Calvary Chapel Paarl Valley

Our new location!

2011-11-21T10:47:00.006+02:00

We have moved church venues!

This past Sunday we had our first service in our new church venue. The Lord has really shown us His providential love for us by moving us out of the old place with 1 months notice just to give us something so much better, both ascetically and functionally.

OUR NEW ADDRESS IS: 227 De Straat building

Main Rd. Paarl

(next door to BMW dealership)

The venue belongs to a wonderful Christian couple and functions as a Pilates studio during the week, however, on Sundays...it's a church! Our children's ministry room belongs to another church who uses it for their church offices during the week. So each week we have to transform this place from a Pilates studio into a church venue and then back again, it takes a lot of work but it's worth it when we see how God uses it each week.

Thank you for your faithful prayers, the Lord has surely answered them in a way that exceeded our expectations. We pray that this new spot will be an effective tool in the hands of God to spread the glorious message of Christ crucified and risen, to see the name of Jesus exalted in this valley.

Our vision for Calvary Paarl is to see the name of Jesus made more famous in this community, to see many lost people come to saving faith in Him through the proclamation of the gospel and the witness of His followers living life on mission and in genuine community.

This task is not an easy one, and we realize that we are absolutely dependent on the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit to accomplish it.

Prayer points:

-Please pray that we do not grow weary in doing good, while being an example to the flock.

-That we will not get discouraged in, or despise these days of small things.

-That men in our body will rise up and lead, both in their families, and in the church, through involvement and service.

-Gods provision (we need to pay for stuff).

-For the leaders to be finding their joy and significance in what Christ has done for them, not in results.

-That we will be a blessing to our new landlord, and to her business.

Thanks so much for taking the time to check in with us, and we hope to see you at church!

In His strong love,

Pastor Mike

Ministry Update

2011-06-20T16:06:00.007+02:00

Dear Friends, Family, and faithful supporters,

I wanted to give you an update on what we've been up to ministry wise so far this year. This year has been very busy at the church, and also as a family. It feels like forever since we were in the States. For those of you who are interested in knowing what's going on with our family on a more personal level; I have been thinking lately that the best way to do that is by getting a Facebook account and "friending" Misty and I. But here is a summery of our ministry happenings....

Life Groups (our small groups)

In March, we launched our small group ministry. We've called them "Life Groups", we meet every week on Tuesday evenings at 6:30pm. We meet in homes, have dinner, pray, and the leader of the group goes over the sermon from the previous week. These groups have been such a blessing as we seek to be in community with one another in real life, not only on Sunday mornings. We currently have two groups; one in English, and another in Afrikaans.

Leadership

We recently raised up Dave Emmerson as an Elder here at CCPV. His role is to lead the church with me as a fellow Elder, and as an assistant Pastor. Day to day he does a little bit of everything, which is pretty typical for a smallish church. He and his family will be heading back to the UK for 7 weeks in August. This is their first furlough since arriving in Paarl 2 years ago. Please pray for their trip, flights, etc. Also, please pray that people in the church will step up to carry the load while he's away.

Prison Ministry

Our weekly bible study in the Allendale Correctional Facility is continuing to produce real fruit. We see a faithful group of guys each week sometimes up to 20 or so. We're currently going through the book of Philippians with them, verse by verse. Also, we recently began a correspondence Discipleship course for the inmates. Upon completion of each course, we then send them another module to complete on their own time, once finished they will receive a certificate of completion. Please keep these men in prayer, the temptations to run with gangs, and do drugs on the inside is a reality facing them everyday.

Bergendahl School Outreach

Pastor Dave goes to the school weekly to make himself available to the youth after school. He shares the gospel, and then just hangs out with the kids. The Lord has lead us as a church to adopt the school, so to speak, which means being available to help the administration with whatever they need to be done at the school ie. painting, teaching, food serving, etc. We have spoken to the leadership of the school about this and now we're just sorta figuring out how this is going to be fleshed out in a way that bring glory to Jesus and blesses the community.

Rahab Ministry (Fighting Human Trafficking in Paarl)

God has answered a prayer of mine to be able to reach out to and help women (and men) in Paarl who are involved in prostitution. I prayed and literally within a week or so I received an email from a woman here in Paarl who has just begun a ministry to prostitutes called "Rahab". We are informing the body at CCPV of the many needs, and opportunities to be on mission w/ Jesus in our city. Our first outreach will be this Thursday evening, a team of 4 of us will be going out to preach Jesus and love on some prostitutes. Women will be w/ women and the men will be there for support, and prayer. Please pray that the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ will set some women free!

Calvary Paarl

As a church, things are going well. Our Sunday gathering is growing and people are getting plugged in to a Life Group. We are humbled and very thankful that God has used us at all, we don't deserve it. We hope to see more people coming to the church, and more disciples being made in our valley. Your prayers for those two things will be much appreciated, we know thats what God wants too, so we're confident that we're asking according to His will.

We love you all very much, and ask that you continue to pray for our family's health, finances, and that our joy would be full in Jesus, regardless of circumstances. Please pray for the Emmerson clan as well if you think about it, they are a great blessing to us here.

Until next time.

In His steadfast love,

Mike, Misty, Michael, and Asher

Church, Baptism and Braai

2011-02-21T07:51:00.014+02:00

More Photo's....

Thankful to Jesus for a blessed day with His people!

Jan-Feb 2011 Ministry Updates and Prayer Needs

2011-02-15T20:26:00.010+02:00

Hello dear friends and family,

I am sorry to only be updating our blog in mid-February, I will not let it go this long again. Misty and I want to thank those of you who helped us in getting home for Christmas. We appreciate so much all you have done to make our Christmas so special! (you know who you are). We had such a blessed time in the states during Christmas and New Years, seeing our friends and family was the best part. We arrived back in South Africa on the 14th of January and it has been very busy since returning.

However, we really missed our church family and friends here in Paarl, so it was great to see all of them again. We have been very blessed since we've been back. We have seen several new people coming to the church which is awesome and we've seen many people who have been coming sporadically really begin to be committed and step up and start serving this year.

In fact, this Sunday we are having a Baptism service after church. We will be baptizing about 8 people in the church, Lord willing. It will be a great day!

In a couple of weeks we will be beginning a ministry at the church called "Life Groups", they are small groups of believers who will be gathering weekly to pray for each other, to eat a meal together, and then to go over the content of the previous Sunday's message, drawing further application in community, which we feel is essential for living out the gospel as a church. If you would join us and pray for much fruit to be born through these groups, we will be having one in English and another in Afrikaans.

Prison ministry is going great as well. We have seen a huge increase in attendance (which is optional) this year. We have finished going through the book of Revelation and we will be starting a new study in the book of Genesis soon. Please keep the men of Allendale Prison in your prayers, God is working powerfully in that place, pray that these men would be strengthened to walk with Jesus in such a dark place.

The ministry to the youth on the farms has changed a bit recently. Since Dave and Vicky will be having another baby soon, Dave has not been able to continue with the regular program. But, just a few days ago we found out that there is an open door in the local school (where all the youth from the 3 farms go) to do a weekly bible study and to just be available for mentoring, or whatever for the kids after school before their bus comes for them, which means a good 1-2 hours. We are praising the Lord for His wisdom and compassion for the poor and marginalized youth in this valley! We are hoping to have many opportunities to show the gospel to these kids by meeting some material needs and especially their spiritual need. Please pray that the kids would meet Jesus truly, and that they will learn and desire to be His disciples for the rest of their lives.

We will be beginning a sermon series in March entitled "Manifest" where we will be looking at the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. This is a huge issue here in S.A. and there is a lot of confusion on this topic. So, Please pray that I would be doctrinally sound, clear and humble in delivering these messages. Thank you!

On a personal note, the family is doing well. Misty is busy being super-mom and I am just in awe of her constantly. Asher is getting so big, he has two teeth popping through his bottom gums, so cute! Michael has started "big boy" school (as he calls it) and loves it...wheew! He also just had his 6th birthtday which was a lot of fun. I have posted a few pictures for you...

Michael's Birthday cupcake!

First day of school!

Our Boys!

We will post more pictures soon.

We love you and so much appreciate your prayers and financial support. If you would like to contribute to the work here, you can do so with the info on the right labeled "donations". Thank you! and God bless.

Mike, Misty, Michael, and Asher

Christmas Furlough! See ya again soon beautiful SA.

2010-11-23T15:16:00.003+02:00

Hello Dear friends, family, and supporters!

Just a quick update to let you all know that the Lord has provided for us to come home for Christmas this year. We are all very excited to be with family and friends during Christmas for the first time in nearly 4 years.

We want to thank those of you who pray faithfully for us and ministry here! Your prayers are greatly appreciated and effective. God is doing great things here in Paarl and we are excited to see all that God has in 2011.

We will be back in RSA by the middle of January 2011. Any of you who are in So. Cal, we would love to see you so please send us an email to schedule something. We will not be updating our blog again until February of next year, So God bless and have a great Christmas and new year!

Much Love!

The Portlands

Church growth the old fashioned way...

2010-08-04T15:38:00.015+02:00

The Lord has blessed us with a new baby boy....Asher Lincoln Portland! He was born on the 20th of July at 12:58pm at over 8 pounds. Misty and baby are doing well, a little sleep deprived but nothing too out of the ordinary. As a family we have been so so busy in the past couple of months with Grandma visiting and another old friend of ours came for a week, plus the busyness of ministry. But we can truly say that it has all been a wonderful time.

We so appreciate all of you guys who pray for us! Please continue to lift up

the people of the Paarl valley and specifically this ministry; so many needs and so little time, help, resources, or power to meet those needs. Yet we rejoice in the fact that like the Apostle Paul, we have a confidence that the power of God is in the glorious gospel of His Son! God is doing a great work here and yet we believe that we're only scratching the surface of all He wants to do.

