?

13S?

VISION
Ron Elerick Family

Vol.8 No. 1

March 1982

BAPTISM AT ENTUMENl
"Hello, brother Ron.
I had some work to do here in town, so I wanted to come and talk with
you."
These words greeted me as I answered the knock on our door the first week in December.
I was glad to see Runga Reddy standing there.
We had been ministering to him for many weeks
at Entumeni. Runga was a Hindu married to Kathy, a young woman I baptized not too long ago.
As he sat
told me the

down in
words

the living room,

Runga

we had wanted to hear for

such a long'time: "I want to accept Christ."

Previous to this time,

I had spoken to Runga

and told him that giving his life to Christ
meant a complete commitment, and that meant
that Christ becomes the only object of wor
ship in our lives.
This meant that he would
have to give up the "god lamp" that he kept
in his house.

his wife
he could

After that discussion, he told

that although he believed in Christ

never give up his "god lamp" for

fear that some horrible disaster would befall

him or members

of his family.

We

continued

to teach, and share, and pray with Runga, and

now

the Lord

had convicted

him and

ready to give up the "god lamp"

he was

and all else

ih order to follow Jesus.

That evening at our fellowship meeting,

Runga brought his "god lamp". We prayed over
the lamp, asking God to bind any demonic
forces connected with it and then

Runga took

an axe and destroyed the brass lamp.

This
was a great testimony to all the other Hindus
at

Entumeni and

this witness.

Jesus

was honored

through

The following Lord's Day, Dec.

6th, we all went to the small lake behind the

sugar mill and witnessed Runga's immersion
into Christ Jesus.

This family is now united in Christ, and He

is the Head of this family.
Runga is new in
Christ and is still under temptation and

pressure from his friends at work and in the

community. Join us in praying for both Runga
and Kathy, that they will both continue to
grow in their faith and knowledge and under
standing of Jesus.

A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
Because our return to the C/,5.A. was delay

ed by two years in order to meet South Afri

can immigration qualifications for residency
permits, our Living Link Church, Eastern
Heights Christian Church in Ponca City, de
cided to fly my mother to South Africa to
visit us. She came for Christmas, which made
it extra special because the family had never
spent a Christmas with my mother, except for
Rhonda who was only 6 months old when we last
had Christmas at "grandma's house".

Our Living Link congregation, knowing we

needed clothing, sent my mother a love offer
ing of $1,500 to shop for us. All the cloth
ing was so badly needed. We were also thrill
ed over the instant-flavored oatmeal, spices,

candy and magazines from

candy canes

for the

America.

children.

Mom

had

Summer eyed

the candy canes and said "Grandma, I've never

had one of those". That night she had her
first, second and perhaps third candy cane.
Mom only had 2 1/2 weeks with us and some
times it's hard to believe that she was actu

ally with us. We squeezed every possible mo

ment out of each day we had together. The
Zulus and Indians called her

Granny and

ev

eryone adopted her. And why not? After all,

how many Grannys would get on a motorcycle
behind a teenagre boy and ride all over the
hills

around Entumeni after the services

Christmas

on

day, or throw knives into blue gum

trees with the local

sheriff and her

grand

daughters, or so easily show Christ's love to

people of other colors and cultures.
When
Mom was leaving, people came by the house to

say goodbye.

Some bringing gifts, many shed

ding tears.

We are now looking forward to Cindi's par

ents coming out to see us in June.
We know

the joy and

love will again

be the same and

we appreciate very much the love expressed by

our Living Link Church for making

possible for us. How truly blessed

this all
we have

been by our Heavenly Father.

