4/26/11

Dear Friends & Family,

Spontaneous Praise - (from my devotional)

Luke 1:46-47 - And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior"

Praise is the spontaneous response of a grateful child of God.

Mary was overwhelmed by the Lord's goodness to her.

Trying to stop the praise of a thankful heart would be like trying to arrest the flow of a mighty waterfall!

We should never have difficulty thinking of reasons why we should praise Him.


Take time to recount the blessings he has poured out upon you and your family.



I wanted to take the opportunity to magnify the Lord and rejoice in God my Savior for all that he has done “through prayer” in the life of Bonnie over the past 5 months in Africa (wow can you believe it has been 5 months!).

I thank my God that his hand of protection has continually been upon her!

I thank my God for providing for all of her needs, physically, emotional, spiritually, and financially.

I thank my God for providing for her a permanent place to live.

I thank my God for providing for her a roommate!!!! Isn’t God good!

I thank my God for giving her wisdom and discernment in dealing with different and sometimes difficult situations.

I thank my God for her pastor and his wife Wilbroad & Zicky. Bonnie has knitted with them and we have been encouraged and blessed with how they have walked her through many adjustments.

I thank my God for the church there in Ndola, Africa and how Bonnie has been able to “fit in”. I am thankful for how she has gotten involved in several different ministries, and how the Lord is using her in so many ways. I am thankful for the body of Christ that she has come to know and is serving her Lord along with them.

I thank my God for how Bonnie now has a “kindred spirit” with the teachers in the school that she works along side. I am thankful for the love that has grown in her heart for “her children” and the love that has grown in their hearts for her.

I thank my God for the many opportunities and people that he has brought across Bonnie’s path. I am thankful for the difficulties and trials that she had walked through in her own life. God has and continues to use Bonnie to minister and bless others in the same situations. It is so true that He redeems the times that the locusts have taken.

I thank my God for healing Bonnie of her many sicknesses. Food poisoning, the beginning stages of malaria, and pneumonia.

I thank my God that she has grown so much in her teaching abilities and her creativity in teaching; even those children who only have a limited understanding of the English language.

I thank my God for the way Bonnie, with His grace, has been able to adapt or adjust to the culture, the food, the transportation, and life in Africa.

I thank my God for bringing “friends” into her life in Africa. So true are the words of the song: “He is Lord of every nation, He is Lord of every tribe and race, and by his love we are joined together”.

I thank my God that even when Bonnie deals with homesickness, her heart and her love for the people of Zambia has grown much more!

I thank my God that she has grown closer to her Savior while in Africa.

I thank my God for the body of Christ who continue to support Bonnie financially as well as through prayer.

So come my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ and family, come and magnify the Lord with me and praise His holy name for all that He has done. What an awesome God that we serve!!!



LouAnn Sherer

04/19/11

Dear Family & Friends,
Below you will see an update from Bonnie. It is such a privilege and a blessing to have each of you in her life and to know that you are lifting her up in prayer to our Heavenly Father. Prayer is such a powerful tool that the Lord has given us and when we pray, God moves! We have seen his faithfulness over and over again. Thank you for your continued prayers and your continued support for Bonnie!

Charles & LouAnn

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From Bonnie:

Well, I want to first thank everyone for their many continual prayers for me. As I am sure you all know, I have been pretty sick for a while…first with walking phenomena and then with malaria. I am happy to report that I am well again and back on malaria prevention medication. Also, no mumps so far. I was exposed to them on a few occasions, but am thankful to report I have not gotten them. I have off the next two weeks and am doing my best to relax and not fill up my days with too much. But, if you know me, you know I can’t just sit around doing nothing...ha.

School will be back in session on May 9th, but we will go in the week before to make our charts and finish up preparations. On the last day of school before break I had parent/teacher conferences and about 23 out of 30 came. It was a long day, but I enjoyed getting to meet the parents of my kids. Language was a barrier for most of them, but the other teachers took turns translating for me in between their sessions. Their gratitude for me teaching their kids moved me. Once term 2 starts, I will be tutoring them in groups of about 10 and they will stay for extra lessons 1-3 afternoons depending on their level of need. Please be praying this time will be effective and that the Lord will give me wisdom in how to best teach them and split them up.

I have a college age girl, Swazi, staying with me over the next two weeks. She normally stays at a college boarding house, but they do not allow them to stay there over break. We met through a mutual friend (one of the pastors' wives) and had an instant connection. Both her parents died when she was very young and she has no family to care for her. I am going to ask her if she would like to live with me instead of going back to the boarding house. Please be praying that God will provide the finances she needs to return to school this next term. The cost is about $1000 per term (each term is 3 months). Her father’s stepbrother paid for her 1st term and is now refusing to continue to pay. I was very inspired to hear that even though she was not able to attend classes this past term, she went to the college almost every day to study. She is a very motivated and dedicated young woman. I am confident that God will provide. If you feel led to help in any way, please email me. If you need more information, let me know.

The past week I have had a group of 5th and 6th grade girls “show” up at my door wanting to visit with me. It started as 2 and, well let’s just say, the number keeps growing! One day there were 5. The first day I put a movie in for them while I finished up some work. Then they asked if I was a teacher. After telling them I was, they asked if I had books. WOW!!! Kids who want to read instead of watch a movie?! That brought a smile to my face! Now they come and read and color almost every day. I also have a neighbor, a 16-year-old girl that I always see around. She has started visiting regularly, usually around mealtime. Her father passed 2 years ago and her mom is often gone in the evenings. After getting to know her a bit, she asked me to tutor her so that she could pass grade 12. My response was that I will try my best to help her, but I am only a grade 3 teacher. Last night at 10pm we started. First subject? ALGEBRA! Oh my goodness, the subject I hated and struggled with the most; I never liked the “higher maths.” God certainly has a sense of humor. He is just throwing me in the deep end again…ha. Today we will be doing grammar and more…GULP…algebra. Please pray I can remember or re-learn so that I can teach her well…ha.