Michael and his new baby brother.

The World Cup turned out to be a real blessing for the nation of South Africa. It was very cool to see people of all races coming together to cheer on their team "Bafana Bafana" who happened to do much better than expected.

Just last week a friend of ours from the U.S came and stayed with us for a week or so. He was doing some ministry work in Tanzania filming a music video for a Christian Hip Hop group. He was able to visit us on his way back home. He happens to be a photographer and took a few pictures of the farm children we as a church get to minister to each week.

Being on these farms is always a fresh reminder of how much we can take for granted. Please pray for the children and youth on Vryman's Fontien wine farm, Ruitersvlei, and the Vlakte brick yard. We are hopeful to see them all come to know Jesus and live their lives for Him.

For those of you who have been praying for the Zimbabwean's in our fellowship; The Lord has answered those prayers and protected them all from significant loss or worse..bodily harm. They would still however covet your prayers as things may be calm for now but the hatred and jealousy behind the Xenophobia still remains. It's so great to be able to worship our King Jesus with these beautiful people.

As a church, we've seen some new families join our gatherings in the past few months, which is a blessing and a work of grace. Because of the growth of our childrens ministry at the church we now have 4 women who help serve our kids on Sunday mornings.

Some other great news is that Dave and Vicky Emmerson who serve here with us in Paarl have recently found out that they are having another baby. We are very excited for them. Please pray that the pregnancy would be a blessed one.

Here's a few pic's of church.

We love you all and ask you to please continue praying for us and if so led supporting us financially. Our family has grown and along with baby stuff, Michael starts primary school next year which will add to our financial needs. Any help is much appreciated!

Love and Blessings,

Mike, Misty, Michael, and Asher Portland

Political unrest, On going social inflammation, and growing economic anxiety ....On Christ the Solid Rock we Stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

2010-04-28T11:07:00.018+02:00

There is a lot of hype around here these days about the upcoming World Cup soccer championships and how they are going to affect the economy; many are hopeful and expectant but I would say that the attitude of most is sort of a skepticism as to how beneficial to the economy these events will actually be. Recent news reports have stated that there are still thousands of tickets that have yet to be sold to the June-July events and still many hotels and B&B's have not been booked either, so we'll see. It seems that many international soccer fans are afraid to bring their families into South Africa because of the violent reputation we have among many in the western world. I will say that; there is a shocking amount of random violence that goes on in this country such as I am not used to seeing or hearing about, people getting stabbed and beaten or shot for no reason whatsoever. In fact just this morning I opened up my "virtual" news paper and read about a young woman in her thirties who was standing in a train carriage and as the doors opened a man came rushing in, stabbed her to death and ran off. Police have no idea why the murder took place. Then just the other day Misty and I witnessed a man abusing a woman right off of the freeway (whom by God's grace we were able to share Jesus with).

The political situation is not any more encouraging, but then again where in the world are politicians doing their job with integrity? There is much fear among many white Afrikaners lately over recent racial uprisings within the country. A song entitled "kill the boer (white Afrikaans farmer)" has been coming from the lips of many black nationalists and fear is gripping the nation and causing many to look for ways to get out of this hurting country.

So what?....So, I'm convinced that despite these times of political unrest, social distrust and fear, that God is busy doing a great work in this nation and more specifically in this valley. I was able to meet with some other area pastors this morning and they also are sensing a great move of God upon this valley. When I speak of God doing a "great work" I'm not just speaking in terms of revival on a national level (which would be great). I'm speaking of a real, deep and abiding sense of indwelling sin among people and the need for the gospel of Jesus Christ as the ONLY means of salvation.

Despite all of the problems; I am very hopeful. How can I say that? Because of Jesus, and because I have great confidence in the power of His word to change people; and after all; people make up families, and families make up communities, and communities make up nations.

God is doing a great work in our little church. People are repenting of their sin, growing in maturity and seeking ways in which they might serve Him. The Lord is also doing great things in the men at the prison where we get to serve every week, and with our youth farm outreach: He's showing Himself faithful there as well.

However, we do covet your prayers for these various ministries; because even thought we're seeing some fruit; there are many struggles and hardships taking place as well. One of our youth girls has fallen pregnant at 15 years old; so we do need God's wisdom and His compassion to love her and walk this road with her and her precious unborn child. Also, we are facing some difficult decisions with our church venue and need wisdom as to "if" or "what" the Lord would have us to do. Our friends (Dave and Vicky Emmerson) who are currently serving here with us have really come to a cross roads in their finances and could use much prayer for God's leading and provision.

Just like America; South Africa needs Jesus! Please join us in prayer for the people; that they would meet Jesus and submit to His Lordship in their lives, and pray for us too as we serve them. We also would like to invite you to please consider joining our support team, by committing to praying for us and if possible supporting us financially as well. Misty and I are expecting our 2nd son in July and we are very excited to meet him, but more kids means more expenses; so we thank you for your support....really!

Our little church is currently made up of five different cultures. I'm so thankful for the diversity God has brought to us. You're prayers and financial support through (Calvary Chapel Tustin) have resulted in many people coming to know Jesus and growing in their walk with Him. I'm pretty sure that's what it's all about.

We love you all so much! and miss you.

In Christ's great love,

Mike, Misty, Michael and Asher Portland

It's 2010 and God's mission is off and running here in Paarl

2010-02-04T10:36:00.022+02:00

Hello dear friends, family and faithful prayer warriors,

Well 2010 has been a very busy year so far for the Portland family and for the church. First of all we do want to sincerely apologize to those of you who support us and pray for us for not updating this newsletter/blog in such a long time. We do plan on sending out updates every other month. It's been too long...sorry. We do however have many new things to share with you since our last update. First of all, the Lord has opened up to us a great opportunity to go into a local prison here in Paarl and teach God's word. I was involved before with a prison ministry but now we are heading up a prison on our own which is preferable since we can now just teach the word to the guys. We minister in Alendale Prison every Tuesday morning where Dave Emmerson (our Deacon) and I alternate on teaching from week to week.

January was a very fruitful month as well. We were very blessed to have a team from Calvary Chapel Tustin (USA) come out and spend a week here with us to serve. They came primarily to help us with a Bible Holiday club (VBS) we were hosting on one of the farms where we minister to the children weekly. They were an amazing blessing to Misty and I and they worked so hard to make it special for the kids...and it was. One of the team members, our friend Julie stayed for the month here to serve along side of us and to bless the church. Julie and Misty put together an amazing outreach for the women here and it really blessed our ladies. Julie spoke to them about how much Jesus loves them and many women were touched by it.

Last month we were blessed to be able to baptize 5 new people from the church. I love baptizing people! There is something so radical about watching people make a public profession of their faith and love for Jesus...so cool.

Also, on the 17th of January we began a series at the church called "Are We Living in the last days?" where are spending 8 weeks going through Matthew ch.24 and other various scriptures on the topics of end times prophecy. It has been a real blessing as we've been looking at these things together and the church has seen some real fruit through it. We are praising Jesus for His faithfulness to do exactly what He said He would do, especially as it relates to studying the prophetic word, but also seeing Him fulfill His promise to build HIS church. Please keep in prayer your brothers and sisters here in Paarl as you have opportunity...The fruit that we're experiencing here at CCPV is to your account as well.

On a more personal note, if you were not already aware of it Misty is 18 weeks pregnant with our 2nd baby boy (at least 98% sure its a boy :) We so appreciate your prayers and support and just your general gestures of love you've shown to our family through Facebook or through e-mail. We do plan on having the baby here in South Africa, so please pray for all the different challenges that having a baby in a foreign country might present to us along the way and after the birth. We know the joy of the Lord is our strength and He is always so kind in how He leads us through challenges in life.

Something else we'd like to share with you is that through prayer and through the confirmation from our pastor we feel as a family that we should make a plan to come back to the U.S. for Christmas this year. It will have been a year and a half since our last trip back to California by that time and also the fact that we will have a new addition to the family to share with our families and friends has influenced our decision. Of course we will need to raise about $5000 to make this trip possible, so if any of you can help us with a financial gift to go towards this trip we would be very appreciative! If you cannot give a financial gift we totally understand and would ask that you please pray for provision with us to make the trip. As with any financial gift that goes toward our family and the ministry here in Paarl ALL gifts are tax deductible when sent to us through our sending and home church Calvary Chapel Tustin. If you would like details as how to support us we have a column on the right side of our blog that has all the details necessary.

Thank you all so much for your continued support and love! Keep looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.

(we've added some photos for you to enjoy...blessings)

Love, Mike, Misty, Michael, ? Portland

The CCT team and us after church.

Some photos from our baptism service and braai (BBQ)

Vicky

Frank

Jonathan

Natasha

Macdonald

FOOD!

Here's a few pictures from the CCPV ladies tea...

We were blessed to see about 40 women come out to the tea.

Some of the ladies of CCPV beaming from the presence of the Lord

Julie Maxham sharing God's word with the women. Thanks Julie!

Some pictures from Holiday Club...

Prayer

Neil Spain doing his thing and blessing the kid's socks off.

Julie's girls!

Thank you Alan and CCT for the awesome t-shirts!

Water ballon toss

Bradley getting soaked

Nothing else to say here.....

Pastor Loren handing out lunches to the kids

Construction plastic -R200, Water- R?, Dish soap- R10, 65 fearless kids = Priceless!

