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Reports on past Ministry visits plus a programme of upcoming events.
If you are interested in having David minister in your country or area
please contact him on david@wwj.org.nz for further information.
5 latest entries.
(click here to view
the older entries)
IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS - AGAIN! (2009) If you can still recognize the couple in the picture you will know that this letter is from the Taits!
‘His’ hair is greyer, ‘hers’ never changes! Unless, of course you remember back 39 2/3 years to the wedding photo, when both sported mops of a similar and somewhat different colour!
Shapes too have ‘matured’ but the brain is still the same – as far as I can remember!
This year, for us, has been one of consolidation and work rather than births, deaths or travel. Our mothers are both a year older, and have aged somewhat during the year. Mum Healy (87) is still in her own home though, but receiving some home help, while Mum Tait (89) remains happily ensconced in her rest home of the past 8 years or so, where she is now a senior resident. Both are now ‘height challenged’, to be PC.
The 1st highlight of our family year was having Andrew, Catriona, Eve, Nathan and Charis stay for the month of April. It was wonderful to get to spend time with them as a family and to get to know the kids better, as they grow up. Eva is nearly 9 and the twins turned 4 the day before they left. Gather they had 4 birthday parties between family here, the airplane, and at home! Now, I don’t want 4 birthdays though….. Great to be young! We did the touristy things of Rotorua and Taupo, travelled to Palmerston North to see Grandma Healy, and spent the rest of the time ‘hanging about’ round the Bay. The family stayed at our place, while we found a couple of friends to put us up and put up with us!
Thanks too to the wonderful hospitality of our Auckland family and friends over this time.
Our second, and most recent highlight, was having Nigel return from his OE to the UK where he has been for the past 3 years. It has been great to have him home and catch up on his experiences. Of course, he has now joined the multitudes of returnees looking the perfect job in Kiwiland. Not an easy job today – the pun was unintentional!
Brendan remains in Palmerston North where he spends a lot of time with his friend Susan, from Singapore, who is studying Aviation Management at Massey. He is also assisting at our Seekers store there and enjoying the company of the other staff, which is good news for us. Am told by them that he has a ‘wicked’ sense of humour. Still has one paper left to finish his degree………
Cameron continues to brave the Wellington wind, working in the bankcard credit control section of the ANZ Bank. It is unlikely he will be out of a job any time soon! We have spent 2 motor racing bonding sessions during the year at the (last) A1 GP at Taupo in January and at the Formula 1 exhibition at Te Papa at Labour Weekend. He has lost weight and I have put it on, so that is the only reason he was able to beat me at the Indoor Karts! But not by much! Life left in the old man yet!
The rest of the year has been spent working. Kathy left the Operating Theatre at the end of February to take a job with one of the local eye surgeons, Phil Macdonald, trading as Napier Eye Ltd. (Free ad!) Because of the recession her hours have not been as many as she expected so, in September, she joined the casual pool at the local Cranford Hospice. Along with the occasional duty at Theatre she now has 3 jobs to juggle. There has been a lot to learn, particularly with the various equipment at the eye clinic, but she is now getting on top of it. Can now prove that I am ‘one eyed’!
Seekers Megamart has expanded during the year. We have opened 3 new branches in Masterton, Palmerston North and Gisborne as well as shifting premises in both Wairoa and Hastings. Napier is the only one remaining the same, and we may well relocate this shop next year. New stores are a lot of work to set up, but with one exception, all are trading well. Our turnover has doubled this year and will more than double again in the next, which is not too bad in the current economy. Please visit our stores if you are in their area. All are easily found.
Additionally, we have sent our first container of clothes to Africa. 60,000 garments weighing 20 tonnes. We have another 4 ready to go.
Our pig farm project in Uganda is going with 250 pigs in the main piggery which is enabling pigs to be distributed to villagers to raise, to provide protein and income for them.
Operating in Africa has its challenges, which we are continually working through.
Walking With Jesus Ministries continues to send out weekly ezines to several thousand people around the world. We believe that God is requiring major change in His people at this time and it is our desire to embrace and share with others what God is doing at this time.
We wish you a relaxing, family Christmas, remembering that without Jesus, there would be no Christmas at all!
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 CHRISTMAS LETTER FROM THE TAITS - 2008 WE’RE BACK IN CHRISTMAS LETTER LAND!
After three years of silence,
Of work, not decadence,
We are back with our Christmas letter,
Hope it makes you feel much better!
