Phil Smith is one of the missionaries that will be speaking to us at the conference. Phil forwarded to us today an email from the Director of the prison ministry in South Africa. Read and think about Matt. 25:36 "... I was in prison and y0u came to visit me".

From Phil:
I thought that you might appreciate receiving a recent report about the Prison Ministry in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Below is a monthly update that the Director, Richard Gallant, sent to me yesterday. It talks about the work of the prison ministry, growth, challenges, and prayer requests. THANK YOU for your continual and faithful support of the prison ministry in South Africa!


From: Richard Gallant
Sent: 06 August 2008 05:25 AM
To: Phil Smith
Subject: monthly report

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus. The prison ministry is still continuing in the region. We went through a very rough time losing people that played an anchor role in the Eastern Cape. To have lost the writer of the T.E.E material was a personal setback to me. We hope tat God will raise another Ron Butler to complete the task he performed. We also lost Chaplain Sixaba a person we hoped that he would play a major role in the Eastern Cape since he would have been stationed at East London

ACTIVITIES
The last two month have seen me trying to get more co - workers to the programme. Brother Beja promised to assist me as from September. We have just finished our book and will be writing the final exam on the 15 August at Mdantsane.

At East London we have started with Freedom in God’s faith Community. The women prison want also the programme but it will only started in 2009.

Stuterheim doing well under the faithful leadership of Mpayipheli. We have a total of 25 students. We will write our final exam on the 14 August. We will introduce the new book Christian Life.

The work in Grahamstown are doing fine and I hope to visit them the first week in September. St. Albans are still continuing under the capable hands of Norman Erasmus. They will start the last book of the year on the 28 August.

Kirkwood is doing fine under the leadership of Maxwell. He invited me to come with him as soon as I will have some time. Graaff Reinet has a group of 15 Students that will be there for at least two years. They will do the book Talking with God.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT
The leadership of the Eastern Cape churches has promised their support to the programme but up to now no-one has done anything about it. Hope to speak to them at our workshop the 13 September.

OTHER MATTERS
The youth day activity of the Stutterheim Centre went well and to take the inmates out in the community is something that they really enjoy. Due to circumstances beyond my control their visit to the Mlungisi church was canceled, we are looking for a suitable date.

PRAYER REQUEST
Please be praying for our churches that they will support the ministry in the Eastern Cape
Pray for the supporting churches abroad for their continual support of the programme.
Pray for the volunteers brothers Mpayipheli and Nethi , their continued support is of importance to our programme in Grahamstown & Stutterheim
Pray for me and my family so that we can keep on doing the work that we do.

Thank you for your support

Yours in Christ Jesus

Richard M Gallant
EASTERN CAPE PRISON MINISTRY