Time to give thanks

2009-11-25T11:36:00.020+02:00

Even though Thanksgiving is an American holiday, we here in South Africa are full of thanksgiving to God for all He has done this past year and all we're seeing Him do presently. As 2009 comes winding down Misty and I are thinking back through the past year and we are so thankful to Jesus for His sacrifice, His providence, His faithfulness, and His pastoral care and provision over us personally and over His church. Much has happened since our last post (which is the reason we're doing it bi-monthly now) that has been an encouragement to us. Let me go back to Early October, we had another amazing conference in Simon's town this year. It's so encouraging to get together with so many of God's servants from different parts of Africa and also from the U.S. just sharing with one another in the battles of gospel ministry. I've posted a couple pic's ...

Michael and Golden Preciado did a great job leading worship.

Our speakers this year were great....(left to right) Rich Chaffin (CC Laguna Creek), Bill Stonebraker (CC Honolulu), Jim Gallagher (CC Vero Beach).

October 31st was a special day for a young couple in our fellowship. Willem and Tanya got married. Also it was my first wedding so I got a double blessing for sure. Please keep them in prayer as they get adjusted to married life. They are very special friends to us.

Willem and Tanya Buys

Another thing that has developed this year is that a young artist from CC Capetown asked me if he could (draw/write) a graphic novel of my testimony. His name is Carel (Carl) and he has done an amazing job. We are currently looking and praying for someone to invest in this project so we can get it published and mass produced. Our hope is that it can be used as an evangelistic tool and passed out at churches, schools and in prisons. Please pray with us as to what direction God would have us go with it next. Here's a sample of the cover and a page from the novel.

(Cover)

Us sitting under Pastor Barry's teaching @ CCT in 2005

(Imagine grey chairs instead of pews)

Dave and Vicky Emmerson have taken over the farm outreaches each week.

They are doing a great job with the kids. Misty watches their 5 month old son

Elijah while they are there.

Dave wrapping up after church on Sunday.

The Lord wonderfully answered our prayers for a sound system of our own.

Thank you Jesus!

Andries Van Niekerk is doing our book keeping at the church.

He and his family are a great blessing at CCPV. John Roberts (T-shirt) and his wife Trish have recently started attending CCPV...We love them too!

Adele Van Niekerk is Andries' wife. She takes time with the Afrikaans speaking youth after church explaining to them the main points from the sermon.

Dave and George just chillin at a braai in Kommetjie. George is the young man who drives in from Capetown (45min) every Sunday morning to lead worship for us.

He's a huge blessing to all of us.

Misty and Vicky

The Love of my life

Please keep in prayer the team from CCT who is coming in January to help us with VBS for the farm kids. Also Julie Maxham is coming for the whole month of January. We're really excited to have her here. We are praying about doing some different outreaches while the team is here here and also organizing a woman's conference with the other CC's. We are asking the Lord to bring awakening to Paarl and to call all the sleeping saints in this valley to "rise up and walk".

God is faithful. We have been blessed to see the church grow from a bible study to a community of believers being burdened with the mission of Jesus in this valley. Please pray for our fellowship. We know God is just beginning His work here in Paarl in and through us at CCPV.

Misty, Michael and I want you to know that we love you and miss you more than you know. Please feel free to e-mail us and let us know how you are doing.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

The Portlands

Abiding in Him

2009-09-24T10:48:00.017+02:00

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

We have been seeing some fruit beginning to fill the vines in the vineyards around here lately. Summer is approaching and soon all the vineyards will be overflowing with big, sweet, brightly colorful green and red grapes. Now, summer is a bit warm around here but it is also the most beautiful of times.

Though we may not be farmers in vineyards of grapes, we most definitely feel like farmers in the vineyards of Christ and His church. We feel as though we have been sowing lot's of seed and doing lot's of watering and now we are beginning to see some, oh so precious fruit. There is a real sense of expectancy and a heightened need for prayerfulness at CC Paarl Valley lately which is great. We've been seeing many new faces at church as people have begun to bring people to be a part of what God is doing. As excited as I am about being able to reach more people for Jesus and seeing the church grow both spiritually and numerically I personally am most excited because I, nor did any other man make things happen. It's all Jesus.

In this update I will let some pictures connect you to what's happening lately here in Paarl, instead of me just going on and on.

Last month I had the privilege of speaking at a youth conference in Paarl East. It is great seeing how different cultures worship and do their services. This church is in the "colored" community which is the mixed race people group here in SA. I taught on the life of Joseph. It was a lot of fun and about 20 people took a stand for Jesus, Glory to Him.

Very bright colors all around in that church.

A few weeks ago some dear friends of ours (who happen to be the first family to come to our home bible study when we were in our home) visited us from the Karoo. Charl, Belinda, Joshua and Alice Du Toit. We love that family! Also, here with Misty and Belinda is Lillian (center)...We love her too :) It was great to see them at CCPV again.

Some of the teens from a local farm we get to love on each week.

Yeah! Three new members of the CCPV family. We are so blessed that they are here. Dave and Vicky Emmerson and their 3 month old son Elijah. They arrived here safely on the 2nd of Sept. from Scotland. They are staying in the house right next door to the church which is awesome. Please keep these precious servants in your prayers. They are still trying to raise support for their time serving here. Things have already been happening to test their call and commitment (which is expected, but never easy). Misty and I are grateful they answered God's call and came here to work with us. If you feel like God wants you to help them with a much needed and appreciated financial gift you can do so through PayPal to...hopeunseen@googlemail.com (it will not work if shortened to gmail.com)

Adele Niekerk works with some of the teens after church to discuss what they learned from the teaching on Sunday.

We are blessed by our three Zimbabwean families.... Sarah, Rosie, Ben, Mike, Thomas, Frank, and Jonathan. I wish you could meet them, they are some of the most wonderful people. Thomas just gave his life to Jesus last Sunday and now he wants to be baptized.

Just a cool shot of some folks chatting after church. (the building looks crooked because it's 3 pictures fused together as 1). Mountains behind us and mountains in from of us. The Paarl valley is so beautiful.

Also we started going into a local prison here on Thursday mornings. Unfortunately I can't take my camera inside but if that changes I will post some pic's. We have already seen some really encouraging stuff happening with these inmates. Please pray for God's Spirit to work powerfully through His word to save souls and change lives at Drakenstien Maximun security prison.

We have been super busy and super blessed by what God is doing here in Paarl. We are hoping to see a team from Calvary Chapel Tustin coming out in January to help with VBS which would be awesome.

Misty and I just want you to know that you are loved dearly. Please pray for new Christians to be added to His church. Please pray for our health and for financial provision. We know it's a hard time financially for many of you, but anything you can give is appreciated and needed. We want to thank the few of you who have been faithful to support us monthly! Most grateful to those of you who pray for us. For it is Him who brings the increase ultimately. Please pray for our marriage and family and anything else that comes to your mind as you pray. We love you and hope to hear from you soon.

To be continued (by God's grace)........

Love, Mike, Misty and Michael Portland (and Biscuit)

Ministry in Paarl

2009-08-03T12:33:00.003+02:00

Hello dear friends and family!

Well, to say that we are in a whirlwind right now would be a bit of an understatement. First of all, our time in the U.S. was a great blessing for our family. It was so good to see so many of you while we were in California. By about the 3rd week of being away I was really starting to miss the church here in Paarl, obviously meaning the people. However it was difficult leaving all of our friends and family again, But it was great to get back to all of our friends here too. Misty and I want to thank you who support us financially and contributed for us toward coming home for a visit. We really appreciate your prayers and financial support as that is what keeps us going here. You can continue to support this ministry, first by praying for us (which is most practical) and also financially too as you are able.

So, what are we up to right now? To be honest we feel like we are just holding on a bit until the Emmerson family get here. Misty is busy being a mom and wife and also doing some administrative things as she is able. So it's pretty much just me (in Him, and through Him) doing church and keeping things running. It's no secret that starting a church is not the job of one guy, especially with a wife and young child to care for. The Lord has been confirming in me lately the absolute necessity of gathering a core group to help get the church off and running. Churches are started in lots of different ways practically, But one thing is always true and that is the fact that churches grow as people are inviting their friends and family to come and check it out. So the next season for us involves developing a core group out of the 20 or so people that have been coming to our services faithfully and sharing the vision more specifically with them and sending them out as missionaries so to speak, in their own circles of influence to share the gospel and invite people to be apart of what God is doing here in Paarl. The people who have been with us faithfully for the past year or so have been growing tremendously in their understanding of scripture and thus in their own personal holiness. I truly believe that God has within our group future church leaders and evangelists and that as they grow in His word and fall more in love with Jesus I know that they will begin to desire more passionately to serve Him. Please pray for these folks if you think about it.

We are encouraged with the growth we've seen in the few we have around us, But we also know that God wants to do much more in and through CC Paarl here in this valley. Please keep us in your prayers. Please pray for me, That the Lord will give me a greater burden for lost souls and that He would give our church a burden for them as well and boldness to share Christ unashamedly. Please pray for Misty as we are having some trouble with her Visa at the moment, We know that the Lord is on the throne. We just want God's will to be accomplished through us. Please pray for David and Vicky Emmerson and their new baby boy Elijah who will be moving here next month to work with us in Paarl. Thank you guys so much!

More to come...I promise some pic's too.

Blessings,
The Portlands

Thank You!

2009-05-20T16:11:00.007+02:00

Hello again friends and family!

I think Neil Diamond said it best when he said "We're coming to America"! I know a bit cheesy ...But it's true. We are coming to America.

Thank you all so much for responding to the need by praying for us and for financially contributing for our visit back to the U.S. God has provided in very natural ways through many of you and for that we thanks to God and you. God has also provided for this trip in very supernatural ways as well, ways in which truly have humbled us and in ways that are causing us to give Him much glory.

We will be arriving in LAX at 6:45pm on the 25th of this month. I will be returning to S.A. in four weeks, Misty and Michael will stay an additional two weeks.

If any of you are in the southern California area on Wednesday the 27th of May. We would love for you to join us at Calvary Chapel Tustin at 7:00pm as we will be giving an update of what the Lord has done and is doing through the ministry in South Africa.

