For more of our pregnancy updates, go to: https://philoteknos.blogspot.com/ Woohoo! We finally found out that we're expecting a little girl. Her name is...drum roll please... Engela Marinda Pienaar Pronunciation might be a little tough, but the best way to try and say it is with a silent "g," creating the "ng" sound rather than the "n-g" sound, if that makes any sense! Engela sort of means "Angel" in Afrikaans, and is a tribute to my late Ouma, as that was her name. Gosh, I miss her. And our little Engela might very well be born on my Ouma's birthday, which would make the name extra special. "Marinda" is a tribute to my amazing mom, who has taught me so much. I hope that when she holds little Engela, our little girl stares up at her with all the love and adoration she deserves. SO! Let's talk about the scan that revealed all! For WEEKS we had been looking forward to the anatomy scan, to see our little baby again and start making out the features that will grace her beautiful face once she arrives. I immediately noticed the pronounced upper lip, which is so like my own, and the slightly rounded, upturned nose that looks like Emil's. Her head is measuring quite large, which is not unexpected when you look at the genetics she will be inheriting. She is also measuring larger in general, which suggests to me that she might be a tall baby. I'm just praying she isn't as big as my dad was when he was born - 60cm! And that is seriously not a joke. His records prove it. She wasn't very cooperative for the scan. We had to stand up and go for a walk about halfway through, to try and encourage her to move. But nope. She stubbornly stayed put, all tucked up in a corner of my uterus. Which is classic, considering she kept me awake for a large part of the night before with her kicks and squirms and somersaults. Can't decide if that stubbornness is a Pienaar or van Kerkhof trait! But the Ultrasound tech managed to get around with the device and find all the measurements she needed. We are so thankful for her patience and positivity through it! Then the moment of truth, the potty shot. And that revealed three little lines, indicating quite clearly that our little baby is a girl. I was so excited! We all were. Emil and I were excited for baby to be either a boy or a girl, but now that we know she is a girl, it's so much easy to plan ahead and figure out what to spoil her with! The appointment was over before I wanted it to be. I could spend hours looking at her shadowy figure, and imagining the amazing woman she will become. My parents and my sister attended the ultrasound with us, and they were so excited about it! What a blessing. They even surprised us with two gifts at the end, a "pink" and a "blue" gift. the sweetest little outfits! We fell in love, and even though the "blue" gift was mostly boyish, I realised that dressing it up with the right bow and the right jacket immediately converts to a stylish little girl's outfit, so we kept both! Ok now time for some stats. Engela is approximately the size of a zucchini, measuring between 16 and 17cm (twice as big as the last scan!) She is weighing about 200-300g. Her legs are finally proportional to the body. Her hair will just be starting to grow, and her movements are becoming quite controlled. The kicks and punches are getting stronger every day. For me, I've had a bit of a tough week to two weeks, purely from an emotional standpoint. My moods have been very sudden in their changes, and I find I am very prone to tears over nothing. Additionally, all the stretching and shifting in my boy has caused me to pinch my sciatic nerve, and so getting up and sitting down is quite painful most of the time. We frequently massage it with the awesome natural tension essential oil blend that I have, and that has supported relieving the majority of the discomfort. I'm considering signing myself up for a proper pregnancy massage soon, and then another one a little closer to the time of birth. Belly continues to grow slowly. In these photos it is clear to see the difference, but if you didn't know me before you probably wouldn't know I am expecting because the tummy is still fairly well hidden. I'm sure the next few weeks are likely to bring the "pop" moment though, when the belly finally is undeniable pregnant. Today, Emil and I went for a wander around town to see what baby stores have to offer. We both were slightly shocked at how expensive the higher quality items are. Emil commented, "It's like they don't want us to have babies!" However, we've been glued to TradeMe to see what is available second hand, and it's quite encouraging to see that the products are still good quality after a couple years of use, and the price is significantly lower. But when you're looking at over $1000 for a stroller and a carseat...It's enough to make ANYONE sweat. We'll keep collecting the bits and bobs slowly, so that it isn't one big overwhelming purchase. Thanks for reading! I love sharing about our journey, and I'm so excited to meet Engela in Feb/March! "Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children.
