replied that he will sink a borehole.    The wonderful thing about the location is that gravity will provide enough pressure to easily get the water to the garden.  We serve a Great God.

Johan de Klerk pointing to the lime sediment

Johan de Klerk with his grandson Johan Jr,
standing at the bush

ASAB River Tour 2014

Communion table in the Asab Riverbed

Taking members of our Household on tour to the ASAB River in Namibia, has been a desire of ours, since our very first experience with God at the spot, in May 2010.  The tour group consisted of 9 adults and 2 children.  We had decided that camping in tents was a good way to build relationships, so each day we stopped at a camp site, often after dark, and put up the tents.  The comradery between the tour members was wonderful.  We enjoyed wholesome camp-style meals prepared by Erik and Rene de Beer.

Our visit to ASAB was a highlight of the tour.  Our dancers had prepared a wonderful dance item and we laid a feast table for the communion.  The presence of God was tangible and He met with each one in a special way.

Dancers giving glory to the Lord

Another highlight of the tour took place 2 days later.  We were camping on a farm in the Klein Karasburg area.  Johan and Berdine have been close friends of ours for some years.  Berdine had shared how the farm desperately needed rain.  We went to various spots around the farm and onto the one district road that goes through the farm.  There we prayed for rain and other things, as requested and lead by the Holy Spirit.  We closed this prayer time off with the dancers doing to declaration march from the main gate to the farmyard.  We returned to the farmhouse at about 15h15.  That evening at 18h00, it began to rain.  For myself, it was the voice of God saying, “I have heard your prayers”.

 

Tour Team at the Fish River Canyon

Testimony from Rene de Beer

From day 1, my hunger for the ASAB covenant and promise was a part of me, so it was wonderful to be able to join the ASAB Tour.  My joy was even greater when I saw the original date of the ASAB blessing, 2 May 2010.  A year after this date, our baby girl Leah was born.  We had waited for her for 7 years and the longing in my heart for a baby had been overwhelming.  Leah is proof of streams in a dessert.  I personally experienced the power of this covenant. To add to our joy is the realisation that Leah has inherited the blessing of ASAB.  

Rene and her husband Erik, were the Tour Chefs
and did a wonderful job of keeping everyone's appetite satisfied.

Stella’s Testimony

In 2008, my late husband Peter and I were honoured to accompany Johan and Alta to Windhoek, where Johan presented a conference for pastors and church leaders, to introduce the AFMIN ON10 program.  In 2011 the first ON10 School was held.  In May 2014, I was privileged to once again accompany Johan and Alta, this time to Okahandja, where I assisted with general admin and data capturing, in preparation for the Graduation in September 2014.  This was a dream come true, as I worshipped with the Students and got to know and chat with them. 

The Lord also ministered to me on a personal level, in various ways, while in Namibia.  I have longed to visit the ASAB River where the Lord met with Johan and Alta in a very special way in 2010.  Moses had the burning bush, Jacob had Beth-el and Daniel had an upstairs window that faced towards Jerusalem.  There are many Biblical examples of places where God met with people.  So I have always been keen to see ASAB but never expected an encounter with God.  ASAB became my place of total surrender.  With all the events in my life over the past 6 months, when my husband was diagnosed with incurable cancer, nursing and encouraging him to the end, at the same time running his business and so many decisions to make…. at ASAB, God said “surrender everything to me, I have a greater plan”.  Throughout the week, He continued to speak to me through prophetic word from people who do not know me and yet spoke about things in my heart, through a recorded message, through His Word and directly to me. And then of course there was the desert…. where one can see much further than one is used to.  Actually, one can see as far as one’s own eyes will allow….and the Lord said, “Focus your eyes, allow Me to show you great and wonderful things which you do not yet know”.