The Church Address is: 330 w. sixth st.
Tustin, Ca

We do hope to see those of you who have been so faithful to pray for us and support us financially. We appreciate your friendship and most of all your commitment to pray for us.

If you think of it please remember to pray that our flights and traveling will go well and that none of us will get sick. Also, for Michael as the flight is 24+ hours long. Hope to see you soon.

Many Blessings to you,
Mike, Misty, and Michael Portland

Fall is our favorite time of year!

2009-03-17T14:37:00.015+02:00

These past several weeks have been packed full of God's blessings and also with many opportunities to show the love of God to the people of Paarl. As a family....We are blessed and healthy and really looking forward to our visit to the U.S. in May-June (Lord willing). We are still praying and waiting for God's provision both for the finances for the trip and also for a faithful man to watch over the flock in Paarl while we're gone. Please join us in prayer for these things. We also are still waiting and praying for a worship leader at the church. Last Sunday I led worship for the first time (not as bad as I had imagined it would be...God's people were gracious). We would love to see someone emerge from the congregation in that way, but however God wants to do it we're open to.

March 1st through the 9th I had the privilege of going to Malawi and teaching about 50 pastors and their wives at a pastor's conference. Pastor Demitri and myself flew up there and had such a blessed time just ministering to these guys and their wives. Please pray for Calvary Chapel Lilongwe and Pastor Tom and Caroline when you think about it and for all the pastor's there in Malawi. They need bibles and good biblical resources to help them in their ministries, but mostly they need Jesus to guide them and use them (don't we all?). I've posted some photos for you from our time in Malawi.

Pastor Tom and Caroline Mambo (CC Lilongwe)

CC Lilongwe

Misty and I don't usually do this, but we have been encouraged by a friend and fellow veteran missionary to let our specific needs and requests be made known to our friends and family. As a ministry we have really come to the realization that technology though not essential is extremely beneficial in the moving ahead of reaching our city for Jesus in this visual age we live in. So we feel that the Lord would have us to let you know our needs in this area in the furthering of the ministry in South Africa. We are asking the Lord and asking you if you would join us in prayer or maybe even contribute if so led, to us as a church in receiving the tools we need. We are asking for a Macbook Pro laptop and also a graphic design program called Adobe Indesign. If we add up the costs of having graphics designed for us these tools would pay for themselves relatively quickly. Again, Misty and I were a bit hesitant to ask so specifically but these are real needs and this is God's ministry so please understand we just want you pray with us and see what the Lord will do.

While I was in Malawi Misty had some of the girls from the "Dream team" over for an "all nighter". Then the next night she had about 5 kids from the one of the farms we minister on come over for an "all nighter" too. Here's a couple of pictures from that.

Playing some "Catch Phrase"...Misty says it was hilarious.

Zane, Michael, Raltan, and Joey

Jaques and Lillian
(Please pray for them..They have been such a blessing to our church)

Calvary Chapel Paarl Valley

We love you all so much and ask that you would continue to pray for us and the work here in Paarl.

Blessings,
Mike, Misty, and Michael

"I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing." Ezekiel 34:26

2009-01-18T16:32:00.019+02:00

Happy new year to all of you! Sorry for the long delay in updating our blog, It's been a busy season. Misty, Michael and I are healthy and being blessed. Michael just started pre-school this week, he seems to be really enjoying it more this year...so we're grateful for that.

These last couple of months have been a whirlwind. First of all...The Sexton family who were here serving along side of us decided to move back to the U.S. They left about 1 month ago. We appreciate so much all of the prayers and support that have been given to us through this season. The Lord has been faithful to send us guys from CC Capetown and CC Kommetjie to lead worship for us on Sundays which is a real blessing. We are praying that He will raise someone up from within the fellowship eventually to fill that gap. We are expecting great and awesome things from the Lord this new year...as He is a great and awesome God!

Please pray for David and Vicky Emerson who are answering the call of God to move to Paarl to assist us here in what the Lord is doing. Please pray that their visa's will go through and also for the financial support they will need to come here and live. We are really looking forward to them getting here.

We have added some pictures of recent ministry events, We also want to remind you that your prayers and financial support open the door for an abundance of ministry to take place here in Paarl. We love you and miss so many of you very much.

Youth Beach retreat with the youth from the 3 local farms we minister on.

They were so excited to be at the beach

Church picnic this last Sunday

Vahl and Lillian enjoying some fellowship (Vahl was baptized later that day)

Tanya and Willem (Tanya was Baptized as well)..they are a blessing

Calvary Chapel Paarl Valley

Blessings to you...Please send us an e-mail to let us k now how you are doing.

Mike, Misty and Michael Portland

Merry Christmas

2008-12-13T09:08:00.007+02:00

Misty and I pray that your Christmas season is blessed. We are looking to the Lord and praising Him for His love and for His faithfulness. We have so much to share with you about what is happening in our lives and ministry lately, However to be completley honest with you we are so busy right now that formulating into words what is happening is bit daunting.

We are all healthy at the moment and really enjoying the presence of the Lord in this season. We are experiencing many trials and discouragements, Yet we are also experiencing a fellowship with the Lord that is only possible in times like these. The Lord is teaching us how to rejoice and be content in all seasons of life and ministry, Unfortunately those are the types of lessons that are learned best through pain.

Thank you so much for praying for us, Please keep praying. We love you all so much and value your friendship and support. We promise to fill you in with more details about how the Lord is working in the ministry, and in us personally real soon.

(We tried to tell him that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood"...he's not getting it quite yet)

Merry Christmas,
Mike, Misty and Michael

God is moving in South Africa

2008-10-28T19:25:00.016+02:00

We're just now beginning to settle in to a more normal schedule here in Paarl again. We're coming off of an awesome week in Simon's Town for our annual CC Africa Conference, followed by a week with our new friends Dave and Vicky Emmerson (who Lord willing will be moving here to serve with us) and a three day visit from Pastor Rob Dingman from CC Twickenham (U.K).

The CC Paarl Valley Team

The Lord has been both widening and deepening the church here in Paarl over the last couple of months. It's so exciting to see His hand moving in our community. We ask you all to keep us in prayer as there are many discouragments and hardships as well that we're experinecing...."Who is suffecient for these things?" The Lord is faithfull.

It doesnt' look like we'll be going home for a visit this year but we would ask you all to please pray for God's provision in that area or if you feel led to give finacially towards that...that would be great too. Going home is a critical part of the missionary's ministry and it's also good for some of our family members who have not seen us in 2 years. We're trusting the Lord for His provison and His timing too on that.

Misty and Michael and I are doing good, We're all healthy PTL and as a family we're really drawing closer to Jesus as we have become more and more aware that it is Him who is our provider and our reward. When the ministry is all about Him it is such a joy to "spend and be spent" for His work and His people where ever we are in the world.

We've added some pictures to share with you...

We had a great turnout for this years conference!

It's so great to see people from all over the world coming together to worship our King Jesus.

Karen (CCCapetown) and Anson (CCPaarl Valley) lead worship.

Our conference speakers this year...Rob Dingman, Scott Cunningham, Phil Pechonis, Brian Brodersen, Dave Guzik and demitri Nikiforos.

It was a blessing getting to know two of my favorite bible teachers (David guzik and Brian Brodersen)

Pastor Rob Dingman shares with two teenagers after church last week...he also gave a great message to the fellowship on Biblical meditation from Psalm 1.

We also had a great time getting to share a meal together and getting to know one another at our church picnic.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Blessings,
Mike & Misty

"I have many people in this city"

2008-09-16T12:28:00.076+02:00

"Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." (Acts 18:9-10)

I love this word that the Lord gave the Apostle Paul while he was experiencing many discouragements ministering there in Corinth. Corinth was arguably the most wicked city around at that time and Paul though seeing some fruit, was experiencing discouragement and even a desire to quit.

This is a very intriguing verse to me. I can almost hear Paul saying “Ok Lord you have many people in this city...that sounds great...but, where are they?” The point the Lord was making is “I have many people in this city that just aren’t saved yet, so don’t leave Paul". We see the election of God and the responsibility of man all in one passage. The Lord wanted Paul to know that He had a plan for the people in Corinth and He wanted Paul to begin to see the city the way that He saw it. The Lord would say...."Paul I want you to see this city through the right lenses, Through the eyes of faith".

If you're at all like me it gives you great comfort tho know that Paul needed to hear the Lord say "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you". Sometimes I tend to think of Paul as some kind of super saint who was never discouraged and always fruitful. Of course we know that he was a mere man, as we are mere men and women. The Apostle Paul was a man who was filled with the Holy Spirit and totally dependent on the Lord in all areas of his life, He learned to look at his life and ministry through the eyes of faith.

The Lord has been speaking to us at CC Paarl Valley and reminding us that He indeed does have a vision for this city as well. He has many people here in Paarl that will be saved and set free...so we shouldn't be discouraged and that "we will reap if we do not lose heart". We just need to be attentive to the people around us and looking for opportunities to share Jesus with them. That goes for us here on the mission field and for you too wherever God has you. Let's be men and women who are connected to our communities and who try to see people the way the Lord sees them. Often we can ignore lost people around us while Jesus would say..."they are sheep without a shepherd". Let's ask Him for "eyes of faith" that we might see the people in our own communities, families and work places through His eyes.