'Who are these with you?' he asked. Jacob answered, 'They are the children God has graciously given your servant." Genesis 33:5
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We are back and getting settled into life again. We will be posting about our trip shortly, but for now, please have a look at the photographs of our Mission in the Amazon Jungle that we have on this site. We also took a couple days of holiday after the trip, so have a look at these pictures to catch a tiny glimpse of the colour and vibrancy of South American culture. During our time in the jungle, we recorded video blogs (vlogs) every day. We are currently editing these to fit into succinct time slots, so keep an eye on this page for when they arrive. We will notify you on Facebook and here on the website! We thank God for your prayers and partnership as we reached out to those who hardly ever get a chance to learn more about Jesus.
Blessings! Emil and Aleisha By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar Many of you may be wondering what our trip dates look like! Below are the dates and times of our flights so that you can pray for save travels. We have just made contact with our translator and guide in the Amazon and he is very excited to see us! He is an old friend of Emil's from (I believe) his first trip to the jungle. He is taking us along with a few others into the jungle to meet a certain tribe that has had very little contact with western society or Christianity. We cannot wait to share with and show Jesus to the people who we will encounter. Emil and I have been brushing up on our Spanish. I'm sure it will be put to the test when we arrive in South America. What a blessing to be able to share the Gospel in a language that is not too foreign to the tribe. God is going to do some amazing things. Our T-Shirts arrived and they look fantastic! I wore one around town this morning, and I certainly caught some attention. But how true is it, that Jesus NEVER backs down! He is so amazing and comes through on every promise he makes. #JesusNeverBacksDown Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!
ITINERARY Dunedin-Auckland DEPARTING December 2, 2017/ARRIVING December 2, 2017 Auckland-Santiago DEPARTING December 3, 2017/ARRIVING December 3, 2017 Santiago-Lima DEPARTING December 3, 2017/ARRIVING December 3, 2017 INTO THE JUNGLE for 16 days Lima-Santiago DEPARTING December 19, 2017/ARRIVING December 19, 2017 Santiago-Auckland DEPARTING December 20, 2017/ARRIVING December 21, 2017 Christmas in Whangarei, and a wedding in Nelson ARRIVE back in Dunedin, January 9, 2018. God bless, Aleisha and Emil xx By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar Here is a bit of a long post. It can be controversial, but this is our heart. What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:15-16 In the Amazon Jungle, sin is sin. Holiness is holiness. There is no in-between.
We live in a world where passive Christianity has become acceptable; expected, even. How often do we talk about "grey areas" and "...depending on the situation?" When confronted with sin, we justify it. While that may work in western society, when you hit the raging spiritual battle in places like the Amazon that will simply not do. What does this say about western society, then? Has the battle already been won? Has Satan got us exactly where he wants us? When a missionary enters a tribe for the first time, he or she is tested. A good friend of ours, on a recent trip, was invited to work in the gardens in a tribal community. The people watched him and when they saw his faithfulness, the chief allowed him to speak the gospel, resulting in half the tribe dedicating their lives to Jesus. How amazing is that? However, I also know of a missionary who recently went to one of these tribes, and thought it might be nice to enjoy a beer in the local bar with some tribesmen. The next day he was kicked out, because in the eyes of the chief and the rest of the tribe, he wasn't practicing what he was preaching. Just for having a drink or two. This inherently is not sinful, but the tribespeople see a bar as a place of drunkenness, and according to the Bible, drunkenness is sin (Galatians 5:16-21). Hence, a bar is a place of sin in their eyes. See, jungle politics work differently. Especially with potential communication barriers due to language, tribes watch how people act, look at their lifestyle, and then make judgments based on the figurative fruit that a person produces (Galatians 5:22-26). When we go in, we cannot afford to even slip up. By God's grace, we will not slip up. However, we need to make that decision now already. We need to make that our lifestyle NOW. We cannot live two lives, a live of passive Christianity in New Zealand, and a life of active Christianity in Peru. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah asks Israel “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:24 that, “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." When we allow some sin, some guilty pleasure into our life, we are receiving our reward right then and there. We receive recognition, more friends, more wealth. When we live righteously, we are storing up our treasures in Heaven. These treasures are not material. These treasures are the lives that Jesus can save because of the example we set. One example that think sums this up very well (there are MANY more!), and an issue that I have been frustrated with recently, is the use of strong language. I cannot tell you how many times I wince when I walk through church, and other Christian gatherings, and I hear filthy words rolling from the tongues of the congregation. I hear people who follow Jesus take His name in vain. Each time it hurts. I've had Christian friends apologise to me for swearing in front of me, because they "know I don't like it." There is no conviction, no change, no consideration of what these words mean. I've argued with a young man once about this very issue. His reason for using harsh language was because it was a way for him to "express himself." He was on the worship team in the church I was attending at the time. The same mouth that helped lead people into a time of song-worship for our Heavenly Father, would after the service be rattling away with words that chipped away at my heart. There is no excuse for dirty language. Think about it. When these words escape our mouth, they are often words spoken in anger, disgust, frustration. Doesn't God call us to be slow to speak, slow to be angry, and quick to listen? (James 1:19). Are we not called to live in purity, that encourage and edify the people around us with the words we speak? (Ephesians 4:29). In the jungle, this double standard is not allowed. Why, in our world of privilege and freedom, should a double standard be acceptable? Has the battle been won? We are not called to be passive. We are called to live actively in seeking Christ and becoming more like Him. Christianity is not restrictive. God isn't trying to keep us away from joy and pleasure. No, Jesus came so that we can experience true joy and fellowship with people around us. We get to shine, because Jesus shines through us! So where are you at the moment? The battle is raging, but we have the Creator on our side. So if you are struggling with a double-life, lay it before Jesus. His yoke is easy and light. By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar Today it is forty days until we leave for the Amazon jungle. "Forty" is a very significant number! It rained for forty days while Noah and his family were in the ark at the time of the Great Flood. Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting, and overcoming the devil's temptations, before His ministry officially began. Moses spent forty days on the mountain when God was giving him the commandments, no food and no water. Also, the Israelites that left Egypt spent forty years in the desert before they entered the Promised Land. Basically, "forty" usually means a journey.
It's exciting to think that Emil and I will be stepping foot in the place that our hearts have longed for forty days from today. These forty days have certainly started with its challenges, but we are confident that God will continue to provide for and sustain us. And hey, we are loving every moment because we get to rest in His big and loving arms! God is so amazing. This is just a short message from us today. The next forty days will be great, exciting, scary, exhausting, confusing, empowering, busy, boring, everything and all of the above. We look forward to seeing what our Lord Jesus has in store for us! Continue to keep us in your prayers! We love you all. By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Philippians 1:20-21 Over the last few weeks, Emil and I have heard it said to us over and over again that we are very brave to be going to the Amazon Jungle. People are very aware of the dangers of the Jungle, and let me tell you, Emil and I are just as aware. Honestly, I'm so so so scared. I have no idea what to expect, and I am worried that I won't have the courage to make it through the three weeks we are there. I don't feel very brave. When I read what Paul and Timothy write in Philippians, I don't know how they managed to be so calm, and to trust Jesus so much. Making statements about how if they die, their death will glorify Christ, confounds me! I haven't reached that place of assurance just yet. But, can I share something a bit deeper with you? I'm not as afraid of the wild jungle as I am afraid of myself. I have two flaws that I know not everyone picks up on. 1. I have a very quick temper. 2. I am very impulsive. I try to keep these two things under control by being extra nice and patient to everyone around me, and by vigorously planning my days so that there is no room for silly decisions. Now, Emil and I are going to a foreign country. There is high tension about the Amazon Jungle. Not everyone agrees with our mission. The spiritual darkness is heavy over there. The lifestyle is rough. The weather is hot and muggy. There is no way to plan step-by-step how our mission will go from place to place in the jungle because time is understood differently there. The people speak a foreign language. Communication is going to take a lot of effort. Not to mention jet lag... I have no idea how Emil and I will react to all these displacing and discomforting factors. I'm very concerned that I will let my temper get the best of me, and that I will make decisions that are dangerous, and potentially life-threatening. I am worried that I will treat Emil disrespectfully. I have many potential scenarios bouncing around in my head every day. And then I look at Paul and Timothy, and their trust in Jesus. So a little further on in Philippians, they write: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 I am trying very hard to take their advice, and to know that God is in control. I am sure he will protect us from all enemy attacks, both internal and external.