 

A New Year - 2014

  2014 began with many challenges.  Ill health is being faced by friends and family and this is teaching us to stand together and support each other in every possible way.  The Lord has promised never to leave us or forsake us and it is good to stand on this promise and to know that he is with us through all that we face.  He was IN the fire with Daniel’s friends and IN the lions’ den with Daniel.  In the den, He took control of the situation and His angels shut the lions’ mouths.  Those lions were starved for a period of time, leading up to the “event” and so nature would have caused them to attack and eat immediately when the prisoner was thrown into the den.  Yet they remained placid and could not open their mouths.  And so too, God will tame any situation that we are faced with.

   We also lost a good friend and son who died in March 2014.  Peter Smuts was called Home after a short battle with a rare form of cancer.  His faith and testimony to the end brought much glory to the Lord and encouraged many people.  We miss him dearly but know that the Lord has a greater plan.  From the foundation of the earth, His timeline for Peter on earth was 64 years, 4 months and 4 days.  This revelation has given us peace and is helping us accept what has happened.

ASAB Household Camp

ASAB Household held a camp during April 2013,   the Klipkrans camp site outside Worcester.

It was great because we did not organise a program.  Instead we all spent the weekend fellowshipping together, hearing more about each other’s lives and ministering to each other.  These two days had a great impetus in the Household.  

We plan to hold another camp next year. 

In the Midst of Fulfilled Prophecy...

What a wonderful experience when prophetic word is fulfilled.  And even more so when one realises that you are right there where it is happening.

In 2008, we received a prophetic word through a vision in which the Lord said Alta and I would be involved in teaching and encouraging people in “household” environments.  This we have seen happening for some time now.  But in the vision included detail which at the time, seemed afar off although not unrealistic.  Some of this detail referred to us holding meetings in homes in smaller towns, homes and even shopping centres.   Furthermore, God had said that we would minister in small towns along the Western border of South Africa’s Kruger National Park and that we would visit the park again..  This wildlife sanctuary is a favourite spot which we had not visited for many years.

Although we had had the privilege of ministering in households predominantly in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces, we had not given much more considering to other areas.

Until recently.  

Alta and Trudie preparing a meal together

A young couple, Jannie and Trudie vd Westhuizen and their two children, relocated to a town in Mpumalanga province.  Trudie was our secretary some years ago and after they left Cape Town we stayed in touch.  We have often met in coffee shops and at their previous home, to fellowship and discuss subjects such as the Orphan Spirit, the Kingdom etc.  Jannie and Trudie invited us to visit them in their new home, which we did.  What a excitement when we realised that another aspect of the prophetic word was been fulfilled right there.  Added to this, someone who did not know about the prophetic word, arranged for us to spend 3 days in the Park!

It is thrilling to experience God at work.  He is not a man that He would lie.  He speaks and He keeps His promises.  It is an amazing to find oneself right there in the middle of prophecy been fulfilled.

Mission Aviation Flight (MAF)

For the very first time, I had the opportunity to fly on a mission plane.  This trip with Mission Aviation Flight (MAF) 5H-OPE  from Dar es Salam to Dodoma, lasted 1 ½ hours and was quite an experience.  There were 4 passengers and the pilot on a 12  seater plane.  At the airport, I did not have to go through check-in  procedures, but just walked through to the plane.  Before we took off, the pilot prayed with each of the passengers.




The MAF plane



The MAF Pilot

Rwanda - March 2013





Alta and I  attended the celebration of the 20th anniversary of AFMIN, which was held in Rwanda. We referred to this meeting as the Rwanda Indaba, as we took the opportunity to doing some planning for the next 20 years. What a joy to gather with the co-ordinators from 19 Africa countries, international board members from the USA, Europe and South Africa, businessmen and sponsors. The Principle of SATS, Reuben van Rensburg, also attended. Altogether, there were 68 delegates and a wonderful time of fellowship and inter-action took place.  As we were planning for the years ahead, the presence of God was so “heavy” at times and we knew God was there and od is in this which AFMIN is doing.

The streets and country-side are litter free.