The eldership feels CIndl should have the same oppor

tunity to see her parents. $4,000 will be needed. If

every supporting congregation and individual would
share In this, we would not need to take money from
our Service Link balance. Please help us in this I

P&i64mGl

^fuim Z4it44>me*U
"At

I f'izaZty iound Ja,u6 cu LoKd and Sav^oA, I wjoa

mcuuUdd uilth 3 cPUZdktn, 1 am going to dally M(W4. I iomd

tny^eZi seeking bzcame In my ma^fUage and In my dally ll^e I

could not cope, I woa a ialtuAc cw a ojI^c and motkoA and by

going to ma66 dalty I am hoping God ajould hont tkl6 all out
iofL me. I did not fueaJily have the flight type o^ ialXk; the
one that tkmt^ Je^ui aflth-youA ^alZ', It a}a& twthoji moKe
like, li God 6eef> me hwe dally and heaM me asking dally
iofL help, something ja&t might happen ^ofi the good, I nevefi
knew Jesus peftsonally at all. He was mofie like a stony ^Igufie that I knew about. Then one day at the despefiate point,

consldefUng all sofits o^ dfimtlc lines o^ action to be out

0^ my situation, I met axith a man who told me to go home and
fiead the Gospel o( John, believing that God wanted to help
me, I had fiead the Gospel oi John many times but this time
It came alive because I wanted an answeA to my pfwbleiJis and
this man said God has It ^ofL me In the pages o^ the Gospel
0^ John, (iJell, when I got to ChapteA 3, the answets wete
all thete. 'Vofi as many as believed on His name shall not
KATHY RUNGA and ELAINE BRITZ
peAlsh, but have everlasting ll^e,' knd-\JeAse 17 too, and
flight on down to the end o^ the chapter.. It Just changed
everything I Reared Into a new ll^e, I later
^ound a verse which sums up what I ijett In
Hebrews 2t14-l6
My circumstances did not
change, but I was changed, and later because.
I was different, what were great trials were
(10 longer trials*
I was so hungfiy f^or God's
Word, I just read the Bible thru and thru
an^ I ijound irom reading how Jesus got bap
tized that I should do the same, so I was

Immersed In a river,"
Elaine Britz
"while working with the Tongaat Sugar Mill,
I came to believe in the Living God.
I used

to worship

so called

other gods,

tradition carried down from

our forefathers,

While

used to tell

at work,

about the

mg friends

Lord Jesus,

I had

ft

as it's a
me

a daughter at

home named Lena who couldn't walk, and this

worried me a lot.
My friend invited me to a
meeting and I attended.
While at that meet

ing,

the pastor prayed for a woman and she

FREDDY PILLAY and FAMILY

had evil spirits in her. The spirits came out

of her and one of the spirits was one of my

gods which I used to worship. While praying for her, she testified that she is a demon and the
Lord Jesus is a Living God, 1 was moved deep in my heart. I asked the pastor to pray for my
daughter and she was healed.
My wife did not believe in Jesus so we used to have a lot of
problems. I left work at Tongaat and started work at Ntumeni,
A different brother came to
Ntumeni and lived with us and taught us for a time, but we were still not strong in our faith.
He left us and I went back into the world and problems started again.

I used to cry to the Lord to send someone that we may be saved.

ister, Brother Ron, After he came, we are drawing close to the Lord,
Thanks to the Lord Jesus. I will give Him all the praise and glory,
"My beloved brothers and sisters, the Lord has been so good .to me.

Lena, from being crippled. She was binded by. the so called gods which

my youngest daughter was born,

in Durban,

Sometime while praying,

The Lord has sent us a min

Our lives are

she was so sick, they transferred from Eshowe to the hospital

I used to find fault in my husband and nag him.

This led to lots -of problems but

the Lord opened my eyes to look at my faults since pastor Ron came.
there to comfort me from the Word of God, Praise the Lord, Amen,

Sister Cindi is always

Mrs. Lilly Pillay

ADDRESS

CORRECTION
REQUESTED

AFRIC
VISION
Field Address:

Ron and Cindi Elertck

P.O. Box 377

Eshowe, Zululand, 3815

Republic of South Africa

Forwarding Address
Zululand Christian Mission

c/o Eastern Heights Christian Church

Route 2Box 88

Ponca City, OK 74601

changed.