So there is a little insight into my very human brain! I hope you will be encouraged to know that I am afraid, but I am trying to trust Jesus to keep us safe. One thing we are incredibly grateful for is your prayers. We thank our Lord Jesus Christ every day for your support and friendship. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we draw closer to this mission, and for the time we are over there. On a side note, if you would like to receive our newsletters, please contact us through the "Get in Touch" tab on this website. We will happily add you to our mailing list if you would like updates in paper form. Also, we have a few simple fridge magnets that we have designed with a verse on it that we would love to send to you, free of charge, so that every time you see it, you can be reminded to pray for us. We pray for all of you as well, for our readers and followers, and our friends and family who encourage and love us every single day. You are a blessing, and we cannot thank you enough. God bless! By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him." Psalm 62:5 Emil and I have had a pretty crazy few weeks. He's been working about 72 hours a week, and I've been cramming to finish my Honours Dissertation. It has been a challenge, but finally God gave us an opportunity to get away for a little while, to rest and rejuvenate, and to reconnect with one another. The past two days we have been taking it easy in Timaru and the surrounding regions! It's been absolutely fantastic. I'm particularly proud of the little bit of colour I've managed to achieve from some time in the sunshine. In Timaru, we had some amazing pizza at a little restaurant called Zest for dinner last night. Highly recommend it! Anyway. When life gets busy it is very easy to become discouraged. I've noticed that I become rather irritable and sensitive when each day seems to mercilessly clasp my heels and drag behind me as I try to wade through the week. I think I understand now why God calls for a Sabbath day. As humans we only have a limited capacity, and when our juice runs dry, we need to fill up again. Soaking in God's Word and spending time meditating on how amazing He is brings such great refreshment. After walking around without a plan, Emil and I both felt closer to God as we observed His creations and counted our blessings. We found a lovely epitaph at a small stone monument in the Waimate Public Gardens today: The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God's heart in a garden, Than anywhere else on Earth. - Dorothy Frances Gurney It is 67 days until Emil and I depart the country and enter into the untamed wild of the Amazon Jungle. It is getting so close! I can almost taste it. God is going to do something special in the jungle, we know it! He has a plan for every human being and when we reach the tribe that He calls us to, I cannot wait to see Him at work.
We are almost ready for the trip. All our flights are booked, our plans are underway, and now we are just preparing physically with some exercise, and pulling together the last few things we need to complete our gear packs for the mission. Still have a few basic items of clothing to buy and some things like filter water bottles, gumboots, and insect repellent. We are still trusting God to bring in the finances we will need in Peru for our canoe trips, bibles, and items to trade with the people in the tribe we will go to (like salt and ammunition). He has been faithful this far, and so we have no reason to doubt He will provide for us while we are there! That's a quick update on where we are at. As always, we appreciate your prayers and support. We look forward to taking a few of you with on our next trip! God Bless. By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar
Hello Everyone! Wow, it has been a while since we last posted. The last two months have been absolutely crazy! You know how it gets sometimes, in life. About a month ago, we finally revealed a very big surprise to my mom, Marinda. Since February we had been organising with my mom's two sisters, Amelia and Eileen, to have them come over from South Africa for three weeks and spend some time with mom. They hadn't seen each other in 4 years! When mom saw them walking up the stairs, she was absolutely shocked, and we all were crying for probably at least a half hour, explaining that they were here for three weeks to catch up. We organised a bunch of trips for them, including Hanmer Springs, Queenstown, Cromwell, Wanaka, and a few other spots around Dunedin. It was truly a blessing to see my aunties, and for Emil to meet them for the first time ever. Parting was very sad, and they are now back in South Africa. Hopefully that explains partially why social media has not seen us very much! Update on missions: We're still pushing forward with the plans to go to Peru at the end of this year. As you know by now, our flights are all booked. The only flights we still need to organise are to make our way from Auckland back down to Dunedin. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far to make this mission possible! Next week I will begin my various vaccinations that will help me to stay healthy in the jungle. Emil also has a couple to top up, and he will get them done soon as well. It's amazing that God had given us doctors and scientists who labour day after day, finding ways to keep us safe. My first Vaccine is the combination Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis/Polio one, as well as a flu shot. After that I need to get my Measles/Mumps/Rubella combination, my yellow fever vaccination, and then it will be the Dukoral vaccination for cholera. Hepatitis A/Typhoid combo is after that, and then if finances allow for it I will receive a series of Rabies vaccinations. This sheer number of vaccinations is the reason I'm starting up three months early! Imagine receiving them all within a couple of weeks. Three months! It's amazing that Emil and I are only three months away from reaching the tribes in the Amazon Jungle. I cannot wait to meet them and to share God's awesome good news with them. What a privilege! Please continue to keep us in your prayers. By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar
Emil and I have had a growing love in our hearts for the young people of this generation. We are excited to have been given the opportunity to start a small Life Group for the Year 5 and 6 children at our home church and it has been incredible watching as they flourish and grow in the word. Our Life Group is grounded in the passage of 1 Timothy 4:6-16. Timothy, a young man whom Paul was building up and encouraging, surely at times doubted his importance and qualifications. Our heart is that young people of today grow with a sense of confidence that God has made them for a reason, and that they are called to make a difference wherever they are at. I personally had times in my life where I was unsure of where God was leading me. I mean, who hasn't had that question? Last Friday, Emil and I were very privileged to speak at the Whangarei Christian Renewal Church (soon to be Renew Church) youth service about this very topic. Emil brought a fantastic word to these young people about bearing fruit for Christ Jesus, and working on their lives to reflect Him so that He can empower them to do so much more for His kingdom. I was then able to share a small part of how Jesus led me to Himself, and then called me to the mission field in the Amazon Jungle. It was amazing being able to impart into these young men and women as they grow into the person God is calling them to be. Many people came to receive prayer and it was a blessing to lay our hands on them and pray for God's guidance in their lives. We had a fantastic week catching up with all our family up north, and yes - it was a bit warmer than Dunedin! The time for us to fly out to the Jungle is getting closer and we appreciate all your love and prayer. This is an exciting time, getting ready to reach out to the tribes, and we value your participation. May you grow ever more sensitive to the voice of our Saviour, and closer to Him as you study His word and pray. By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar Hello again! It's about time for us to check in and let you all know what is happening so far. About three weeks ago, we announced that we are officially going to the Amazon in December - tickets booked and all. It's been very exciting as we prepare our hearts for the work God has waiting for us. In the last three weeks, Emil and I celebrated our first year of being married on June 18th. We figured we would don our wedding finest, and go to Dominos for lunch. We decided that since we spent a decent amount of money on our wedding clothes, we may as well wear it whenever we can! If you would like to have a look at some wedding highlights - check out the "Who We Are" tab on this website. We have our highlights video there for you to enjoy. While preparing spiritually, we are also preparing physically. Emil and I are taking exercise more seriously, as we will be spending a lot of time roughing it while in the Jungle. I have my first travel vaccinations coming up in two weeks time (YIKES! Haven't had vaccinations in yonks.) We're also starting to collect clothes that we do not mind getting well-used while we are in the Amazon, as we are most likely going to be leaving a lot of it behind either as gifts for people in the tribes (if still in wearable condition) or disposing of it while there. On the note of clothing, one thing Emil and I would very much like to do is develop a slogan or thought-provoking statement that aligns with our Mission, so that as our ministry grows we become recognised by friends, families, and strangers. Missions are mostly funded by wonderful godly and supportive people sowing into a ministry they believe in. Emil and I put in every spare cent that we have, because we believe in this mission that God is sending us on. We are thinking of designing a t-shirt that will represent part of our heart. Here are some of the wacky ideas we have so far. Feel free to comment and suggest ideas you might have!
Every week brings us closer to encountering God's impending work in the Amazon Jungle. We are so incredibly grateful for your support! To all our faithful readers, our friends, and our family, please know that we are praying God's richest blessings upon you and your family. Without your encouraging words, prayers, and desire to learn more about our heart for these Amazonian natives, we would be in a very different place right now! God bless. |
Emil & Aleisha PienaarWe are Missionaries who travel to the Amazon Jungle. Our home base is Dunedin, New Zealand. Our heart is to reach the unreached. Archives
October 2018
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