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Missionaries teach, learn in Africa

In a village far from home, a couple find s m uch work to be done (caring for orphans and starting businesses) and decide they're up to the task.

By GAIL HOLLENBECK
Published January 6, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Gail Hollenbeck] Megan and Carl Vonderhaar will return to Africa this month. "We went over there knowing what we wanted to do and the way to do it. We just had to adjust all of that and change," said Carl.

INVERNESS - Life on the mission field wasn't what Carl and Megan Vonderhaar thought it would be.

It was better.

Last February the Vonderhaars took an exciting and difficult step: They left their lives in Citrus County behind to become missionaries for five years in Bulembu, Swaziland in southern Africa.

Back on furlough for the holidays, the couple and their 4-year-old daughter, Kessid, have been enjoying time with relatives and friends and visiting local churches to talk about their first year of foreign ministry.

"The first year on a mission field has always been the roughest time," Carl Vonderhaar, 30, said in an interview. "Even for the great missionaries, their first year was almost a complete failure in the eyes of the world and even the church sometimes. Our first year was full of a lot of good things, but our philosophy of ministry had to be changed completely. We went over there knowing what we wanted to do and the way to do it. We had to adjust all of that and change."

Vonderhaar said God had different ideas for their ministry than the ones they had taken with them.

"Basically, God has taught us what to do," he said. "Throughout the Bible you see that man has an expectation about how something is supposed to pan out and then God has a totally different way of its panning out."

For the Vonderhaars, that meant changing their ministry affiliation from Empower Africa to Bulembu Ministries, Swaziland.

Rather than being involved with feeding programs and building churches with Empower Africa, which requires constant fundraising by way of donations, the Vonderhaars will be working in the new ministry to help establish businesses that will make Bulembu a self-sustaining town.

"It's actually 100 times better than what we would have thought," Vonderhaar said. "The people of Bulembu Ministries are fabulous people, tried and true ministers. They've lived there all their lives and know how to minister in Swaziland. We now have access to 1,400 homes in Bulembu and all the infrastructure, so that's the most exciting part. That's opened the flood gates as far as ministry potential."

The heart of the Vonderhaars' mission is in helping the many orphans in Swaziland, many of whom have been rescued from abusive situations.

"We're going to be initiating a foster care program when we get back," Vonderhaar said. "We actually raised $100,000 through a church in Phoenix to renovate the first 10 homes of that program. There are 60,000 orphans in Swaziland and in 10 years that will double. In a nation of a million people, that's a pretty staggering statistic."

Megan Vonderhaar, 26, talked about one of the orphans she taught during her first year in Africa.

"In my class we had kids who came from abuse or neglect, so when teaching any new concept, it was very hard for them," she said. "They deal with so many rejection and fear issues.

"One boy, David, came out of a situation where his mom had died and he was taken in as a slave and rescued by the ministry. In class, anytime we had something new, he would just put his head down and cry. I'd take him outside of the class and hold him and say, 'David, it's okay. You don't have to be afraid. If you don't understand at first, that's okay. I'll get you through it.' He had never had the chance to just be a child and didn't know how to be one. So over time, praying over him and just watching him come out of that fear and become the funny boy he is has been really rewarding. I just can't wait to go back."

Mrs. Vonderhaar said this year has taught her to value people.

"I think that's something we can do anywhere," she said. "It's not just being part of an organization doing nice things for people in Africa. It's got to be about the restoring love of Jesus Christ or else you never see that new life come. I think as Christians no matter where we are, we're called to be a part of that and what a beautiful responsibility that is for us."

Carl Vonderhaar is eager to share what he's learned with people here.

"The main thing we are sharing with every church is one of the main lessons we learned when we were over there," Vonderhaar said. "We've learned that we can do nothing without God. If he's not involved in it, it's not going to last."

Coming Sunday

Couple to speak

Carl and Megan Vonderhaar will be at New Beginnings Fellowship at 10:30 a.m. Sunday to share their experiences in ministering to the people of Bulembu. The church is at 2577 N Florida Ave., Hernando. To donate to the foster care ministry or for information, contact the Vonderhaars at carlandmeg@gmail.com or visit www.bulembu.org.

[Last modified January 5, 2007, 19:48:05]