I can see how God is clearly bringing these different people into my life, many of whom have difficult backgrounds full of suffering and sorrow. I am confident that God will use all I have walked through to minister to these people.

Bonnie

04/09/11

Hello Family & Friends,

We just wanted to thank you all for praying for Bonnie concerning Malaria. I talked with her the other day and she said she feels “a million times better” since beginning the medication. I want to give you another opportunity to pray. Each day brings its own challenges and new things to pray for. I received a text from Bonnie very early in the morning (our time) saying there have been several cases of mumps going around. A lady whom she visits almost daily has the mumps. Also, she was in the elevator with two children the other day and found out that they have mumps.

Please pray for protection over Bonnie. I know she was vaccinated as a child for this, but she's never had mumps and I don’t know much about it. Please continue to pray for her health.

Charles & LouAnn

04/01/11

Dear Family & Friends,

As many of you know since Bonnie has been in Africa she has dealt with sickness from 4 bouts of food poisoning to walking pneumonia, to just being weak and not feeling well from time to time. This past week she started feeling bad again so a few days ago she went to a clinic to be tested for malaria. She had been experiencing bad headache, feeling weak, and a few other symptoms. The blood test for malaria came back negative, but the doctor felt that due to her symptoms she could possibly be in the early stages of malaria. If not he just wanted to make sure and take precautions.

One thing that we can be thankful for is that she went to the clinic and was tested, because even though she may possibly be in the early stages of malaria it is treatable and that is the best time to catch it. She is now on 5 types of medications for I believe 5 days to treat the symptoms as well as the parasite if that is what it is.

Please be praying for a full recovery, and God’s grace and mercy on her during this time. Pray that the medication completely kills off the parasite if that is what it is. Pray for the symptoms to go away especially the headaches, weakness, and dizziness. Please pray she would be encouraged through this time in her heart and spirit.

Again we are reminded afresh that we serve a Great and Mighty God who is always near, who hears our prayers, and is able to do far above what we can ask or imagine. As her parents we remind ourselves daily that Bonnie is in the hands and in the care of her loving Heavenly Father!

Thanks for praying with us!

Charles & LouAnn



Psalm 121: 1-2 I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 62:8 - Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Isaiah 40:28-31 - Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

03/29/11

Luke 1:46-47 “My Soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”

This past weekend, Bonnie was able to attend a Teacher’s Conference in town. During the conference, the Lord encouraged Bonnie’s heart, envisioned her afresh for the work that she is about, and spoke words of encouragement to her through others who were at the conference. One of the men who shared is a teacher at a nearby college. On the first Monday of each month, he and his wife invite missionaries in the area to their home for a time of fellowship and encouragement. Bonnie was invited to come. This is another opportunity for the Lord to use others to encourage Bonnie and come along side of her in the work that she is doing. I am so thankful that the Lord continues to meet Bonnie’s needs in so many different ways.

1. Next week is the last week of school before the children get 1 month off for spring break. In this coming week, Bonnie will have to personally evaluate each student (30 of them) and have a parent/teacher conference with the parents. On top of that, she has to grade all of their paperwork. She asked that you please pray that God would help her to get all of this done.

2. During the month long break, Bonnie would like to tutor many of the students that need extra help, especially in Math (a weak area for her). Please pray that the parents of these children will agree and that it goes well. “When I am weak, He shows himself strong.”

3. Pray that God would give her more creative ways to teach what these kids need to learn, and that she would make the best use of her time to spend more time on lesson plans.

4. Bonnie was without water for over a week. Praise God it is back on for now. Even though Bonnie has water now (and she is truly thankful for that) please pray that the hot water would be able to be fixed. When you don’t have water you are thankful for hot or cold water, but hot is always nice. This is life in Africa!

5. Praise God Bonnie was able to obtain another 3-month work permit. You never know how that will go.

6. Please continue to pray for Bonnie’s physical health, that the Lord would strengthen her for the task she is about, and that He would keep her well.

7. We have been praying for a roommate for Bonnie. Since Bonnie gives so much of herself to others, please pray that the Lord would send someone that would be a source of encouragement to her.

8. Usually between 3 and 4 months is the time someone may begin to struggle with homesickness to some degree when they’re “far” away from home. Bonnie has experienced some of this. This is when being reminded of where the Lord has called you to and of what He called you to helps. When she looks into the faces of those precious children, her heart is again filled with love and joy for them. BUT, it is also during this time that receiving e-mails, letters, packages, etc. brings so much encouragement to her heart, knowing there are those back in the States praying for her and remembering her. If you get a chance, please drop Bonnie a note or a letter-- it would encourage her so much! bonniesherer@hotmail.com

9. God is definitely knitting Bonnie’s heart to the children and their heart to hers. Bonnie had to let them know that because of the conference she had to go to this past weekend (which was Friday & Saturday) she would not be in school on Friday. Well they did not like that and threatened that if she was not going to be there then they would not come to school. Children have a funny way of expressing their hearts and love, but Bonnie was able to encourage them to come. It’s nice knowing that you will be missed!

10. Please pray for the Lord to continue to speak to her through His word, as well as through others. Pray that He would continue to lead her, guide her, and protect her.

We serve a big and mighty God!!!

As always, we are so grateful for the army ofprayer warriors that we have standing with Bonnie and praying for her while she serves in Africa.

Forever grateful!

Charles & LouAnn Sherer