Before the update though, I need to make a few administrative details known.
I have two addresses for my blog, www.beardedramblings.com and www.beardedramblings.blogspot.com. Please bookmark the second one and use that as it will always work. The first address simply redirects back to the other site and apparently it quit working temporarily a month or two ago. I'm not sure why it happened but I was able to get it corrected. In case it happens again it would be handy to have www.beardedramblings.blogspot.com saved.
I've started sending out monthly updates via email. My intention is to gradually shift my blog to a space more for thoughts on what is going on around me and have the email updates focused on the actual work I'm doing. If you would like to receive these updates please send me an email at kennyhall1985@gmail.com or contact me via Facebook.
I think that's about everything I needed to cover so here's the juicy updates you've all been waiting for...
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After a request from my school leader and much prayer I've decided to lead a team of students back to India for 12 weeks. We will be leaving about a week before Christmas and there's not much else I know at the moment. The students will start praying about whether they feel led to go to India or not next week, please stand in prayer with them as they decide their outreach locations.
I've been in contact with a great woman of God whom I met back in August. She lives in my hometown but her parents live in India. Her and her husband will be in India during Christmas and we are looking at ways my team can partner with the ministry her parents work with. It will be an exciting time if everything works out.
I'm also looking at returning to two of the previous locations that I was at earlier this year. The goal would be to continue to build relationships with established Christians in southern India. Both locations have relatively small ministries and our work there last time was a great help to them.
Please pray for wisdom in determining the ministry options we are being presented with. Also direction for the students when they choose their outreach locations (they get to pick between Kenya, Johannesburg, and India), and for the finances to come in for everybody. Our outreach will be the most expensive because of it's location, we're budgeting approximately $2,500 per person.
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Things have been quite chaotic as I mentioned earlier. My main focus at the moment is staffing the current Discipleship Training School (DTS). My duties include sitting through lectures each day, mentoring two of the students in a one on one setting each week, helping to facilitate a small group of students (seven to be exact) to further their understanding of the lectures each week. I'm also taking a financial planning class two afternoons a week, planning for the India outreach, attending the numerous staff meetings at the base, and working to establish a local ministry within Cape Town.
The ministry in Cape Town is something that has been on my heart for quite awhile now. You can read about my first experience there by clicking here. Since that time I've had a desire to return and start ministering to the people that frequent the area. I was able to do that for the first time on Friday night.
I took one other staff member and 5 students to Long Street and we had an amazing time. This is what one of the students had to say about the evening on Facebook the next morning.
"Long street in Cape Town was amazing! Talking to different people,
praying for them! it was a great experience!
It was quite a night to say the least. We were able to talk with a man selling marijuana on the street, a prostitute who had had all of her clothes stolen the night before, and a man who owned a nightclub nearby. Our goal is to establish connections and build relationships with local people in order to share our passions and their burdens.
It's taken time to get to the point of taking a team into Cape Town. I know it's only been one night but this was a huge step and I'm eager to see what the next couple months bring. I have three students who will be going with me on a regular basis and a handful of others who have expressed an interest in going when they are not busy with other ministries.
Please pray for our safety during these times. The best time for us to go is during the weekend nights when the most people are out, it's not exactly the safest time to be out on the street. We would also appreciate prayer for finances to come in for this specific ministry. It costs money to cover the gas and parking fees while we are there. We'd also like to be able to meet some of the practical needs of the people (buying food for the hungry, etc).
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Thank you for all your prayers already. I feel so incredibly loved over here. Life is still a struggle but God is moving in big ways. I have one other announcement, it's quite a big step for me personally. You're going to have to wait for my October newsletter at the end of the month though. :D
Much love,
Kenny
My husband Amos and I are headed back to India, too! We'll be there in July. :)
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