The Lord has been opening so many doors here for us, both to preach in schools and to just pour ourselves individually into people that are hurting and confused and needing to be loved. God is so good! The longer we are here the more we realize why God has brought us here in the first place. The word of God has lost it's place in many of the churches and false teaching is more common than you can imagine. This past Sunday a couple in the fellowship came up to me after the service and said that they had never heard a teaching like that on "the grace of God". Not that the message was particularly epic in any way....but for the first time ever to hear the biblical reality about the grace of God...they said..."I feel free"....It doesn't get any more rewarding than that for me. Legalism is the common thread weaved through most of the churches here...God's grace is like cold water to a dry and thirsty people. The whole counsel of God is what is going to change this community along with the power of the Holy Spirit working through it. Please keep praying for new opportunities for us to reach out to the people here.

Misty, Michael and I are doing well. Misty is making friends and the Lord is really using her with the women we get to minister to. Michael is going to pre-school and he will be in his first school play this month (will post pic's). We all feel great, and we're really looking forward to the upcoming CC Africa Conference next month....it's great to be around other servants doing what we're doing and being built up by the teaching and times of prayer.

We want to ask you to please keep the work that God is doing here in prayer, We are seeking His direction on a few different things right now...so we need His wisdom and discernment. We also would ask that you please prayerfully consider getting behind us financially as well, there are so many expenses needed in order for us to be here. The Lord has been faithful to meet all our needs and we know He will continue to be. The opportunity for you to give your support is one that needs to be prayed about for sure...Remember that the fruit of our ministry is to your spiritual Bank account too...Phil 4:17 "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account". If you should desire to support us and the work here in South Africa, you will find our support info. on the right hand column of our blog. Thanks you for your heart to see the gospel go forward here in South Africa.

Many Blessings to you all and please send us an e-mail as you feel led.

In His love, Mike, Misty and Michael

People pay good money to make their hair look like this

Michael and his best friend Emme

Anson leading worship at a local school

The Beautiful Paarl valley

The birds are chirping....Spring is just around the corner

2008-08-14T14:43:00.006+02:00

Hello friends and family,

We are hearing the sounds of Spring and the sun is warming us up again. It has been a cold winter here but it almost over.

This past month has been filled with great opportunities for us to preach the gospel to young people. We were given a high school assembly one Friday morning and then another primary school assembly that following Monday.

God moved in a wonderful way as He always does when His gospel is preached. Hundreds of young people made professions to faith in Jesus Christ...We feel very privileged to have been able to participate as instruments of God in their lives.

Just last night we had our first mid-week bible study at the church, We're going through the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. Last night we covered Genesis ch.1 & 2...It was great, Everyone is very excited about heading through the bible from front to back. Please pray that the Lord will use this service as a way to bring people in to check out what we're about at Calvary Chapel. Everyone knows about Calvary in the States but here it's totally new, so most people wonder what we're all about.

We would ask that you who read our updates please... pray, pray, pray for this work here in Paarl...I know that many of you do pray for us and we feel and appreciate it greatly. The ground in very hard here as far as church planting goes. We are convinced that prayer is the key to seeing the Lord break through in this community through His Spirit working through His word.

The Lord has given me this scripture and I want to share it with you.

"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."(James 5:7-8)

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

In His Love,
The Portland's

"The strength of my heart and my portion forever"

2008-07-07T10:25:00.027+02:00

"Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
(Ps 73:25-26)

I must confess that these verses pierce me in my deepest parts. The psalmist here had come to a place in his experience with God where he could truly say "there is none upon the earth that I desire besides you". I suppose that if he had not truly been there in his heart the Holy Spirit would not have seen fit to allow these statements in the Holy Scriptures. So, these being the true cries of this man's heart I find myself feeling miserably shallow in my walk with God. Something terrifying that I've discovered about my self is that; as much as I love the Lord and am grateful to the Lord for all He's done; for me and in me and all that He will do, I still find myself at times being a man who is desiring the blessings and power of God more than God Himself.

Maybe you can relate to my experiences; things aren't going the way you'd hoped they would be, or happening as quickly as you'd hoped they might and so you're feeling a bit blue for a season, until suddenly there's a glimmer of hope, a sliver of light and you think 'could it be...are things really changing ?' You now find yourself a bit more upbeat, you've got a new pep in your step, things are really seeming to be looking better. There's a renewed sense of the presence of God in your life because after all...things are really happening!...Then...Bam!, wait a minute what happened? What changed? You're no longer seeing what you saw before, maybe things have even gotten worse, and there you are again feeling just as you did before (despite what you know Theologically) you're wondering in some way...'has the Lord left me?' The answer is obviously... NO!...He hasn't.

I am discovering something in my own walk with the Lord that has given me fresh perspective, and a deeper sense of purpose in life and I hope it blesses you as much as it is blessing me.
It is so easy to let our experiences fool us into sensing a nearness or (in contrast) a distance with the Lord. Our experiences do not dictate our nearness to the Lord. When I speak of "nearness to the Lord" I'm not speaking about from God's perspective, for He is always near us. I am talking about from our perspective as people. As you read the entirety of Psalm 73 you find a man who had a problem of seeing blessings and power given to ungodly men and he made the mistake of equating; what God gives and the presence of God Himself. it's a mistake to make experience; whether blessings or tribulations the litmus test to the presence of God in our lives. He is with us through it all no matter what.

This is the key for me; the point of the Christian life is just to know Him. It's the pinnacle of our Christian walk. When I'm truly thirsting for God, not God as an idea or as a source of blessing, but the living God Himself through Christ....My life is truly as purposeful and spiritual as it will ever be. To come to the place of saying truly that..."God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" not experience or achievement but just..Him. Anything short of that is to I believe misunderstand the point of the Christian life....I'm not totally there yet, however my heart is longing to be and I am confident that I will be one day. Though at times I feel that..."my heart condemns me, God is greater than my heart"(1 John 3:20). The Apsotle's Paul and John had come to that place of desiring only Him and Him alone...nothing less, nothing more. It's my prayer that I too will be able to say with absolute honesty... "I desire nothing more but to know Him". Let's make that our prayer....Lord, I want to say like the Psalmist... "You are my portion forever "and that's enough for me! Thank you for taking time to let me share with you whats on my heart.

Blessings to you.

Ps: Here's the Pic's we promised.

Calvary Chapel Men's & Women's conferences.

Farm Children ministry

Love, The Portland's

Becoming part of the community

2008-05-21T14:14:00.005+02:00

Hello friends, family, and co-laborers in Christ,
Time seems to be flying by this year, we can't believe that the year is just about half over already. The last couple of months have been a really busy time. From a team from CCT stopping through for a few days on their way to Malawi for a pastor's conference to visits from family for both us and the Sexton's....We've been busy with guests and it's not over yet, my mom will be coming over in a few weeks for about a month. It's so great to share the work that the Lord is doing here in Paarl with friends and family, it paints a clearer picture for them when we talk to them about what we're doing from day to day.

Thank you for praying for the CCT Malawi trip...from what I hear; the Lord did incredible things over there and I have no doubt that prayer was the key to the success.

We have been experiencing slow but consistent growth in our Sunday morning services, almost every week at least one new person has shown up to check us out (some have come back, some haven't) . The new venue God gave us is in a great spot to be seen by people driving by on Sunday mornings so that's a good thing. It is exciting as a church to become more and more a part of the community and not thought of as a cult or some weird sect. The most exciting thing is to hear people tell us that they have been looking for a church that just teaches the bible..nothing less, nothing more. It's wonderful confirmation when people come up to me after the service and say that there is such a need for simple bible teaching churches in South Africa....After all; thats what the Lord spoke to us before we ever came here in the first place.

Please keep our small and precious flock in your prayers as these first years are so crucial for laying a solid foundation for this work, a foundation of doctrine, fellowship, and prayer. The enemy hates any work built on Christ and we are seeing that reality more and more all the time. We do sense and feel your prayers as great things are happening not only in the church but also within the many ministries we do during the week.

Please keep the Sexton family in your prayers; they are an incredible blessing to us in the ministry, besides church stuff...they are busy with various children's ministries both on the farms and in Mbekweni through the week. Please pray for our upcoming Calvary Chapel Men's conference that we will be hosting this coming Saturday morning (24th). I am excited about the opportunity for men of God to get together and spend time in teaching and prayer for our communities and families.

We will post some more pictures soon, we just wanted to get this newsletter out to you all as soon as possible so you can be aware of what's been going on.

Thank you for your prayers and support...Misty and I are doing great, just learning how to be parents and Spirit-filled spouses and hopefully an example of God's amazing grace and patience. We love you all so much and we love getting e-mails from you..so please write.

Blessings in Christ,
The Portland's

Our New Place of Worship

2008-04-06T16:45:00.007+02:00

There has been so much happening in the last month or so. We are so thankful to all of you for faithfully praying as we were looking for a new venue to meet in permanently. The Lord has truly blessed us with a great little church building, It's right off of the Main road here in Paarl. I have attached some pictures so you can see for yourself. This building is actually the 4th oldest church building in all of South Africa and it was originally built as a "slave church" during the apartheid years. Isn't it awesome how the Lord can take a place that was used primarily for separation and segregation and use it to unite and to build up the body of Christ "Jesus having broken down the wall of separation that existed" (Eph.2:14).

We had a great Resurrection day service. We hope you too were able to really just focus on Him and give Him thanks for all He's done. Besides church, We are busy during the week with the bible studies we do each week with the "Dream Team" and also with farm ministry. I had the privilege of speaking at a local Baptist church here in the community last Tuesday...It was a real blessing and the Lord really touched some people that night.

Please keep our community in prayer; there is just so many people here that need Jesus and we want to be faithfully leading people to Him. There is so much ministry here and so many people to be reached...yet, so few workers. Pray the Lord of the harvest that He might send some laborers into the field.

We have a very busy winter coming up...first a team from our home church (Calvary Chapel Tustin) is stopping by for a few days on their way to Malawi for a pastor's conference and to do a few outreaches (please keep those in prayer). Then...my dad is coming out in May for a couple of weeks..it will be his first time here and we're very excited about that. Then...in June my mom is coming out for a whole month...we can't wait.

