OUR BLOGS
plodblog
ElKid
Timothy's Blog
kimblog
EMAIL ADDRESSES
The Family:
plodinec7@plodinec.com
Steve:
steve@plodinec.com
Karen:
karen@plodinec.com
Stephen:
stephen@plodinec.com
Timothy:
timothy@plodinec.com
Kimberly:
kimberly@plodinec.com
plodblog
ElKid
Timothy's Blog
kimblog
EMAIL ADDRESSES
The Family:
plodinec7@plodinec.com
Steve:
steve@plodinec.com
Karen:
karen@plodinec.com
Stephen:
stephen@plodinec.com
Timothy:
timothy@plodinec.com
Kimberly:
kimberly@plodinec.com
SEARCH PLODINEC.COM
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LOCAL INFORMATION
Click Here for the weather
The time:
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The time:
For the latest info, check out our blogs, listed on the right. We usually update them at
least once a week, so you can keep up to date pretty easily.
We will update this page now and then with some of the more interesting and important
happenings.
Merry Christmas to All, from the Plodinecs in Africa
Newsletter.pdf
As you all know, we are missionaries to Africa, which would be the classic missionary
locality. When many people think of missionaries they think of some person from North
America or Europe sitting in an African hot tub (big black pot with vegetables in it – they
exist, I’ve seen them) surrounded by dancing natives in the middle of the jungle. It’s not
quite like that. The locals have cell phones, many have cars and some are college
educated. But, there are also many who still live much as their ancestors did hundreds of
years ago. And even here in this continent of vast contrasts and where every religion
known to man is practiced, the birth of Jesus is celebrated. The commercialism of the
season has made it here as well, though not as bad as in the States. But, I wander. Back
to the purpose of this letter, an end of the year update and greetings.
The Lord blessed us this year with – Surprise! – another child – Surprise! Kids are great.
His name is Luke Augustine Plodinec. I wanted to name him Luke Danger Plodinec so he
could say “Danger is my middle name!” Karen would have none of it. At least I’ll always be
able to quote the movie line to him, “Luke, I am your father!” Look, he’s our sixth kid. After
that many you don’t worry about bruising their psyche with a little bit of a strange name.
Even the name he ended up with, Luke Augustine Plodinec, is more than any kid should
have to bear. One of our friends said “That name is like a punch in the mouth.” Thank you
Lord that little Luke is healthy.
The rest of the kids are doing well and getting big. Stephen (17) and Timothy (16) are both
taller than dad who is 6’4”. Kimberly (14) is 5’9” and Katherine (8) and Michael (6) are
growing like weeds. They do grow so fast. Lord willing, Stephen and Timothy will be going
off to college in 2009 in the US. Karen and I miss them already. Stephen, Timothy and
Kimberly are on the web, they all have blogs and “Facebook” pages. You can see what the
latest events in their lives are by visiting them online. Links to their blogs are on our web
site, www.plodinec.com. I also have a blog, plodblog.wordpress.com.
We are pretty much used to living in Africa. In some ways it is just like living in the US, in
other ways it is too different to even try and explain. Safety is always a concern, you just
learn to be careful; please continue to pray about it. This is Africa, so political stability is an
issue. Also, last summer our whole town ran out of water for two weeks and the power goes
off 4-6 times a month, but usually only for a few hours at a time.
Everyone is very involved in our local church. I help share the preaching on Sunday
evenings and teach Sunday school once in a while. Stephen and Timothy teach Sunday
school to the grade school kids, Kimberly helps with the little kids and babies Sunday
morning and evening. This year Karen was pregnant and then has been taking care of
baby Luke, along with home schooling the kids, running the home and putting up with
Steve, which are four fulltime jobs.
The ministry at seminary is going well. Last year we accepted 25 new students, 21 showed
up for the first day of class. This year we accepted 22 new students, over half from
countries other than South Africa. We will have around 70-80 full time students, depending
on how many of the foreign students are able to get study visas. After being here two
years I am more convinced than ever that this is the way to reach other cultures with the
gospel. The men we teach are already in ministry and they are their culture. They take
what we teach them in class and go right back to their churches and immediately apply it.