S. F. Pillay
He healed my daughter,
I used to worship. When

Mission Services
Box 177

Kempton, Indiana

46049

Nonprofit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE

PAI D
permit No. 32

AFRICA
VISION
Ron Elerick Family

Vol. 8 No. 2

June 1982

Opportunity Knocks
"Opportunity Knocks But Once" {or so we are told) and we who have faithfully supported the
Elericks over the years now have the opportunity to send

Grandpa and Grandma Bushnell

to see

the two new grandchildren for the first time and to renew ties with Rhonda, Susan and Wendy.
Bill and Phyllis Bushnell's daughter, Cindi, was God's special person who stepped in as a
wife, instant mother to Ron's three girls, and missionary to far-off Africa when Ron's wife.
Arlene, died.

Ron and Cindi have not taken a furlough

the 5 1/2 years they have been in Africa.
the two children born to them

and

Nathan,

have never

seen

there.

their

in
So

Family News

Summer

grand

Rhonda, Susan, and Wendy have all done very

parents.

well in

Since permanent residency can't be obtained

by the Elericks until the summer of 1983, the
Eldership at Eastern Heights Christian Church

new year. Rhonda has successfully passed all

her subjects and has been made class proctor.
Susan, who has just begun her first year In
High School, came third in her class when the
first grades came out.
Wendy is also doing
very well at school. We are very proud of the
girls and do want to thank all of you who
have prayed for them as they adjusted to the
school system here.
All of them are looking*

(their Living Link Support) felt strongly

that both sets of parents should be sent to
Africa.
So much so, that Eastern Heights
personally underwrote the expenditures of
sending Ron's mother, Polly Heaslip, in Dec.
of 1982.

Now you have the opportunity to share in

this family reunion.
Total cost round-trip
Tulsa to Durban, South Africa, is approxima
tely $4,000, of which $1,000 has been receiv
ed from churches and individuals.
By faith

forward

their first

to

term of school

attending

year

of

in this

American

school next year in Ponca City. Keep praying

for them, as we know that they will find many
differences at "home" too.

that you will respond, the tickets have been

purchased and departure date is June 17.
These funds must be replaced as we merely
"robbed Peter to pay Paul".

Perhaps your congregation, Sunday School

class, D.V.B.S., or you personally would feel
led to share in this act of love.
Send all
contributions to: Zululand Christian Mission,

Eastern Heights

Christian

Church, Route 2,

Box 88, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601.

MINISTRy AT ENTUMENI
The

ministry

at Entumeni continues,

Ron

teaches a men's class every Tuesday night and

Cindi teaches a women's Bible study every

Wednesday morning.
There is a Bible study
every Thursday evening and services are held

on Sunday,
Due to the fact that most of the
people at Entumeni are available for Bible
Studies and

worship

during the week,

plans

Wendy

Rhonda

Susan

Ron received official notification that he

will be able to apply for his permanent res

are to have worship services at Entumeni dur

idence permits in March .next year.

ing the week.

formation came with his passports and new six

This will

travel out into the bush

on

weekends.

reached.

This way,

leave

Ron free to

and the Zulu people

mo-re areas

can be

Most Zulu men have to work in

the

cities and are not home during the week, so

in this way we can reach both the folks at
Entumeni and the Zulus,

month extensions.

He will make

This in
application

in March and hopes to return to the U.S. be

fore school begins at the end of August in
order that the children can

enter the school

year at the beginning of term.

SUCCESSFUL MEETING AT INGWAUUMA

Ron recently made a trip up north to.hold a two-day meeting at Bro. Miyeni's kraal near
Ingwavuma. The meetings were held in the old one-roomed school house where Ron first preached
in June of 1973 when he was taken there by Floyd Stamm on his first trip to Africa.
About 150 people attended these meetings and several Christians from Swaziland came over the

border to share in the services. The preaching, singing

and praying lasted

throughout

the

night and ended mid-day on Sunday.

During the time spent at Ingwavuma, Ron was able to spend some fruitful time tea.ching the
men and sharing ideas with them about the work and ways to evangelize and reach out with the
Gospel in this area of Zululand.
Bro. Miyeni is to be contacting people in several areas and
arranging dates for Ron to meet with them and have meetings and classes there.
The leaders
gave Ron a unanimous vote of confidence and are eager to stand together in reaching out for
Christ in this area.