Well, where to start! Probably at 2006. My, how time flies when you are having fun and even faster as the years go by. Can’t see the wrinkles now as the eyesight has failed! Gotta be a plus side somewhere.
When we left you last we were in Flaxmere, as part of a small Christian community. It didn’t work out and split up in the May. We remained in Flaxmere. I loved the mixed community, Kathy was not so keen. In October I went off to Africa for 2 months on 50 cents a day. As usual, I had lots of adventures, most great, a few challenging. My $30 got down to $1 after 10 days, before God started bringing money in. I left Kenya to go to London to meet Kathy with no money but no debt either! While I was away Kathy successfully completed her final exams for her nursing degree.
Kathy and I met at Heathrow, Terminal 2 at 5:30am in the morning and we were really pleased to see each other. After a week of making reacquaintance (good things take time) Kathy went on up to Aberdeen to the family while I stayed in London for another week to research a new venture for us, before joining with the Scottish family for Christmas. It was a white Christmas, not with snow, but with frost upon unmelted frost. The icicle patterns were amazing!
It was great catching up with the ‘Scotties’ and for me, meeting the twins, Nathan and Charis for the first time. Kathy had already seen them earlier when they were first born. Eva, our first grandchild is really growing up. How time flies! Andrew and Catriona are still pastoring in the same COC church in Aberdeen they have been attending since they first met.
On Boxing Day Kathy flew home to go back to work while I went off to Kentucky in the U S of A for a week to meet with my contacts there and had the big grain fed steak on the BBQ that I had always wanted to experience. Even though it was the middle of winter!
When Kathy returned, her Mum collapsed and has had ongoing problems with her spine and collapsing discs. She is now (2008) settled; a little frail, but still a feisty lady. She still walks fast and for long distances.
Upon my coming back to good old NZ, our life took another turn. While in Africa I had met a great young guy on a bus, a Nigerian who imported second hand clothing into Ghana. He came to my friend Collins and my rescue, when we were left stranded at a bus park (ie. an empty field) at 11pm one night with little money and nowhere to go, as our supposed host had been locked into his compound an hour earlier! He put us up in a hotel at his expense (this doesn’t happen in Africa!) and joined us for the rest of our time in Nigeria. To cut a long story short, through this contact, (although later finding out in the UK that he was a conman! Africa! Africa!) we have got involved in the second hand clothing business! This is the last thing we both would have thought we would have ever done!
So in February 2007, without a cent in the bank, we started collecting clothing to send to Africa. It grew. We were given a van. It grew. We were given the use of an orchard packhouse for sorting. It grew. Some friends from Flaxmere, Cyril and Marie, started helping us. It grew. In May we opened a small shop, ‘The Clothing Bin’ in Flaxmere, to sell what we could in NZ at higher prices to both meet our expenses and send profits to Africa. It grew. A larger packhouse now. It grew. In September we closed the Flaxmere Shop, having learned a lot but not getting sufficient turnover during the off season in horticulture when our customers were mostly on the dole. It grew. After Labour Weekend we opened a large shop, ‘Seekers Megamart’, in Napier, shifting our sorting there also. It grew. In February 2008 we opened a small shop in Wairoa. It grew. Took on more space in Napier (now 2,000 metres to increase our storage and sorting area.) It grew. Were given 50 clothing bins in the Hawkes Bay and Manawatu. It grew. In late August we opened an 800m store in Hastings. It grew. Then came the recession. Clothes in grew, clothes out slowed!
We are now ready to send our first container of clothing to Africa, where it will be sold and the money used for aid projects. Just a small matter of $10,000 in freight costs to be found first! God will provide as He has done so amazingly over the past 2 years of Seekers. We have been able to support a number of projects and people, the main one currently being a pig farm in Uganda. Pigs have been bred and are now about to be distributed to villages where there is plenty of food for them, but a lack of protein for the people. The villagers will breed on and return replacement piglets to the main farm so they can be sent elsewhere.
Have also sent funds to Nigeria, where we are waiting to get a government subsidy through the World Bank of 9 times what we have sent. This is for a fish farming project, once again to provide protein for the people.
The internet ministry has continued. Have now been sending out our ‘Praise God it’s Monday!’ ezine for over 7 years, without missing an issue. Along with ‘Tuesday Teachings’ and a couple of daily ezines, we send out over 15,000 emails per week. On top of running seekers, it does keep me out of mischief! Well – almost!