Thank you for you prayers and for your financial support...We are truly seeing God touch and change lives through the ministry that He has entrusted to us. May the Lord bless you all. Misty, Michael and I miss so many of you. Please e-mail us when you get a chance. Until next time.

Blessings,
The Portland's

The exciting life of faith

2008-03-02T19:33:00.012+02:00

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."Heb 11:8

Isn't it interesting how the Lord calls us often times to do things and go places that don't always make a lot of sense to our natural thinking. I've just been so amazed lately with the sovereignty and providence of God. Sometimes we are so sure that God is going to do something a certain way in our lives only to find out that He is doing something totally different than what we expected. We know that about the Lord...He is sovereign and He does things His way and in His time. Yet, if you are at all like me; even though you know that about the Lord you still find yourself trying figure things out or trying to put a label on what God is doing. Abraham by faith obeyed God and went out, not knowing where he was going. Isn't that what the life of faith is all about ? Just going because God has said to go...Not trying to figure it all out or label this thing or that thing...Just going and seeing what God will do. That's what Misty and I are beginning to discover. Don't analyze...don't label...don't try to figure it all out....Just go and see what God will do. That's an exciting life if you ask me! That's the life God has called us all to live...a life of faith and trust demonstrated in obedience to Him.

Misty, Michael and I are doing well. We are all healthy (PTL) and enjoying life and ministry during this season. We have recently had a few changes with our venue situation, we are in between venues at the moment. We are using temporarily a facility offered to us by Miqlat ministries who have been joining us for church and ministry as of last month. Please keep this matter in prayer as we have our eyes on another facility here in Paarl that we are waiting to hear from the Lord on.

We just had a wonderful time with Pastor Dave and Loren from CCT who were here for a few days visiting us on their way home from Malawi where CCT will be hosting a Pastor's conference this April....It was great to see them! Thanks to all who supplied them with goodies for us...It's amazing how good a Reeses peanut butter cup tastes after a year of not having one.

We are anticipating a very busy year with all the ministry opportunities that are opening up here and also with the visitors coming from the U.S. in various months. God is so good and He is blessing our outreaches on the farms and in the township. Relationships are being made and being strengthened and people are being saved and being built up in their faith...Glory to God!

Please send us an e-mail if you get a chance to let us know how you are doing...We love you all and thank you for praying for us and the work that God wants to do here in S.A.

Blessings In Christ,
The Portland Family

Our First Year in South Africa

2008-02-05T17:47:00.002+02:00

Hello friends and family,
We are so amazed that we've been here a year already. Time has truly flown by so quickly and so much has happened in just a year. Michael just had his 3rd birthday today. We can't believe how big he is getting. I've attached a picture of him with his friends at the aquarium.

We've been so blessed here in South Africa this past year, the Lord truly has done so much more than we ever hoped or imagined. Misty and I would really like to thank you all so much for praying for us so faithfully and for supporting us financially and just being such encourager's to us in our calling here in S.A. We can honestly tell you that your prayers and support has produced much fruit in so many lives this past year including our own. That being said, we are convinced that the work here for us has really only just begun. There is a lot happening but there remains so much to be done.

The church has been started but it's in it's infant stage and needs much prayer and much care. We have begun Sunday morning services as of Jan 13 and the Lord is blessing. The youth outreaches and bible studies on the farms are going great. We have established some real meaningful relationships with many of the kids and now with a few parents as well. We have recently been asked again to preach at a school assembly here in Paarl at a different school than last time...so that's exciting (please pray Feb 11). The Lord has laid some cool and exciting things on our hearts for this new year that we are still praying about. Please pray that the Lord will show us how to reach this valley for Jesus and that He will open all the doors necessary to do so.
There are so many needs here and we really just want to know what God would have us put our hands to. Please pray that the Lord would show us what to continue with and what new things to step out into.

The Sexton family has found a house here in Paarl and they will be moving out this month. We are asking the Lord for a small bus or a van to pick people up for church on Sunday,
transportation is a huge obstacle here for the farm workers to get to church. We know the Lord will provide as He always does. The Sexton's need a vehicle too so a van or a bus would be a great thing for them too. Please keep that in prayer as well.

Misty and I would like to ask you to keep praying about continuing on with supporting us and this work financially. Though it is our desire to one day see the ministry here be self-supported...It's no where near there at this point. We really appreciate your commitment to pray for us and support us and the ministry here. Our sending church Calvary Chapel Tustin has been such a support and blessing to us.

We love you and miss you all very much....Please e-mail us to let us know how you are doing...we love it.

May the Lord bless you richly,
The Portland's

Happy New Year

2008-01-04T10:15:00.000+02:00

It's interesting how the reality of passing years has such a drastically different effect on people depending on whether or not they know the Lord personally. Most people you ask are of the opinion that the years are going by too quickly..."10-20 years ago now those were the good ole days" they might say. A lot of people are living their lives looking back on what once was or what could have been. A lot of people see the future as nothing more than the certainty of old age and then death. For the child of God however there is a real sense of excitement and anticipation for the future because even though we are all getting older and will eventually leave these fleshly bodies behind....we see the future not as merely a time of old age and death but as the threshold to everlasting life.
I thank the Lord for that...He not only has given us a way to be saved in Jesus...but He has given us an inheritance in heaven that is incorruptible (1Peter 1:4). Also, the bible tells us that the Lord has put eternity in the hearts of His people (Ecc 3:11) and I can..to be quite honest with you truly testify to that fact...I'm really looking forward to spending all of eternity with Him in heaven. Just think about it....is there anything that this world can offer us that can even come close to the hope and the future that he has promised His children (those who have trusted in His Son)....No way!
Lets be encouraged to have the attitude of the Apostle Paul to not look back or live in the past but to press on with Jesus looking forward to new ways to serve Him and new opportunities to share Him with people.
Those of us who have trusted in Jesus for salvation...the future is good!...very good!
(Psalm 34:8)"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"
Amen!

A Few Updates:
Thank you so much for praying so fervently, The Lord has opened up a venue for us to meet in. It's a conference room on a guest farm here right off of main Rd. we're so thankful to the Lord and also to Lowie and Lana who own the farm and have agreed to let us meet there. Please pray for us as we will be moving to Sunday mornings as of the 13th of January. Pray that the Lord will give us favor in the community and also that we will be able to work out transportation issues in order for the farm workers to be able to come. Also, we will be getting involved with the "dream team" in February...please pray for direction and vision in how we might work with them to reach this community. Our two families are doing well..we are all healthy and the kids are getting bigger each day it seems, it's incredibly hot here now 90-100 degrees HOT. Pray for some cooler weather too if you would.

Thank you all so much for you prayers and support...we love you all and look forward to hearing from you by e-mail.
ccpaarloutreach@yahoo.com

Happy New Year and God Bless you...The Portlands

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"

2007-12-05T14:07:00.000+02:00

Wow...Christmas time already. Misty and I can't believe that we're going on a year over here already. It's been a great adventure with Jesus so far and we're really excited to see what's around the next corner and in 2008. Next week we start our first VBS for the children of the three farms we get to minister on. We are excited to see what the Lord will do with these three days of ministry to about 100 children and their parents. Please pray for this event...that the Lord would do a fresh work on these farms with these people and for the souls of the children who aren't saved and their parents. Also pray for all who are involved with serving and set up/clean up etc. We would love to see the parents get involved but we do realize that therein lies one of the biggest reasons why these children grow up the way they do. There is a real and noticeable lack of hope on these farms and it's our prayer that we will be able to just give them above all things tangible a clear understanding of the love of Christ and the hope of heaven.

We are currently looking for a venue to meet in that would accommodate the people who are coming to the bible study on Sunday nights...please keep that in prayer. The Lord is really blessing and it's been one of those things where we really just don't know whats going to happen next, Up to this point nothing has gone the way we've expected it to..praise the Lord. Whatever He wants is what we want too and sometimes He fills us in and other times He doesn't but no matter what He is good and He is faithful and He is love. We are just continuing to look to Him and trust in Him and know that He who has began a good work will be faithful to complete it.

We had a unique opportunity last week to connect with a ministry here in Paarl called Miqulat ministries and more specifically with a group of young people called "the Dream Team". They are an awesome group of Christians in their late teens early twenties who have come from some of the worst conditions in South Africa. They have been rescued literally by this woman Hester who oversees the ministry who herself is a wonderful woman of God, and these young people have been radically transformed by the grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit working through this ministry. Please pray for the Dream Team and specifically how the Lord might want us to be involved with them in the coming year.

Misty, Michael and I miss you all very much and we pray that you have a great Christmas and a blessed new year. Feel free to send us an email as you get a chance just to say hello.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
The Portlands

Walking through the doors God opens

2007-11-01T09:09:00.000+02:00

Thanks for stopping by. This past month here in Paarl has been very exciting. About two weeks ago we were asked to come to a primary school (elementary/Jr. high) in the area by the principal of the school to meet with him. He had heard about the youth outreach that we have been doing on two local wine farms here in Paarl and he wanted to talk to us about coming and maybe doing something for the school. Anson and I went to meet with him and he asked what exactly it is that we do and we just told him that we have a time of worship and then bible study. To make a long story short...he invited us to come and do an outreach for the entire school (about 1200 students). The outreach went really well, Anson did a great job making the time of worship fun for the kids and I just went out there and gave them the gospel in as simple terms as I could and then gave an invitation which is pretty much unheard of here. Only the Lord knows how many kids really gave their hearts to Jesus but at least 800 hands went up when I gave them an invitation PTL.

The farm outreach on both the farms are going great as well. Please keep these kids in prayer as we have just recently found out that the two farms that we minister on are the two worst farms as far as crime goes in the whole valley...God knows where He wants us to be.