Rwanda is a beautiful country, which is fondly known as “the country of 1000 hills”. There is no railway or trains because of the mountainous terrain. They are very strict about litter and no plastic is allowed in the country. Orphaned children are taken care of and do no roam around on the streets. There are no beggars. Their taxis consist of new small buses and are kept in good condition. Everywhere one looks, one sees the evidence of healthy leadership. 







Delegates from of Afmin

 The AFMIN delegates visited the Kigali Memorial, where the bodies of genocide victims are buried in mass graves. One is made aware of the terrible period of time that this country went through. Much effort has been put into the construction and upkeep of the memorial, which is set in beautiful gardens.

 



A fountain in the gardens

If at all possible, we would do everything in our ability to visit this beautiful country once more.

Wednesday Morning Household

Recently we started a Wednesday morning gathering for members of our household. A group of ladies meet with Johan and Alta, to study the Word of God. We are also working through the book “Chosen for Greatness” by Kelly Varner. Most of these ladies have been serving the Lord for many years and have experienced different seasons in church life. All are actively involved in the studies and offer their understanding and insight into the subjects we discuss.

Delving deeper into the Word of God is exciting. We are also looking at the Hebrew and Greek descriptions of the Scriptures, which enlightens us to things we did not see before. Many passages of Scripture which were not understood in the past, are suddenly becoming real. As we look afresh at what God is telling us, we realise that there is still so much of the Bible that we do not yet know or understand.

Uganda and Tanzania March 2012

During March 2012, I (Johan) travelled to both Uganda and Tanzania. Many things happened during this trip which once again reminded me of the importance of being in alignment with the Lord’s plan. Ever so often we, as human beings, ask God what is His plan for our lives. We need to know what our ministry, calling or purpose is. And when we cannot find an answer, we feel unworthy or of no use in the Kingdom of God. But this is not how it is meant to be. We are here to do His Will and be part of His plan for His Body.

The Kingdom of God is not an individual thing, but rather it is about the corporate Body of Christ. Each individual plays a role in the whole body. It is not a case of “my ministry” but rather about the Lord ministering through us as a whole. What we need to do or accomplish to fulfill His plan and His will for His body is up to us. The Lord requires obedience from us, no matter the cost. Yes, there are times when it is not easy, when we face difficulties, we get hungry and thirsty, our money runs out or we face opposition. But in the end His Kingdom has come and His Will on earth is done, through the Body of Christ.

Bearing this in mind, we would like to share a few experiences during the trip to Uganda and Tanzania. When I arrived at the Guest House in Kampala, Uganda, I discovered that intensive renovations and power sharing were taking place. As a result there was no electricity. This meant that the ceiling fans were not working – and Kampala is a very hot place!!!! Secondly, I needed to do admin work on my laptop during the evenings. One night, I sat with a torch and the light from the laptop screen, trying to get on with my work!! However, laptop batteries need to be charged, so after a few hours, I could not continue.

On the last night, I was taken to the airport and arrived some 6 hours early. I spent most of the night and morning waiting for my flight to Nairobi, for the next leg of the trip. On arrival in Nairobi, Kenya. I then took a flight to Mwanza which lies on the south shore of Lake Victoria. Here I teamed up with Bishop Leonard Daffa, the co-ordinator for Afmin in Tanzania. Together we travelled to Musoma by bus. My first Afmin On10 School in Tanzania for 2012 was held in this little village in the North west of Tanzania, next to Lake Victoria.

On our way to Musoma we travelled through the western part of the Serengeti National Park. One tends to imagine the Serengeti as a place of vast savannah with wild animals roaming freely. This indeed is the case. However, there are many villages of people living in the reserve, etching out an existence amongst the animals.

Musoma is a fishermens’ town. Fish forms their staple ingredient of all meals. At the end of the week, when we were to fly back to Mwanza,  the plane did not arrive and we were informed that it was cancelled. Precision Air (just imagine), the flight company, arranged a small bus which took us to Mwanza, on the same route we had travelled in the bus, a few days previously. We were running very late by now but fortunately the plane for our next flight to Dar-es-Salam, had not yet left. On arrival at Dar-es-Salaam International airport round about midnight everything was closed and the only alternative for me was to spend the night sleeping on a bench outside the airport.