During 2007 Kathy had to travel in our trusty old Celica, which is still going strong, to Palmerston North more frequently to see her mother. Brendan too, lives in PN where he has one paper left to complete his BSc. Brendan is still Brendan!
The highlight of Kathy’s 2007 was her graduation in April. All the challenges of years past was made worthwhile as she stepped onto the stage in the Municipal Theatre in Napier to be capped and given her BN (Bachelor of Nursing) Degree certificate. A great moment for her - and us all.
In February of the same year, Nigel went off on his OE to the UK and now, points beyond. He has spent time with Andrew and Catriona and an extended period working for the Surrey Cricket Club in the Membership Department, including being there at the Oval for that great one day Black Cap victory! Gave him much needed bragging rights for some time! More recently he has been travelling in the US and Canada. Now back in London and about to go back to his old job.
To complete the family news, Cameron is working in the Credit Department of the ANZ Bank in Wellington and (supposedly) continuing with his degree extramurally from Massey University. Prior to the bank he was managing a car rental company Wellington Branch. My Mum has recently turned 88 and is still soldiering on. Amazing how she has outlasted her contemporaries, given her earlier health problems.
In late May this year Kathy had a trip back to London and Scotland for a month to see Nigel, some of her friends in England and, of course, the family in Scotland. Our twins are now 3 1/2 years old and she has visited them 3 times, so has managed to keep in touch as well as is possible when you live on the opposite side of the world.
Unfortunately, Kathy has not been well over recent months, with her irregular heart beat having made an unwelcome and more lengthy reappearance than on past occasions. While it is neither life shortening nor life inhibiting, it is worrying when your heart both races and then stops beating for a while! She has lost quite a bit of weight, and is, in fact, looking most glamorous! Her work is work, Theatre is Theatre, but it still pays the bills and allows us to run both the internet ministry and Seekers.
In February 2008 we shifted back to Napier, as we were travelling back here so often to operate the shop. Then, of course we opened a shop in Hastings, so both have to travel back there now too! Live next door to our shop, our address being 7 Bull Street, Ahuriri, Napier. No bull! Our home phone is (06) 835 0567. Have downsized once again, to a 2 bedroomed unit. Got rid of even more ‘stuff’! Still have a bedroom for visitors though! We are within walking distance of both the waterfront and town. It is really nice area to live in and for visitors to visit! Get the hint? |
    WWJ MINISTRIES PRAYER LETTER - February 2006 Dear Friends
An improvement! Only 1 month overdue this time! God improves us step by step.
Over the time since our last Prayer Letter, the Lord has indeed been doing this to me. Removing things from my life that are not bad in themselves but not the best in Him. Such as not listening to the early morning radio news programme for an hour, but spending extra time in the Word. Not looking up my favorite motor racing websites daily. And the 'real biggie', to give away all our money so as to be fully reliant upon Him for ministry supply. We now only own our household effects, which we are also trying to decrease - not always successfully!
The biggest event of our week has been our son Brendan moving to Palmerston North for full time university study, meaning that after approaching 36 years of marriage, we are 'Darbie and Joan' for the first time, no longer having any family at home. We are looking forward to just enjoying each other - which we do!
In the ministry, the Lord has indicated a shift from building up material to disseminating it to others, primarily through the mass media.
PSALMS CD
The 'first fruits' of the Lord's provision has come in the receipt of an anonymous cheque for $NZ1,000 to pay for the printing costs of the booklet that is to accompany the CD. Wonderful! PTL!
We are now waiting to receive the booklets and back cover from the printers before we send out the first copies to those who asked for them. If you would like us to send you a copy of the CD when it is available, please send us your address and we will do the rest.
Prayer Points
1. For funds (Initially $NZ1,000) to enable us to produce and distribute the first 500 CD's to those in need of them.
2. For a positive response from the Hospice movement here in New Zealand, and worldwide, for distribution of the CD's to provide comfort for the dying.
3. For other avenues of distribution to those who need the encouragement that the Psalms offer.
4. Can we please ask you to pray specifically for 3 people who will die shortly unless they receive a healing miracle. All are young 30's -50's. Youngest to oldest ; Camille Troughton, our friend and dedicated follower of, and worker for, Jesus. Cancer. Jo Piper, from our church, a lady who has faithfully cleaned the church and looked after old people for many years. Diabetes complications. Kerry Southey. A well known South African prophet with an amazing ministry. Cancer. Kerry cannot take morphine and is in great pain.