Our Sunday night bible study is going great as well, the Lord is really blessing. New people have been coming every week for the last few weeks so PTL for that. Please keep this in prayer and also that the Lord would open up a venue for us to meet in as we are outgrowing our living room quickly.

Our two creche containers were set on Saturday in the local township (Mbekweni) and we're looking forward to the opportunities to minister there that will be coming up soon.

Please pray for me as I have been asked to teach at Calvary Chapel Kommetjie this Sunday. Also please remember the Sexton family in your prayers they are a great blessing to us and the Lord is really using them as they are leading these farm outreaches each week. Pray that the Lord would provide for them a permanent place to live and also for a vehicle. Please pray also for unity within our home and ministry and that the Lord would send more laborers to come help us in this work.

Thank you for you're prayers and support....we miss you all so much and we love to get E-Mails so please write us when you get a chance.

Blessings, Mike, Misty, and Michael

Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying..."This is the way, walk in it".(Isaiah 30:21)

2007-10-01T20:12:00.000+02:00

Dearest friends and family we have just had a great month here in Paarl. As I mentioned last month a team from our home church in the U.S. (Calvary Chapel Tustin) came to minister with us here for two weeks and it was a blessed two weeks. Most of the time we spent doing ministry with the children in the townships and at an HIV/AIDS home for children here in Paarl. Our team brought the CCT puppets along to assist in ministering to the kids and the kids loved every minute of it. It was a great opportunity to serve the children in a tangible way and also to communicate the gospel in a way that they would understand.

We also just got back from the annual Calvary Chapel Africa Pastors/Leaders Conference it was an awesome and refreshing and encouraging time. We were able to meet many other Pastors here doing the same thing we are and that's always an encouragement to know that you're not the only one out there plowing fallow ground. I have posted a photo from the conference.

The Lord never ceases to amaze me in the way He chooses to accomplish His will in our lives. He has opened a door for us here in Paarl that I never expected or even desired (honestly) to see opened, but we cannot deny that its the Lord who has opened it. We have two families who are consistently coming to the fellowship on Sunday nights and they are both very active and passionate about ministering to the farm workers throughout the Paarl valley. The farm workers here are of the colored race (which is what they call themselves) and for many years here in South Africa they had been paid by the farm owners in bottles of wine instead of money, which obviously has lead to a huge alcohol epidemic among their people. Thank God that had stopped some time ago however the alcoholism has not stopped. Alcoholism and poverty has stricken these people for many generations and the need for God's transforming power and His message of hope in Jesus Christ is needed so desperately. These two families in our fellowship have introduced us to a huge scope of ministry here in Paarl that I never really knew existed. So we are praying and seeking counsel on how we're to be playing a role in this great need. Please pray for these people and for God's wisdom to be given to us in order that we can make the greatest impact for Christ.

Our Sunday night fellowship is going great. Please keep praying for God's direction and blessing as we move forward into His plan for the Paarl Valley.
Misty, Michael and I miss so many of you and talk of you often. We would love to hear from you through e-mail so please keep in touch.

The needs here in South Africa are so great and we really feel that the Lord has placed us here for such a time as this. Please consider joining our support team by committing to praying for us and the church plant and most importantly the salvation of souls here in Paarl. Also by supporting us financially as there are many expenses for us to live here. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this work that the Lord is doing here in S.A. Please know that your support thus far has already produced much fruit in many individuals lives including ours....and that fruit is to you're account as well.

All donations are tax deductible and sent to us through our sending church

Calvary Chapel Tustin
330 w. Sixth st.
Tustin, Ca 92780

write in memo: Portland/South Africa

Thank you for prayerfully considering how you might join in on what God is doing here in South Africa.

God's Blessings to you all.

Serving Him in South Africa,
The Portlands ''\-

Jesus said..."I will build My church , and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."(Matt 16:18-19)

2007-09-02T07:53:00.000+02:00

Greetings to you from Paarl. August has been a very exciting month here in Paarl. The Sexton family arrived on the 6th and have been staying with us while they get settled a bit. It has been a blessing having them here with us, please remember them as well in your prayers. They are currently needing a place of their own and a vehicle and many other things to make a home here for themselves.

We are very excited to tell you that we have begun a bible study in our home and it's going great, I have added some pictures from our first study. Please pray for the people of Paarl that the Lord would just pour out His spirit on this valley and bring many lost souls to Him. We had an outreach last Saturday in a local park here and were able to lead two young men to Jesus...Praise the Lord! We have been going out daily meeting and talking with people here in the community seeking the Lord's direction in how He might want to reach this valley.

For those of you who might not know about the creche ministry we're involved in, a creche is basically a day care center or more literally a day care home. We're involved with a ministry here that converts large shipping cargo containers and turns them into creches. The current conditions of many of the creches in the townships are horrible with unsafe conditions and insufficient facilities for the children. Our home church (Calvary Chapel Tustin) has purchased two containers and converted them into beautiful, practical and safe places for the children to be cared for and taught the ways of the Lord. The two containers just arrived this month and we look forward to getting our feet in the door to minister to the Xhosa people in a practical way. Please pray that the Lord would direct our efforts to reach these people.

A team from CCT is arriving in a few days and will be here ministering with us for a couple of weeks. Please pray for the team as they are here to serve and hopefully to catch the vision for what God is doing here in Paarl and South Africa and bring it back to the congregation in the U.S. Our pastor has a real passion for this country so please pray that his passion would spread to the congregation at home.

Perhaps more than ever Misty and I are asking you to pray for this church plant. It's a crucial time as we are forming relationships with people that will hopefully last a long time. We need your prayers and support and appreciate it greatly. Also we would like to make the opportunity available to you to join our support team by committing to praying and financially supporting us. As always any amount of financial support and for any amount of time is greatly appreciated. There are many expenses to live here and we do not have the option to work while we're here, so your support is needed.

All donations are tax deductible and sent to us through or sending church

Calvary Chapel Tustin
330 w. Sixth st.
Tustin, Ca 92780

write in memo: Portland/South Africa

Thank you for prayerfully considering how you might join in on what God is doing here in South Africa.

God's Blessings to you all.

Serving Him in South Africa,
The Portlands

Prayer requests and updates

2007-08-01T19:33:00.001+02:00

Well July is over and we are looking forward to an exciting month here in Paarl. We just said goodbye to my mom after a wonderful three weeks with her, It was hard to see her leave but we had a great visit. In less than a week from now the Sexton family will be arriving here in S.A. to work along side of us here in Paarl so please remember them in your prayers. We are very excited to have them here with us and are looking forward to their help in getting things going.

Also please be in prayer as we have decided to open up our home for a weekly bible study. We are still looking for a venue but in the mean time we'll be having church in our home. Please pray that God would bless the study and that He would bring people who need to hear about the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are excited to be having a team from our home church (Calvary Chapel Tustin) come over in September to serve along side of us and see what God is doing here in South Africa. Please pray for our pastor Barry Stagner and his wife Teri as they will be speaking at the annual Calvary Chapel Africa conference in Simons town, S.A.

We are happy to tell you all that some of our personal belongings that were shipped from California have arrived here safely so its beginning to feel a bit like home. The rest of our things should be here later this month.

We have a pre-conference prayer ralley with the local Calvary Chapels next week please pray for me as I have been asked to speak there. Pray that God would speak through me and that His Son would be lifted up.

It does feel like time is going by quickly and God is doing some really great and exciting things here. Please as you're praying for Paarl and the people here and for our family ...consider joining our support team by committing to pray for us and if possible supporting us financially while we're here....Any amount is great and for any amount of time is great too.

As always all contributions are tax deductible and to sent to us through our sending church.

Calvary Chapel Tustin
330 w. Sixth st.
Tustin, Ca 92780

write: "Portland South Africa" in the memo.

Thank you for your prayers and support,
The Portland family

A foundation of prayer

2007-07-03T15:57:00.000+02:00

"What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use -- men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men -- men of prayer." (E.M. Bounds)

The Lord has been reminding me through different means such as this quote from E.M. Bounds and through some other real life experiences the absolute necessity of prayer. Its one of those things that you know but for some reason or another tend to fail to give the attention its due. Thankfully the Lord is gracious and patient with us and gives us little reminders that He is wanting and waiting for His children to come to Him in prayer.

We are currently laying a foundation here in Paarl for the work that He wants to do here by building relationships with the people here and praying continually for them and for the whole valley. We have met many people some not so welcoming and others very welcoming. This is a very interesting and challenging place for a young American couple coming from our backgrounds to live and plant a church, but I am convinced that as much as this church plant is for the people of Paarl that God is equally if not more at this time using it for the molding and shaping of Misty and I. It's kind of hard to explain but anyway we are very excited at what is already happening here and we would ask you to if possible "turn up" the prayer for us now, it's a crucial time as we're looking for a venue to start a weekly bible study and we want to be right where God wants us to be and be there when He wants us to be there. So please pray.

My mom is coming next week for about three weeks so we're very excited to see her. Please pray that her visit would be blessed and for her travels. Also please pray for the Sexton family as they are gearing up to move over hopefully by August. Please pray for the outreach we have planned here in a local park, that the permit for us to meet would be granted to us. Please pray for the team from CC Tustin that will be here in September for the CC Africa Conference and for Barry our pastor and his wife Teri who will be speaking there. Please pray for CC Capetown and for Demitri and Karen that God will continue to bless them in all they do, and for CC Kommetjie and for Julian and Monica as well.

Misty and I thank you who are supporting us and this work financially. We do have many needs here and many expenses that need to be met every month, Please consider making a monthly commitment to supporting us while we're here in S.A. Of course prayer is our greatest need so either way please pray.