They are reaching their own people. They are planting churches. They are evangelizing
and discipling the next generation of African church leaders, and then they are sending
them to us for further training. The school has been in existence for ten years and we are
now getting new students that come from churches being pastored by our graduates. This
is 2 Timothy 2:2 in action! – “What you have heard from me in the presence of many
witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” A traditional church
planting missionary is decades away from that kind of effectiveness, if they ever attain to
that level of acceptance.
By the way, you must come and visit us. Yes, it is a long way. Yes, a plane ticket does cost
money. But, we can use your help, even if it is just for a week or two. If you can’t make it
then send your mature ministry minded high school or college age kids to come and
minister for the summer, or for all year. They can stay with us. There are always a few
American young people here ministering in the church and with our local church based
missions organization. They are leading in the youth group, ministering to the younger
kids, working at church, working at the mission, going out on missions trips, doing
evangelism and doing all kinds of other ministry. They will be busy and they will love it. It
will change their lives.
We hope and pray that you know the One whose birth we celebrate this time of year –
Jesus Christ, Lord of all – and that He has changed your life, and continues to do so. Let
us know how you are doing. Missionaries love to hear from people back home.
Steve, and Karen, Stephen, Timothy, Kimberly, Catherine Michael & baby Luke,
Acts 20:32, “I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Church in a Local Village
On Sunday, October 21, Steve and the kids went to a local village where Steve preached.
Karen stayed at home with baby Luke.
We drove to the edge of town and met with an African taxi parked on the side of the road.
It was full of people from another church who were going to the same church we were
going this week. The driver was a former Christ Seminary graduate, Philemon.
We followed them and arrived at our destination at about 10 o'clock. It was a hot day and
everybody filed in to the 40'x20' bare brick and concrete church and sat down in a plastic
chair. The pastor, Michael Mowontwa, who is a current seminary student, played a
keyboard and a couple of the ladies led in singing African choruses for about an hour. The
music was very loud and very repetitive; that's the way they worship in villages here.
Steve got up to preach and delivered a message about the law from Romans. Everybody,
young and old, listened carefully to Steve's simple teaching. There was good feedback
afterwards.
When the service was finished, everybody went outside and fellowshipped for a short time.
The sun got hot, and we came back home at about 1:30.
least once a week, so you can keep up to date pretty easily.
We will update this page now and then with some of the more interesting and important
happenings.
Merry Christmas to All, from the Plodinecs in Africa
Newsletter.pdf
As you all know, we are missionaries to Africa, which would be the classic missionary
locality. When many people think of missionaries they think of some person from North
America or Europe sitting in an African hot tub (big black pot with vegetables in it – they
exist, I’ve seen them) surrounded by dancing natives in the middle of the jungle. It’s not
quite like that. The locals have cell phones, many have cars and some are college
educated. But, there are also many who still live much as their ancestors did hundreds of
years ago. And even here in this continent of vast contrasts and where every religion
known to man is practiced, the birth of Jesus is celebrated. The commercialism of the
season has made it here as well, though not as bad as in the States. But, I wander. Back
to the purpose of this letter, an end of the year update and greetings.
The Lord blessed us this year with – Surprise! – another child – Surprise! Kids are great.
His name is Luke Augustine Plodinec. I wanted to name him Luke Danger Plodinec so he
could say “Danger is my middle name!” Karen would have none of it. At least I’ll always be
able to quote the movie line to him, “Luke, I am your father!” Look, he’s our sixth kid. After
that many you don’t worry about bruising their psyche with a little bit of a strange name.
Even the name he ended up with, Luke Augustine Plodinec, is more than any kid should
have to bear. One of our friends said “That name is like a punch in the mouth.” Thank you
Lord that little Luke is healthy.