JOHN

CAIPHAS

JOHN

Went with me to In-gwavuma

From Ron
Many times

Christian brother from Swaziland

we fail, as people of God, to

-exerclse-the-power -God yives os-through pray

er.
If we are to succeed ip fulfilling the
visions God has given us regarding the ..wgrk

among the Zulu nation,

we

NEED

your active

and continual prayers. Pray that Christ will

take precedence over the growing feelings of
Black Nationalism,

Pray that

the

power of

Almighty God will overcome and replace the

power that Satan has in the people's lives
through witchcraft and tradition.
Pray that
a spirit of unity will grow among the Zulu
Christians,
Pray that the leadership
will
make Christ and His work the motivating force
behind

position

their actions

rather

than ideas . of

and power for self,.

conviction of sin.

Pray for the

Pray for victory.

for my physical health.

Pray

Pray for a real

vival among the Zulu people.

re

Don't forget to

pray every day. We need your combined prayers

Inflation has hit Africa even more

than the U.S. Petro is up 50/Litre.

Rent has skyrocketed. Other ex
penses have increased.
Ron plans increased activity in
the Zulu villages up north at the
Mozambique border which will

require increased petro funds.

Has your giving to this mission
increased proportionately with
inflation? The need is obvious. Ask

God if he would have you be a part

of the solution.

as we reach out for our Lord in Zululand,

AFRICA
VISION
Field Address:
Ron and Cindi Elerick
P.O. Box 377

Eshowe, Zululand, 3815

Republic of South Africa

Forwarding Address
Zululand Christian Mission

c/o Eastern Heights Christian Church

Route 2Box 88

Ponca City, OK 74601

ADDRESS
CORRECTION
REQUESTED

Sharlotte Ray
Mission Services Assn
Box 2427

Knoxville, TN

37901

Nonprofit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE

PAI D
permit No. 32

AFRICA
VISION
Ron Elerick Family

Vol.8 No. 3

September 1982

Zululand Reunion
Through the love

of a very loving God

and His people, Cindi's mother and father, Mr, & Mrs,

Bill Bushnell arrived in South Africa on the 20th of June, This was a very special time- for all

of us

and there were many tears shed at the airport, both on their arrival and departure. We
wish that all of you could have shared the joy and the love we were able to by being together
again after such a long time apart. The arrival of Cindi's parents at this particular time was
very special because they arrived on Ron & Cindi's sixth wedding anniversary, and the day be
fore Nathan's third birthday.
So it was very exciting for Nathan to have his grandfather and
grandmother with him to celebrate this very special day, even if he did say "grandma" when ask
ed who his favorite preacher was'.
Grandpa took the children on walks, fixed bikes, electric heaters, and preached. Grandma was
kept busy reading stories, holding grandchildren, visiting, etc. Every day was full and every

day was a blessing to us.

mother and father possible.

We just

thank God for

We just thank each one of you who helped make this time with Cindi's
It is very hard to express in words the joy it brought to

the chance we had

to hug

and be near

our loved ones again.

us all.

May God

richly bless you for the great joy we shared together here in Zululand,

HELP NEEDED
In just a year from now, Ron and Cindi will be able to visit
in your congregations and share first hand the victories of
Zululand and appeal to you for the extra finances needed
to continue and expand their outreach. But can we wait

that long? The work needs to be expanded NOW! Infla

tion has hit South Africa even more than it has America.

Ron now pays more for gasoline and more for rent than
he did just six months ago. The same "Service Link"
money we have been sending is now buying less. What
would YOU have us do? Shall we cut back on the work to

equal the funds, or shall we increase the funds to equal

the opportunities? It is in your hands. Basically the needs
are these:

1. We still need $2,660.00 to cover the cost of sending

Cindi's parents to visit. Would you please share an
extra offering for this?
2. The same money now buys less! Even more so in

Cindi & Parents

South Africa. Most churches are still giving the same

amount they did five years ago. Please ask your lead
ership to increase their commitment.