TV PROGRAMME
Finally, we are working on the 2nd version of the Pilot. The team at Redeemed Media, and myself, are excited about it!
Prayer Points
1. For God's wisdom and guidance for us all, particularly for Elaine Millard, our Director, as she guides the whole process.
2. For finance to pay for incidentals required for the filming. Also for the acquisition or use of an autocue to make life easier for my memory!
WEB SITE
It has long been our desire to revamp our website and ezines. We have had several false starts in this area! However, it finally seems that a practical and affordable technical solution could be available.
Prayer Points
1. For ability to absorb the technical knowledge necessary.
2. For people to provide technical skills and artistic content necessary to set the site up.
TABERNACLE OF DAVID
The Lord has given me some excellent revelation on David's Tabernacle that extends, and completes in a way, the teaching the Lord has given on Moses Tabernacle. This is exciting stuff! But as usual when I get a revelation from the Lord, I struggle to get it down properly, in full, on paper in a form useful to you. Please give me 'a kick up the backside' to get it done!
TRAVEL
Opportunities are always there. Africa looked a real possibility for this year, but currently is looking less likely. On the other hand, opportunities could well be opening in the US and UK. We need the Lord's guidance and provision.
FAMILY
Our family is going well. Andrew and Catriona are very busy with Eva (5) and the twins, Nathan and Charis, now approaching 10 months. Brendan has made the decision to get on and complete his science degree. He needs prayer and encouragement to do this. Nigel has now been made a Case Manager at the Accident Compensation Commission, which comes with a large salary increase to help him save for his intended OE. (overseas experience) Cameron is about to start serious university study this year for a commerce degree. Kathy's work is improving. And David and Kathy are just starting to enjoy life by themselves!
Thank you, once again, for your prayer and all your support. We truly appreciate it.
Agape
David (and Kathy)
WWW.WWJ.ORG.NZ
You can join our prayer team at pray-on@wwj.org.nz
We would love to have you join us! |
WWJ MINISTRIES PRAYER LETTER - December 2005 Dear Friends
Where does the time go! My good intentions of a monthly letter have extended to 5 months! I repent!
FITTING INTO 'the Zone'
The past months have been both interesting and challenging - a normal state in God! We have settled into our house, got to know those in our community, 'the Zone' better, and started to relate a little to the wider community of Flaxmere, the suburb of Hastings in which we live. Every time I go for my run (most days - as long as it is not raining!) I wave to cars going past me, and most of the people in them wave back. In this predominantly Maori (NZ's indigenous people) and Pacific Islander community, we find the people very friendly, provided we make the first move.
Within 'the Zone' itself we have had to get to know the other members and their foibles, and them, to know us and ours. A little like a new marriage, I think, as it is difficult to remember back that far, for this year Kathy and I celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary!
THE OFFICE
At the same time, Ray and I (very much the apprentice) converted the garage here to an office and editing studio, thanks to generous assistance from our landlady for materials and Jacksons Flooring who donated and layed brand new carpet for us. Kathy really likes the office as she has finally got her own desk on which to put her computer! Must be why she did so well in her Nursing Degree studies, earning an A pass for the paper she sat.
PSALMS CD
Several years ago a friend of mine died of cancer and while sick, I recorded a tape of encouragement Psalms for him, which he used to play over and over by his bedside.
Nearly 3 months ago the Lord said to do a similar thing, but more professionally and give it away to hospices (who provide care for the dying in 90 countries) free of charge for them to give to those patients who would like to listen. As there are 8,000 of those in New Zealand alone, this is a big faith step, for we have no funds to finance this.
Today, the Lord also said to give it away to anyone else who wants it also - so there goes one fundraising scheme idea - although we will gratefully accept donations! So, if you would like a copy of an 80 minute CD with yours truly narrating 42 Psalms, much enhanced by the beautiful flute playing in the Spirit of Melanie Yoeman in the background, please send your mailing address details. We will send you one in late January, once the booklet of 'David's Translation' of these Psalms is printed. The translation, based on the Old King James, but modernising the language a bit more than the New King James, was an interesting learning exercise. And avoids copyright problems! Most Bible translations seem to be in it for the money!
TRAVEL
In spite of numerous invitations, I/we have not travelled overseas this year. It has been a time to re-establish ourselves in our new location. Nor has the Lord released funds to do so.