The rest of the kids are doing well and getting big. Stephen (17) and Timothy (16) are both
taller than dad who is 6’4”. Kimberly (14) is 5’9” and Katherine (8) and Michael (6) are
growing like weeds. They do grow so fast. Lord willing, Stephen and Timothy will be going
off to college in 2009 in the US. Karen and I miss them already. Stephen, Timothy and
Kimberly are on the web, they all have blogs and “Facebook” pages. You can see what the
latest events in their lives are by visiting them online. Links to their blogs are on our web
site, www.plodinec.com. I also have a blog, plodblog.wordpress.com.
We are pretty much used to living in Africa. In some ways it is just like living in the US, in
other ways it is too different to even try and explain. Safety is always a concern, you just
learn to be careful; please continue to pray about it. This is Africa, so political stability is an
issue. Also, last summer our whole town ran out of water for two weeks and the power goes
off 4-6 times a month, but usually only for a few hours at a time.
Everyone is very involved in our local church. I help share the preaching on Sunday
evenings and teach Sunday school once in a while. Stephen and Timothy teach Sunday
school to the grade school kids, Kimberly helps with the little kids and babies Sunday
morning and evening. This year Karen was pregnant and then has been taking care of
baby Luke, along with home schooling the kids, running the home and putting up with
Steve, which are four fulltime jobs.
The ministry at seminary is going well. Last year we accepted 25 new students, 21 showed
up for the first day of class. This year we accepted 22 new students, over half from
countries other than South Africa. We will have around 70-80 full time students, depending
on how many of the foreign students are able to get study visas. After being here two
years I am more convinced than ever that this is the way to reach other cultures with the
gospel. The men we teach are already in ministry and they are their culture. They take
what we teach them in class and go right back to their churches and immediately apply it.
They are reaching their own people. They are planting churches. They are evangelizing
and discipling the next generation of African church leaders, and then they are sending
them to us for further training. The school has been in existence for ten years and we are
now getting new students that come from churches being pastored by our graduates. This
is 2 Timothy 2:2 in action! – “What you have heard from me in the presence of many
witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” A traditional church
planting missionary is decades away from that kind of effectiveness, if they ever attain to
that level of acceptance.
By the way, you must come and visit us. Yes, it is a long way. Yes, a plane ticket does cost
money. But, we can use your help, even if it is just for a week or two. If you can’t make it
then send your mature ministry minded high school or college age kids to come and
minister for the summer, or for all year. They can stay with us. There are always a few
American young people here ministering in the church and with our local church based
missions organization. They are leading in the youth group, ministering to the younger
kids, working at church, working at the mission, going out on missions trips, doing
evangelism and doing all kinds of other ministry. They will be busy and they will love it. It
will change their lives.
We hope and pray that you know the One whose birth we celebrate this time of year –
Jesus Christ, Lord of all – and that He has changed your life, and continues to do so. Let
us know how you are doing. Missionaries love to hear from people back home.
Steve, and Karen, Stephen, Timothy, Kimberly, Catherine Michael & baby Luke,
Acts 20:32, “I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Church in a Local Village
On Sunday, October 21, Steve and the kids went to a local village where Steve preached.
Karen stayed at home with baby Luke.
We drove to the edge of town and met with an African taxi parked on the side of the road.
It was full of people from another church who were going to the same church we were
going this week. The driver was a former Christ Seminary graduate, Philemon.
We followed them and arrived at our destination at about 10 o'clock. It was a hot day and
everybody filed in to the 40'x20' bare brick and concrete church and sat down in a plastic
chair. The pastor, Michael Mowontwa, who is a current seminary student, played a
keyboard and a couple of the ladies led in singing African choruses for about an hour. The
music was very loud and very repetitive; that's the way they worship in villages here.
Steve got up to preach and delivered a message about the law from Romans. Everybody,
young and old, listened carefully to Steve's simple teaching. There was good feedback
afterwards.
When the service was finished, everybody went outside and fellowshipped for a short time.
The sun got hot, and we came back home at about 1:30.
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