3. In less than a year, we must bring a family of 7 back to

the States; provide housing and expenses here and
cover the cost of reporting to the churches. We plan to
ask certain congregations to adopt a family member
and cover the plane ticket. We at Eastern Heights will
cover Ron's fare, another church could adopt Cindi
and five other congregations could each adopt a child.
Why don't you start a project like this now, so the
money could be in hand when needed!If $Uccess is to
be, we will need $ and U.

Send all contributions to Zululand Christian Mission, c/o

Eastern Heights Christian Church, Route 2, Box 88,
Ponca City, OK 74601.

Saying Goodbye

Prayer Requests

IVAN'S INDEPENDENCE DAY

Ivan Pillay, son of Freddie and Lilly Pillay
of Entiomeni, was taptized into Christ on July
U, 1982. Ivan is now free.
Free from satan
and free to honor Christ with his life.

Ivan

was "blessed by God with Christian parents.

This made it possible for Ivan to know about

Jesus

and to know

about

Christian living.

Many of Ivan^s friends at school

do not have

Christian families.
Most are Hindus. Pray
for Ivan that he will continue to grow in the
Lord and that his testimony will influence
his many friends so they too can experience
being free in Christ.

Quite some time ago, I asked you to pray

for a friend of mine who lives in Durban by
the name of John Hall. I asked that you would
pray for his salvation.

Well,

John has now

come to the realization that he must make the

decision of his life.

He has

not yet

been

baptized, but we expect that he will make his

decision to accept Christ very soon now.

Thank you

for your

prayers

for John,

they

have changed his whole life. Please continue

to pray for him as he completely commits his
life to Christ,

Please pray for the salvation of:

Martin Britz

Mr. Phil Griffiths

Mr. Pole

Derek Engelbrecht

TMC CHILDREN
The weathez is warming up in Zululand, and
Rhonda, Susan and Wendy are active in athlet"

ic events at their respective schools.

and Susan
<i{. j

events,

Wendy

have been chosen for several field

and yesterday

kilometer run

Rhonda finished a 2.5

in ample

time to win

a point

for her house at school.

Wendy borrowed one of Dad's eagle feathers

to use in a talk she is giving about birds.
(She likes anything to do with creatures of
any sort.;

Nathan is now wearing

specialist in Durban

regular shoes.

said that his

The

feet are

corrected now and he is having lots of fun

running around in his tennis shoes, which are

from Ron
The

work

continues

both at Entumeni

much lighter than the corrective boots he had

to wear for the past year.

and

among the Zulu congregations.

We are seeing
-growth, especially~amQng~ the families ~ aX
Entumeni and we thank God for ministering in
the lives of these people, This growth comes
even though the people are having daily
struggles.
Last weekend, Caiphas and I spent two days
near Nongoma at Bro. Khumalo's place.
We
found the people there hungry for the Word.

Summer

is getting ready

to go to

school.

She is five years old now and is looking for

ward to-J-anuary when-she-wii~dyegTr her-first'
year.
She will attend the Convent school
where Wendy attends.

We ourselves were blessed by the fellowship*

and the opportunity we had to preach the
Gospel to this congregation. There is a con
gregation up near Paulpeterburg that is large
in numbers, but very weak spiritually.
Bro.
Khumalo is making arrangements for us to
travel there and spend time in teaching and
preaching among the Zulu people there. Please
pray that the Lord will bless these days and
that the Holy Spirit will minister to. the
people's hearts and souls.

GRANDPA BUSHNELL and NATHAN

ADDRESS

AFRICA
VISION
Field Address:
Ron and Cindi Elerick

P.O. Box 377

Eshowe, Zululand, 3815

Republic of South Africa

CORRECTION
REQUESTED

Sharlotte Ray
Mission Services Assn,
Box 2427

Knoxville, TN
Forwarding Address
Zululand Christian Mission

c/o Eastern Heights Christian Church

Route 2Box 88

Ponca City, OK 74601

Nonprofit Org.

37901

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID
permit No. 32