As the Lord supplies, I/we hope to travel back to Africa around April/May/June next year. This may include ministry in the US and UK also. So, if you want me/us to visit you, please let me know what you would propose, as soon as possible. It is not going to be possible to meet all requests, so do I hope you will understand this.
TV
The initial pilot programme has been critiqued and we are hoping to refilm early in the new year. A drawn out process!
FAMILY
Kathy has had a very successful year of study towards her nursing degree and is finding her place more in her work situation. She would like to work in the community here, mainly in the prevention area, under the umbrella of 'Faith Nursing', an organisation of mainly Anglican (Episcopal) and Roman Catholic people, working in local parishes.
Our family (Andrew, Catriona, Eva, Nathan and Charis) in Scotland is very busy with their 7 month old now twins, and Eva, who has turned 5.
Brendan is the only one at home with us and he desperately needs suitable work.
Nigel is in Hamilton, working and saving towards overseas travel (the 'big OE' we call it in New Zealand) and Cameron is working as a cook while studying in Wellington. They will both be home for Christmas, which will be great.
PRAYER NEEDS
Not itemised separately this time as they are covered above.
SEASONS GREETINGS
Kathy and I take this opportunity to thank you for your prayer and all forms of support throughout the year. Without you we could not continue. We consider you to be a part of what we are doing.
As we remember the birth of Jesus and look forward to another New Year, we wish you and yours every blessing for the dyas ahead. May God too, be blessed through you.
Your friends
Kathy and David Tait
www.wwj.org.nz |
WWJ MINISTRIES PRAYER LETTER - AUGUST 2005 Greetings
A month of thanksgiving!
Our shift to Flaxmere, about 12km from where we were living in Taradale, but in a different city(Hastings rather than Napier) went very well. We had plenty of helpers (Thankyou so much if you are reading this) and no major problems. Wonderful!
We are enjoying our new house. A fantastic landlady in Marie. After a week it looked like we had been here for years! The area we are in is the poor area of town. I certainly wouldn't call it a slum area, as comparatively speaking, we do not have slums. However, it has the same problems you find in slum areas worldwide - domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, desertion of children by parents, prostitution, gangs, racial tension, general poverty etc. Much of this results form drug dependance. Cannabis is rife, but the bigger, and growing problem is 'P'. (methamphetamine)
But do not get the wrong idea about our shift! On the positive side there are many friendly people, our house overlooks one of many parks, we have no reason to feel personally unsafe, a number of Christians are being called to live in the area, and it is a community in which you can make a difference. Kathy is considerably closer to her work at the hospital and the job is going better.
We have not come with any illusions about having the solutions to all the problems (other than Jesus, of course) but know it will take us some time to fit in to, and be accepted by, the community. We have simply come to serve the people here.
We are setting up the garage here as a TV editing studio. We now need the prophesied funds in order to get programme production under way.
It is good to get to know better, Ray, Elaine and baby Joe (10 months), Clive, Joe, Karen, Chris and Dion, the others in the small Christian community we are living in. Sharing many evening meals is great, particularly when Kathy is working afternoons. So I now don't have to cook just for myself, or sometimes myself and Brendan, our son who is still living with us. One of the houses has been sold by another landlord, but there is a good possibility of building a more suitable one, on another section. Adaptability is required, but we are adaptable people - we think!
Our family are all doing well, spread around New Zealand and the world. We are celebrating my Mum's 85th birthday on Friday. A few weeks early, but it is the only time my sister can be here from Melbourne, Australia, where she lives. Kathy's mother and aunty are coming too, so all will be able to inspect our new home! Better have it tidy!
PGIM and Tuesday Teachings are going well and visitors to the website increasing.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Adaptability to our new environment.
2. Clear guidance on the directions we need to take as a community and for the ministry itself.
3. Provision of resources, (money and people) to produce our TV programmes and for travel and the ministry generally.
4. A positive reaction from the community to our presence and sensitivity for us in adapting to the people in it.
5. Protection for us and our belongings (which we are reducing -slowly!)
6. Investigation of the possibility of Kathy becoming a part time 'Parish Nurse' for the Anglican Church, here in Flaxmere. An exciting opportunity if the parish can be convinced, and funding found.
7. For our family - and yours too - wherever they are.
Thank you so much for your prayer support. We really appreciate it.
Your friends
David (and Kathy) Tait |
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