All contributions are tax deductible and should be sent to us through our sending church Calvary Chapel Tustin. Please write "Portland South Africa" in the memo.

Calvary Chapel Tustin
330 w. Sixth st.
Tustin, Ca 92780

We love you all and love hearing from you so please send us an e-mail when you have a chance.

ccpaarloutreach@yahoo.com

Blessings to you,
Mike, Misty and Michael

Entering the promised land

2007-05-29T20:12:00.000+02:00

Joshua commanded the leaders of the tribes saying...
"Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.'"

Misty and I are very excited this week as we have finally entered "the land" (Paarl). Thank you all so much for praying that we would find a place to live. The Lord has blessed us with a 3 bedroom townhouse right near the center of town. Misty, and I are already sensing as though we're walking into a prepared work. We wake up everyday and pray that the Lord would lead us and introduce us to whoever He wants us to meet and He has been so faithful to do that. We have met several people here in Paarl who have expressed interest in attending the church once it gets going. We are praying and keeping our eyes open for a venue to open up, so please pray about that.

We thank you all so much for praying for us and supporting us financially as well. We would ask you to continue to pray about how the Lord would use you and your resources to further this work here in Paarl. We moved into our new home last week and we need furniture and many household items, Your support would be very appreciated. Of course above all else please pray for the lost here in Paarl and for the servants here serving Him faithfully.

We will post pictures soon....We love you all so much and would encourage you all to pray into a short term trip here in S.A. sometime.

Serving Him in South Africa,
Mike, Misty, and Michael

"Then you will know that I am the LORD, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me" (Isaiah 49:23)

2007-04-10T13:33:00.000+02:00

First of all...Misty and I hope you had a wonderful Resurrection weekend. We had a great Easter here in S.A. Truly we worship the One who conquered death! We missed our family and CCT family, but the Lord gave us the grace we needed to not focus on that and just rejoice in our risen Lord. We would ask you all to please pray for a place for us to live in Paarl, We had a house open up to us at one point in Wellington (small town near Paarl) then it fell through. That was actually just the conformation we needed that the Lord wants us living in Paarl.
The Lord has really led us recently into a season of prayer and waiting upon Him. We have been driving out to Paarl several times a week just to hang out with and meet whoever He wants us to meet, and we just drive up to Paarl rock (a huge rock/mountain above the town) and spend time praying over the city and for the people. Misty and I are convinced that revival is coming again to this valley and thus is going to spread throughout the country. All of us Calvary guys here in S.A. are quite certain it's coming and many other churches here are convinced as well. There was a time a few generations ago when a man named Andrew Murray was raised up here in this valley as a leader and Pastor in the midst of a great revival and we believe that another day of grace is coming to the country of South Africa. The Lord gave me a verse it's Isaiah 49:23 it says "Then you will know that I am the LORD, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me" the Lord showed me that the best thing I can be doing now is to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY and wait upon Him to unveil His awesome plan and I don't have to stress or strive because "they shall not be ashamed who wait for Him". It's God's way in God's time that we desire. Much is happening here in the city of Capetown, the bible study we're doing on Wednesdays at the shelter is being blessed greatly, and the body here at CCCapetown is doing much to reach this city for Jesus. Pastor Demitri and his wife Karen have become great friends and encourager's to us, Please pray for them for wisdom and that the Lord would just bless them as they are currently needing a permanent church building and also searching for a building to start a CCbible college ext. campus. This area is so ripe for souls right now, People are getting saved every week. However the reality is that most people here still have not yet been born again or are not walking with the Lord as they should be. Please pray that Misty and I would remain faithful and flexible as there is still so much work to be done.

We would also ask that you would please be in prayer about how the Lord might want to use you and your support to further this work here in South Africa. There are many expenses for us to be able to live here, driving, housing etc. We know that the Lord will provide all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus, and He just might want to use you in doing so. Thank you most of all for praying for us (Nothing is more important and effective than that) and Thank you all who have or currently are supporting us while we serve here in SA.

We miss you all and pray for you often. Misty and I have added some pictures so you don't just have to imagine whats happening.

God Bless You all,
The Portlands

Michael after a hard day of ministry

Andrew Murray Center (Wellington)
Woodstock shelter bible study

Calvary Chapel Capetown Baptism service

It's so hard to find a good mechanic !

You never know who might show up at the door.

Matie, Karen, Misty, Sandrine, Engela

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness....they shall be filled"

2007-03-09T10:00:00.000+02:00

The Lord has been opening my eyes recently to a new understanding of what it truly means to hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness. This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to share the Word at a shelter here in Cape Town called "The Haven" it is run by a brother who attends the fellowship here in Cape Town, a really dear brother named Richard. Pastor Demetri asked me if I would start a bible study there and just sort of see what the Lord does. I went on a Wednesday, it is a very interesting place, a home full of people who have just been beat up in life by the enemy, at the beginning of the service there were trouble makers, a loud skeptic, and a guy who smelled like he just crawled out of a bottle of booze. I was a bit nervous, just praying that the Lord would make me to be understood and effective. I had planned sort of a bible study type thing out of the Beatitudes, but I realized quickly that wasn't what the Lord wanted me to share. So I opened up by introducing myself and sharing a little bit of my testimony and then went to the scriptures and shared about the "Two roads" in Matthew 7. I really sensed the Lord was there and working in many of their hearts so I just kept going and speaking whatever the Lord gave me at that moment. At the end I gave an invitation for anyone who wanted to receive God's forgiveness and the free gift of His Son and many responded, I noticed the first to raise their hands were the ones I mentioned to you earlier who were the most distracting and irritating. There was this one woman who I believe God wanted me to notice who was very like mocking and skeptical, she was now in tears just weeping with her hand up in the air. The Lord was teaching me something (perhaps reminding me). That is the fact that God has not called me to do anything that my own ability is sufficient to do, you see....I had spent many hours wavering back and forth on what I should teach on and what I should say to these people and to be honest with you I really felt by the time we got there that I had nothing to share and I should probably let someone else do this study. I know what it is to prepare for and teach a bible study, but the Lord was showing me like never before that whether I am prepared or not...He is still God! and He wants to reach those who are lost more than He wants me to feel well prepared and studied up and confident. I am realizing in a new way that people don't just need Jesus in their hearts...they want Jesus in their hearts. I think so often we can get caught up into thinking that we have this Christian message to give out and some want it and some don't. NO...I am finding that more people want Jesus than we think...though many don't know it's Him their seeking. That has given me a new look on evangelism to realize that as much as I might think I want people to get saved it doesn't compare to the longing heart of our Father to reach His own creation with the message of love in the gospel. What that means for me is that I never have to be fearful to follow His call and that I must preach Christ every time I can.

Thank You so much for your prayers...please keep praying, and those of you who are supporting this work financially as well. Thank you and know that God is moving here in South Africa and you are partakers of this fruit.

Also please pray that the Lord would open up a place for us to live in Paarl or nearby, please pray that we would be able to pick up the language here (not necessary to preach, but definitely an open door for one on one ministry). Please pray for the people of South Africa and imparticularly in Paarl , that God would just pour out His spirit here and bring revival to this land. Please pray for the Sexton family as they are preparing to come over in May of this year.

(Table Mountain)

Again, Thank you all who are supporting us, and may the Lord continue to bless these resources for His glory.

(Calvary Chapel Cape Town)

Here's a few pic's and we love to hear from you guys so e-mail us...mmportland @sbcglobal.net

(Michael at Milnerton Beach)

Serving Him in South Africa,

The Portland's

Just getting settled

2007-02-18T21:40:00.000+02:00

Wow...we're here. After more than a year of anticipating and praying we've finally arrived in Capetown. It's hard to describe all that we're feeling right now, a bit of culture shock and home sickness all rolled together with of course lots of excitement about all that the Lord has for South Africa. Misty and I are so blessed. The Lord has provided for us a vehicle already and many connections have already begun in regards to connecting us to the Paarl valley. Calvary Chapel Capetown has been such a huge blessing to us. We felt so welcomed immediately, people have been saying to us when we meet them that they have been praying for us for a long time and that they are very happy to see us.....it's so awesome to sense that connection we have with the body of Christ even though they live on the other side of the world. We serve a very big God! Thank you all so much for your prayers PLEASE don't stop praying...we need it and feel your prayers for us. Please pray for the church here in Capetown and for Pastor Demitri and his family that God would just continue to bless this fellowship here. Please pray for Misty and Michael and I especially that we would just get through this season of homesickness quickly. We love you all so much and have really come to a new appreciation for our friendships with each one of you. Pray for the church plant in Paarl and that we would see all the doors that God opens to us in reaching that city. Misty wanted me to let you know that we will be posting some pictures soon.

Serving Him in South Africa,
The Portlands

Preparing and being prepared

2007-01-10T20:17:00.000+02:00

Thanks for stopping by. Misty, Michael and I are making preparations to leave on February 5th of this year. As you can imagine there are so many things to do, yet we are confident that the Lord will work everything out in time for us to leave. As there are many things to prepare for, we are finding that in our preparations God is preparing us. The busyness, the emotional up's and downs as we consider our mission, it's all a part of His preparing us for the work He has before us. It has been our prayer and still is that the Lord would gives us more and more of a burden for the lost and he has been faithful to give it, the Lord is imparting to us His heart for the people of South Africa. Please pray that the Lord will continue to burden our hearts for souls even before we arrive. Please pray that as the Apostle Paul experinced in Ephesus so we also will be able to report to you that "A great and effective door has opened to me to preach the gospel". We thank each one of you who are praying for us and supporting the work financially. THANK YOU...GLORY TO GOD! Also keep in prayer the transition from the U.S. to S.A. there are going to be many hardships we anticipate, but God will see us through.

We Love you!

grace and peace,
Mike, Misty, and Michael