This was by far one of my most challenging trips.

You are Chosen for Greatness

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the students who graduated throughout Africa, during 2011.

Here is a special statement which we would like you to always remember:

You are a spoken word by God from before He laid the foundations of the world and everything you need to overcome and accomplish on earth, was deposited inside of you when He spoke you into being. You are a word that will accomplish what you were created for and you will not return to Him void.

AFMIN Alumni Association

The newly formed AFMIN Alumni Association (AAA) had it’s first gathering in Uganda in September 2011. Former graduates of the AFMIN On 10 School came together for a time of fellowship and impartation. Three of these graduates, John Kasiita, Joshua Morefu and Rodgers Sserwadda presented the lectures to the present students, who are now in their 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of training. Subjects which were presented were: The Mission of the Church, Developing a Healthy Church and Classic Discipleship.

Testimony of Pastor Joseph, Uganda

Pastor Joseph is pastor of the Iruri Parish in the Lomuria Napak District in Uganda. He shared this testimony with us during our recent AFMIN On10 School in Kampala, Uganda.

I thank Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ, for the long care and love during my journey. For four days I was walking 40 kilometres from Napok District to Katakwii District, due to too much rainfall which hads flooded and broken some bridges along Moroto Teso Road.
It was not simple but a struggle for two days from Sunday to Monday to finish the forty kilometers. Then boarding from Katakwii to Kampala, I was over charged 60,000 shilling ($21) for transport fare due to pot holes along the road which took us travelling the all night of Tuesday to Kampala.
Sometimes even my church is disturbed by heavy rainfall, wind due to building it by grass. So any good Samaritan heart can be touched by our Almighty Father to support our church by buying some iron sheets for building the house of God. Thank you.

During our School in Uganda during October 2012, we were told that Pastor Joseph had recently passed away. 

2011 – The Year with Opportunities!

As we enter 2011 we are all aware of the fact that we all working together to the one most important purpose: Building up the body of Christ “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” Ephesians 4:13

This will be our message as long as we have breath: to bring many sons to glory. Selah.

How about this for 12 months of AFMIN training?

During 2010,
• Afmin ran 42 On10 Schools in 18 countries
• 32 857 Church leaders were equipped for effective ministry through Afmin’s On10 training.  (This includes every student training 10 other!)

Namibia and Northern Cape

We have returned from our trip to Namibia and Williston in the Northern Cape, where we visited two Households. We had an amazing time together in the Word and truelly can declare: Christ in me, the hope of glory!

Thanks to Berdene and Johan in Namibia for their hospitality. The rest of our Household drove up to Williston for the weekend where we had a wonderful time of fellowship with Hansie and Suthea, Roean and Antoinette, Schalk, Gouws and Lisa and Paul and Merie. Guys you were excellent in hosting our group for the weekend.

May the seed of Christ grow to maturity in you all.

God willing we plan a meeting for the three Households during the early parts of 2011. We are still considering a few options with regards to the venue, but at this stage Upington seems to get the nudge above the other Towns.

For more photos, please go to http://picasaweb.google.com/Karibu2pva

Nile River

During September 2010, Alta and I were privileged to visit the Source of the Nile River in Uganda. This is a trip which we have desired to do for a very long time, but the opportunity did not arise until now. To reach the Nile River, we took a boat on Lake Victoria. The scenery is really beautiful. The boat trip gave us the chance to see life as it is lived along the banks of the lake and we could see how the people go about their daily life.

The water in Lake Victoria bubbles out of the earth from very deep below the surface. Once it enters the Nile River, it takes 3 months to reach the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt.

To view our photo album on the Nile River, please go to http://picasaweb.google.com/Karibu2pva/NileRiverUganda